《Money Loving CEO's Detective Lover》


 Chapter 1: A Mothers Guilt

    Chapter 1: A Mother''s Guilt


    Her screams were echoing through the empty corridors. She tried to catch her breath but her body was in pure agony as if someone was squeezing the life out of her. Even though she thought she was prepared to endure the torment, the real trauma was even worse. Sweat rolled down her forehead, as she clenched the sheets tightly. The ordeal had been going on for hours without any signs of stopping.


    "That''s it," a gentle voice encouraged her. "It''s almost over my dear. Push. You have to push!"


    "I" she gasped. "I...can''t...too much...pain"


    "Doctor she has lost too much blood!" the nurse beside her warned. "Her BP is dropping!"


    "Get more blood bags!" the doctor ordered another nurse. She rushed outside to get more blood bags. Out in the corridor, a fully suited man was sitting on the bench, calmly waiting. He heard the screams from within yet maintained a poker face. His hands held a letter. When a nurse emerged from the operation theater, he put the letter into his pocket, stood up and bowed.


    "How is the girl?" he asked in a formal tone.


    "Are you the father?" she questioned.


    The man pursed his lips before replying, "I am."


    The nurse scrutinized him. The man was too calm and icy. He looked unaffected about the birth of his baby. His handsome face was unreadable while his dark brown hair was properly brushed back. Unlike most new fathers who looked tensed and haggard, the man looked as if he was there for a business meeting.


    She knew that he was an influential person because the girl was admitted under strict secrecy at the VIP ward of the hospital. All her needs were taken care of and yet, the father of the baby never showed up. Until today.


    "She has lost too much blood," she informed him. "I''m going to get more blood bags."


    "What about the baby?"


    "The baby is still on the way," the nurse said in a grim tone. "Now if you would please excuse me."


    She scurried off to fetch more blood bags and then returned to the operation theater. The other nurse proceeded to inject the needle into the girl''s veins. The color on her face was returning but thebour was far from over.


    The girl was only 18 years old and it was her first baby. Her body was weak and the unusually long hours ofbor pain was exhausting her. Furthermore, it had been only eight months and the baby was premature.


    The girl''s legs were spread far apart and she was fighting for her life to give birth to this child. However, the delivery was not the issue. The doctor was more puzzled by the girl''s request. As he tried to stabilize the girl''s condition, he recalled the instructions she had given him.


    "When the childes out, please don''t let me hear its cries," she begged. "I don''t want to hear the child cry. Please hold her mouth and take her away from me as soon as possible!"


    The words had astounded him. A child''s cries were the very first thing a mother wanted to hear and yet, this girl did not want to experience that joy.


    The girl gave another ear piercing shriek. Her vulva was dting and ready to push out the baby.


    "Dear, you must push," he coaxed her. The girl''s face was contorted in pain and she felt as if she would die. "If you don''t the baby will be in danger!"


    The girl bit her lip so hard that it was bleeding. Her strength was leaving but she must push it out. She heaved her stomach, forcing herself to push. It was as if her womb was being beaten up repeatedly and she was still expected to pop out a human being from there.


    The nurse held her hand. The girl was d for the warmth of her fingers while the nurse consoled her to continue pushing. She squeezed the nurse''s hand tightly but thetter did not flinch. The girl continued to torture her body, pressurizing it to bring out the baby.


    "I see the head!" the doctor dered. "Harder!"


    The girl yelled, the struggle bing too unbearable for her. She heaved again and again, taking deep breaths in between. Once the torso was out, the doctor held its mouth to prevent the girl from hearing its cries and gently pulled out the baby which was covered in blood and sticky liquids.


    "Nurse, cut the umbilical cord!" The doctor ordered. The nurse nodded and ced two clips on the long cord which was connecting the baby''s navel with the mother''s womb. She expertly snitched it separating the mother from the baby. The girl was barely conscious.


    "Nurse" she called weakly. One of the nurses attended to her.


    "Yes dear?"


    "Please take her away," the girl begged. The nurse was confused by the girl''s plea. Why was this girl rejecting her baby?


    "Don''t you want to see your child?" she asked. To her surprise, the girl began to cry. Her tears were not due to the hours of pain she had suffered but of a broken heart.


    "If I see her, I will never be able to forgive myself," she sobbed. "Her cries will haunt me forever and I won''t be able to let go of her."


    She grasped the nurse''s hand. "Please, take her away!" she cried. "It''s better if she never knows her mother! Please"


    The pain in her heart was worse than a thousandbour pains. The child she had carried for months...she had never thought that the separation would hurt this much. Even though she knew every detail of the contract by heart and had prepared herself, she never thought that her heart would be torn apart at the final hour.


    The girl knew that if she heard the child''s first cry or saw its face, her resolve would break. She would never be able to get over the trauma of leaving her child to a stranger. To achieve something, she unwittingly gave up the most precious thing in her life.


    And now she would be alone. Forever.


    .


    The man outside was calmly waiting for the doctor toe out. Finally, he emerged, carrying the newborn in his arms.


    "It''s a girl, Mr. Hwang," the doctor dered. Hwang Minho looked down, staring at the little girl underneath the nkets.


    She was so tiny that it looked as if she would fit in his one hand. Her tiny fingers were twitching while she slept. Minho was staring at it, not saying a word.


    "Would you like to hold her?" the doctor asked, feeling confused over the man''sck of reaction.


    Minho gave a stiff nod and held out his arms. The doctor ced the girl into them. Minho poked the girl''s face, as if trying to feel if she was real or not. In her sleep, the baby''s small fingers curled around his, holding it.


    The doctor was puzzled by how unaffected the man was but then thetter mumbled something.


    "Did you say something, Mr. Hwang?"


    "Hwang Jina," Minho mumbled. "Her name is Hwang Jina."


    His icy mask slipped for a second as a small smile yed on his lips. But it was visible for only a fraction of a second.


    "We will have to keep her in the PICU for a night," the doctor said but Minho cut in.


    "Our family doctors will take care of her in my hospital," Minho informed him. "We''ll shift Jina there. And as for the girl inside, my Secretary will cater to her there. We''ll pay her hospital bills as well."


    The doctor was puzzled by the odd couple. The father clearly wanted the child and yet the mother was distancing herself. Furthermore, the father was Hwang Minho, the richest and most powerful man in the country! Which girl would not want to marry him and give birth to his child?


    "Oh and one more thing," Minho said. "That girl should never find out my name. Don''t tell her that I myself came here to fetch this child. Otherwise I will destroy this hospital."


    The calmness behind the threat made him more menacing. The doctor gulped in fear and lowered his head.


    "I-I understand sir," he said. "She''ll never find out."


    Minho nodded and turned away to leave. Before exiting the VIP corridor, he took onest nce at the room the girl was still in. He never understood why the girl agreed to this but nevertheless, shepleted her part of the contract. Her job was done.


    .


    The nurse was cleaning her up. The girl was in a catatonic state, unfeeling and not responding much. Her mental health had taken a toll not by the long hours ofbour but by the aftermath of giving up her child. The nurse pitied the young girl. She was barely an adult and yet had to go through such a big catastrophe.


    "Your baby will be fine," the nurse consoled her. "You did a very difficult thing but I''m sure she will be loved by her family."


    The girl looked up at her. "It''s not that," she said, her eyes tearing up.


    "Then what is it?"


    Suddenly, the girl threw her arms around the nurse, crying hard. She could not express the guilt she felt. Her grief did not stem from the fact that she gave up her child. It was because of that terrible secret. In her selfishness, she had passed on a terrible curse to her own child. The naive and desperate decision she made to rid herself of that curse had thrown that baby into a life of hell. The curse which had haunted her the whole life will now stalk that little child. And she could never forgive herself for it.


    Please protect my child, she prayed. Please protect her...

 Chapter 2: The Money Lover

    Chapter 2: The Money Lover


    *Eight Years Later*


    Minho''s vein was throbbing in his forehead. His secretary, Lee Jongin, was sweating hard. The files in front of them were not showing favorable numbers. Profit fell by 0.5% fromst week, which was enough for Secretary Lee to think of packing his bags and leave the country.


    "Sir, as you can see, the profits only fell by 0.5% fromst week, but we are anticipating a 2% increase next week," he said nervously.


    Instead of being amused, Minho''s vein became more visible. It was now reaching the danger point.


    "Two percent?" he repeated. "The profit has reduced by point five percent fromst week but we are making two percent next week. Which means that the overall profit for three weeks will be only one point five percent whereasst month it was two point five percent. That''s a one percent drop."


    Jongin cowered as he saw the vein in his boss'' head was about to pop any minute.


    "One percent profit drop for mypany while my rival JK Limited got a whopping three percent increase fromst month," Minho gritted, throwing him a disgusted look.


    "Sir, they are still behind us!" Jongin said at once. "By four percent!"


    "You mean to say they were seven percent behind us and have eliminated three percent from it in a month?" Minho''s temper was now at boiling point.


    Jongin was shaking on the spot while secretly hovering his finger on his phone''s send button. The message read ''SOS''.


    Minho stood up and strode towards the window. He pointed at arge ten storey building opposite the street.


    "Look at that!" he yelled. "JK Limited even made their office right opposite to ours! That guy has beenpeting with me since our childhood and even made the building taller than our one. I had to add three more storeys to this building to be higher than his crappypany and now you''re telling me he''s only four percent behind me in profits?"


    The vein popped and Jongin sent the SOS signal. Within seconds, the message was circted to the entire staff of Hwang Constructions.


    "SOS signal!" one employee announced. "Vesudas has exploded!"


    "Again? This is the second time this week!" another employee groaned.


    "Call your families and tell them we''ll be stuck at the office for another week!" a female executive eximed. The new interns, who had just joined thepany that day, were visibly confused by the overreaction. One of the interns named Jinri approached a marketing executive, Ms. Lia.


    "Umm...Ms. Lia, why is everyone reacting like this?" Jinri asked. "What does this SOS signal mean? And what is Vesudas?"


    Lia, one of the most senior employees of Hwang Constructions, sighed. "Have you heard the story of Pompei?" she asked.


    "The city which was destroyed overnight?"


    "Yes," Lia replied. "It was destroyed by a volcano called Vesuvius. The ''Vesu'' part of the namees from the volcano because when he erupts like that, he''ll burn all of us down through extra work and overtime. The ''das'' part of his namees from the Greek king Midas, the one who used to turn things to gold just by touching. Together it makes, Vesudas, which is the nickname of our CEO. Even if his temper is nasty, he could make money within seconds. The guy isn''t the most influential man in the country for no reason ya know."


    "But he seems to be fixated with JK Limited," Jinri frowned. "Are they rivals?"


    "Well, the CEO thinks of Jang Kanji as a rival but in reality Jang Kanji is his only friend," Lia sighed. "Unlike our CEO, Kanji is a fun loving guy who really enjoys pissing him off. He even forces the CEO to go out on drinks with him so the rivalry is really one sided."


    "How did it even start?"


    "Well, you see, our CEO is reallypetitive," Lia recalled. "He hates to lose. The only time he lost to Jang Kanji was in elementary school when Kanji won an artpetition. Since then, the CEO has been trying to outsmart him in everything."


    "Wow the CEO sounds like a nasty piece of work," Jinri remarked.


    "He''s not entirely bad," Lia assured her. "As long as he has the two most important things in his life, he''ll stay calm."


    "What are those?"


    "Number one is money," Lia pointed out. "Make money for thispany, he''ll treat you well. Don''t make money, don''te back here."


    "And the second one?"


    "Second one is actually the most important one. Even more than money."


    "Which is?"


    "That''s-"


    Just then the door of the CEO''s office burst open. Everyone scurried back to the seat as the Lord of Hell emerged from his room. A dangerous aura emitted from him as he passed by, intimidating everyone around him. Jongin meekly followed him, trying not to provoke the angry dragon.


    "Order all the heads of departments toe to the meeting room!" he ordered out loud. "They have two minutes."


    "Yes sir!" Jongin said at once. He had already prepared a message for the department heads, summoning them to the meeting room. Within two minutes, they had gathered there. The CEO''s stern gaze scrutinized every one of them, making them extremely nervous and scared.


    "We made one percent less profit," he stated. "Care to exin why?"


    One of them raised his hand, shaking in fear. "S-sir that''s because we had a big productunchst week. Our new shopping mall has just started its operations and we spent quite a bit on it."


    "Where are the profits from the shopping mall?"


    "Sir, it''s only been one week-"


    "And it''s still not making money?"


    His sharp tongue cut through the room, increasing the tension. Even though Minho was in his mid thirties and also younger than most of the department heads, they shrunk in front of him, not daring to reply.


    "The famous makeup brand Piero will open tomorrow!" one of them piped up. "By next week, the profits will double. We''re already getting a lot of orders."


    "How much money are we expected to make?" Minho demanded.


    "Five hundred million!"


    Minho began to calcte on his hands. "That''s an additional two percent profit," he muttered. "So JK Limited will remain six percent behind us. That''s still one percent."


    The meeting attendees watched in despair as Minho spoke gibberish. He was lost in his own world, counting money. Jongin suspected the guy probably had numerous vaults of money stashed away in his mansion. The guy was crazy about making money and only saw the value of everything in mary terms. It was nearly impossible to dupe him when it came to revenue. The guy probably counted money even in his sleep.


    "JK Limited will manage to cover one percent gap," Minho realized. He threw a menacing look at the heads of the departments who shivered. "No one goes home until that one percent is covered," he ordered.


    "Daddy!"


    A cheerful voice rang through the room. Everyone turned to see an eight year old girl with a schoolbag running towards the CEO. Her ck hair was tied into little pigtails while her wide brown eyes sparkled innocently at her father. Her cute demeanor broke the icy money loving CEO as he burst into a smile.


    "Jina!" heughed, scooping his daughter in his arms. "Aigoo my precious daughter!"


    The employees heaved a sigh of relief at her sight. Jongin inwardly rejoiced. He had informed the CEO''s live-in nanny about the situation at the office and begged her to help out. There was only one way to calm down the CEO.


    "Daddy, won''t youe home tonight?" Jina asked, her big eyes looking at him pleadingly. "It''s my doll''s wedding tonight. You''re supposed to give away the bride."


    "Of course daddy will attend!" Minho said at once. "I won''t miss my precious angel''s doll''s wedding!"


    He turned to the meeting attendees, his expression changing back to being icy and cold. "Let''s call it a day," he reluctantly said. "Give me the reports tomorrow."


    The employees tried to keep a straight face as they saw their intimidating CEO bing a docile dad in front of his daughter. If anyone dared tough, they would be fired on the spot. Minho was carrying his daughter in one hand and her schoolbag in another hand as they walked towards his private elevator. Jina was chattering about her day at school while Minho listened obediently.


    Jinri was shocked at the turn of events. The man who had everyone on their edgespletely changed for a little girl. Lia leaned towards her and whispered, "And the most precious thing for him is his daughter."

 Chapter 3: Nightly Visitors

    Chapter 3: Nightly Visitors


    Minho entered the mansion with Jina happily riding on his shoulders.


    "We''re home!" she announced.


    The servants came forward, watching the father-daughter duo in amusement. Minho''s cold expression always softened whenever Jina was around. Jina''s live-in nanny, an elderlydy by the name Kim Saeron, came forward to attend to her.


    "Wee back sir and young miss,"she greeted warmly.


    "Nanny!"Jina squealed. "Look I drew an elephant at school today!"


    She showed the old woman the picture of a scribble which was supposedly an elephant.


    "Very nice,"Kim smiled.


    "We''ve already had dinner outside so tell the chefs not to prepare anything for us," Minho instructed. "Is Jina''s bath water ready yet?"


    "Yes sir," Kim replied. "I''ll take her. Come on young miss."


    She stretched her arms out. Jina jumped into them, giggling. Minho headed straight for his bedroom to take a shower. He changed into a ck shirt and pants, wiping his wet hair as he came out of the bathroom. Turning on hisptop, he began to check his workload.


    Hispany, Hwang Constructions, was thergest conglomerate in the country, generating billions of dors every year. He joined thepany as a CEO when he was merely 20 years old and within fifteen years, he had turned it into a power to be reckoned with. There was only one thing to do: make money. It was the life he led and the rule he abided by.


    Many women tried to seduce him and to this day, they coveted the precious title of Mrs. Hwang. He was not averse by the idea of marriage but rather by what he could gain from it. Before going on any dates, he would check the mary value of the woman and what sort of financial gains hispany would benefit from such alliance.


    Unfortunately, none of the women he met with fit into his criteria even if their families were super rich. They lived off of their family''s money and did not have any financial backing of their own which only made them worthless in his eyes. Furthermore, he could instantly identify when some of his dates had tried to fake their affections for Jina. Their tricks were too obvious.


    "Daddy!"


    Jina came running to him, jumping on hisp. "What is this?" she asked, pointing at theplicated numbers on his screen.


    "It''s maths," he exined.


    Jina pouted at the numbers in front of her.


    "I don''t like Maths," she concluded. "It''s so hard!"


    "It''s not that hard," Minho said. "Daddy will help you out."


    "Okay!" she eximed, getting off hisp and running out of the door. Within seconds she returned with her school bag, dumping all her books on the table.


    "Help me with my homework!" she ordered.


    "Yes ma''am!" he sighed.


    Putting his work aside, he helped his daughter to finish her school work. Her nanny, Kim, was observing them from the doorway with tears in her eyes. One of the new servants, Yejin, whispered to her, "Is he really the cold blooded CEO everyone talks about? He seems so nice!"


    "Only to his daughter," Kim said. "No one other than Jina is spared from his wrath."


    She sighed. If only the CEO would get married and give Jina a good mother who would look after her.


    "What happened to the CEO''s wife?" Yejin asked. "Jina''s mother."


    "Shhh!" Kim shushed, looking back to see if the CEO had heard them. Fortunately, he was preupied with Jina so Kim took Yejin aside.


    "Don''t talk about Jina''s mother," she said in a hushed tone.


    "Why not?"


    "No one knows who she is," Kim replied. "For an entire year, the CEO stayed out of town. Hemunicated through his secretary only and no one knew what he was doing. When he returned, he brought the newborn Jina. When I asked who the mother was, he ordered everyone that no one should ever ask about her."


    "What sort of a mother abandons her own child?" Yejin asked in disgust.


    "I don''t know but for some reason the CEO refuses to talk about her," Kim said sadly. "Even Jina never asked about her mother. At least not yet but I''m sure she would want to know some day."


    "Wasn''t it hard for the CEO to take care of her on his own?"


    "It was!" Kim chuckled. "The poor man who only knew about money and revenues was at aplete loss about taking care of the baby. It was difficult at first. He was utterly confused on what food to feed the baby, how to change her diapers and barely slept because of the constant crying. But somehow, he managed to learn. The first month was hard but he really loves his daughter. He managed it all."


    "That poor child," Yejin sighed. "If only-"


    Suddenly they heard footsteps approaching. Minho came out of the room, carrying a sleeping Jina in his arms. They quickly stopped talking and bowed as he walked by. He barely acknowledged them and headed straight for Jina''s room to tuck her to sleep.


    He gentlyy his daughter down on the bed. She stirred, opening her eyes.


    "Daddy, Casper says good night too," she said.


    "Your new imaginary friend Casper?" he asked warily. Jina had a wild imagination. Everyday, she came up with new imaginary friends. Yesterday it was Julia and today she made up a new one named Casper.


    "They''re real!" she insisted. "Casper is a construction worker who got hurt! His head is bleeding! Look!"


    She pointed left, but Minho saw nothing there.


    "Well, tell him to be careful next time," Minho replied. "Now go to sleep."


    Jina pouted a little. Minho kissed her forehead and turned off the lights before leaving the room.


    "No one believes me," she whined turning to her left. Standing there was a man in a grey uniform. Blood was flowing from his head and his right eye waspletely smashed in. He was invisible to everyone''s eyes but hers.


    "I wonder where Julia went," she said out loud. "Did she manage to find her killer yet Casper?"


    But the invisible intruder merely shrugged, unable to speak since his vocal cords were also destroyed in the ident. He had just died two days ago and was wandering around until he found this little girl who was able to see andmunicate with him.


    "Good night Casper!" she said before drifting off to sleep. Casper gave her a thumbs up and disappeared as she fell asleep.

 Chapter 4: The Hooded Figure

    Chapter 4: The Hooded Figure


    It was past 1 am when Minho put hisptop away and yawned. He got up from his desk and was ready to go to sleep. Kim had ced some of his washed clothes on the bed, so he picked them up and headed into his walk-in closet to ce them in the proper ces. He liked to keep everything categorized and well organized to save time. Expertly separating the shirts, he put them in the order of colors and clothing type. While putting his pants on the hanger in the ''Pants'' section, something fell out.


    He picked it up to find that it was a letter. Correction. It was not just ''a letter'' but rather it was the same letter he was reading at the hospital on the day Jina was born. The letter was written by that woman. The one who gave birth to Jina.


    Initially, Minho was curious at the strange request the girl had made. In reality, Jina was born out of an IVF treatment. Minho was not interested in any of the matches he was being set up with but he knew of the importance of an heir for Hwang Constructions. So his doctor suggested that he could try IVF treatment and assign a surrogate to give birth to his child. The news was kept hushed up in order to avoid a scandal so the surrogate never knew who the father of her baby was.


    But Minho was given the profile of every potential candidate. He had rejected every one of them until his attention was caught by one certain girl.


    She had just turned eighteen and was aiming to train at the police academy. The girl did not seem to have any financial troubles and she was smart too since she received the highest grades in her school except in Maths. It puzzled him why a girl like her had signed up for the program but since he remained anonymous, he could not meet her in person. All correspondences were done through the doctor and the whole matter was kept under wraps.


    Everything went smoothly. The girl remained in anonymity and never requested to meet him during her pregnancy even though he kept an eye on her through his men. He knew every little detail about her but she remained unaware of his existence.


    She readily signed the contract, giving away her rights on the child. Her behavior was puzzling but since everything was going perfectly, he did notin. He thought she was fulfilling her end of the bargain until she wrote this letter to him.


    It was the only time she had directly sent him a message and after reading it, he could not help but wonder why she was doing this. Opening the piece of paper, he read the letter again.


    "Dear Sir,


    Today I will be giving birth to our daughter. Even though I don''t know who you are and what sort of father you will be to her, I''m still certain that she will be happy and healthy under your care.


    When I signed up for this deal, I didn''t think that separation would be so hard. I had my own selfish reasons to have her and because of those selfish reasons, I don''t deserve to be with her.


    At first I thought if I did not get myself attached to this baby, it won''t be that hard right? But it''s hard. As I sit here, thinking about how she will not be with me after a few days, my heart is being shredded into pieces.


    This girl...this little girl was supposed to be my escape from the dark world I have known for years. But now, I desperately want to protect her from those horrors. For this reason, I am begging you. Please don''t ever let her find me. Keep her away from me and don''t ever mention about me to her. I don''t deserve to be with this precious angel. I don''t want your money nor any favors. I just want her to be happy and safe.


    This is my one and only request. I will not see her face nor hear her cries because I won''t be able to bear it. The resolve I had been building up will break and I''ll not be able to separate from her. So please, take her away as soon as she is born and raise her well.


    That is all I want. Take care of our daughter, Mr. Stranger.


    Jeon Gayoon"


    Minho folded the paper and kept it back in its ce. Ever since that day, Jeon Gayoon had disappeared from their lives, leaving no trace of her behind. It was as if she had never existed.


    "Jeon Gayoon," he muttered. Even though he was true to his word and fulfilled her request, he vaguely wondered what happened to her in all these years. Did she get married and have more children? Did she ever think of Jina at all?


    Oh well, it was none of his concern. He closed the closet door and went straight to bed, falling asleep instantly.


    .


    "Target is in front of me," a hooded figure reported into a walkie talkie. The person was eyeing a man across the street who was ncing backwards every now and then. The hooded figure watched him from a cafe, casually sipping coffee.


    The man was behaving strangely as if afraid of being caught. He walked towards a dark alley. The hooded person got up and casually headed towards the alley. Standing behind a wall, the person listened hard.


    The man was now joined by a teenage girl.


    "How much for this?" the girl asked. The man had taken out a packet.


    "A thousand dors," he demanded.


    "Thousand bucks for such a small amount?" the girl asked, outraged.


    "These things don''te in cheap," the man said smugly. "Either a thousand bucks or leave."


    "Fine!" the girl eximed, taking out the money. The man handed her the packet which contained white substance in it.


    Suddenly, they heard the sound of a camera clicking. Startled, they turned to see a person in a hoodie, taking their picture.


    "Who are you?" the man yelled but the hooded person lunged at him, punching him in the stomach hard. He fell backwards and before he knew it, a kick came flying at him, breaking his teeth. The girl screamed and fled.


    Blood gushed out and he almost choked on the crimson liquid as the hooded figure turned him around and put handcuffs on him.


    "Who the hell are you?" the man spluttered.


    The attacker took off the hoodie. Long, silky ck hair fell out. Her dark eyes red down at him with a hellbent fury while her pale skin shone under the moonlight like a geisha.


    "You''re under arrest for selling drugs to minors," she stated. "Anything you say will be used against you in the court. So shut up and move your filthy ass!"


    Not waiting for him to recover, she roughly picked him up and shoved him at the back of a police car. Locking the door firmly behind her, she called her supervisor, Junwan.


    "Sunbae," she greeted. "I''ve caught him."


    "Gayoon, please tell me you haven''t beaten him to a pulp and he can testify," Chief Junwan begged.


    Gayoon nced at the man at the back. He was barely conscious.


    "He can talk," Gayoon half lied. As long as he remains awake, she added in her head. She hung up the phone and got into the driver''s seat. Revving up the engine, she started to drive.


    The man hadpletely copsed out of exhaustion but he was still breathing.


    "Thanks for the tip," Gayoon said out loud. But she was not talking to the man, She was talking to a pale figure sitting next to him. Ady in a red shirt and skirt was there with them,pletely still. Her hair was wildly curly and her lips were a shade of bright pink lipstick.


    Gayoon could not see her but was able to hear her and from the spirit''s ent, it was obvious that the woman had been a sex worker when she was alive. There was a time when she was able to see the spirits as well but she lost that ability a few years ago. She could still sense them and even hear them but unlike before, she could choose to ignore them upon will, enabling her to live peacefully.


    "Son of a bitch killed me!" sheined. "Been haunting him since he killed me."


    "Yeah yeah now you can go," Gayoon snapped. For the past few days, the woman had been driving her crazy when Gayoon approached her for help after figuring out there was a ghost lurking near the drug dealer.


    "I''ll keep haunting him in prison," the woman vowed. With that, she vanished, leaving Gayoon to sigh.


    She kept her head high and kept driving, hoping not toe across her ever again.

 Chapter 5: The Curse

    Chapter 5: The Curse


    Chief Kim Junwan was staring at Gayoon with his strict eyes. She tried to avoid his eyes by looking elsewhere but the man was not moving his gaze off of her. The drug dealer was sitting next to her, holding an ice pack to his nose.


    "I didn''t hit him hard at all!" Gayoon eximed. "I merely punched him-"


    "Liar!" the drug dealer spoke up. "You kicked me in the face too!"


    "You''re just too weak!" Gayoon said, feeling affronted. "How was I supposed to know a mere punch would knock you out!"


    "Mere punch?" the drug dealer shot back. "You were like a bulldozer!"


    Gayoon threw him a dirty look before turning back to Chief Kim. The old man was not saying anything but kept on ring at her with his beady eyes. In his mid forties, Chief Kim was her supervisor and mentor. He had been watching over her ever since she joined the police force. Unfortunately, he was also stuck cleaning up her mess.


    "Chief, I really did follow the protocol," Gayoon insisted. "I followed him and saw that he was selling drugs to a teenager. So I arrived to arrest him. I only punched him lightly."


    "You punched me first and then kicked me!" the drug dealer countered angrily. Gayoon made a face at him, indirectly telling him to ''say-one-more-word-and-I''ll-break-your-bones''. That shut him up immediately.


    "Chief," Gayoon smiled to try and appease him. She was known for her cuteness and had no qualms in exploiting her only charm when it came to calming down her supervisor. Putting up her most innocent expression, she widened her eyes to enhance her cute features.


    "I really did follow protocol," she repeated. "I did a stakeout and caught him in the act."


    Chief Kim smiled at her. It was a cryptic smile, which made her a little nervous.


    "Gayoon my child," he started. "You are my best detective, you know that right?"


    "Yes!" Gayoon said at once. "Which is why this time, I really did follow protocol. It was only a punch which his weakass body couldn''t take."


    The drug dealer opened his mouth to argue but Gayoon kicked him hard from underneath the chair while maintaining her cute smile. The man yelped in pain. Thedy detective was too damn strong!


    Chief Kim kept on shing his smiley face at her.


    "Hee hee," Gayoon slightlyughed. Slowly, Chief Kim''s smile began to fade, reced with a red up expression.


    Uh oh, Gayoon thought in despair. 3...2...1


    "DIDN''T I TELL YOU NOT TO BEAT THE SUSPECT TO A BLOODY PULP?" he shouted at her. His yells caused all the other officers around them to pause their works and stare at them. A vein was bobbing on his head as he angrily red at Gayoon who braced herself for his fury.


    "I didn''t realize he''d be so weak!" she protested. "I really did punch him lightly!"


    "Did you kick him?"


    Gayoon lowered her eyes, conflicted whether to answer that or not. "I might have," she admitted. Truthfully, she was furious when she heard the ghost''s story about how he had killed her. Unfortunately, her body waspletely burnt to ashes so there was no evidence left of his crime. All Gayoon could do was charge him for drug dealing but not for murder. When she saw him in front of her, she had lost her cool and attacked him for the sake of that dead woman.


    Chief Kim threw his hands in the air in frustration. Even though Gayoon was a good detective, she was too amateur in handling criminals. She let her emotions get in the way and even hit them mercilessly to get information.


    "He was selling drugs to minors so I got angry!" she protested.


    "You could have simply arrested him on the spot," Chief Kim emphasized. "Or called for backup. Not beat him to death!"


    "He didn''t die," she muttered.


    "What was that?"


    "I will be careful next time sir!" she replied, lying to his face. Chief Kim sighed and ushered a constable.


    "Take him away," he ordered. "And put Detective Jeon on night duty for the rest of the month."


    Gayoon''s mouth fell in shock. "Chief, I''ve been doing night duties for the past two days!" she protested. "I didn''t even sleep a wink! And I caught the culprit didn''t I?"


    "By breaking the protocols," Chief Kim said loudly. "If you''re not reprimanded then you''ll keep repeating this mistake. I''ve been covering up your actions for a long time because of your track record but it''s time for you to learn some discipline!"


    Gayoon started to protest but Chief Kim was not listening to any excuses.


    "An order is an order, Detective Jeon," he said firmly. "Night shift for you this month."


    With that, he left the room to get a cup of coffee. Gayoon groaned in anger. The drug dealer mockingly snickered at her as he was being taken away.


    "Serves you right," he sneered.


    Gayoon scowled at him and made a motion to hit him. The man quickly cowered away, leaving her to fume. For her night shift was not the issue. The problem was the uninvited guests who barged in on her during the night.


    She had been able to see ghosts ever since she was born. In fact, her mother was also a seer and so were a few other women in their family. But once any of the women gave birth to children, then the ability passed on to their daughters. By doing so, the mothers not only passed on the gift (or Gayoon would like to call it a curse), but their own ability to see the ghosts also go away.


    Since childhood, Gayoon had been tormented by the spirits. Her power in particr was stronger than the other women in her family, making it difficult for her to stay anywhere for long. While the other women in her family only saw the spirits when they randomly passed by, Gayoon attracted them like mas. No matter where she went, spirits would follow her like moths to a me.


    Her ability was different from the others which only made it difficult for her to live her cursed life. She made no friends and even her family members had stayed away from her. Her mother passed away while giving birth to her and her father was afraid of her ability. Only her maternal grandmother supported her so Gayoon was sent to live with her. Lonely and depressed, Gayoon was desperate to get rid of her curse.


    However, once Gayoon turned 18, she took a drastic step which turned her whole world upside down. What started as a desire to simply get rid of the cursed existence and live a normal life, turned into her biggest regret. Everyday, she wished she could go back in time and p some sense into her younger, stupid self. But it was impossible.


    Sometimes, Gayoon reflected on the punishment she had received for it. Even though she lost her sight, unlike her ancestors, she did notpletely lose her ability. She could still hear and feel the spirits around her. They did note to her constantly anymore so she ignored their pleas as if they were air. But she could still feel them which was almost as bad as seeing them.


    She clutched a heart shaped locket which hung around her neck. She tried to fight off the tears which were brimming in her eyes. Every night, she only made one request to any spirit who would hear her pleas. It was to protect the person most precious to her.


    "I hope you''re well," she whispered, holding the locket firmly in her palm. "My daughter."

 Chapter 6: I Want One Too

    Chapter 6: I Want One Too


    Jina was at school listening intently to the teacher''s instructions. Ms. Karen was a new teacher at their school who was hired from abroad to help the students to learn. Jina studied at one of the most expensive schools in the country which was notorious for its extensive curriculum and foreign teachers. It was a strictly English speaking academy which was essible only to the elites.


    Furthermore, Jina was the smartest child in school. She had a sharp, didactic memory which she inherited from her father but also possessed a high level of talent for sports. She was part of the Little League, their football team for elementary students and was exceptionally good at it. Her teachers were impressed by her intellect as she not only studied well, but was very well behaved and friendly with everyone around her.


    She was apt with attention at Ms. Karen''s words. She was a tall, blonde woman in herte twenties with dark green eyes. A lot of the male teachers at school were already fawning over her and she paid no attention to them.


    "I want all of you to draw pictures of your family members," Ms. Karen instructed. "It doesn''t have to be perfect but just a simple drawing to show how much they mean to you. Let''s all start now shall we?"


    The children immediately started to work. Jina took out her crayons and began to draw her father on the paper in front of her. After a few minutes, she dered, "I''m done Ms. Karen!"


    Karen was surprised. "So soon?" she asked. Jina nodded.


    "Come here and hand me your drawing."


    Jina got off her seat and strode over to her teacher. Karen took the paper and studied the picture.


    "But this is a picture of your dad only," Karen frowned. "Where is your mother?"


    "I have no mother," Jina said simply.


    "Oh." It was all Karen could say. She really had no idea what else to say but patted Jina''s head, her face hinting sympathy for her. Jina was confused at her reaction. Why did everyone do that whenever she told them that she had no mother? Why did they look so sad?


    The other children were staring at her, some sending jealous vibes while others mirrored the sympathetic reaction of Ms. Karen. For some reason, Jina felt extremely ufortable. She lowered her head and went back to her seat.


    "Jinjin!"


    Another girl with twin pigtails hissed at her. She had mousy brown hair and was the same age at Jina. Her name was Kwon Minnie and she was Jina''s best friend.


    "Are you alright, Jinjin?" she asked.


    "I''m fine," Jina replied. "But why do people act like that whenever I talk about my mom?"


    "Act like what?"


    "You know...sad. Why are they sad about it? Is it a bad thing to not have a mom?"


    Right then Ms. Karen asked everyone to pay attention to her next instructions.


    "I''ll tell youter," Minnie promised. Jina nodded and tried to concentrate on her work for the rest of the ss.


    After her ss was over, Jina and Minnie headed off towards the yground to sit on the benches there. School had ended and the children were starting to leave. Jina and Minnie stayed back, waiting for their chauffeurs to pick them up.


    "So tell me Minnie," Jina insisted. "Why do people be sad when they hear about my mom?"


    "It''s because you don''t have a mom," Minnie replied. "When people hear that someone doesn''t have a mom, they be sad."


    "But why?"


    "I don''t know," Minnie said. "Apparently, it''s bad to not have a mom. I don''t see why. My mom is so strict. She always nags at me and scolds me for beingzy."


    "Are moms scary?" Jina asked in horror.


    "Very scary," Minnie said with a shudder. "They''re very scary whenever they be angry. Yesterday, I walked into the house with my shoes on and she scolded me so much that I started to cry."


    Her words scared Jina. No one at her house ever scolded her. She was allowed to do whatever she wanted and if moms are that scary, then she was d not to have one.


    "Mom!" Minnie called out. A thin woman was approaching them. Minnie got off the bench and was running towards her when she tripped over and fell.


    "Ahhh!" she screamed. Jina rushed to help her but before she could reach her, Minnie''s mother hurried towards her. She bent down to see that Mina''s knee was scratched.


    "Who told you to run so carelessly?" she scolded Minnie. "See you''re hurt!"


    "It hurts!" Minnie sobbed. She was crying in pain. "Mom it hurts a lot!"


    "Shh" Minnie''s mother gently shushed her. She took out some tissues and water from her bag, starting to clean the wound. "Mommy will clean it up and take you home, okay? It''s just a scratch. The pain will go away as soon as mommy kisses it."


    She ced a soft kiss on Minnie''s scratches. Immediately, Minnie stopped crying andughed.


    "Can you stand?" Minnie''s mom asked.


    "Take me in your arms mommy!" Minnie squealed. Her mother shook her head in amusement and heaved her into her arms.


    "Let''s go home," she said. "I''ll make your favorite, baked pasta today."


    "Yaiii!" Minnie eximed. She turned around to see Jina standing there, observing the mother-daughter duo.


    "Bye Jinjin!" Minnie waved.


    Jina smiled and waved back as Minnie was carried away by her mother. For some reason, Jina felt a sense of emptiness within her while watching Minnie and her mother. She was envious and at the same time, yearned to get some of that affection. She desperately wanted to experience some of that motherly love.


    Were moms as scary as everyone said they were? But why did people be sad whenever they found out that she did not have a mom? Where would she find a mother?


    Find a mother...


    Jina thought hard before an idea shed into her head. There was only one ce she could go in order to find a person.


    "Young madam, it''s time to go home."


    Her chauffeur, Mr. Jang had arrived to pick her up. He was in his sixties and had been working for Minho''s family for decades.


    "Mr. Jang, I want to go somewhere else," she said at once. Jang was startled.


    "Where do you want to go, young miss?" he asked politely.


    "To the police station!"

 Chapter 7: Lady Cop

    Chapter 7: Lady Cop


    Jang was stupefied with her request. The police station?


    "Is something the matter, Young Miss?" he asked, feeling worried. "Why would you need to go there?"


    "It''s my business," Jina snapped. "I have to go there! Take me there!"


    She was adamant. Once Jina''s mind was set on something, it was impossible to make her let go of it. Jang was in a dilemma. Should he agree to her insistence?


    He thought quickly and suggested, "Why don''t we take you to your dad first? He could take you to the police station afterwards."


    "No!" she insisted. "I wanna go there myself! I have to find someone. Please Mr. Jang, take me to the police station!"


    She was on the verge of tears, making Jang feel extremely ufortable. He would have to find another way to tip off the boss.


    "Alright," he conceded. "I''ll take you to the police station."


    "Yaii!" Jina celebrated. "Let''s go Mr. Jang!"


    Loss for words, Jang simply followed her to the car. He revved up the engine and drove towards the nearest precinct.


    "Stay here Mr. Jang," she ordered. "I''ll go there myself."


    "Alright Young Miss," he replied. He watched her as she entered the station with her backpack on her shoulder. As soon as she was out of sight, he dialed Minho''s number.


    "Sir, I have to inform you of something," he spoke into the phone.


    .


    Jina was awed by the ce. She had never stepped foot inside a police station before. The cops were very busy and did not even pay much attention to a little girl who just walked in. They were running around in a hurry or speaking on their phones.


    "Yes, the criminal gang was caught," one officer was saying to another officer as he passed by.


    Another officer was loudly chatting with his colleagues. "I caught the bandit in two days!" he boasted. "Such a wimp he was!"


    "Where are the case files for the murder at the upscale mall?" another cop yelled. "We''re runningte here!"


    Jina was looking on in wonder at the cops. They were all working so hard to catch criminals. It fascinated her and she was curious to know more. She kept on walking ahead, trying to catch the attention of any cop she could find but they were all so busy and intimidating that she could not muster the courage.


    "Psst kid!"


    She turned around to see a man behind a cage. He was a balding man in his fifties and was looking at her with arge grin.


    "Kid, can you get those keys from the desk?" he asked, pointing at a bunch of keys on a desk nearby. "Uncle has gotten himself locked here by ident. Be a darling and help me out."


    Jina nodded in understanding and rushed towards the desk to pick up the keys. She returned back to therge cage and was about to hand over the keys to the man, who had eagerly stretched out his palm when Jina''s wrist was stopped by someone.


    Startled, she looked up to see a female cop in her mid twenties. Her ck eyes were throwing angry res at the man behind the cage who cowered in fear. Jina, on the other hand, was awed by the cop.


    She had never seen a female police officer before and the one standing in front of her was very beautiful. Thedy cop had long, ebony hair with fair skin. Her cheeks had a naturally rosy tint to them and her longshes gave her eyes a more innocent and youthful look. Jina could not help but marvel at the cop.


    "Did you really think that scamming a little kid will help you to escape?" Gayoon snarled at the drug dealer. "Do you want another punch?"


    "Your supervisor will suspend you!" the drug dealer threatened.


    "Is that a threat?" Gayoon spat at him. "Coz you''ll be too beaten up to find out whether he''ll suspend me or not!"


    The drug dealer scowled at her. She turned her attention to the little girl who was still looking at her in astonishment.


    "Who are you?" Gayoon frowned. "And how did you get in here? Where are your parents?"


    "I want to file a report!" Jina eximed.


    "Kid, you''re too young to file any reports," Gayoon said. "Go home."


    She let go of her wrist and returned to the seat at her desk but Jina followed her. Standing beside her chair, Jina mustered her courage and shed her cutest expression to Gayoon.


    "Pleasedy cop!" she begged. " I want to find someone. It''s important!"


    "Listen kid," Gayoon began. "I haven''t slept for the past week because of night duty and now I''m stuck with paperwork for a case. Stop ying around and go back home!"


    "I''m serious!" Jina protested. "I really need to find someone!"


    "Kid,e back with a guardian," Gayoon sighed. "We can''t just file aint from you without a guardian in sight."


    "But I don''t want my dad to find out!" Jina insisted. "I have to find her first and then I could surprise my dad!"


    "Find who?"


    "My mother!" Jina answered. "I''ve heard that police can find a missing person. Can you find my mother too?"


    The earnest plea from the little girl tugged at Gayoon''s heart. Her irritable mood softened as the girl''s innocent eyes begged her to help her.


    "Your mother?" she asked. "What happened to her?"


    "I...don''t know," Jina said in a small tone. "I''ve never met her. It''s just me and my dad. But I want to find her. Where is she? Can shee back? Will she make me my favorite dishes too? And take me to school? Meet my friends and attend my games?"


    Her voice was full of bright hope. The optimism within her was heart wrenching and brutally honest. She was looking at Gayoon with anticipation, hope brewing within her eyes. The little girl did not even realize that her mother had either passed away or worse, abandoned her.


    But Gayoon did not have the heart to refuse the little girl. Looking at her, reminded her of her own daughter. After all, she had also abandoned her child.


    My daughter must be around her age, she thought. Instinctively, her hand went to the locket around her neck. Was her daughter also out there, looking for her? Or did she consider someone else as her mother?


    "Lady Cop, can you find her?"


    Jina''s voice broke her reverie.


    "Uhh, I will try sweetie," she said gently. "I can''t promise you but I''ll try to find her."


    "Great!" Jina eximed. "Can we exchange numbers? Then you can call me when you find her!"


    Gayoon hesitated as Jina took out the little cell phone her father had given her for emergencies. Should I give her my number? Gayoon thought to herself.


    "Here, have this," Gayoon said, taking out a bunch of candies from her drawer. She loved sweets and always kept candies or choctes with her at all times.


    Jina''s eyes lit up upon seeing them. "Thank you Lady Cop!" she eximed, giving Gayoon a wide hug.


    Gayoon was taken aback by the sudden hug. Jina was extremely happy and could not help but embrace the Lady Cop. Gayoon hesitated for a moment before returning the hug, patting her head. Finally, Jina let go of her.


    She looked at the little girl and could not help but feel drawn towards her. This girl was also abandoned like her own child was. She toocked the love of a mother. Why do some children have such wretched fates?


    Gayoon''s guilt over her own selfishness towards her child was killing her everyday. Seeing this girl only made her feel worse. She felt as if she was worse than a monster.


    "I''ll type it out for you," she said with a smile. Jina handed her the phone and Gayoon typed in her number.


    "What''s your name?" Gayoon asked.


    "Jina! Hwang Jina!" she answered enthusiastically. "What''s your name, Lady Cop?"


    "Jeon Gayoon," Gayoon snickered. "If you''re ever in any danger or feel like talking to someone," she added, handing Jina back the phone. "Just call me, alright?"


    "I will!" Jina answered. To Gayoon''s surprise, Jina gave her a big hug.


    "Thank you Lady Cop!"


    Gayoon was taken aback but awkwardly patted the girl''s head. Her cheeks were blushing hard and her heart raced uncontrobly at the girl''s gesture.


    Jina let go of her and smiled. "I should go now," she announced. "Otherwise, my dad will be worried. See ya, Lady Cop!"


    She waved Gayoon goodbye. Thetter smiled and waved back, watching as the little girl happily left the precinct.


    "Hwang Jina" Gayoon muttered. She did not know why but seeing the little girl''s pain was unbearable. Maybe it was because of her own longing to see her daughter or the guilt of being a bad mother but she really hoped that Jina''s mother could return to her side.


    Clutching the locket tightly, she prayed inwardly for the little girl''s happiness. Please protect her, she begged.


    Jina was happily humming to herself as she exited the police station but she stopped short in her steps. Her smile faltered.


    Standing next to the car, was her father.

 Chapter 8: A Family Drawing

    Chapter 8: A Family Drawing


    Minho was in the middle of an important meeting when Driver Jang called him. He frowned when he saw the number. Driver Jang never called him unless it was an emergency rted to Jina. He immediately picked up the call.


    "What is it?" he asked.


    "Sir, I have to inform you of something," Jang replied. "The young miss has forced me to drive her to the police station."


    "What?" Minho eximed. "Is she alright?"


    "I don''t know sir," Jang said. "She wouldn''t tell me. I think you shoulde here as soon as possible."


    "I''ll be right over!"


    He hung up the phone and turned to his employees. "I''ll have to take a short break," he announced. "Please continue without me."


    The employees looked on in surprise as he dashed out of the door. Wearing his suit, he headed straight for his car at the parking lot. Hitting the elerator, he backed out of the car park and drove as fast as he could.


    His head was full of questions. Why did Jina go to the police station all by herself? What was the reason? Was she in trouble?


    It was hard to imagine an eight year old falling into some kind of trouble with thew. Then why was she there?


    He arrived at the precinct Jang had told him about. Quickly spotting the car in front of the station, he rushed over towards Jang. As he passed by, severaldy police officers were staring at him in admiration. They were swooning over his sharp features and handsome appearance.


    "Isn''t he hot?" one female detectivemented.


    "Very," another one agreed. "He looks rich too. Just look at that attire. It''s definitely designer wear."


    They giggled freely as they watched Minho approaching the man in chauffeur''s uniform.


    "Where is she?" he demanded.


    "Sir she just-"


    Jang broke off to see Jina wasing out. "There she is sir," he said pointing at the entrance.


    Minho turned around to see his daughter wasing out of the police station. She stopped short upon seeing him.


    "Daddy!" she eximed. There was a hint of fear in her voice. Minho strode towards her and fell to his knees. He put his hands on her shoulder, checking if she was alright.


    "What happened?" he demanded. "Are you hurt? Why did youe here? Did someone harm you?"


    Jina bit her lip. She could not lie to her father but what if he got angry if he found out that she was looking for her mother?


    "Someone stole my candy!" she lied. "So I came to the police station to report the thief but they wouldn''t take myint!"


    She stomped her foot in mock anger, secretly hoping her father would fall for it. To her relief, heughed out loud. His child was really naive.


    "They didn''t take yourint? How outrageous!"


    "Yeah!" Jina quickly said. "It''s so unfair. It''s a...it''s a...vition of justice!"


    Minho snickered. "Where did you learn such heavy words?" he asked as he picked her up into his arms.


    "Julia told me," Jina replied.


    "Your imaginary friend Julia?" Minho sighed, carrying her towards the car.


    "She''s real!" Jina insisted. "She said that she was pushed from her roof and she died. But her killer was not arrested. So she taught me that phrase."


    Minho frowned a little. He was quite worried about his daughter''s strange imagination. She made up many such imaginary friends with strange backstories on a daily basis. Her stories were getting more descriptive day by day.


    She''ll grow out of it, he shrugged.


    "Enough fun for today," he said. "Let Jang take you home, okay?"


    "Okay!"


    Minho turned to Jang. "Take her straight home," he instructed. "No more detours."


    Jang nodded in understanding. Minho put Jina into the car and kissed her goodbye. He watched on as the car sped up, disappearing from view.


    His appearance was still garnering quite a few eyeballs but he did not care. All he cared about was his daughter''s safety.


    "Jeon Gayoon!"


    Minho froze in his steps. Jeon Gayoon? Did he hear it right?


    He was sure that he heard that name being called. Quickly entering the station, he looked around for the familiar heart shaped face. But there were so many people inside the station that it was hard to spot her anywhere.


    Someone slightly brushed against his arm but he was too busy looking ahead. Gayoon, who had just passed by him, briefly nced at the well dressed handsome stranger before tearing her eyes away, not caring about who he was. She walked by after receiving a parcel from her grandmother, not looking back towards the good looking man who was still peering around, searching for something.


    Minho thought he saw the familiar figure but before he could double check, a group of policemen came out of a room, blocking his view. He tried to crane his neck but despite his tall figure, he could not find that person.


    Why am I looking for her? He suddenly thought. That girl had disappeared from their lives as per the contract she had signed. Then why was he looking for her in the middle of this crowded ce?


    His phone was vibrating in his pocket. It was his secretary, Jongin. They were probably waiting for him at the meeting.


    Minho took onest nce at the crowd in the hopes that he would spot her but there was no sign of that girl. Maybe he was mistaken.


    "I have better stuff to do," he scoffed. "Time to earn money."


    With that, he turned on his heels and left the station.


    .


    Jina was engrossed in her drawing. Her nanny, Kim, was staring at her in awe. The little girl was very much involved in her artwork, not caring about food or anything else.


    "Young miss, it''s time for your dinner," Kim informed her but Jina shushed her. Kim was taken aback as Jina returned to her drawing. Kim peered over to see what she was doing.


    She was drawing a picture of a woman in blue clothing which looked like a police uniform. Next to her was a man in ck suit.


    "Who is this, young miss?" she asked.


    "This isdy cop!" Jina announced with pride.


    "And who is that next to her?"


    "That''s my dad!" she said happily. "I''m drawing my family."


    "But we have no cops in this family," Kim frowned. To her surprise, Jina grinned. The encounter with thedy cop had given her an idea.


    "She''s going to be my mom," Jina promised as she held up her finished work. If her mom could not be found, then thedy cop would be her mom. She would make sure of that.

 Chapter 9: Flying Sandals

    Chapter 9: Flying Sandals


    Gayoon quietly unlocked the door and peered into the house. It was almost sunrise and she returned home after a week of doing night duties. She had stayed at the station, busy with the numerous cases and arrests but her grandmother would not listen to all that. The woman may have be old but her strength was no joke. With her sharp tongue and equally fiery attitude, Kwak Shujin was the most fearless woman Gayoon had ever seen.


    She carefully tiptoed inside, trying not to make a noise to wake up the sleeping dragon. If her grandmother caught her, she would be yed to an inch of her life. Even though she was 26 years old, Gayoon greatly loved and feared her grandmother.


    Thankfully, the house was dark so that meant her grandmother was asleep. Only a few steps to my room, she thought as she hurried towards it.


    Suddenly, the room lit up. Gayoon, who was in the middle of sneaking around like a thief, craned her neck to the side. Kwak Shujin was sitting on a sofa, ring at her.


    "Hi granny," Gayoon squeaked.


    A sandal came flying at her. Gayoon dodged it by an inch, her heart skipping several beats.


    "DON''T YOU SAY HI TO ME YA BRAT!" Grandma Kwak yelled. Gayoon made a run for it but the old woman chased her around the room with a broomstick in her hands.


    "Grandma I can exin!" Gayoon begged as she tried to dodge her. They were circling around the long dining table, with granny trying to catch her.


    "EXPLAIN?"


    She threw another sandal at her. Gayoon leapt aside, running around the table to escape her grandmother''s clutches.


    "You came back after one week! A whole week!" Granny exploded, whacking Gayoon with the end of her broomstick.


    "Ow! Granny! I was working!" she protested.


    "Working?"


    The phrase earned her several more whacks, some very painful ones.


    "Granny I''m a cop!" Gayoon shot back.


    "And now you''ll be a dead cop!" Granny screeched, hitting her more. "A whole week you didn''te home and were at work!"


    Gayoon had enough and stopped running. She angrily turned to face her grandmother.


    "Where else would I be?" she yelled back. "You should thank heavens I was at work and not with some random guy!"


    "Thank the heavens for that?"


    Granny hit her arm hard.


    "What was that for?" Gayoon eximed in anger.


    "I''d be happier if you had spent the whole week with a man instead!" Granny scolded her. "Work and work! Don''t you ever get tired of work? Just go to a club like the regr millennials and hook up with a guy!"


    "Granny!" Gayoon protested but granny smacked her head.


    "Don''t you yell at me!" she thundered. "Twenty seven years old and you couldn''t even snag a guy! At least hook up with someone and give me a great grandchild before I die!"


    "You already have one!" Gayoon reminded her. But Grandma Kwak threw the broomstick away and began to beat her up with her hands.


    "AND YOU GAVE MY PRECIOUS GRANDCHILD AWAY TO A STRANGER!" she roared.


    She pulled Gayoon''s ear. Thetter cried out in pain.


    "Granny that hurts!"


    "Good coz you don''t seem to learn at all!"


    With a fewst whacks to the head, Grandma Kwak finally got tired and let Gayoon go. Gayoon was massaging her arms with an irritated look on her face. The old woman would not stop berating her over theck of love life and the great grandchild Gayoon had given up many years ago.


    "I''m too busy to date!" Gayoon grumbled. The old woman threw a dirty look at her.


    "Just get a guy!" she snapped. "I don''t care who! Rich or poor. Dumb or deaf. Young or old. Just find someone, get married and move out of this house! At least let me die in peace!"


    "Too bad I''ll stick to you like a glue," Gayoon taunted her, sticking out her tongue.


    WHACK!


    Grandma Kwak hit her on the head again. "You won''t even let me die in peace!" sheined. "When you said that you were pregnant, I was so happy! But then you said you were giving the child away to its real father and never to meet them again!"


    "You know why I did it!" Gayoon eximed. "I wanted to get rid of that bloody gift you passed down to my mom and my mom passed it to me! I was eighteen and desperate for a normal life!"


    Grandma Kwak snorted. "What''s so normal about your life?" she shot back. "Twenty seven and still single. Even I got more dates than you! Just look at my dating app. Men still vie for my attention whereas you rot away in that silly police station. Did we pass on our good looks to you only for them to be wasted?"


    Gayoon gritted inwardly. Her grandmother was not only up to date with all sorts of social media and technological advances. She had over a thousand friends on her social media ounts, most of whom were old men she flirted with.


    In her eighties, Kwak Shujin was still a fine woman with her high cheekbones and silky white hair. Her face was lined with wrinkles but any one who looked at her could tell that she was once a beauty in her youth. Gayoon got her eyes and sharp features.


    "Aren''t you too old to be hanging out with men?" she asked warily.


    "And yet, at my age, I can still get a date whereas you can''t."


    A nerve twitched on Gayoon''s head.


    "I''m tired!" she announced. "I''m going to bed."


    "Wash the clothes and dry them up on the roof when you wake up!" granny ordered.


    "Alright!"


    "And also cook lunch!"


    "Fine!"


    "And don''t forget to pay the water bill!"


    "ALRIGHT!"


    The old woman knew how to nag at her. Gayoon was annoyed to face her so early in the morning but there was little choice. Her grandmother was all she had left in the world.


    .


    Kwak Shujin slipped into Gayoon''s room after an hour. Her granddaughter was still asleep. She was tired after working so hard and was finally getting some rest.


    But Shujin could see that her granddaughter was not at peace. Even in her sleep, Gayoon''s face was contorted with a grief which could never be erased. Sometimes, she med herself for the way Gayoon''s life had turned out to be. If only her family did not have the ability of the second sight.


    Many years ago, a shaman had gifted one of their ancestors with the gift of seeing ghosts. Only the female members of their families could see the spirits. Once the women give birth, they end up losing the second sight and pass it on to their daughters. If a son is born, then the gift does not go to him but passes on to the daughters of his line. Usually, the birth mothers end up losing the sightpletely. But Gayoon...Gayoon turned out to be a different case.


    Gayoon''s ability was too special even within a strange family like them. Unlike the other women who only saw the spirits when they passed by or summoned willingly, Gayoon attracted many spirits at once. Her aura was very strong which only pulled them towards her, making them restless to meet her. Something about Gayoon was irresistible to them.


    Moreover, even after giving birth to a child, Gayoon only lost the ability to see the ghosts but somehow could still feel and hear them. Most of the time she ignored their words and they left her alone so she was able to live a fairly normal life.


    But what about the daughter she birthed? What happened to her?


    Shujin knew how desperate Gayoon was. The spirits had haunted her whole childhood, isting her from everyone. Gayoon saw horrors which were impossible to imagine even for Shujin. So when she had turned 18, Gayoon saw the surrogacy as the only way to give up her powers. Young and naive, Gayoon did not realize how painful it would be to give up that child. Gayoon''s agony was beyond anyone''s imagination, but the girl kept a strong front bypletely trusting the man she had given her child to. For some reason, Gayoon was confident that her child was safe with the father which eased her sadness a lot.


    Even though Shujin was against it, her granddaughter''s plights finally made her relent. She could not bear to see Gayoon''s sleepless nights and the constant fear anymore. The girl had suffered enough in life and Shujin did not want her to endure any more pain. She was well aware that Gayoon secretly prayed for her child''s safety even if she never spoke of it.


    She gently stroked the sleeping girl and kissed her forehead. Gayoon was still sleeping like a log, oblivious to her grandma''s worries.


    "I really wish you could be reunited with your daughter again," Shujin whispered, patting Gayoon. Thetter stirred and turned around, still immersed in a deep slumber.

 Chapter 10: Im Sorry...

    Chapter 10: I''m Sorry...


    He was walking through the long corridor with the blue bunny in his hand. Rubbing his eyes, he was approaching the noises he heard from his parents'' room.


    "Mom?" he called out. "Dad?"


    "AHHHHH!"


    An ear piercing scream shattered through the ominous silence of the night. Ten year old Minho was confused and scared. It was his mom''s voice.


    "Mom!" he yelled, dropping the bunny and dashed towards the main bedroom. The screams were getting louder and louder. There were no servants there that night since his mom gave them time off. Only his parents and he were alone in therge mansion.


    He darted through the door, yelling for his mother.


    "Mom!"


    Minho stopped short. His eyes widened in horror as he tried toprehend the sight whichy before him. Blood was flowing on the floor, staining the white tiles red. He traced the blood, leaving behind bloody footprints until he reached the source.


    Lying on the floor was his mother. Her face was pale and her eyes were open but lifeless. Crimson liquid gushed out of her abdomen which was stabbed by a knife. And standing over her was a tall, thin figure who had the same brown hair as him. The man was holding a bloodied knife and was staring at the young boy in horror.


    Minho stared nkly at his father, Hwang Junho. His heart was gripped by fear as he saw the crazed mania in his father''s eyes which were bloodshot red.


    "What have you done?" Minho whispered. His father did not reply but kept on staring at his son with those bloodthirsty eyes.


    "I''m sorry son," Junho said before hitting Minho on the head, making him unconscious. Thest thing Minho heard before losing his consciousness, were the wet footsteps of his father as he ran away, never to be seen since then.


    Minho woke up with a start. His heart was beating rapidly and beads of sweat fell from his forehead. He had been seeing the same nightmare for the past twenty six years. No matter how hard he tried to forget the past, it came back to haunt him. His father''s craziness and the murder of his mother was something he could not erase from his memory.


    Hwang Junho was a respected businessman and a very influential person in the country. He had everything: good looks, a sharp brain and charisma. Minho''s mother, Kim Suna, was also from a middle ie family. She was a hard worker and had secured a job in Junho''spany.


    It was love at first sight for Junho. He was impressed not only by her beauty but also with her intellect. She was smart and witty and also one of the rare people who could deal with Junho''s temper. Junho relied on her and treated her well. So when he proposed, she epted it immediately. Even Junho''s parents had supported the decision since they knew Suna was a good woman with fine qualities.


    Everything seemed to be perfect for the young couple. Within a year of their marriage, Minho was born and soon, Hwang Constructions was also bing more profitable. After eleven years, they were blessed with Hwang Mina, Minho''s sister. They were a happy family.


    Until Junho killed his wife one night. At first, no one knew why he did that. Minho was the key witness and had informed the authorities of what had happened. The lead detective of the case, Kim Junwan, had protected the children from the media which was hungry for scoop. Upon investigating, the police concluded that Suna was having an affair with an ex-boyfriend and Junho had killed her after finding out.


    Junho had run away. No matter how much the police tried to find him, it was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. They found his car dumped into a ditch. His waller, passport, ID and all belongings were left behind.


    Ever since then, Minho only focused on two things: raising his sister and thepany. For her safety, he had sent Mina abroad where she was studying while he took over thepany from his grandfather once he turned twenty. Since then, Minho only focused on making money, taking thepany to new heights.


    But the nightmares would not stop. Minho felt irritated and got off the bed. He went towards Jina''s room to check up on her. To his surprise, she was still awake, scribbling on a piece of paper.


    "Jina?"


    He walked into her room, crossing his hands on his chest. "Why aren''t you asleep yet?" he demanded.


    "Casper wanted to see my drawings," she said happily. "He asked if I could draw a butterfly for him. His daughter loved butterflies!"


    Minho shook his head in annoyance. Jina''s imagination was running too wild these days.


    "Tell your friend Casper that it''s way past your bedtime," he ordered. "Go back to sleep."


    "I can''t sleep!" Jinained but Minho was hearing none of it.


    "Go to sleep Hwang Jina!" he scolded her. "Otherwise, I''ll take away your inte for a week!"


    "Meanie dad!" Jina grumbled andid back on the bed, pulling the nket over her. "Goodnight dad. Goodnight Casper."


    Casper, who was invisible to Minho''s eyes, held up a thumbs up. Jina also returned his thumbs up while Minho was staring at the spot she was looking towards. He could see nothing and only groaned inwardly at his daughter''s vivid fantasies.


    Making sure that she was asleep this time, he quietly left the room. He, too, was not feeling sleepy.


    Maybe a midnight jog can help, he decided. Taking out his phone he saw that there was a message on it. It was from his secretary.


    "Next week''s projected growth is 3%," it read. "More than that of JK Limited."


    The news made Minho more cheerful. "Ahh that does make my mood lighter," he smiled. More money wasing his way.


    Putting on his jogging shoes, he ventured out towards the park.

 Chapter 11: The Park

    Chapter 11: The Park


    It was a cool autumn night. Minho entered the park wearing a sleeveless hoodie and sweatpants. Even in casual clothes, he was gaining the attention from the onlookers for his extremely good looks. The hoodie he wore perfectly highlighted his well toned torso and his bulging muscles were visible.


    Some women who were also out for a midnight jod were ogling at him.


    "Who is that Greek God?" one woman whispered.


    "That''s Hwang Minho!" her friend whispered. "Don''t bother trying to get a date. He may look good but his tongue is sharper than de. The man just won''t date someone unless he sees profit."


    "Meaning?"


    "It means if you don''t earn him any profit for hispany then he won''t even look at you," the woman stated. "He even rejected the heiress of LM Group citing that herpany earned money but she did not."


    "Wow," her friend said. "He must have really high standards!"


    Minho ignored the whispers around him. They did not bother him at all. People were always quick to judge others which is why he kept social interactions to a bare minimum unless it was profitable.


    He kept on jogging along the track. Therge trees in the park swayed gently with the breeze. There was a pond by the side with water clear enough to reflect the sky above, illuminated by the moon. It was a calm and peaceful ce.


    Minho jogged around the park for an hour before he stopped to rest on a bench. Huffing heavily, he leaned against the bench, trying to clear his mind. The cool night breeze helped him to calm down a bit but the anger still remained. The man who destroyed his family


    For the past twenty four years he had been searching for Hwang Junho but to no luck. It was as if the man had just disappeared in thin air. No matter how much Minho tried, he could not find his mother''s killer. He did not address him as ''father'' anymore but rather as a murderer.


    A shadow fell over him. He looked up to see a tall, pretty girl in her twenties. She was fidgeting a little, too shy to talk but he had an inkling that she was going to say something.


    "Yes?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "May I help you?"


    "Umm" she started. "M-my name is Song Miyeon. I''m the daughter of the chairman of Lee Corporations. You met him at the gst month. Lee Sunbin."


    "Ahh yes," Minho said warily. "I did."


    He did not borate but waited for the girl to talk.


    "Well, I was wondering if we could hang out sometime," she said, blushing furiously. "Since we are both from elite families. You''re the owner of Hwang Constructions and I''m the heiress to my father''spany. I think we should give it a shot. If it works out, it''ll be profitable to ourpanies as well. Besides, I''ve been eyeing you for a while but didn''t get the chance to approach you but now that I met you here"


    Minho gazed at her from top to toe. She had the aura of being a pampered heiress. Her jogging suit was no doubt a designer wear and her shoes were also custom made.


    "This is my number," she said, hastily scribbling on a paper pad she took out from a bag which hung by her waist. She extended the paper to him.


    "Tell me something Ms. Song," Minho said, crossing his arms on his chest. "How much did this jogging suit cost you?"


    Miyeon was taken aback by the question.


    "Pardon me?"


    "I asked how much did this jogging suit cost you?"


    "I...I don''t know," she replied. "I just went to the shop and paid for it with my dad''s card."


    "What about those shoes?"


    "I-I don''t know. Why are you asking me this?"


    "I''m just trying topare your value," Minho stated bluntly. "You see, you''re the heiress to your father''spany. You''re spending your father''s money without a care. Hence, you don''t know the prices of the things you''re wearing. A person who doesn''t know the price of their belongings cannot possibly have a value of their own."


    Miyeon was offended by the remark.


    "Excuse me?" she sneered. "My worth is over five hundred million dors-"


    "And how much of that did you earn by yourself?" he shot back. "One dor? Two? Ten?"


    Miyeon was affronted. She tried to reply but words would note out.


    "That money was given to you by your family," he pointed out. "It''s not yours. So in reality, your worth is zero. If yourpany goes bankrupt, you won''t have anything to your name. No value. Nothing. So tell me, how exactly are you profitable to me?"


    Silence. She could not reply to anything he asked her. Instead, she clutched her fingers to a fist.


    "I believe this meeting is over," Minho announced, getting up to leave.


    "Why you-"


    Miyeon stepped forward to hit him but Minho slid sideways causing her to trip and fall t on her face.


    "AHHHH!" she screamed in pain, holding her knee. It was scraped.


    "You pushed me!" she used. Minho raised his eyebrows.


    "I believe you were the one who tried to hit me," he said coolly but Miyeon screamed louder.


    "This man pushed me!" she yelled. People were starting to gather around them, trying to fathom what was happening. Minho kept his calm as the girl hurled usations.


    "What happened?" one man asked aloud. "Why is she screaming?"


    "He pushed me!" Miyeon pointed at Minho. "I rejected his offer for a date so he pushed me!"


    Another man stepped up and told Minho, "You should apologize! That''s assault!"


    "I didn''t push her," Minho sighed.


    "Someone call the police!" Another woman shouted. There was a murmur of agreement. Minho shook his head, not bothering to exin. The CCTV camera would give away her lie anyway so there was no use in protesting.


    "Go ahead," he smirked, taking everyone by surprise.


    "Y-yeah call the police!" Miyeon ordered. "He pushed me and hurt me!"


    One of the men took out his phone to call when there was a shout from the back of the crowd.


    "I''m from the police!"


    Everyone turned around to see a round faced girl with dark eyes approaching themotion. She was holding out her badge for everyone to see. Minho did not bother to look but was busy texting his secretary to bring awyer.


    "Thank god detective!" Miyeon said, staggering up. "That man pushed me because I rejected him!"


    She pointed at Minho, who was still typing on the phone. Minho had just pressed the send button when his phone was snatched from his hands.


    "Hey what are-"


    He looked up and nearly eximed, his words getting stuck in his throat. Standing in front of him was a very familiar face.


    "Exin everything at the police station punk!" Gayoon threatened.

 Chapter 12: That Woman Again

    Chapter 12: That Woman Again


    He was staring at her in shock. Was he dreaming again?


    "P-punk?" he asked incredulously.


    "Yes you, punk!" she sneered. He was shocked at her words. No one had ever called him a punk before. Did he look like one at all? He was Hwang Minho, the richest man in the country!


    "You-" he began but she was not listening to him.


    Instead she turned to the crowd and yelled, "Is this a TV drama? Why are you all still standing here? Go and mind your own business! Let the police handle it!"


    The crowd was taken aback by the detective''s crass attitude. Grumbling to themselves, they slowly disbursed. Minho''s shock subsided and it was reced with mild irritation.


    "Listen, you''re misunderstanding! I did not-"


    But his protests were drowned by Miyeon''s cries. She grabbed Gayoon''s wrist and sobbed, "This man just could not take a rejection! I-I only politely turned him down but he pushed me so hard! Look, my knee got scraped"


    She pointed at her knee. Her pants were a little torn and the scraped skin could be seen. Gayoon turned towards Minho.


    "Mister, is she telling the truth?" she asked warily. Minho raised his eyebrows. It seemed that Gayoon did not know who he was. All throughout her pregnancy, they had not met face to face but Minho had her photo and details. He was debating whether to tell her who he was but the circumstances were preventing him from doing so.


    "Ms. Miyeon is utterly talentless when ites to lying," he said coolly. "I merely pointed out how her personal worth is equal to zero, meaning she was not a profitable prospect for dating nor marriage."


    Gayoon blinked in surprise at the strange man''s remark. "What?" she frowned.


    "You see, I judge people by the worth they earn," he went on. "Ms. Miyeon, being an heiress who has not earned a single penny without her father''s help, has no real money of her own and hence it utterly useless for me. If we end up dating, I would be the one who will have to buy her presents, take her out to expensive restaurants and perhaps spendvishly on her with my hard earned money whereas she will be merely spending her father''s wealth. Without her father''s support, she won''t be of much value and probably would not even be able to afford a cheap bagel off the streets."


    Both Gayoon and Miyeon gaped at him. The man was truly unabashed when it came to his motor mouth. Minions turned towards Gayoon.


    "He''s now defaming me!" she wailed loudly. Her cries were starting to anger Gayoon. What a drag! She thought.


    "Mister," she said to Minho. "Both of you''ll have toe to the police station. If you really did assault her, then it''s a serious crime."


    "Why bother?" Minho asked in a cold tone. "Just check the CCTV camera and be done with it. It''ll tell what the truth is."


    The mention of cameras made Miyeon stiff with fear. If they check the cameras then she would be caught and Hwang Minho would press charges against her for defamation. Her dad would cut her off if he found out!


    "Fine," Gayoon agreed. "I''ll ask the park officials and-"


    "Detective!" Miyeon eximed. "There is no need to drag this drama any further. I have forgiven Mr. Hwang."


    Gayoon frowned at her suspiciously. Her tears seemed to have vanished within seconds. It did not take her long to figure out two and two.


    "Ma''am, you have been assaulted right?" she pressed, emphasizing on the word ''assaulted''. "Weren''t you crying for justice just moments ago?"


    Miyeon bit her lip, trying to get out of the situation but Gayoon was able to read through her lies. Her expressions gave her away.


    "N-no," she stammered. "I was hurt but it''s nothing really! Let''s just forgive Mr. Hwang. It was a mistake, really."


    But Gayoon was not going to let her go so easily. "Let the cameras decide the truth," she said with a hint of threat.


    Minho was quietly watching the two women, amused by Gayoon''s sarcasm. Miyeon was visibly scared now that she was trapped in her own web.


    "I-I-I just remembered I have an important meeting!" she imed.


    "At this hour?" Gayoon scoffed. A strict expression formed on her face as she was clearly annoyed with the lying woman. "Lady, do you know the punishment for defamation is three years in jail? No matter how small it is? If this guy wants, he can throw you in jail in seconds!"


    Miyeon gulped nervously, her face beading with sweat.


    "Now apologize!" Gayoon yelled, making Miyeon squirm. Thetter turned to face Minho.


    "I-I''m sorry!" she begged with her hands sped. "Please forgive me, Mr. Hwang!"


    "Lee Corporations, right?" Minho said, raising an eyebrow. "I''ll remember that name. You can go home now."


    Miyeon was more scared now. What was he going to do?


    "You heard the man!" Gayoon barked. "Go home, miss!


    Miyeon jumped and turned on her heel, running away as fast as she could. Minho was also starting to leave when Gayoon asked, "What did you mean when you said you will ''remember the name''?"


    He turned to face her. She had not changed much over the years except for the fact that her once frail body was now more toned and fit. It was no doubt due to the gruelling training police officers had to go through.


    "It means, I will destroy her father''spany by tomorrow morning," he said calmly. Gayoon frowned.


    "Mister, are you some sort of rich CEO?" she asked. Minho almostughed at her naivety.


    "Who knows?" he smirked. "See you around, detective Jeon Gayoon."


    With that, he walked off, leaving her very confused. Gayoon stared at his retreating back, inwardly appreciating the view. If only he wasn''t a money hungry machine, she sighed. With those chiseled looks and fit muscles, he''s a pretty good catch.


    Then she slightly frowned. He called her by her name. She tried to recall if she had mentioned her name to him but her memory drew a nk.


    "Maybe I forgot I mentioned it," she shrugged and turned around to finish the rest of her night shift.


    .


    Minho reached home at nearly 3 am at night. He headed straight for his bedroom and took a quick shower. Texting his secretary that he would go to the officete in the afternoon along with some instructions about dealing with Lee Corporations, hey back on his bed wearing a bathrobe which highlighted his perfectly sculpted body.


    It was hard to believe that of all the people in the world, he ran into Jeon Gayoon that night. He had wondered at times in passing what had happened to that weak looking girl who was Jina''s birth mother. Never in his wildest imagination did he think that she would turn out to be a detective. It was hard to believe that a meek girl like her would turn out to be a strong woman in her own right.


    "Looks like we''ll run into each other soon," Minho smirked. "Jeon Gayoon."

 Chapter 13: Chicken Restaurant

    Chapter 13: Chicken Restaurant


    When Gayoon walked into the station the next afternoon, she was deadbeat. Her nightshift ended at 5 am and the encounter with the strange money lover left her even more tired. She vaguely wondered who the handsome stranger was.


    "His looks may be devilish but his tongue is a killer," she sighed. If only he had a gentle personality, she would have followed up on her grandma''s advice andtched on to him. Too bad he had a nasty attitude.


    She put her bag on her desk and sat on her chair, turning on theputer. The amount of files which needed to be updated were killing her. She had to go through at least 200 old files everyday alongside the new ones which only increased her already thin patience.


    "Ugh!" she eximed. The database was so outdated that she would have to retype a lot of the information. Looking at the numbers and evidence only made her head spin. Gayoonid her head down, trying not to cry in anger.


    "Whatcha doin?"


    A familiar voice made her snap her head up. Jina was looking at her with her doey eyes.


    "Kid!" Gayoon said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"


    "Did you find my mom?" Jina asked. Gayoon felt a pang of guilt. She was so engrossed in her work, that she could not follow up on the little child''s request.


    "I...I am trying," Gayoon lied with her fingers crossed under the desk. But Jina narrowed her eyes in suspicion.


    "You didn''t try, did you?" she used.


    Gayoon groaned andy her head back on the table. "Kid, I haven''t been able to sleep for the past few nights due to the damn night shift! Cut me some ck!"


    If Jina was being honest with herself, she stopped by to see Gayoon again. After meeting the Lady Cop, she became very curious about her. All day, she was waiting for school to end so that she could meet Gayoon again. She was getting impatient. If she could not find her own mom then she was determined to make Gayoon her mother.


    "I know the feeling," Jina sighed as she climbed to sit on the table. She was carrying a school bag on her shoulder. "I rarely get to sleep at night."


    Gayoon frowned. "Why?" she asked.


    "Casper and Josephinee to visit me at night," Jina replied. "They''re really sad and need someone to y with."


    "Casper and Josephine?"


    "Mmm!" Jina nodded. "They''re my friends! They''re really nice! I like to y with them even though dad says they''re imaginary. But I think they''re real!"


    "What do you-" Gayoon began but they were interrupted by a loud crash. One of the inmates was throwing a tantrum.


    "What kinda shitty food is this?" he yelled. "Sons of bitc-"


    Gayoon immediately shut Jina''s ears. "Don''t listen to them!" she ordered.


    "But why is the mister shouting?" Jina asked curiously. "And what is ''shitty''?"


    "Hush!" Gayoon scolded. "Don''t ever use that word! It''s a bad word! Understood?"


    She did not want Jina to pick up ngs from the criminals in prison. What if her father found out and pressed charges against them?


    "But the mister used it."


    "Yeah, well he''s a bad guy. He uses it coz he''s bad. But our Jina is a good girl. Right?"


    "Yes!"


    One of the officers went into the cell to deal with the prisoner. An argument was going to ensue so Gayoon picked up Jina in her arms and carried her away towards the pantry which was thankfully empty. Once they were out of earshot, she put Jina down.


    "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Does your dad know you''re here?"


    Jina had coerced Driver Jang to take her to the police station once again. She had an inkling that the old man would try to call her father again so she threatened him that if he informed Minho, she would tell thetter about how she caught him with one of the servants inside the mansion.


    "He''s busy," Jina simply said. "Besides, I''m here to meet you."


    Just then, her stomach gave a loud rumble. She had not eaten anything since break time and she was starving.


    "You didn''t have lunch?" Gayoon eximed. "Go home!"


    Jina pouted. "I came to visit you and you wouldn''t even treat me to lunch," she muttered, feigning sadness while peeking at Gayoon with her innocent eyes. "And here I was, trying to be a cool detective like you."


    She let out a loud sigh. Gayoon bit her lip, finding herself in a dilemma. Jina looked so sad that her heart was wrenching at the little child''s sight.


    I guess it wouldn''t hurt to buy her lunch, she thought.


    "Fine!" Gayoon conceded. "I''ll treat you to lunch. But don''t make it a daily thing!"


    "Yaii!" Jina cheered and hugged Gayoon. Touched by the little girl''s gestures, Gayoon asked, "What do you wanna eat?"


    "Chicken fry!"


    "Ahh the restaurant across the road has some great chicken fries!" Gayoon eximed. "Let''s go!"


    She took Jina''s hand and together, they left the station to walk towards the chicken restaurant. Gayoon picked up Jina in her arms again, waiting for the pedestrian signal to turn green.


    "How long have you been a cop?" Jina queried.


    "I passed my test when I was twenty two," Gayoon said. "Took me four tries but I finally managed to get in!"


    They entered the restaurant. It was crowded but Gayoon managed to find a seat for them at a corner. Jina stared around her in awe. She had never been to such a ce before. The crowd was a mixture of office workers and day timebors who came in for a hearty lunch. One guy wasining loudly about his job while a group at another table was gossiping about politics. There were people from all segments of the society, sharing meals and drinks.


    The smell of fried chicken engulfed the whole area. The ce was nothing extraordinary but everyone was busy eating their food. They relished the greasy chicken as if it was something very exquisite. Jina wondered why everyone was so enjoying it so much.


    "What happened?" Gayoon asked, noticing Jina''s awed expression.


    "I''ve never been to a ce like this," she admitted. "So many people!"


    "You''ve never been to a chicken restaurant?" Gayoon asked in shock.

 Chapter 14: The Value of a Meal

    Chapter 14: The Value of a Meal


    Gayoon was truly surprised. Her grandmother used to take her to bustling restaurants ever since she was a child and she used to enjoy those moments a lot. Even now, whenever she felt sad or overwhelmed, she stopped by crowded restaurants to savor the food.


    "My dad only takes me to European eateries or to some fancy ce with less people," Jina replied. "I never knew restaurants like these also existed."


    All these years, she thought restaurants and cafes served only fancy food. She had seen upscale outlets where people ate with forks and knives while holding soft conversations. But seeing the ce full of energy, she waspletely shocked yet curious.


    "Do you eat here everyday?" she asked.


    "Of course!" Gayoon replied. "Anyways, you want chicken fry right?"


    Gayoon looked around and raised her hand, signalling at a passing server. "Mister! Can you get us two tes of chicken fries with kimchi, tomato sauce and cs?"


    "Sour and spicy or normal spicy?" the server asked.


    "Both!"


    The server disappeared behind the counter and yelled out their orders to the cooks. Jina was still gaping wondrously at the people around her.


    "Lady Cop, why do these people look so happy when they''re eating the food?" Jina asked. "It''s just food right? They can get better food elsewhere!"


    Gayoon observed Jina for a minute. There was an air of naive elegance about her which clearly indicated that she was from a very wealthy family. She was probably surrounded by servants who did her bidding and no doubt her father had only given her a sheltered and privileged life. The little girl was growing up without any idea about the world outside of her circle yet, unlike other children of her status, she was curious about everything.


    As an adult, Gayoon believed that children needed to be given a variety of experiences to help them shape their own future. A closed and sheltered life would only make Jina isted from the world and she would grow up without understanding how to tough it out in society.


    "Yes, they can probably get better food elsewhere," Gayoon agreed. "But the food they''re tasting right now, is precious to them. Do you know why?"


    Jina shook her head.


    "You see these people have been working for hours," Gayoon exined. "A lot of us here have given many years to our jobs. Some are construction workers who have no schedule. Some are office workers who have fixed routines."


    "But all of them work hard to earn their money," she went on. "They even starve for hours in order to earn even one dor! So after working so rigorously, when theye here and pay for this food with their hard earned money, it appeases not only their stomachs but also their hearts. The food they''re eating is a result of their hard work. So for them, even this oily chicken tastes better than any high scale restaurant."


    Jina tried to process her words. "I didn''t get it," she said, feeling confused.


    Gayoon smiled. All this was too much for Jina''s innocent mind.


    "Tell you what," she said. "Once you go home today, start helping around the house until dinner time. Do some chores, help your household staff in cleaning or in any other way you could. Try it and then go for dinner after you''re done. Tell me how you felt when you had the food after working so hard."


    "Alright!" Jina nodded enthusiastically. "I''ll do it!"


    Just then, the server came with their food. Jina stared at the sizzling chicken fries which were inviting her to take a bite.


    "Let''s dig in!" Gayoon said enthusiastically, putting a drumstick on Jina''s te.


    Jina took a bite. Immediately, her tongue was on fire with the spiciness.


    "Too spicy?" Gayoon asked in concern. Jina nodded, her eyes tearing up. Gayoon poured some c in her ss.


    "Drink up," she said. "Try the less spicy one then."


    But Jina shook her head. "I wanna try it all!" she announced, feeling determined. Despite the spiciness, it was the best chicken fry she ever had. She munched on happily while Gayoonughed at the little girl''s enthusiasm.


    My daughter must be her age, she thought. Is she eating well?


    Gayoon spaced out, thinking about her daughter. What was she doing? Was she happy? Were the spirits bothering her as well? The questions and guilt would not leave her. It was her punishment for being so selfish. Even if she was desperate to get rid of the curse, she did not realize that giving up her child would be a million times more painful.


    "Lady Cop!"


    Jina''s voice broke her reverie. "Aren''t you gonna eat?" Jina asked, pointing at Gayoon''s half eaten chicken.


    "Uh yes!"


    They finished their lunch while Jina chattered about what she learnt at school. Gayoon giggled at some of her antics but was impressed by how intelligent Jina was.


    Finally, they were done. Gayoon paid the bill and they headed back towards the precinct. Escorting Jina to her car, Gayoon bent down to reach her level.


    "Lady Cop, today was fun!" Jina eximed. "Can Ie back tomorrow?"


    "Jina, you cane by anytime you want," Gayoon smiled. "But don''t lie to your dad anymore, alright? He''ll be very worried if he finds out. Tell him the truth when you go home, promise?"


    She held out her hand. Jina pouted a little before giving in.


    "Alright," she sighed. "I''ll tell him the truth."


    "Good girl," Gayoon said, ruffling her hair. "Now go home and do what I suggested."


    "Hmmm!" Jina nodded. Jang, who was staring at the duo, was surprised at how close they seemed. He held out the door for Jina who got inside the car. Looking back at Gayoon, she happily waved.


    "Bye bye Lady Cop!"


    Gayoon waved back and watched as they drove away until the car was out of sight. For reasons unknown, her heart felt hollow when she was bidding goodbye to Jina. The hour she spent with the little girl gave her an inexpressible joy which she had not felt in many years.


    "Bye bye, Jina," she said softly, her eyes moist with unshed tears.

 Chapter 15: The Man He Seeks

    Chapter 15: The Man He Seeks


    A tall and handsome man walked into the dingy cafe. Wearing a long trench coat and hat, he oozed of elegance. There was an air around him which screamed royalty, as if he was the picturesque king of a fairy tale who had stepped out of fiction and into the real world. The man''s appearance at the rundown cafe was stirring quite a bit of attention.


    The regr customers of the cafe were nowhere near his stature. They were mostly factory workers or slum dwellers who were there for a cheap ss of soju and unhygienic food.


    The entry of the stranger was drawing everyone''s interest. He was not one of them. The man was no doubt rich and probably even influential. Even if some of them harbored the idea of robbing him of his money, they would not dare to. Beneath the designer clothes and posh gestures, there was something deadly about the man. He may have ventured into their territory alone, but he had the power to destroy them in seconds.


    Minho paid no attention to the eyes staring at him. He walked onwards, scanning around for the person who had summoned him to the cheap bar. Finally, he spotted the familiar face, sitting in a corner quietly sipping soju.


    "Chief Kim," Minho greeted as he reached the old man. The detective looked up at him and scoffed.


    "Hwang Minho!" he greeted back. "Come, sit here."


    He ushered to the chair next to him. Minho raised an eyebrow and took out a disinfectant spray. He sprayed the chair with it before sitting on it.


    "Afraid of getting infected by germs?" Kim Junwanughed.


    "No," Minho replied curtly. "I believe that if I catch an illness then I would have to take a day off. Taking a day off means I won''t be able to earn money. My revenue per day is around five million dors and if I end up missing at least a week due to an illness I may catch from here, then I''ll lose thirty five million dors! I can''t let that happen now, can I?"


    Junwanughed loudly. "You haven''t changed at all!" he remarked, stillughing. "Still the man who cares more about money than anything else."


    "I have only two things," Minho stated. "My money and my daughter. That''s all I need in life."


    "Get a wife!" Junwan suggested. "Give that little girl a mother at least. God knows who her mother is and what she''s doing-"


    "You called me here?" Minho cut across him. "I''m assuming it''s something important. If not, then you must excuse me. I have to go back home to my daughter."


    "Still the rude boy from twenty six years ago," Junwanmented.


    "And you''re still the failure of a detective from twenty six years ago," Minhomented. "I see you still have not caught my mother''s killer."


    Junwan was silent. Instead, he sipped more soju from his ss.


    "Your father seems to have vanished entirely," Junwan said. "No matter how much I tried, he hadpletely erased all tracks of himself. No ID, no prints and no transactions. He left behind his money and all properties behind. No one had any contact with him for years. It''s like he vanished! Poof!"


    "Or it''s because of your ipetence," Minho said, without batting an eyebrow. Junwan groaned.


    Twenty six years ago, Junwan was a rookie detective in his early twenties who had just joined the homicide department. One night, they received a disturbing call from a young boy that his father had killed his mother. The call turned out to be from Hwang Minho, the heir to the Hwang Constructions and the murderer was Hwang Junho, the most powerful man in the country.


    When the police arrived at the scene the mistress of the house, Kim Suna, was already dead. She had been stabbed in a critical point and given that she had given birth by c-section only a few weeks prior, the chances of her survival were minimal anyway. The only witness was her son Hwang Minho who testified against his father. The CCTV cameras also showed Heang Junho covered in blood, running away from the crime scene.


    Junwan was put in charge of the case. He tried every nook and cranny to find Hwang Junho but the man was untraceable. He did not use any of his contacts nor were there any signs of him leaving the country. Where was he? What was he doing? Junwan had no answers.


    Even though the statute of limitation on the case had expired and Hwang Junho was technically a free person, Minho kept on investigating his mother''s murder. Junwan had aided him all these years, trying to locate Junho. Sometimes, they came close to tracking him in various ces but before they could close in, Junho always managed to vanish.


    "I need results," Minho demanded. "Not excuses. You''re not doing your work well."


    "Your father knows how to hide well," Junwan shot back. "He must have used one of his contacts who hid him. The question is, who?"


    But Minho had enough. A dangerous gleam was shining in his eyes as he red at Junwan. "Next time you dare to waste my time," he said as he got off his chair. "I''ll make sure you''ll not be able to live in this city anymore."


    Junwan pursed his lips. Working for Hwang Minho had not been an easy ride so far. Even though Minho threatened him a lot, Junwan also knew that he depended on him a lot to find his mother''s killer. All these years, Minho had hidden his agenda for vengeance. The image of his mother''s still body haunted him, stalked him like an obsession. There was no escape from it at all.


    "I''ll try," Junwan sighed. "But what if we never find him?"


    "We will," Minho vowed. I know he''s out there, he added in his mind.


    .


    Gayoon was walking up the stairs to her neighborhood. It was a quiet night and the streets were almost empty except for a few passerbys. The residential area stood atop a man made hill which could only be climbed by a series of stairs located in the allwayways.


    Her footsteps echoed throughout the whole area. Even though it was past midnight, Gayoon was not afraid to walk alone all by herself nor was she scared of being attacked by criminals. After dealing with spirits and their antics for many years, human beings no longer scared her. Instead, she was humming ckpink''s new song under her breath.


    "Let''s kill this love," she sang. "Sad but true."


    After spending the afternoon with Jina, she was in a rtively happier mood. She also managed to exchange the night shift with another officer, so she had the rest of the time off to rx. On her way, she picked up some pickles and ramen for her grandma and neighbor.


    Taking a right turn, she finally reached her house. It was a two storey house. She lived with her grandma on the ground floor while the upper floor was upied by one of her grandma''s old acquaintances.


    She climbed up the stairs to the upper floor and knocked on the door.


    "Ahjusshi!" she called out. "Ahjusshi!"


    "Cominging!" an irritated voice came from within. The door opened and a portly man in his sixties apparead. His hair was grey and the once handsome face was haggard with wrinkles. But upon seeing her, his lips broke into a wide smile.


    "Gayoon my child!" he eximed. "I thought you were one of the darned kids. Come in!"


    Gayoon happily darted inside. "I brought you your favorite ramen!" she dered.


    The old man was delighted to hear that. "Ah our Gayoon is so thoughtful!" he said, taking the bags from her hand. "Aren''t you tired from all the work?"


    "I am!" Gayoonined. "Chief Kim made me take on night shifts but I managed to exchange it with someone else for tonight."


    "Why don''t you stay for dinner?"


    "No," Gayoon said, shaking her head. "I had ate lunch. Besides, Grandma must be waiting for me. I should head back downstairs but we will all have breakfast together tomorrow morning. Bye ahjusshi!"


    She waved him goodbye before leaving. The old man waved back at her and closed the door. He took out the packages from the bags and heated the ramen in the microwave. While it was heating, the old man proceeded to open a closet.


    But behind it were not clothes. Instead, there were stacks of papers stuck all over it. There were scribblings and notes written all over it. In the middle of it were three pictures. One was of a beautiful woman in her thirties. Her silky brown hair was draped over her side as she smiled widely. Beside her were two pictures of a baby girl with striking resemnce to the woman. Another one was of Minho.


    The old man took a marker and circled Minho''s face. Beside it, he wrote a date.


    "15th July," he muttered. "Looks like we''ll be meeting soon, my son."

 Chapter 16: Unshed Tears

    Chapter 16: Unshed Tears


    Kwak Shujin''s back was aching. That morning, she had chased Gayoon around the house once again for failing to go on another blind date that the old woman had set up for her. The girl was giving her a lot of trouble for not being able to get married and settle down. At that point, the grandmother did not even care as long as it was a partner. Hell, even a girlfriend would do!


    But the silly girl was only fixated on work. Despite having the morning off, Gayoon had run off to investigate some murder uptown. Her dedication to work irritated Kwak Shujin to the core. The old woman grumbled as she climbed the stairs to her neighbor''s house with breakfast. She rattled on the door.


    "Master Hwang!" she called, knocking on the door. "Master Hwang!"


    Hwang Junho opened the door to find the old woman standing outside.


    "Ahjumma!" he eximed, carrying the breakfast tray from her hands. "How many times have I told you not to climb the stairs by yourself! You could have called me downstairs."


    "Ah don''t worry!" sheughed heartily. Compared to the trouble Gayoon gives me, this is nothing."


    "Come in," Junho offered, stepping aside. The old woman entered the house and groaned.


    "You really need to clean up around here," shemented. "It''s a mess!"


    There were books on paranormal activities and supernatural scattered all over the floor while heaps of newspapers were clumsily stacked in another corner. The bed was unmade and the kitchen was also a mess.


    "I told that girl toe and clean up here but she''s off to party with dead bodies up town!" sheined, sitting down on a chair.


    "She is a hard working girl," Junho said. "You''ve raised her well. Her mother would have been proud of her."


    "Ah well," Shujin shrugged. She noticed the closet was open and inside it, the scribblings were also visible. Junho was unpacking the tiffin boxes. There was rice with oyster soup and egg benedict. The side dishes consisted of kimchi and fried sausages dipped in spicy chilli sauce.


    Junho, who was extremely grateful for the food, did a little prayer before digging into the food with his chopsticks. For many years, he had been hiding at Kwak Shujin''s house and he was indebted to them for their kind hospitality. They had taken care of all his needs and it made him very guilty that he was unable to repay them back.


    Shujin noticed that Junho was very quiet. "What happened, Master Hwang?" she asked. "Is the food not good?"


    "It''s excellent as usual, ahjumma," he assured her. "Gayoon is really a good cook."


    "If only she would use this skill of hers in her own household," the old womanmented. "With her husband and child. But the ursed kid only keeps on giving me headaches."


    "She''s a good kid," Junho chuckled. "A little feisty but has a good heart. If I wasn''t on the run, I''d probably have taken her in as my daughter-inw!"


    Shujin sighed. "The statute of limitation ended many years ago," she said. "Why don''t you try to call your son and tell him the truth?"


    Junho, who was about to take a bite from the rice, froze. He lowered his eyes, feeling ashamed and in pain at the same time.


    "What do I tell him?" he asked.


    "The truth," Shujin insisted. "The truth about what really happened that night! Why were there so many bruises on your wife''s body! That you are not the wife murdering maniac that everyone thinks you are!"


    "It''s not so easy," Junho said, shaking his head. "That night...I can''t exin in words the truth about that night"


    A chilling shudder ran through his spine. The memories of that awful night were as fresh in his mind as if it all happened yesterday. Everything he believed and had faith in came shattering down within one night.


    Until that night, Hwang Junho used to think of himself as an invincible man whom no one could hurt. He was a ruthless businessman who only valued everything in terms of money. He held his family close to his heart and would do anything to protect them. His wrath was infamous and many of his business rivals went bankrupt if they dared to cross any lines beyond professional rivalry. He was truly unbeatable.


    And then that one night changed his entire outlook on life. There were many signs which he ignored. He thought that there was no such thing as ghosts and spirits. But on that night, he did not simply see a ghost. He saw the devil himself.


    "I can''t face my family," he firmly stated. "Not until I find that thing and end it. After that, I will tell them everything. They can send me to jail and keep on hating me. But at least I''ll be able to face my wife in the afterlife and tell her that I have avenged her death."


    He gulped back the unshed tears. All this time, there was not a single day when he did not look for that spirit which was wreaking havoc in the lives of many people. But no matter how much Junho searched for him, the spirit kept on escaping. It was like air; the more one tried to catch it the more it got away.


    If it was not for Gayoon''s mother, Hwang Junho would have been caught many years ago for a crime he did notmit. Her mother, Jeon Yeeun, was Suna''s best friend and was pregnant with Gayoon when Suna was killed. She had tried her best to warn Junho about the danger his wife was in but Junho brushed her off as a crazy person.


    It was not until that night he truly believed her and immediately ran to her doorstep after the spirit killed Suna. He left behind his old life and sought shelter at their house in anonymity. A few monthster when Yeeun died in childbirth, he promised her to take care of Gayoon in any way he could. Since then, he had been helping Kwak Shujin raise Gayoon and even secretly paid for her education through the money he had managed to extract from his old bank ounts.


    "That night changed all of our lives," Shujin sighed. "Sometimes, I wish our family never had this ability. Especially Gayoon. She doesn''t deserve this."


    The old woman dabbed her eyes.


    "What''s going to happen to her?" she asked out loud. "Because of this power, she had to resort to surrogacy. She gave up her only child and is now suffering all by herself."


    Junho patted her shoulder. "She''ll be fine," he told her.


    He had seen the kid grow up in front of his eyes. The amount of suffering she went through because of her powers had destroyed what should have been a beautiful childhood. When he heard that Gayoon had taken such a desperate step to get rid of her abilities, he could not help but sympathize with the girl. He knew how she suffered and it was her only option. It had devastated her and she was still reeling from the depression. But he, too, hoped that Gayoon would get to meet her child someday.


    "We''re all waiting for this nightmare to end," he said.

 Chapter 17: The Two Rivals

    Chapter 17: The Two Rivals


    Minho was tapping his feet impatiently. Jongin and Lia were looking at him, feeling very nervous. They had just delivered some bad news to the CEO and he was not amused.


    "So you''re telling me that we managed to get the contract but they will only pay us forty percent of the profit?" he interrogated them. He was looking like a hawk eyed investigator who was about to pounce on them any moment.


    "We tried to negotiate for fifty!" Jongin imed. "But they said it was too expensive and were about to hand it over to JK Limited so we had to agree"


    Minho gritted his teeth. He was eyeing them like a lion marked its prey. They were shivering in fear.


    "Are you saying that I pay you two hundreds of thousands of dors so that you can fail to make a mere ten percent negotiation?" he yelled at them. "If the client doesn''t pay me fifty percent of the profit, I''ll cut the money from your pay!"


    Jongin cowered but Lia stood her ground. "Sir, we still got the contract," she pointed out. "JK Limited was desperate to get it but we managed to get it from under their noses."


    "With a ten percent cut!" he eximed. He got off his chair and went towards the window. He pointed outside and said, "They are catching up to us! Do you know how much is the difference between our profits now?"


    He held up one finger. "One percent!" he barked. "Only one percent! What are you guys doing cking off? Go and work!"


    "Yes boss!" they eximed and scurried off. Minho red at them as they dashed away to fix their mistake. He was getting annoyed at the ipetence of his employees. As if Hwang Minho would ever settle for a forty percent profit sharing!


    He looked outside at the building right opposite his. Just seeing that ce greatly irritated him but Jang Kanji knew exactly how much Minho would be annoyed at it. That is precisely the reason he built his office right opposite to Minho''s one.


    Jang Kanji was the second most powerful man in the country after Minho and also his self-proimed best friend. Unlike Minho, Kanji was easygoing and casual. In the business world, he was a professional rival to Minho but outside it, he clung to Minho like a child. No matter how many times Minho tried to shake him off, it was almost impossible The guy kept on bothering him and hovered especially around his sister Mina.


    Suddenly, the door to his office burst open and the familiar yet irritating face shed in front of his eyes.


    "Hi hi!" Kanji greeted. "I noticed you were looking at my building all morning so I assumed you wanted to see my handsome face my friend!"


    Kanji was a couple of years younger than Minho and equally handsome. He had jet ck hair with bright eyes and boyish features which made him look much younger than his real age. He was shorter than Minho by a few inches. Unlike Minho, who preferred to wear stylish suits, Kanji wore very casual clothes. His shirt was untucked and his tie was loose. The guy looked more like a runway model than the CEO of apany.


    Minho felt his nerve twitch. "What are you doing here?" he asked warily.


    "I came to congratte my bestie of course!" Kanjiughed. "For getting the contract!"


    He was holding a box of pastries and red roses, two things Minho hated the most. He did not like sweets nor flowers. He preferred to keep his life free from either of those things.


    "I don''t like sweets," he said curtly but Kanji was not having it.


    "Ohe on Minho!" he pouted. "You should ept gifts from people."


    "You know very well I don''t like either of these gifts."


    Kanji threw an arm around Minho''s shoulder, unfazed by the murderous looks he was getting. "Ohe on! Don''t be such a baby! Take them for our little Jina! You know how much she enjoys her uncle Kanji''s treats."


    Minho groaned. Due to his overly optimistic personality, Kanji got along well with Jina. He was also one of the few people who knew about the truth behind Jina''s birth. Knowing how reserved his friend was, Kanji had suggested the idea of IVF many years ago when Minho was contemting having an heir for the business.


    "Fine," Minho finally agreed. "I''ll take them for Jina. Anything else?"


    "Let''s go and grab lunch," Kanji suggested. "There''s this new burger joint I wanna try!"


    "Greasy food?" Minho scoffed. "No thanks! I prefer to stay healthy."


    "Eat a sd then!" Kanji snapped. "But you''reing with me! It''s so annoying to have a best friend and rival who is so stiff."


    He shook his head in disdain. No matter how much Minho tried to kick him out under the pretense of being a rival, he knew that he was the only friend Minho had. Ever since they were children, Kanji was the one who forced Minho to go to ces with him. He was always so engrossed with making money that Minho rarely enjoyed the little pleasures of life. His short temper and desire to make profits for thepany stemmed from the fact that his father had murdered his mother. Before that, Minho was a fun loving kid.


    But after that incident, something in Minho changed and he was obsessed by reinstating hispany''s former glory. Even after achieving his goal, he found it difficult to let go of his obsession and strived to make even more money. Until Jina''s birth, he was like a robot who only knew how to earn money. The entry of that little girl melted Minho''s cold heart.


    "Fine," Minho groaned. He knew there was no way he would be able to kick out the pesky person who imed to be his best friend. Kanji yelped in joy and pulled him out of the office.


    The employees tried not to look at the two gorgeous men walking by but they could not help but steal a nce. Jinri felt as if her eyes were being blinded by the stunning visuals walking past her.


    "Who is that?" she whispered at Lia.


    "That''s Jang Kanji," she said. "The CEO of JK Limited."


    Jinri''s mouth fell. "What?" she hissed. "Our rivalpany''s CEO?"


    "They might be our rival but the CEO is our CEO''s childhood friend," Lia exined. "Both of them are close even though our CEO would never admit it."


    She sighed as the two men walked away, oblivious to the stares they were attracting.


    .


    Minho looked around him in disdain. Kanji had brought him to a small streetside burger joint for lunch. The ce was not so crowded but Minho was attracting a lot of attention for his formal attire. It was small and served only a few customers. There was a counter upfront where Kanji had ced an order for a double sized cheeseburger with extra meat and cheese with jpenos and c while Minho only asked for a tomato sd.


    Other than them, there were only five or six other customers who were ogling at Minho. He tried to ignore their stares.


    "This looks very unhygienic," Minhomented, scrunching his nose.


    "Rx!" Kanji assured him. "The food is great! Let''s order soju!"


    "I don''t drink during the day."


    Kanji snorted and muttered, "Killjoy."


    An elderly waitress brought their orders and ced them on the table. Kanji pounced on his burger, taking arge bite.


    "Mmmm"


    It was cheesy and greasy, exactly up to his taste. "You don''t know what you''re missing," Kanji said, feeling peaceful. Minho shook his head and kept on eating his sd with a fork and knife. Unlike Kanji, he preferred to eat neatly and properly.


    The bell on the entrance dinged as a new customer walked in. The other customers stopped eating and stared at the new entrant. Kanji, who was facing the front door, gaped as the new customer walked in.


    "Holy shit!" he eximed. Minho frowned and turned to floor his gaze. His eyes widened in shock.


    Gayoon stood there, her clothes all bloodied and dirtied with mud. Her pale face was soiled by dirt.


    She ignored all the customers and looked straight ahead not even noticing the two gorgeous men sitting at the corner. Instead she charged towards the counter where the elderly waitress gaped at her in shock.


    "Ahjumma, you''re under arrest for murder," Gayoon announced.

 Chapter 18: Crime Scene

    Chapter 18: Crime Scene


    *A Few Hours Earlier*


    Gayoon pulled up in front of a dpidated house. It was swarming with the local police and there were ''DO NOT ENTER CRIME SCENE'' markers put all around the ce. The residents and passerbys of the area were crowding around it, curious about what had happened but the police were holding them off.


    "What happened here?" one of the bystanders asked.


    "It''s a murder scene," a policeman informed her. "Stay away please."


    There was a loud murmur among the crowd. Gayoon walked towards the scene. One of the policemen tried to stop her from entering but she shed her badge and was immediately let in. Her partner, Kim Taejun, spotted her as she put on her gloves. Tall andnky, Taejun was one of her batchmates from the police academy and also one of the most good looking detectives at the precinct. A lot of the female officers had a crush on him and threw Gayoon plenty of shade for being his partner but she did not care about their opinions.


    Taejun approached her. "You''rete," he snickered. "It''s a good thing the Chief isn''t here otherwise he''d have chased you around with a stick."


    "No more chasing arounds!" Gayoonined, entering the threshold of the house. "I was already chased around by one crazy lunatic this morning!"


    "Granny wants you to get married?"


    "Granny wants me to find a guy and shack up with him," Gayoon groaned.


    "You can alwayse live with me," he offered hopefully. He had been courting her for years but Gayoon always shrugged it off and turned him down


    "No thanks," sheughed. "I don''t have time for all that. I like my job more."


    "Ohe on!" Taejun whined. "It''ll be great if we could get together someday."


    He sighed out loud, keeping pace with her.


    "Uh huh and be bombarded by your bad joke-"


    Suddenly Gayoon slipped.


    "AHHHHH!" she screamed as she tumbled over and fell headfirst into arge, shallow hole on the floor.


    "Gayoon!"


    Taejun bent over the hole Gayoon had fallen into. Her screams had attracted the nearby police officers. Shended on top of what looked like a


    "Fresh corpse?" she eximed in disgust. "Who the hell left this ce unmarked and unprotected?"


    She fell right on top of the dead body which was covered with mud and fresh blood. The person had died only a few hours earlier and someone had attempted to bury her but it seemed like they did not have time and simply abandoned the effort before running away. The blood on the corpse and the mud from the unfinished grave stained Gayoon''s clothes.


    One of the rookie policemen spoke up, "I''m sorry sunbae!" he apologized. "I forgot to tape the site! And the new chemical used around the crime scene turned out to be slippery. We didn''t realize someone could fall in!"


    Taejun extended his hand to help Gayoon climb up the grave. She was irritated by the turn of events. Her clothes werepletely stained and she was going to smell like a corpse soon.


    "You should go home and change," Taejun suggested.


    "I can''t even go back home!" she eximed. "That old woman won''t let me in if she sees me like this! Ugh, I''ll just have to tough it out somehow for now. I''ll go buy some new clothester."


    Taejun shook his head in amusement. Gayoon was as stubborn as ever. Her grandmother''s fury was only an excuse; she just did not want to leave the crime scene without investigating it.


    "So what do we have here?" she asked, brushing the dirt from her clothes but in vain.


    "Her name was Jung Jihyun," Taejun stated. "28. Stabbed to death with a sharp object, presumably a knife. She died merely two hours ago so the body is still fresh. Whoever tried to bury her was probably seen by one of the neighbors so the killer escaped."


    "Where are the forensics?" Gayoon demanded. "Why aren''t they here yet?"


    "They''re stuck in traffic," Taejun muttered. Gayoon let out a frustrated sigh. Stuck in traffic her ass! She knew very well that the infuriating doctor was probably hogging up on his daily donuts. How did he manage to eat so much even around dead bodies, she would never know.


    "Secure this site!" she barked at the rookies who yelped and immediately began to tape the area. There were so few policemen that they had to use inexperienced rookies to inspect the crime scene. It was a good thing the murder is not so horrific otherwise she would have had a bunch of sick newbies who would throw up at the sight of the corpses.


    "What do we know about the killer?" she asked Taejun.


    "The witness there will be able to say," he pointed towards a woman in her forties, who looked nervous. "Let''s ask her."


    Gayoon nodded and they approached the woman. She looked a little terrified at the sight of so many policemen. Seeing ady officer, she felt somewhat at ease.


    "I won''t be arrested, will I?" she asked nervously. "I''ve known cases where the police arrest the witness! I swear I didn''t do it!"


    "Rx," Gayoon assured her. "We''ll only record your statement. Tell us what you saw, Miss?"


    "Mrs.," she corrected. "Mrs. Kang Hana. Well, I can tell you what I know and saw."


    "This house belonged to a restaurant owner, Han Mido," she began to narrate. "She works at the new burger shack, not so far from here. I think it''s called B-Treats. She lived here with her daughter Jihyun. This morning , when I came out of my room to water my nts, I noticed Mido was digging here. When I called her, she became frightened and ran off. I was a little curious so I came over to see what it was and discovered poor Jihyun, dead."


    "Howe no one heard the screams?" Gayoon frowned. "She was stabbed. Surely, someone must have heard her?"


    "Well" Hana bit her lip. "Jihyun was mute. She could not talk. Mido always saw her as a burden even though Jihyun was a hardworking girl. But no matter how much Jihyun tried to appease her mother, Mido would alwayssh out at her. The police were informed several times but Jihyun refused to testify against her."


    Gayoon felt her blood go cold. No matter how many times she came across such people throughout her career, their monstrous deeds never failed to horrify her. She would do anything to get one glimpse of her own child. The separation was the hardest thing she had ever had to do and it was a decision she regretted everyday.


    But these monsters were on a whole different level. They murdered their own innocent children for simply existing. Gayoon''s anger was beyond words. She would not rest until she found that murderer.


    Is there a picture of her?" Taejun asked.


    "There should be some inside," Hana replied. Without a word, Gayoon went inside the house and after a few minutes, came out holding a frame. It was a woman in her fifties with Jihyun.


    "Is this her?" she asked.


    "Yes!" Hana said. "It''s Mido."


    Gayoon turned to Taejun. "You stay here and watch over the crime scene," she instructed. "I''ll go and ask around in the burger joint."


    "Alright," he nodded. "And please do get some clothes. You''re starting to stink."


    She threw him a dirty look before heading towards her car. Buckling herself, she revved on the engine.

 Chapter 19: Hi!

    Chapter 19: Hi!


    A cold chill ran down her spine as a chilly breeze passed by her back. There was a presence near her.


    "You can''t speak but I know you''re there," Gayoon said out loud to the pale young woman who was seated next to her on the passenger''s seat.


    "I''m going to find your mother and arrest her," she went on. "I''ll say the names of some ces out loud. All you gotta do is lightly tap my hand twice if it''s yes and do nothing if it''s no. Understood?"


    There was a light tap on her wrist.


    "Is she at her friend''s ce?"


    No response.


    "Is she at a hotel?"


    Another silence.


    "Is she at her workce?"


    Suddenly, she felt the cold fingers tap her hand. She got her answer.


    "Let''s go and get her then," Gayoon stated, revving up the engine and driving off.


    ..


    Everyone at the joint stared as the muddied woman stepped up to the counter. Gayoon was aware of all the looks but ignored them and instead charged straight up to the counter. Kanji''s mouth fell. He instantly recognized the strange woman.


    "Hey isn''t that" he started to ask Minho but thetter shushed him.


    "Don''t say anything," he muttered. He hid his face with his hand, but was peering to see what the crazy girl was upto.


    "Ahjumma, you''re under arrest for the murder of your daughter, Jung Jihyun," Gayoon announced. The older woman was visibly nervous.


    Han Mido was not a very smart woman. She had endured the insult of birthing a mute daughter for many years and finally,st night, she had killed the cursed child with her own hands. She had abandoned the body in her backyard when she heard noisesing from her neighbor''s house. With no money to run away, Mido decided to collect her payment from her boss first before catching the afternoon train to Gwangju. The police would be busy with investigation and it would take them hours to find her anyway. But she did not count on them catching her that soon.


    "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about!" she eximed in rm. "My daughter...she''s at home! She''s alive, right?"


    "You know your daughter is dead," Gayoon replied. "She was mute so no one heard you killing her mercilessly. You were seen abandoning her body in the backyard inside a shallow grave."


    "Nonsense!" Mido imed. "My neighbors hate me! They''re lying!"


    "Well tell that at the police station," Gayoon said, taking out the handcuffs but Mido was quicker. She took a ss bottle and smashed half of it. Everybody at the restaurant stood up in shock as the old woman got possessed by a crazed obsession.


    She brandished the broken ss at Gayoon. "DON''T COME NEAR ME!" She screamed like a maniac as she came round the counter.


    Gayoon held her hands up to her shoulder, trying to think quickly. The old woman was berserk and might hurt someone. She must disarm her. Fast.


    "Ahjumma, you won''t be able to escape," Gayoon reasoned with her. "The police already know your face and have evidence against you. Try to understand, you won''t be able to escape."


    "I DON''T CARE! I GOT MY FREEDOM AFTER TAKING CARE OF THAT BURDEN FOR YEARS!"


    Mido was beside herself. Her eyes were zing with a madness and she was not going to give in easily. That brat had taken away a lot of years from her life and it was her time to live.


    Gayoon was infuriated at her actions. The woman had murdered her own child in cold blood and was now trying to make excuses for her actions. She felt a cold air beside her. The girl was standing there, probably crying at what her mother was doing.


    It was easy to feel a spirit''s feelings. They were not very good at hiding it and that girl was in immense grief. Not only was she killed by her own mother who thought her as troublesome but her heart was also breaking for Mido. All she wanted was her mother to love her.


    The mute girl''s silent tears were making Gayoon angrier at the olddy. In all her years as a detective, she had encountered many monsters and Han Mido was one. She was not the worst but belonged to a dangerous kind of monster who would not hesitate to harm others for her own happiness.


    "Ahjumma, you''re making a big mistake," Gayoon said. "You''ll not get out of here easily. Give it up ande with me to the station. If you surrender, your punishment might even get reduced."


    It was a bluff of course. She was going to make sure the woman was behind the bars for the rest of her life. The other customers at the restaurant were scared at the old woman''s words. They were cowering against the walls, frightened by the ss wielding maniac and were also afraid that the detective would start firing. If it was not a public ce, Gayoon could have used her gun to fire at her foot and subdue her but if the bullet ricocheted, then it would create even bigger problems.


    Gayoon briefly nced behind the woman.


    "I know you''ll do shit!" Mido shouted. "I have no intention of going to jail!"


    "We can try to reduce your sentence!" Gayoon lied. She had to keep the woman distracted for long enough. "Trust me!"


    "I won''t have to go to jail if you don''t b!" Mido said crazily. "All I''ll have to do is silence you!"


    The old woman charged at her. Gayoon was ready to tackle her when-


    WHACK!


    Mido froze midway before falling to the ground. Behind her stood a tall figure of a formally suited man in his mid thirties. He had calmly hit a critical area on Mido''s head whilst Gayoon kept her busy in a conversation.


    "How pathetic," Minho said in a deadpan voice. "Her ranting just cost me ten minutes of my life. I could have made half a million within that time frame. Maybe I should sue her for it?"


    Gayoon could only gape at him while another tall man beside him simply smiled at her and said, "Hi!"

 Chapter 20: Second Encounter

    Chapter 20: Second Encounter


    Gayoon recognized the taller one as the entric money lover she had encountered at the park a few nights ago. She had noticed him calmly standing up with an irritated expression during her encounter with the old woman. She figured he would subdue her from behind so she kept her distracted. Taking advantage of the crazy woman''s unconsciousness, the other customers began to exit the restaurant until only the three of them remained back.


    "T-thank-" Gayoon began to say but Minho cut across her.


    "If the drama is over then I''d like to return to my office," he said curtly and started to turn around but Kanji pulled him back.


    "Don''t be such a brute!" he said happily. "We should help the...er"


    He nced at Gayoon, who was still covered in mud and blood. She was suddenly conscious of the state she was in.


    "Detective Jeon Gayoon," she introduced herself. Kanji did not need to know who she was because he had recognized her as the woman who gave birth to Jina many years ago. Minho had shown him her photo when he was going through the candidates.


    At that time, she looked like a scared and nervous girl who was barely an adult. But now she seemed rougher and more brash. There was an undying confidence in her which oozed out when she walked into the restaurant to arrest the woman.


    "Err...yes, detective," he nodded. "I''m Jang Kanji! Can we help you with anything? Maybe we could be witnesses to how this woman was brandishing the bottle."


    "Oi!" Minho protested. "I have to go to a meeting now! If I don''t it''ll cost me millions of dors!"


    "Helping thew is also our duty," Kanji gritted with a smile. "And this...uh...lovely detective needs our testimony."


    "Oh you can just leave your cards with me and I can contact you-" Gayoon was saying but Kanji sped his hands together.


    "Wonderful! We''ll be d to apany you to the station!" he eximed, putting words in her mouth. "Anything to help thew."


    In reality, he was curious about this strange encounter. Of all the people who could have arrived at the restaurant that day to arrest the old woman, it turned out to be Jeon Gayoon. That too when Minho happened to be around.


    Minho could read his thoughts from a mile away. His so-called best friend had a bad habit of trying to y cupid and failed every time.


    "I''ll pass," he said loudly. "I have better things to attend to."


    "We can at least buy her a pair of fresh clothes," Kanji hissed at him.


    Minho looked at Gayoon from head to toe, making her feel a little awkward.


    "She looks fine to me," he said. "I don''t see why I have to waste my money to buy the detective any clothes. I''m sure she has her own money."


    Gayoon was taken aback by the rude stranger. "Hey! I can afford my own clothes, alright?" she scoffed.


    "Good," Minho said. "Then I believe I have no work here. Now if you''d excuse me."


    He nodded at her and left the restaurant, leaving Kanji and Gayoon to stare at him with their mouths wide open.


    "Is he always this rude?" Gayoon questioned.


    "That''s actually his nicest attitude," Kanjimented. "You should see how he tries to kick me out of his office everyday."


    Gayoon shook her head at that strange creature.


    "I''ll take her to the police station," she said. She handcuffed the woman and roughly picked her up into a standing position. Kanji leapt forward to help her half carry the unconscious woman out of the restaurant.


    "I can give my statement today about what happened here," Kanji offered.


    "Ah, thank you," Gayoon said as they pushed the woman into the backseat of her police car and locked the other end of the cuffs against a metal rod ced right behind the front seats.


    Gayoon got into the driver''s seat while Kanji sat next to her. The woman behind the stirred a little as Gayoon hit the pedal.


    "How long have you been a cop?" Kanji asked.


    "Almost five years," she replied. "I graduated from the police academy early thanks to my skills."


    "How did you manage to get into this state?"


    He was referring to the blood and mud on her clothes. Gayoon sighed and said, "The olddy back there had stabbed her daughter and dumped her in an open grave when the neighbor spotted her. The rookies on the crime scene did not seal the ce properly so I fell into the grave and well"


    "Tell me one thing though," Gayoon frowned. "That guy back there...who is he?"


    Kanji straightened up a little. He knew that Gayoon did not recognize either of them since they had never met face to face during her pregnancy period. He was unsure of how much to reveal.


    "That...that''s Hwang Minho," he replied. "The CEO of Hwang Constructions."


    "Hwang Constructions?"


    The name was not unfamiliar to Gayoon. It was the top firm in the country and she was vaguely aware that its CEO was probably even more powerful than the government of the country. His love for money exined why he was so powerful.


    "He''s one strange guy," shemented. "The other night, he made a girl cry with his words."


    "The other night?"


    "Yeah, I ran into him at a park where some girl was trying to use him of assault," Gayoon shrugged. "He said something like how she was living off her family''s money and was unprofitable to him. I couldn''t catch half of the stuff he said. Sounded like a lot of nonsense."


    Kanji was surprised at the revtion. Minho had met Gayoon a few nights ago? It was obvious that he recognized her but he gave no such indication in front of her. Does Gayoon know that he was the father of her child?


    "There are only two things Hwang Minho loves," Kanji told her. "Money and his daughter."


    Gayoonughed. "He actually has a daughter?" she snickered. "Kinda hard to believe that a woman would actually get together with him!"


    Kanji cleared his throat but did not bother to correct her. After all, the contract stated that Jina''s birth mother would remain anonymous and would waive her rights over Jina after giving birth.


    "Yes, hard to believe right?" heughed nervously. The woman behind them was stirring. She would wake up soon.


    Kanji''s phone beeped. He unlocked it to see a message from his assistant.


    "Hwang Minho is about to strike a deal with HM Traders for their new building," it said. "4 PM at Maple Hotel."


    He put down the phone and nced at Gayoon. The text gave him an idea...

 Chapter 21: Kanjis Offer

    Chapter 21: Kanji''s Offer


    They pulled up in front of the police station. Gayoon summoned a few officers who took the olddy away.


    "Take Mr. Kanji''s statement," she instructed them. "And lock her up in a solitary cell. The woman is deranged."


    The officer nodded and escorted both Kanji and the old woman away. Gayoon sat at her desk, exhausted by the day''s events. She still stank of mud and blood but she was used to even far worse stenches.


    Kanji gave his statement about how the woman was caught at the restaurant. He carefully kept out Minho''s name and made it sound like a random patron of the ce had caught her who wished to remain anonymous. The officer recorded his statement and locked the half unconscious woman in a solitary cell. She was clearly deranged and dangerous so they must keep her isted until her trial started.


    Gayoon was busy with her paperwork. She was so engrossed in her work that she barely noticed that everyone around her was holding their noses due to the smelling from her.


    After recording his testimony, Kanji strode over to Gayoon''s table.


    "Detective, thanks for what you did today," he said. "For catching that criminal."


    "It''s my job," she shrugged. "Besides, she wasn''t very smart so it was easy to catch her."


    "But you were very brave," Kanji stated. "How about this? Why don''t you freshen up at my hotel? It''s nearby and I can ask the concierge to get you new clothes!"


    Gayoon frowned. Was he insane? He was asking aplete stranger to take a bath at his hotel!


    As if reading her mind, Kanji said cautiously, "I''m just trying to show my gratitude. I assure you, I have no ill intentions. Especially not against a detective!"


    "I can''t take up that offer," Gayoon told him. "I have a lot of work right now."


    "Uhh...it''s not that Detective," Kanji said. "It''s just...you kinda stink of blood and mud right now. I don''t think you can get any work done like that."


    Gayoon''s cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. She was suddenly conscious of the others around her and their stares. Catching the criminal was more important so she did not care about her appearance at first but now that Kanji pointed it out, she smelt bad.


    "I-I guess I should change," she realized.


    "Stop by my hotel," Kanji offered. "I''ll have my staff prepare somefortable clothes for you and you can use one of the rooms for your use. You''ll bepletely taken care of. Think of it as a token of appreciation."


    He smiled widely at her. Gayoon hesitated but there was no other option. The precinct did not have a ce for women to shower and her house was too far. Besides, if she returned in that state, her grandmother would y her to an inch of her life.


    "Fine," she finally agreed. "I''ll take you offer."


    "Great!" Kanji eximed, pping his hands. "It''s the Maple Hotel. Room number 419. It''s the VIP room so you can use it. Complimentary of course."


    Gayoon was a little overwhelmed but she did not want to impose too much. She would only take a shower and leave. But she would also keep her gun by her side just in case. Her many years as a police officer only made her more suspicious of men.


    "Let''s go!" Kanji insisted, ushering her to follow him. Together, they headed towards her car.


    Time to act as the cupid, he thought happily as he sat next to Gayoon in the car. He only hoped that he could flee the country before Minho caught him. Otherwise the Vesudas will skin him alive.


    Please seduce him, Detective Jeon! He prayed in vain.


    .


    Minho was in the middle of a meeting with the CEO of HM Traders, Lee Shawn.


    "Our new building will be built at a premium spot," Shawn was saying. "At the very heart of the professional offices, perfect for ess to suppliers and other important clients. So you see, we are prepared to pay a very high price for the office building. Whoever gets the contract will be rewarded handsomely. And I see your tender is the most reasonable."


    "Ourpany uses the best quality materials for buildings," Minho stated coolly. "But I''m sure you are aware of our no bargain policy. We will take the quoted amount and not a penny less than that. And also, fifty percent advance."


    "Ah, the famous Hwang Minho," Shawn chuckled. "Known for your strict business deals. However, JK Limited is also offering the same quality at lower price-"


    Minho snorted. "Jang Kanji''s works aren''t nearly as good as ours," he imed. "Everyone knows he uses the same materials as us and yet, the buildings he had built are not aesthetically good. He relies on colors to make them appealing whereas we build a creative structure. Our architects are the best in the field and my own office building is proof to that. I hope you have seen it."


    Shawn thought for a while. "Very well," he said. "Mywyers will review the agreement and we''ll discuss this again on Monday."


    He stood up and offered Minho a handshake. Thetter shook his hand and said, "I''m looking forward to working with you."


    "As am I, Hwang Minho," Shawnughed. "Oh and I do hope you''reing to my party tonight. Did you receive the invitation?"


    "I have," Minho replied.


    "Will you be bringing a date?"


    Minho narrowed his eyes. Unfortunately, it was mandatory to bring a date to the party and he had not found anyone suitable for the part. Even Mina was out of the country and Jina was too young to attend such parties.


    "I still haven''t found someone as my partner for tonight," he admitted.


    "But it''s a masquerade ball!" Shawn gaped. He found it very astonishing that an influential man like Minho could not find a date to a ball. "You have to bring a date!"


    "I still have time," Minho replied. "I''ll see you tonight."


    He bid goodbye to Shawn and headed towards the elevator. He partly owned the hotel along with Kanji so he had a dedicated suite for himself. All throughout the ride, Minho was preupied with the ball.


    It was a very important party and he must attend it somehow. But if he asked any of the women from his circle, then they would start clinging to him with marriage prospects and he did not want them to entertain such silly notions. He needed someone who would not be clingy and also act as a perfect partner for the ball.


    Deep in thought, he entered his suite room number 419. Unlocking the door, he was about to dial Jongin to arrange a date for him when he heard the shower running in the bathroom. Frowning, he walked towards it.


    "Who''s in there?" he called out. But the shower was loud and the person inside did not hear him. Picking up a poker stick, he cautiously unlocked the bathroom door with his key. There was a silhouette behind the shower curtain.


    Slowly approaching the intruder, Minho reached out to pull the curtain apart


    Gayoon turned around in shock as the curtain flew open. The weird money lover was standing there with a stick in his hand. For a moment, both of them stared at each other before realizing that Gayoon waspletely naked.


    "AHHHHHHH!"


    Both of them screamed at the same time. Minho dropped the stick in his hand while Gayoon, in her shocked state,nded a punch on him.


    Minhopletely cked out and fell to the floor hard. Thest thing he heard were a series of curse words directed his way.

 Chapter 22: Ten Percent Discount

    Chapter 22: Ten Percent Discount


    Minho was irritated beyond words. He was sitting on the couch, holding an ice pack to his eye. The female detective was standing in front of him wearing one of his oversized shirts and pants which were too long for her. She was red in the face and was almost dying of embarrassment. Not only was she unknowingly taking a leisurely shower at his hotel room but also had the galls to punch him.


    "I really didn''t know this was your hotel!" she eximed. "Mr. Kanji offered me this room since I smelt and-"


    "I know," Minho gritted. That idiot had sent him a text message minutes after he woke up.


    "Off to Mexico for the week! Will see you next Sunday! P.S. Jeon Gayoon is in your hotel room taking a shower. Hope you can sneak in too ;)"


    Minho wanted to fling the phone at Kanji''s face. That brat had nned all this to torment him and used Gayoon to implement his n. Then he ran off to Mexico to escape Minho''s wrath.


    "I-I should get going!" Gayoon squealed. The vein on the money loving freak''s head was visibly throbbing which scared even her. It was as if he was going to explode any moment.


    "In that state?" he pointed at therge clothes she was wearing. Since Kanji never sent her any clothes, she had no other choice but to put on Minho''s spare shirt but it was hanging off her shoulder, revealing her


    Minho looked away, feeling more irritated. "I''ll ask one of the staff members to bring their extra shirt and pants for you!" he snapped.


    Gayoon lowered her head, cursing Kanji in her mind. That scammer! He put her in this situation and now she was stuck in a room with the money lover until fresh clothes arrived. Minho ignored the intruder and sat on the couch, picking up a newspaper to read. He did not even nce at her way and pretended as if she was nothing but a wall. Gayoon tried not to look at him either but could not help but catch a few glimpses.


    He was not that bad looking when he kept his mouth shut. The man was extremely handsome and if her grandmother ever saw him, she would probably push Gayoon into his bathroom all the time. The very thought of it made Gayoon blush harder.


    No! She told herself. He''s a selfish and heartless man! Looks aren''t everything!


    "What was that?" Minho frowned.


    Gayoon realized she was muttering to herself. "Nothing!" she said instantly. "Nothing at all!"


    He frowned and went back to reading the newspaper. Suddenly, Gayoon''s phone rang. It was Junwan.


    "Hello Chief," she greeted.


    "Gayoon, where are you?" he asked.


    "I-I came to a friend''s house to change," she lied. "My clothes got dirty during investigation."


    "Ah, you need to meet Lee Shawn of HM Traders tonight," he informed her.


    "Lee Shawn of HM Traders?" she asked out loud. Minho froze midway while turning the page. Lee Shawn?


    "Fraud?" Gayoon frowned. Her supervisor was ordering her to go on an undercover mission to keep an eye on Lee Shawn who was possiblymitting fraud in the name of business.


    "Yes," Junwan said. "He allegedly stole millions from one of his old partners after promising him to give a share from his new business. And now he''s making a new building somewhere in the city. The building is going to be built on a property owned by his ex-partner who went missing after he confronted Lee Shawn. We still have not been able to track him down. So we need you to infiltrate his high profile party tonight and see if he''s really a criminal."


    "But I''m in homicide!" Gayoon protested.


    "This is also our case," Junwan snapped at her. "His ex-partner Kim Joon might be dead. If Lee Shawn killed him, then it gives us a strong motive to arrest him. Just keep an eye on him. I promised themissioner that I''ll send my best detective for the work."


    Gayoon groaned. How was she going to get ess to such an exclusive party?


    "I''ll try but how am I going to enter that party?" she asked.


    "Figure it out," Junwan ordered. "But gather as much information as you can and give me a report by tomorrow morning!"


    "But-"


    Junwan hung up on her. Gayoon gaped at the cellphone. The hell?


    She was biting her nail when Minho stood up and put the paper on the coffee table. He calmly walked up to the inte in his room and picked it up.


    "Hello, Concierge? Could you please order a dinner gown for my guest from the hotel''s clothing store? ck would do," he spoke on the phone. "And please do send the sales person upstairs with the credit card machine."


    Gayoon was not paying much attention to him and was lost in her own thoughts on how to enter the party. After a few minutes, the doorbell rang. Minho opened the door and a salesman appeared, holding a long dress.


    "Keep it on the couch," Minho instructed. He turned to Gayoon, who was confused by the turn of events.


    "Hand me your credit card," he demanded.


    "Why?" she asked suspiciously.


    "Do you want to go to the party?" he asked her.


    "You can get me in?" she asked in astonishment.


    "I can if you hand me your card," he stated. Gayoon hesitated before fumbling through her bag to look for her wallet. Taking out the credit card, she gave it to him. Minho in turn, handed the card to the salesman who was standing nearby.


    "My guest will pay for her dress," he announced.


    Gayoon felt as if someone had thrown cold water on her face. She was paying for what?


    Slowly her head turned towards the ck dress whichy on the couch. Its price tag was attached to it and the number of zeroes on it was jarringly visible.


    "One...twothree" she counted. The dress was three thousand dors!


    "WHAT?" she yelled. "YOU''RE MAKING ME PAY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THIS?"


    "Don''t worry, you have that amount," Minho said. The very confused salesman handed back the card and scurried away. He was unwilling to fall in the middle of the weird couple''s fight.


    "Besides," Minho went on. "I gave you a ten percent discount as gratitude."


    "Gratitude for what?" she demanded. "Why did you swipe my card for this?"


    "Because you''re going to Lee Shawn''s party," Minho shrugged. "As my partner."


    "You''re invited there?"


    "I am and after hearing that he may be a fraud, I intend to attend the party and squeeze out all my money from him," Minho threatened. "But to attend, I need a date. And since you need to attend the party too and I know you won''t get a chance to enter that ce on your own, you can just apany me."


    "Well, then why didn''t you just buy me a dress?" Gayoon pouted. "Or gotten something cheaper."


    My money, she cried inwardly.


    "Why would I spend money on you?" he scoffed. "You have your own money and I''m sure you can afford this dress at least with your savings. Consider the ten percent to be a gift from me. I''ve never given that high discount to anyone. You should be honored."


    T-ten percent discount was a gift? She wondered in vain. Was this guy whacked in the head?


    "Now get dressed," he demanded. "The party is in two hours. I''ll wait in the lobby."


    Without another word, he strode off. Gayoon was left speechless.


    "Ten percent?" she moaned in despair. "He couldn''t have given me a ny nine percent discount at least?"


    She could hear her poor bank ount crying tears of blood. My money! She wailed silently.

 Chapter 23: The Dahlias (1)

    Chapter 23: The Dahlias (1)


    Minho was waiting at the lobby, impatiently tapping his foot. The detective was still getting dressed and he had been waiting for over an hour. The party was going to start and he hated beingte. If Lee Shawn was not a suspected criminal, he would have simply gone to the party by himself. Unfortunately, he needed the detective''s help and he could not leave without her.


    The doors of the lift slid open. Minho casually nced that way and briefly paused.


    Gayoon had stepped out of it wearing the off shoulder ck dress. She wore no jewellery but she did not need any. Her usually tied up hair was let loose into soft waves and her pale skin was entuated by the dark dress. Her youthful face looked more mature while her cheeks were slightly brushed with a rosy glow. Her lips were adorned with a deep shade of red and even though she wore very little makeup, she looked naturally quite pretty.


    She felt kind of ufortable but it was not because of the dress or makeup. In fact, it was because of her


    "Can we please stop at a shoe store on the way to the party?" she asked, pointing at the ragged sneakers she wore.


    "No," Minho said, turning around to head towards the exit. "We''re going to bete."


    "But these shoes don''t go with this dress!" she protested, following him. The dress was too long for her and reached beyond her feet. She had to pull it up a little every time she walked.


    "Looks fine to me," Minho shrugged.


    "But I can''t wear these with this dress! It looks unfashionable!"


    Minho snorted as they reached his car. "As if you were very fashionable before you slipped into that dress," he remarked.


    Gayoon was about to protest but Minho said, "If youin then I''m gonna make you buy shoes for an additional one thousand dors. I''m sure you would be able to pay off that much amount of money within four months if you starve yourself."


    That immediately shut her up. Minho strode over to the driver''s seat. Gayoon pouted a little. What a jerk! She thought. Couldn''t even open the car door for ady.


    She opened the door and got in, buckling up the seatbelt. "So where is this party?" she asked.


    "At his private vi," Minho replied. He revved up the engine and they drove off.


    "So what is this man like?" Gayoon asked. "How do you know him?"


    "Mypany has been assigned to build his new office," Minho said. "We met today at my hotel to discuss the deal."


    "How''s his reputation in the market?"


    "Clean as far as I know," he said. "But if he tries to scam me out of money then it''ll be thest thing he would ever do."


    His hands tightened around the steering wheel in anger. No one dared to mess with Hwang Minho regarding two things: his money and his daughter. Gayoon could sense his anger at the thought of losing money. It baffled her that someone could love money that much.


    "Why are you so obsessed with making money?" she asked curiously. "I''ve seen a lot of greedy people but you don''t strike me as such. It seems you simply like to make money for the sake of it."


    "Because it''s the only thing that doesn''t betray you," Minho stated. "Everyone in life will leave some time in the future. But money, it stays. You can have little of it or a lot of it but if you know how to value it then it''ll remain with you in some form or other. But it''ll stay and never leave. That''s why I like to judge everyone based on how they value money."


    Gayoon was shocked at his words. For some reason what he said really made sense to her.


    "Do you know how to value money, Detective Jeon Gayoon?" he suddenly asked.


    "I-I use it only when needed," she stammered. "I don''t really think too much about it. I just like to earn it through hard work and dedication towards my job. That''s all. I don''t earn a lot but at least it''s my own money and I can do whatever I want with it."


    Minho did not reply for a minute.


    "How much were those shoes? The ones you''re wearing right now?" he suddenly asked.


    "These ruddy old things?" she asked in surprise. "I bought them off a sale. Cost me around ten dors. Cheap yet sturdy."


    "Looks like you do know the value of money," hemented. Gayoon was confused once again. Was that apliment or an insult? She scratched her head in deep thought all throughout the ride but was never able to figure it out.


    .


    Half an hourter they pulled up in front of arge vi. Gayoon stared in wonder at it. The whole ce was painted an elegant off-white color while there was arge swimming pool in front of the house. The garden was three timesrger than Gayoon''s own house while colorful and exotic flowers were nted all around the yard.


    There weremon ones like lilies, roses, hibiscus and tulips while she also noticed hydrangeas, blue jade vines and middlemist. There was also a strange bush which had beautiful purple flowers nted in it. The purple flowers were blooming beautifully yet there was a strange gloom attached to them which made them look mysterious and tempting.


    "It''s called a Dahlia."


    Minho''s voice startled her. She did not realize that she had paused in her steps.


    "It''s beautiful," she said in awe.


    "It''s alright," he shrugged. "Let''s go in. Lee Shawn is in there with the guests."


    He extended his arm. Gayoon hesitated before taking it and together, they walked into the grand ballroom of the vi. As soon as they walked in, the room was abuzz with whispers.


    "Is that Hwang Minho?" one woman asked excitedly.


    "He''s so handsome up close!"


    "But who is that woman with him?"


    "He brought a date? But Hwang Minho was never seen with a woman before!"


    "I always thought he was gay."


    "Ugh look at those shoes!" One socialite pointed at Gayoon''s sneakers. Thetter heard it and tried her best to hide her feet while Minho was unaffected by the gossip. To him, these things were minuscule matters not of his interest.


    "They''re looking at me," Gayoon hissed.


    "It''s not like you''ll meet them again in your life," he gritted, putting on a fake smile to nod at his business colleagues.


    "It''s embarrassing!"


    "No one cares!"


    They were arguing in whispers when Shawn walked up to them.


    "Mr. Hwang!" he greeted with a wide smile. "I''ve been waiting for you. Ahh, I see you''ve found a date."


    "Hello Mr. Lee," Minho acknowledged. "This is Ms. Jeon Gayoon, one of my business partner''s rtives. She is new to town so her uncle asked me to bring her as my date to the party."


    Shawn politely smiled at her and extended his hand but Gayoon was frozen on her spot. The familiar chill passed by her, freezing her whole body with fright.


    There was a spirit with them at the party.

 Chapter 24: The Dahlias (2)

    Chapter 24: The Dahlias (2)


    "Gayoon?" Minho implored quizzically, breaking her out of her reverie.


    "Huh?" she asked nkly.


    "Are you alright, Miss?" Shawn inquired politely.


    "I''m fine!" Gayoon lied. "I-I just thought I saw someone familiar but turns out it was nothing."


    The two men shrugged and continued their conversation. Gayoon tried to focus on their words but her mind was distracted by an eerie presence which wastching itself to Lee Shawn. She tried to ignore it but there was something very sinister about the spirit. It was not an ordinary one which was merely hanging around, waiting to move on to the next life. This one has no intention of leaving.


    Gayoon hated these kinds of spirits the most yet, also empathized with them. This particr lot was usually very brutally murdered and not properly buried. The spirit in question was dark and possibly murderous as it stalked Shawn, waiting for the right opportunity. But if it sensed that Gayoon could feel it, it woulde for her and force her to aid it.


    The presence was getting colder. Gayoon tried to listen to the two men but she could feel the spirit wasing closer to her. Her hands were shaking as she dug them into a clench. The spirit was probably standing right next to her, closely inspecting her. She tried not to face its way and felt that it was circling her. If she showed any indication that she knew of its existence, it would not let her go.


    "I think I''ll go and get myself a drink!" Gayoon announced to the men.


    Minho frowned but said nothing. "Go ahead," he said and continued to talk about business with Shawn.


    Gayoon tried to look as casual as possible, walking towards the bar. Thankfully, the malicious presence was not following her. It was still confused whether she knew of its existence or not and she preferred if it did not find out. How was she going to investigate if there was a ghost stalking her like that?


    She made her way to the bar. "One apple martini," she ordered. The bartender obliged and began to prepare her drink. Gayoon was a lousy drinker and did not want to make a fool out of herself at the party.


    "Here you go, madam," the bartender said, handing her the drink. Gayoon took and took a sip.


    "Shawn''s old partner sure did us dirty."


    Gayoon froze midway. Kim Joon?


    "Yeah," a man was saying to his partner. "That cheating scoundrel scammed us of twenty million dors! Can you imagine that? Luckily Shawn found out and booted him. Even returned us our money."


    "How did he manage to do that?" his partner asked.


    "Kim Joon was scamming people for money under the guise of investments," the man exined. "He had several shallowpanies which were simply a ploy to hide his tax evasions. He even hired constructionpanies to build him offices which were basically just dummies and then refused to pay them."


    At this point, Gayoon turned towards the two men.


    "Excuse me.


    They looked up to see the pretty girl with ugly shoes trying to talk to them.


    "If you don''t mind me asking," she said tentatively. "This Kim Joon...How long has he been scamming people like this?"


    They were looking at her suspiciously so she added, "My partner over there is also investing in Lee Shawn''s firm and will build his new office space."


    She pointed at Minho who was engaged with his industry colleagues.


    "You''re here with Hwang Minho," one of the men scoffed. He looked at her from head to toe, judging her.


    "Yes," she said curtly, trying not to show her embarrassment at the mismatched outfit she wore. "If you don''t mind, could you tell me more about this Kim Joon?"


    "He''s been scamming a lot of people for money," the man shrugged. "Runs a ponzi scheme to take the money and then pretend that he lost it due to a deal gone bad."


    "Weren''t there any records?" she inquired. "Or contracts which validated the agreements?"


    "There was," the man replied. "But it turned out all the firms involved were fake firms which were registered under his or his family members. They never existed."


    "Where is Kim Joon now?"


    "Ran away!" the partner chipped in. "As soon as he found out that we were closing on him, he straight up disappeared. Lying bastard! Almost took out money away if Shawn hadn''t returned them from his own pocket. Turns out, the asshole robbed people of nearly a hundred million dors."


    "Where did he run off to?"


    "God knows!" the man scoffed. "Never heard about him again. He just disappeared! Poof!"


    He snapped his fingers to show how Lee Joon went missing. "Never heard about him since," he added.


    "How long has he been missing?"


    "Around six months, right Sung?"


    "Yes," his partner, named Sung, nodded.


    "Did his victims get back the money Kim Joon stole?" Gayoon asked.


    "Nope, the man sighed. "It disappeared with him. We tried to look for it but failed. Shawnpensated us."


    Disappeared huh? But Chief Junwan said that Shawn was responsible for the theft and Kim Joon''s disappearance. Could it be the other way around? That Shawn was the one scamming people whilst Joon was the one who found out and tried to stop him but was killed in the process of unveiling the truth?


    Gayoon was so engrossed in her thoughts that she did not realize the two men had walked away, leaving her alone. She did not care; her mind was busy with what they had said. Was Shawn the culprit? Or was Kim Joon the one really scamming people? Or both?


    "This is going to be hard," she muttered. Sighing loudly, she decided to find Minho and tell him of this only to turn around and find herself face to face with a pretty blonde girl in a pink mermaid dress. She was scathingly looking at Gayoon.


    "Well well well, look what we have here," she said in a mocking tone. "A peasant trying to look like a princess."

 Chapter 25: The Dahlias (3)

    Chapter 25: The Dahlias (3)


    Jina was happily wiping the surface of the furniture while Kim and the other servants looked nervous at what the young girl was doing. She was covered with soot and her dress was also diary yet, she was not relenting to stop.


    "Young miss please!" Kim begged. "Please let us do the cleaning! You shouldn''t be doing all this!"


    "No!" Jina insisted as she walked over to another piece of furniture and began to scrub it with her rag. "I''ll do it!"


    Ever since she heard Gayoon''s words that day, she had been fervently following it every night. She cleaned the furniture by herself as much as she could until it was time for her bath. And Gayoon was right. The exercise made Jina hungrier than ever but it was oddly satisfying to have dinner after working so hard.


    "Young miss, please your father will scold us if he finds out!"


    "Heeste so he won''t know," Jina yelped happily. It was not like she did a very good job of cleaning around the house but she was improving. Kim and the others could only watch in despair as the little girl kept on wiping the surface. She was adamant on doing it without help and moreover,tely she had been obsessed with police toy sets. She even had Jang buy her a little forensic ykit and was ying detective games online.


    I''m gonna be a detective just like Lady Cop! Jina thought gleefully as she cleaned away to her heart''s delight.


    .


    Gayoon was frowning at the woman in front of her. She was looking at Gayoon as if she was dirt. The blonde chick looked in disdain at her from top to down and snickered loudly at her shoes.


    "Even the prettiest dress could not hide your shamelessness," the womanmented. Her nose was scrunched up as if she was smelling something nasty. Her attitude was ring up Gayoon''s temper but she kept her calm.


    "I don''t think I have to give you an exnation for my look," she said sweetly. "I should go."


    The blonde woman raised an eyebrow. The skank was giving her, Lim Somin, the cold shoulder?


    Gayoon was about to walk away when suddenly, Somin put her foot forward and tripped her.


    "Ah!" Gayoon screamed and fell on the floor. Thankfully the dress reached below her knees and did not have cuts otherwise it would have been more embarrassing. The other guests stopped their conversations and turned to stare at the two women.


    Lim Somin was staring at Gayoon with a smirk. She had been trying to seduce Hwang Minho for months and now some skanky girl just swoops in with her dirty shoes and takes him away? Somin was not going to let this go.


    Minho, who had seen the whole thing, was not stepping forward. He simply stood there, sipping his wine as he waited for Gayoon''s reaction.


    Gayoon calmly stood up and red at the woman. "Apologize," shemanded. "Now."


    Sominughed at her words. "For what?" she asked innocently. "You fell on your own, misser...what''s your name again?


    "Jeon Gayoon," she replied curtly. "Apologize for what you just did."


    "But what did I do?" Somin chuckled. "You fell on your own."


    Gayoon stepped forward and smirked. "Oh really?" she mocked. "Fine, let''s have the CCTV decide."


    She held up her arm which was slightly scratched due to the fall. "I received body injuries because I was intentionally tripped over by you. So if we check the CCTV footage and find out that you are the actual culprit, then that means you have assaulted me which led me to receive injuries. Hence, under our country''sw, I can sue you."


    Somin looked at her for a minute before bursting into tears. "Y-you''re using me? Me, Lim Somin, of assault?"


    Gayoon scoffed as the woman began to wail loudly. The guests were beginning to murmur at Somin''s tears.


    "The girl should let it go," one of the guests whispered loudly. "That''s Lim Somin! Heiress to Aryan Fashions! Her mother would be furious if she found out."


    "The slum dweller has no idea whom she dealt with."


    "What a loser! She should be kicked out of here!"


    "What did Minho even see in her?"


    "He rejected Lim Somin for this cow?"


    Gayoon brushed off their silly talks. They did not matter to her because she had dealt with far worse types of people. What did matter to her was the apology from Lim Somin and it was clear that she was not going to get one.


    "We''ll settle this in the police station then," Gayoon dered. "You can cry there all you want."


    Somin let out a sharp breath. That bitch dared to mess with her?


    She stood up and kept on crying her crocodile tears. "I-I''m sorry!" she sobbed. The way she was crying, it looked as if she was the victim in the whole situation. Gayoon, however, was unaffected.


    "It''s half hearted but I''ll ept it," she shrugged. "Next time, I''ll not be so lenient. Doesn''t matter who your parents are."


    She added thest part with a threat and she meant it. No matter how rich or influential a person was, one they were brought in front of thew, their reputation gets tarnished. As a police officer, she knew very well that the rich people were afraid of being brought down to the precinct even for the simplest statements. It affected their reputation a lot as rumor mills tend to go wild.


    Minho watched the whole thing intently. Even if Gayoon did not get the apology she wanted, she did not back down nor lower her pride. The guests were looking at her with disdain and envy but she could not care less, causally flipping her hair as she walked by.


    Somin, who was fuming in humiliation, stormed away. The other guests, still murmuring, went back to their conversations. Somin went towards the bar and summoned a waiter. She pulled out a hundred dor note and handed it to him. She then took out a packet of fine white drugs. It was aphrodisiac which she intended to use to seduce Minho but now it was going to be used for something else. She was going to tell one of the waiters there to mess with that woman who dared to humiliate her.


    "Give this drink to her," Somin instructed the waiter as she mixed the powder into the drink. The waiter followed her gaze and saw Gayoon, who was standing all by herself, typing away on her phone.


    "Understood?" Somin asked. The waiter nodded and walked off. Somin watched in amusement as the waiter approached Gayoon.


    But suddenly, the waiter''s path was blocked by a tall figure.


    "What a cheap trick," Minho muttered. He had kept an eye on Somin the whole time and his instincts were right. People like her would not let go of an insult easily.


    He took the ss and instead walked towards Somin. cing it in front of her, hemanded, "Drink."


    His icy re made Somin fear for her life. Hwang Minho was not only known for his influence but also for his temper. He was unforgiving and ruthless especially when it came to dealing with hical schemes.


    "Oppa" Somin cowered.


    "Why, you won''t take a drink from your beloved oppa?" Minho asked with a cold smile. "I felt really bad for what happened to you. Gayoon was really unfair to you. So ept this drink on my behalf."


    He forwarded the ss to her. Somin was sweating profusely. How did she get caught in her own trap?


    "Drink up!" Minho said with a smile. It was not a request but an order. Somin was in a fix. If she drank it, she would give herself away and if she did not, then her family would incur Hwang Minho''s wrath. Maybe I can just keep it in my mouth and not drink it, she thought.


    She nervously took the ss and sipped it, not gulping it down her throat.


    "Liked it?" Minho smiled at her. "Drink up! Drink it full. I feel so bad for what happened to you. It''s the least I could do."


    Somin was mortified. She took more sips but it was impossible to hold it in her mouth. "Drink more," Minho instructed. "Drink it all."


    Her eyes were watering as she tried to hold in the drink. Finally, unable to prevent herself from swallowing it, she rushed towards the washroom to throw it out of her mouth. Minho watched coldly as she dashed off. He took out his phone and dialed Jongin''s number.


    Thetter was on a date with his girlfriend. "Oppa, we''re hanging out after such a long time!" his girlfriend squealed. "Take a day off tomorrow! For my sake! That man makes you work too much."


    "For you my sweetie pie," Jongin squealed back. "I''ll do it. Let the money lover survive without me for a day!"


    His phone rang up and to his despair, it was his boss. "I''ll tell the money lover right away," he said happily. He picked up the phone.


    "Hello sir," Jongin answered. "I want to-"


    "Annihte Aryan Fashions by tomorrow," Minho''s deadly voice came from the other side. "Make sure they go bankrupt by tomorrow afternoon and surrender theirpany to us. If not, I''ll fire you immediately."


    "Y-yes sir!" Jongin eximed, standing up like a cadet in salute. "I''ll start working on it immediately."


    He hung up the phone only to meet the angry res of his girlfriend who stood up and stormed away. I''m never going to have a love life," Jongin thought in despair.


    Minho put the phone back in his pocket. He did not have to worry about anything else. He just acquired a newpany which he would, undoubtedly, turn into a profitable venture within days. Who knew he would end up with a bargain deal at this party?


    "Looks like the detective has a dime''s worth value after all," he smirked as he drank from his ss, carefully observing the woman who was oblivious to what had happened.

 Chapter 26: The Dahlias (4)

    Chapter 26: The Dahlias (4)


    Gayoon was busy texting Tarjun about what was going on in the party. Junwan had also assigned him to keep tabs on the case.


    "Kim Joon had apparently disappeared six months ago," she typed. "For swindling money from people."


    She pressed send and within seconds, got a reply.


    "I''ve just visited some of his old colleagues," he wrote. "They said that Kim Joon always used to show off his rich lifestyle whereas in reality he had little money. He threw extravagant parties but borrowed money from others to pay for them but never returned the money and left town whenever someone asked about the debt. In fact, he was running away from the Bulgarian police because he failed to pay back some mafia. And get this: Lee Shawn and Kim Joon met in Bulgaria. There is no way Shawn wouldn''t know about Kim Joon''s phndering ways."


    Mafia? Gayoon wondered. Did they have something to do with his disappearance? Or was Lee Shawn responsible for his disappearance? Then again, Kim Joon had many enemies. Did one of them kill him?


    She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not notice a figure walking towards her.


    "Hello, Ms. Jeon."


    Startled, she turned around to see Lee Shawn standing there with a smile on his face.


    "Ah, Mr. Lee!" she smiled back. "Sorry, I was just thinking of something and"


    She trailed off. Shaking her head, she asked, "I''m looking for my date. Have you seen him?"


    Minho was nowhere to be seen. She had to return to the precinct soon and he was the one escorting her. She needed to return quickly and report her findings.


    "That was quite a ruckus you made back there," hemented.


    "I''m sorry if it disturbed your party," Gayoon apologized. "I just wanted a sincere apology, that''s all."


    "Don''t worry about it!" heughed. "I like feisty women."


    Unexpectedly, he patted her arm. Upon that touch, she immediately froze and squirmed. His hand was ice cold! She knew that type of coldness very well. It was the same temperature of dead corpses and no human could be that cold unless he or she was dead.


    Her dark eyes met his blue ones. His lips were curved into a half smirk, jeering at her.


    "You''re not Lee Shawn, are you?" she whispered.


    "Smart girl," he said. "I knew you would figure it out. The moment you walked in, I knew you could sense me. The way you behaved when I was hovering around Shawn only increased my suspicions and I was right."


    The spirit must have been regrly taking over Lee Shawn''s body. Gayoon was no exorcist and she did know how this worked but sometimes, malevolent spirits could take over the bodies of other people. Some spirits really had no reason to do so but they develop a sadistic tendency to torment living human beings. This one was cut out from the same mould. These sorts of spirits were usually very dangerous.


    "What do you want?" she demanded. "Why are you torturing this man?


    "I''m simply doing what''s right," he stated. "Now little girl, this is what you are going to do. Go outside towards the dahlia bed. There is a walled room right next to it which is locked. Break it open."


    "What''s in there?" she asked. The spirit was leading her to some kind of trap by holding Shawn hostage.


    "You''ll see," he said cryptically. "Time is running out, my little pet."


    "What if I don''t do your bidding?" she shot back.


    The spirit kept on smirking at her. He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "If you don''t, I''ll grab a pair of scissors and show the guests a very bloody entertaining show. Literally."


    He made a motion of cutting off the neck making Gayoon squirm in disgust. The spirit was holding Lee Shawn as hostage!


    Just then, Minho appeared from behind him.


    "Shawn, we were supposed to discuss our business deal," Minho reminded him.


    "Oh yes!" Shawnughed. "I was just talking to your lovely date. She''s very smart and witty."


    He winked at Gayoon who only gave him an icy stare. She clenched her fists. The spirit wanted her to break open that wall but why? What was in it?


    Minho was engaged in a conversation with Shawn when he saw Gayoon rushing out. What trouble was she brewing now?


    "Excuse me for a minute," he told Shawn.


    "Sure," Shawn said. Lowering his voice, he added, "If you need privacy, then our bedrooms are always avable."


    Minho looked mortified while Shawmughed at his expression. "I''m just kidding!" he imed.


    He kept onughing. Minho shook his head and followed Gayoon who went towards the garden.


    "Detective?" he called out. The party inside was going on in full swing. Everyone was in there and no one was left out in the garden. He scanned around to see Gayoon carrying a shovel and running somewhere.


    "Detective Jeon!"


    He followed her. What was the mad woman doing? He wondered.


    Gayoon ran towards the wall behind the dahlia bed. Her bloody dress was too long! It was difficult to run in them. She almost tripped over but a pair of strong arms held her from behind.


    "What are you doing?" Minho demanded but Gayoon did not reply. Cursing out loud, she ripped off the fabric till her knees. Minho was confused at her bipr attitude.


    "Hold this!" she ordered, handing him the torn cloth and darted off again with the shovel. Did she just order him, Hwang Minho, to hold her ripped clothes?


    "Hey!" he eximed, following her. She reached a wall. It had no doors but was a rather peculiar chamber like ce. The square shaped wall waspletely sealed up.


    "Stand back!" she shouted as she aimed the shovel at it. Minho, frowning at her sudden actions, watched as she used all her strength to break the wall.


    "What the-" he began to say but Gayoon kept on hitting the wall until the bricks began to break apart. She rammed at it until the bricks fell. Dust was flying out, covering her ck dress with white soot.


    "Are you crazy?" he yelled at her. "Why did you do this? You could be-"


    But to his surprise, she was not listening to him. Instead, she was staring at the broken wall. Or rather what was inside it. He followed her gaze to see what she was staring at. Immediately his eyes widened in shock.


    Inside it, was a skeleton.

 Chapter 27: The Dahlias (5)

    Chapter 27: The Dahlias (5)


    The whole party was invaded by the police within minutes. The signs ''Do Not Cross. Crime Scene'' were tied all around the garden while the cops questioned the guests. The forensics'' team was gathering evidence while doctors examined the bones. They carefullyid the bones on a white cloth and white lights from the cameras shed away as the photographer clicked pictures of the crime scene.


    Minho was standing right outside the yellow markers beside the Dahlia bed, recording his statement.


    "I saw Detective Jeon rushing outside and breaking the wall apart," he informed the officer who was taking his testimony. "She found the body."


    Gayoon, meanwhile, was stooping over the bones. She wore a pair of gloves and her hair was tied into a messy bun. Taejoon, who was also there, tried not to look her way. Her dress was half torn from the bottom, revealing her smooth legs. A lot of the officers had a difficult time looking away as her shapely legs were distracting them but Gayoon did not care. She was too absorbed into the crime.


    "Any idea on how this person might have died?" she asked the forensic doctor, Kim Jaein. Jaein was a little older than Gayoon and an excellent forensic expert. Her insights were always correct and they were able to solve lot''s of cases thanks to her.


    "His head wasn''t bashed in," she noted. "But the teeth have been removed. I''m guessing someone removed the teeth by pulling them out to remove evidence of identification. The spine seems fine too and there weren''t any traces of blood in the wall so I''m guessing he wasn''t stabbed or shot. Might be poisoning or even a natural death."


    "He?" Gayoon noted. "It''s a guy?"


    "I''m sure of it," Jaein stated. "The pelvis is taller and narrow. Women normally have wider pelvis. Plus, the chest area is t. It''s a guy."


    "Why would his body be hidden in there if it was a natural death?" Gayoon frowned.


    "I can''t tell, detective," she sighed. "I''ll examine the bones and see if I could get a DNA match. I believe you have caught the culprit?"


    Gayoon gleaned at Lee Shawn who was being questioned by the police. The dead body was found in his property so he was their prime suspect. But why did the spirit inform Gayoon about the dead body when he knew Lee Shawn would be the prime suspect? What would he achieve from this?


    Taejoon approached her.


    "How did you know the body was hidden in here?" he asked suspiciously.


    Minho, who was standing closeby, listened intently.


    "I-I overheard some men saying that this wall wasn''t around six months ago," she lied. "And Kim Joon had disappeared around that time. So I came out to investigate and found out that it was hollow. So I broke it open."


    Taejoon seemed to have epted her exnation but Minho frowned. Thest person she was talking to was Lee Shawn so who would tell her that the wall was not built until a few months back? It was clear to him that she was lying.


    Gayoon turned around to see Minho gazing at her but she avoided his eye. She had bigger problems than him at that moment. She made her way towards Lee Shawn, who looked baffled by the turn of events. The cops had raided his party and he had no idea why.


    "Who is that man?" she questioned him. "Why was he buried in your garden?"


    "I have no idea!" he imed. "I really don''t know who it is or how he was buried inside that wall!"


    "You built that wall and you don''t know what was in it?" Gayoon used him. "Do you think we are dumb?"


    Shawn was sweating. Gayoon could tell that the spirit had temporarily left his body but it was somewhere around there, watching them. It would not leave this world that easily. It may have led Gayoon to find its body but even if the body was buried or cremated, it would have little effect on the ghost. It was attached to something else and it wanted to get its hands on it.


    "Well, exin yourself at the police station," she said. She ushered at the officers to take him away.


    "No!" Shawn shouted as the officers handcuffed him and began to pull him towards the police vehicle. "I''m innocent! I really am! I-"


    His voice got muffled as the door of the car closed on his face. He kept on shouting but no one cared.


    "He could have gotten away with it if it wasn''t for you," Taejoonmented.


    "Let''s just say, he got unlucky," she sighed. He really did. If the spirit had not figured out she could sense it, Lee Shawn would have gotten away indeed.


    "By the way," Taejoon said. "Nice legs."


    He pointed at her ripped bottom half. Gayoon suddenly realized that the other cops were trying not to look her way. She ripped too much of the fabric and her entire thigh was exposed.


    "Ugh!" she eximed, trying to hide behind Taejoon. "This is so embarrassing! I didn''t even realize that my legs were exposed...UGH!"


    "The cops aren''tining," Taejoon joked as he hid her behind hisrge frame. He knew that she was probably blushing out of embarrassment and it made himugh. Gayoon lightly punched his back.


    Gayoon usually wore loose and baggy clothes since she was morefortable in them. She rarely wore revealing clothes and definitely not during her duty hours. The other cops were gaping at her and it made her ufortable.


    Suddenly, she felt a long nket being wrapped around her. The cloth was long enough to cover her thighs. Startled, she turned around to see the retreating back of a tall figure, walking away from them and heading for the exit.


    Gayoon was startled by the gesture. The money lover actually helped her? She watched in astonishment as he left the scene without looking back.


    "Who''s that?" Taejoon frowned, turning to look at her only to find a long nket wrapped around her. He followed her gaze to see a man who was slightly taller than him, getting into an expensive looking car.


    "Just a simple money lover," Gayoon sighed. That day she learned something about Minho. He would help people as long as it was free.

 Chapter 28: The Dahlias (6)

    Chapter 28: The Dahlias (6)


    When Minho returned home that night, to his surprise, he found Jina sound asleep in her room. He frowned and checked the clock. It was only 9 PM and Jina, being a stubborn child, never slept before 11 o''clock.


    "Is she alright?" he asked Kim while checking Jina''s temperature. Her health seemed to be fine.


    "Sir, she has been acting a little strangetely," Kim said hesitantly.


    "Strange?" Minho question. "What did she do?"


    "Well," Kim began. "Everyday, after finishing her homework, instead of ying or watching television like she usually used to, she started to er"


    "What?" Minho''s chilly voice made the housekeeper shudder.


    "She started to do chores!" Kim bbed. "Ms. Jina has been wiping off dust from furniture and also tidying up her room on her own! She wouldn''t let us help her and even when we said we''d take care of it, she''d throw tantrums and keep on cleaning!"


    Kim braced herself for the worst. She had failed her employer by letting his precious daughter do menial work. Surely he would yell at her and fire her. Kim had her defense ready.


    Minho looked from her to the sleeping child, his mindpletely nk. Jina was doing housework?


    To Kim''s surprise, Minho''s lips curved into a rare smile. Not the icy one he usually dons but a genuine smile.


    "That''s good," he said, patting his daughter''s head. "She is trying to be more responsible. I wonder who taught her this, though."


    "I have no idea, sir," Kim replied. "Lately, the young miss has been more cheerful. Not that she was not earlier but it looks as if she''s healthier and happier. It''s a relief! She even made really nice drawings."


    Minho had been so busy with work that he had beening homete for the past few days. It bothered him that he was spending so little time with his daughter and vowed that he would take her out on the weekend. Maybe they could go to an amusement park or on a small vacation to their vi on a remote ind. She always enjoyed the scenery there.


    "I''ll take care of her," he said to Kim. Kim bowed and left the room. Minho turned his attention back to Jina. She looked a little tired but peaceful. He vaguely wondered from where she got the idea to work around the house. Did her teachers tell her to do it?


    Jina was a sharp kid and picked up things quite quickly. Despite being a child, she had an uncanny ability to learn things quickly and her sharp mind often led her to find things which Minho believed were lost or misced. He did not know how but she managed to find one of his old Parker pens which was lying behind arge bookshelf. It had belonged to his mother and he was shocked to see that she found it.


    When asked, Jina simply replied, "Josephine told me."


    Her imagination was wild. Everyday, she cooked up a new imaginary friend whom she would give various nicknames. A lot of times, Minho dismissed them as childish games buttely, she had been talking about them a little too much for his liking. So he was d that she was taking up new hobbies to keep herself engaged.


    He was about to get up and leave when something caught his eye. On Jina''s bedside table, was a drawing. It was of a man in ck suit holding a small girl''s hand. The picture was captioned as ''My Family''. But the thing that really caught Minho''s attention was the presence of another person in the ''family''. It was of a dark haired woman, wearing a police badge.


    Minho frowned. Why did Jina draw this? Who was this person? Was this the mysterious person who was teaching Jina about responsibility?


    Pulling the nket over her shoulder, he turned off themp and quietly left the room. He went to his room and changed into his night robes. After freshening up, he was about to put his shirt and pants into theundry bin when a small piece of ck cloth fell from his shirt. He picked it up to realize that it was one of the cloth from Gayoon''s torn dress.


    He sighed, reminiscing the crazy day he had. Not only did he run into Jeon Gayoon for the second time, but also got entangled in a murder mystery. It was not much of a mystery but the bizarre turn of events was enough to drain him.


    Remembering Gayoon''s lie, he vaguely wondered why she said that. He could tell that when she was breaking down that wall, she already knew that something was inside it. She was not working on an instinct but rather on a tipoff. But from whom?


    Shrugging, he threw the cloth aside and discarded the shirt into theundry bin. It did not really matter to him. All he cared about was that he managed to acquire a newpany that night.


    His phone beeped as it received a text. Picking up the phone, he opened the message only to find a message from Kanji.


    "Did you manage to get down and dirty with the detective?" Kanji texted from Mexico.


    Minho immediately pressed the block button and went to sleep.


    .


    Gayoon was sitting across Lee Shawn, who was sweating profusely. She had changed her clothes and was now wearing a police uniform. Shawn was taken into the interrogation room. The single white light shone brightly above them while Gayoon scrutinized the man in front of her. There was arge ss wall on the side beside the door. Junwan and Taejoon were watching the interrogation from the other side of the ss wall.


    "He is going to get whacked," Taejoonmented. "Are you sure we should have let her handle this on her own?"


    "She''ll do fine," Junwan shrugged. "I''m sure she will weasel out a confession out of him."


    "Oh I''m not worried about her," Taejoon said. "I''m worried about him."


    Junwan sighed. If he was being honest, he was also worried that Gayoon would make the poor guy wet his pants with her words. She might beid back but during interrogation, apletely new Gayoon came to fore.


    "Let''s see what she does," he muttered.

 Chapter 29: The Dahlias (7)

    Chapter 29: The Dahlias (7)


    Gayoon pushed forward a paper to Shawn. Thetter was still handcuffed and in despair as he picked up the paper to read it. She noted his every expression with intense scrutiny.


    The man was undoubtedly scared that his secrets would be revealed. He was trying his best to hide his crime but the whole thing was so amateurish that Gayoon wanted tough at hisck of brains.


    "This is" he said.


    "Confession paper," Gayoon stated. "You can either save us both the trouble by confessing or we can try the hard way."


    "But I''m innocent!" Shawn repeated. "I didn''t kill him!"


    "Him?" Gayoon smirked. She leaned forward. "How do you know the skeleton belongs to a man?"


    Shawn gulped. His forehead was beaded with sweat and he looked nervous. It was a little too easy for Gayoon. She did not really expect a smart criminal but she at least hoped that the guy would not give himself away so easily.


    "The man seemed to be fitting the description of your former partner, Kim Joon," she stated. It was notpletely true but she wanted to catch him offguard.


    "Kim Joon ran away!" Shawn said at once. "He stole money from so many people-"


    "And as his partner, you didn''t know?" Gayoon shot at him. She stood up, her hands on either side of the table. Under the white light, Shawn only saw a beautiful yet deadly face. She was not there to kid around and was going to find out the truth no matter what.


    "Did you or did you not know about Kim Joon''s scams?" she demanded.


    "I didn''t!" he eximed but Gayoon had enough with his lies. She brought out a file and mmed it on the table.


    "This file is a record of all the scams Kim Joon had carried out," she stated. "It includes all the contracts and transaction records of the differentpanies owned by Kim Joon. But these are shadow firms which were registered under him and you were listed as the co-founder. The agreements may not have your name but you signed the property papers rted to those buildings. Do you deny it?"


    "I-I was framed!" he lied. "Kim Joon...he lied to me! He told me these were lucrative deals and took my signature-"


    "There are probably fiftypanies in there," Gayoon countered. "Are you telling me that after seeing how there was no revenue after a few deals which went bust, you didn''t suspect your partner at all? That you actually let him con you repeatedly? Are you really that stupid?"


    She wasing down hard on him, mercilessly grilling the man to confess.


    "Kim Joon disappeared six months ago," she said. "And we found that six hours footage for January 26th was missing from the CCTV camera in your vi. May I ask why?"


    "The camera broke down!" He imed. "I swear! I had it repaired too. You can ask the man who repaired the camera!"


    "We will," Gayoon promised. "If we find any discrepancy in your story, we''ll not spare you!"


    Lee Shawn was now perspiring. He could not see his way out of this. Just then, Gayoon''s phone rang up. It was Jaein.


    Feeling irritated, Gayoon picked up the phone. "What is it?" she asked. "I''m interrogating the suspect-"


    "The body isn''t Kim Joon''s!" Jaein informed her.


    Gayoon froze. "What?" she hissed. "Are you sure?"


    "It''s not Kim Joon''s," Jaein repeated. "It belongs to someone else. But we can''t identify the DNA. It''s not on the public database at all!"


    Every citizen was required to give their DNA sample to the public database once they turned eighteen and obtained a national ID card. It was thew and without an ID, people would not be qualified for jobs nor businesses. If the skeleton had no DNA matches then it only meant the corpse belonged to someone who was from abroad or registered as a citizen of another country.


    Gayoon wanted to curse out loud but kept a poker face. If she said it out loud, the man in front of her might get away based on a technicality. But if the skeleton did not belong to Kim Joon, then whose was it? Did Lee Shawn kill someone else? Or was someone really trying to frame him?


    She needed more time to deduce the case but if Shawn found out that the body was not Kim Joon''s, then hiswyer will pull the strings to free him. Once he was freed, he might run away. Gayoon must keep him there until they figure out whose body it was.


    "Officer, I didn''t kill anyone!" Shawn pleaded. "It wasn''t me! I swear!"


    "The Forensic team said that it would take them two more days to identify the corpse," Gayoon lied. "Until then, you''ll be locked up in here."


    A brief glimpse of relief passed through his eyes. If the police got any clues, then he would be locked up in prison forever and he was not going to let that happen.


    "I want mywyer!" he demanded.


    "Call whomever you want," Gayoon shrugged. "You''ll be here until we ID the corpse. Understood? Or"


    She red at him with her fiery eyes. "You can confess right now and I''ll try to reduce your time in prison," she offered. "You''re going to be charged with murder and fraud. Surely that''s almost thirty years in jail, right? But if you confess, I can have the sentence reduced."


    It was the easiest way. If he confessed then it did not matter whose body it was. His confession would make her job easier and she could proceed to press the charges.


    "No," Shawn said stubbornly. "I won''t sign this!"


    "Suit yourself," Gayoon said, turning to leave the room. She paused and turned around.


    "If I were you, I''d be very worried about what the corpse will reveal," she said. "If it turns out to be Kim Joon''s then you''re facing three decade in jail."


    With that, she left the room, not looking back at the man who was now fearing for his life.

 Chapter 30: The Dahlias (8)

    Chapter 30: The Dahlias (8)


    Gayoon and Taejoon were inside Junwan''s office, reporting to him their findings.


    "This is bad," Junwanmented. "He won''t confess at all?"


    "He won''t," Gayoon said. "I think he knows that the skeleton isn''t Kim Joon''s, but then whose is it? Jaein is still unsure. She couldn''t find any DNA match in the database."


    "And the witnesses at the party? Did they reveal anything?"


    "We didn''t get any such information other than the fact that Kim Joon stole money from a lot of them and never returned it," Taejoon said. "And that Lee Shawn was the one who paid them back."


    "So the money Kim Joon stole was never found," Junwan said thoughtfully. "Where could it be?"


    "Kim Joon could have taken it," Taejoon suggested. "If he fled the country then the money would be with him, right?"


    "But Kim Joon wasst seen taking a cab to Lee Shawn''s apartment," Gayoon informed them. "The CCTV cameras around the house were broken but the camera on the road outside showed Kim Joon''s cab going that way."


    "Was Kim Joon a foreign citizen?" Junwan asked.


    "No," Taejoon replied. "He served in the 55th squad while he was carrying out his mandatory military duties. He was a Korean citizen."


    "Then who does this mysterious corpse belong to?" Junwan demanded. "I want answers and I want them by tomorrow! Both of you will question the witnesses at the party again. Gayoon, you''ll go to Hwang Constructions tomorrow and question that friend of yours! Taejoon, you''ll go and visit the other witnesses."


    Gayoon inwardly groaned. She really did not want to deal with the entric CEO again but she had little choice. She must know what sort of deal he was brokering with Lee Shawn.


    "Understood sir," she said while Taejoon nodded. They bowed and left the room.


    "So...how do you know that guy?" Taejoon asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. "The CEO of Hwang Constructions."


    "It''s a long story," Gayoon sighed. "I met him at the park a few days back and ran into him again this afternoon and"


    She trailed off, shaking her head. The series of bizarre events seem to ur whenever the weird man was around. What was going on? Was it the heavens'' way of telling her that man was dangerous?


    "It''s a long andplicated story," she finally said. "I''ll tell you some other time. For now, I just wanna go and rest. I''ll check up on Lee Shawn before leaving."


    Taejoon''s face fell in disappointment. "Alright," he said. "I''ll see you tomorrow."


    She waved him goodbye and headed back to the interrogation room where Lee Shawn was held. The man was dozing off in his chair.


    "He seems to be fine," she muttered, turning around towards the door. Was the ghostly possession a temporary thing? Maybe the ghost was gone after they discovered the body? But whose spirit was it?


    Gayoon was so lost in her thoughts that she did not realize that the temperature in the room was dropping rapidly. A shadow was rising from behind, closing in on her. The silent footsteps approached her as she thought about the questions in her head. Slowly, the figure leaned to her ears.


    "Dig further, little pet," the man whispered in her ears. Gayoon screamed loudly in shock and turned around to see the possessed Lee Shawn grinning widely at her.


    "Dig further, little pet," the ghost said again, smirking at her. Gayoon''s screams attracted the officers nearby who burst in to see that Lee Shawn was standing so close to Gayoon. One of them immediately tackled him to the ground.


    "Detective Jeon, you can go," the officer shouted. "We can handle him. Guys, a little help here!"


    The other officers helped him to pin the smiling Lee Shawn to the ground. He did not struggle but kept on smiling in a sinister manner at Gayoon, who was frozen by the evil aura he exuded. The spirit was not bothered about his murder but about something else. But what?


    Dig further? What did he mean? Is she supposed to find out his identity?


    The spirit kept on jeering at her, challenging her to solve the case. Gayoon narrowed her eyes as he was being dragged away by the police. This ghost was up to no good and was clearly using her for a hidden agenda. And she was not going to let it seed.


    .


    Minho was in his office the next day with theirpanywyer. Hiswyer, Lee Taehyun was one of the most distinguishedw personnel in the country, handling numerous high profile clients with Minho being his most profitable customer. They have been working together for over a decade. Well into his sixties, Lee Taehyun was the person Minho turned to whenever he needed help.


    "Minho, this contract with Lee Shawn''s firm is quiteplicated," Leemented. "Lee Shawn has only been detained temporarily for murder but there is no evidence. Just because the corpse was found there, it did not mean he killed the man. Besides, he barely visited his private vi. So it could be any of the servants as well. But terminating your contract with him will be a difficult task."


    "How so?" Minho asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "It clearly says here that Hwang Constructions is making a deal with HM Traders," Lee pointed out. "With thepany, not with Lee Shawn. Lee Shawn was merely the CEO but thepany is controlled by a Board of Directors. Lee Shawn being arrested has no effect on this contract unless it''s proven that Lee Shawn is a criminal."


    "Will he be proven guilty?" Minho demanded. "I don''t want Hwang Constructions to spend money on a project which is associated with criminals! Our reputation will take a nosedive! It''s impossible that Lee Shawn did not know what Kim Joon was up to. They were in this fraud together!"


    "You''ll have to prove that," Lee sighed. "And the only way to do that is to find the whereabouts of that money. Lee Shawn had no choice but to pay back the money from his own pockets otherwise he would have been jailed. But if you could find the stolen money and prove that Lee Shawn is a murderer, you may be able to get out of this deal based on the vition of trust use."


    Minho was about to speak when Jongin knocked on the door. "Sir, a detective is here to see you," he informed. "She identified herself as Jeon Gayoon."


    His ears perked up in interest. Jeon Gayoon?


    "Send her in," he said. "And also, bring me the whole file on Lee Shawn and Kim Joon. Their biography, how they met, their past. Everything. Stat!"


    Jongin jumped and immediately went to work.


    "Jeon Gayoon?" Lee frowned. Why did that name sound so familiar?


    "Mr. Lee, I think you should go and hide in the washroom," Minho said nonchntly.


    "Why?" Lee asked, feeling confused.


    "Because," Minho said. "The mother of my daughter is about toe upstairs and I''m pretty sure she''ll recognize you immediately."

 Chapter 31: The Dahlias (9)

    Chapter 31: The Dahlias (9)


    "Mother of your daughter?" Lee eximed. "You mean...THAT JEON GAYOON?"


    "Yes," Minho said irritably. "Now go and hide somewhere."


    He casually dismissed the old man who was left to scramble around to look for a hiding ce before settling for the washroom. He made a run for it and that too just in time. There was a knock on the front door.


    "Come in," Minho saidzily. Lee pressed his ear to the washroom''s door, listening intently. Eight years back, when Minho was looking for a suitable surrogate, Lee was the one who made the airtight contract. It clearly stated that if the birth mother tried to contact him or Jina in any way, she would have to pay ten million dors aspensation. Failure to pay would make her end up in jail.


    Then why was she there to meet Minho?


    "Hello, Mr. Hwang Minho," Gayoon''s voice came through. "I''m here to ask you a few questions about Lee Shawn and Kim Joon."


    "I''ve already given my statement," Minho shrugged. "I don''t believe I have anything more to say."


    "You were about to enter into a contract with Shawn," Gayoon countered. "You must have been in touch with him for a while."


    What are they talking about? Lawyer Lee wondered. They were not discussing Jina nor their contract! What was going on?


    "Detective Gayoon," Minho started. "Just because I''m entering into a contract with Shawn''spany it doesn''t mean that I know him personally. I already stated what I saw at the party. Except one thing."


    He waszily tapping his fingers on the table, leaning back to look at her properly. Gayoon shifted in her seat, trying to avoid his scrutiny.


    "I didn''t mention how you came to know about the body in the wall," he said."You lied and said that you''ve overheard some men talking about the wall which wasn''t there six months ago whereas thest person you were seen conversing with was Shawn himself. Now, I am not detective but even I can tell that Shawn wouldn''t just hand over a clue about a murder he may havemitted to you."


    He might as well have, Gayoon said in her mind. "I did overhear some people," she replied. "I just indirectly asked him about it and his answer just tipped me off."


    It was not aplete lie. After all, no one could really hear what the spirit had told her at the party. Meanwhile, Lee was extremely interested to know what was going on between the two. Why was Hwang Minho refraining from suing her? And detective? She became a cop?


    "Why do I find it hard to believe?" Minho countered smugly. Gayoon''s temper was ring but she held herself back.


    "Mr. Minho, please cooperate," she insisted. "I need to know the terms of your contract with him so that we can establish his character. Is Shawn a fraud like his partner?"


    Minho picked up a file and handed it to her. "You''ll find everything in there," he said, turning to hisputer. He was typing away on it while listening to Gayoon.


    Gayoon read the papers carefully. "You were about to build his new office building?" she questioned. "Was he paying in advance?"


    "Fifty percent in advance," Minho replied, as he typed on. "The rest after the work was done. It was non-negotiable."


    "But this is arge amount of money," Gayoon frowned. "Hispany wasn''t doing so well. How was he going to pay you?"


    "Not really my concern," he said. "As long as he paid every penny. I would have taken him to court if he tried to double cross me."


    "Why were you so interested in this project?" Gayoon asked. "I''m sure you had an inkling of his partner being a fraud?"


    "My contract was with Shawn," Minho replied, still writing something on hisputer. "Not with Kim Joon. As far as I was concerned, they were no longer working together."


    "So you knew?"


    "Everyone in our circle knew," Minho stated. Something was not adding up. As far as she knew Hwang Minho, the man was extremely cautious about his deals. Then why was he about to take a contract from apany which had a history of bad debts and failed payment records?


    "Now if you''re done," Minho said. "You can leave. I spent five minutes with you. This time could have been spent making five million dors but I waspelled to waste it on you."


    A nerve twitched on Gayoon''s head. "I''ll take a copy of this," she gritted. She got up and was exiting the room.


    "Leave the file with the secretary outside," Minho told her. "If a single page is missing, I''ll file aint with your supervisor. It may not mean much to you but it''s worth millions to me."


    Gayoon turned around with an angry expression on her face. "I won''t lose anything!" she retorted. Inwardly, she wanted to shred the papers in front of his face just to enjoy the look of horror on his face but the file was an important clue. It may give her more insights on Shawn.


    With a sigh, she left the room. As soon as she left, Lawyer Lee came out of the washroom.


    "That was Jeon Gayoon?" he asked in astonishment. "Wow! The girl really did make something of herself."


    "More than the women Ie across everyday in our circle," Minhomented, not taking his eyes away from theputer.


    "But the contract clearly stated that she can''t meet with you or Jina," Lee frowned. "Then why"


    "Oh, she doesn''t know that she is Jina''s surrogate," Minho stated.


    "What?" Lee sputtered. "And you"


    "She doesn''t know that I''m Jina''s father either," he replied. "Does it matter? It''s not like she can pay that much money after she finds out."


    Was Hwang Minho letting go of an opportunity to extract money from someone? Before Lee could ask him, Minho pressed the ''Enter'' button and leaned back with a satisfied smile on his face.


    "Done!" he dered.


    "Done with what?"


    "I just bought Lee Shawn''s private vi," Minho said. "The one where the dead body was found."


    Gayoon was fuming a little as she went into the washroom on her way to the exit.


    "Asshole!" she muttered, washing her hands. The guy knew how to infuriate her.


    "Did you hear that our boss acquired a fashionpany?"


    Gayoon''s interest perked up and she listened in. A few of the female employees had just entered the washroom, gossiping away.


    "Apparently the heiress of Aryan Fashion pissed him off," one of the employees said. "Lim Somin. She did something which made the big boss buy thepany within a night."


    Aryan Fashion? Lim Somin? Gayoon recalled the snooty blonde who tried to mess with her at the party.


    "Really?" another employee asked. "But the boss doesn''t have much interest in fashion! Why did he acquire thepany?"


    "I don''t know," the other one said. "But I''ve heard that the boss took a date to the party and Lim Somin insulted her. You know how she was after the boss for months and to see him bring in someone else must have been an insult to her. WIthin a night, the Lim''s went bankrupt and are begging the boss to reconsider. But he refused to bend the knee. I''ve heard their house is about to be auctioned off within a week."


    The employee looked around only to find Gayoon staring at them. "Can I help you?" she asked politely.


    "Uh no it''s okay!" Gayoon smiled back. She quickly washed her hands, picked up her bag with the file and dashed out. Her mind lingered on what she had just heard.


    Hwang Minho bought an entirepany simply because the owner insulted her?


    "What a weirdo," Gayoon sighed.

 Chapter 32: The Dahlias (10)

    Chapter 32: The Dahlias (10)


    Jina walked into the police station after her school was over for the day. She casually hummed to herself as she strolled through the precinct. One of the cops frowned as the little girl happily passed by.


    "Little girl!" he called. Jina stopped in her tracks to see an elderly cop approaching her.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    "Hwang Jina!" she chirped.


    "Why are you here? This is no ce for a child!"


    "I''m here to meet thedy cop!" she said.


    "Lady cop? We have many female cops here. Who are you looking for?"


    Jina thought for a moment. She really could not recall her Lady Cop''s name! "Uh...the really pretty one," she said. "She''s not so tall but hasrge eyes like mine and a round face. And she curses a lot!"


    The officer understood whom she was talking about.


    "You mean Detective Jeon Gayoon?" he asked.


    "Yes!" Jina eximed, remembering her name. "That''s my Lady Cop! Where is she?"


    "She has gone out," the officer said. "Why don''t you wait at her desk?"


    "Alright!" Jina said happily and strode off towards Gayoon''s desk. She put her bag on Gayoon''s chair and sat on it, marveling at all the files on the table. She took one file, careful not to drop it and turned the pages.


    There were a lot ofplicated things written in there. The file she was holding contained details of a rough looking man in his fifties. His picture was stapled on the upper right corner and his details were written beside it.


    "Han Joowon," she read out loud. "Taken in for murder."


    She flipped the pages and tried to read more about the criminals. While she understood little of it, the file fascinated her. The criminals were arrested for different offenses and some looked very dangerous to her young eyes. Did the Lady Cop really deal with them on a regr basis? How did she catch them?


    "Wow," she whispered, turning the pages. "This is so cool!"


    She put the file back in its ce. Gayoon''s police cap was lying on the desk. She took it and put it on her head.


    "Now I''m a detective," she announced. Pointing ahead to no one in particr, she said, "You are under arrest!"


    That was when it hit her. If she wanted to be a proper detective, she should be catching criminals!


    "That''s right!" she realized. "I should catch the bad guys! That''s what the police do!"


    She got off the chair and heaved her chest high. "Detective Hwang Jina to the rescue!" She dered gleefully. "Time to catch the baddies!"


    Jina marched ahead towards the jail. But the criminals in there were already caught. Where would she get more criminals? Thinking hard, she wandered around the precinct until she came across a roombeled as ''Interrogation Chamber."


    "What''s this?" she wondered out loud. Opening the door, she peered inside. Inside the room was arge ss window. Behind it was another room where a man sat on the table. Jina tried to open the door to the other room but it was locked so she peered through the ss window.


    To her surprise, she saw another man in the corner. He was pale and pearly, almost transparent like Casper was. But the thing that shocked her was not his presence. Rather, his appearance was more shocking.


    He looked exactly like the solid man sitting on the chair, looking desperate.


    The spirit was looking at Shawn but on an instinct nced sideways. He could not see beyond the ss wall but he knew that someone was watching him from behind it. Frowning, he approached the window.


    Jina was frozen to her spot, unable to move. She did not know why but this spirit scared her. It was trying to see through the ss window, sensing her presence. There was something sinister about this ghost which rmed Jina''s little mind.


    The spirit extended its hand. The pale arm was passing through the wall as if it was air and was almost touching Jina''s throat


    Suddenly, someone pulled Jina back and before she knew it, she was being dragged out of the room. Paralysed with fear, she looked up to see a tall and handsome man had just rescued her from that spirit.


    Taejoon, who was passing by, noticed the little girl in the interrogation room and pulled her out of there.


    "Who are you?" he asked. "And what were you doing in there?"


    "I-I" Jina stammered but she was too shaken up by the ghost she had just seen. In her short life, she had never encountered such a malicious spirit before. Even though it did not see her, it seemed as if it felt her. The spirit was not a good one and even Jina, with all her bravado, was scared of it.


    "I" she tried to form coherent words but she was so scared.


    "Jina!"


    A familiar voice called out at her. She spun around and to her relief, it was Gayoon. Not wanting to waste another second, Jina ran towards Gayoon and jumped into her arms.


    "Jina?" Gayoon was surprised. The little girl was shaking in her arms, feeling extremely terrified.


    "Jina are you alright?" she asked in rm.


    "She entered the interrogation room," Taejoon informed her.


    "What?" Gayoon eximed. "Where are the officers who were supposed to be on guard? They were not supposed to move an inch from there!"


    "I don''t know but they are going to bear the brunt," Taejoon replied. "I''ll ce aint too. This is careless! A little girl was able to get into the interrogation room which was left unguarded...The Chief will go mad if he hears this."


    "I''ll take care of her," Gayoon said. "She''s my guest."


    Taejoon nodded and Gayoon took the scared little girl away from the ce. She reached her desk and put Jina on the chair.


    "Jina, you shouldn''t casually stroll around here!" she scolded her. The girl looked deathly pale and whimpered.


    "You should go home," Gayoon suggested. "Do not ever roam around this ce alone. Alright?"


    "There are two of them," Jina whispered.


    "What?" Gayoon asked in confusion.


    "Two," Jina repeated. "There are two of them."


    Before Gayoon could ask again, her phone rang up. It was Jaein.


    "Yes, Jaein?" she answered. "What''s the news?"


    "I know who the corpse belongs to," Jaein stated. "You''re not gonna believe this."


    "Whose is it?"


    "It belongs to Lee Shawn," Jaein revealed.

 Chapter 33: The Dahlias (11)

    Chapter 33: The Dahlias (11)


    Gayoon was stunned for a few seconds before eximing, "What?"


    "Yes," Jaein replied. "It belongs to Lee Shawn. Come down here and I''ll exin everything."


    She hung up the phone. Gayoon was too shocked by the revtion. The corpse belonged to Lee Shawn? Then who was in their custody? The case was starting to confuse her.


    Turning to Jina, she saw that the girl was still shaken up. She leaned down and gently said, "Jina, I''m sorry but you''ll have to go home for today. Lady Cop has to work on a case."


    Jina was still speechless by what she had seen at the interrogation room. The spirit and the man in the room looked the same. They were identical and it really confused her. Furthermore, the spirit she had encountered was the usually friendly ones around her. This one, however, was an evil being which almost reached out to her.


    "Do you have your car?" Gayoon asked. Jina nodded.


    "Good," Gayoon said. "Let''s take you to your car."


    She held the little girl''s hand and escorted her till the car. As Jina was about to get into the car, she hugged Gayoon around the waist very tightly.


    "Be careful," Jina whispered. "Don''t let the bad man harm you."


    She''s probably talking about the man locked up in the room, Gayoon thought. Did he say something to her? What could he have possibly done to scare her this much?


    "I''ll be fine," she assured Jina. "You should go home and rest. Alright?"


    She turned to Driver Jang. "Make sure she doesn''t go anywhere else today," Gayoon instructed him. The driver was slightly taken aback by the fact that a total stranger was giving him orders but seeing that she was a cop, he had no other option but to obey.


    Jina got into the car and Gayoon waved her goodbye. She watched until the car disappeared from sight. Making a mental note to text Jina that night, she went back inside to meet Jaein.


    The forensic room smelled faintly like a mixture of rotten flesh and antiseptic. When Gayoon had first joined the squad, she used to throw up everytime she entered the room. It used to scare her to be around so many dead bodies, afraid that a spirit would turn up. Sometimes, she would feel some of them nearby, watching her or trying to get her attention but with time, she managed to ignore them and they also gave up in their efforts tomunicate with her. After working on cases for so many years, she finally got used to the smell and unusual presence in the room.


    Jaein was stooping over the skeletal remains, examining it.


    "What is this plot twist?" Gayoon demanded. "This is Lee Shawn?"


    "Well after seeing that this skeleton did not match with Kim Joon''s DNA, I thought of taking samples of hair from the man we have arrested," Jaein exined. "That''s when I discovered something shocking."


    She headed towards a desk and spun herputer to show the results on it to Gayoon.


    "The man we have arrested," Jaein went on. "His DNA matches Kim Joon''s."


    "Wait," Gayoon said. "So you''re saying that he''s"


    "Kim Joon," Jaein confirmed. "If I''m not wrong, he did a full face stic surgery. Took the skin off this corpse and took on his identity. Probably paid a private surgeon to carry this out. After all, our country is the top one when ites to cosmetic surgeries."


    "So when I found that Kim Joon and our criminal''s DNA is a match, I ran a scan on our skeleton friend as well," she continued. "Lee Shawn''s DNA was hard toe by but luckily, ording to his medical records, he had donated blood to a hospital a year ago due to hispany''s CSR policies. I contacted the hospital and requested for a sample of his DNA. And vo! It''s a match!"


    "Wow," Gayoon said. "That is one hell of an borate hoax. To think, he could have gotten away if the skeleton wasn''t identified."


    "Why did Kim Joon stick around though?" Jaein wondered. "He had stic surgery. Could have just left the country."


    "Probably to find the money," Gayoon suggested. "The one he stole from the businessmen. Maybe Lee Shawn took it and Kim Joon killed him for it. But if he''s still here, that means that he didn''t find the money."


    "It''s probably hidden somewhere," Jaein said thoughtfully.


    But Gayoon''s head was already working out the details. It was now clear to her why the spirit lingered behind. He did not care about his murder; he wanted his money! Once he got hold of that money, he would leave Kim Joon''s body and find another host!


    "Thanks Jaein," she said. "I''ll go and reinvestigate the vi. Maybe we''ll get some more clues from there."


    "Best of luck," Jaein wished her.


    .


    Gayoon made a stopover at her house before going to the crime scene. Her grandmother was not home but the person she wanted to meet was Junho.


    "Ahjusshi!" she called knocking on the door. "Are you in there?"


    The door slowly opened and Junho peered out. "Gayoon?" he asked in surprise. "What are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be at work?"


    "Ahjusshi, I need your help," she said urgently, going inside the house.


    "What is it?"


    Gayoon filled him in the details about Kim Joon and Lee Shawn. Junho listened carefully to her words.


    "I''m afraid Shawn''s ghost is gonna possess someone else once he gets his hands on the money," Gayoon concluded. "He even told me to ''dig further''! I don''t know what he meant."


    "Dig further" Junho trailed off. "Maybe he led you to his corpse for a reason. There must be something more in there other than the skeleton you found. Did you guys check any further?"


    "Other than the corpse?" Gayoon asked. "No. We did the usual procedures and left. The garden has been sealed."


    "I could have exorcised him but the guy is locked up," Junho sighed. Over the years, he had umted knowledge over different methods of exorcism in case he ran into his wife''s murderer.


    "We''ll have to lure the spirit away," Gayoon said. "But how?"


    Just then, her phone rang up. It was Taejoon.


    "Yes, Taejoon?" she said. "Found any clues?"


    "No," Taejoon replied. "But your friend just bought Lee Shawn''s vi and is excavating the site."


    "Friend?" Gayoon frowned. "Who?


    "Hwang Minho," Taejoon answered. "He is excavating the garden. I''m right outside your house. Come out quickly!"

 Chapter 34: The Dahlias (12)

    Chapter 34: The Dahlias (12)


    Gayoon rushed towards the police car with Taejoon in tow. "Slow down!" heined.


    "No time!" she snapped. "That idiot!"


    She wanted to curse at Hwang Minho for making this so hard for them. Why the hell did he buy the property? What was his purpose?


    "Slow down!" Taejoon eximed, grabbing her wrist whilst slightly brushing her palm. Gayoon froze and turned back to face him.


    "We need to think this through!" he reasoned. "Remember, Hwang Minho is the owner of the vi now. He can do whatever he wants with it. Our team had already packed up and we can''t do anything about it."


    "We should still try to stop him," Gayoon insisted. "Let''s go!"


    "Fine, but we have to be careful," he cautioned. "Do not lose your temper with him. Alright?"


    "I won''t," she replied, getting into the driver''s seat of the police car. She took out her phone and typed a message while Taejoon got into the seat next to hers.


    "Who''re you texting?" he asked.


    "The Chief," she replied. "He needs to know this but he''s in a meeting with themissioner. Hope he''ll get it."


    Putting her phone away, she sped away. An hourter, they pulled up in front of the vi to find that Minho''s diggers were already there. Minho was standing in the middle of the garden, overseeing the work at the Dahlia bed.


    "Dig it up well," he ordered. "Don''t leave a single area untouched."


    "What are you doing?" Gayoon demanded. "This is a crime scene!"


    "If I''m not wrong, your team has already packed up," Minhomented offhandedly, his focus on the excavation.


    "Why did you buy this house?" she asked.


    "None of your concern," he shot back. Taejoon had caught up to them, witnessing their back and forth bickering.


    "Mr. Minho, you need to tell your workers to stop," he stated. "We may have left the ce but it''s still a crime scene and we may need to reinvestigate for further clues-"


    "If you left behind a clue then it''s simply your negligence," Minho said. "This property happened to be very valuable and I''m nning to renovate this garden to suit my taste."


    He absentmindedly typed on his phone, not paying any attention to the detectives. Gayoon was infuriated.


    "You have to stop this," she gritted. If the money was hidden inside the garden, then the spirit would find out and endanger someone else. If the spirit escaped its current host, then it would be very difficult to catch him and Junho will not be able to exorcise it. She needed it in one ce.


    "Listen-"


    "Sir!" one of the workers cried out. "We''ve found something!"


    Minho smirked, feeling triumphant. The workers dragged out tworge bags from the dahlia bed. Gayoon and Taejoon watched in shock as the workers brought the bags to them.


    "Open it," Minho ordered. One of them stooped low to unchain the bags to reveal dozens of gold bars. The other bag also had gold bars in them. Gayoon and Taejoon were astonished at the gold biscuits


    "What-"


    "I investigated Kim Joon through my private detectives," Minho revealed. "That''s when I found out that Kim Joon had visited a jeweller shortly before his death. But the day before he was to flee, the bags were stolen by Shawn''s men. So Kim Joon came here to look for them and in the process, got killed. Probably."


    "But why did you carry out the digging?" Gayoon frowned.


    "You see, your supervisor was having a hard time to get permission from the senior officials to carry out a full excavation of this garden," Minho stated. "This property technically belongs to the Board of Directors of HM Traders and they were refusing to cooperate. So he requested for my help and since I owed him a favor, I bought the property along with the firm. Once it came to my hands, I was able to clear the permission for the digging."


    "Unbelievable," Taejoon marveled. "This pretty much solves the case for us."


    Not yet, Gayoon added in her mind. Turning to Minho, she said out loud, "We need to confiscate these bags. These are evidence of the murder."


    "Suit yourself," Minho shrugged. He took out a file from his long coat and handed it to Gayoon.


    "This contains the details on Kim Joon and Lee Shawn," he said. "Even more details than you guys have so far. Probably."


    He leaned in closer to her ear. "There''s also the address to a stic surgeon''s clinic," he muttered so low that only she could hear. "Hope that''ll exin more."


    He did not need to tell her the rest because the pieces were falling into ce. She understood what had transpired next. Gayoon groaned and took the file. The guy made them look like ipetent fools!


    "I''ll call the chief," she said to Taejoon. "Then we''ll take the bags back to the precinct."


    "Sure," Taejoon said. He turned to face Minho.


    "Thank you for your help," he said, extending his hand. Minho shook it and immediately frowned.


    "You were a great help to us," Taejoon went on.


    "Yes," Minho shrugged. "I should get going. I have wasted too much time here and it''s time for me to attend an investor''s meeting. If you need to reach me, then please contact my secretary. Ms. Gayoon already has his number."


    He nodded and turned to leave. Gayoon just got off the phone.


    "The Chief wants us to bring the bags to him," she said to Taejoon. "Let''s go."


    "I''ll carry them," he offered. Gayoon nodded and handed the bags to him before heading towards the car. Their work there was done.


    .


    Jongin was next to his limo, waiting for him. He noticed the slightly confused expression on his boss'' face.


    "Boss, is anything wrong?" Jongin asked. Minho did not reply at first but turned to observe Gayoon and Taejoon who were approaching their police car. They got in it and drove off.


    "Nothing really," he said. "It''s just"


    His eyes were carefully monitoring Taejoon. "That guy has really cold hands," he finally said.

 Chapter 35: The Dahlias (13)

    Chapter 35: The Dahlias (13)


    They were driving through the dark road. It was nighttime and the road they took was very deserted but it was a shortcut to the precinct. The main highway had an ident and there was heavy traffic there so Gayoon had to take the shortcut through the forest.


    "What a guy," Taejoonmented. "Why did he go to the lengths of investigating Kim Joon and Shawn?"


    "He wanted money," Gayoon sighed. She may have met the guy only a handful of times but it was very apparent to her that Hwang Minho only lived for money. The guy was a walking talking ATM machine which only operated as per its interest. The only way to be on his good side, was to offer him a profitable deal.


    She had an inkling that if she probed a little further, she would find out that the property Hwang Minho bought was very valuable and he could probably re-sell it for double the price if he wanted. Moreover, by finding the stolen money, Hwang Minho was able to prove that the man in custody was a criminal. This in turn helped him nullify the deal as per the contract she had taken from him.


    "The guy is like a clever minx," she muttered.


    "He sure is," Taejoonughed. They were passing by the lonely road. A cross sectiony ahead but the road was blocked by a sign. Gayoon stopped the car.


    "The road ahead is blocked," she frowned. "I didn''t know this ce was under construction."


    "Let''s get out and inspect," Taejoon suggested. Gayoon nodded and exited the car. She walked ahead to peer ahead.


    "It''s too dark," shemented. "I''ll call the Chief for help."


    She took out the phone and began to dial. Unbeknownst to her, Taejoon''s face contorted into an ugly sneer. He took out the pistol which hung by his side and pointed at Gayoon.


    "Thework is bad," she muttered. Taejoon smirked as he pulled the trigger. The gold is mine, the spirit in him thought gleefully.


    For years, Shawn and Joon had conned businessmen into investing in their businesses. Once the investments were done, they escaped, leaving a series of bankruptpanies behind them. But it all came crashing down when Joon decided to double cross Shawn by converting their money into gold bars and nned to flee the country.


    When Shawn found out, he plotted to have Joon killed. He stole the gold bars and invited Joon to his vi. A wall was built to hide the body.


    But Joon was several steps ahead of him. That fucker had bribed one of the servants to poison his morning tea and when Joon arrived, Shawn was already on the verge of death. But Shawn had one thing up his sleeve. Before dying, he buried the gold bars in his garden and covered it with the Dahlia bed. No one knew about this and no matter how much Joon tried, he could never find the gold bars which were hidden right beneath his feet.


    Joon got a stic surgery to look like Shawn and took over his life. The spirit had watched in envy as Joon posed as him, strutting around like a hotshot businessman. He only partly paid back some of the wronged men but was still out to look for the gold bars. It gave Shawn''s spirit great pleasure to see that Joon was never able to find it.


    But this detective made his work easier. She had not only arrested Joon but also found the gold bars. ying with her was interesting indeed but it was time to take his gold bars and escape.


    Pointing at her back, Shawn muttered, "Goodbye Detective."


    He ced his finger on the trigger and shot at her back.


    CLICK! CLICK!


    No bullet left the gun. Shawn opened the bulletpartment and to his horror, it was empty.


    "Looking for these?"


    He looked up to see Gayoon, smiling triumphantly as she held out her hand. The six bullets were on her palm.


    "You''re a little too green to be messing with me," she said softly. "DId you really think I wouldn''t know that you took over Taejoon''s body?"


    "How did you figure it out, little pet?" he sneered.


    "I knew it ever since Taejoon''s hand brushed against mine while we were heading out to meet Hwang Minho," she revealed.


    "Nice guess," heplimented in a mocking tone. "Too bad, I don''t need a gun to kill you."


    "Before you kill me," she said with a smile. "Why don''t you check the gold bars properly? I''m sure you wanna check if they''re real or not."


    Shawn''s smirk disappeared from his face. He rushed to the back of the car and took out one of the bags. Unzipping it, he picked up a gold bar only to be horrified.


    "This is" he said in shock.


    "Gold ted choctes!" Gayoon chirped. "You see, after I found out that you were possessing Taejoon, I sent a message to Hwang Minho. To tell him that if he found anything in his expedition of the garden, he must rece it with a fake likeness. He was confused but obliged anyway. So when we picked up the bag, he handed us the fake bars while he took the real bars and went straight to the precinct. Chief already got them by now."


    A dark shadow fell on Taejoon''s handsome features as Shawn fumed with fury. The little pet had outsmarted him! He should have known better than to trust a sneaky woman like her! He had underestimated her abilities but no more.


    "Little pet," he said. "You may have won the battle but the game is still on. Only, you won''t be alive to y it."


    Gayoon wanted to yawn in boredom. She was used to such threats from spirits and this one, no matter how menacing he tired to be, was simply a newbie. His six months of grudge was nothing against her twenty six years of expertise.


    "Bring it on," she challenged.


    The spirit raised his hands and leapt forward to attack her.

 Chapter 36: The Dahlias: Conclusion

    Chapter 36: The Dahlias: Conclusion


    Shawn leapt forward to attack her but Gayoon was faster. Shended a kick to his groin. Grunting in pain, the spirit used Taejoon''s body to hold her arm and twist it. Gayoon shrieked in pain as she was pinned to the hood of the car. He grabbed her hair and banged her head against the metal.


    Blood oozed out of her head but Gayoon did not give in. She stomped hard on his foot, causing him to yelp in pain and elbowed him on the nose with all her might. Even though she was small in stature, she was the best in fighting during her academy days. The spirit tumbled backwards. Gayoon took the chance tond another punch on him.


    Taejoon''s nose was also bleeding. Gayoon was holding herself back from hurting him too much since he was being possessed but the spirit lunged at her again, this time, reaching for her throat. His hands wrapped around her neck, trying to throttle her. Gayoon struggled to let herself free but the spirit was too strong. Coupled with its soul energy and Taejoon''s strength, it was almost impossible to thwart him off.


    Gayoon choked under its sheer strength.


    "You''re dead now, little pet," the spirit spluttered. Gayoon groaned in pain as the hands around her neck tightened. Her one had was busy trying to push him off but the other one was reaching for her pocket.


    "No one is going to help you here," it sneered through Taejoon. Gayoon''s hand finally reached her pocket. She took out a handful of white powder.


    "Thank you my little pet for taking me to my treasure," the spirit whispered, a mania filling his voice. "Goodbye. Forever."


    Suddenly, she threw the powder on its face. As soon as the powder hit the spirit, it backed off, screaming in agony. It felt as if its skin was on fire. The powder was burning it and heat began to emit from Taejoon''s body.


    "What is happening to me?" it yelled as the heat was bing unbearable.


    "Salt," she smirked at him. "It''s the weakness of all spirits."


    She threw some more on it, burning its very being. The spirit was being torture but salt alone was not enough to take it out of Taejoon''s body.


    "Very good," a deep voice came from behind her. Gayoon turned around to find Junho standing there, smiling proudly at her. He was carrying arge duffel bag.


    "Ahjusshi! Why did it take you so long?" Gayoon demanded. "He almost killed me!"


    "I stopped by at a furniture store!" he remarked. "They were selling stuff at a fifty percent discount! Those were some really good furniture!"


    Gayoon wanted to smash her head against a wall. The stingy old man was always swayed by discounts and bargains.


    "You told me toe here with the spirit!" Gayoon eximed. "I even texted you numerous times that we were almost nearby!"


    "I knew you could handle him for a while," Junhoughed. "After all, I trained you in beating up ghosts! Now, let''s quickly make the circle around him before he wakes up!"


    The spirit was temporarily unconscious which would give them plenty of time to exorcise Taejoon. Over the years, Junho had umted knowledge on different exorcism methods in order to ward off ghosts. Thanks to Gayoon''s ability, he had gained a lot of experience in chasing spirits away and forced them to go back to the afterlife.


    He had just one goal: to find that spirit who had destroyed his family.


    "Hurry!" he nudged Gayoon, handing her arge container of salt. Gayoon dashed off to pour the salt all around the unconscious spirit, creating a circle around it. The salt would stop him from escaping. She stepped out of the circle.


    Junho took out a book which held the different spells for exorcism. The spirit was stirring. It was awake.


    "What...what is this" it panted. Seeing Gayoon in front, it tried to attack her once again but an invisible wall pushed him back.


    "Wha...let me out!" it screamed, banging on the invisible wall. But Gayoon simply sneered at it.


    "Go to hell you sick psycho!" she cursed.


    "LET ME OUT!" it yelled. Junho flipped the pages until he found the right spell for this ritual. He drew a cross in the air.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," he chanted. "You who have wreaked havoc in the lives of many with evil deeds. The heavens are awaiting to punish you for your sins. Go back to where you belong and never return!"


    He repeated the charm three times, each time throwing holy water on to the spirit.


    "You can''t get rid of me!" it threatened. "I''ll rip your tongue out you geezer!"


    The first ssh of holy water burnt its skin, throwing it into a tumultuous torture.


    "AHHHH!" it yelled.


    "Go back to the afterlife!" Junho chanted. "Go back to the afterlife!"


    He threw several drops of holy water on the spirit, making it squeal like a pig. Gayoon watched in horror, trying to stomach the scene in front of her. Even if a spirit was possessing him, Taejoon was still her friend and partner. It pained her to see him in such a state.


    "You motherfu-"


    The spirit let out a string of curses which made even Gayoon disgusted. She felt pity for Taejoon who was being subjected to such abuse. The wind around them was starting to pick up pace, blowing some of the salt barrier away. A sh of white light shone brightly as the ground began to slightly quiver.


    "Ahjusshi, how long will it take?" she yelled over the strong wind. "The salt barrier is about to break!"


    The spirit howled as the torment increased. It was now squirming wildly on the ground, clutching its face as if trying to w it off.


    "Ahjusshi! He''s hurting Taejoon!" Gayoon shouted but Junho kept on chanting without any break.


    "Leave his body!" Junho dered. "Imand you to leave and never return!"


    With thest ssh of holy water, the spirit let out onest agonizing wail almost deafening Gayoon. She shut her ears and eyes as the spirit did onest jolt beforeplete silence engulfed the area once again.

 Chapter 37: Meeting the Daddy

    Chapter 37: Meeting the Daddy


    When Minho arrived home that night, he scanned around the house to look for Jina. Kim scurried forward to attend to him. She looked very worried.


    "Where''s Jina?" he frowned.


    "Sir"


    She hesitated. How could she exin it to him?


    "What happened?" he demanded. "Where''s Jina?"


    "She''s resting in her room, sir," Kim replied. "It''s just that"


    She took a deep breath, ready for the volcano to explode. "Sir, for some reason she seems very scared," she informed him. "Ever since she returned from school, she has been quiet and withdrawn. I think someone bullied her at school!"


    Minho''s nostrils red. Someone bullied his precious daughter? The school was about to bear the brunt of his wrath. He hurriedly went upstairs to check on Jina.


    "Jina?" he called out, opening the door to her room. She was sitting in total darkness, looking very shaken up. She was sitting on her bed, clutching her knees close to her. The girl looked as if she had seen a ghost.


    "Jina!" he eximed. As soon as she heard her father''s voice, she broke down into tears. Minho was by her side in an instant and scooped her into his arms,forting her. She was wailing loudly, shaking in her father''s arms. The image of the spirit would not leave her young mind at all.


    "What happened, Jina?" he cooed. "Did someone bully you at school? Are you hurt anywhere?"


    In her shaken state, she shook her head.


    "Did someone scold you?"


    She shook her head again. Minho was baffled. What could have happened to her? Why was she so scared and demure?


    "Did you see something?" he asked. To his surprise she nodded her head.


    "What did you see?" he asked, feeling concerned. Jina was not a child who got scared easily. She did not have any sort of phobia and was mentally sound. Minho himself attends counselling sessions with her to ensure that she would not get any sort of mental trauma, ever. Her mental health was also fine. So what could have scared her this much?


    "That ahjusshi...there were two of him!" she imed, crying hard. Minho let her go and turned up her chin to meet her eyes.


    "Two of whom?" he frowned.


    "The ahjusshi at the police station!" Jina bbed. "There were two of him! I saw it! He was sitting there while he was also standing at another corner. I-"


    She was confused and had no idea what she was talking about. Minho narrowed his eyes in suspicion.


    "You went to the police station again?" he questioned her. Jina was mortified at what she had just revealed.


    "I"


    She faltered under her father''s stern gaze. "Why did you go there?" he asked. Jina was silent.


    Frustrated at her silence, he went over to her desk and picked up the drawing he had seen the other day. He held it up for her.


    "Did you go to meet thisdy?" he asked. Jina looked down, feeling guilty. She never lied to her father before and it made her feel ashamed. He was visibly angry at her and it was making her feel even worse than the evil spirit she had seen.


    "Yes," she admitted in a small tone.


    "Who is this woman?" he demanded. Jina bit her lip, trying not to cry.


    "Jina, I am asking you a question," he threatened her. "Who is she?"


    "She...she is Lady Cop," Jina finally said. "I go to the police station everyday to meet her."


    That was thest straw for Minho. Not only was his daughter sneaking around dangerous ces at this age but also lying to him.


    "Call her," he said in a dangerous tone. "Now."


    Jina quickly took her phone and dialed the number. Minho snatched the phone from her hand and waited for the receiver to pick up.


    "Hello? Jina?" A familiar voice rang into his ears. It can''t be! Minho thought wildly.


    "Jeon Gayoon?" he frowned. Jina was a little shocked. Her father knew the Lady Cop?


    "Yes, who is this? Gayoon asked from the other end.


    "This is Jina''s father," he replied. "Where are you? I want to talk to you."


    Gayoon was taken aback by the man''s rudeness. Why did he sound so familiar?


    "Is everything okay with Jina?" she asked.


    "No," he said curtly. "I want to meet you right now, Ms. Gayoon. My daughter''s welfare depends on this."


    "Uhh"


    Gayoon looked around. She had brought Taejoon to the hospital since he was unconscious. Junho was also there with them. Fortunately, once a spirit leaves the body of its host, the human vessel falls ill for a few days and has no recollection of the event. Taejoon was also suffering from a fever but the doctor said he would recover within a day.


    Junho sensed that something important must have popped up for her.


    "You go ahead," he said. "I''ll take care of him."


    Gayoon put her hand over the mouthpiece and asked, "You sure? What if someone recognizes you?"


    "So what?" he scoffed. "The statute of limitation on the case has passed. I''m technically a free man."


    Gayoon shook her head in dismay before returning to the call.


    "Alright," she agreed. "When and where?"


    "The bar uptown," he replied. "Right next to the AXE Mall."


    "Alright," she said. "I''ll meet you there. But how will I recognize you?"


    Minho gaped at the woman from the other end. How did she be a detective?


    "I''ll call you from this number," he said and hung up the phone. Gayoon frowned at the rude guy. What is it with her nowadays? Why was she running into men like Hwang Minho?


    "Ahjusshi, I''ll have to go," she sighed. "Important call. See you at home."


    Junho waved at her as she barged out.


    .


    An hourter, she pulled up in front of the club Jina''s father had directed her to. Even though she was about to meet aplete stranger, she was not afraid of being kidnapped or conned. Being a cop, she picked up quite a few survival skills and her instincts were very sharp. She had slipped out of many sticky situations and this one seemed to be no different.


    She entered the club. It was more of an exclusive bar with very only VIP paterons. Some of them were dancing on the floor while others were simply chatting around the drinks'' corner where a bartender attended to them. Suddenly, her phone rang up. It was Jina''s father.


    "Hello, where are you?" she asked.


    "Behind you."


    She turned around. "Hi I''m-"


    Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets in shock. No way! She screamed in her head.


    Standing in front of her, wearing a casual shirt and ck pants was a man who was probably carved by the gods themselves but the tongue was the devil''s poison.


    "H-Hwang Minho?" she eximed.

 Chapter 38: How?

    Chapter 38: How?


    Minho raised his eyebrows. The detective was addressing him informally. Gayoon was mortified at this revtion. Hwang Minho was Jina''s father?


    She tried to picture the cheerful and lively girl with this cold man. How did they even remotely resemble each other? It was the biggest mystery she had even encountered. The mental image of a hyperactive Jina driving Minho crazy popped up into her mind, making her inadvertently chuckle.


    "Why are youughing?" he frowned.


    "Nothing!" she said at once. "So you are...Jina''s father."


    "Yes," he replied. "And I want to talk to you about her. Shall we head to the bar and discuss?"


    "Uhh...sure," she said. He led the way towards the sangr station where the bartender attended to them, handing them a menu.


    "What would you like to order sir and madam?" he asked politely.


    "A vodka on the rocks for me," Minho ordered. "What about you?"


    He shot the question at Gayoon, who was gaping at the drinks'' menu. The drinks were expensive! A simple vodka shot was nearly as much as half of her monthly sry!


    Are they selling gold bars in the sses? She wondered.


    "Uhh" she quickly scanned the drinks and randomly picked one. She was not much of a drinker anyway so she had no idea about them. Most of the time, she avoided drinking since she turned into aplete drunkard with even the slightest taste of alcohol but she was not going to admit that to Hwang Minho! What if he made fun of her?


    "A Long Ind?" she requested. This seems like a safe drink, she thought. Minho frowned a little but did notment. The bartender bowed and went on to prepare the drinks.


    "Why is my daughter visiting you?" he demanded.


    "She"


    Gayoon bit her lip. Should she tell him the truth? After all, he was Jina''s father and had every right to know about his daughter''s whereabouts and activities.


    She took a deep breath and said, "She came to the police station to look for her mother."


    There was a stretch of silence as Minho tried to process the information. Jina was looking for her mother? But why did she not mention it to him?


    "Why would she look for her mother?" he questioned. "She lives with me and is the heiress to my business. She goes to the best school and gets proper care from everyone. I spend every minute of my free time with her, making sure she doesn''tck any care. Why will a happy girl like her search for a mother she never even met?"


    Gayoon was taken aback by his reasoning. He spoke in a matter of fact way, holding no grudges against the woman who had left him. In fact, it was as if he was talking about the weather.


    "Jina is young and impressionable," she said. "The little girl is yearning for something more than money or material goods! She wants the warmth and love from a motherly figure!"


    Minho maintained a poker face but was a little surprised by the bizarre coincidence. Jina inadvertently found the mother she was looking for. When he had discovered that night that Jina was meeting Gayoon, he immediately thought that thetter may have broken her contract. But after confronting her, he realized that Gayoon had no idea that Jina was her daughter as well.


    The bartender came with their drinks. He ced their drinks in front of them.


    "Please enjoy sir and madam," he said with a bow. Gayoon took a sip of her drink and almost spluttered. It was bitter as hell!


    But she somehow managed to hide her disdain. She did not want to be embarrassed in front of Hwang Minho.


    "Are you sure you want to drink that?" he frowned. "You can order something else, you know."


    "I''m fine," she lied. "As I was saying, Jina is still young. She simply needs a mother figure. Now, I know it''s none of my business but you should talk to her mother and tell her to return. If not for you then for her daughter! I''m sure she misses her child too"


    Minho noted a hint of sadness in her tone as if she was also pining for her child. He did not say anything but drank from his ss.


    "Besides, if she could meet Jina just once, I''m sure they''ll bond beautifully," Gayoon went on. "I don''t know what your issues with her were or why you guys broke up but at least for the sake of Jina, you guys can set aside your differences and-"


    "What are you talking about?" he asked casually, sipping his vodka.


    "I''m saying that you two should put aside your differences and-"


    "How?" he asked.


    "What do you mean ''how''?" she scoffed. "Just call her and talk to her. Tell her to at least meet her daughter! You guys don''t have to get together. Or if you want help in finding her, then I can try looking for her if I get the details."


    She took another long sip from her ss. Ugh this thing is bitter! Sheined in her head and cursed herself for drinking this so impulsively. Whoever made this drink deserved a special spot in hell.


    "I meant, how am I going to set aside my differences with Jina''s mother when I was never in a rtionship with her," Minho mused. He calmly sipped his drink while Gayoon looked as if she was trying to process the information.


    "You mean to say that...Jina is the product of a one night stand?" she guessed, feeling mortified. That made sense! No wonder the money lover was single! The mother bailed on him after giving him an heir!


    Minho shook his head in dismay. Jeon Gayoon may have be an ace detective but she was still dumb when it came to certain things. He decided not to tell her but go with the flow.


    This is getting interesting, he thought inwardly with a slight smirk.

 Chapter 39: Never Drink With A Cop

    Chapter 39: Never Drink With A Cop


    Minho merely smirked and kept on sipping his drink. Gayoon was still trying to process the marvelous revtion she made.


    "I knew it!" she imed. "No woman can ever tolerate you."


    "What?" Minho asked sharply. "No woman can tolerate me? In case you haven''t noticed, many want to marry me. I just look at the potential portability of such a match."


    "Didn''t you make that girl from the park andter the other one from the party cry?" she frowned. "They''re pretty rich. You could''ve gotten a hefty amount of profits from them considering how rich they are."


    "I told you," Minho sighed. "I look at a person''s determination to earn their own money. Not people who mooch off their parents."


    "Yeah yeah," Gayoon shrugged, sipping more from her ss. She was getting a little tipsy and was now more straight forward than she usually was.


    "But what about Jina?" she asked bluntly. "She''s asking about her mother. Why don''t you let them meet?"


    Minho wanted to facepalm himself but somehow held back with great restraint. "If they''re meant to meet, they''ll end up meeting," he said cryptically.


    "So heartless!" she eximed. She was nowpletely drunk and without a sensor on her mouth.


    "What are you doing?" Minho hissed but she was not listening. To his shock, she climbed on the bar''s counter, unaware of what she was doing. Everyone around them stopped their activities and watched as the crazy drunkdy confronted her date.


    "How can you keep a child away from her mother?" she yelled. "It''s too unfair!"


    "Get down!" Minho said sharply in a hushed tone.


    "No!" she said stubbornly, grabbing a bottle of wine from the counter and downing it. Minho wanted to dig a grave and bury himself in it. The woman was a bad drinker and he regretted calling her there.


    "A mother should be able to meet her child!" she went on sluggishly. There was a heavy regret in her tone which was more visible in her drunk state. "Why...why are we punishing the little girl"


    Minho looked up to see that she was trying to hold back tears.


    "Why is the little girl suffering?" she sobbed. "Why are parents like me so selfish?"


    Before Minho could reply, she began to wail loudly. The people around them were throwing usatory res at him as if he was the one who made her cry.


    What the hell? He cursed inwardly. Why am I the bad guy here?


    Gayoon was still crying loudly at the thought of Jina never finding her mother. In her drunken state, her feelings only amplified and her heart broke for the innocent child. Why were some mothers selfish like her? There was not a day which passed by without Gayoon wanting to catch a glimpse of her own child. She wanted to see her daughter too but her guilt made her ashamed of what she did. Which is why she blocked away all paths which would lead her to her daughter. The child was probably happier without her in a different family.


    Moreover, the contract forbade her from ever meeting her child otherwise she would be jailed. Gayoon did not care about it but if she was sent to jail, who would take care of her grandmother and ahjusshi?


    "Why are people so selfish?" she asked again, choking back her tears. Minho stared at the woman incredulously.


    She was too simple minded to be plotting any schemes about taking Jina away from him. They may have met coincidentally, but her motherly instincts were pulling her towards Jina. If Minho did not have the letter from Gayoon, he would have never thought that she actually loved the child. And from her bold statements now, it was obvious she genuinely missed Jina.


    Gayoon sat on the counter and kept on crying like a child. Minho was aware of all the eyes staring at them.


    "It''s time to go, Jeon Gayoon!" he announced. "Gimme that bottle."


    He tried to take the bottle from her hand but she pped his hand away.


    "No!" she insisted. "It''s mine!"


    She stuck out a tongue at him, making the nerve on Minho''s forehead twitch. His patience was running thin.


    "Give it," he threatened.


    "No!"


    "That''s it!"


    Minho tried to snatch the bottle but the woman was surprisingly strong. She held it tight, unwilling to let go.


    "Give. It. To. Me!"


    With great difficulty, he managed to extract the bottle from her hands. She pouted at him as he paid the bartender.


    "I can''t believe I''m paying for someone," he muttered, shaking his head. He never paid for others'' meals or drinks. Even his sister Mina had to pay from her own pockets whenever they dined out and hence, she always refused to have dinner with him outside of the house. But Jeon Gayoon entered his life like a wrecking ball, turning it upside down.


    "Gee gee gee baby baby baby!" Gayoon sang happily, oblivious to Minho''s murderous res.


    "Come on," he ordered. "Let''s go."


    "No!" she insisted. "I wanna sleep here."


    Under normal circumstances, Minho would have left her there. But the woman created such a ruckus that everyone was whispering about him. If he left her there, she would probably cause a bigger scene and his good name would be maligned.


    "Suit yourself," he said before grabbing her hips and forcibly throwing her over his shoulder.


    "Hey!" she protested. "I wanna sing! Let me sing!"


    She tried to move her legs but Minho held her tightly as he walked out of the bar. Once in the car park, he ced her on the passenger''s seat while he strode over to the driver''s seat. Gayoon was still inebriated and singing to herself.


    "Where do you live?" he asked.


    "On the moon!" she giggled.


    "Be serious!"


    "I am!" she imed, still giggling. "Money lover is so stupid! He doesn''t let Jina meet her mother and won''t let me go to the moon!"


    I should have left her in there, he thought in dismay.


    "Stop it!" he scolded her.


    "Pfft!" Gayoon scoffed. "You''re so mean! No wonder you can''t seduce a girl."


    "I can seduce anyone but I choose not to," Minho stated. "It''s useless and unnecessary."


    "In short, you can''t!" Gayoon teased and started tough. "I can seduce people better than you!"


    "As if!" Minho snickered.


    Gayoon was affronted. "I can!" she imed. "I can seduce you!"


    "You can try," he said dryly. Gayoon''s head swayed a little. She had no idea what was going on. Seduce? She could do it!


    Minho was about to start the engine when suddenly, Gayoon shifted from her seat.


    "What the-"


    She climbed on hisp, straddling him. He was taken by surprise. She was sitting right on his groin, making him mortified.


    Her face was too close to his, as she looked at him with sultry eyes.


    "Money lover, you underestimate me," she whispered. Minho smirked at her.


    "Really?" he challenged her. "Is the little detective trying to seduce a man who loves money?"


    "I can," she shot back.


    "What if I can seduce you first?" he asked, feeling amused. Their eyes were locked at each other, neither of them looking away. The brown ones met the ck ones, challenging each other. Her cheeks were rosy pink due to the drinks she had.


    Suddenly, his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. There was an undeniable attraction between them which was making even Minho curious.


    "H-hey!" Gayoon protested weakly. Her doey eyes widened in surprise at the sparks erupting in her stomach as he gazed at her with a tenderness. His fingers lightly caressed her skin, pushing behind a strand of stray hair behind her ears.


    "You look beautiful with your hair open," he whispered, tugging her ponytail. Gayoon was dazed when he took off her hair band. Her hair came loose, making her cheeks even redder.


    Without giving a second thought, she slowly leaned forward, closing her eyes. His hands were buried in her hair, pulling her closer as their lips touched.

 Chapter 40: Above Average

    Chapter 40: Above Average


    The music from the bar broke through the silence of the night. While the world danced away in the bar, the two souls inside the car were oblivious to everything else. Minho pulled Gayoon closer, crushing on her lips.


    Gayoon moaned when his tongue pried into her mouth, meshing with hers. He sucked her tongue hard, throwing her into a drunken frenzy of emotions. His arms were snaked around her waist, supporting her. They were in a heated fervour as they yed with each other''s lips, unwilling to let go.


    She straddled on hisp, holding onto her neck to prevent herself from slipping off as she reciprocated his fiery kisses with equal enthusiasm. Her mind was muddled by alcohol, focusing on the luscious man who made her feel good, kissing her to the point of breathlessness. The sound of their sloppy kisses were almost as loud as the music but they did not care.


    Finally, they broke apart, panting as they stared into each other''s eyes. The ck ones met the gaze of the brown ones, not looking away. Gayoon''s lipstick was smeared over his lips while her own lips were bruised by Minho''s delicious assault. Minho could see that Gayoon was still tipsy due to the wine and both of them would lose herst shred of restrain if they continued any further. Despite the sudden urge in themselves to continue further, Minho was thinking straight. There was no way they could go further than this when Gayoon was so drunk.


    "I think this is where our game ends, Detective," he said softly.


    Gayoon pouted. Her cheeks were flushed and red as she tried to sneak another kiss from him but Minho turned away.


    "Get off," he said.


    "No!" she insisted, holding his shirt. She was acting like a child holding onto her candy.


    Minho sighed. There really was no escape from the crazy woman. He smirked and pulled her close. Gayoon yelped when he suddenly tugged at her. WIthout warning, he leaned close to her neck and nipped at it.


    Gayoon hissed as a ticklish sensation hit her. His bite was not painful and instead, a pleasurable jolt ran through her body. She closed her eyes, enjoying his sweet attack. Minho pulled back, satisfied at the mark he left on her. The detective would flip once she was sober and would probably not show up in front of him for weeks. At least that would spare him from paying her future bills.


    "Hey!" she weakly protested. "Not fair! I wanted to seduce you! Come closer!"


    She grabbed his shirt and tried to pull him close but Minho would not budge. Gayoon tried to pull him again but he was too damn strong! What the hell?


    "The only reason you were able to pull me into a kiss was because I allowed you to," Minho said smugly. "I wanted to see if you were as good as you imed."


    "I am!" she hupped. "I can seduce anyone!"


    She beamed like she had won the Nobel Prize.


    "You''re above average," hemented.


    Gayoon scoffed. "Oh please! You enjoyed kissing me! I felt your...thing poking me!"


    Minho was mortified and looked down. She was right. His member was poking upwards right between her legs.


    Gayoon giggled so much at his horrified expression that she fell on his shoulder, unable to stop herughter. "Money lover got a boner!" she eximed. "You got a boner!"


    "Stop it and get off!" he said sharply. But Gayoon was now sleepy and hugged his chest to rest on it.


    "Oi!" he yelled.


    "I''m going to sleep, grandma!" she announced drunkenly. "Good night."


    "I am not a pillow!" he eximed but his protests fell on deaf ears. Gayoon was fast asleep, not caring about where she was.


    How did this woman survive so far? He wondered in dismay. Thanks to the position they were in, he would not be able to drive and she was holding him so tightly that it was impossible to let her off him.


    "What have I gotten myself into?" he sighed. First he had to pay for her drink and then they somehow ended up making out. Ever since the troublemaker re-entered his life, he had been acting uncharacteristically.


    "This woman is going to be the end of me," hemented.


    "Shut it and let me sleep!" sheined in her snoozy state. Minho shook his head and tilted the seat backwards to let her rest morefortably. She snuggled on to him, smiling widely as if she was dreaming of something funny.


    "EXO oppas are so cute," she giggled.


    It was going to be a long night for Minho. Letting the crazy girl drool all over his expensive designer shirt, he, too, fell into a deep sleep.


    .


    Junwan was up all night, working on the task Hwang Minho had assigned to him. He had somehow managed to convince Minho to help him with Lee Shawn''s case in exchange for looking more thoroughly into his mother Suna''s case. Even though 26 years have passed, there was no progress on this case. Hwang Junho had disappeared into thin air and with the statue of limitation already over, he was technically a free man.


    But the ex-tycoon was still hiding somewhere in the country. He was sure of it. Hwang Junho was nearby, avoiding all sort of detection. But where was he? And why did he kill his wife?


    No matter how Junwan saw it, he could not help but feel that something was amiss. Hwang Junho was known to be a family man. He married Suna against the wishes of his family and was very much in love with her. The ruthless businessman was weak in front of his wife.


    Upon investigating the case, Junwan heard the stories of their love and respect. The man could only be calmed down by his wife which is why it was a shocking event when he was witnessed by his own son murdering the woman he was madly in love with.


    The only thing Junwan had was an old CCTV photograph. Even though security cameras in those days were not technologically advanced nor widely used as they were now, Hwang Junho''s house was well secured with CCTV due to his high status in the society. The police managed to get their hands on this picture where Hwang Minho was seen running away from the mansion.


    What astonished Junwan was not the fact that Junho was escaping but the way he was running. It was almost as if he was chasing something


    "I''ll just look into this tomorrow," he decided, putting the picture away in his file. But if he could not get any evidence all these years, then he doubted he would find anything the next day.

 Chapter 41: The Reasons Why She Cant Date

    Chapter 41: The Reasons Why She Can''t Date


    Gayoon stirred in her sleep. Her head was aching badly and the sunshine falling on her eyelids was irritating her. She was lying on something hard but strangelyfortable.


    "Chanyeol my love" she grinned in her sleep and tilted her head the other way. Despite the cold air, she felt warmth emitting from the thing she was lying on. Gayoon snuggled a little. Was it her Chanyeol oppa? His hands were holding her tightly too


    Wait. Hands?


    Her eyes snapped open. For a wild moment, she wondered where she was before realizing it was a car. And to her horror, she was lying on none other than


    "Hwang Minho?" she gasped. What happened? Why was she sleeping on him? What did they do?


    She looked down and to her relief, both of them were clothed. His hands were clutching her waist and he was fast asleep.


    Did I jump on himst night? She wondered in dismay. Stupid Gayoon!


    She regretted drinking so much. The shes from her drunken stupor wereing back to her. Not only did she create a scene in the bar but jumped on him in the car! And they even made out!


    Gayoon, you are so dead! She wailed in her mind. Thankfully, the dragon was still asleep and she had no intentions of waking him up. If Hwang Minho woke up and found her there, she would have to go and live on another. And he would not even pay for the spaceship fare.


    Quietly, she slipped out of his arms and exited the car, leaving the money lover behind. Thankfully, her own car was parked nearby so she slipped into it and drove away.


    "Stupid Gayoon!" she berated herself. "How the hell did you end up making out with that rude guy? Are you an idiot?"


    Never in her life had she fallen into such a situation. She was always careful around men and never dated around since she was more focused on chasing ghosts away or herw studies. How did she let her guard down around him? What if he sued her for assault? She did not want to think of the amount of money he was going to make her pay.


    "I am so dead," she moaned. She wanted to bang her head against the wall but the memory of their kiss would not leave her head. Worst of it was that she actually enjoyed it. The feel of his warm lips lingered on hers and even the thought of it was making her blush hard. She may not have had prior experience in that area but even she could tell that he was a damn good kisser.


    "Kill me," she said out loud.


    After twenty minutes, she pulled up in front of her house. She peered in through the window to see if the old woman was up. If her grandmother found her, she would be yed to an inch of her life. Seeing that the coast was clear, she tiptoed towards the front door and quietly unlocked it using the passcode.


    Please let her be asleep, she prayed. Unfortunately for her, as soon as she entered the house, a sandal came flying at her. Gayoon missed it by mere inches and jumped aside.


    "YOU STAYED OUT LATE AGAIN AT THE PRECINCT?" her grandmother roared. She picked up the sandal again to throw it at her useless granddaughter. Gayoon scrambled up to run as the crazy old woman chased her.


    "I wasn''t at the precinct!" she yelled, trying to dodge her grandma''s attacks.


    "Don''t you lie!" Shujin warned and chased Gayoon throughout the house. Even in her old age, she could run like a horse.


    "I swear I''m not lying!" Gayoon imed, dodging another flying sandal.


    "Where were you then?"


    "With a man!" Gayoon blurted. Shujin, who was about to throw a shoe at Gayoon, froze in her action.


    "What did you say?" she asked, not believing her. The door opened and Junho walked in, carrying some food bags.


    "What''s themotion?" he frowned. "Why are you beating our Gayoon so early in the morning? Have you gone mad, old woman?"


    But Shujin was shocked, still trying to digest what Gayoon had just said. "What did you say, Gayoon? Where were you all night?"


    "All night?" Junho asked. "You were out all night? But you left to meet up with your friend around ten o''clock! Why were you out all night."


    Gayoon fidgeted as the dangerous duo demanded answers from her.


    "I was with a guy," she finally admitted. Junho''s face was horrified while Shujin broke into a smile.


    "Guy?" Junho thundered. "Who is he? What does he do? How much does he earn?"


    "Who cares about all that?" Shujin waved him off impatiently. "Did you guys do it?"


    "Do what?" Junho demanded. "She''s too young! Men out there are predators! We need to protect her from those yboys who only know how to hurt women! All men are pigs!"


    "Don''t you have a son as well?" Shujin shot back. "Are you including him in your vendetta as well?"


    Gayoon looked from Junho to her grandmother with a bored expression. Her grandmother wanted her to date while Junho was like the overprotective father who would break the legs of any male who would dare toe near her.


    "If he''s my son then I''m sure he''s the biggest yboy of the lot!" Junho imed. "Before meeting his mother, I was the hot stuff for all the high society women! He must''ve gotten some of my quality! You can''t trust men like my son at all."


    Shujin gaped at his logic while Junho turned to Gayoon. "Where does that boy live? What does he do? What are his career prospects?"


    "Err"


    "Forget all that!" Shujin eximed. "Tell me the details of what happenedst night!"


    "Nothing happened!" she burst out. "I just got drunk and fell asleep in his car! He didn''t do anything to me. Nothing!"


    There was no way she was going to give them the details. Junho ahjusshi will explode and probably hunt down Hwang Minho while her grandmother will distribute sweets to the entire neighborhood. Both of them would make her want to crawl into an early grave.


    "Are you sure?" Junho asked, peering at her.


    "Yes," she lied. Shujin let out a sneer while Junho was satisfied.


    "At least she spent the night somewhere other than the police station," Shujin sighed. "Next time, if youe home without any action, I''ll disown you."


    "If you get down and dirty with any man, I''ll disown you!" Junho stated.


    I''m gonna die an old maid, Gayoon thought. "I''m going to change," she dered. "And sleep. Don''t you two dare disturb me!"


    Before either of them could grill her more on the topic, she scurried off.


    "When will she ever get a guy and settle down?" Shujin wondered.


    "Our Gayoon is fine just the way she is," Junho argued. "Do you really want a guy to trap her in his charms and ruin her life?"


    "Why don''t you just send her to a convent and be done with it?"


    Both of them kept on arguing untilter afternoon about Gayoon''s love life.


    .


    Picking up her clothes and a towel, Gayoon went into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. When she took off her top, she noticed something on her neck. Upon closer observation, she yelped. It was a red bite!


    She blushed hard as the image of Minho''s bite popped into her head. He actually left her a hickey!


    "I am so doomed!" she muttered, feeling mortified.


    Despite the embarrassment, she could not help but smile a little.

 Chapter 42: Kanjis Dilemma

    Chapter 42: Kanji''s Dilemma


    Jongin was sweating profusely as the Vesudas in front of him red at him. The CEO was angrily flipping the pages of the file in front of him but he was not really reading it. Instead, he looked as if he was about to murder someone.


    "S-sir?" Jongin stammered. "I-is something wrong with the reports?"


    "No," Minho gritted. "This proposal will fetch me a hundred million dors."


    He was scowling while saying that which only confused Jongin more. The CEO was earning money and yet he was upset. Why?


    "Are the number not good enough, sir?" he asked.


    "They''re perfect!" Minho snapped, roughly turning the page. "I''m earning more than Kanji!"


    Eh? Jongin blinked. The CEO''s irritable attitude made no sense to him. Why was he so angry when he was making a lot of money?


    "Sir are you alright?"


    "No."


    Jongin gulped. He did not want to ask what had happened. Was the CEO dumped by a woman?


    He immediately dismissed the thought. The CEO getting dumped was an impossible notion. Every woman in the elite ss wanted to be Mrs. Hwang. Even the existence of Jina did not bother them as long as they got the title of being Hwang Minho''s wife. Minho was the one who kept on systematically rejecting them with petty reasons. Mostly, because a lot of the women he came across only get backing from their families instead of earning their own money from scratch.


    The whole logic confused Jongin but he did not dare to say it out loud. The volcano was about to erupt any moment.


    Meanwhile, Minho was feeling extremely annoyed at what had happened. More specifically, what happened in the morning.


    The darn woman left! She left him alone without a word! When he woke up, he found himself alone. She left him no note nor any sort of message which only infuriated him. She could have at least paid him back for the drinks!


    It really irritated him that afterst night, she would just leave him, Hwang Minho of all people, hanging like he was a fleeting one night stand.


    Jongin looked in worry as Minho muttered words like "Leaving me there," and "Not even a call."


    Was the CEO really dumped?


    Suddenly the door burst open. Both of them looked up to see Kanji''s smiling face at the entrance. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with a flower gand around his neck.


    Uh oh, Jongin thought. Minho''s face only reddened at the sight of his rival. This man was the root of all his problems!


    "Hi hi!" Kanji greeted cheerfully, ignoring his best friend''s murderous res. "Missed me?"


    "Get out," Minho said, clenching his fists.


    "How rude!" Kanji pouted as he sat across Minho''s desk. "Won''t you say hello to your one and only best friend?"


    "Jongin, that''ll be all," Minho barked at his assistant.


    Jongin yelped. He took the file and quickly scurried out of the room, not wanting to anger the CEO any further. The Vesudas was already at his maximum point and staying near him would be like poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. He desperately prayed that the CEO would not end up murdering Kanji.


    Inside the room, Kanji was smiling at his best friend''s mortified expression.


    "So, how was your time with the detective?" he asked brightly. "Did you guys manage to get down and dirty?"


    Minho shot him a deathly re. "Thanks to your schemes, I got entangled in a murder mystery instead!" he stated angrily.


    "You didn''t kill her did you?"


    "Not her! Lee Shawn and his partner and...it''s a long story."


    Kanji sat back and frowned. He had read the papers that Kim Joon had killed the real Lee Shawn and impersonated the victim for months to get hold on some money.


    "All I wanted was for my best friend to finally lose his virginity," he sighed. "Who knew you''d end up in a murder case instead?"


    "All thanks to your little schemes," Minho sneered. "And weren''t you in Mexico? What''s with the Hawaiian attire?"


    "I was supposed to go to Mexico but I thought of visiting my beloved Mina in the Stated," Kanji sighed. "But she threw me out of her college campus and imposed a restraining order against me. So I had to dwell in the sorrow of rejection in Hawaii."


    "Seems like even my sister hates you," Minoh scoffed. "Give it up. You can''t win her over."


    "At least I try. One day, I''ll surely seed, my future brother-inw," Kanji dered. "While you still couldn''t seduce the hot detective. I mean what are your good looks useful for if you can''t even hook up with the mother of your child?"


    Minho groaned. He mumbled something which Kanji could not catch. He reached out to take a ss of water from Minho''s table.


    "What did you say?" he asked, drinking the water.


    "We...we kissed."


    Kanji choked and spluttered out water from his mouth.


    "WHAT?" he eximed. "YOU WHAT?"


    Was he hearing it right? His best friend had his first kiss?


    "Y-y-you kissed her?" he asked, still not believing Minho''s words. "No way!"


    "We did!" Minho said. "Last night. And this morning, she was gone!"


    "Morning"


    Kanji looked as if Christmas had arrived early. "You guys slept together?" he asked. "So you lost your first kiss and your virginity in one night? SWEET!"


    "Nothing else happened," Minho said sharply. "The woman fell asleep in my car."


    "You could have just taken her home."


    "Well that was difficult"


    Kanji waited for Minho to borate but to his annoyance, thetter refused to say anything further.


    "But then, why are you so angry?" Kanji asked shrewdly. "Is it because she left without notice?"


    Minho did not reply but his reddened face told Kanji everything. Gayoon must have freaked out in the morning and left without saying a word to Minho which only made him angry. The man did not know it, but he was attracted to her.


    "But what about the contract?" Kanji reminded him. "The contract clearly states that Gayoon could be jailed if she ever attempted to meet you or her child-"


    "Why would she leave like that?" Minho fumed, following his own train of thought,pletely ignoring Kanji.


    "What did you want her to do then?"


    "Drop her home after having breakfast at the hotel," Minho said. "And probably meet up with herter to discuss...things."


    "What sort of ''things''?"


    "I don''t know," Minho shrugged. "Stuff. About her job. What she likes and dislikes."


    Kanji wanted to bang his head against the wall. His best friend was a money lover but had no idea how to attract a hot honey for a date. It was up to him to push the Vesudas.


    "Why don''t you call her for dinner tonight?" he suggested. "And you can talk about...things."


    "We should," Minho said thoughtfully. He picked up his phone and dialed Gayoon''s number.


    Gayoon, who was sleeping peacefully, was suddenly awakened by the ringing of her cellphone. She cursed loudly before answering it.


    "What is it?" she demanded groggily, not caring who it was.


    "Hotel Bravida," Minho said. "8 o''clock tonight."


    Minho''s voice made her frown. Why was he calling her again? Was it about Jina again?


    "Eh?" she asked in confusion. "Why?"


    "Don''t bete."


    Before she could reply, he hung up. Eh?


    Minho leaned forward, feeling triumphant. "We''ll have a civilized conversation about how irresponsible she was for running away this morning," he dered.


    Kanji, who witnessed the scene, wanted to smack both of them in the head. Idiots, he thought in dismay.

 Chapter 43: Clueless

    Chapter 43: Clueless


    Jina was in deep thought. She sipped from her juice box.


    "This is worrying indeed," she said, nodding thoughtfully.


    "It is!" Gayoon eximed. "Your dad just called me up suddenly to meet once again! Why?"


    After Minho''s strange call, Gayoon immediately called Jina to ask if everything was alright. The little girl asked her to meet at a cafe near her mansion.


    "Daddy never calls women to a hotel," Jina frowned. "He says it''s a waste of time and money."


    "Then why did he call me?" Gayoon asked. Both of them were trying toe up with reasons why Minho could have called her but to no avail. Do I owe him money? She wondered. Is it for the drinks he paid forst night?


    "Well, the hotel he called at you is quite posh," Jinamented, drinking her juice. "It will be too expensive if you eat anything there."


    Gayoon''s eyes widened in shock. "H-how expensive?" she stammered.


    Jina gave her a sympathetic look. "Let''s just say, it''ll take you a million lifetimes to pay for one entree there," she chirped.


    Her words made Gayoon want to bang her head on the table. She rested her head on it and whined, "This is so unfair! All because ofst night! Why did I drink so much?"


    She wanted to cry hard. The money lover must have gotten really angry when she jumped on him and kissed him. She did not really remember much of their conversation but the feeling of his lips on hers still lingered. The warmth of his touch still did not leave her and she found herself unconsciously touching her lips. Her cheeks reddened at the thought.


    "What happenedst night?" Jina asked curiously.


    "Nothing!" Gayoon lied, straightening up. "Nothing at all!"


    "Well, what are you going to wear tonight?" Jina asked. "It''s a really elite hotel. You need to look your best!"


    "I haven''t thought much of it," Gayoon shrugged. "I''ll just wear my usual jacket and shirt-"


    Jina choked on her juice. "Are you serious?" she asked crossly. "You can''t do that!"


    "Why not?"


    "It''s social suicide, Lady Cop!" Jina imed. "That''s what the other girls in my ss say. The ce you''re going to is top ss. You have to look good."


    "I don''t have anything fancy!" Gayoon eximed. The ck gown she wore at Lee Shawn''s party was torn to pieces. "Besides, those things are not longsting. So much work! You gotta wash it in a specific way, iron them, dry clean them...ugh!"


    She really hated wearing evening dresses. They just did not go with her style. Her usual jeans and jacket were so much morefortable for her.


    Jina shook her head in dismay. She had seen how the men at Gayoon''s workce ogled at her. The Lacy Cop did not know it but she had a killer beauty. Too bad she kept on wearing the hideous clothes to cover up herself.


    "This is an emergency," Jina dered. "We have to get you something really nice!"


    "How?" Gayoon asked.


    Jina''s shoulders fell in disappointment. She did not even have a credit card since she was a minor and she was sure that Gayoon''s cards were useless. Suddenly, an idea hit her.


    "My aunt!" she said in excitement. "She must have something which you can borrow!"


    "You sure she won''t mind?" Gayoon asked.


    "Rx!" Jina waved. "My aunt is ditzy. She''s too dumb to realize if any of her clothes are missing. Besides, she''s not in the country. She went to the USA."


    "For what? To study?"


    "No," Jina replied. "To get her hair done. Her antics drive my dad up the walls. If there is one person who knows how to spend his money, it''s Aunt Mina."


    What a crazy family, Gayoon thought. Jina seemed to be the only sane one among them and she was just a kid!


    "Come on!" Jina eximed, tugging her wrist. "We have very little time!"


    "O-okay!"


    She followed Jina out of the cafe and towards her car. Gayoon hesitated a little before getting into the limo.


    "Hello Mr. Jang," she greeted meekly. Jang smiled at her and nodded in acknowledgement. He revved up the engine and they drove off.


    "I can''t wait to show you my mansion!" Jina chirped. She was very excited. Lady Cop was going to visit her house!


    "That''s nice," Gayoon giggled. "I would love to see it as well."


    Truthfully, Gayoon was not so much interested in the mansion. She had heard of Hwang Minho''svish house but throughout her career, she had seen many rich mansions due to some murder cases. The initial excitement had died off and she was quite immune to the grandeur.


    A few minutester, the car entered through therge gates of the mansion. Gayoon stared at therge gardenndscape. There was a soothing feeling to it. There were not many nts on it but instead there were neatly trimmed grass which added an elegant simplicity to the ce. The main mansion could probably twenty times Gayoon''s own tiny house and was two storey high. The mansion was painted a soft yellow ochre color, almost sparkling under the sun.


    "Isn''t it beautiful?" Jina asked.


    "Yeah," Gayoon smiled, unfazed by the mansion. The little girl led her towards the front door. Kim opened the door only to be surprised by the prettydy standing beside Jina.


    "Yes, how may I help you?" she frowned.


    "She''s my guest, Lady Cop!" Jina stated. "She''ll be borrowing something from my aunt''s closet!"


    "I cannot just allow a stranger into our home!" Kim protested.


    "She is my guest!" Jina said boldly.


    "Jina, don''t be rude!" Gayoon reprimanded her. "I''m sorry. I''ll leave-"


    "No," Jina said firmly. "You will get the dress. Nanny knows you are my guest. Don''t you, nanny?"


    Before Kim could protest, Jina brushed her aside and let Gayoon in. Gayoon bowed at Kim apologetically but Jina was pulling her away.


    Kim pursed her lips and took out her phone to dial Minho''s number. Minho picked up on the third ring.


    "Yes, Ms. Kim," he answered. "Is everything alright?"


    "The young miss just brought a stranger into our home!" Kimined.


    "Who is it?" Minho demanded.


    "I don''t know the name but the young miss said that she''s Lady Cop! And that she would be borrowing a dress from Ms. Mina''s closet!"


    There was a short pause on the other end.


    "Let her take any dress she wants," Minho ordered.


    "But sir-"


    "And tell her, since she''s already at my mansion, I will pick her up from there for our private dinner reservation tonight."


    Kim was shocked by the order. Dinner reservation? Hwang Minho was going to have dinner with a woman? Does this mean he was interested in this woman?


    "We''ll take care of it!" Kim said at once. "Leave it to us!"


    She hung up and thought gleefully. If this Lady Cop bes the future Mrs. Hwang, then she might as well start to chum up with her. Maybe she''ll get a raise.


    Meanwhile, Minho was worried. He had not thought that Jeon Gayoon might not have a proper dress for the evening. In fact, he was not even sure of what they would do at dinner. He asked her on an impulse without much thought. He was clueless regarding these things and unfortunately, there was only one person in his life who knew about all these trivial matters.


    He reluctantly picked up the phone, gritting his teeth in annoyance.


    "You called!" Kanji''s irritatingly cheery voice came from the other end. "I never thought this day woulde!"


    "I need your help," Minho muttered. "What do you do with a woman at a private dinner?"

 Chapter 44: Kanjis Rules of Love (I)

    Chapter 44: Kanji''s Rules of Love (I)


    "No!" Jina eximed in frustration. "That one makes you look too thin!"


    Gayoon groaned in despair. She was trying on a yellow polka dot dress which reached her knees.


    "It looks really nice," she pouted.


    "Too thin!" Jina insisted. "It looks too big for you!"


    They had tried on the clothes Jina''s aunt owned. Gayoon was exhausted after she was forced to trial over fifty dresses and to her shock, there were still five closets full of dresses to choose from. How many clothes did this woman own?


    "I can''t do it anymore!" sheined, slumping on the bed. "It''s too much! I''ll just wear my usual shirt and pants to this dinner-"


    "No!" Jina scolded her. "Listen to me Lady Cop! You gotta show my dad that you can do it too!"


    "Do what?"


    "I don''t know," Jina shrugged. "Whenever our teachers give us a task, they cheer us by saying we can do it! I still don''t know what they mean."


    Gayoon groaned andid on the bed, staring at the vast ceiling above them. There was a medium sized ss panel on it, enabling the sunlight toe through. It felt nice to stare at the sky through it.


    Jina got off the bed and scurried into her aunt''s walk-in closet. Climbing on a small stool, she went through the clothes. No matter how many dresses Gayoon tried, she was just too thin. Considering how slim her aunt Mina was, it shocked Jina that Gayoon was thinner than Mina.


    "There must be something" she muttered. But none of the dresses were suitable.


    "All these are not it!" she whined. She wanted Gayoon to look perfect for the evening. It was hard to understand why but she was very excited that her dad and the Lady Cop were going to spend some time alone. Who knows, maybe they would end up together as well!


    "Casper"


    She turned to the ghost who was standing next to her. Her silentpanion had just materialized when she called for him.


    "Casper, which one to choose from?" Jina wondered. The ghost looked around before pointing at a dress at the opposite closet.


    Meanwhile Gayoon, who waszily staring at the sky through the ss ceiling, suddenly froze. The familiar coldness was giving her chills down her spine. There was a ghost nearby!


    On an instinct, shey still, trying to figure out where the ghost was. She did not want to let it know that she could sense it. If she was not wrong, the ghost was in


    "Jina!" she whispered. Scurrying up, she quietly went towards the walk-in wardrobe. Jina was in there alone, seemingly oblivious to the cold presence around her. She was humming a song under her breath as she scavenged through the dresses.


    "Jina!" Gayoon called her nervously. Upon seeing the stranger, Casper disappeared.


    "Yes, Lady Cop?" Jina asked. "Is something wrong?"


    Gayoon scanned around. The presence was gone. Did it run away after seeing her?


    "Let''s forget about the dress," she shrugged, trying to seem normal. The odd feeling would not go away and she did not want Jina to stay in that closet for another minute.


    "Look I found a dress!" Jina eximed. She held up an off-shoulder navy blue dress with tiny sapphires stitched along its helm. It was tight fitting for Mina but would perfectlyplement Gayoon. Thetter did not care much though because she was more focused on trying to get Jina out of that wardrobe.


    "It''s nice!" she imed hurriedly. "I like it! Let''s go out and I''ll try it on."


    "Okay!" Jina chirped and headed out. Gayoon nced onest time around the closet before exiting it.


    .


    Minho was frowning at all the tips Kanji had emailed him. He sat back, reading through every line, his insides cringing. Seeing a grown man write with so many emojis in an email was making Minho feel like whacking the idiot on the head. His email was as such:


    Wee to Lord Kanji''s tips of love! I will teach you all the basics of dating so read carefully!


    Buy the girl red roses to make her feel special. Don''t you dare make her pay for those roses :P


    Make sure it''s a candle light dinner. Intimate and simple. Don''t you dare make her pay for her part ]_[


    Take her to a live show like an opera or traditional dance show. Again, don''t you dare make her pay for her tickets (o_o)


    Gift her something nice. Maybe a box of macadamia nuts or french pastries. You know the gist :D


    Take her on a romantic walk at the park. This one is for free [3


    Ask her about herself. Get to know her more :3


    Make sure you kiss her goodnight. Drop her off at home and kiss her. Very important step. Might even lead you to some snu snu time ;)


    If you get to have snu snu then make sure you know which hole to enter-


    Minho shut theptop before he could finish thest part and gritted his teeth in annoyance. Are these things going to work? Was he really not supposed to...make her pay?


    That useless Kanji! He cursed. What the hell are these tips?


    He took deep breaths. Calm down, he told himself. This is just a private dinner. Nothing more. It''s a simple thank you to her for taking care of Jina. You can do that at least.


    The memory ofst night was reying in his mind the whole day. Recalling it made him smile. The feel of her soft lips were still fresh and strangely, he was very excited for their date.


    Jongin, who had just entered the room to give him some files, freaked out at seeing Minho''s smile. He took a closer look. Was the CEO actually smiling to himself?


    Is he possessed? Jonging wondered. Minho did not notice his secretary''s scared expression and continued to remember the way Gayoon had clung on to him all night. He nced at the closedptop and sighed before opening it again to read the contents, unaware that Jongin was still observing him.


    "Jongin!" he suddenly barked.


    "Yes sir!" Jongin straightened up.


    "Get me the freshest red roses you could find!" Minho ordered. "The most expensive ones. And also a box full of macadamia nuts. Also, book two tickets for the exclusive VIP seats at tonight''s opera!"


    "Yes sir!" Jongin squeaked. Was the Vesudas going on a date?


    Nah! He thought. It''s probably for his daughter. He''d probably make his dates pay. Who would date him after that?


    He dismissed the thought and hurried away toplete his tasks,pletely unaware that Minho''s mind was lingering on a certain detective with puppy dog eyes.

 Chapter 45: Kanjis Rules of Love: Rule 1

    Chapter 45: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Rule 1


    Jina and Kim held their breath as they waited impatiently for Gayoon to emerge out of the room. They were in the living room, pacing back and forth. After spending hours trying to find a dress for Gayoon, they were anxious to see the result of their hardbor.


    Minho entered the house to see his daughter being jumpy.


    "I wish she''d hurry up!" Jinained.


    "She will be ready soon, young miss," Kim assured her.


    "What is going on here?" Minho frowned. Both of them turned around to face him.


    "We made Lady Cop wear one of aunt Mina''s dresses," Jina stated.


    "Why didn''t you make her buy one instead?" Minho asked.


    "Dad, Lady Cop can''t afford such expensive dresses," Jina said as if trying to exin something to a child. Her dad may be an adult but when it came to women, he was hopeless and clueless. Even a child like Jina knew that not everyone can splurge on evening dresses and gowns.


    Minho pouted a little. Kanji had given him strict rules on what to do that night which Minho could not make any head nor tail out of. But he decided to go along and see what the future holds.


    "She''ste," he muttered.


    "Women are alwayste on dates," Jina said, rolling her eyes. "It''smon. Get used to it!"


    "It''s only a dinner," Minho stated. "Not a date. We''re simply going to talk."


    Kim was a little apprehensive. Did the master really not know he was taking thedy on a date?


    He really is in denial, isn''t he? She wondered in amusement.


    "She''s toote!" Minho eximed. "Time is money for me!"


    "Dad, you are not going to talk about money today!" Jina scolded him. "Didn''t uncle Kanji send you the rules? Even a kid like me knows that much!"


    "The rules?" Minho rounded on her. "How do you know about those rules?"


    "Uncle Kanji taught me," she said happily. "He told me these woulde in handy when I will find a boy to crush on. He even told me to practice writing love letters."


    "What the hell is he teaching you behind my back?" Minho thundered. "You are forbidden from interacting with that irresponsible and irritating guy! If he steps inside this house,I''ll-"


    But Jina was not looking at him. Instead, her eyes were fixed at something behind him. Her mouth gaped open in shock.


    "Umm...Mr. Hwang?" a soft voice came from behind.


    "What is it-" he began to ask, turning around but his words were stuck in his throat.


    Gayoon stood there, wearing a simple blue dress which reached just a little above her knees.She exuded an aura of pure elegance. Herrge eyes were now more prominent, making her look more youthful and innocent. Her hair was let loose into soft waves while she used minimal makeup on her face. Her naturally rosy cheeks were more highlighted, making her prettier than usual.


    Minho did not realize that he was holding his breath at her sight.


    "Is this all too much?" she asked hesitantly. "No other dress would fit me. I can go and change if you want-"


    "No!" he said instantly, averting his eyes from her. "We''re gettingte. Let''s go."


    Jina and Kim facepalmed themselves. He didn''t evenpliment her! Both of them thought in dismay.


    Gayoon was taken aback by his sudden authoritativeness and also slighted by his indifference to her looks. What was the point of going to so much lengths for this?


    Unbeknownst to them, Minho was blushing furiously. Gayoon''s sudden transformation not only took him by surprise but was making his heart...flutter? His heart never pounded so heavily before and the little blue vixen was making it harder for him to concentrate on the evening he had nned ahead.


    He kept looking ahead as they walked out of the mansion. Gayoon was casually following him, unaware that Minho was trying his best to keep his eyes away from her. Why did he suddenly find her so enticing? Damn that Kanji for such a bad idea!


    "Where are we going?" she asked.


    "To an Italian restaurant," he replied, still not looking her way. "From there, we will head over to catch a show at the Central."


    Central? He was taking her to the movies?


    Aren''t we a little too overdressed for that? She wondered. She noticed that Minho was not looking at her which was also making her agitated. Did she not look good in this dress? She did not know why but when he did notment on her looks, she felt a little bad.


    There were not many asions when she got the chance to dress up nicely and apply makeup. She was not bothered about all that anyway but his indifference to her efforts also hurt her.


    Stupid money lover, she gritted inwardly. She also wanted to curse herself for expecting one word of praise. Am I a masochist? She scolded herself. Why did I have to expect apliment from him?


    She peeked at him shyly. He was wearing a grey suit with a simple white shirt underneath. His hair was slightly ruffled but it only made him look exceptionally handsome. How can someone look so good?


    "What are you looking at?" he asked warily.


    "Nothing!" she said at once. He shook his head. They reached his car.


    "Wait a minute," he said. Gayoon watched curiously as he opened the passenger seat and took out arge bouquet of red roses which he had ordered from the most expensive florist in town.


    The florist was known for catering only for the elites and when he heard that Hwang Minho was ordering a bunch of roses for his date, she wasted no time in creating the perfect bouquet for him. The roses were carefully wrapped in a thin, pink paper and arranged neatly. The smell of the roses were strong as the seeds of the nt for this particr batch were imported from abroad. She created the best bouquet out of them for Hwang Minho. No woman would be able to resist these.


    "These are for you," he said, holding out the flowers for her to hold. "I''ve ordered the best-"


    "ACHOOO!" Gayoon let out a loud sneeze, backing away from the flowers as if she had seen something dangerous.


    Minho stared in shock as Gayoon eximed, "ARE YOU CRAZY? I''M ALLERGIC TO ROSES!"


    Mission report of task 1: Failure.

 Chapter 46: Kanjis Rules of Love: Smooth Talker

    Chapter 46: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Smooth Talker


    Minho was at a loss. Gayoon was sneezing like crazy and backed off to the far end while he stood there, holding the bouquet.


    "I''m deathly allergic to the pollen from roses!" she eximed. "Once a ssmate of mine forced me to smell them and I ended up in the hospital for a week!"


    "Uhhhh"


    Minho quickly threw the bouquet into a bin nearby and scrambled to the backseat of the car to see if there were any petals there. Fortunately, there were none left but the smell of the roses lingered in the car.


    When he approached her, Gayoon was still clutching her nose, trying not to sniff any remaining scent by ident.


    "We''ll take my other car," Minho informed her. "This one still smells of roses."


    "Okay!" she replied, still blocking her nose. "I''m sorry for the trouble. I''ll pay you back for those roses. I know they must have been very expensive. How much did the bouquet cost?"


    She looked up at him, waiting for his reply. Under normal circumstances, Minho would have told her the cost but remembering Kanji''s rules, he instead said, "Don''t worry about it."


    "No, I want to pay you back for them!" she insisted, taking out her purse. "I''d feel really bad if you don''t ept thepensation. Besides, you didn''t know I was allergic so it''s fine. How much were they? A hundred dors? They did look expensive!"


    "ErYes," he nodded. He could not think of what else to reply.


    "Ahh, the florist ripped you off," Gayoon sighed. "I once caught a florist downtown. She was selling roses worth two dors for fifty dors! Can you believe it? I had to wear a full PPE suit to go and arrest her."


    Gayoonughed, remembering the incident as she took out a hundred dor bill and handed it to him. Minho stared at it nkly. Those roses cost 100,000 dors


    He would make sure that Kanji paid back each and every penny for that bouquet.


    "Are we going?" she called out to him.


    "Yes!" he said at once.


    "Come on then! Let''s get going!"


    Minho was still confused by the turn of events. Why did it seem like she was the one taking him out instead of the other way around?


    He led her to another car. Once both of them settled in, Gayoon asked, "Where are we going?"


    "To an Italian restaurant," he replied. "Do you like Italian food?"


    "I do!" she said excitedly. "Once ahjusshi brought us food from an Italian restaurant. It was after I passed my high school exams and he celebrated my sess. After all, I had ranked first in the country!"


    She beamed with pride while Minho frowned in amusement.


    "You ranked number one in the national high school examination?" he asked as he revved the engine.


    "Yes!" she replied. "I was a smart student. Always got top grades in all subjects. Except maths. That was the only subject I sucked at. If ahjusshi hadn''t made me memorize the answers to the expected questions, I would have failed the subject."


    "Who is this ahjusshi?" Minho queried. "Your uncle? Do you live with him?"


    "I live with my grandma," Gayoon chatted. "Ahjusshi is my mother''s old friend. After my father abandoned us, my mother came to live with my grandmother. She was still pregnant with me so I don''t know how ahjusshi came to live at the apartment above ours. But he was friends with my mother and when she passed away while giving birth to me, he raised me along with my grandma. He''s a really nice guy and worries about me a lot."


    She sighed at the fight he had that morning with her grandma. It was hrious to see him fussing over her as if she was still a child.


    "He sounds like a good father," Minho said. He was looking ahead, his eyes a little ssy as if he was remembering something.


    "He is the only father figure I have," Gayoon smiled. "What about you? I only met Jina from your family and she mentioned that you have a sister as well. What about your parents? Where are they?"


    "My father killed my mother and ran away."


    Gayoon gaped at his blunt answer, unsure of what to say.


    "I-I''m sorry," she mumbled. "I shouldn''t have asked-"


    "That''s okay," Minho shrugged. "The man was a despicable scum and deserved to be punished. But instead, he chose to run away, leaving his kids behind."


    There was a faint bitterness behind his seemingly nonchnt tone. Gayoon knew it too well. The loved ones of a victim always hold a grudge against the culprit. Whether the death is an idental killing or a nned murder, nothing could rece the sense of loss of a loved one.


    To Minho''s surprise, Gayoon lightly patted his head. His face went instantly red for some inexplicable reason.


    "W-what was that for?" he asked, stiffening in embarrassment.


    "You did well," she said, still patting him as if trying tofort him. "You rose from those memories and did well for yourself by bing a good father to Jina. So you did well."


    She smiled at him and straightened up to look ahead. Minho also tried to concentrate on the way ahead but his mind was still lingering on her light touch.


    "Do it again!" he suddenly ordered.


    "Eh? "Gayoon blinked.


    "That thing you did on my head," he said. "Do it again!"


    Gayoon could only stare at him, giving him the ''are-you-serious- look. Is he a child? She wondered, almostughing out loud.


    "Alright," she said, trying to stifle herughter and patted him again on the head. It was as if she was patting her pet puppy after it fetched the ball for her.


    He does look kinda cute when he''s not being his usual self, she noted.


    But soon, her amusement turned into slight annoyance as Minho kept on insisting her to continue stroking his head.


    "That''s enough!" she protested. "We''ve nearly reached the restaurant!"


    "Continue until we get there," he said in a serious tone while inwardly enjoying the head pat.


    "My hand is tired!"


    "Do it with your other hand!"


    "Pat yourself!"


    Damn this money lover! She cursed in her head.


    "You look good," Minho said offhandedly. Gayoon froze and went red in the face.


    "Huh?"


    "You look good," he repeated. He did not say anything else but Gayoon''s heart skipped several beats. Even though he said it very casually, for some reason she was blushing hard.


    Damn this money lover is a smooth talker, she thought only this time, a small smile was etched on her face.

 Chapter 47: Kanjis Rules of Love: Rule 2

    Chapter 47: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Rule 2


    A whileter, they reached an upscale Italian restaurant in the heart of the city. Gayoon was a little awed by the ssy ce. It was a two storey building but designed in a crooked pentagonal shape with brown and ck walls. Inside, the golden lights illuminated the interior while a lovely melody of the piano resonated around them.


    Minho handed the keys to the valet who bowed and proceeded to park the car.


    "This ce is beautiful," Gayoon said in awe. "I didn''t know such a ssy ce existed in this city. It''s always so wild around here."


    "It''s owned by a world renowned Italian chef, Burtolleni," Minhomented. "He is known for his culinary highlights and is often cited as the maestro of Italian cuisine. Now, shall we?"


    He held out his arm for her to hold but Gayoon cried out, "Is that a wishing well?"


    She darted forward, leaving Minho confused with his elbow in midair. He cleared his throat and straightened up. That was awkward, he thought.


    Gayoon was leaning over a fountain made of marble which had the bust of a very beautiful statue of a long haired woman in the middle. She stared in wonder. It was a simple bust of a girl who held a mirror in her hands staring at it like it was some sort of curse. There was a small b in front of it which contained some writing in Italian which Gayoon could not understand.


    "What does it say?" she wondered out loud.


    "Lady of the Shallot," Minho said. "The woman who wanted to be free."


    Gayoon turned to face him.


    "You can read Italian?" she asked in surprise.


    "Of course!" he scoffed. "I know six differentnguages. It''s necessary for me tomunicate with foreign investors! After all, it helps me make money."


    "I should have known," she muttered. "Money lover through and through."


    "What was that?"


    "Nothing!" she said quickly. "So what''s written on this b?"


    "There was once a beautiful woman who was trapped in a tower next to a river named Shallot," he read out loud. "The tower had only a window and a mirror. She lived there alone, without any contact with the outside world. No one knew of her existence and she lived in that tower in misery, longing to go out. But she could not step out of that tower. The beautifuldy lived with a punishment which could kill her."


    "Punishment?" Gayoon asked.


    "A curse," Minho said. "The girl was born with a brutal curse. She saw the world through that mirror. It was ced in front of the window and through it, she used to see the world. But she could not look directly out of the window. If she ever dared to see the outside directly through her eyes, then she would die."


    "But one day, while she was looking into the mirror, something happened. Something unexpected. A knight appeared outside of the window, lost on his way. He took off his helmet and thedy''s resolve was broken."


    "The most handsome knight of the realm had appeared in her midst," Minho went on. "The greatest knight of them all, Sir Lancelot of Camelot. His beauty was unmatched and he was unbeatable in any duel. He was the best of the lot and there was none other like him. The man who was the subject of many legends had appeared in front of the Lady of Shallot. Millions had died because of his deeds and beauty. Then what chance did the poordy have? Unable to withstand the knight''s appearance, she turned to look at him. And the curse activated."


    Gayoon was immersed in the story, feeling the pain of the doomed girl. The girl who wanted to see the world, yet was prevented by a curse from doing so fell into her doom for love.


    "What happened to her?" she whispered. Her voice was a little shaky as she held back tears.


    "She knew death was upon her," Minho read on. "So she built a beautiful raft and set sail on the river to see what little she could of the world before she died. They say her body floated down the river, never to be seen again."


    "Sir Lancelot...did he ever find out about her?"


    "No," Minho sighed. "He never knew of her existence. For him, she was nothing more than a strange tale. Now if you''re done with the story, let''s go and-"


    He turned towards Gayoon to lead her inside, but to his shock, she was crying.


    "W-why are you crying?" he asked, feeling extremely confused.


    "This story is just too sad," she said, choking back her tears. "These things get to me a lot! I really hate tragic stuff. Poor Lady of the Shallot!"


    She was crying loudly, attracting some curious stares. Minho was clueless on how to console her.


    "It''s not fair!" she wailed. "Why was she cursed? What was her fault? For being born?"


    Suddenly the shes of her own miserable childhood were rushing by her head. The times she had to spend alone because of the spirits which haunted her. She was treated as an outcast by the people around her, thrown into a dark abyss where the ghosts grabbed onto her. Whether it was daytime or nighttime, she was trapped with the dead who would not let her live.


    And now her daughter was out there somewhere, suffering the same fate.


    Minho was at a loss. How was he going to stop her from crying?


    "Uhh" he quickly took out his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. Gayoon hupped and dabbed her eyes.


    "I''m sorry," she apologized. "It''s just, I get a little sensitive over these things. I think that''s why I got so close to Jina. I''ll stop crying."


    Her eyes were still red and tears stained her eyes.


    "It''s alright," Minho said hastily.


    "No, I''m being stupid," she sniffed. "Let''s go inside-"


    "No!" Minho eximed. "We can''t go in there anymore."


    "Why not?" she frowned.


    Because this restaurant has live entertainment and they are about to present a y on Romeo and Juliet, he winced inwardly.


    "Someone just texted me that the food here tastes disgusting," he lied. "World ss chef, my foot! His food is not good. My business partner got salmone after eating here."


    "Eh?"


    Before she could register his bizarre words, he grabbed her arm and led her back to the car.


    Rules 2: Ultimate failure.

 Chapter 48: Kanjis Rules of Love: Rule 3

    Chapter 48: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Rule 3


    "Uhh"


    They were standing outside a modest Asian restaurant. Minho had called up all the upscale restaurants he knew for a dinner reservation but to his horror, everything was full. They could not even amodate the most influential man in the country due to the sudden influx of foreign guests thanks to several government seminars taking ce all over the country.


    After failing to get a reservation for the hundredth time, Gayoon spoke up. "Why don''t we go to my usual spot? The food is great there!"


    Her usual spot turned out to be a streetside local food shop. It was situated right outside the downtown marketce. It was a small shack and probably offered cheap food. The very thought of what sort of food the ce might serve was making Minho cringe a little from the inside.


    "Are you sure you want to eat here?" Minho frowned.


    "The food is amazing here!" Gayoon eximed. "I''m sure you''ve never tasted anything this good before!"


    Looking at the shack''s hygiene practice, he wondered if it would turn out to be hisst meal. But there were no other restaurants which were amodating his request at that hour and there was little choice. Gayoon was no doubt getting hungry and tired.


    "Let''s go," she said.


    "Wait!"


    She paused in her steps. Minho stored over to her, taking off his zer and handing it to her.


    "Wear this," he said.


    "Why?"


    "Just wear it!" he said, sounding a little annoyed. Gayoon was confused but took the zer and wore it over her shoulders. I''m not feeling cold though, she thought.


    Minho nced at some of the men behind them who were ogling at Gayoon. The woman did not realize that her dress was attracting attention from the lechers around her. Minho was not worried about any pervert misbehaving with her, knowing fully well that she could probably take down a guy twice her size.


    He just did not want to end up paying the medical bills for the guy she would beat up.


    They entered the shop and to Minho''s surprise, it did not look as shabby as it did from the outside. It was small but cozy. The tables were kept clean and tidy while the customers were less too. There were no shady looking people but rather quite ordinary citizens who were enjoying a good meal with their family and friends.


    "This ce is owned by a widow of a police officer," Gayon told him. "Her husband was very well respected around here. After he passed away, a few of us helped her to build this restaurant. Since then, it has be a sort of a hub for us to hang out at. Which is why you won''t see any hooligans hanging around here."


    "Youe here a lot?" Minho asked as they took a seat.


    "Yeah, Taejoon and I stop by whenever we''re nearby," Gayoon chatted. "Ahjumma here serves the best beef rib soup!"


    "Taejoon?" Minho asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your partner?"


    "Yeah," Gayoon replied.


    "You two are close?"


    "We are," she nodded. "We''ve been partners for the past five years. He''s a very capable detective."


    She did not realize Minho''s face was beginning to form a scowl.


    "You seem to hang a lot around him," he remarked.


    "We''re partners!" Gayoon stated. "Of course I spend a lot of time with him. He''s one of those people who truly appreciate my capability as a detective."


    Minho could not understand why but he was feeling inexplicably irritated by this Taejoon. It seemed that the guy was a little too friendly with Gayoon.


    "Let''s order," he said shortly. Gayoon blinked at his change in tone but could not figure out what was going on in his head.


    Before she could ask, a friendly looking woman in her mid forties approached them.


    "Gayoon!" she eximed. "You''re here! And who is this?"


    "Soojin ahjumma!" Gayoon greeted. She stood up and bowed. "This is Hwang Minho."


    She pointed at Minho, who slightly bowed as well. Soojin bowed back and smiled. Her eyes twinkled at the pair who seemed like they were on a date. She was going to ask Gayoon more about this manter.


    "What would you guys like to order?" Soojin asked politely, handing them the menu.


    "A sd for me," Minho said.


    "That''s it?" Gayoon asked. "That''s not gonna fillup your stomach!"


    "I don''t eat much," Minho said.


    "But the beef rib soup is amazing here!" Gayoon insisted. "Try it! Please?"


    She pleaded at him with herrge eyes, looking like a puppy trying to appease its master. Minho averted her eyes, trying not to give in but Gayoon only craned her neck to force him to see her.


    "Ohe on!" she begged. "It''ll look weird if I eat all the food while you eat close to nothing!"


    "How much are you nning to eat?" he asked in horror.


    "A lot!"


    Minho was mortified. Was her stomach a dumpster of some kind?


    "Ahjumma, bring a sd and beef rib stew for him," Gayoon ordered. "As for me. I want arge bowl of beef ramyun, a bowl of beef rib stew, two tes of takoyaki with sticky rice, mashed potatoes and your special rice pudding."


    Minho stared at her in astonishment. Was she really going to eat all that? Judging by her tiny frame, one could never guess she ate that much.


    "We have a pay first rule here," Soojin informed him.


    Minho took out his credit card. "Pay it with this," he shrugged.


    Soojin stared at it. "Uhh" she began. "We don''t take cards here. Only cash."


    Minho stared at her. No cards? But he always used cards!


    "Err"


    Gayoon realized his dilemma. Being the high profile businessman he was, he would never carry cash nor visit ces which took cash. People like him always relied on cards.


    "I''ll pay the bill!" she offered.


    "No-" Minho began to say but she cut through.


    "Rx!" she shrugged. "I''m a regr here. I always carry change. This dinner is on me, alright? Think of it as a token of appreciation for helping us out with the Shawn case."


    She smiled at him and took out her purse to pay Soojin. Thetter suppressed a snicker as Minho looked like a million bricks fell on him.


    Rule 3: Error 101.

 Chapter 49: Kanjis Rules of Love: Rule 4

    Chapter 49: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Rule 4


    Soojin served their food on the table. Gayoon sniffed the sizzling dishes, her mouth watering at the sight.


    "Ahjumma really makes the best food!" she chirped. Minho simply stared at them with a poker face. For some reason, Gayoon was very excited to eat the food.


    "What''s so special about this food?" he frowned. He did not sound condescending nor was he looking down on the preparations. In fact, he was more curious. The people around them were also munching down the food happily without a care which only piqued his interest more.


    "It''s the best food out there!" Gayoon imed.


    "There was better cuisine," Minho scoffed. "No, there''s something else. People here are genuinely enjoying it. What makes these dishes so special? What are the ingredients? Is it profitable? Or is it-"


    Suddenly, Gayoon popped a takoyaki into his mouth using her chopsticks. As soon as the takoyaki touched his tongue, Minho felt a rush of emotions swirling within him.


    "How is it?" Gayoon asked. Even though she made so many ims, his taste buds may differ from hers. What if he did not like it? Or worse, was allergic to it?


    "It''s"


    He could find the right word as he slowly chewed on the food. Taking another bite, he tried to savor the vor. Eventually, he ended up tasting every dish on the table.


    It felt as if the food was melting in his mouth. The dishes were not made with precision but rather consisted of the cook''s passion. The feelings of joy and love the cook felt while making the dishes were reflected through its homely taste, something which Minho had not tasted ever since


    "Ahjumma!" he called out. "Can we have more of these dishes?"


    Gayoon was pleasantly surprised. "You like the food?" she asked happily. Minho did not reply but kept on gulping down the food as if he was not willing to share any of it, making Gayoon giggle. For a moment, Minho was distracted by her smile. Her eyes crinkled a little whenever sheughed.


    He looked away, red faced, and continued to focus on his food.


    "This woman who runs the restaurant," he began. "Her husband died?"


    "He was a police officer," Gayoon said sadly. "He died while chasing a criminal who shot him in the end. Ever since then, his wife has been trying to run this restaurant while raising her two children. It''s a hard life but she manages it with aplomb. I don''t know where she gets the strength from."


    She admired Soojin for her resilience. It was heartwarming to see the woman rise from her sudden sufferings to create a life for herself and her children.


    Minho quietly contemted her words. "Excuse me for a minute," he said. "I need to make a call."


    "S-sure," Gayoon said. Minho got up and went towards the back of the restaurant. Gayoon turned her attention to her food and was gulping it down.


    A few minutester, Minho came back and resumed eating. They ate in rtive silence until they were done. As soon as they were done, Minho''s phone vibrated.


    "I''ll take this call," he said. Gayoon nodded as he went off to his call again. She got upandheaded towards the counter to pay the remaining tab.


    "Ahjumma, here''s the rest of the bill," she offered to Soojin but thetter shook her head.


    "No,I''m not taking it," the older woman said.


    "Why not?" Gayoon frowned. "We ordered a lot-"


    "Mr. Hwang told me to add it to hispany''s tab," Soojin said excitedly. "He talked to his HR Department. Starting from tomorrow, I will be catering food to his office employees everyday! Three hundred and fifty employees per day!"


    Gayoon gaped at her in astonishment. "When did he arrange for this?" she asked.


    "Just a few minutes ago!" Soojin informed her. "He told me to meet with his team tomorrow and sign the contract. They''ll pay me a hundred dors per person! I''ll be making almost thirty five thousand dors per day! That''s enough for me to afford a good school for my kids"


    Soojin was crying in joy. She could not thank the heavens enough for sending an angel like Hwang Minho into their lives. Unable to control her excitement, Soojin hugged Gayoon.


    "He''s a good man!" Soojin stated. "You are really lucky!"


    "I-I-I"


    Gayoon was at a loss for words. She had no idea how to react. All this time, she had only seen Hwang Minho as an entric man who simply loved money with an asional deeper side to him. Who knew he could also be considerate?


    She peeked a look at the man who was engrossed in his phone call and smiled. She should have known that the man who raised a good girl like Jina must have a heart of gold too.


    "All the best," Gayoon wished Soojin. "You can do it!"


    Soojin nodded enthusiastically and waved her goodbye. Gayoon waved back and approached Minho, who had just finished his call.


    "Let''s go back home then?" she suggested.


    "How about we walk around for a little while by the river park?" he counter suggested. "It''s not far from here."


    "A-are you sure?" Gayoon asked, feeling uncertain. "Isn''t it nearly Jina''s bedtime?"


    "The nanny put her to sleep already," Minho replied. "Tomorrow is a weekend anyway. Unless you''re on duty?"


    "Uh no!" Gayoon said. "I''m off tomorrow as well."


    "Let''s go then."


    He led the way. She smiled a little and followed him towards the park by the river, d that their time was being prolonged. Soojin''s words were still echoing in her ears.


    Gayoon was still unsure of why Minho had asked her out that night. Was it because he wanted to repay her kindness towards Jina? But why go to such lengths?


    She nced at the man walking by her side and could help but slightly marvel over how handsome he was. Even though he was almost a decade older than her, he barely looked over thirty.


    Minho noticed her looking his way. "What are you staring at?" he frowned.


    "Nothing!" she squeaked, looking away. Don''t stare at him! She scolded herself. But her wretched eyes were darting at him every now and then. Moreover, she also wanted to repay him for his kindness.


    Suddenly she stopped in her tracks. "Can we go to a mall instead?" she requested.


    Minho stared at her in surprise. Mall? But the rule said park!


    "Uh"


    "Great!" Gayoon eximed, tugging his arm. "Let''s go to the nearest mall!"


    She kept on dragging him towards the car,pletely unaware that the money loving CEO was at a loss for words.


    Rule 4: Never took off.

 Chapter 50: Kanjis Rules of Love: Rule 5

    Chapter 50: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Rule 5


    Gayoon was scanning around the mall with an intense look. Minho had brought her to Ace Mall, which was owned by Hwang Cosporations. It was one of the most exclusive shopping malls in the country where only the elites could shop.


    "This ce looks expensive," Gayoon said, feeling apprehensive. Minho shook his head. She had no idea that he owned the mall and was looking at the price tags in dismay.


    "Six thousand dors?" she moaned, checking the price of a simple hat. "What''s this made of? Gold?"


    Minho was about to open his mouth but she wandered off, lost in her own thoughts. The staff were staring at him in fear. They knew the CEO was a short tempered man who would burst out at them any time if they fell short of the revenue target. But they were also curious about the woman he was with.


    They had never seen him with a date and a lot of them were whispering about her.


    "Is she his girlfriend?" one staff member asked her colleague.


    "Who knows?" the colleague shrugged. "She seems to havee with him!"


    "I hope the girl knows the CEO''s temper tantrums."


    "If she did, she''d have run the other way."


    Meanwhile, Minho was following Gayoon around as she went from store to store. Unbeknownst to him, she wanted to buy him a present as a token of appreciation but was bewildered by the outrageous prices.


    "T-ten thousand" she muttered as she checked out a pair of brooches. Why were things so damn expensive? She wanted to cry out loud at the price tags.


    Minho, noting her dilemma, was at a loss. He had no idea what she was looking for but it seemed like she was discouraged by the prices. After all, her paycheck was probably not even half of the value of the things avable in the mall. Her face was falling in disappointment aftering out of the shops empty handed.


    "What are you looking for?" he frowned.


    "Something that I can afford to buy," she sighed.


    Minho thought about it for a while before relenting to thest resort. He took out his phone and texted Jongin.


    Jongin was in his apartment with his girlfriend. He had cooked her a romantic dinner and was nning to go further with her that night. The volcanic CEO had dismissed the office early for some reason but Jongin was notining. After all, he got a rare moment alone with hisdy love.


    "Oppa," he girlfriend whined. "You always ignore me! It''s always work and work for you!"


    "Don''t worry darling," Jongin assured her. "The CEO let me off today. I can finally enjoy our time alone."


    "Oppa"


    Jongin cupped her face and leaned forward. His heart beat increased as he was about to kiss his date. They were almost touching their lips


    CRING! CRING!


    Both of them jumped at the sound of his ringtone. His girlfriend pouted in anger as Jongin scrambled to pick up the phone. It was as if the CEO would never let him have a peaceful date night!


    "Yes sir!" he said.


    "Jongin, dere a ny five percent discount on all items in Ace Mall!" Minho ordered. "Effective right now!"


    "N-n-now?" Jongin echoed. "But sir-"


    "Call all the shop owners and tell them that they have to give this sale until midnight tonight," Minho went on. "Post it all over social media as well to boost sales. But I want the work done within ten minutes!"


    Jongin gulped and squeaked, "On it sir!"


    Minho hung up the phone while Jongin turned around to see his girlfriend had left. Hanging his head in dismay, Jongin cursed the CEO a little before getting to work. There was going to be no sleep that night.


    .


    "Ny five percent sale?" Gayoon eximed as she saw the notice hanging outside the shops. To her pleasant surprise, a sudden sh sale was announced on the speakers in the mall and all the stores hung the signs. She could finally afford something!


    Minho smiled a little as Gayoon explored the shops like an excited child. The employees of the mall were shocked to see that the CEO was smiling. He was actually smiling!


    "Our CEO looks really handsome when he smiles!" one intern spoke up.


    "I think thatdy over there is having an effect on him," an elderly clerk remarked as they saw the unlikely duo roam around the shops.


    Inwardly, the employees were thankful to the angel from heaven who made the demon CEO smile. He would finally be off their backs!


    "I''m so confused!" Gayoonined out loud. What should she get for him? He was rich so there was no doubt in her mind that he had everything. But she still wanted to give him something meaningful which he could use everyday.


    She turned back to face Minho and studied him carefully. Minho felt her scrutinising him.


    "What are you looking at?" he frowned but she was not listening. Instead, a wide smile appeared on her face.


    "Aha!" she said, snapping her fingers. "I know! Come with me!"


    She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the nearest clothing store. Minho sighed and let her lead the way. Once inside the shop, Gayoon went straight towards the men''s section.


    Minho watched as she picked out a tie. It was an emerald green tie with ck stripes over it. The design was simple yet stylish.


    "This will suit you!" she imed happily. "And with the sale, it''s even within my budget!"


    She hummed happily, congratting herself for her choice. Even though his outfits were very formal, he rarely wore ties since he thought it was a waste of time to knot them around his neck.


    Minho stared at the tie in her hand, unable to grasp her line of thought. She wanted to buy him a present?


    "D-did you not like it?" she asked, her smile faltering a little. Minho was speechless, trying toe up with something to say.


    "Tie it around my neck," he blurted out before he could stop himself from saying those words.


    "Eh?"


    Gayoon blinked at him in surprise. Was he asking her to tie this around his neck?


    Minho was also shocked by his words. What was the matter with him? Did he really ask a girl to knot a tie around his neck in the middle of a mall?


    But the words were out of his mouth and he was waiting for an answer. Gayoon gulped before stepping forward.


    She stood on her tiptoes but to her surprise, Minho grabbed her waist and made her stand on his feet! She blushed, feeling mortified but her attention was captured by his brown eyes. He was looking at her with a fierce intensity.


    "You know how to tie a tie?" he whispered. Gayoon weakly nodded, unable to take her eyes off his.


    As if hypnotized by his gaze, she threw the tie around his neck and began to form the knot. She was barely noticing what she was doing,pletely enchanted by him. They were standing too close, his touch almost burning her skin even through the clothes. She tried not to brush against his skin as she formed the circles but his stare was making her blush hard. Her knees were getting weaker and if he had not held her tightly, she would have fallen on the ground.


    Minho did not know what came over him but he, too, waspletely caged by her. He noticed her every expression, how her eyebrows fluttered a little whenever she was embarrassed or shy. Her delicate fingers were tying the tie around his neck, not touching him. Yet, he felt as if she was gently caressing him.


    "I-it''s done!" she said in a hoarse tone.


    But he was not letting her go. Instead, she felt his hand tracing down her arm, heating up her skin. He kept on tracing her arm until he reached her wrist. Gayoon felt something cold around it before he let go.


    "It''s a nice tie," hemented in his deadpan voice. "You did well."


    He ruffled her hair as if petting a puppy. Gayoon gaped at him but was too embarrassed to talk while he smirked as he walked away.


    Gayoon shook her head and was about to take out a wallet from her purse when she noticed something.


    On her wrist was a bracelet. It had a band made of pure silver while a circle lock made of tiny diamonds was ced on it. The diamonds sparkled merrily against her pale skin. The bracelet was simple yet exquisite.


    Gayoon stared at it in awe and nced back at Minho, who was casually leaning against a wall, texting on his phone. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, unable to look away from the strange yet, slightly naive man.


    Rule 5: Semi sessful.

 Chapter 51: Kanjis Rules of Love: Rule 6

    Chapter 51: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Rule 6


    By the time they left the mall, it was nearly midnight and decided to call it a night. Gayoon was extremely tired by then. They got into the car and drove off. Minho noted her exhaustion.


    "Where do you live?" he asked. "I''ll drop you off."


    "Oh, uh"


    She was unsure whether to let him drop her off. If Junho found out she was on a date, he would probably march out of the house to interrogate Minho. For some reason, she felt that letting the two men meet was not going to end on a good note.


    "You can drop me off at the nearest station!" she said. "I''ll take a bus home."


    "Thest bus left an hour ago," Minho pointed out. "And I doubt the subways will run at this time. I''ll drop you off."


    Gayoon was hesitating. She quickly took out her phone and texted Junho.


    "Ahjusshi, where are you?" she wrote. Within seconds there was a reply.


    "I''m at the hospital, checking up on your partner," he replied. "Why?"


    She hurriedly wrote back. "Bring us jjajamyeong!"


    There, she thought. That should dy him for a while.


    "Where do you live?" Minho asked again.


    ""Just off the southern intersection," she replied. "Near the residential area."


    Minho sped up the car. They were rtively silent throughout the ride as Minho struggled toe up with things to ask her. Rule number 6 stated to ask her about herself. What should he ask?


    "Lee Shawn," he spoke up. "What happened to him?"


    "Oh, after you dug up his dead body, we cremated him," she stated. "And Kim Joon was sent to jail. He''ll be behind the bars for a long time."


    And in hell I hope, she added inwardly. That ghost gave her a lot of stress. Even Taejoon had not fully recovered from his fever yet. It might take him a few more days to heal.


    Minho nodded and was silent again, trying toe up with more questions. Should he ask her about work? Or her favorite hobbies? Or her family? His mind swirled with questions and he decided on thetter.


    "Do you live alone?" he asked.


    "No," Gayoon said. "I live with my grandmother. Ahjusshi lives as a tenant above us. You know the one who helped to raise me. He was a friend of my mom''s and after she passed away, he took care of me."


    "Tenant?" he said thoughtfully. He just realized that the bit about her ahjusshi was new information for him. He could not recall any such detail from her previous file when he was looking for a surrogate.


    "He''s mostly an introvert," Gayoon lied. "Prefers to work as a frencer and stays in his home. His family died a long time ago and he came to live with my grandmother afterwards. He''s really nice. I joined the police academy because of him. To me, he''s like a father."


    "What about your own father? Why isn''t he around?"


    Gayoon became quiet, fidgeting her fingers. She seemed as if she was recalling something very painful.


    "He" she began. "He left. He left my mom before I was born. I tracked him down a few years ago but the meeting was not a happy one."


    Her mind drifted off towards thest words her father had uttered at her. She had traveled on her own during her pregnancy. There was a time when she had run away on an impulse so that she could keep her baby.


    It was a silly decision but her overwhelming emotions for her child made her realize that the hasty choice to break the curse via surrogacy was wrong. She had no one to talk to and had hoped that her father may be able to help her make a decision. Alone and heavily pregnant, she somehow made the journey through the biting winter to reach her father''s house.


    But instead of a warm wee, she was treated as a gue.


    "You''re a curse to us!" he had yelled. "Nothing but a cmity! You and your mother had destroyed my life! Get out of here and nevere back!"


    Those were thest words her father had told her. The memory was still burnt into her head, scarring her for the rest of her life. That incident made her realize that she could never be a good mother to her child nor give her the stable life she needed. With a heavy heart, she had to stick by the contract she had signed with the mysterious sperm donor.


    Minho knew he unknowingly touched a sore spot. Gayoon looked like she was about to cry and it made him clench his fingers tightly around the steering wheel. He did not know why but an unreasonable anger was building within him against the man who made her sad.


    Being a person who hated his own criminal father, he knew very well how it felt to be abandoned. He probably would not have hated his father if the man had taken responsibility for his actions and given them an exnation on why he murdered their mother.


    But the coward ran away, leaving Minho and Mina to fend for themselves. Unlike Gayoon, they had no one to lean on or look up to as a father figure.


    "That ahjusshi...was he the one who raised you all these years?" he echoed. "And not your real father?"


    "Yeah," Gayoon nodded. "Ahjusshi is more of a father to me than my own dad. It''s ironic, right? He never let me miss my family and always had my back. I''m grateful that he was there for me all the time"


    And she was. She was truly grateful to Junho for his kindness. It was impossible to imagine her life without him and she had vowed to clear his name so that he could return to his family someday.


    Minho sighed. "You''re lucky," he told her. "To have someone like him to rely on. Not everyone has that luxury."


    "You speak as if you have a bad rtionship with your dad too," she guessed.


    "He killed my mother and ran away," Minho said abruptly. Gayoon blinked in surprise. He was so straight forward about it yet, she knew he was sad.


    "I''m sorr-" she began but Minho cut through her words.


    "Don''t be," he shrugged. "He should be the one to say sorry. Not you.


    On that note, Minho was quiet again. Gayoon took the hint that he wanted to be alone with his thoughts and did not press the matter any further for the rest of the way.


    Rule 6: Took an unexpected turn.

 Chapter 52: Kanjis Rules of Love: Rule 7

    Chapter 52: Kanji''s Rules of Love: Rule 7


    Minho pulled up in front of Gayoon''s house. She was very sleepy and was snoozing on her seat, her head leaning against the window.


    "Jeon Gayoon," Minho poked her. She frowned and merely mumbled before going back to sleep. The woman really loved to sleep anywhere without a care.


    Minho sighed and jabbed her cheek harder. "Jeon Gayoon!" he called out but Gayoon said something incoherent in her sleep and ignored his calls.


    He blinked at her for a moment before taking out his phone to download a tune. cing his phone next to her ear, he hit the y button.


    Instantly a loud police siren began to echo the car, jerking Gayoon awake.


    "Detective Jeon Gayoon reporting to duty!" she squeaked in fear before realizing that she was in a car.


    "What"


    She was confused. Was it all a dream? She remembered sneezing at roses and eating at a cheap restaurant and then shopping at a mall with Hwang Minho


    "Was I dreaming?" she wondered out loud. Minho shook his head in dismay.


    "No!" he snapped. "It was real."


    "Oh yeah," Gayoon realized. "I paid for the food so it wasn''t a dream. Would have been a dream if you had paid for it."


    "Next time, we''ll just dine in at my mansion," Minho said, rolling his eyes. "It''ll be for free."


    "Next time?"


    There was going to be a next time? Something exploded in her head as millions of thoughts rushed inside her mind.


    What did he mean by next time? Was he serious about dating her? Wasn''t this simply a dinner for her efforts in helping Jina? What next time?


    Minho could read her confusion on her face since she was an open book. Even he was not sure why he used the phrase ''next time''. What were they to each other? She did not even know that they had a kid together.


    This connection between them was unconventional. He was not sure what made them cross paths again. Was it fate? Or was it all a mere coincidence?


    He was not a believer of fate; he stopped believing in all that nonsense years ago. But Jeon Gayoon was a mystery to him. Years ago, she had barged into his life, unannounced, and quietly left after her work was done. And now, once again, she sped in like a wrecking ball. What if she was going to leave again?


    For some reason, thetter thought was irritating him.


    Gayoon was waiting for an answer but Minho checked his watch and said, "It''ste, detective. You should go home."


    "But-"


    Minho leaned over to open the passenger side door for her. Gayoon hesitated a little before deciding it was best not to ask and let things fall into ce naturally. She got out of the car without a word.


    He watched her retreating back, his eyes fixated on her as she was leaving. Was she going to leave them again?


    For a brief moment, his mind shed back to the day Jina was born...


    .


    Minho had left Jina home with Kim. The nanny wanted to ask him many questions but he had no time for them. Instead, he breached the contract he signed with Jeon Gayoon and rushed to see her in the hospital.


    All these months, she had never met him nor did she know what he looked like. The girl asked no questions about the mysterious father of her baby and fulfilled her end of the bargain. She lived in the private vi set up for her without any questions. The girl did not ask for money nor was she demanding for any extra facilities. She behaved as if she was invisible to him. Her solemn demeanor only made Minho more curious about her.


    At first he thought she was detached from her baby but after reading the letter, he realized that she was bottling away the pain in her heart. She was not quiet at all; she was in a silent agony.


    He reached the maternity floor and scanned around for room number 204. Spotting it a few steps away, he ran towards it. The doctor had said that Gayoon was set to be discharged the next day and they kept her a little longer than necessary due to the difficultbor she had gone through.


    Minho took a deep breath and knocked on the door. There was no response.


    "Jeon Gayoon?" he called, knocking again. Silence.


    "Umm...Mr. Hwang?"


    He turned around to see a nurse, standing there.


    "Ms. Jeon is gone," the nurse informed him.


    "Gone?" he frowned. "But she was supposed to be under observation!"


    "She requested for an outpatient treatment," the nurse replied. "Her guardian came and took her away. She was transferred for treatment in another hospital."


    "Where?"


    "I can''t reveal that, sir," the nurse said sadly. "She requested that her whereabouts be kept confidential."


    Minho''s face was unreadable. He stepped inside the room to find it empty. There was not a trace of her left in it. She really was gone.


    .


    His mind returned to the present day. Gayoon was still in view, about to ascend the steps of her home.


    "Screw the rules," he muttered.


    As if in a trance, Minho got out of the car and called out, "Gayoon!"


    Gayoon stopped and turned, a quizzical look forming on her face. Slowly, Minho approached her. He loosened his tie, his hair ruffled slightly by the wind. As he strutted towards her, she could not help but hold her breath.


    There was something different about the way he was looking at her, captivating her with an intense gaze. She dared not to look away, seeing hime closer to her.


    As if knowing what was about to happen, Gayoon also subconsciously moved towards him. Hisrge hands cupped her face and before they knew it, their lips were connected into a light yet passionate kiss.


    She felt his soft lips meshing against hers, savoring her. He was gentle yet poured an inexplicable force into their liplock, making her toes curl. She no longer knew what was happening, only enjoying the sensation of their kiss. He was not using his tongue but even the simple pecks were exhrating.


    When their lips finally parted, they looked at each other. Gayoon''s cheeks were flushed rosy from his sudden outpour of passion.


    "Rule eight is still left," he winked.


    Huh? What? Rule 8? What?


    Her mind was too dazed to care. shing her a devilish smirk, the money lover walked away, leaving her with her tangled up thoughts.


    Rule 7: Sess beyond measure

 Chapter 53: Bunny Ears

    Chapter 53: Bunny Ears


    Back at the mansion, Jina was still awake. She was in her room with Casper who was silentlymunicating with her. Even though he could not speak, Jina somehow understood what he was trying to convey.


    "You were found dead in the construction site nearby?" she asked. "What else do you remember?"


    Casper thought about it and then made a gesture, widening his hands far apart.


    "You fell from the building and died?" she pressed. "Did someone push you off?"


    Casper nodded. "How did you lose your ability to speak?" she further asked.


    He pointed at his smashed head.


    "Ahh, you lost your ability to speak because of the shock," she realized. "Did you see who your killer was?"


    Casper shook his head sadly. Even though it was hard to tell, Jina knew he was feeling really upset. Despite his scary appearance, he was a gentle soul who would not hurt a fly. He was mostly a caring guardian angel who would chase bad spirits away from Jina. Since her other partner, Josephine was away, Casper was entrusted with the task to keep Jina safe.


    Jina took out her tab and began to list down all the things Casper had told her. She had realized that in order to be a good detective, she must solve cases. And Casper''s case seemed to be the perfect fit for her first foray as a detective.


    "Yosh!" sh eximed. "This is gonna be great! We are going to be a pair of great detectives, Casper!"


    She stood on her bed with her hands on her waist and chest heaved with pride. A serious look dawned on her face as she plotted to catch Casper''s killer.


    "We''ll start by visiting the crime scene!" she dered. Then a thought hit her head and her shoulders fell in disappointment.


    "It will be too crowded during the day," she realized. "And Driver Jang is a bbermouth. He''s gonna spill my whereabouts to my dad."


    Casper was also disappointed. His head hung low and he looked as if he was about to cry.


    "Don''t cry Casper!" Jina said, pacifying him. "We''ll find your killer!"


    She thought hard and then an idea hit her. "I know!" she piped up. "My dad is going to throw a party next week at the mansion! He''ll be busy with the other guests. We can sneak out during that time, visit the construction site for clues ande back before anyone realizes we''re missing!"


    Casper nodded his head in excitement.


    "But we can''t tell Josephine about this," Jina warned. "She might have followed my aunt to the States for a makeover, but if she finds out, she''ll be friggin'' mad! Let''s keep it a secret from her."


    Casper nodded and crossed his heart with his finger like a boy scout. Jina was giddy with energy, too fired up to sleep. It was her first case and she was going to solve it no matter what!


    Just then she heard a knock on her door.


    "Go!" Jina mouthed at Casper, who instantly disappeared. Minho entered the room to see his daughter was still awake.


    "You''re not asleep yet?" he asked sternly.


    "I wanted to know about your date!" she imed.


    "It was not a date," Minho insisted. "We only went for dinner, followed by a detour at the mall before I dropped her home."


    "Uh huh. A date. Now tell me the details!"


    "No," Minho frowned. "You need to go to bed! It''s a school night and you''ll bete for sses tomorrow if you don''t sleep."


    "Did you kiss her?" Jina asked, ignoring his orders. Minho flushed red at her question. Who taught her all these things?


    "Where did you learn about that?" he demanded.


    "Fairy tales!" she said. "And you''re all red in the face! You did kiss the Lady Cop! Did you manage to break her curse too?"


    "Curse?" Minho echoed. His daughter had a very wild imagination and she definitely did not inherit that from his side of the family.


    "The curse of that horrible spirit!" Jina revealed. "The one at the police station! Those two men look alike!"


    Spirit? What was she talking about?


    "Go to bed!" Minho ordered. "Your imagination is flying high again. No more talks about spirits and curses!"


    "But what if they really existed?" Jina insisted. "Spirits and curses?"


    Minho sighed at his daughter''s stubbornness. That was a quality she got from him. He sat on the bed and pulled her close to him.


    "Jina, there are worse things in the world than spirits and curses," he exined. "All this stuff about monsters and ghosts are nonsense. They''re imaginary and not real. These have been made up by human beings to keep each other from doing bad stuff."


    "What bad stuff?"


    "Like...naughty children who fall asleep are haunted by the boogeyman," he said, picking a random legend which came to his head.


    "I''ve met Boogey at a friend''s sleepover," Jina imed. "He''s actually quite nice. He just wants to make friends!"


    Her eyes brimmed as she recalled the encounter. Contrary to popr legends, the boogey ''man'' was actually a small boy with dark skin who hid under the bed because he was too shy toe out. He was lurking at her friend Suni''s birthday sleepover, sadly watching everyone y hide and seek. The ghost of the boy was longing to y with them but no one was able to see him except for Jina. When everyone had gone to sleep, she made friends with him and they met up whenever she went over to Suni''s house.


    "Jina, it''s not real," Minho said, shaking his head. "It''s all made up stories by people! Old maid''s tales!"


    He wanted her to understand that poring over imaginary friends was not going to do her any good. It was important for her to study well and grow up to be an independent person. He did not want her to suffer the same way his family had and was determined to keep her away from all misery in the future.


    Jina lowered her head. No matter how many times she tried to exin to him that these things were real, he just would dismiss it as a child''s fantasy. The only way she could convince her father was by solving Casper''s case.


    "Don''t be sad, Jina," Minho consoled her. "Someday, you''ll realize that these things are a lie."


    "Yes dad," she pouted.


    Minho ruffled her hair and said, "Now go to bed."


    Jina nodded andy on the pillow while Minho put the nket over her. As he was about to leave, Jina spoke up.


    "Dad, I want to be like Lady Cop," she mumbled. "A detective like her."


    Minho turned and smiled. "And I''ll be very proud if you do be like her," he winked. "Good night."


    Jina closed her eyes. Minho shut the door behind him and headed for his room. Taking off his jacket and shirt, he went for a shower, the event of the date still on his mind.


    Meanwhile, miles away, Gayoon was in her bedroom. She was staring at the beautiful ne Minho had stealthily put on her hand, blushing hard.


    Should I thank him for it? She wondered. He put it on her in a sudden manner and she felt she did not thank him enough.


    But what if he was asleep? Would he feel disturbed if she called him?


    "I can leave a text," she said out loud. Picking up her phone, she thought for a while about what to write. Finally she crafted a short message.


    .


    Minho came out of the bathroom, wearing a grey t-shirt and dark pants. Unlike his usual formal self, he looked more rxed in his casual wear. He was wiping his hair with the towel when his phone buzzed. He picked it up to see Gayoon''s text.


    "Thank you for tonight," she wrote. "I had a lot of fun! And I loved the gift. Goodnight and have sweet dreams!"


    A slow and mischievous smile formed on his lips as he read the message. For some reason, he wanted to tease her a little. A sly n formed in his mind which would definitely not let Gayoon sleep all night...


    .


    Gayoon was about to go to sleep when her phone vibrated. It was a private sh message on one of her social media apps. She clicked on it.


    Instantly, Minho''s face appeared on the screen with bunny ears filters.


    "Good night Lady Cop!" he said with a smile, winking his eye. Gayoon froze in shock at his overloaded cuteness. She stared at her phone for a few seconds unable to believe what she had just witnessed.


    "Bye!" he waved, closing the message. Before Gayoon could react, the sh message got deleted.


    "No!" she yelled in dismay. "I need to take a screenshot!"


    But no matter how much she tried, the message got deleted and there was no trace of it!


    "No"


    For the rest of the night, she tossed and turned around on bed, unable to get the bunny eared Minho out of her mind.

 Chapter 54: Ten million hundred thousand and two hundred dollars

    Chapter 54: Ten million hundred thousand and two hundred dors


    As the night darkened over the city, in the middle of the precinct, Kim Junwan was busy reading the old case files. For 26 years, he had been chagrin Hwang Junho but the man had seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. The pictures of the crime scene wereid in front of him but those were of no use.


    Moreover, the technology for DNA and fingerprints were in beta stages at the time. There was no evidence which pointed at Hwang Junho other than the testimony of Minho and the CCTV footage which caught Junho running away from the house. The sloppy job of the police was also a problem. The police had handled the case without any protocol which made it even harder to gather proper evidence.


    Junwan threw the file on his table, feeling frustrated. He asked one of his old colleagues to re-scan the photo and see if there was anything Junwan had missed all these years. It was a clear picture and yet, he could not help but wonder if something was missing.


    His phone rang up. It was his old colleague, Sung Jooyeon, an ex-hacker who used to work in their tech team.


    "Yes Jooyeon," Junwan said, picking up the phone. "Did you find anything?"


    "Nothing in particr," Jooyeon replied. "But I sent you the re-brushed photo through my e-mail. Maybe you can spot something I couldn''t."


    Junwan sighed. "Alright," he said, opening hisptop. "I''ll take a look at it."


    He hung up the phone and logged in to his mail. Jooyeon''s mail popped up and he clicked it.


    It was the same picture; Junho running away from the house as if chasing something. Junwan gritted his teeth. Even running it through advanced technology brought him no luck. He studied the photo warily and was about to close theptop when something caught his eye.


    "What''s that?" he muttered. He zoomed in the photo to take a closer look. While running away, Junho had passed by a window. It was not clear in the darkened picture but now that it was a little lighter and properly brushed, Junwan could see something else.


    There was a faint white light reflected on the window Junho had run past. The white light was very minuscule and it seemed like Junho could see it


    "The hell?" Junwan was truly confused. He had seen the picture so many times throughout his life that he had it memorized. Even if Jooyeon could not spot the difference, it was now jarringly visible to Junwan.


    "I have to visit the old mansion," he decided. After the murder took ce, Hwang Minho and his sister were sent to live with their legal guardian, Lawyer Lee, who took care of the siblings until the boy turned eighteen. That was when Hwang Minho took over the business and sent his sister to boarding school while the mansion was left alone, not sold nor used. It was abandoned and for years, no one had entered it. Even Junwan did not return after the investigation had closed.


    He sighed and looked outside the window, wondering what was going to unravel now.


    .


    Kanji was happily entering the premises of Hwang Constructions, whistling under his breath. Sincest night, he was really curious to know how Minho and the detective''s date returned out to be. If the money lover had followed his rules, then it should have gone smoothly.


    I should use these on my dear Mina someday, he thought happily as he walked through the corridor leading to Minho''s office.


    "Hello my bestie!" he greeted, barging into Minho''s office. Thetter looked up from the documents he was reading.


    "How was your date?" Kanji asked. "Did all my rules work?"


    Minho stared at him with a poker face for a while before a smile curved on his lips.


    "We went to dinner, I got her a gift and kissed her after dropping her home," Minho revealed with a mysterious smile.


    "Told ya!" Kanji imed. "These rules were formed by experts in women! They really know their stuff. They were scientifically tested."


    "Sure," Minho nodded. "Meanwhile, if you would sign this check."


    He threw a check book in front of Kanji, who stared at the amount.


    "T-t-t-t-ten million hundred thousand and two hundred dors?" he stammered. Minho, with a smile etched on his face, stood up. His hands were on both sides of the table and leaned to face Kanji like a vulture marking a dead carcass. Kanji gulped. The Vesudas'' smile was scarier than his temper.


    "I spent a hundred thousand on roses which she was allergic to," Minho stated. "Then, I had to cancel our dinner ns at the restaurant because she doesn''t like sad shows which they were about to perform. So we ended up in a cheap shack where they didn''t ept cards and she had to pay a hundred dors for the food. Later, she wanted to give me a nice gift so she took me to Ace Mall and I had to put up a ny five percent sh sale just so she could afford to buy me something. That ended up in a ten million dor loss for me."


    Kanji was now sweating. His days were now numbered


    "And the extra hundred dors?" he squeaked.


    "Gayoon paid me back for the roses thinking those cost hundred dors," Minho smiled. "So you better pay her back as well."


    "You could have just returned her money!"


    "I don''t wanna return the note."


    Kanji gaped at his logic. Little did he know, Minho kept the note tucked away in his closet along with the letter Gayoon had written to him years ago.


    "B-b-but!" Kanji protested but Minho gave him a threatening re.


    "Pay up otherwise I''ll send a list of all the girls you''ve been fooling around with to Mina," Minho warned. Kanji was sweating profusely. If Mina found out that he was harmlessly flirting with other girls, she would bury him alive.


    "Okay okay!" Kanji conceded. "I''ll pay! You still got to kiss her! I don''t get why I''m being victimized here."


    "Coz it''s fun," Minho shrugged. "Oh and I''m taking the Chinese contract as well so don''t you dare bid on it."


    "That''s not fair!" Kanji frowned. But Minho''s stern gaze made him cower and he agreed. Once the money lover was done taking every penny he could from Kanji, he was let go. Kanji''s shoulders slumped as he walked out of the office in a daze.


    "I''m gonna sue that magazine!" he swore.

 Chapter 55: Truly Siblings

    Chapter 55: Truly Siblings


    The airport was bustling with people. It was afternoon and a lot of flights had arrived, causing a rush of passengers to crowd the already busy airport. Lines of families and friends had gathered around to greet their loved ones. Soon, a ne from the USA alsonded, adding to the dilemma.


    The passengers were getting off the ne while air hostesses bowed and wished them luck.


    "Hope you had a lovely flight, sir," one of the air hostesses said as the passengers got off. Her smile was stered on her face even though she was damn tired from the twenty hour flight. ncing around, she saw that one passenger had not gotten off yet. She tentatively approached the passenger in question.


    "Excuse me, madam," she said. The woman looked up andzily scanned her. She was wearing a beige colored jacket with matching pants. Her heels were a darker shade of purple while her eyes adorned a pair of sunsses. She looked like she was in her mid twenties and well off.


    "The rest of the passengers had gotten off," the air hostesses said. "I would request you to exit the ne as well."


    The woman looked bored. "I''ve changed my mind," she shrugged. "I wanna go back."


    The air hostess blinked in surprise.


    "Madam, this is ourst stop," she stressed. "If you want to go elsewhere, please go to the immigration-"


    But the woman let out a loud yawn. "Fine," she shrugged. "Will there be a flight to Paris today?"


    "I don''t know madam," the air hostess replied, feeling a little irritated. "You will have to check the flight schedule."


    The woman groaned and slowly got up. She was quite tall and shapely, looking more like a runway model. Without another word, she got off the ne while the air hostess gaped at her.


    What a weirdo, she thought.


    The girl walked out of the terminal, showing her passport to the nearest immigration officer. Afterpleting all the formalities, she took out her phone to check for the next flight to Paris.


    "There is a flight to Paris," she noted. "Only one ticket left? I should book it right away."


    Before she could confirm her ticket, the phone rang up. It was an unknown number.


    "Hello?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "Who is-"


    "Hi hi!"


    The familiar yet annoying voice came from the other end of the phone. The girl groaned and asked, "What do you want, Kanji?"


    "Turn around."


    She turned around and to her dismay, Kanji stood there with arge flower bouquet and a box of choctes in his hands. He was smiling widely at her.


    "Mina!" he called out. But instead of acknowledging him, she spun back and kept on walking as she browsed for ne tickets to Paris.


    "I know you saw me!" he imed, running after her. But Mina continued to ignore him and to add to her irritation, thest ticket to Paris was sold out.


    "Guess I''m stuck here for a while," she sighed, putting her phone away. Even though she was ignoring the idiot behind her, she knew he would follow her around like a lost puppy so she decided to let him humor her. She stopped and turned. Kanji finally caught up to her.


    "Mina, I missed you!" Kanji said, trying to hug her but she held out a hand to stop him.


    "Yes," she said with a sweet smile. "You missed me and the ten other girls you were snapped with by the paparazzi."


    "Uh...those were just casual dates to dinner parties!" Kanji said at once. "I swear! I never slept with them! Besides, after we get married, I''ll never look at another girl!"


    "More like you were probably kicked out of their apartments because you''re annoying," she scoffed. "And who said I''ll marry you? I''d rather go to a convent."


    "You won''t get to go shopping if you go to a convent," Kanji pointed out.


    Mina thought about it for a while. "Good point," she nodded. "I''d still choose a convent over you! Now carry my luggage for me!"


    Kanji''s ears fell in disappointment. He was hoping his future wife would cut him some ck but got turned down for the thousandth time.


    Should I buy her a mall to make her marry me? He wondered. That might work.


    He followed Mina around like a puppy chasing its master. She led him to the luggage belt.


    "So, which ones are yours?" he asked.


    "All the pinkbeled ones," she replied with a mysterious smirk. Kanji frowned a little, wondering why she was smiling. But as soon as the first bag came rolling in, he understood why.


    She did not have just a few bags; she had brought enough things to equip and entire mansion.


    Kanji looked in dismay as hundreds of pinkbeled bags and boxes came out of the luggage belt. People around them were getting impatient as the onught of luggage from one woman.


    "Don''t just stand there!" Mina barked, snapping her fingers. "Hurry up, I need to go shopping!"


    She picked up a single pink bag from the luggage counter and stood there like a bossdy.


    Kanji was crying inside. First the elder brother robbed him off his money and now the younger sister was sapping out his energy. Both were truly siblings.


    Mina sat on a bench, patiently sipping a slurpee while texting her niece.


    "Jina, lunch is on me today! I''ll pick you up from your school~


    Love,


    Aunt Mina"


    She looked up to see that Kanji was already exhausted yet he kept on picking up the numerous boxes. After debating for a while, she added to the text.


    "I''ll bring my pet along~"


    Clicking sent, she leaned back and rxed. Even though her bodyguards were waiting for her outside and she could have called them, it was satisfying to see the second most powerful man in the country toil away for her sake.


    The other passengers were now getting very annoyed. The girl had brought in hundreds of boxes full of designer clothes, jewelry and shoes which was dying their own luggage. Some of them threw angry res at Mina but she sat there, not caring about them while her minion did the hard work. She looked into her pocket mirror, fixing her hair and makeup.


    Kanji was sweating profusely. Even though he was strong, his arms were starting to ache. By the time he was done unloading the whole lot, a hundred and fifty boxes, he slumped on the floor. It marveled him that Minho did not go bankrupt due to his sister''s excessive spending. How did this tiny girl manage to load so much stuff on the ne?


    "Good job," Minaplimented, lightly ruffling his hair. "I''ll tell my bodyguards to take them to the car."


    "You had your bodyguards on standby?" he gaped. "Why did you make me unload them then?"


    "Coz it was fun," Mina winked. "Now let''s go to Ace Mall! I need to shop and you''ll be my bag carrier!"


    "B-b-b-b-b-b-ut"


    "My elder brother cut off my credit cards so I''ll use yours," Mina said wickedly, shing him a sadistic smile. "Come on!"


    She happily strutted away, leaving him speechless.


    These siblings will be the end of me, Kanjimented inwardly.

 Chapter 56: Hwang Mina

    Chapter 56: Hwang Mina


    Kanji was holding on to his seat for dear life as Mina happily sped past several trucks, narrowly avoiding collusion. He was praying to all the gods he could while Mina screamed, "Woohoo!"


    He wanted to curse himself for letting her drive the Porsche. She had sent her luggage with Kanji''s men and instead, borrowed Kanji''s Porsche for a ride. It was not technically borrowed since she threatened to spend all the money on his credit card if he did not give in.


    Mina clearly enjoyed the terrified expression on Kanji as she hit the pedal. She was a very smooth driver but loved to speed during her drives to scare the people around her. And when it came to meeting her darling niece, no amount of traffic rules would be able to stop her.


    "Hold on!" she yelled as she gripped the gear and pushed it forward.


    "Slow down!" Kanji protested. She swerved by a bus. The poor bus driver almost panicked and braked to avoid hitting a small post. He yelled some profanities at them but she did not care and sped on to her heart''s content.


    "You''re gonna hit someone!" Kanji screamed.


    "I''m fast, not reckless," she said, steering left.


    Gods help me! Kanji prayed desperately. I wanna live and have grandkids!


    Mina turned right and finally stopped in front of Jina''s school. Kanji was panting heavily, thanking all the heavens for letting him live while Mina got out of the car, coolly waiting for her niece.


    "Stop being a wuss!" she snickered as Kanji wiped sweat off his face. "That wasn''t even my fastest speed."


    "You can drive faster than that!" he eximed.


    "Only when I''m with people I dislike," she said sweetly. Kanji gulped. If she drove at that insane speed with him then he pitied the fool who got on her bad side.


    They heard the school''s bell ring and soon, the children began to rush out. They spotted Jina in her uniform and pink bag, running towards them. A genuine smile etched on Mina''s face.


    "Jina!" she eximed happily.


    "Aunt!"


    Jina jumped into Mina''s outstretched arms, hugging her tightly.


    "I missed you Aunt Mina!" Jina said.


    "I missed you too!" Mina replied. And she truly did. Jina was more like a little sibling than her niece since the girl was very bright for her age. Even though Mina was not home much, she always made sure to bring Jina back lots of presents from whichever country she visited. The little girl was fascinated by the tales of her travels and always insisted on apanying her aunt someday.


    Jina turned to Kanji who was smiling at her with his arms stretched as well.


    "How''s my little buddy?" he squealed.


    "Dad told me not to mix with you anymore," Jina said bluntly. "He said your rules suck and you''re a hopelessly ipetent idiot when it came to any work."


    Kanji pouted while Minaughed at him for getting shot down by a little girl.


    "Useless as usual," she sighed. "Anyways, let''s go for lunch and then we''ll shop a lot."


    "Alright," Jina nodded. "But first, we have to stop by at the police station."


    Mina frowned. "The police station?" she asked. "But why?"


    "To pick up your dress," Jina said cheerfully.


    "My dress?" Mina asked, feeling aghast. "Who has my dress?"


    Kanji was also interested now. "Don''t tell me," he began. "The Lady Cop wore Mina''s dress to the date with Minho?"


    "WHAT?" Mina eximed. "Someone wore my dress and went on a date with my brother? Are you sure?"


    Now she was truly curious. Who was this mysterious Lady Cop who dared to wear her dress?


    "This is the worst homing!" she gritted, stomping her foot. "Not only did my brother cut off my credit cards, but some stranger wore my dress? Unbelievable!"


    She turned to face Jina who cowered a little at her aunt''s enraged expression. Even though she knew that her aunt would not be pleased about sharing her things with someone else, she still went ahead to let the Lady Cop borrow the dress.


    "She didn''t know you wouldn''t like it!" Jina said at once. "In fact, I was the one who made her wear your dress! It''s not her fault."


    But Mina was not listening. "No one wears my dress unless I approve of them!" she snapped. "Take me to this Lady Cop! I wanna see if she was worthy of my dress or not!"


    "Just out of curiosity, how does one be worthy to wear your dress?" Kanji asked.


    "Depends on my mood!" she scowled, getting behind the wheel of the car. "And I am not in a good mod now so she''s an automatic fail!"


    Kanji and Jina simply stared at her. Hwang Mina was highly materialistic and flourished in her open narcissism. She never hid her self-love nor her disdain for others. As the spoilt and pampered member of the Hwang family she loved to spend money, something which drove Minho up the wall.


    "Get in!" she barked.


    "Yes ma''am!" both of them squeaked and scrambled to take seats.


    "Buckle up!" she ordered.


    "Don''t go too fast," Kanji suggested meekly. "Jina is in the car too-"


    "Are you kidding me?" Jina scoffed. "Aunt, drive faster! Let''s cross 160 this time!"


    Eh?


    Kanji barely had time to think before Mina once again sped away like a madwoman.


    .


    After ten minutes, she pulled up in front of the police station. The policemen around their car were staring in astonishment at the sleek Porsche which was parked in front of the precinct.


    "Who could it be?" one of the cops asked his colleague.


    "Did some rich ass dude arrive to file aint?" the colleague wondered. They were all whispering, their minds full of curiosity. The door to the car opened and Mina came out


    All of the men stared in wonder as her long, dark locks swayed in the air. She flicked her strand, looking like a model from a shampoomercial while her skin shone brightly as if a fairy had descended on earth.


    "Look at that hottie!" one of the policemen hooted as she passed by.


    "She looks rich!"


    "Is she single?"


    Mina ignored all the flies hovering around her. She marched on with Jina and Kanji who were barely able to keep up with her.


    "Where is she?" Mina demanded.


    "Up ahead!" Jina pointed at Gayoon''s desk. She was busy reading some case files. Mina stormed towards her desk and mmed her hands on it.


    Gayoon was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the strange woman who was ring down at her.


    "Can I help you?" she frowned.


    "Where is my dress?" Mina demanded. Gayoon blinked in surprise before noticing Jina and Kanji cowering behind the woman. It finally dawned on her who the woman was.


    "Oh you''re Jina''s aunt!" she realized. "Yeah, I have your dress right here."


    Mina watched her, hawk eyed, as she took out the dress which was neatly wrapped in a stic cover with a hanger holding it firmly. Mina examined the dress, her eyebrows raised in suspicion as if she was scrutinizing the dress for any possible ws.


    "Did you wash this with hands?" Mina frowned.


    "It was written to hand wash it," Gayoon stated, unsure why the woman was asking her that. Kanji and Jina watched as Mina''s earlier anger seemed to dissipate. Mina nced at Gayoon, studying her from top to bottom.


    "That jacket"


    She stepped around Gayoon''s desk and observed her carefully. "Did you buy it from the flea market sale which takes ce every Tuesday?" Mina asked.


    "Y-yes," Gayoon stammered, unsure of what the point of that conversation was.


    Mina''s face was unreadable for a minute.


    "What is she doing?" Kanji hissed.


    "I have no idea but it does not look good for the Lady Cop!" Jina hissed back. Gayoon was still confused at what was going on. Mina simply stared at her for a few minutes before grabbing her arm.


    "Today is Tuesday and they''re having a sale!" she red up, feeling excited. "Let''s go before all the good stuff is sold out!"


    "Wait what?" Gayoon asked, feeling bewildered.


    "Anyone who takes proper care of a borrowed dress has all the plus points in my eyes!" Mina imed. "Now let''s go before everything is sold out!"


    "B-b-but!"


    Gayoon looked at Jina and Kanji for help but both of them gave her the ''Just-shut-up-and-go'' look. It was all they could do for their fallenrade.


    "Let''s go!" Mina chirped as she pulled Gayoon away. The other two stared at the unlikely duo as Mina dragged her unwilling victim.


    "You''re right," Kanji said. "It is worse."


    "Even the heavens cannot save Lady Cop now," Jina sighed. She turned to Kanji and added, "Let''s just go for ice cream!"


    "I thought I was banned from mixing with you," Kanji pouted.


    "Well, it never stopped you before," she pointed out.


    "Oh yeah," he nodded thoughtfully. "Let''s go!"


    They cheerfully went towards the nearest ice cream shop while Mina used poor Gayoon like a human carrier while shopping to her heart''s content.

 Chapter 57: The Mansion

    Chapter 57: The Mansion


    The mansion stood in front of Junwan, looking as majestic and mysterious as it used to twenty six years ago. It was abandoned and gave off an eerie vibe as though it contained many secrets. Even though no one lived there anymore, the mansion always intimidated him.


    It was quite old and in a decrepit state. Years of neglect had turned it into a gloomy shadow of its formerly glorious self. The darkness it eluded was overwhelming him to the point of suffocation. Looking at it, Junwan could not help but wonder if he made a mistakeing back here. Hwang Minho would not approve of him snooping around in this old property even if the man had abandoned it.


    "Here goes nothing," he muttered. Quietly, he tiptoed towards the window Junho had passed while running away. The ss was broken, probably by naughty children who frequented the area and the window pane was falling off. Junwan held up the picture topare it.


    The white light had popped up here. But Junwan knew that the white light was not a reflection due to the light.


    It was a face.


    Even though the face was not clear on the old photo, Junwan could make out the eyes and nose. The silhouette which fell on the window pale to the point that it looked like light. But he was sure that the eyes were slightly yellow in shade.Was it possible that Hwang Junho was telling the truth?


    Then why did the face not turn up on the picture? If Junho was chasing someone, then why did the picture show only him but not the mysterious assant? Furthermore, why did Junho run away instead of trying to clear his name?


    Junwan broke off the remaining ss and climbed into the house. Turning on a sh light, he slowly walked towards the crime scene. He tried not to think of the disturbing silence within the house. There were no scurrying of mice nor any the cries of insects. It was a deafening silence all around him, amplifying the fear in his mind. He could feel his heart pounding loudly against his ribs as he inched closer to the Hwangs'' bedroom. He pushed the door open and entered.


    The furniture were dusty and untouched. Layers of cobwebs surrounded him. Waving away the webs, he stooped down to inspect the spot where Suna was killed. The old police lines were still there and he removed theyers of dust to see that the stains of blood were also there. No doubt the police of that time did not bother to vacate the crime scene properly.


    The initial reports of Mrs. Hwang were clear: death by stabbing. And Minho saw his father holding the knife. There was no one else in the room and it was impossible for anyone other than Junho to be the murderer.


    But the motive was unclear. Hwang Junho and Kim Suna were a loving couple. They would never argue and Hwang Junho was fiercely protective of his family. Everyone around them spoke nothing but fondly of the couple. Moreover, none of them were cheating on each other nor did they have any financial woes. Hwang Junho literally had no motive to kill his wife. Then why did he do it?


    CRACK!


    Suddenly he heard the breaking of ss. Startled by the noise, he took out his gun and pointed up.


    "Who''s there?" he demanded. Silence.


    Quietly making his way towards the living room, he scanned around the house but there was no one. He was sure he heard something break. Pointing the gun ahead, he looked around for intruders. He stood before a wall mirror, his reflection holding a gun in its hand.


    "I guess it was a cat," he sighed, putting the gun back in his pocket. He nced at the mirror and noticed that there were some webs on his hair.


    "Ugh!" he groaned, dusting the webs off his hair. "So annoying!"


    He walked away, distracted by the webs stuck to his hair and clothes. Unbeknownst to him, his reflection still stood in the mirror, watching him go. Its lips slowly curved into a wicked smile, while its eyes were glowing like yellow lights.


    "This is interesting," it said with an evil grin.


    .


    Gayoon had stopped by the hospital to check up on Taejoon. Thetter''s fever was gone but the doctors still kept him back and insisted that he could not leave until he recovered.


    "How are ya feeling now?" Gayoon asked, putting down a lunch box on the table. She took a seat next to his bed.


    "I''m fine!" he groaned. "But the bloody hospital won''t let me leave!"


    "You''re ill, Taejoon," she said sternly. "You''re not supposed to leave so early!"


    "I don''t even know how I got this ill," he frowned. "All I remember is the little girl entering the interrogation room and barged in to pull her out. After that, it''s all nk."


    Gayoon inwardly let out a sigh of relief. She did not want to think what would have happened if the spirit had entered Jina instead. Extracting spirits from adults was hard but exorcising children was even harder. Their bodies could not withstand the pain and may even kill them.


    "You came with me to Lee Shawn''s mansion," Gayoon stated. "And after we found the body of the real Lee Shawn in his mansion, we were returning to the precinct. On the way, you suddenly became ill and I brought you to the hospital."


    "Howe I don''t recall anything?" he frowned.


    "You were ill," Gayoon lied. "I think you can''t remember anything because your fever was too high. It happens a lot when one is sick."


    When Taejoon was still trying to force his brain to remember the events, she quickly changed the subject.


    "What matters is that you''re alright!" sheughed. "After all, I missed my partner!"


    "Of course you did!" he imed haughtily. "After all, which other man would tolerate you except for me?"


    Gayoon rolled her eyes and poured him a cup of tea from a sk. "Drink up," she ordered. "My grandmother sent this for you."


    Taejoon epted it and drank it all in one gulp. Gayoon unpacked the lunch and put it on a tray in front of him.


    "Eat it all up," she said. "You need to get better."


    "Yes mom!" he mocked. Gayoon lightly punched him on the arm. Taejoon stuck out his tongue at her before starting to gulp down his lunch. She was watching him like a strict teacher, making sure that he ate every bit of it when her phone rang up.


    She took it out to see Hwang Minho. Taejoon noticed that she was slightly blushing and frowned.


    "Hi!" she greeted Minho over the phone.


    "Where are you?" he asked.


    "I''m at the hospital," she replied. Minho raised an eyebrow. Hospital?


    "I''m visiting my partner, Taejoon," she went on. "He is really ill so I cooked him some food and brought it for him."


    There was a silence from the other end. "Alright," Minho finally said. "I''ll talk to youter."


    Before Gayoon could say goodbye, he hung up. What a weird guy, she thought.


    "Who was that?" Taejoon asked.


    "It was Hwang Minho," she sighed. "The guy who was with me at Shawn''s party."


    "What does he want?" Taejoon demanded. "The case is over! His help is no longer required."


    "It was for personal work," she told him.


    "What personal work?"


    Before Gayoon could reply, the doctor came in to administer Taejoon his medicine. The doctor shooed Gayoon away, leaving the conversation unfinished.


    .


    The ck limo was standing in front of the police station, garnering immense interest. A lot of rich people were suddenly visiting the precinct, causing quite a stir.


    "Sir, shall we wait?" Jongin asked, feeling hesitant. "Or do you want to go elsewhere for lunch?"


    He was sitting at the driver''s seat while Minho sat at the back of the limo. The CEO''s face was unreadable but Jongin felt the atmosphere getting more tense.


    "No," Minho said shortly. His voice was icy and somewhat cold. "Let''s go back to the office."


    Jongin obliged and revved the engine. The CEO was clearly angry about something but his calm demeanor was even more dangerous than his usual explosions.


    God help the person he''s angry at, Jongin prayed. The rest of the ride continued with Minho maintaining a stony silence.

 Chapter 58: CCK (1)

    Chapter 58: CCK (1)


    For the rest of the day, there was something eerie about Minho''s silence. He worked as if nothing was the matter. Everyone around him was wary, anticipating him to shout at them or give extra work to make the employees work overtime.


    But to their surprise, he was fully focused on his own work without paying heed to anything else. In fact, he was a little too much into his work. He did not delegate the tasks as he usually did and instead, took up some of the jobs which were not even his. It felt as if he was taking on more work on purpose to distract himself.


    Lia approached Jongin in the office''s pantry to discuss her concerns.


    "Don''t you think the CEO is being weird?" she asked. "He did not even scold me today for miscalcting a zero! Instead, he just shrugged and took my work away to do it himself."


    "Now that you mention it," Jongin began. "He''s been awfully quiet since this afternoon. He suddenly called me up to drive him to the police station. On the way, he even picked up beef stew and rice porridge for two! It seemed like he was going to meet someone there but when he called that person, thetter probably bailed!"


    "Do you think it''s a...woman?" Lia gasped. "Is the Vesudas dating someone?"


    "I doubt!" Jongin scoffed. "Which woman would be able to date him? He''s short tempered and thinks only of money!"


    "Our CEO is quite a catch," Liamented. "Which woman would not want to be Mrs. Hwang? Besides, if he bought lunch for another person, then it must be serious! Our CEO never pays for someone else."


    That did make Jongin think a bit. The CEO was not the type of person who would buy for others. He even had his own sisters'' credit cards cancelled because he refused to pay for her expenses.


    "That does make sense," he realized. "He did make me put up a sh sale in the middle of the night a few days back! I wonder why"


    "Whatever the case is," Lia went on. "We need to appease the CEO. He''s acting weird and if he keeps on behaving like this, I''m sure all the employees will bear the brunt!"


    "Let''s just leave him alone for a while," Jongin advised. "Let''s not poke the sleeping dragon in the eye!"


    Lia bit her lip. Would it be wise to leave the CEO in his state? But Jongin was right. Their interference might make his mood even worse.


    Meanwhile, Minho was in his room, reading the numbers. His hands were automatically making the corrections but his mind was not on the work in hand. It was still stuck on what Gayoon had said.


    "I''m visiting my partner, Taejoon," her voice echoed in his ears. "He is really ill so I cooked him some food and brought it for him."


    She cooked for him. His mind kept on repeating this. No wonder how much he tried to block out those words, they kept oning back to him. He could not help but feel annoyed that she cooked for her partner, who was a male, but not for him.


    "What is this burning feeling?" he wondered out loud in irritation. "Am I getting a heart burn?"


    For some reason, his heart was erratic while the image of Gayoon and her handsome partner was stuck in his head. The thought of them standing together andughing, having a good time was making him nauseous.


    I look better than him, he scowled inwardly. And definitely richer. Certainly richer!


    "This is definitely a heart burn," he decided. "I need to be taken care of."


    Jongin was at his desk, talking to his new girlfriend, Miho.


    "Honey, let''s go out on a date this weekend," he said in a flirtatious tone. "Just you and me."


    "But oppa, you''re always so busy!" Miho whined. "When will we go on a proper date?"


    "Soon," Jongin promised. "I-"


    Suddenly his inte buzzed and Minho''s angry voice came from the other end.


    "Jongin!" Minho yelled.


    "Yes sir!" Jongin squeaked, hanging up his cellphone on Miho''s face.


    "Jongin, call in thepany doctor and tell him to issue me a medical report for heartburn!" Minho barked.


    "Eh?" Jongin gaped. "A fake report?"


    "Now!"


    "Y-y-es boss!"


    Jongin quickly called thepany''s in-house doctor andmunicated Minho''s orders. The doctor was surprised but obliged. Within ten minutes, Jongin appeared in the CEO''s office with the report.


    "Sir, are you alright?" Jongin asked nervously.


    "I''m fine but my heart is burning," Minho stated in a formal tone as ifmenting on the weather.


    Jongin merely gaped at the guy. Has he lost his marbles? He wondered.


    As soon as the reports were on his table, Minho dialed Gayoon''s number, intending to have her cook lunch for him. To his surprise, she was not picking up the phone. He tried again but she was still not picking up.


    "What the hell?" he muttered. Before he could call her again, a text arrived from her.


    "At an important crime sight," she wrote. "Handling the media right now. TTYL"


    Media?


    "Turn on the television!" Minho ordered Jongin. Thetter obliged and switched on therge t screen TV inside Minho''s office. Instantly, a news reporter''s face popped up.


    "Police have found the body parts right below the hills," the reporters stated. "The girl''s body was stripped naked and cut up into small parts before the killer scattered it all around the hill. So far, the police managed to find parts of her hand and feet while the rest of her body parts are still missing. A sharp medical equipment was used to disembowel the body, which means it was the work of a medical professional. Furthermore, the modus operandi matches the Clean Cut Killer from twenty years ago"


    The scene shed to the hills where the police were swarming around to find the body parts. Arge crowd had gathered around the area, watching curiously at the police scounged for missing body parts. Some people were trespassing the crime scene borders.


    "Please move back!" Gayoon''s exhausted face shed on the TV as she tried to push the crowd back. "Please don''t contaminate the crime scene!"


    She was in her full uniform, inspecting the scene. Reporters had gathered there too, hounding her for answers.


    "Detective, have you identified the body?"


    "Is it the Clean Cut Killer again?"


    "Will you guys find the killer this time?"


    "Where are the rest of the body parts?"


    "GET OUT!" Gayoon thundered. The reporters were taken aback by her brashness but she was done being nice and shooed them away. They cursed at her but she did not care. The deceased girl was more important to her.


    "Detective Jeon!" one of the officers from the site cried. "I found something!"


    Gayoon turned around. The cameras surrounding her shed brightly as the officer took something out of the ground and held it high to show if to everyone.


    It was the girl''s decapitated head.

 Chapter 59: CCK (2)

    Chapter 59: CCK (2)


    Junwan had summoned Gayoon into his office. She entered in her full uniform and saluted him.


    "Detective Jeon Gayoon reporting to you sir!" she dered. Junwan leaned back, his forehead sweating with worry as he read the case details in front of him. The entire country was in a frenzy at the news of the Clean Cut Killer possiblying back to wreak havoc again.


    "Gayoon," he began. "You are my best detective which is why I''m putting immense faith in you regarding this case."


    He wiped the sweat off his forehead. Gayoon stood there still, observing her boss. They had handled many cases together but for the first time she was seeing him visibly scared. While she was too young to remember the fright the Clean Cut Killer had invoked in the hearts of people, she had studied this serial killer briefly while she was at the police academy. He was dubbed by the media as the country''s own ''Jack the Ripper'' because he was never caught.


    "What do I have to do sir?" she asked.


    "You will be in charge of the case," Junwan stated. "A whole team will be put under your care who will take orders from you. I will hand over all the rted documents and all of you must study it. It''s important that we catch this killer this time."


    "Sir, if I may ask," she began. "Could you tell me more about this murderer so that I can brief my teammates?"


    Junwan thought for a while before starting to narrate.


    "Twenty years ago," he began. "There were reports of several missing women. At first, none of us made the connection. You see, the women were of different ages ranging from fifteen to sixty five. The way they went missing was a little simr though. They went out for work and never returned home. Worried family members lodgedints but nothing came out of it. They went missing from different parts in the city so wach case was handled by different police stations. In those days, the technology was still very new so we barely had muchmunication between ourselves."


    "Then came a breakthrough. We found the body parts of one of the girls in a cornfield. Her limbs were cut to pieces and her head was thrown a few feet away from her other body parts. We recovered everything except for the heart which was missing. It was cut out of the body."


    "After a few days, more bodies were recovered from different parts of the city. Soon we found ten bodies and thanks to the news, the police pieced the puzzles. It was the work of a serial killer."


    "Was it a medical professional who did it, sir?" Gayoon inquired.


    "We suspected that for a while," Junwan said. "The cuts were clean as if a scalpel was used. The tissues were cut very finely with precision. The women were probably alive when the killer cut them open and took out their heart. They died on his table. This is why we called him the Clean Cut Killer. CCK for short."


    Gayoon''s stomach turned at the description. Those poor women who had no idea why they were kidnapped must have been terrified at the stranger who cut out their hearts. It was a scary and painful way to die.


    "Were those hearts sold in the ck market?" she asked. "Maybe organ harvesters stole them for rich clients?"


    Junwan shook his head. "We don''t know what he did with them," he replied. "We raided the organ traders''irs but found nothing. Finally, we had to face the fact that this man was not selling the hearts either. What he did with them is still a mystery."


    But Gayoon could read the hidden meaning behind his message. It was the ssic trope of serial killers. They always collected a trophy from their victims, a prized jewel which is the secret binding them with their victims. Forever.


    "I will prepare the MO," Gayoon stated. "This killer won''t get away this time."


    Junwan nodded as Gayoon saluted him once more picking up the file and leaving the room. He stared after her for quite a while, wondering what the oue of the case would be. His mind recalled the terror CCK had inflicted upon the masses. People were scared of letting their women out of the house. Girls were flocking around in groups and no one was allowed to go out after hours.


    Yet, the CCK managed to get his hands on fresh victims almost every month. None of his victims survived his torture and the police had little clues. They had questioned every healthcare professional and arrested suspects but none of them were the CCK.


    But his disappearance was as sudden as his appearance. No one knew why he stopped but one day, he did. Thest victim, Cho Sooa, was found in a parking lot with her body parts scattered all over it. She was hisst victim and after that there were no more murders. CCK stopped killing and soon, everyone returned to their normal lives.


    Until now.


    "This is going to be a mess," he muttered.


    .


    Minho was in his bedroom, scrolling through his tab as he read on the CCK. He was following the case with keen interest. The old articles were now resurfacing about the case where the pictures of CCK''s victims were being portrayed.


    He knew about this case very well. A little too well. He was in his mid teens when the infamous serial killer had rocked the country with his murder spree. But his interest in the case was on a personal level.


    His phone rang up. It was Kanji.


    "Have you seen the news?" Kanji asked as soon as he picked up. There was a strained urgency in his voice as he tried to control his emotions. The usually cheerful Kanji was scared and tense while his heart was in a panic. The past which he had locked away suddenly exploded right in front of him and he was scared.


    "Calm down," Minho scolded him. "This might not even be CCK! This guy might be a copycat-"


    "This is CCK!" Kanji said withplete certainty. "I''m not wrong. I''m never wrong about him. I know it. Minho! It is him. And he''s going toe for me."


    Kanji was pacing back and forth in his mansion, trying to calm himself down. The secret which he had locked away was going to harm him and the people around him. This was going to be nasty.


    "He was only injured that night," Kanji ranted. "He ran away but hid in the shadows, waiting to strike back!"


    "Calm down!" Minho said sharply. "Why would he suddenly appear after all these years? Why didn''t he just kill us then? Nah. This isn''t him but a copycat. Calm down Kanji! He''s not going to harm us again!"


    But Kanji was not convinced. Instead, he strode towards his desk and pulled the drawer open. Inside it was a gun.


    He took it out and examined it.


    "Minho," he said. "This time, I''m not the weak little teenager. If he dares toe near her again, I will kill him. I''ll not spare him"


    Minho sighed but did not say anything. He nced at the clock. It was nearly 1 AM and he knew that Gayoon was probably still at the police station, working on this case. This case was going to throw all of them into aplicated web.


    Question was not how they would get out of it. But rather if they would get out of it alive.

 Chapter 60: CCK (3)

    Chapter 60: CCK (3)


    Thest bus to downtown had just left. A group of girls in high school uniform got off it, chattering away as they headed for their homes.


    "Yumi, look at this!" One of the girls, Sena, pointed at her camera. "It''s our Suho oppa! He looks so handsome even in the military uniform!"


    "I think Sehun is hotter," Yumi scoffed. "Just look at him! He''s so innocent and yet, manly."


    "Baekhyun is the cutest!" a girl called Soji chimed in. "His voice is so angelic."


    "Kyungsoo is a much better singer!" her friend, Namjoo, spoked up.


    "Have you guys forgotten Chanyeol?" Sena said, rolling her eyes. They were all gib fans of the group EXO and were eagerly anticipating thepletion of their idols'' mandatory military service. It was a pain to see their idols go to the military and wait for two years for their return!


    "I hear Chanyeol is holding a fan signing event!" Yumi imed. "At the XYZ tower. Tomorrow at three o''clock in the afternoon."


    "We should all go!" Sena eximed. "We won''t get another chance to see him!"


    "But we have a literature quiz tomorrow," Namjoo groaned.


    "Yeah," Soji sighed. "My parents will kill me if I bunk school again! My grades fell anyway."


    "Ohe one girls!" Yumi insisted. "It''s Chanyeol! We won''t get another chance to see him. We can always pick up our grades but oppa''s fan signing events are rare."


    "Chanyeol is cute," Namjoo agreed. "But how will we get away?"


    "We''ll slip through the gates during break time," Yumi replied. "I''ll distract the guard and send him away. We can get away then!"


    "How will you distract him?" Soji frowned.


    "I have my ways," Yumi winked. They were chatting so much that they did not realize that they had reached the intersection. Yumi''s house was south while the others would head east.


    "Alright," Yumi said. "It''s time to say goodbye! I''ll see you guys tomorrow."


    "Be safe!" Soji said. "We''ll talk tonight on the phone."


    "Bye!" Sena and Namjoo waved at Yumi. Thetter waved back and began to walk up the road towards her house. Her house was far from the intersection but she regrly used the long road. There was another route through the alley but she only used it during the day. At nighttime, the alley was dark and creepy.


    It was nearly eleven o''clock. The road was fairly empty during that time of the night but she could not help it. All day school followed by private tuition was amon thing in the timetable of all students in the country. Yumi often wished she was one of those students who had a photogenic memory but to her dismay, she could only remember the names of the idol group members. Everything else was alien to her.


    Her shoes made scraping noises as she walked on. It was a chilly night and she was shivering. Clutching her sweater tighter around her, she kept on walking.


    Suddenly she stopped in her steps. A strange and eerie feeling crept up in her heart. She could not exin why but it felt as if she was being watched. Yumi turned around to see if someone was following her but there was no one there.


    Yet, the nervous feeling in her heart would not go away. She clenched her fingers around the bag on her shoulder and walked ahead, alert of her surroundings.


    I think I should hum a tune to calm myself, she thought.


    "Shimi shimi ko ko bop," she sang under her breath. She continued to hum the tune when suddenly a different tune was ying from behind her. Someone was whistling behind her!


    Her senses were alert. Slowly taking out a mirror from her pocket, she held it up, pretending to check her face but in reality she wanted to see if someone was following her. To her shock, there was no one behind her.


    Yet, the whistling continued. She was being followed by an unseen person who was probably lurking somewhere around her. The girl was now terrified. Sweat beaded down her forehead and her heart was beating so rapidly that she was afraid it would explode.


    Yumi gulped and took a step forward, walking away quickly. She picked up her pace until she was almost running. Her house was only a few meters away but the whistling was getting nearer. The tune was so near that it felt as if the unknown person was whistling in her ears.


    Help me! She begged inwardly as she ran towards her house. All she had to do was cross the road


    Suddenly, a pair of lights shed at her. Blinded by the sudden brightness, she squinted her eyes to see that right in front of her house was a car. It was a sedan and there was someone in the driver''s seat.


    Yumi barely had the time to yell when the car suddenly screeched towards her, knocking the girl over on the road. She felt the heavy vehicle hit her and she tumbled on the ground, her head cracking against the hard concrete.


    Blood gushed out of her head, coloring the grey road crimson. The girl was barely conscious, trying to raise her head to cry for help. But the words would note out as she was cking out. The lights on the car turned off and the door opened.


    Slowly, a dark figure came out of it. She heard the footstepsing closer to her, each step heavier than thest. The man stooped down to examine the injured girl, holding her cheeks with one hand.


    "What a pretty face," hemented. "You would have grown up to be a beauty."


    "P...pl...ease" she managed to moan. The girl never felt so frightened in her life. The sight of the strange man scared her. He was going to do something to her and she would not be able to see her loved ones ever again.


    "You want me to let you go?" the man guessed. "I can''t do that."


    He picked up the injured girl and looked around before shoving her into the backseat of the car. Yumi was too weak to scream for help. She was losing blood very quickly and was barely conscious.


    "It''ll all be over soon," the man promised. "But it''ll be very very painful."


    He shed her a grin, showing off his white teeth. Thest thing Yumi saw was that sinister smile stered on his face.


    .


    *Five dayster*


    The whole area was swarming with police and media. They were in the middle of a construction site where another body was cut up into pieces and dumped. The body parts were scattered all over the site and the cops were searching for the head.


    Gayoon just stepped off the police car and marched straight towards the crime scene. The reporters tried to swarm around her but the other policemen shooed them away from the scene to prevent contamination.


    "What do we have here?" Gayoon asked one Jaein who was already examining the body parts."


    "Definitely female," Jaein stated. "From the skin texture, I''m guessing she was in her mid tote teens. Can''t be fully sure since it has been over a day since her death. But it seems like that. And it''s the same MO as the CCK."


    Gayoon let out a curse. The body parts wereid in front of them. It was strange to think that a few days ago, the girl was alive and living a life of her own. She was probably hanging out with her friends or maybe fussing over boys and schoolwork. Little did the poor girl know that her dreams would be cut short by a maniac.


    "Did anyone see the killer here?" Gayoon asked one of the on-site officers.


    "We''re looking into the CCTV footage but the camera was disabledst night," the officer replied.


    "Damn it!" Gayoon cursed angrily. "Who the hell owns this site? Bring him in."


    "I own it."


    A familiar voice caused her to spin around. Standing behind her was Hwang Minho, donning his usual poker face.

 Chapter 61: CCK (4)

    Chapter 61: CCK (4)


    Gayoon almost yelped in shock but managed to maintain her cool. Minho walked towards her, looking aloof and indifferent.


    "Y-y-you own this ce?" she stammered. Truthfully, she was a little intimidated by his sudden presence. For the past few days, she had been so engrossed with the serial killing case that she could not talk to him properly. Minho had also maintained a stony silence after talking to her over the phone when she went to deliver Taejoon''s lunch.


    "I do," he confirmed. Meanwhile, Jaein was looking from Minho to Gayoon with great interest. It was invisible to the naked eye but for some reason, Gayoon looked flustered while Minho was also staring at her like a stern teacher.


    "Is there any CCTV camera in this ce?" Gayoon asked,posing herself. "We need to check the area and also question the workers. Moreover, you need to record your statement at the precinct."


    "Fine," he said. "Let''s go. Shall we take your car or mine?"


    Now Jaein was even more interested. "Do you two know each other?" she spoke up.


    Minho was about to reply but Gayoon cut across his words and said, "We''re acquaintances."


    Acquaintances? He noted. Gayoon did not notice the daggers he was throwing at her through his eyes. Instead, he abruptly turned around and said, "I''ll go to the precinct by myself."


    Gayoon frowned at him as he walked away, not waiting for her. She was at a loss by his sudden changes in attitude. His constant mood swings were starting to irritate her.


    "Let''s wrap up here first," she said loudly so that Minho could also hear. "Because unlike some people, us police officers have a lot of work to do!"


    Minho heard her but chose to ignore the jibe and instead got into his car. Jongin, who was at the driver''s seat, yelped when Minho mmed the car''s door harder than usual.


    The CEO is mad again! He cried inside. Sure enough, Minho was fuming in the backseat, muttering to himself.


    "Cooking for that pretty boy," he scowled under his breath. "Did not even call."


    Eh? Jongin thought. Don''t tell me that


    But he dared not to even think of it. The CEO and dating would never go in one sentence. He feared that the CEO might read his thoughts as well.


    "To the police station!" Minho snapped. Jongin meekly nodded and revved up the engine. He did not dare to speak a word throughout the journey but kept on ncing on the rear view mirror to check Minho''s expressions.


    He was still fuming over something. His face was red and he was furiously scrolling through his phone, making quick negotiations as he tried to distract his mind. But Gayoon''s words were stuck in his head.


    She called them ''acquaintances''. After their date and two kisses, was he merely an ''acquaintance'' to her?


    "Sir we''re here," Jongin announced after a while. Minho, who was deeply engrossed in his thoughts, looked up. He nodded and got out of the car, heading towards the police station. He straight marched towards Gayoon''s desk, intending to wait for her but to his irritation, Taejoon was sitting right next to her desk!


    Taejoon had been discharged from the hospital and started to work already. He had just gotten off the phone with Gayoon when he noticed Minho''s tall stature approaching Gayoon''s desk. She had instructed him to get Hwang Minho''s statement since it would take her quite a while to investigate the crime scene.


    Minho sat down and was intending to wait for Gayoon when Taejoon came up to him. He raised an eyebrow when the detective sat next to his chair.


    "Mr. Hwang," Taejoon greeted. "I will take your statement. Now, please tell me at what time did the workers get off of workst night?"


    "I was under the assumption that Jeon Gayoon will be taking my statement," Minho said coolly. "I will only let her record my statement."


    Taejoon was taken aback by the man''s rudeness. "My partner is not here," he stated. "So you''ll have to deal with me."


    "I''ll wait for Gayoon then," Minho smirked. Taejoon raised an eyebrow. Minho was addressing Gayoon quite informally as if trying to imply that they were close.


    "Are you close with Detective Jeon?" Taejoon asked curiously. As far he knew, Gayoon barely had the time or will to socialize much with people. Other than a few selective friends, she rarely went out since work always came first for her. Taejoon had tried to ask her out so many times but was unsessful in doing so. Gayoon never understood his hints and always thought he was joking around.


    So, how did she end up knowing the richest man in the country?


    "Yes," Minho replied but not borating any further. "Why are you so interested though?"


    "She just never mentioned you to me," Taejoon shrugged.


    "Maybe you two just aren''t close," Minho shot back.


    "We''ve been working together for years," Taejoon calmly argued. "I know all her acquaintances and friends."


    An underlying tension was brewing between the two men as they gauged each other carefully. They were well aware that the other one was trying to get closer to Gayoon and that they were unofficial rivals for her affection.


    "I guess, you don''t know her well enough," Minho said triumphantly.


    Taejoon was about to argue back but just then the crime scene team burst into the precinct. There were numerous reporters trying to stalk them but Gayoon had enough. The reporters hadpletely contanimanted the crime scene, destroying many evidences in the process. She was enraged and her expression said that she was about to explode any moment.


    "Get those reporters out of here!" she barked at the rookie officers. They immediately jumped to drive the reporters away.


    Jaein had managed to salvage the cooling box carrying the body parts of the victim with great difficulty since the reporters were pushing and pulling at them. She was also worried about Gayoon''s outburst. And after what they had found at the crime scene, the case was going to be moreplicated.


    Gayoon did not say another word but marched towards Minho. Both the men stood up, surprised by her anger as she looked at Minho right in the eye.


    "How do you know the CCK?" she demanded bluntly.


    Minho maintained his poker face but was inwardly alert. How did Gayoon find out about this?


    "What do you mean?" he asked in an attempt to bluff her.


    She held up a piece of paper. It looked like a letter.


    "This was written by the CCK," she revealed. "Address to Hwang Minho."

 Chapter 62: CCK (5)

    Chapter 62: CCK (5)


    The entire precinct froze as they witnessed Gayoon ring at Minho. Taejoon was looking at them in shock while Jaein also sensed the tension. Minho''s face was unreadable as he took the letter from Gayoon''s hand.


    "Long time no see," he read out loud. "Hwang Minho."


    He kept his calm as Gayoon threw him questioning gaze. What was he hiding?


    "Do you know the CCK?" she demanded. "Hwang Minho?"


    "No," he replied. "I do not know the CCK."


    Even though he kept his poker face, Gayoon was not buying it. Hwang Minho was hiding something and she was determined to find out.


    "Is there anything else you wanted to ask?" he questioned her.


    "Where were you these past five days?" she asked. "We want all the details."


    "You can check the footage from the CCTV of my office and home," he said coolly. "The day before yesterday, I was attending an auction at Gilmore Hotel to obtain a highly valuable piece of art. I was there until ten o''clock in the night and then went back home. You can check with my household staff and my employees. They''ll tell you."


    He was giving her all the records because in his mind, he had nothing to hide. Gayoon frowned at him.


    "So you''re saying this letter means nothing," she stated.


    "No," Minho lied smoothly. "It means nothing."


    The other officers were staring at them in shock. One of the officers, Officer Jang, came up to Jaein.


    "Doctor, what''s going on?" Jang whispered. "Why is there a strange tension between them? Are they exes or something?"


    "Or soon to be," Jaein muttered.


    "What?"


    "Nothing!" Jaein assured him. "Gayoon is just trying to get information out of him. But it''ll be tough. He''s the most influential man in the country and challenging him is like courting trouble for yourself"


    She was suddenly worried for Gayoon. If Hwang Minho was offended by her usations then she would find it difficult to live in this country. He may not exert his influence much but whenever he did, no one was safe.


    "We will call you in again for questioning," Gayoon said.


    "Email your questions to me," he shot back. "I''ll reply if I get the time."


    Both of them red at each other. For Gayoon, personal feelings should nevere in the way of her professional work. In her eyes, a girl was murdered and she must get to the bottom of this. If Hwang Minho was hiding anything


    "I''ll get going," he announced, brushing past Gayoon, leaving her dejected. The other cops murmured and went back to their work while Taejoon strode up to her.


    "I''ll return to my office upstairs," Jaein informed Gayoon. Thetter did not seem to have heard her as she was too stunned by Minho''s indifference.


    "Are you alright?" Taejoon asked, feeling concerned.


    "I''m fine," she assured him.


    "But-"


    Gayoon walked away, deep in thought as she bit her nail. She must act fast and make Hwang Minho spill the beans. Then an idea struck her.


    Minho was almost nearing his car when someone called him from behind.


    "Hwang Minho!" Gayoon yelled his name. He spun around to see her running towards him.


    "I already told you," he began. "I don''t know any-"


    "I want to show you something," she said abruptly. He frowned at her.


    "Follow me," she ordered. She led him back into the precinct but instead of taking him towards the homicide section where she was situated, she took him upstairs.


    "Where are we going?" he asked.


    "You''ll see," she grimaced. Minho shook his head and followed her until she stopped in front of arge metal door. For some reason, she looked extremely nervous.


    "What is it?" Minho frowned.


    "Nothing!" she imed. "I just want you to see something."


    She pushed the heavy door. They entered a brightly lit room but the air was very cold as if they had entered a refrigerator. All around them were forensic equipment and charts of the human body. Arge row of lockers were arranged at one side while on the other side was a shelf full of jars containing


    "Animal remains," Minho stated as he looked at them. "This is the forensic room, I suppose?"


    "Yes," Gayoon winced. Minho noted that she looked very...scared. Why would a cop be scared of the forensic room?


    "Gayoon is that you?"


    Jaein came out from a smaller room within the forensic chamber. She was wearing a full length scrub and her hair was tied up in a hai.


    "You know that outsiders are not allowed to enter here!" Jaein hissed, noticing Minho.


    "I know!" Gayoon said. "But I must show him something. Please Jaein! I need to show it to him."


    "Show him what?" Jaein asked. Gayoon stepped forward to whisper in her ears. Jaein'' eyes widened in shock and she was mortified at the request.


    "Hell no!" Jaein eximed. "You can''t!"


    "I''ll take all responsibility for this!" Gayoon insisted. "But if this makes him realize his mistake and give us the truth, then it''ll be worth it!"


    "This will get allof us into trouble if the higher ups find out!" Jaein protested.


    "But this is the CCK!" Gayoon insisted. "We have to try every means to find him this time! Otherwise more lives will be lost!"


    Jaein bit her lip as Gayoon pleaded with her silently. "Please Jaein," she begged. "Just this one time!"


    "I''ll...bring it out," Jaein finally said. "If it wasn''t a special case, I wouldn''t have done it. I''m only doing it for you. But you can''t touch it!"


    "We won''t!" Gayoon swore. "Just one glimpse."


    Jaein sighed and went back into the smaller room while Gayoon picked up a stic bag from one of the desks. She held it up for Minho to see. Inside it was an uniform.


    "The girl who was killed," she said. "Was a high school senior. She wasst seen happily chatting with her friends before she was kidnapped right in front of her house."


    Something in Minho''s heart snapped at her words. For some reason, he could not bear to look at the uniform.


    "Five days ago," Gayoon pressed. "A girl who was barely a decade older than Jina was wearing this uniform. And now, she''s no more."


    "I don''t wanna know," Minho lied, turning away. "I''m leaving."


    He was about to head for the exit when Jaein came back, wheeling in arge stretcher. Till this day, Minho could not exin what was it that made him turn around. Was it the thought of a girl who was snatched away by a cold blooded killer? Or was it his own guilt.


    A strange cold wind brushed by his palm. Slowly, he turned around to face his worst fear.


    On the stretcher were the severed body parts of a girl who was happy and alive only a few days back. The girl who was wearing that school uniform.


    As Gayoon watched Minho''s face lose color, she felt the familiar gush of coldness. It was hovering near Minho, as if begging him. There was no doubt in her mind.


    The young girl''s spirit was with them, desperate to get their attention.

 Chapter 63: CCK (6)

    Chapter 63: CCK (6)


    It was probably the most disturbing sight Minho had ever seen. The girl''s limbs were hacked to pieces while her head was severed off her neck. There were signs of torture on her body as well and some of the bruises were very fresh. Her hair was also roughly chopped off, while her skin was decaying as the stench was getting worse.


    But Minho was unaffected by the smell. He was more affected by the brutality of how the girl was killed. The killer did not give her an easy death.


    Gayoon watched him as he stared at the girl''s corpse, unaware that the said girl''s spirit was also beside him, silently begging him for help.


    "The CCK did not simply kill her," Gayoon said quietly. "He butchered her. Until the very end, the girl was tortured and very scared. Thest thing she must have asked for was death but even that was not given to her in kindness. A kidnapped teenager who was begging her tormentor to let her go home. What was her fault? Did she really deserve a cruel death for being at the wrong ce at the wrong time?"


    Minho seemed as if he did not hear her but he did. Every word she spoke was like a p to his face. His past was now taunting him for not speaking up sooner. This girl was dead.


    And it was his fault.


    "The CCK does not discriminate between his victim''s ages," Gayoon stated. Her voice was cold and distant but firm. "It''s this girl today. Tomorrow, it could be someone you know."


    It could even be Jina, she added in her mind. The very thought of Jina being targeted by the CCK scared her. If anything happened to that little girl, she would not spare the serial killer. She would hunt him down and empty her bullets on him. And she knew that Minho would do the same.


    Minho simply stared at the lifeless remains of the girl who was killed. Something within him snapped upon seeing the body and a strange, burning desire was lit in his heart which was about to devour him.


    "If that is all," he said in a deadpan tone. "I''ll be going now."


    Gayoon and Jaein were startled by his supposed indifference. The sight of the dead body had no effect on him?


    "But-" Gayoon began but Minho ignored her and turned away. He was not going to talk even after all her efforts.


    Her lips quivered in anger. How could someone be so heartless? Did he really not care about the victim at all?


    "Are you gonna be a coward?" she demanded. "You know you can save another life! Are you really gonna turn away?"


    Minho did not reply but simply exited the room, leaving her stunned. Jaein also gaped at the strange guy who waspletely unaffected by the gruesome sight he had just witnessed.


    "Is he even real?" she winced in disgust. "Even the coldest of hearts would melt by seeing the state of this girl! And yet he-"


    She turned to nce at Gayoon only to be more shocked. There were tears in her eyes!


    "Gayoon"


    But the detective shrugged and wiped her eyes. Turning away from Jaein to hide her face, Gayoon said, "When will we receive the post mortem report?"


    "Uhh...tomorrow," Jaein replied, feeling uncertain. "By afternoon. But are you alright-"


    Gayoon was not listening to her and instead walked out of the room, hiding her emotions. There was no time for her to cry over a man. All she knew was that a serial killer was on the loose and she must find him at all cost.


    I must arrest CCK! She swore. But her heart was in tatters after Minho''s cold rejection of her offer. Fighting back her tears, she put on a stoic front to address the police team who would be helping her with the case.


    Outside the precinct, Minho took out his phone to dial Kanji''s number. Thetter picked up on the first ring.


    "Minho!" he eximed. "The news-"


    "It''s the CCK," Minho revealed. "The killer is CCK."


    "So he is back," Kanji said nervously. "Minho, is he going to exact his revenge on us? After what we did to him?"


    He will," Minho stated. "He even sent me a threat."


    "He what?" Kanji yelled. "A threat? A direct threat?"


    "But that is not my concern," Minho shrugged. "My concern is"


    The image of the young girl''s severed body parts shed in his head. The picture would not leave his mind and he was sure it would haunt him forever no matter how much he tried to act indifferent.


    "Firstly," Minho said. "Find out the details about the girl who died today. I want to create a schrship fund in her name at her school which would be given to all the exemry female students."


    Kanji''s brows frowned a little at his friend''s words but he did not question him any further.


    "Secondly," Minho went on. "I want to know every little detail about this case. I''ll get Junwan to keep supplying me the reports. It must be highly confidential."


    "And what else?" Kanji asked.


    "Lastly," Minho said. "I must go back to that spot where we had left him. I know that he is probably using another ce for his twisted desires but his old hideout will also give us plenty of clues."


    "Minho, you know that this is very dangerous, right?" Kanji asked, feeling skeptical. "Especially for Mina! You don''t want her to remember what happened that night! It will traumatize her!"


    "My sister is made of stronger stuff," Minho stated. "She won''t be affected by memories but rather by the fact that the CCK managed to kill more victims because of us. No. It''s high time we face him."


    "Alright," Kanji nodded. "But be careful Minho. You have a daughter and a sister who will be his next target. I''m sure he''s been keeping tabs on us."


    Kanji''s words resonated in his ears. Yes, the CCK was keeping tabs on him. The killer was probably already targeting Jina or Mina. But Minho was no longer the sixteen year old teenager who was scared of a sinister adult. He was now more sinister than the CCK ever could be.


    This time, he would not fail.


    .


    That night, Minho checked up on Jina who was fast asleep. He pulled the nket over her and gently kissed her forehead. She stirred a little in her sleep but was unperturbed. Minho watched over his daughter, patting her head. Seeing her sleep so peacefully, he was more determined to find the CCK and protect Jina from that mad man.


    "Your dad will always be with you, Jina," he promised, clutching her tiny palm. Leaving his daughter to her dreams, he got up and left the room.


    The cool air gushed in through an open window. Jina pouted in her sleep and tossed in her sleep. She turned to her side, about to wrap her arm around a teddy bear. Instead, her hand touched an icy cold object.


    "Mmm?" she mumbled. It was getting colder and colder in her room. She pulled the nket atop of her but the coldness would not subside. Soon, she was shivering to her bone. Getting up from the bed, Jina looked around.


    "Huh?"


    Her eyes gaped in shock. The whole room was foggy! Outside, it was a warm summer night but inside her room, a thick cold fog had appeared!


    "What in the-"


    But she trailed off. Amidst the fog, a silhouette was approaching her. Instinctively, Jina curled her fingers and squinted her eyes to make out the figureing her way. Its hands were stretched ahead, as if summoning her.


    The pale white face of a young girl in her teens appeared. Her limbs were loose looking as if they were about to fall apart while her head was nearly decapitated. The girl''s head was hanging by a small skin on the neck while her eyes were fixed on Jina.


    Unconsciously, Jina leaned back as the girl reached out for her.


    "He...lp...me" she whispered.


    Unable to speak, Jina was rooted to her spot. The coldness was engulfing her while the ghostly girl''s fingers were reaching for her neck. The cool fingers touched her skin, giving her goosebumps.


    The girl''s eyes were now directly looking at hers. A grin formed on her face, realizing that the little kid could see her.


    "He...lp...me"

 Chapter 64: CCK (7)

    Chapter 64: CCK (7)


    The cold hands were almost at her throat as the ghost grinned widely at her. She could feel its cool touch


    "AHHHHH!"


    The ghost let out a loud shriek when Jina suddenly grabbed her ear and pulled it hard. Jina twisted it roughly, making the ghost squeal.


    "Let me go!" the ghost protested. It was the ghost of a high school girl. It was easy to tell since she was in an uniform.


    "Tch!" Jina made a face. "You really need to learn better tactics to scare people."


    "Y-you brat!" Yumi yelled in pain. Howe ghosts felt pain? She only wanted to scare the kid into helping her but the brat was smiling at her while pulling her ear. Even her nearly headless head was falling off!


    "It''s a good thing Casper taught me some tricks," Jina said, feeling victorious. "Also, I can touch ghosts and beat them up good!"


    She pulled Yumi''s ear even harder.


    "Oye oye oye!" Yumi shouted. "Let me go!"


    "Why are you here?" Jina demanded.


    "I just wanted your help!" the ghost yelled, trying to move her limbs but they were so detached that it was hard to move them. If she tried to move her arms, they kept on falling off.


    "Say the magic word," Jina threatened. "Otherwise I''ll call my protector and have you thrown out! Good luck trying to survive on your own with the rogue ghosts outside!"


    "Aish!" Yumi winced. "Please help me!"


    "That''s better," Jina said, satisfied with the answer. She let go of the ghost who was looking very angry at the little thug. Jina crossed her legs and leaned on the bedrest to take a good look at the ghost. She guessed that the high schooler must have died recently since she was still a noob to the whole scaring people business.


    "So what do you want?" Jina asked.


    Yumi sighed and sat down. "I need your help," she said. "I can''t move on until Iplete my unfinished business."


    Just then Casper apparated inside the room. Yumi screamed seeing his bashed in appearance.


    "AHHHHHH!" she shrieked. "A GHOST!"


    "How rude!" Jina scolded her. "That''s my friend! You''re hurting his feelings!"


    Casper''s ears fell at Yumi''s mortified expression. Thetter was looking at him as if he was some kind of freak which saddened him. He was only stopping by to say hello to the newbie.


    "He''s scary!" Yumi pointed out in fright.


    "As if you''re going to attract handsome ghosts," Jina mocked her. "Stop insulting my friend!"


    Yumi was staring at the strange little girl who was unfazed by the appearance of two scary ghosts in front of her. She was even calling the scary one her friend! Is she crazy? Yumi wondered.


    "Now tell me," Jina ordered, entering into full on investigation mode. Casper stood by her bed, listening carefully. "What is bothering you?"


    "I" Yumi began. "I want to know why I was killed."


    "Who killed you?" Jina asked.


    "I don''t know."


    "Do you know why you were killed?"


    "I don''t know."


    "What do you know?"


    "Nothing."


    There was an awkward silence between them as Jina gaped at the ghost. Did she have amnesia like Casper?


    "All I remember is," Yumi continued. "It was very cold."


    The memories of that night were shing in her head as she tried to suppress the shudder in her heart. Never in her entire life could she have imagined that she would die in such a gruesome manner.


    Everything was supposed to be perfect for her. She was going to graduate school, get into a college and then get a job. Maybe even get married and have kids someday. She was supposed to die in her eighties while surrounded by her loved ones. Not hacked to death inside a cold and icy cer at the age of seventeen.


    Jina sensed the sadness in the girl''s tone. She did not say anything but let the ghost narrate her tale.


    "It was a normal day for me," Yumi reminisced. "My friends and I were done with cram school. We took our usual route and were chattering about the fan event we were supposed to attend the next day. Then at the southern intersection, we bid goodbyes before I set off for my house"


    Yumi broke off, unable to go on. The horror she went through was not something she could ever express out loud. Why did this happen to her? Why did he kill her? What was her fault?


    "Right in front of my house, someone knocked me out," she whispered. The temperature in the room dropped lower. Jina was shivering and put on more nkets to warm herself up. Even Casper was unusually still as he listened to the young ghost''s tale.


    "When I woke up, I was in a very cold ce," she said. "It was a cold room. And I don''t mean a room with a mere AC. No. It was all ice everywhere. The whole ce was like a butcher''s storage with only ice but no meat. I was terrified but I couldn''t move my limbs at all. He paralyzed me with some kind of drug. I could see and feel everything but couldn''t move my arms or legs. I couldn''t even scream for help. I waspletely still."


    "Then he came. A man wearing a ck mask and a surgeon''s coat. He was wearing a stic covering over his scrubs. He was carrying a set of tools. I was pleading to him with my eyes to let me go but he was only giving me a nonchnt stare. As if my life did not matter to him."


    "And then the first jab of pain came," Yumi breathed. "He was cutting deeper into my arm. His knife went in deeper and deeper into my skin. My whole body was in agonizing pain as he tormented me. He was slowly slicing through as if he was cutting steak-"


    The rest of her words were cut off as Casper put a hand on her mouth. Yumi was startled by his sudden gesture but he shook his head and nced at Jina who was now looking genuinely scared. The ghost was not frightening to her; the human was.


    Yumi realized her folly and rephrased her words to leave out the gruesome parts.


    "Anyway, he killed me," she stated. "And when I woke up as a ghost, I saw that the police were swarming around a construction site to look for my body. They found it and it''s in theirb."


    Jina cleared her throat and said, "Where were you found?"


    "At Hwang Minho''s construction site," Yumi said. "That reminds me!"


    Something just lit up in her head. The killer did say something before she waspletely dead.


    "That killer said something about Hwang Minho!" Yumi eximed.


    "What did he say about my dad?" Jina asked.


    "He said, and I quote, ''I will reim what''s mine, Hwang Minho,''" the ghost replied.


    Jina and Casper looked at each other.


    "Casper, looks like we have a new mystery on our hands," Jina said gleefully. Casper silently nodded in excitement.

 Chapter 65: CCK (8)

    Chapter 65: CCK (8)


    Back in the precinct, Gayoon was briefing her team over the case updates. They were all in a dark room, with light emitting only from the projector. She was tasked to lead the investigation team which other than her, Jaein and Taejoon consisted of Officer Jang Hobin, Officer Lee Jiang, Officer Shun Yura and Officer Min Rui. They were all watching the slides Gayoon was presenting with apt attention.


    "The CCK was active almost twenty years ago," she stated. "At that time, he was randomly targeting women of all ages, kidnapped them and then dismembered their bodies before discarding the parts in a selected area. Due to his clean cut method of killing, he was dubbed as Clean Cut Killer. The police team of that time suspected that he was a doctor or a medical professional at least."


    She clicked the remote on her hand to change the slide.


    "His first victim was a sixty year old woman named Han Maria," she exined, pointing at the picture of an old woman with a lively smile. "Her severed body parts were found in a ditch not far from the capital. The police recovered her decapitated head but the heart was missing from her body. At first, the killing was thought to bemitted by a vengeful neighbor."


    "But soon many more such bodies piled up and it became clear that it was a serial killing."


    Jiang raised his hand and Gayoon nodded, urging him to speak up.


    "Since you mentioned that CCK is probably someone with a medical background, were their doctors questioned?" Jiang asked. "Maybe all of them went to the same doctor?"


    "Unfortunately, the police at that time could not find anymon link," Gayoon said. "All their doctors were questioned and none of them were the killer. They even had alibis which only made it harder for the police to keep them captive for long."


    "Then how is he targeting them?" Yura frowned.


    Before Gayoon could reply, Taejoon spoke on her behalf.


    "Maybe there is no target," he supplied. It seems as if he was killing the women on a whim. He simply picked the one who seemed to have passed by him. The women may have just been at the wrong ce at the wrong time."


    "That is the theory we have been working on as well," Gayoon added. "There''s no clear motive other than the fact that he is collecting their hearts. We don''t know what he''s doing with them because they''re not being sold either."


    "Most serial killers like to keep trophies," Jaein piped in. "This one is storing them away because they''re the proof of his victory."


    "Victory?" Rui echoed. "He''s killing people! How is that a victory?"


    "Psychopaths derive pleasure from tormenting their victims," Gayoon replied. "It''s a sort of satisfaction for them. Some like Ted Bundy even used to get sexual pleasures from it. Serial killers achieve a sense of pride and happiness seeing their victims being tortured, begging for life. So they keep something from their victims as a remembrance. It''s akin to winning a race or getting good grades for them."


    The officers in the room looked disgusted at the ideology. Which normal or sane person would think like that?


    As if reading their minds, Gayoon said, "You''ll be surprised how many serial killers hide under the facade of normalcy. Do remember, the one we''re looking for is a medical professional. He''s smart, resourceful and at first nce, would not appear to be a cold blooded killer. He could be anybody."


    An ufortable silence followed her words. The fact that a serial killer could be hiding in the society and could be amongst them was something out of a crime novel for them.


    Even though they were in the police force, the team Gayoon was working with was still new. Most of them had only been in the force for a year. Junwan had assigned these particr members because they were not tainted by politics or corruption. They were freshly recruited and would work with more diligence than older officers.


    Moreover, the older officers would not be fair or rational in their judgement since they were looking for an easy promotion. They may have turned an innocent person into a scapegoat if needed which is why Junwan trusted his best detective with this case.


    "Rui will question thest victim Yumi''s family," Gayoon instructed. "Rui, you are closer to the deceased girl''s age. When asking questions, get to know them a little more personally as well. Rte to her so that the parents can open up to you. Got it?"


    "Yes ma''am!" Rui eximed, standing up to salute her.


    "Officer Jiang, you will collect all the CCTV footage," Gayoon stated. "Go through them. Ask around in Yumi''s school and question her friends. Wear casual clothes though because teenagers would get scared if you''re in uniform. Make sure they''refortable around you."


    She paused for a minute, noting Jiang''s youthful look which was simr to many of the recent idol groups the youngsters were into.


    "Charm them if needed," she added.


    "Understood!" he nodded.


    "Officer Hobin, you''ll be reinvestigating the old files," Gayoon replied. "Compare them with the findings and see if we have missed anything. There are ten files excluding Yumi''s. If needed, talk to thest victim, Cho Sooa''s family."


    "Yes ma''am," Hobin said. Gayoon turned on thest one.


    "Yura," she said. "You''ll look up on the directory of all the doctors and medical professionals who went inactive in 1999. Whether it''s for a month of years doesn''t matter. See why they went inactive and question them. Take help of our IT team and make the list before visiting them."


    "Yes ma''am!" Yura replied.


    "And everyone please work in a team," Gayoon stressed. "This is important. We have to catch that killer before he kills again. We don''t know when he''ll strike but we have very little time. Report your findings to me every morning. We''ll sit together everyday to piece the clues."


    "Yes ma''am!" all of them said in unison and saluted her before scrambling to get to their assignments.


    Taejoon and Jaein were impressed by the sincerity all the new officers were showing.


    "Wow, they''re eager!" Taejoonmented.


    "If only thest team was as eager as them," Jaein sighed. "The officers who handled this case were a mess! All the evidence were tainted"


    "Let''s see how they''ll fare," Gayoon said. She turned to Taejoon and added, "You go and visit the scene where Yumi''s body was found. I''ll join you after Yumi''s forensic reports arrive."


    Taejoon nodded and left the room, leaving Jaein and Gayoon alone. Jaein got up and approached Gayoon, who was busy clearing up the desk.


    "Are you alright?" Jaein asked. She was worried for her friend who had been working nonstop since Hwang Minho had refused to help her. Gayoon was trying to suppress the sadness and disappointment she felt by drowning herself with work.


    "I''m fine!" Gayoon assured her. "I''m just focused on this case-"


    "Don''t lie!" Jaein snapped. "You were on the verge of crying yesterday after that man refused to testify!"


    Gayoon took a deep breath and slumped on a chair. Jaein sat next to her, trying tofort her.


    "I thought he was different," Gayoon admitted. "entric but a good man. Now... I''m not even sure what he is."


    Jaein stared at her for a while, noticing that Gayoon''s cheeks were a little red.


    "Don''t tell me...you''re dating him?" she gasped. Gayoon did not reply but got up and put on her police cap.


    "I need to go," she announced. "Lot''s of work left to do. I''ll talk to youter."


    Before Jaein could question her more, she turned around and left the room. Pushing all her feelings and doubts aside, she only wanted to focus on catching the CCK. Her broken heart would have to endure the pain in silence.

 Chapter 66: CCK (9)

    Chapter 66: CCK (9)


    "Run Kanji!" he yelled. They sprinted through the tunnel with an unconscious child on Minho''s back. Kanji wasgging behind due to his injured leg but ignored the pain and kept on running. The tunnel was endless, with no opening in sight but Minho did not give up. His legs were getting wobbly but he must keep going.


    The child on his back was beginning to stir.


    "Bro...ther" she whispered. Her older brother hade for her.


    "We''ll get out of here Mina!" Minho assured her. "Kanjie on!"


    But Kanji was too tired. His leg was bleeding profusely and he would not be able to keep up.


    "Minho," he panted. "You go! I can''t run anymore. My leg"


    He fell over in exhaustion. His right foot was bleeding badly and Minho stopped to help him. Mina was still half conscious and Kanji was in too much pain to move.


    "Kanji we must-"


    His words were interrupted by the sound of chains being dragged through the rough stone floor. They froze in fear as the sound came closer and closer. Kanji was visibly scared, while Minho was also fighting back his fears.


    We must get out of here! He thought. But with a half conscious sister and injured friend, he could not see how they would manage to get out of that den alive. There was only one way.


    "Kanji, take Mina and go," he ordered.


    "But what about you?" Kanji asked in shock.


    "Just go!" Minho insisted but Kanji would not budge.


    "I''m not leaving without you!" he hissed. Minho gently took Mina off his back and ced her in Kanji''s arms.


    "I''ll be fine," he assured his friend. "I know you''ll be able to take her out safely. I''ll follow you!"


    "But-"


    "Just go!" Minho ordered. "I''ll join you in a while."


    His face hardened as he stood up to face the monster approaching their way. "I won''t let him kill me," Minho dered. "After all, I have yet to be the richest person in this country."


    Kanji hesitated but seeing Mina''s state, he had to yield.


    "I better see you emerging from the end of this tunnel," Kanji threatened. "Alive."


    They exchanged a look of understanding before Kanji limped off with the unconscious girl while Minho prepared himself for his showdown with the cold blooded killer. The sixteen year old threw away all his fears, focused only on protecting his sister.


    Even if it cost him his soul.


    As Kanji crawled out of the den, he heard two loud gunshots. Startled, he turned around fearing the worst. Mina was also almost conscious now, confused by what she was doing in Kanji''s arms.


    "Wh...at" she began to ask but Kanji hushed her. His eyes were fixed on the entrance of the dark den which was making him feel ominous. What if something happened to Minho? Was he safe?


    The fear gripped his heart as his mind went wild with worry. He wanted to go back for his friend but he could not leave Mina alone.


    "Minho"


    Suddenly, he heard a faint sound as if something was being dragged on the floor. Kanji gulped and stood there, ready to attack if needed. He put Mina down and shielded her behind him.


    "Kanji...I''m scared!" she whimpered.


    "Don''t be," he stated. "We won''t let him harm you."


    "Where''s my brother?" she asked, her eyes beginning to tear up. "I want my brother!"


    She was scared and confused by the turn of events. All she wanted was to run into her brother''s arms and cry. What was going on? Where was he?


    She clutched the helm of Kanji''s torn jacket as they waited for the person to emerge from the den. Kanji clenched his fists, ignoring his foot as he readied himself to face the demon from hell.


    "Come out you bastard!" he yelled. "I''m not afraid of you!"


    "You better not be."


    Kanji nearly yelped as the familiar voice came out of the cave. Minho emerged from it, his hand bleeding. He was heavily injured with bruises on his face and body but was shing a victorious grin.


    "Because very soon, we''ll be business rivals and I''ll take away all your money!" he dered.


    He held up a thumbs up to his friend. Kanji was on the verge of crying, seeing his friending out of that hell alive.


    "And I''ll marry your sister!" he promised, as tears flowed down his cheeks, unable to hold in his relief and happiness. "You''ll see!"


    "Pedophile!" Mina scowled. "I''m only six years old!"


    Kanji limped forward to aid Minho. Both of them staggered slowly towards the highway with Mina in tow. Minho cast onest nce at the den behind them.


    It was there, ominously hiding their secret which woulde back to haunt them someday. It was goading him for being weak and useless.


    I will be back, it whispered in his ears. And he knew that this incident woulde back to wreak their lives again.


    Bring it on, Minho silently dered.


    .


    Minho was abruptly woken by the knock on the door. He was fast asleep in his bedroom. The sun was shining brightly through the curtains, making him frown. He checked the clock and realized that it was past afternoon. It was almost time for Jina toe home from school!


    He quickly jerked up, realizing that he had overslept.


    "Damn it!" he cursed out loud. The damned dream had made him miss half day of work. Which meant he could not make at least ten million that day!


    "Sir," Kim''s voice came from behind the door. "A...uh...Detective Gayoon is here to meet you."


    Minho rubbed his hands through his hair as he tried topose himself.


    "Send her upstairs after ten minutes," he replied. Kim was taken aback. He was going to see her in his room? Did their rtionship progress that much? But the detective was in her uniform which meant she must be here on official business.


    "O-okay!" she said and went back downstairs. Gayoon was standing in the middle of the living room when Kim came back to inform her that Minho summoned her in his room after ten minutes.


    "Thank you," Gayoon said, wondering why the money lover was at home on a weekday. After a lot of debating, she knew that she had to try and convince him to testify about what happened between him and CCK. Why was the serial killer targeting him?


    She was also worried for Jina. What if the little girl was tangled up in CCK''s web? What if she was his next target?


    Gayoon clenched her fists. No! She decided. That killer will not be able to get his hands on Jina. Not as long as I''m around.


    She made up her mind and marched upstairs towards Minho''s bedroom. It was time for him to give her all the answers and she was going to make him squeal no matter what!


    "Hwang Minho I-"


    She froze in her steps and almost yelled in shock. Minho had just stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist while wiping his hair with another towel. He, too, froze when she suddenly barged into his bedroom.


    They stared at each other for a few seconds before...


    "AHHHHHHHHHH!"

 Chapter 67: CCK (10)

    Chapter 67: CCK (10)


    Gayoon screamed loudly and closed her eyes in embarrassment while Minho only gave her a stupefied look.


    "Why are you naked?" she eximed, facing away from him. And what''s with those abs? She added in her head. After taking a glimpse of his chiseled torso, she could not erase it from her head.


    "Hmm?" Minho grinned. Gayoon nced back only to find him staring at her in amusement.


    "PUT ON SOME GODDAMN CLOTHES!" she yelled.


    "Don''t turn around then," he said in an indifferent tone while suppressing a snicker at her expressions. Gayoon was too embarrassed to look his way anyway so she was still as he put on a pair of pants and a t-shirt.


    "You can look now," he announced. Gayoon, still red in the face, turned to face him. Composing herself, she began to talk.


    "I want to know what really happened between you and CCK," she demanded. "And don''t tell me that you don''t know! I can tell that you''re lying."


    She red at him. The man was not understanding the gravity of the situation. The CCK was still out there, hunting for a new prey and she wanted to catch him as soon as possible.


    "We need to know the truth!" Gayoon repeated.


    "That girl" Minho began. "What was her name?"


    "Y-yumi," Gayoon replied. "She was a high school student and in herst year too. She was supposed to start studying in K-College this fall."


    Minho was silent, pondering about the girl who had lost his life. His dream was shing in front of him, the murderous eyes of the CCK. Even though they had not seen his face, Minho could never forget those eyes. The eyes which thirsted for blood.


    "You wanna know the truth, huh?" he shot at her. Gayoon nodded. Minho took a step towards her. Gayoon did not move from her spot, rooted there until they were only centimeters apart. He was towering over her but their eyes were locked with each other.


    Minho could see the questions she was burning to ask him and he was not sure if he was ready to answer them. CCK was more of a personal vendetta for him and he knew that the killer had returned to finish what he had started. The man was out for Minho''s blood and until then, he would keep on killing until he destroyed him.


    He suddenly grabbed her and pushed her on the bed. Gayoon was taken aback and began to struggle but he pinned her wrists to her sides.


    "Hey!" She protested. "What-"


    But he leaned closer to her ears and whispered, "He''s my worst nightmare."


    Gayoon stiffened at those words. Minho''s voice was shaky and for once, he was vulnerable around her.


    "He''lle for my family," Minho breathed. "And also for you."


    He hovered over her, their gazes locked. Gayoon was nervous at the sudden proximity, conscious about their position. Anyone could walk in and see them in thispromising position.


    "Why?" she asked. "What does he want from you?"


    But for some reason, she already knew the answer. The CCK was not back to kill. He was back for


    "Revenge," Minho stated. For a few moments, they were quiet. He was still havering above her, his hands caging her tightly. Minho did not know why he was holding onto her like that but having her so close wasforting him. After the dream he had about that night, he could not help but cling onto her like a child, seekingfort in her embrace.


    Gayoon, too, was feeling a rush of inexplicable emotions which were confusing her. The aloof money lover she knew was now scared and lost. He did not want to testify because he wanted to face the CCK himself. The past he shared with the killer was a nightmarish experience and had tormented him for many years. It was his biggest fear and he wanted to face it on his own.


    "Is this why you don''t want to tell me about your rtionship with CCK?" Gayoon whispered. "You want him to find you."


    "I want him to pay," Minho stated.


    But how? She wondered. What was he going to do?


    Suddenly, Gayoon was afraid that Minho would do something really reckless. He was calm and cool but also reckless. He was willing to throw away his own life if he could take down the CCK himself.


    "Don''t you dare do something to hurt yourself!" Gayoon scolded him. To Minho''s surprise, tears were now falling from her eyes. The emotions she had bottled for the past two days were gushing out.


    "You didn''t even call!" she cried. "And then you were acting all distant. Now this! You''re targeted by a serial killer and yet, you won''t let me help! It''s so frustrating and makes me really angry!"


    She struggled to release her hands but he was still gripping them tightly. Minho was surprised by her outburst. In his jealousy, he did not realize that Gayoon was also getting hurt.


    Wait, I was jealous? He questioned himself. It was an alien feeling to him. He was never jealous of someone else because he was always above such petty feelings. But Gayoon''s closeness to her partner made him anxious and irritated. He could not understand it then but seeing her tears, he realized how childish he was acting.


    That idiot Kanji left out the most important part in those rules! He cursed Kanji in his head for his stupidity.


    "And even after I tried to make you realize that your silence can endanger Jina, you still did not budge!" Gayoon went on, tears stinging her eyes. "I don''t want to see you or Jina being hurt by the CCK! And if he''s targeting you then he''lle for her and"


    She sobbed harder, letting out all her pent up thoughts. He just did not understand how important it is for her to catch that mad man. If something happened to Jina, then she would never be able to forgive herself.


    Suddenly his lips came crashing down on hers, hungrily smooching her. She returned his kiss with equal fervor. His hands let go of her wrist, cupping her face as he explored her mouth with his tongue. Her hair came loose, spreading against the white sheets. She moaned and pulled him closer to taste his lips more. His one hand was sliding down towards her chest, unbuttoning her uniform. She felt his palm on her mound, gently squeezing it


    "Woah!"


    They were broken out of their reverie. Startled, they looked around to see Jina standing at the door, staring at them in shock.


    "I think I''ve been scarred for the rest of my life," she mumbled.

 Chapter 68: CCK (11)

    Chapter 68: CCK (11)


    "Jina!" both of them eximed and quickly scrambled to get up. Jina stood there, looking petrified at what she had just seen. Gayoon buttoned her shirt while Minho fixed his hair, trying to diffuse the situation.


    "Jina, we were simply talking," he lied. "Ms. Gayoon fell on the bed and I also happened to trip on her. And then you came to see us like this-"


    But Jina was silent, trying to cleanse her mind off the image she has just witnessed. Even holy water would not be able to purify her anymore. She silently nced from Minho to Gayoon, both of them looking down in shame. They were unable to face the little girl who was no doubt shocked by what she had stumbled upon.


    This is so embarrassing, Gayoon moaned inwardly. She never thought she would end up making out with Hwang Minho on his bed and to top it off, get caught by Jina!


    I must handle the situation, she decided.


    "Jina," Gayoon said tentatively. "We just happened to trip on the bed. It really is nothing! Completely innocent stuff! Nothing to worry about."


    The little girl was still quiet, staring at the adults who were caught red handed.


    "Why don''t all of us go out for lunch?" Minho offered. "We''ll go to your favorite restaurant-"


    "Will you two end up having a shotgun wedding?" Jina asked out loud.


    Minho and Gayoon gaped at her. What did she just say? Shotgun Wedding?


    "Who taught you all that?" Gayoon asked suspiciously.


    "Uncle Kanji," she replied. "He said when two people make babies before marriage, they have a shotgun wedding. If that''s the case, I want a little brother!"


    Gayoon facepalmed herself while Minho flexed his fingers, ready to beat up Kanji as soon as thetter appeared in front of him. That would make one less victim for CCK.


    "And I''ll get to choose his name too!" Jina added.


    "Okay that''s enough!" Minho spoke up and got off the bed to shoo Jina away.


    "Can we name him Puppy?" Jina asked as she was being escorted out of the room by her dad.


    "No more hanging out with Kanji!" he scolded his daughter.


    "Why am I being scolded?" Jina protested. "You were the one who was kissing the Lady Cop! And now I want a little brother!"


    Gayoon sat up, unable to control her rapid heartbeat. Was she really about to hook up with Hwang Minho?


    Her face was blushing furiously as she remembered him touching her breast. If Jina had not arrived, they would have gone much further.


    At least grandma would have been happy, Gayoon thought. Ahjusshi would have chased me across seven continents though.


    Minho returned a few minutester to find Gayoon had fixed her clothes and tied her hair. She was standing as far as possible from him, afraid that she would end up pouncing on him herself if they were closer in proximity.


    "Now tell me about what happened between you and CCK," she ordered. "We need to know why he disappeared all those years ago."


    He sighed and said, "Let''s talk in my study. I don''t want people to eavesdrop on us."


    Gayoon hesitated before following him out. The household staff stared in surprise as they watched a policewomaning out of Minho''s room.


    "Ahjumma, who is that?" One of the new maids asked Kim. "Is the young master being arrested?"


    "Shh!" Kim shushed her. "Quiet down! No, that''s his girlfriend!"


    "He has a girlfriend?" the maid asked in surprise. "I thought the CEO of Hwang Constructions never dated anyone!"


    "But this looks serious!" Kim said gleefully. "I hope he gets married and calms down. His temper tantrums can be wild!"


    Gayoon was very much conscious of the stares she was getting. If any of them found out what was really going on inside that bedroom, she would have to pack her bags and leave the country only to get away from Hwang Minho.


    He led her into his study, closing the door behind them. Gayoon watched as he leaned against the desk, trying toe up with answers.


    "Tell me everything," she said. "Why is the CCK after you?"


    "Did your team find out anything about the CCK?" Minho asked.


    "That''s confidential information," Gayoon stated.


    "Then they did not find anything," he concluded. Gayoon blinked at him. How did he know?


    Minho opened a drawer and took out a file. He silently handed it to her. Gayoon frowned as she went through the file.


    "These are all the old articles about CCK," she said. "We have these already."


    "What you know about CCK," Minho began. "Alle from these articles."


    He turned the page to point out the pictures of his earlier victims. "In March 1999, he killed his first victim," he stated. "An old woman who was kidnapped from right outside her grocery shop. Then a ten year old child who went missing after going to the park to y."


    He turned more pages and went on, "A thirty year old housewife who was kidnapped from her own home. Then a teenager who was taken while she was on her way to school. All these women were taken randomly from different parts of the city. They had no connection with each other and yet, this killer targeted them."


    "We know all this," Gayoon frowned. "But how is this relevant to you?"


    "The CCK seemingly doesn''t follow a pattern," Minho said. "But he does. There is a pattern of his kidnappings. I only found out about this after we had encountered him."


    "What''s the pattern?"


    Minho pointed at the articles. "Tell me the time when the victims were killed."


    Gayoon nced at the articles. The first victim was stated to have died around midnight the night she was found. The second victim also died around midnight. Third victim also


    "Midnight?" She whispered.


    "11:59 PM to be exact," Minho replied. "He timed their deaths in such a way that his victims would die exactly a minute before midnight."

 Chapter 69: CCK (12)

    Chapter 69: CCK (12)


    *shback to 1999*


    "Brother!"


    Minho turned around to see his six year old sister, Mina running towards him with her arms outstretched. She jumped into his arms, giggling.


    "Brother, I found a penny!" she announced, holding out a coin.


    "Did you find it or did you steal it from Kanji?" he asked shrewdly.


    "I didn''t steal it!" she eximed. "I just...convinced him to give it to me."


    Behind her, Kanji wasing their way with his face full of scratches.


    "Howe you never call me oppa, Mina!" he wailed. "I''m older than you!"


    "Coz you''re stupid!" Mina sneered, sticking her tongue at him.


    "Mina, you shouldn''t tell that to your future husband!"


    "I would rather marry a beggar."


    Kanji was affronted while Minho rolled his eyes. They were in the garden right outside the Jang mansion. Minho and Mina were staying with Kanji''s family for the summer holidays. Mr. and Mrs. Jang were old friends of their parents and invited them over quite often. Even though their legal guardian was Lawyer Lee, he was usually out of the country for business so Minho and Mina stayed most of the time with the Jangs.


    Mr. Jang Jason was a prominent businessman and one of the most influential men in the country. He used to be Hwang Junho''s biggest rival but they were in reality best friends. Or more like, Hwang Junho used to drag his friend to all kinds of bargain markets.


    His wife, Park Soojung used to be friends with Minho''s mother and after she was murdered, she dly took in her friend''s children. Despite Minho''s reluctance to live off the kindness of others, the Jangs never made them feel like outsiders.


    "Kids!" Soojung called from inside."It''s snack time!"


    "Snacks!" Mina jumped in joy. She got off Minho''sp and ran towards the house.


    It was a warm, sunny day which was perfect for an outdoor sport. Minho and Kanji were in their mid teens and despite being friends, they were aspetitive as their fathers were. In most cases, Kanji ended up losing bets with Minho and fessed up all the money to thetter.


    "Let''s y catch!" Kanji suggested. "Loser pays winner hundred bucks!"


    "Deal!" Minho agreed. They began to throw the ball to and fro both expertly catching the ball while Mina slurped on her juice and watched them.


    Minh threw the ball a little forcefully, causing Kanji to miss it.


    "Hahaha Kanji can''t catch!" Minaughed. "Kanji can''t catch!"


    "Mom, she''s calling me by my name again!" Kanjiined.


    "You can''t even catch a ball!" Soojung scolded him. "Look at Minho! So talented and handsome!"


    Even though Soojung was outwardly scolding her son, inwardly she had fun teasing her pushover son as much as Mina. She was the one who taught the little girl to call Kanji by his name rather than address him as oppa.


    Kanji looked dumbfounded while Mina and Minhoughed at him


    "You''ll see!" he vowed. "Someday I''ll have my revenge!"


    "Until then, can I keep using your credit card?" Mina asked.


    "She''s gonna suck you dry when she grows up," Minho snickered. "That is if you have anything left after I crash your business to the ground."


    "Bring it on!" Kanji scoffed. "I''ll just mooch off your money as Mina''s house husband."


    Mina threw her juice box at him which he easily dodged. He smirked at her wickedly making a face so she threw a piece of cookie at him. This time, it hit his nose.


    "Hey!" Kanji yelled. Mina stuck out her tongue at him and ran off while Kanji chased her through the house but she was too fast for him.


    "Stop fighting!" Minho shouted, trying to break up the fight between the two babies. Soojung wasughing hard as the kids ran around, having their own fun. She shook her head, capturing these happy moments in her heart.


    If only Suna was here to see this, she wished. The devastating loss these two children went through was unfathomable. How Junho had turned against his wife in a night and killed her remained a mystery to everyone. The lives of these two children changed because of his one act and it broke her heart to think what her friend must have felt in her final moments.


    She sighed and picked up a newspaper from the patio and scanned through it. One particr news was troubling her.


    There was a serial killer on the loose and like everyone, Soojung was also worried about Mina. The killer targeted women quite randomly, which made it difficult for the police to catch him. They had no suspects nor any leads which only increased the fear around this mysterious killer. The media had dubbed him as Country K''s very own Jack The Ripper.


    "People could be so cruel," she muttered and put the paper away. The kids yed in the garden for a few more hours before Mina began to yawn.


    "She''s tired," Minho said. "She couldn''t sleepst night."


    "Why?" Kanji asked. "Was she nning another shopping trip at the new mall?"


    "I wish," Minho muttered, refusing to borate more. Lately, Mina was beginning to ask questions about their parents and he had no answer to them. The night before, she asked about their father and Minho had to divert her mind by telling her fairy tales all night. It was almost dawn before she finally went to sleep.


    "I''ll take her inside," he said. "Let her nap for a while."


    Kanji nodded and began to put away the toys they had brought with them while Minho picked Mina up in his arms and took her inside the house towards her room. Gentlyying her down on the bed, he turned on the air conditioner to cool down the room.


    "Brother," Mina mumbled.


    "Yes, Mina?" Minho asked.


    "Why don''t we have parents?" she asked, blinking at him with her innocent eyes.


    Minho hesitated, unable to answer her question. He picked up the fairy tale book from the bedside desk and asked, "Mina, wanna hear the rest of the story about Cindere?"


    But Mina shook her head, knowing fully well that Minho would not easily answer her questions.


    "He was a bad man, wasn''t he?" she whispered. "Our father?"


    Minho clenched his fist, trying to control the immense rage he felt at that man who had destroyed their lives.


    "Yes," he finally replied. "He was a very bad man."


    Mina stroked his cheek with her tiny palm, trying tofort her brother.


    "When you''ll grow up, I know you''ll be a better man than him," she stated. "And richer. So rich, that the whole world will remember you as the wealthiest man in the world!"


    "And what will you do?" Minho chuckled.


    "I''ll spend all that money!"


    "Spend your own money!" he scoffed. "Now go to sleep."


    Mina closed her eyes. Minho was about to leave the room when she added, "You''re a better dad to me than he could have been anyway."


    Minho smiled at his sister and turned off the lights, exiting the room. Outside, Kanji was at the edge of the staircase, waiting for his friend.


    "Will she be alright?" he asked. He knew that Mina had been asking quite a lot of questionstely about her parents and Minho was at his wit''s end about her curiosity.


    "No," Minho replied. "We won''t be okay. Ever."


    He looked directly at Kanji, adding, "But we still have to live out our dreams. And I will be the richest man in this country so that I can remove the stain off my family name."


    Kanji sighed at his friend wondering whether his friend ever find something he would love more than money.

 Chapter 70: CCK (13)

    Chapter 70: CCK (13)


    Miles away, in the middle of nowhere, a girl was struggling to be let free. Her eyes were blindfolded while her hands were tied to her sides. Her feet were spread like a cross and she was lying on a soft mattress which was covered with a stic casing.


    The girl was scared and confused as she tried to scream but her lips would not move.


    What''s happening? She thought in a panic. She was in herte twenties, a working woman at a small office. Her work ended around 8 PM and she took thest bus which dropped her near her home. The woman was walking up the street, hurrying towards her house where her children were being cared for by a babysitter. Her husband had been dead for many years and she was raising them on her own.


    At that moment, all she could think of how her children were at home, wondering where their mother was.


    Help! She screamed in her mind. The woman tried to move her lips but they would not even twitch. No sound woulde out of her mouth and her wretched body was as still as stone. Her mind was panicking at the thought of her children.


    God please help me! She prayed. Please! My babies must be waiting! Please


    She could not figure out where she was. The air around her was very cool despite it being summer time. Moreover, she could hear the running of water somewhere. Was she near a waterbody? But she was having difficulty in breathing as if she was kept captive somewhere high up.


    Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching her way. They were heavy and slow. The woman listened intently, realizing that the person was probably a man. The sound of the soles brushing the ground sounded simr to the shoes herte husband used to wear.


    The man stopped right in front of her. The woman could not even move her neck to face him, her heart pounding with fright.


    "Lim Mimi," he stated. That voice! She knew that voice! Mimi racked her head to remember but her mind was drawing a nk.


    "How badly do you want to see your children?" the man asked quietly. Mimi tried to beg for her life but the drug he had injected into her was too strong. She wanted to plead with him but it was impossible.


    "You must be missing them," the man concluded. "It''s obvious. A mother always thinks of her child first when she is in danger."


    Mimi was not truly scared. The man was going to kill her and there was nothing she could do.


    Was this the end?


    She felt the man''s cool finger stroke her cheek. Mimi wanted to flinch but her body just would not move. Move! She yelled inwardly. Move!


    "Do you want to hear a story?" he asked. "My story?"


    Mimi heard the shuffling of a chair. The man had probably sat down somewhere nearby, observing her.


    "My mother and father were very kind," he narrated. "And loving. They loved me a lot, you see."


    What was he talking about? Mimi wondered. Why was he saying all this?


    "I had a happy childhood," the man went on. "I really did. They gave me everything I have ever wanted. They really were the best."


    He let out aughter as if remembering a very amusing memory.


    "One time, my father brought arge turkey for Thanksgiving," he mused. "My mother was delighted. You see, we never celebrated Thanksgiving before. It was our first time celebrating it."


    The delight in his voice was growing, making Mimi shudder in fright. There was something sinister about his story which was scaring her. The looming darkness beneath his smile was terrifying.


    "The turkey was quite big," he went on. Almost the weight of a...human being."


    Mimi''s eyes flickered a little under the blindfold. The index finger on her right hand twitched slightly but the man did not notice.


    "I saw them tie her up," he said gleefully. "My mom turned to me and gave me the knife and said"


    He cleared his throat to mimic his mother. "Today our precious angel will cut the turkey," the man imitated.


    Mimi felt the effects of the drug starting to wean off but she remained very still, pretending that she was still paralyzed. Her muscles were still numb so she was waiting for the right moment.


    "So she gave me the knife," the man continued gleefully. "And I cut the turkey! It was my first time so it bled clumsily. My father used to do a cleaner job carving up the live birds he brought home. And he didn''t even have to pay for them! He simply used to...let''s just say he used to pick them off the road."


    "Every night at exactly 11:59 PM, we used to sit together and have dinner. It was my most favorite time of the day. My parents and I used to pray before digging in. We only used to eat the heart while the rest of the parts were buried under our porch. You see, the heart was the juicy part."


    Mimi felt something cold and metallic touching her chest. The man was tracing her left breast with a scalpel but not cutting through her skin.


    "My father used to cut from right beneath the corbone," he said, tracing the scalpel as he spoke. "And cut until the lower boob."


    Mimi wanted to cry but tears would give away the fact that the drug was wearing off. With great difficulty, she kept her tears under control.


    "So let''s start the meal," he announced. "I am starving."


    The scalpel began to pierce her skin, causing a little blood toe out.


    "AHHHH!" Mimi screamed, startling the man. On an instinct, she grabbed his hand, twisting it hard before snatching the scalpel and blindly hitting him somewhere. It seemed to have worked since he let out a loud cry of pain and staggered backwards. Taking her chance, Mimi took off her blindfold and dashed for the open door, without looking back at the man who was lying on the floor in agony.


    "STOP!" he yelled but Mimi kept on sprinting. She did not know where she was running but instead, followed the sound of the running water. The man was following her but he was too slow due to his injury since she had cut his thigh.


    Mimi ignored her numb muscles, focusing only on her children as she ran until she saw the opening. As soon as she exited, she realized that it was a cave situated on a hill. At the bottom of the hill was a river.


    The man was still on her tail. She could hear his screams and curses. He was about to close in on her any minute.


    Mimi looked down and back towards the cave. She had to make a quick decision.


    "COME BACK YOU BITCH!" the man roared as he lunged at her but Mimi jumped into the river. The man missed her by inches as she fell. He gasped and looked down to see where she had fallen but she was nowhere in sight.


    "I''LL FIND YOU BITCH!" He swore. "I''LL FIND YOU!"


    His angry screams echoed through the hills, as the scared woman fought her way through the strong currents to reach her children.


    The memory of the unknown man would haunt her. Forever.

 Chapter 71: CCK (14)

    Chapter 71: CCK (14)


    "Wait a minute!" Gayoon interrupted. "There was a survivor? But there are no such records! Why didn''t the old police file show anything about a survivor?"


    "She never came forward in front of the public," he replied. "And she never got the chance either."


    "What do you mean?" Gayoon frowned. Minho sighed and continued with his story.


    .


    *shback 1999*


    For the next few days, there was no new news about the CCK. After the failed attempt at killing Mimi, the CCK hadid low in the hills, biding his time. The victim was traumatized and thankfully did not go to the cops. He stayed back in his den, nning his next victim while the city still lived in fear.


    Oblivious to the dangers which were looming above them, Minho was awoken early in the morning by a call.


    "Minho!" Soojung called him. "There''s a phone for you!"


    He grumbled and tried to go back to sleep. Soojung sighed and put the caller on hold before going upstairs to wake him up.


    "Minho!"


    She shook him.


    "Five more minutes aunt," he saidzily, turning around to fall back to sleep.


    "There''s a call for you," she informed him. "It''s from someone called Junwan."


    The mention of that name caused him to spring up. He quickly got off the bed and dashed downstairs to pick up the telephone.


    "Junwan," he greeted. "What''s the news?"


    "Junwan?" the Inspector scoffed. "Kid, I''m older than you! At least address me formally!"


    "I don''t have time for that!" Minho snapped. "What''s the news? Did you find him?"


    "ording to one of my informers," Junwan said. "He was seen in A Town right outside the city. The informer spotted him buying some things so he followed him. But your father must have caught on because the informer lost him at the highway."


    "Damn it!" Minho cursed out loud. "What the hell are you doing? Why are you guys being sote in catching that criminal? And how is he hiding so well when the entire world is looking for him?"


    "Beats me," Junwan shrugged. "Your father had a lot of contacts. One of them must be shielding him."


    "They''re not," Minho stated. "They''re attached to the Hwang name, not to him. They know that they can only profit if they ally with me. He''s a gone case, a criminal on the run. None of them would make any profit by siding with him. If anything, they will invite my wrath."


    "And what will you do to them?" Junwan snickered. "You''re only sixteen! The most you can do right now is to throw your multiplication tables at them!"


    "You''d be very surprised what my multiplication numbers could do," Minho replied. "Because when ites to ruining businesses, math and numbers can destroy corporations within seconds."


    Junwan was amused by the confidence this scrawny teenager was showing. He had lost his parents and would not get any ess to their wealth until he turned 18. Until then, he was nothing more than a powerless brat. The only reason Junwan was interested in this particr case was because he was more interested in the perpetrator himself.


    No matter how much he tried to find a motive, he could find no usible reason for Hwang Sr. to murder his wife. The man was in love with her and even went against the wishes of his own grandparents to marry her. Kim Suna was his life and they were practically inseparable. It was said that even after marriage, she kept on working for hispany before branching on to her own fashion designingbel. No matter what happened, Hwang Sr. had always encouraged his wife to work.


    Their rtionship was very loving too. Minho''s father may have been a ruthless tycoon who loved money but after meeting Suna, he put her above everything else.


    So what drove him to kill her?


    "Kid, you must know something," Junwan said helplessly. "I''m at a dead end here. Your father is too smart and he''s hiding himself very well. The man is a criminal and is yet roaming freely. There must be something you know."


    "I don''t," Minho said curtly. "And it''s your job to find out."


    Junwan sighed. The boy was prickly and to some extent a lot like the man he loathed. He wanted to be the richest man in the country so that he could wield enough power to remove the stain from his family name. Whether it was in academics or sports, Minho worked hard to be the top in everything. After his mother''s death, he had to endure the stigma of being a murderer''s son for years. It took him almost a decade to prove his capabilities through hard work and dedication.


    Hence, the burning desire to catch his father only increased with time. Even though he hid it well from the world, he must find Hwang Sr. The man had destroyed their lives and Minho wanted to put him behind bars for taking their mother away from them. What his father had done was unforgivable and Minho was going to bring him to justice.


    "The informer was able to take some pictures," Junwan revealed. "Maybe we''ll be able to-"


    "We must meet," Minho demanded. "I need to see those pictures."


    "Brother."


    Mina''s sleepy voice came from behind. She was shuffling out of her room and approached her brother.


    "Brother, there''s an event at the big hall across town," she said, yawning. "I''ll be entering their drawingpetition. Can you pick me up from there?"


    "Alright, Mina," he said absentmindedly, his attention on the conversation with Junwan. Mina shrugged and walked off towards the kitchen for breakfast. Minho was still engrossed in his conversation with the Inspector.


    "Let''s meet up around 3 PM," Minho ordered.


    "But I can''t show you the evidence!" Junwan protested.


    "If you don''t then I''ll reveal to your supervisor that you have been illegally investigating this case," Minho threatened. The case was closed years ago after the police failed to catch Hwang Sr., so Junwan was technically not allowed to investigate it without permission. If the news was leaked, Junwan''s career would be over.


    "You''re ckmailing me?" Junwan eximed, anger rising within him. This brat!


    "I am," Minho replied in a cool tone. "If you don''t meet up today, I will inform your supervisor about it. And even if my father is a murderer, I think Hwang Minho''s testimony will hold more weight against your words."


    Junwan was gaping. He was being bullied by a teenager!


    "Fine!" he conceded. "I''ll meet up with you at our usual ce."


    Minho grinned, feeling victorious. The pictures would help him to narrow down his father''s location. The moment Minho caught that man, he would not spare him.


    "Let''s see how long you can hide," Minho vowed. "I will catch you."


    Little did he know that something even more sinister was lurking around them, about to attack the only family he had left.

 Chapter 72: CCK (15)

    Chapter 72: CCK (15)


    Junwan was waiting at a cafe, sipping his coffee. He had been waiting for Minho for the past half an hour but it was not 3 PM yet. Knowing Hwang Minho, the kid would arrive exactly on the clock for the news he had. And he was right.


    Minho arrived at exactly 3 PM, walking into the cafe. He spotted Junwan sitting by the window. He went up to the table and took a seat opposite to him.


    "What''s the news?" Minho demanded. "Did you see him?"


    A nerve twitched on Junwan''s forehead. The brat would not even greet him!


    "You should greet adults formally before asking for something," Junwan reprimanded him.


    "Hello," Minho said in a deadpan voice. "Now give me the details."


    Junwan rolled his eyes and took out a file from his bag. Minho took and carefully examined the contents. There were pictures of a tall man in histe forties walking by the road. He was wearing a hoodie and cap but his face was visible. Hazy but Minho could make out the familiar features of his father''s face. He could never forget that face anyway.


    "It''s him," Minho confirmed. "It''s Hwang Junho. Where was this taken?"


    "Around S-Town," Junwan replied. "Twenty kilometers south of here. My informer spotted him and reported to me. He tried to follow Hwang Junho but the man vanished when my informer followed him to a corner. It seems like Hwang Junho knows that ce well which is why he was able to hide."


    Minho stared at the picture. His blood was boiling upon the sight of the murderer who had destroyed their family. The man''s daunting face after he had murdered his mother still shed before his eyes. Not only that, he had abandoned his children instead of surrendering to thew. The man was a coward.


    "Find him," Minho demanded.


    "We''re trying but-"


    "Find him," Minho repeated. "Throw him in jail and make sure he gets the highest level of punishment."


    "Minho," Junwan began. "I''m trying. But you have to remember that six years have already passed. We have only nine years left before the statute of limitation is over on your mother''s case. If we can''t find him by then, he will be a free man!"


    "I don''t care about any limitations," Minho threatened in a cold tone. He was not angry but a dangerous calmness was emitting from him which made him even more intimidating. "Find him. Whether the statute of limitations expires or not. I only want him punished."


    The boy was adamant on his stance. Junwan was worried about his actions. Even though the boy and his sister were being well taken care of by Lawyer Lee and the Jangs, Minho was still stuck in the past. The memory of his mother''s dead eyes were haunting him every night. The ten year old who had witnessed his mother being murdered was still hellbent on punishing his father by hook or by crook.


    "Minho, focus on your life," Junwan suggested. "The man may have escaped but think about your sister. Doesn''t she deserve a stable family life? Don''t you think it''s high time you focus on raising her away from the shadow of your past? She doesn''t remember anything! Build a new life with her and let go of revenge."


    Junwan may not be very fond of Hwang Minho but the boy did grow up in front of his eyes so he could not help but feel a little worried. What if something happened to Minho in his quest for revenge?


    "Mina will be fine," Minho said curtly. "I will give her the best upbringing so that she can neverck anything. She will be happy in her life. All I want to do is to be a richer and more powerful man than Hwang Sr. So that one day, when we will finally meet, he can see that his actions could not destroy us. He may have snatched our mother away, but she''s still with us, guiding her children. I want to show him what he had lost."


    There was a fierce determination in Minho which was raging to explode. He was sure that once he became the most powerful man in the country, finding Hwang Sr. would be far easier. Minho wanted his father to see his face everywhere: on the news, magazines, billboards. Everywhere. Minho''s eyes will follow him at all times to warn him that one day his father would be punished for his crimes.


    Minho''s obsession greatly worried Junwan who was eyeing him warily. The boy was going to end up in some kind of trouble soon and in the process, his sister would be the loser.


    "Be careful of what you wish for," Junwan warned.


    "I know what I want," Minho stated. "I want that man to be punished. If thew can''t punish him, then I will."


    His cryptic words only made Junwa worry more. What was the boy nning to do?


    But before Junwan could ask him, Minho got up and left without another word. Junwan stated after him in dismay, worrying that the boy would do something rash.


    Once outside, Minho headed for the back alley and leaned against the wall. He was trying to catch his breath, his heart filled with nervousness. His hands were sweaty as he tried to deal with the dilemma he was facing. Slowly, he reached for his pocket and took out a ck gun.


    He stared at the gun he had purchased a few days back through an agent. It was difficult but the agent managed to smuggle it for him, dodging the cops. Minho had bought it in order to protect his sister in case their father came near her. Unlike others, he would not hesitate to shoot his dad down if the situation called for it. But he knew that Junwan would not approve of this and would have confiscated the gun if he had seen it.


    "Where are you, father?" he voiced out loud.


    .


    Mina was pouting as she waited outside the gate of the building where her artpetition had just ended. She was carrying a mini backpack, looking around for her elder brother. All the other children had left with their parents and she was left behind without a chaperone. It was almost 4 PM in the afternoon and Minho was nowhere to be seen.


    "I can''t even call the mansion!" she whined. Aunt Soojung had left for a business conference and Uncle Jason was out of town. Kanji was probably home but he was under the impression that Minho would pick up Mina. Moreover, the payphone was across the road and it was too dangerous for her to cross it by herself.


    "Are you alright?"


    Startled by the voice, Mina looked up to see a pleasant looking man in his thirties smiling at her. Mina was a little apprehensive, stepping back to put a distance.


    "I am fine," she said. Her brother had told her not to talk to strangers.


    "Isn''t your guardian here yet?" the man asked. "Do you need help crossing the road to get to the payphone?"


    Mina was at a crossroads. She did not want to take help from a stranger but she needed to reach the payphone and call Kanji. Minho was not there yet and she was getting worried. Did something happen to her brother?


    "Um okay," she said. "Only until the payphone."


    The stranger smiled and grabbed her palm, helping her to cross the road.


    .


    Minho walked into the mansion, taking off his shoes. It was almost evening by the time he reached the mansion and he was really tired.


    "I''m home!" he announced. Kanji looked up from the book he was reading as Minho slumped on the sofa next to his.


    "You look tired," Kanjimented.


    "I just had to do a lot of things," Minho groaned. "Where''s Mina?"


    Kanji stared at him. "You were supposed to pick her up," he said. "Mina''s artpetition took ce today and since my parents are out, she told you to pick her up."


    Minho sat up in rm. He dimly recalled Mina had mentioned the artpetition while he was talking to Junwan on the phone!


    "Oh shit!" he cursed and darted out of the house with Kanji in tow.


    "What happened?" Kanji demanded. "Why are you running?"


    "I forgot to pick up my sister!"

 Chapter 73: CCK (16)

    Chapter 73: CCK (16)


    Minho and Kanji ran towards the ce where Mina''s artpetition was held. To their shock, the gates were locked.


    "How long ago did herpetition end?" Kanji asked.


    "Three o''clock," Minho groaned. How could he forget to pick up his own sister? He was so upied with Junwan''s words that hepletely neglected Mina! How could he be so careless?


    "I''m sure she''s somewhere around!" Kanji assured him. "It''s only"


    He checked his watch and gulped. It was 6 PM and Mina was probably waiting for them for hours. What if something had happened to her? He did not want to think of that possibility at all. Minho would never forgive himself if something had happened to Mina.


    "Let''s find her," he suggested. "She''s bound to be around somewhere!"


    "We''ll split up," Minho stated. "You look on the right and I''ll look on the left."


    Kanji nodded and they set off. He looked around the building, looking for her everywhere he could.


    "Mina?" he called out loud. He checked the alleyways and any spot he could find. There were some guards around the area and he asked them if they had seen the little girl but to his disappointment, none of them had noticed any girl with a backpack.


    Minho, on the other hand, was searching the street for his sister. He went up the roadside stairs which led to the residential areas, crying her name. He knocked on some of the houses and asked the residents if they had seen her.


    "Sorry," one elderly woman said. "I didn''t see any little girl around this area today."


    Minho cursed out loud,menting his carelessness. He was panicking now, looking into every corner for his sister but she was nowhere to be found. Tears were stinging his eyes but he brushed them away. It was not the time to be weak. His sister needed him.


    "Mina!" he yelled. "Mina!"


    But there was no response. His sister was missing and it was his fault.


    Kanji ran up to him. The disappointed look on his face told Minho that he, too, had failed in finding her.


    "Minho"


    Kanji tried to console his friend but Minho shook his head in despair and walked away to look for his sister again. After searching for hours, they were forced to conclude that Mina was not there.


    "Maybe she went home?" Kanji suggested. "I saw a payphone back there. We can call home and ask the maid if she arrived home in our absence."


    "Alright," Minho half heartedly agreed, knowing fully that it was impossible. She was too young to navigate the ce on her own and he doubted she knew her way back. But it was still worth a try.


    They rushed towards the payphone across the art building. Kanji inserted a coin and dialed his home''s number. The maid picked up the phone.


    "Mrs. Lim!" Kanji said at once. "Did Minae home yet?"


    "No, Master Kanji," Lim replied. "She has not arrived yet."


    Kanji''s shoulders fell and he hung up the phone. He turned to Minho and said, "She didn''t arrive home. We''ll have to inform the police-"


    But Minho was not paying attention. He was looking at something on the ground. Stooping down, he picked up a red clip.


    "This is Mina''s," he said. "She was here! She came herest!"


    Kanji examined the clip and he also recognized it. "If she came here, then that meant she must have been trying to call the house!" he eximed. "But I was home that time. I didn''t receive any calls."


    "That means she never made the call," Minho concluded. The dread he was trying to suppress was now beginning to rise again. His worst fears were surfacing, making him feel even more guilty at his negligence. Kanji, too, realized that the worst may have happened.


    Mina had been kidnapped.


    Kanji was looking at Minho with worry. Thetter''s face was ashened with dismay as his thoughts spiraled into a mess. His sister was out there somewhere, scared and vulnerable to some sick psycho. Terrible images were floating in his mind. What if she was harmed? What if a pedophile got her or worse? She was the only family he had left and he could not lose her too.


    "This is all my fault," he whispered. His voice was shaky and he clenched his fists in anger. He was angry at himself for not being able to protect his sister.


    "We''ll find her," Kanji said sharply. "We''ll have to call the police first! She''s the daughter of the Hwang family! Everyone knows that you should not be messed with. Whoever kidnapped her, will definitely ask for a ransom."


    But will he? For some reason, Minho doubted this. If she was kidnapped for ransom, then they would have received the call already. But the maid did not inform them about any such thing and for some reason, his intuitions said that Mina was entangled in something even more sinister.


    "It''s not a kidnapping," he dered. "I know it. It''s something else."


    "We''ll still have to inform the police!" Kanji said. "Let''s go!"


    Both of them ran out of the payphone and rushed towards the nearest police station.


    Please keep my sister safe! Minho prayed. A single tear fell from his eye as he ran through the streets, his head fixated on saving his sister.


    .


    Mina slowly opened her eyes. The white lights were shining brightly above her, almost blinding her. She tried to move her neck but to her shock her whole body was paralyzed. Not even a finger would move.


    What''s going on? She thought wildly. Where''s my brother?


    She tried to scream but her voice was also suppressed by the drug. Her body felt too heavy and the drug was too powerful for her. Her mind was muddled and unclear as she tried to remember how she ended up there.


    All she could recall was that she had dialed Kanji''s home number before everything went ck.


    Brother! She cried inwardly. Brother help me!

 Chapter 74: CCK (17)

    Chapter 74: CCK (17)


    Over the next two days, there was pandemonium in the Jang household. Kanji''s father, Jason, had returned from his trip and used all his contacts to find Mina while Soojung was on the streets, distributing posters of the missing girl. Minho and Kanji were also aiding her to post the pamphlets all over the town. They had not received any calls for ransom which only meant that the person who kidnapped Mina was not going to demand for money.


    Junwan had dispatched his whole police team to find the missing girl. They tried looking for her everywhere but it was as if the girl had disappeared. Her picture was all over the city but not a soul stepped up to give information on her.


    There were no cameras on the streets back then and hence, they did not have a suspect either. No one saw the little girl and the family was getting more desperate to find her. Minho, in particr, was in a bad state. He was ming himself for Mina''s disappearance and would not rest at all.


    "You look dreadful," Kanjimented on the third day when Minho came downstairs. Dark circles appeared underneath his eyes making him look like a panda and he had lost a few pounds as well. Kanji was worried that Minho would faint any time. He had not slept nor had he eaten well for the past few days as his energy is spent looking for Mina.


    "I''m fine," Minho assured him. "I just want to find my sister"


    He trailed off. Would he find her? What if the kidnapper had done the worst? What if she?


    He instantly threw the thought out of his head. No! His sister was alive and he could feel it. It was hard to exin but he felt that Mina was somewhere close. The kidnapper could not have taken her very far in broad daylight.


    "But you''re going to fall sick if you keep up like this!" Kanji argued. "You should stay home today. I''ll go and look for her with mom-"


    "No!" Minho snapped. "I''ll find my sister! I have to! I am not going to lose another family member."


    There was a strong determination in his eyes. He was burning to punish the person who had dared to take his sister away from him. She was hisst family and he was going to find her by hook or by crook.


    "Let''s go," he said, picking up the pamphlets from a desk. Kanji nodded and they set off again, this time going to the neighboring town to look for Mina. Kanji''s chauffeur drove them until they reached Town C. Getting off the car, they began to post Mina''s picture on every empty wall space they could find. The people passing by stopped for a brief moment to read the poster before losing interest and walking away.


    "This is not going to work," Kanji said. "Let''s hand these out."


    "They''ll just throw it away!" Minh eximed in frustration. Most people read the posters and discard them quickly. Some do not even nce at them. He was getting annoyed at the people''sck of empathy. He had known from a very young age not to expect anything from others but he was desperate now. They had limited means to find her and the police were also drawing a nk. They had no idea how to find a little girl without any clues to lean on.


    Minho and Kanji got to work, handing out the posters.


    "Please help us find my sister," Minho begged a few people who were walking past them. Most did not stop to look but some briefly nced at it. Some were nice enough to take the posters in order to help him find Mina if they spot anyone matching the picture but the rest were indifferent.


    "Please help us find her!" Kanji pleaded but he too went unheard. They were at their wit''s end and at a loss. What to do?


    Minho slumped against a wall. The tears he had held back for so long were finally bursting out. Kanji was taken aback as Minho''s eyes watered up, the pain and guilt in his heart umted until he could bear it no more.


    "I''m going to lose her, Kanji," he wailed. Kanji was speechless. He had never seen Minho cry like that. All this time, he always kept up a stoic and indifferent poker face as a shield to protect himself from getting hurt. But seeing a strong person like Minho break down only meant that he was losing all hope.


    "Minho," Kanji began. "We will find Mina! I know it! If there''s someone who is capable of saving her then it''s you. Her older brother. She''s out there somewhere, scared and helpless. And she''s calling out your name for help. Only you can save her."


    But Minho was beginning to doubt himself. He could never forgive himself for what he did. He had neglected the one person he was supposed to protect. The agony was eating him from within.


    "Kanji I-"


    Suddenly he froze. He nced around Kanji. Thetter frowned and followed Minho''s gaze which fell on a woman who was reading one of the posters they had stered on the wall. She looked troubled as she bit her lip. The woman seemed as if she was contemting something. There was a visible fear on her face as she read the poster.


    "That woman has been standing there for a long time," Minho remarked. "Maybe"


    The woman turned around and noticed that they were staring at her. She quickly turned away and sped off.


    "Wait!" Minho yelled after her. He followed her and Kanji trailed him but the woman was walking too quickly. She pretended not to notice the teenagers who were catching up with her. Minho quickly overtook her and blocked the way.


    "L-let me go!" the woman stuttered. "I''m in a hurry-"


    She turned around to leave but Kanji stopped her.


    "You were reading that poster for a long time," he stated. "Why?"


    "I-I just thought the girl looked familiar but I''ve never seen her before," she replied.


    "You''re scared," Minho used. "You know something. Tell me!"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about!" the woman shrieked. "I''ll scream if you follow me any further!"


    She red at him but Minho could read the fear in her eyes. The woman did not want to spill the beans because she was afraid of something.


    "Look, please," he begged. "She''s my sister! She''s only six years old and has been kidnapped. We''ve been looking for her for the past two days and can''t find her anywhere-"


    "Wait, two days?" the woman asked. "She''s been missing for two days? Did you get a ransom call?"


    "N-no," Minho said. "Do you know something?"


    The woman nced at the posters in his hand. The girl was the same age as her youngest son. Her innocent smile and the thought that the little girl was probably alone and scared somewhere, was breaking her heart.


    The woman took a deep breath.


    "My name is Mimi," she introduced herself. "I''m not entirely sure, but if my theory is correct then your sister is still alive. However, she has little time! You must save her within three days!"


    "From whom?" Minho whispered.


    "The man of your nightmares," she said cryptically.

 Chapter 75: CCK (18)

    Chapter 75: CCK (18)


    Gayoon was listening intently to his story. There were several pieces of crucial information which was missing from the case files they had and Minho''s story was beginning to piece together those puzzles.


    "But why didn''t the police connect the dots?" Gayoon asked. "Howe they didn''t realize that Mina was kidnapped by the CCK?"


    "At that time, the police teams were not working together," Minho exined. "My sister''s disappearance was treated as a kidnapping. The police team handling her case did not consult with the CCK Investigation Team and hence, they lost vital clues. If we hadn''t run into Mimi that day, we might have never found Mina."


    Gayoon frowned. "But why didn''t you inform the police afterwards?"


    Minho sighed and continued to tell his tale.


    .


    By the time Mimi was done narrating her story, it was already nightfall. They were at the patio of her house, listening to her narrating the horrors of that night. Her two children were ying outside. One of them was exactly Mina''s age. He waved his chubby fist at his mother.


    "I don''t know who he was," she said. "The only thing I could think of were my children and that I cannot die there. The drug he gave me was strong but I think it wore off due to some sort of immunity in my body. You see, in order to survive, I volunteer for several experiments conducted by medical experts so that I could get some money from them. I think the medicines injected in me diluted the effects of the drug and I was able to escape."


    "Where did he take you?" Minho demanded. "You said it was a den of some sort?"


    Mimi nodded and replied, "It was a den but unusually cold. Like a freezer! Yes, it was like a freezer. Cold and icy. I''m sure it was around the woods nearby."


    "We should inform the police," Kanji said at once. "This is a very important clue-"


    "NO!" Mimi eximed. "No police. I will not go to the police!"


    "But why not?"


    "If this is part of the serial killing case," Mimi said. "Then the media will expose my face. That killer will know that I have testified and wille after me!"


    She was trembling in fear and kept on ncing at the front gate as if she expected the CCK to appear there any time.


    "I was so scared," she said tearfully. "You don''t know the feeling! He was not a normal human being! He was a-a-a"


    She trailed off and burst into tears. The man''s story had chilled her to her very core.


    "Every night I see him in my nightmares," she went on. Her hands were shaking as she recalled the man''s menacing voice in her dreams. She may have escaped his den but he was still haunting her. The man was now a part of her and would not let her go. He would keep on tormenting her. Forever.


    "I can still feel the cold metal of his scalpel," she whispered. "He was no ordinary man. He was a monster who would devour everything. Literally. The man had no morals norpassion. I can never forget his voice. I will always feel that he will return for me. And when he does"


    The very thought of it scared Mimi so much that she felt the bileing up her throat. She quickly darted towards the railing of the balcony and threw up. Minho and Kanji rushed forward to help her, pping her back tofort her.


    Once she was done, Minho handed her a ss of water.


    "My sister is with him," he said. "I know it. She was kidnapped and we have very little time. Please, help us."


    "I want to," Mimi said. "But I''m scared. That man will destroy me! If I die, then who''ll take care of my two kids? My little one is only six years old! He just started to go to school!"


    "I''ll take care of everything," Minho promised. "I promise that nothing will happen to you or your children. Which is why I beg you. Please!"


    "What are your sons'' names?" Kanji asked.


    "The older one is Lee Hongbin," Mimi replied. "The younger one in Lee Jongin."


    "We assure you that we will take care of everything," Kanji said. "Their education and jobs too! Nothing will happen to you or your family. We''ll make sure of it. But please help us. Only you know where he is."


    "But I-" Mimi began but suddenly, Minho fell to his knees.


    He was desperate to find his sister and was willing to do anything even if it meant letting go of his pride. Kanji was shocked to see his friend in that state. Minho had bottled his feelings for so long that now it was pouring out of him. The fear of losing another family member was destroying him from within.


    Mimi was also in a lurch. She did not have the heart to refuse the boy who was sincerely trying to protect his sister. ncing at her little ones, she bit her lip. Was she doing the right thing? What if the killer had moved from that ce already? What if he was still there, waiting for her?


    "Please," he begged. "My sister is now with that monster! She''s alone and scared. I don''t even know if she''s alive or not but I have to find her! Please, help us. You''re my only hope right now. Both of us are orphans and we only have each other. If I lose my only family, then I don''t know how I''ll survive!"


    Mimi looked from her smiling children to Minho who was still on his knees, begging for her help. Finally, she made up her mind.


    "Fine," she replied. "I''ll help you find him."


    Minho''s face burst into a smile as he stood up. He sped Mimi''s palms and vowed, "I''ll forever be indebted to you. Thank you for helping us."


    Mimi patted his cheek with a motherly tenderness.


    "Let''s go," she said. "And save your sister."

 Chapter 76: CCK (19)

    Chapter 76: CCK (19)


    The night descended on them like apletely ck nket without a hint of any light. There was no moonlight nor were there any on the empty road they were driving on. Mimi''s old truck was emitting only a little ray of light from its feeble headlights but other than that, the whole road was blindingly dark. Minho could not even make out where they were going.


    "Are you sure this is the way?" he asked with uncertainty.


    "I''m positive," Mimi replied. "This was the road I found once I emerged out of the other end of the river. Thankfully, a truck picked me up and took me home."


    "Where were you kidnapped from?" Kanji asked.


    "I had gotten off work," Mimi recounted. "It was around eleven o''clock at night. I had gotten off the bus and was heading towards my house when suddenly, someone attacked me from behind. I didn''t have any time to react and the next thing I know, I woke up in some kind ofb."


    "Hey, that serial killer, CCK," Kanji began. "Isn''t he spected to be some kind of doctor?"


    "I don''t know," Minho groaned. "I didn''t follow the case much"


    He cursed himself again for his negligence.


    "If only I had picked her up on time"


    "Stopmenting on that and focus on finding Mina!" Kanji snapped. "If it really is the CCK, then she''s still alive. For now."


    "He''s right," Mimi replied. "If it''s the CCK, then your sister still has two days left. He''ll freeze the victims first in some sort of cooler for five days. On the fifth day, at exactly 11:59 PM, he''ll kill them."


    Minho winced as he recalled what Mimi had said about what he did with the hearts of his victims. It sickened him that such monsters roamed around the society with them. The whole thing was so bizarre and disgusting that even the thought of it made his stomach churn.


    "How much further?" he asked.


    Mimi peered her eyes through the darkness. In her haste that night, she did not keep a very good track of where she was running off to. All she remembered was arge maple tree which even that state she thought was unusual since there were rarely any maple trees in Country K.


    "Keep an eye out for a maple tree," she said. "I saw it on my way out of the forest. It was right on the edge."


    Kanji and Minho kept looking on both sides for the maple tree. It was too dark to see anything but they tried their best to find it. After an hour of driving around, Kanji finally eximed.


    "There!"


    He pointed at arge maple tree which loomed ahead. Mimi stopped the car in front of it.


    "This is it," she said. "This is the entrance which leads to theb."


    "Let''s go!" Minho eximed but Mimi was rooted to her spot. Her hands were mmy and cold while her mind reyed the incident form that night. The cooler, the menacing voice and his chilling tale was still fresh in her ears. Her body froze in fright and would not move an inch.


    "Mimi?" Kanji cautiously poked her arm but she was still as a rock. She could not speak nor move an inch, fear gripping her tightly.


    "I-I-I"


    Her words were incoherent and she was unable to express what she felt. No matter what happened, she could not return there. It was not possible for her at all. Even saving the life of that little girl could not entice her enough to return to that hell.


    Minho knew how she was feeling. He firmly grasped her shoulder and said, "Thank you for everything. We''ll take it from here. Please just tell us the way and we can figure it out on our own. You should go home to your sons."


    Mimi was dry mouthed and stared at the young boy. He was willing to let her go so that she would not have to face her worst nightmare. If only she was brave enough!


    "I''m sorry," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "I couldn''t help much-"


    "It''s alright," Minho replied with surprising tenderness in his voice. "You did what you could. Please just tell us the way from here."


    Mimi took a deep breath and stated, "Take the trail from here. Go on straight for about half an hour or so until you reach a fork shaped path. Take the way on the very right and keep going until you reach a river. Once you reach the river, follow it south. Soon, you will reach a cliff with a den. That''s hisir."


    The boys nodded, determined to save Mina.


    "Good luck," Mimi wished them. "I''ll pray for you."


    They waved her goodbye and headed off towards the forest. Mimi watched them go, worried for the boys and the little girl whose life was at stake. She fidgeted in her spot, ncing around in fear as if the monster would jump out from the shadows anytime. She got into her truck and waited in anticipation, her hand clutched around arge baseball bat as she waited for the two boys toe back.


    Please be safe, she prayed. Please!


    If something had happened to the little girl, then she would never be able to forgive herself for being a coward.


    .


    Mina was feeble and weak. The drug injected into her system had paralyzed her movements. There was a thin, long saline bag attached to her palm but the man gave her no food. He simply kept her captive for the past three days and she had no idea why.


    Her little mind was filled with wild fear and she was begging for her brother. Where was he?


    And it was too cold. The whole ce was so cold and chilly that she was afraid that she would get frostbites. The man had kept her in some kind ofrge cooler. Her muscles were frozen while her eyes were the only things which could move. She erratically rolled her pupils, scanning around the strange room.


    Suddenly, the door opened and the man walked in. He was wearing a ck mask but Mina could identify that he was a doctor because of the scrubs he donned.


    A long, cool finger stroked her cheek.


    "Are you afraid my little one?" he whispered. Mina shuddered at his touch, fear rising within her. Brother, where are you?


    "Ahh you have fine soft cheeks," he murmured. "I wonder if I should keep them for supper as well"


    Mina was now visibly scared of the man. What was he talking about? Keeping her cheeks for supper?


    The man grinned at her panicked state.


    "I''ll tell you the story, little one," he promised in his chilly tone. "Within two days, you''ll know my amazing story. Until then, rest well little one. While you can."


    Grinning widely, he retreated from the stretcher and walked off.


    "Good night," he giggled and locked the door behind him once again.

 Chapter 77: CCK (20)

    Chapter 77: CCK (20)


    Minho and Kanji were struggling in the darkness. The forest was pitch ck, blinding their sight as the tall trees loomed over them with a raging menace. It was so quiet and dark that they could hear the thumping of their hearts as they made their way through the path Mimi had guided them.


    "Do you see any forked road?" Kanji asked.


    "No," Minho whispered. "I can''t see anything in this darkness."


    The feeble torch they had was not enough to light the way. But they had to somehow manage it because Mina''s life was at stake.


    "Minho!" Kanji suddenly eximed. "I think I hear the sound of running water!"


    Minho listened carefully. Kanjiwas right. There was the sound of running water! They must be close to the river.


    "We''re on the right path," he imed. "The forked road must be here somewhere...Ah huh!


    He pointed ahead, spotting the spot with the light from the torch. Kanji, too, saw it.


    "Let''s go!" he said. Both of them took the path to the right, wandering on in the dark forest. The trees towers over them, their monstrous shadows giving an ominous aura. Kanji could feel the fear in his heart rise while Minho tried to fight off the feeling that the forest was somehow alive, watching their every step as they proceeded. He was half thinking that the killer would jump out from somewhere and attack them.


    A small voice spoke in his mind.


    "Deep in the forest is where monsters bide"


    It was from a tale his mother had once narrated to him about a monster who lived within the forest, waiting for unaware travelers who happened to wander through his home. Once they got closer, the monster''srge ws slowly slithered through the darkness to sp his victims.


    "Minho, this forest is scary," Kanji whispered. "Are we really going the right way? What if the woman gave us the wrong information?"


    "No," Minho stated. "She gave us the right information. The fear she felt...it was real. I can tell."


    He knew she was telling the truth. There was an earnest plea in her voice which he could tell was genuine. Mina was with the CCK and he must find her before he could harm her.


    "I think that''s the river," he said, peering his eyes to take a closer look. The area was too dark but the sound of the running water was getting louder.


    "Let me go first," he told Kanji. Thetter looked troubled.


    "Be careful," Kanji warned. "It''s too dark. You might fall into the water."


    Minho slowly stepped forward, using his foot to make sure that he was still on the ground.


    "Don''t get too close, Minho," Kanji cautioned. Minho nodded and took another step.


    "It''s still the ground," he began. "The river is probably a few steps-AHHHHH!"


    The ground beneath him gave away and he fell over into the river.


    "MINHO!" Kanji yelled as Minho tumbled into the water. The current was too strong and the water was too deep. Minho gasped for air, trying to swim in the water but he was being carried away. He was not an expert swimmer and the water was crashing against him from all sides.


    Kanji ran along, following the current which carried Minho away. He was panicking as thetter had disappeared into the water.


    "Minho!" he yelled. He took off his shirt and jumped into the water. The water was too cold even for summertime. Kanji dove into the river, looking for Minho. Bubbles erupted from his mouth as he called out for his friend who was nowhere to be seen.


    He scanned around the water, trying to breathe. The deep river was dark and dangerous as seaweeds were dangerously hovering around. If entangled, it would be almost impossible for anyone to be freed from them. He swam further, looking for Minho until arge figure caught his attention. It was stuck in one of the seaweeds, fervently trying to be let free. Kanji swam upwards and emerged out of the water to take a deep breath before plunging in again.


    Minho''s leg was tied up by a seaweed and he was desperately trying to be freed. His breath was getting shorter while water was filling up his nostrils and mouth. His movements were bing weaker as he struggled with the seaweed. The vision in his eyes was blurring and his consciousness fading as he tried to remain awake. But he was fighting a losing battle.


    Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed his leg and snapped him free before embracing him. Kanji grabbed on to Minho and swam up. Struggling to breath, he pulled the unconscious Minho towards the shore. Heaving him up on the ground, Kanji pped Minho''s cheeks.


    "Minho!" he called. "Minho!"


    But thetter had breathed in too much water. Kanji straightened him out and began to blow into his mouth to give him CPR. He pressed on Minho''s chest repeatedly to pump out the water.


    "Minho!" Kanji yelled, pressing his chest more. The water was beginning to flow out of his mouth and finally, Minho coughed. He opened his eyes to see Kanji''s worried face.


    "Minho!" Kanji cried as Minho sat up. "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine!" Minho wheezed. He bent over and threw up more water. Kanji was relieved to see him feeling alright. Minho panted for a while before suddenly sitting up straight.


    Did I lose it? He wondered in panic. Kanji frowned as Minho began to check his pockets before letting out a sigh of relief.


    It''s still there, Minho thought.


    "What happened?" Kanji asked. "You looked worried for a moment there as if you had lost something."


    "I will if we don''t find Mina," Minho said, getting up to move again. "But where are we? We were supposed to go south but now"


    Kanji also realized that they had no idea where the current took them. Were they on the right direction or did the river take them to apletely new route?


    "Are we...lost?" he asked.

 Chapter 78: CCK (21)

    Chapter 78: CCK (21)


    Minho smacked Kanji''s head hard causing thetter to yell.


    "Ow!" Kanji cried. "What was that for?"


    "It''s right behind you, pinhead!" Minho snapped and pointed at the cliff behind Kanji. Thetter turned around and sure enough, there was a den on top of it.


    "Oh," he said. "My bad."


    "Let''s go," Minho ordered. He led the way with Kanji in tow. The cliff was gleaming dangerously and the path was dark. One wrong step could cost them their lives. From Mimi''s story, Minho had assumed that the cliff was probably not so tall but he was wrong. It was probably a few hundred meters high and it astounded him that Mimi managed to jump from that height and survived.


    "How did Mimi survive?" Kanji asked in awe.


    "She had incredible willpower," Minho muttered. "And the river is really deep. If it was shallow, she would have died on the spot. Her luck favored her."


    Kanji nodded as he followed Minho around the cliff. They were looking for any sort of trail or passage which would lead them upwards.


    "Mimi said the den was ab," Kanji frowned.


    "Yeah," Minho sighed. "But I don''t see any trail."


    "I don''t think there''s a trail though," Kanji said. "I mean look at this cliff! It''s too steep. And how do you expect someone to climb it with a ny pound woman on his back? Nah. I''m sure he uses another route?"


    "I don''t see any trail," Minho pointed out. "Unless he flew straight to the top."


    Kanji was not listening to him but was gently tapping on the side of the cliff as he went around it. He was sure that the cliff had some sort of passageway which led to the top. The kidnapper could not possibly carry a heavy woman all the way to the top by rock climbing. The man used this ce as ab and he had a secret passage. He could just tell.


    Suddenly, he stopped. Minho frowned as Kanji repeatedly knocked on the cliff.


    "What are you doing?" he scowled. "We need to find the route!"


    "I think I found it," Kanji said in excitement. "Listen!"


    He tapped on the rocky cliff. Minho listened carefully to his taps.


    "It sounds hollow!" he eximed. "The ce behind this wall is hollow!"


    "Yes," Kanji murmured. "Which means, there must be something hidden behind it. But how do we open it?"


    He searched the rocky wall for some kind of entrance but it was tightly shut. They tried to push the wall but soon gave up.


    "There must be some kind of lock!" Kanji insisted.


    "But where is it?" Minho asked. "I don''t see anything. Is it on another side?"


    Kanji peered in the darkness, touching every part of the wall he could reach while Minho searched the other side.


    "Aha!" Minho pped his hands. "I found it!"


    Kanji came running to him. He was pointing at an electronic lock which was concealed behind a bunch of hanging nts. It was not visible at first because it was painted green but Minho''s sharp eyes managed to find it after a few doubletakes.


    "But it''s an electric lock," Kanji groaned. "It needs a passcode. How do we get the passcode for this thing?"


    Minho was in a dilemma. The passcode would set off an rm if they failed to input the code on their first try. The CCK would get a hint of their presence and might end up killing Mina in the process. They would have to think very carefully.


    "Is it his kill count?" Kanji asked. "How many women did he kill?"


    "I don''t know," Minho said, shaking his head. "The police did not give an official figure."


    "His birthdate?"


    "How the hell are we supposed to know that?" Minho snapped. "Don''t be stupid Kanji!"


    They spent the next half an hour trying to figure out the code but not daring to input anything. No matter how many guesses they made, it was of no use. They did not know anything about the killer and it was highly risky to take a shot in the dark.


    "What in the world is the passcode?" Kanji asked in frustration. "Should we wait for him toe out and ambush him?"


    "But there is no guarantee that he woulde out," Minho shot back. "What if he emerges out of the cave only after the fifth day?"


    "Should we wait until daybreak to find another way to climb up?" Kanji suggested. "Maybe a route will appear. Minho looked up at the cliff. It was too steep to be climbed. They would have to use the secret entrance to gain ess to the den above. Mimi was lucky that she reached the mouth of the den instead of the front door to the cave otherwise she would have died by his hands."


    Kanji ran a hand through his hair in worry. For a moment, the green neon light from his mickey mouse watch blinked at Minho. He barely nced at it before backtracking his gaze.


    "Kanji, what''s the time?" he asked, starting to feel a little hopeful. Kanji frowned and checked his watch.


    "It''s one minute to midnight," he said warily.


    "Remember Mimi''s story?" Minho recalled. "She said that the killer mentioned something about Thanksgiving dinner with his family at 11:59 PM."


    "Yeah"


    Kanji knew where Minho was going with this. He took a look at the lock.


    "What if we''re wrong?" he asked, feeling unsure. "It''s our only chance. It''ll be too risky. And the killer might murder Mina if he realizes that we''re here."


    "But we have to try," Minho sighed. He was not fully sure about his guess either but they had no other choice. It was the only option they had.


    Kanji looked worried as Minho stepped towards the lock. Thetter took a deep breath.


    Here goes nothing, he thought. Please work. Please.


    Slowly, he typed in the code ''1159'' and pressed ''ENTER''. Both of them held their breaths, anticipating what their stab in the dark would lead them to.

 Chapter 79: CCK (22)

    Chapter 79: CCK (22)


    They held their breath. Did it work? The doorway in front of them had not moved an inch.


    "Is it wrong?" Kanji frowned. "The code?"


    "What else could it be?" Minho groaned in frustration. "The bloody guy kept on chanting eleven fifty nine-"


    Suddenly, the door moved. Kanji yelped and clung on to Minho who pped him away.


    "Is it the killer?" Kanji trembled, pointing at the door. "Is he standing there?"


    "No, you moron!" Minho snapped. "It''s just the door opening!"


    And he was right. The door was sliding open to reveal a dark passageway. They gaped in awe at the path whichy in front of them.


    "What if he''s not here anymore?" Kanji reasoned. "After all, Mimi had escaped and he might have moved away from this ce to a new hideout."


    "But we need to be sure," Minho said. "Maybe we can find a clue to his new hideout from here. However, the passcode is still active. Someone definitely lives here. Come on."


    He motioned Kanji to follow him. They no longer had the torch to lead the way so they had to use their instincts. Thankfully, there was a dim light which lit part of the tunnel. They quietly walked on, trying not to make any noise. The tunnel was really silent. Not even the scattering of mice could be heard. They had to be careful not to make sounds of footsteps but the soles of their shoes still clinked.


    "Don''t make so much noise!" Minho hissed. "He might hear us!"


    "It''s the shoes!" Kanji argued back. "But I don''t see anyone here. He might have really escaped."


    "Mimi said that she jumped from the cliff," Minho breathed. "So he must have taken her up there. I think we will find stairs here somewhere. Maybe hisb is up there?"


    "But won''t he get suspicious if he sees us emerging from the stairs?" Kanji asked. "We should have brought sticks or something. We don''t even know if he''s here!"


    "I have something," Minho muttered. "We can use it as weapon if we spot him."


    "What do you mean?" Kanji frowned. He stopped and turned Minho around. Minho was looking down as if he was hiding something shameful.


    "Minho, what are you hiding?" Kanji demanded. Minho hesitated for a few seconds before putting his hand into his pocket. Kanji''s eyes widened in horror as Minho took out a gun.


    "Where the hell did you get that?" Kanji whispered. "And why do you have it?"


    "I...I bought it from a dealer downtown," Minho admitted.


    "But this is illegal!" Kanji scolded him. "You''re a minor! You can''t have this! Are you telling me that you purchased it through a criminal?"


    When Minho did not answer him, Kanji understood. He grabbed Minho''s cor and shook him hard.


    "Are you mad?" he hissed. "You bought this? What are you nning to do, Hwang Minho?"


    Kanji''s questions were burning into Minho''s consciousness. He averted his eyes, still shameful for what he had done but Kanji knew his friend well.


    "You bought this for him, didn''t you?" Kanji used. "You bought this to use on your father if you run into him."


    "Yes," Minho finally replied. "I bought it to protect the only family I have left. If I ever find that man, I will-"


    Kanji punched him on the face. Minho staggered backwards, grumbling in pain. A purple bruise was appearing on the ce where Kanji hit him. He looked up to see Kanji ring at him.


    "You will have no family left if you keep on obsessing over that man!" Kanji spat. "You really think that killing him is the answer? Minho, use your head! I thought you were the smart one among us! Have you ever thought what would be of Mina if you go to jail for killing your dad?"


    Kanji''s words made Minho feel even worse. He was embarrassed to admit that he had harbored such a thought. Kanji pursed his lips and patted Minho''s shoulder.


    "If youmit the same crime as your dad, then there''s no difference between you and him," he reasoned. When Minho did not meet his eyes, he sighed and added, "Think about what you want to do and the life you wanna lead. You wanna be the richest man in this country so that you can finally cleanse the stain from your family name. And in the future, you''ll have a family of your own! You can''t defeat your dad bymitting another crime. The only way you can beat him is by bing a better person than him. Fulfill your dreams, raise Mina and one day, have your own family. Be happy, Minho. Not vengeful."


    Minho snorted. It was ironic to him that Kanji was being the reasonable one but he knew that his friend was right.


    "If I be the richest man in the country, then that''ll mean I will beat you," Minho smirked.


    "Don''t worry," Kanji grinned back. "If you manage to surpass my wealth, I''ll sell off my stuff and be a live-in brother-inw in your house after I marry Mina."


    "Over my dead body!"


    "You''ll see," Kanji imed. "I''ll marry Mina someday!"


    "Pedophile," Minho stated in a deadpan voice as they walked ahead.


    "Jokes aside," Kanji said. "You''re gonna get rid of that gun as soon as we''re out of here! Do you promise? Otherwise, I''ll tell my parents and Lawyer Lee."


    Minho knew very well that once Kanji was serious about a threat, he would carry it out. There was no escaping his clutches once he was determined. He paused to face Kanji.


    "I will throw it away," he promised. "But for now, let''s find the CCK."


    "I think we''re in luck," Kanjimented. "Look."


    He pointed behind Minho who turned around to see a long, winding stairway which led to the top of the cliff.


    "How did this man manage to build this?" Kanji frowned. "Building this sort of hideout needs a lot of time and money."


    "If he''s a doctor like the reports im," Minho muttered. "Then he must be a rich one."


    "But how does he choose his victims?" Kanji pointed out. "Mimi could barely afford a rich doctor for her health checkup. And Mina did not visit any doctor other than the designated family doctor. Then how is he choosing his victims?"


    "Let''s just go upstairs and ask him," Minho said in a sarcastic tone. "Kanji, we''re here to rescue Mina! Not to be detectives!"


    Kanji pouted as Minho began to climb the stairs. He followed his friend, both of them wondering of the dangers whichy ahead.

 Chapter 80: CCK (23)

    Chapter 80: CCK (23)


    They climbed the stairs which spiraled up towards a cer. Minho paused for a minute to press his ear against it.


    "Can you hear anything?" Kanji whispered.


    "Nothing," Minho replied. "No footsteps. Nothing."


    "I still think he''s not here," Kanji stated. "We''ve been in this cave for hours and we still didn''te across anyone!"


    But Minho was frowning. There was something odd going on.


    "Do you...smell something?" he asked.


    Kanji wrinkled in brows in confusion before realizing what Minho meant. A scent hit his nose. Something was cooking somewhere above them.


    "It smells like curry and...meat?" he said, feeling unsure. "But the smell is strange. It doesn''t smell like chicken, beef or pork. Is it some wild animal? Ugh the smell is disgusting!"


    Minho winced and felt the bileing up his throat. The smell was quite nauseating as if leather was being burnt. Then why did the whiff of spicese through? Even Kanji was holding his breath. What was it?


    "It''s not a wild animal," Minho concluded. "We need to get in there. I''m getting a bad feeling."


    He took out the gun. Kanji was not pleased to see the weapon in Minho''s hand but they had little choice. There was a possibly dangerous serial killer in the cer above them and they had no other way to save Mina.


    Minho carefully pushed the cer. It was unlocked so he peered into the room above them.


    "Coast is clear," he whispered. He opened the cer door and climbed up with Kanji following suit. They had entered some kind of a kitchen. It was dimly lit but they could see the kitchen appliances neatly arranged against the wall. A refrigerator stood in the corner while the dining table was scattered with cut vegetables and herbs. The shelves were stacked with different spices and cooking ingredients, nicely categorized. The stove was running as a pot was boiling over it. The ce looked like a normal kitchen.


    Except for the strong putrid smell which was suffocating them.


    "Ugh it''s worse in here!" Kanjiined. "What is it?"


    "It''sing from that pot," Minho said, pointing at the boiling pot over the stove.


    "What in the world is he cooking?" Kanji wondered out loud, stepping towards the stove. He opened it to see a meat drowning in gravy. He picked up a spoon and took some gravy in his palm to smell it. The pungent smell was trulying from there.


    "What is this?" he breathed. Minho was also wondering the same thing. There was something very ominous about this scent.


    "This meat" Minho began as he peered into the pot. "It looks like a...heart?"


    He was right. The meat cooking inside the pot was shaped like a heart.


    Suddenly Kanji backed off in fear. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. His face was pale and sweat began to bead from his forehead.


    "Kanji, what''s wrong?" Minho frowned but Kanji was not listening. He darted towards the refrigerator and yanked it open. Minho watched as he rummaged through the contents before pausing.


    "Kanji, what are you doing?" Minho hissed. Kanji''s ashen face emerged from the fridge. He was holding a container in his hand.


    "Minho...remember the news reports on the CCK?" he asked in a hollow tone.


    "That he kidnapped women randomly and dissected them?" Minho recalled.


    "There was something else."


    Kanji held up the clear ss container for Minho to see. He took a closer look through it and was shocked.


    "That''s"


    "The CCK kept the hearts," Kanji grimaced. "Of his victims. To eat them."


    He opened the fridge further for Minho to see. There were several simr ss containers which held the hearts of the victims. They were clearlybeled with the victims'' names and ages along with the date of kidnapping. Some of the hearts were beginning to stink while others looked fresh.


    The nausea Minho had been holding in for so long had finally reached its maximum limit. He rushed towards the sink and threw up. The pot on the stove was still brimming with the heart in it. The very thought of a person''s organs being cooked right next to him was making him throw up even more.


    Kanji was also disgusted and quickly closed the fridge. He patted Minho''s back and nced back to see if anyone had spotted them yet. Finally, Minho was done throwing up and wiped his mouth. He was too afraid of even using the water in that ce.


    "We have to find her," Minho announced weakly. "The killer is here. The pot is running, which means that he did not escape. Mina must be here as well!"


    "Let''s find her," Kanji agreed. "Before it''s toote!"


    Minho took onest nce at the pot. A sudden thought ran through his head. What if that heart belongs to Mina? Was he toote to save his sister?


    He tried to brush off that thought and marched ahead. No, his sister was alive. He could feel it. She was not going to die that easily. He would not let the CCK snatch her away from him.


    .


    Mina was scared to death. The man was standing by his desk, sharpening his tools. She had been kept paralyzed in the freezer for three days and it was impossible for her to even move a muscle. She lost all track of time but still hoped her brother woulde.


    The man had told her a strange story about his parents and even though she did not understand it, something about the tale frightened her. The man was unhinged and nned to harm her in some way. She could not even muster the energy to ask him why he was doing this.


    "Time is near, princess," the man said. His face was covered by a ck mask but he was still wearing those scrubs. "Soon, you''re going to join the others."


    He carefully sanitized the tools in front of him. Mina did not know what those were for but the man was giving off a sinister aura. Who was he and why was he doing this?


    She had no answer to that. Brother please save me! She cried inwardly. Please


    Suddenly, there was a loud crash outside. Startled, the man looked up.


    "What the hell?" he muttered. Did someone find out about his hideout? Did that woman spill the beans?


    Impossible! Even if she had, it would be impossible for anyone to enter because the secret entrance was locked with a passcode. Did someone figure it out?


    "Looks like we''ve gotpany," he sighed, turning towards the motionless girl. He took out an injection and filled it with more drug. Walking towards the little girl, he injected it all into her.


    "That will keep you from running away," he said in satisfaction. Ensuring that Mina was properly sedated, he quickly dashed outside to follow the noise. Mina could not move an inch due to the drugs injected in her. The door was wide open and yet she was helpless.


    Brother! She screamed in her thoughts. Kanji! Please save me!


    Even tears would not flow. She wanted to yell and scream but her darned limbs betrayed her. Shey still, helplessly crying from the inside for her brother.


    As the drugs took over her, she could dimly see two figures towering over her. One of them said something but she could not hear anything as her consciousness faded away, leaving nothing but a ck cloud shrouding her eyes.

 Chapter 81: CCK (24)

    Chapter 81: CCK (24)


    "Mina!" Minho hissed, lightly pping her cheeks. "Mina!"


    But she waspletely unconscious. Minho looked down at her arms and to his horror, there were several injection marks on them. He quickly wrapped her in his arms but his wet clothes were making her shiver even more.


    "She''s been drugged!" Kanji said, feeling aghast. He checked her pulse.


    "Minho, we need to take her to a hospital!" he eximed. "Her pulse is falling!"


    Before Minho could reply, there was a loud crashing sound behind them. They spun around to see a tall frame blocking the doorway. The man''s face was covered by a mask but his deathly re was seething through his eyes as he nced from one boy to another.


    "Well, well," he said softly. "It seems that the little bird who escaped had chirped after all."


    Kanji and Minho stood there, stone faced. There were two of them and only one of him but with Mina in his arms, it would be difficult for Minho to fight back. The man was of quite big built as well. Kanji was also thinking the same thing. They were two scrawny boys and a knocked out six year old against a fully grown adult. How were they going to escape?


    "Minho, we''re not here to have him arrested," Kanji whispered. "We only need to get Mina out of here. We need to focus on escaping!"


    "I know," Minho muttered back, his eyes still on the man who was studying them. He was not moving but simply red.


    "Let us go," Minho demanded.


    "I''m afraid I cannot do that," the CCK said, slowly stepping towards them. Minho and Kanji took a step back. Kanji''s hands were behind him, trying to find anything to fight back with.


    "You see, if you leave, then a lot more people wille and disturb my meal," the man went on. He was slowly moving towards them with arge saw-like weapon. The man was murderous, hell bent on killing them that night. Minho was frozen in his spot.


    Never in his life had he felt that scared. Even when he had witnessed his mother''s death, he was more shocked than scared. But this man...this man was invoking a frightening feeling into him. The cold room felt even colder, the temperature dropping with each step the cannibal took towards them. The man was hungry for their blood. Literally.


    "You boys have been very naughty," he said, holding up the saw. Minho''s hands clutched around Mina who waspletely still in his arms. He was supposed to be protecting her. Then why could he not move?


    Move! He scolded himself. Move goddamn it!


    But his body betrayed him. It would not move out of fear. Kanji was also frozen beside him, his mind thinking as quick as possible. The man held up his saw, about to strike.


    "Who''ll be first?" he asked gleefully, pointing the saw at Minho


    "AGHHH!"


    Kanji leapt forward and stabbed him with a half filled injection. The man screamed in agony as the drug seared through his body. The saw dropped from his hands and fell with a loud nk on the floor.


    Minho was broken out of his reverie to find Kanji and the killer tackling on the ground. Kanji was not strong enough but the drugs were affecting the CCK. Taking his chance, Kanji punched the killer on the face and grabbed his mask, trying to take it off. But the killer would not give up. He was fighting the effects of the drugs, wing Kanji''s face.


    "Kanji!" Minho yelled. He put Mina on his shoulders and kicked the CCK''s hand hard. Thetter screamed in pain as Minho broke a bone in his palm. He writhed over with Kanji still struggling to take off the mask.


    "Show us your bloody face!" Kanji cursed but the CCK grabbed his throat with one hand. Minhnded another kick on his groin, temporarily paralyzing him.


    "Forget the mask!" Minho shouted. "Run!"


    Kanji let go of his pursuit and scrambled to follow Minho out of the room but the CCK grabbed on to his leg, toppling him forward.


    "Kanji!" Minho called out. CCK twisted Kanji''s foot causing thetter to shriek in agony. But with his free leg, Kanji kicked the man''s masked face. There was a loud crack as CCK''s nose broke. The pain of the kick caused the killer to let go of Kanji who once again struggled to stand up and run.


    "Hurry!" Kanji panted.


    "But your leg!"


    "HURRY!"


    Minho knew that they had no choice. Kanji would have to survive on sheer willpower until they escaped the dungeon. Heaving Minho on his shoulder, Minho ran off with Kanji limping behind him. They could hear the killer growling behind them. No doubt he would chase the trio again but at that moment, all they could think of was to escape.


    Minho was worried about Kanji who was losing all color on his face. They descended the staircase but it took Kanji all his energy to even take a single step. The entrance was so far away and they could not even take the risk of jumping from the cliff like Mimi had.


    "Kanji, hold on!" Minho yelled as they ran. "It''s only a few meters away."


    But Kanji''s energy gave away and he copsed on the ground.


    "Minho"


    "Run Kanji!" Minho pleaded. "Run!"


    On his back, Mina stirred. She woke up to find herself seeing a familiar face.


    "Bro...ther" she mumbled. "You...came"


    "We''ll get out of here," Minho assured her. But could they escape? With a six year old on his back and an injured friend, he did not have many options. If the killer caught them then all of them would be his dinner for that night.


    Kanji was thinking the same.


    "Minho... you go!" he panted. "I can''t run anymore... my leg"


    The CCK had twisted his foot so badly that it was bleeding. Minho was worried that it might end up to be a permanent injury.


    "Kanji, we must-" Minho began but his words were cut off by a chillingughter which was echoing through the den. The CCK was not running after them. He did not need to.


    "The fun in meals," he cackled as his footsteps began to descend the long stairway. "Is the hunt. The more you run after the prey, the tastier the food bes."


    Something in Minho snapped. It was all a game to that monster. Their lives were nothing more than a sport to him. Mimi''s frightened face shed before his eyes. Her plight was something he did not truly understand until now.


    She was right. He was the monster of their nightmares.

 Chapter 82: CCK (25)

    Chapter 82: CCK (25)


    His words made Minho''s insides boil in a cold fury. A game. That is all human lives were to him. The man thought of them as his own puppet. He was a monster just like his father, uncaring and sadistic towards others.


    The shes of that night were running in his mind like an old ck and white film. The dead body of his mothery in front of him while his father stood above her corpse with a cold expression. His father looked directly at him and shed an evil smile.


    Suddenly, Minho was no longer afraid. There was no need to be. All he felt was a pot boiling vengeance which was about to erupt. Survival was on the top of his list and he would do everything he could to live. They were not going to die in the hands of a shitty cannibal.


    "Kanji, take Mina and go," he ordered.


    "But what about you?" Kanji asked in shock.


    "Just go!" Minho insisted but Kanji would not budge. Was Minho mad? He thought. The footsteps were drawing closer and Kanji could also hear the sound of something metallic being dragged on the stony ground.


    "I''m not leaving without you!" he hissed. But Minho gently took Mina off his back and ced her in Kanji''s arms. There was a hard determination on his face which greatly confused Kanji. What was he about to do?


    "I''ll be fine," he assured his friend. "I know you''ll be able to take her out safely. I''ll follow you!"


    "But-"


    "Just go!" Minho ordered. "I''ll join you in a while."


    His face hardened as he stood straight to face the monster approaching their way. "I won''t let him kill me," Minho dered. "After all, I have yet to be the richest person in this country."


    Kanji was worried but there was no time. The man was now almost upon them and Mina was in a critical state.


    "I better see you emerging from the end of this tunnel," he threatened. "Alive."


    They exchanged a look of understanding before Kanji limped off with the unconscious girl while Minho prepared himself for his showdown with the cold blooded killer. The sixteen year old threw away all his fears, focused only on protecting his sister.


    Even if it cost him his soul.


    "Here Ie!" the monster cackled as he turned a corner. The sixteen year old boy stood in front of him. The CCK stopped in his tracks. The teenager was not scared nor was he begging for life. Instead, he looked at the man with nothing but pure disgust as a zing fire burnt in his eyes. The man paused in his steps. What was this kid doing?


    "Dinnertime is over," Minho dered. The killer snarled and raised the saw in his hand. Minho did not flinch as the CCK lunged forward with it, ready to kill him. The saw was only an inch away from him about to pierce his body...


    The sound of the gunshot echoed through the hollow den. The CCK stumbled backwards in fear as Minho shot his arm.


    "GAH!" the killer cried, rolling over in agony as blood rushed out of his arm. Minho stood there with the gun in his hand. He kicked the saw away from the killer''s reach but it had grazed his torso. His injury was not heavy but it was also bleeding. But his gaze was on the killer who was snarling at him.


    "Give it up and surrender yourself," Minho quietly ordered. The killer let out a wheezingughter. His face was masked and he showed no signs of stopping. The man was unhinged and lived in a world created by his own chaotic madness.


    "You have my eyes," he giggled. "The eyes of a killer. You want to kill too, am I right?"


    Minho froze in his stance as the man fed on his fears.


    "You want to kill someone so badly," he went on. "I want to as well. I want to kill every woman I see. Old or young. Fat or thin. I want to kill them too...Just like you want to kill someone."


    The killer grinned behind his mask. "Is it your mother you want to kill?" he wondered out loud. "Or is it your father?"


    The mention of thetter made something in Minho''s face wince. The killer noticed it and pounced on the weakness.


    "Ah...your father," he guessed. "You want to kill him. Which is why you have this gun in your hands, kid. What did he do kid? Did he abandon you? Did he also kill someone close to you? Was he also a...monster?"


    BANG!


    Another gunshot echoed through the dungeon. The killer looked down to see blood flowing out of the side of his stomach. The boy had hit a critical area and the blood flow was increasing and he would faint any minute.


    Minho stepped on the killer''s injured arm. The CCK screamed out loud as the pain soared through his arm.


    "You will never be able to operate again," Minho muttered, pressing harder. "Your hand will be useless. It will shake every time you would try to cut open someone."


    The CCK growled at him but there was a crack sound; his arm was broken. The man had lost too much blood and was on the verge of fainting. Soon, the man went still.


    Minho stared at him for a minute before turning around. He did not care if the man was alive or dead. All he could think about was to live and erase the stain from his family name. He was not the monster his father was but when it came to his family''s survival, he would not hesitate to kill.


    Walking away from the unconscious killer, he set off towards the exit, now more determined than ever.


    .


    "Kanji...I''m scared!" Mina whimpered. She had woken up when Kanji emerged out of the den with them and they were waiting for Minho. She was rmed to see Kanji''s injured state. His foot was bleeding and he was slumped against a wall.


    "Kanji!" she sobbed, holding his foot to try and stop the bleeding. She was crying hard, unsure of what to do and her older brother was nowhere around.


    "Don''t be," he stated. "We won''t let him harm you."


    "Where''s my brother?" she asked. "I want my brother!"


    She was scared and confused by the turn of events. All she wanted was to run into her brother''s arms and cry. What was going on? Where was he?


    Suddenly, footsteps began to approach their way. Kanji weakly stood up, wincing in pain as he limped forward.


    "Kanji, your foot!" Mina cried but he shielded her behind him. It was difficult to tell who wasing out of the den. Was it Minho? Was it the CCK?


    Mina clutched the helm of Kanji''s torn jacket as they waited for the person to emerge from the den. Kanji clenched his fists, ignoring his foot as he readied himself to face the demon from hell.


    "Come out you bastard!" he yelled. "I''m not afraid of you!"


    "You better not be."


    Kanji nearly yelped as the familiar voice came out of the cave. Minho emerged from it, his hand bleeding. He was heavily injured with bruises on his face and body but was shing a victorious grin.


    "Because very soon, we''ll be business rivals and I''ll take away all your money!" he dered.


    He held up a thumbs up to his friend. Kanji was on the verge of crying, seeing his friending out of that hell alive.


    "And I''ll marry your sister!" he promised, as tears flowed down his cheeks, unable to hold in his relief and happiness. "You''ll see!"


    "Pedophile!" Mina scowled. "I''m only six years old!"


    Kanji limped forward to aid Minho. Both of them staggered slowly towards the highway with Mina in tow. Minho cast onest nce at the den behind them.


    It was there, ominously hiding their secret which woulde back to haunt them someday. It was goading him for being weak and useless.


    "What happened to him?" Kanji asked. "The killer?"


    "I don''t know," Minho admitted. "I shot him twice but he was still alive when I left. We should call the police as soon as we get out of here."


    I will be back, it whispered in his ears. And he knew that this incident woulde back to wreak their lives again.


    Bring it on, Minho silently dered.


    "But how do we get out of here?" Mina asked nervously. The forest was so dark and creepy. Her little mind was concocting all sorts of monsters hiding in the forest and she yelped at every little sound. Minho and Kanji were also worried how they would get out of that ce alive since they were heavily injured.


    "Oi!"


    A familiar voice called them out. A pair of headlights shed at them as a mini truck stopped in front of them. The door opened and Mimi came out of it.

 Chapter 83: CCK (26)-Conclusion of Part One

    Chapter 83: CCK (26)-Conclusion of Part One


    "Are you two alright?" she asked. "I was so worried! I had toe and check-"


    She leapt forward to help Kanji who was injured. Relief dawned on her face as she was feeling very guilty to have left the two boys on their own.


    She berated herself for her cowardice and had debated for hours with her own conscience before finally deciding to look for them on her own. The thought of the killer attacking her again gued her mind but she would not have been able to live with herself if she was unable to find the two boys and the little girl safe and sound.


    They all got into her truck and silently drove off. Mimi did not ask what happened in that den but their expressions gave them away. They must have seen the monster which dwelled within it.


    "What happened to him?" she finally asked. "To...that...man."


    Even remembering that coldugh made her shiver in fear. Minho knew that it took a lot of courage to go back there and he was grateful for her help.


    "I shot him," he admitted. Kanji drew a sharp breath while Mimi was shocked. Mina was unconscious again, sleeping on Minho''sp, so she did not hear what her elder brother did.


    "You killed him?" Mimi asked.


    "I don''t know," Minho stated. "I shot him twice but I don''t know if he died"


    A new feeling was building inside him: guilt. Did he really shoot another person? What if he was dead? Even if that man was a killer, Minho was more stunned by his own actions. Where did he get the guts to shoot a man?


    Suddenly, he was scared of himself. He stared at his hands which had possibly taken a life. They were shaking uncontrobly and he was unsure of what to think of himself. The gun was still in his pocket. It felt heavier than before because of the deed it had carried out. His insides went cold while his brain was going wild with ominous thoughts.


    I killed someone, he thought. I killed someone. I-


    Mimi gently patted his cheek with her left hand. "You did nothing wrong," she firmly stated. "Even if he''s dead, don''t even for a second think that you were wrong in shooting him. You were protecting your sister from a predator who had killed innocent women and turned them into his"


    She could not finish the sentence. Even thinking about it made her stomach churn and all she wanted to do was to forget about it.


    "We must tell the police," Kanji suggested. "They need to know about this-"


    "No!" Mimi said sharply. "Don''t!"


    The two boys stared at her. Was she mad?


    "Why not?" Kanji frowned. "We should tell them."


    "I" Mimi began but she was hesitating. "There''s another reason why I didn''t go to the police."


    "What is it?" Minho asked.


    "Well, on the night I was kidnapped," Mimi narrated. "Just before I lost consciousness, I saw something. I didn''t see it clearly but there was a badge around his neck. It had the seal of Country K''s police force."


    "Wait, the CCK is perceived to be a medical expert!" Kanji opined. "After all, his victims'' hearts were surgically removed."


    But Minho was thinking hard. "He might be a forensic doctor," Minho guessed. "They can carry their own badges."


    "Or one of those doctors assigned to the police department for their mandatory conscription," Kanji suggested. "After all, every male in our country must be conscripted into either one of the defense sectors for a year. Maybe he is one of those?"


    "Yes," Mimi agreed. "He is working on some level with the police. If I went to the police, they would try to cover it up. You know how the officials in this country are! What if they dismissed myints to save their face? They would not readily believe that there is a killer amongst them."


    "Besides, if he had gotten wind of myint through grapevine, he would have attacked me again," she went on. "I couldn''t take the risk. Also, your case will be moreplicated. If he really works for the police, they''ll put criminal charges against you. Moreover, if he''s dead, then you''ll be in even more trouble."


    When Minho looked troubled, Mimi consoled him by saying, "You did the right thing. Don''t beat yourself up over it."


    "What if he kills again?" Minho retorted.


    But Mimi gave him a pitiful look. "If he had survived, then he wouldn''t be able to kill for a while," she said. "You can go to the police if you want but there is a chance he will y it all against you. Besides, you have your sister to worry about. What will happen to her if you are thrown in jail?"


    She was right. Minho''s alreadyplicated history with the police coupled with the fact that he was the son of a killer would end up being a disaster for him and Mina. He looked at his sister who was sleeping soundly. Mimi was right. What would happen to Mina if he was jailed?


    "We''ll talk to dad and have him look for the guy," Kanji said. "He''s going to deal with it. So you can rx."


    "He''s right," Mimi added. "Let the grown ups deal with that man. As long as he''s incapable of killing anyone, we''ll be able to put this nightmare behind us and move on. Although"


    She nced at Mina, who was sleeping like a log.


    "I''m more afraid of what is going to happen to this little girl," she said in a sad tone. "She''s going to be scarred for life. That monster must have told her that story as well. Moreover, the way he drugged her, the rehab process will be long."


    "Our Mina is made of stronger stuff," Kanji said. "And she has us. We''ll never let her be scared. Ever."


    "And if he returns again" Minho stated. "I''ll make sure he never gets to kill another person ever again."


    Mimi smiled at them. The two boys were shaken but determined to forget the events of that night and they would make sure the little girl does not think about it as well. She wished she was as strong as them.


    "I hope my sons will grow up to be like you two," she sighed.


    "They can be like me," Minho said. "But if they''re like Kanji then you''ll be regretting your words."


    "Hey!" Kanji protested. "Who was the one who knocked sense into you back in the cave?"


    "Yes, your only aplishment in life," Minho snickered.


    "You''d have died without me!"


    "Lucky save."


    Mimi sighed as the duo bickered on. She continued to drive, the burden of guilt finally lifting from her heart.


    .


    "What happened after that?" Gayoon asked. "To CCK? Did you ever find out if he was alive or not?"


    "Uncle Jason had his men scavenge the area," Minho recalled. "They couldn''t find his body anywhere. Uncle Jason guessed that the man was still alive so he looked into all the forensic experts and police doctors in the country. They didn''t find anyone suspicious at all."


    Gayoon let out a frustrated sigh. There was a killer on the loose and she was still at a dead end!


    "Is Mina alright though?" she asked. "I mean, the incident must have scarred her."


    "She was traumatized to the point that she freaked out whenever she saw a doctor in scrubs," Minho recalled. "For years, she didn''t want to take shots so we had to give her alternative medicines. But then"


    "Then what happened?"


    "Well, she kind of decided that enough was enough and finally faced her fear," he said. "You see she-"


    Suddenly the door burst open.


    "Brooootherrrr!" Mina eximed, running towards him to give him a tight hug. Minho, however, held a hand up to stop his overly excited sister. Gayoon stared at Mina in shock.


    What in the world? She thought. That is a...


    "I am not reactivating any of your cards," he said sharply.


    "Heol! Can''t a sistere to visit her one and only brother?" she whined. "Besides, I ran Kanji''s bank ounts dry."


    She held up a victory sign and smiled widely. Then her gaze fell on the detective behind him.


    "Gayooooooon!"


    She ran towards Gayoon like an overly excited puppy. Before Gayoon could respond, Mina threw her arms around her new friend, almost squeezing the life out of her.


    "You two know each other?" Minho frowned.


    "Yes!" Mina said. "I met her after Jina told me that you two were dating! We even went shopping. Gayoon showed me a bargain market where I managed to buy all the furniture for my new apartment at loads of discounts! I like her, bro."


    She nced at Gayoon who was still gaping at her.


    "What happened?" Mina asked. "Is there something on my face?"


    "N-no," Gayoon replied. "It''s just"


    She pointed at Mina''s outfit. It was a doctor''sb coat.


    "Oh this?" Mina giggled. "Didn''t I mention it before?"


    Gayoon shook her head. Mina took out a nametag and clipped it on her chest. The detective read the writing on it.


    "Doctor Hwang Mina," she read out loud.


    "Yep!" Mina said, beaming with pride. "Doctor Hwang Mina, the youngest and most sessful Cardiologist at Country K''s National Hospital!"

 Chapter 84: 11:59 (1)

    Chapter 84: 11:59 (1)


    The light inside the washroom flickered on and off. The night was dark yet lively as the sound of loud music echoed through the area. People outside the bathroom were dancing their hearts out, unaware of the woman inside who was bent over the sink.


    The woman was pale and looked sickly as she churned out yellow and red puke from her stomach. She gagged as the contents of her stomach were gushing out of her mouth, clogging the sink. Her vomit had filled the sink, a pungent smell filling the air.


    The woman was in her mid thirties and in a waitress'' uniform. She tried not to spill any of the bile on her shirt otherwise her supervisor would fire her. Lately, she had not been feeling well and vomiting became a regr urrence.


    Throwing up all the bile umted in her stomach, she straightened up and looked at herself in the foggy mirror.


    "What''s happening to me?" she sobbed. Slumping against the wall, she sat on the floor. She nced at the sink where she had thrown up. The things she had puked out included meat. But she was a vegetarian and never consumed any meat.


    Then why was she throwing up meat? How did it even get into her stomach?


    The woman clutched her knees closer to her chest, frightened at what was happening to her. For the past few days, she had been suffering from memory loss. There were times she had gone to sleep in her own bed but woke up in a forestter. Last night, she found herself waking up in a strangeb of sorts and she had no idea how she got there.


    "What is happening to me?"


    She began to cry. Her grey eyes were full of confusion and distress as she tried to piece together the puzzles. The girl had even gotten her brain examined by a doctor but there was nothing wrong with her head. Her hands were mmy and she felt like vomiting again. The remaining contents in her stomach were rumbling and she rushed to a nearby toilet to throw up again.


    Once she was done, she flushed the toilet. Her face was now paler and more sickly. The girl did not even understand what was happening to her. The incidents from the past few days made no sense. Ever since her visit to the doctorst week for a change in her heart medicines, she had been getting the memorypses. There were holes in her memories and no matter how much she tried, she just could not seem to recall some events.


    She lowered her head to her knees, trying to think but her head was at a nk. The girl was in a dilemma, unsure of what to do and whom to tell.


    "Please...help" she prayed. "Please"


    Was someone going to give her the answers? Would she ever find out what was going on?


    "What a sad little girl."


    Her voice was low and hoarse, filled with an uncharacteristic menace. Her grey eyes which were scared and confused a moment ago, had turned devilish. There was an evil twinkle in them as she slowly looked up. A strange grin was etched on her face as she stared directly ahead. The glee in her voice would make one''s spine shiver in fear as she continued to talk to herself.


    "Are you sad, little one?" she asked out loud to no one in particr. "I wonder if you''ll be a tasty one too"


    The manic look in her eyes was haunting as she rocked back and forth on the floor like a mad woman.


    "Too bad this body is weak," she sighed out loud. "Throwing up all the good meat I had eatenst night. It was a good one too. Young and healthy."


    Her nails dug into her soft skin, leaving red marks on them. This one is beginning to get suspicious, she thought. I have to finish my work before she starts to ask too many questions. Too bad this body can''t consume meat.


    She sighed loudly.


    "Twenty years I have waited," she murmured. "Twenty years for my revenge. I still have not forgotten the feeling of that bullet piercing my body. It was as if it had happened only yesterday"


    She let out a loud cackle as she recalled that night. The sixteen year old kid who had dared to stand against him and deprive him of a good meal. All he wanted to do was eat. Was that so wrong?


    "I know your weakness," she said with a giggle. "I know your weakness very well, Hwang Minho. And I will find her."


    The girl let out a menacingughter which was drowned by the loud music outside. She slowly stood up and fixed her clothes. Wearing a wide smile on her face, she walked out of the bathroom to greet the guests. Who knows, she might be able to pick up a meal on her way home.


    .


    Jina was in her room, frowning. Yumi and Casper were sitting around her, waiting for her to say something. But the little girl was engrossed in her own thoughts.


    "This is so hard!" sheined andy back on her bed. "How do detectives solve cases?"


    "I told you everything I knew!" Yumi said at once.


    "You only told me you were at a cold ce!" Jina snapped. "That could be anywhere! You could have been in a refrigerator for all I know!"


    "Tch!" Yumi scowled. "You''re useless!"


    "I''m eight years old!" Jina protested. "At most, I can add two and two! You''re the grown up! Solve your own murder!"


    "I would if I knew who it was!" Yumi shot back. Casper tried to raise his hand to say something but Jina continued to banter with Yumi.


    "Keep up that attitude and I''ll never help you!" she snapped.


    "You didn''t so far!"


    Casper was trying to make peace between the kids but they were now embroiled in a fist fight. Jina held Yumi by the hair, almost pulling off her already lopsided head from her neck while Yumi pulled at Jina''s ear.


    "Useless brat!" Yumi shouted.


    "Stupid grown up!" Jina shot back as they wrestled. Yumi''s limbs were almost falling apart but she kept on pulling Jina''s ears while thetter threw a weak punch at the ghost''s nose.


    "You can''t hurt me!" Yumi eximed.


    "Oh yeah?"


    Jina was about to ce a well aimed p on Yumi''s face but found herself being pulled back. Casper had separated both the girls who were hellbent on fighting with each other. He gave both of the girls a stern gaze to quieten them.


    "She started it!" Jina protested.


    "Did not!" Yumi growled. But Casper had enough of their fighting and began to move his hands frantically to express his annoyance. Yumi frowned at the crazy ghost who was madly ying his arms but Jina only nodded as if she understood everything he was saying.


    "What''s the old man saying?" Yumi asked.


    "He''s saying we''re a bunch of idiots who will only end up in more danger if we keep on acting like children," Jina said. She turned to Casper and added, "But I am a child!"


    Casper made some gestures, making Jina say, "Ohhh!"


    "What''s he saying now?" Yumi demanded.


    "He said, let the police handle this," Jina parroted. "We can send them an anonymous tip saying that the killer is most probably using some sort of cold storageb where he keeps his victims."


    Casper nodded in agreement.


    "Cas, you''re a genius!" Jina squealed. "Why didn''t we think of that! The killer is probably using cold storage!"


    "Probably a truck!" Yumi said thoughtfully. "I remember the ce where I was kept in was also moving. As if it was being driven."


    "Now she''s telling us!" Jina said, facepalming herself. "Couldn''t you have said it before?"


    "There''s another thing!" Yumi eximed. "I don''t remember much of what happened but I dide in and out of consciousness at times. I didn''t know what was happening but I heard a phrase."


    Jina and Casper gaped at her. "What phrase?" Jina asked.


    "It was" Yumi racked her brain, trying to recall. "It was something like eleven fifty nine. Yes! It was eleven fifty nine!"

 Chapter 85: 11:59 (2)

    Chapter 85: 11:59 (2)


    Gayoon was in the briefing room at the precinct, going through the reports her team had submitted her. She looked up at the serious faced officers who had gathered the intel.


    "I have talked to Yumi''s parents," Rui began. "They said that on the night she was kidnapped, they had called her around 9 PM. She was at her prep school, cramming extra hours for the uing National Exams. She was with her friends who dropped her off at the intersection as usual."


    "Did you cross check their statement?" Gayoon asked.


    "Yes," Rui replied. "Her phone''sst location was only a few yards away from her home. She was taken from there."


    Gayoon turned to Jiang who took a deep breath and began to narrate his investigations.


    "I-I looked up at the CCTV footage," he squeaked in nervousness. "But it had been tampered with. The footage after 10 PM is missing."


    "No doubt the killer had fiddled with it," Gayoon muttered. "What about in the nearby shops or banks? Did you find anything?"


    "Nothing suspicious, ma''am," he stated. "There was only one CCTV camera in Yumi''s neighborhood. I looked at the camera footage of the roads surrounding the area and requested the building owners of those ces to hand in their CCTV footage. It will take more time."


    "Make sure they submit it by tomorrow morning," Gayoon instructed him. "By tonight if possible. We''re running out of time!"


    "What about the families of the other victims?" she went on, facing Hobin.


    "They''re still clueless," Hobin replied. "Their statements don''t differ from the answers they provided all those years ago. However"


    He took out a file and ced it in front of Gayoon. She took it in her hands and nced through it.


    "The kidnappings of the women happened in a pattern," he revealed. "The CCK kidnapped them after every sixteen days. For some reason, the number twenty was fascinating to him."


    Sixteen? Gayoon frowned. Why would he be obsessed with twenty? Wasn''t he focused on 11:59 PM?


    11:59


    She made a mental calction. The summation of the units was sixteen. No wonder he put a twenty daypse between the kidnappings!


    "How many days have passed since Yumi had been kidnapped?" Gayoon asked.


    "Eight days," Hobin replied. "Today is the night when he''ll strike."


    "Tighten the security around the city!" Gayoon ordered. "Tell all the neighborhood volunteers to stay on alert and if they see any lone female, they must escort her home safely. Also, tell all patrol cars to keep an eye on their respective neighborhoods. The CCK will strike within a week. But you must do all this carefully! Don''t let the people panic otherwise it''ll be a bigger chaos and alert him. If he runs away, we''ll never be able to find him."


    "Yes ma''am!" Hobin nodded and dashed off to implement her orders. Gayoon turned to Yura who was holding another file.


    "These are the list of doctors who went missing after 1999," Yura stated, handing her the file. "There were some who took sabbaticals and moved abroad. Some passed away while a few of them left their medical professions entirely to raise families."


    Gayoon recalled Minho''s words. He had shot the CCK twice and left him in the den. But when they went to retrieve the body, it was gone. Did someone remove it? Or was he alive?


    "What about doctors who suffered idents or injuries?" she asked. "How many were there?"


    "Not many," Yura replied. "Ten of them passed away due to various idents while six others faced serious damage and are still undergoing treatment at various hospitals."


    Gayoon looked at the list of the hospitals. She was surprised to see that Mina''s hospital was also treating one of the doctors. Making a mental note to stop by to talk to her, Gayoon turned to her team.


    "We''ll have to keep our eyes open," she told them. "We can''t let him slip this time."


    "Yes ma''am!" the officers said in unison and saluted her before scurrying away to do their work. Gayoon looked through the file Yura had given her and she decided to visit all the hospitals where the six doctors were.


    .


    Mina was sipping on her juice pack as she strolled through the hospital''s corridor. Some of the patients waved at her as she passed by and she waved back. One of them was an old woman in her nies who was admitted for a heartburn. She was sitting on a wheelchair and smiled as Mina approached her.


    "Doctor Hwang!" she shed a crooked smile.


    "Granny!" Mina greeted her with a bow." How are you feeling now?"


    She took the olddy''s wrist to check the pulse.


    "I feel fine!" the olddy assured her. "But when can I eat my beloved spicy jokpal again? The in hospital porridge is beginning to irritate me."


    "Granny, spicy foods are prohibited for you," Minaughed. "You''ll only worsen your health if you do that and end up in the hospital again."


    "Ey!" the old woman said. "You''re a good doctor. You''ll fix me up in no time."


    "I''d still rather have you live a hundred more years so that you can make me some of your delicious jjajamyeong," Mina said with a smile. "Your pulse seems fine. I think you can be discharged within two days. I''ll tell the receptionist to file the paperwork."


    The old woman was delighted at the news and thanked Mina. Thetter was about to turn away to meet more patients when a familiar voice called for her.


    "Mina!"


    She turned around to see Gayoon standing there, smiling at her.


    "Gayoon!" Mina greeted back. "What brings you here? That too in full uniform? Am I getting arrested for maxing out Kanji''s credit cards?"


    "No!" Gayoonughed. "I''m just here to get some information on a patient and I thought I''d ask you. It''ll be easier to just ask you instead of going through the long process."


    "Sure!" Mina agreed. "But first, let''s sit and talk somewhere"


    She nced around, thinking where they could talk freely "I think we can grab some snacks and sit in the garden," she suggested. "What do you say?"


    "Fine with me," Gayoon shrugged. Mina put some coins in the nearby vending machine and two bags of peanuts came out. She then led Gayoon to the garden and ushered her to sit on one of the empty benches.


    Handing the detective one of the peanut bags, she said, "Tell me. What brings you here?"


    Gayoon took a deep breath. "I''m here to investigate the CCK," she revealed. "And I was hoping you could help me."

 Chapter 86: 11:59 (3)

    Chapter 86: 11:59 (3)


    Mina hesitated a little. It was not a topic she was keen to discuss but Minho had informed her that Gayoon was investigating the case. Moreover, his sudden reappearance was rattling the country again. Even with the advancements in technology, no one had any clue who the murderer was and even Mina was bing nervous.


    Gayoon knew the dilemma Mina was in. After all, she, too, had spent years in fear of ghosts which had haunted her. Mina was probably going through a simr experience.


    "I know you''re scared," she consoled Mina. "But there''s a killer on the loose and we must catch him. If you''d only give us a clue. Anything which can help us capture him."


    Mina took a long sip of her drink, contemting what to do.


    "Honestly, I don''t really remember him much," she admitted. "I know he told me something about 11:59 PM"


    Gayoon shifted ufortably in her seat, recalling that horrible story. It was hard for her to believe that a serial killer as sinister and sick like that could even exist. The very thought of what happened to those girls'' hearts was making her squirm. Suddenly, she could no longer drink her soda and kept it aside.


    "Anything else?" she probed.


    "Well"


    Mina thought hard. There were a few shes she did recall.


    "The tools," she began.


    "What tools?"


    "The tools he used to...you know cut up people?" Mina winced. "Now I know he''s an expert in cutting out the hearts. But I don''t think so."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Those tools were designed for amputation," Mina exined. "Not heart surgery. Any cardiologist would know that. You''re looking for an Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in amputation."


    Gayoon took notes of everything Mina said. In the past, there were different precincts working on the case and this led to a rivalry between them. Instead of working together, each group was trying to undermine each other which is why these information were not gathered properly. Moreover, the two survivors were either too scared to talk or were minors, which made it even more difficult for the police to catch the CCK.


    But Gayoon was now determined to solve this case under any circumstances. And Mina''s information was crucial for the case.


    "There''s aatose doctor here," she mentioned. "I think his name is Nam Daewhi."


    "Doctor Nam?" Mina frowned. "Yes. He has been in this hospital for over twenty years."


    "Why is he in aa?" Gayoon asked.


    "Hard to tell honestly," Mina said. "You see, when they found him, it seemed that he had self operated on his wound and ended up cutting off arge chunk of his meat. It was gruesome! He was found unconscious on the road and brought in."


    Self operation? Was that even possible?


    "He lost a lot of blood," Mina went on. "And some of his organs had been ruined thanks to the botched operation. So he''s mostly on life support."


    "Does he have a family?" Gayoon asked.


    "No," Mina replied, shaking her head. "You wanna see him? He''s unconscious but I hope it can help your case."


    "Yes," Gayoon said. She was not sure if seeing theatose doctor would help the case but she was curious. Why did he operate on himself and endanger his life?


    Mina got up and led the way. They walked till the third floor. Gayoon followed Mina through the long corridor until they reached room number 341.


    "He''s in here," she said, opening the door. Gayoon entered a private ward where a man in his sixtiesy. He was plugged into various machines, one of them which Gayoon recognized as a heart monitor. The man was breathing slowly, oblivious to the world around him.


    "How the hell did he survive such fatal wounds?" Gayoon frowned. The unconscious man''s tale seemed too suspicious. He self operated on his wounds instead of calling the hospital which only meant that he was hiding something.


    "We don''t know," Mina sighed. "I''ve only heard that his colleagues at that time had worked day and night to save him. You see, he had a wife who was pregnant that time and they wanted to save him for her sake. But he fell into aa. After waiting for a few years, the wife filed for a divorce, citing that he was incapable of taking care of their needs. She took their child and left. Unfortunately, she also had the rights to take him off life support. Until she is found, we can''t take him off life support. The management of the hospital were lenient and let him stay here as a permanent patient. After all, he is one of us."


    Is he? Gayoon was not so sure. But even if this guy turned out to be the CCK then who was the current killer? A copycat? She doubted thetter theory. The killer waspletely in tandem with CCK''s MO. Copycat killers usually slip up in some way but the dissection style and method was exactly the same as CCK''s.


    "And he never came out of hisa?" Gayoon pressed. "Not even once?"


    "Nope," Mina stated. "He can''t. He''s as good as dead but our hands are tied. We can''t legally do anything until his wife signs the form."


    "Doctor Hwang!"


    They turned around to see one of the female interns entering the room.


    "What is it, Dohyun?" Mina asked.


    "Your practical ss on heart transnt will start in a few minutes," Dohyun answered. "You asked me to remind you."


    "Oh shoot!" Mina eximed, face palming herself. "Ipletely forgot. Thanks for reminding me!"


    She turned to Gayoon and added, "I''ll see youter! I have to go and teach the new interns!"


    "Alright!" Gayoon replied. "Bye!"


    Mina waved her goodbye and left the room. Dohyun smiled at Gayoon and bowed.


    "How do you know Doctor Hwang, detective?" Dohyun asked politely.


    "Oh I just happened to know her brother," Gayoon said in a sheepish tone. "We''re sort of...acquaintances."


    What was she going to call him? Her boyfriend? Even the thought of it was making her blush.


    "I''ll head off," she said. "It was nice to meet you."


    Gayoon bowed before scurrying out of the room. Dohyun stared at her retreating back before ncing at Doctor Nam''s still body.


    A demonic grin was curled on her lips. "Acquaintances?" she asked in a low but sinister voice. "Looks like Hwang Minho has another weakness."


    She cackled at the new discovery. And now, it was time to strike.

 Chapter 87: 11:59 (4)

    Chapter 87: 11:59 (4)


    Jina peeked from behind a tree, keeping a close eye on the building in front of her. She was peering at it through her mini binocrs which Kanji had gifted herst year for her birthday. After making quite a ruckus, Driver Jang finally relented to her request and dropped her off at Mina''s hospital.


    "Are you sure this is the ce where your heart has been kept?" Jina frowned.


    She looked above her to see Yumi, who was also peering at the building.


    "I am damn sure!" she imed. "I can feel it! My heart is in there!"


    Jina scratched her head in confusion. Casper had once mentioned to her that ghosts who had severed limbs could feel where their body parts had been scattered. He never exined how it was possible but Yumi was also iming the same thing.


    "But this is a hospital!" Jina noted. "There are many hearts in there. How are you going to find your one?"


    "I can somehow sense it," Yumi said. "I don''t know how but I can!"


    "How can you not know your own abilities?" Jina frowned.


    "I don''t know!" Yumi eximed. "I''m new to this ghost thingie! You''re the ghost expert here!"


    "I''m just a kid!"


    They were so engrossed in their bickering, that they did not notice the sleek blue Ferrari which stopped in front of them.


    "Jina?"


    The two girls froze as Kanji came out of the car, staring at Jina. She was visibly scared and nervous as if he caught her doing something she should not have.


    "What are you doing here on your own?" he frowned. "Where''s Driver Jang?"


    "He is at the parking lot!" she said. "I came here to surprise my aunt. I thought of waiting here until she came out and I''d leap out to scare her!"


    "She won''te out for hours!" Kanji said. "You should go home."


    The ghost beside Jina twitched a little. Jina nced from the corner of her eye and to her shock, Yumi was blushing at Kanji. What the hell?


    "We can go and say hi to aunt!" Jina insisted. "I wanna meet her!"


    "But you''ve got school tomorrow," Kanji reasoned. Jina, however, was not having it. She threw her arms in the air and began to throw a tantrum. She must get into that building and find Yumi''s heart. Even if it meant acting like a brat.


    "I want to go!" she whined. "I wanna meet my aunt."


    "But-"


    "I WANNA MEET MY AUNT!"


    She slumped on the ground and began to cry. Her face was covered with her palms as she pretended to cry. Kanji was bbergasted by her sudden desire to meet her aunt and the uncharacteristic whining.


    "Shh" Kanji tried to calm her down. The people around them were beginning to look at him as if he was a kidnapper out to whisk the girl away. "Everyone is watching Jina!"


    "I WANNA GO!"


    She wailed even louder. Kanji was now helpless in front of her insistence.


    "Fine!" he conceded. "I''ll take you with me. Happy now?"


    Jina suddenly sprang to her feet, her lips breaking into a satisfied smile.


    "Very," she nodded. "Now let''s go."


    Kanji shook his head and took her hand, guiding her across the road towards the hospital. They entered through the automated ss doors and headed straight for the cardiology department.


    "Excuse me," Kanji said, approaching the reception. "We''re here to meet Doctor Hwang Mina."


    "She''s currently in a conference," the receptionist replied. "May I know your name?"


    "It''s Jang Kanji, her future husband," Kanji said with a dazzling smile.


    The receptionist stared at him for a while before replying, "You can wait at her office. It''s right down the hall and thest door to your left."


    "Psst, kid," Yumi hissed. "Who is this handsome hunk? He looks like an idol! Reminds me of my Chanyeol oppa!"


    "That''s just uncle Kanji," Jina muttered. "Don''t bother. He''s a yer."


    "He''s so my type," Yumi breathed. She tilted her head to lovingly gaze at him but it almost fell off her neck. Straightening herself, she added, "But how are we gonna find my heart?"


    "I''ll make up an excuse," Jina replied. She cleared her throat as Kanji turned to her.


    "Uncle Kanji, I need to go pee," she said.


    "I think Mina''s office has a washroom," Kanji shrugged. "Let''s go there."


    "But it''s too far and I have to go now," she insisted. "Now! Now! Now!"


    She started to throw another tantrum, making Kanji bewildered. What was going on with the kid today?


    "Fine!" he gave in. "Just go!"


    Jina smiled and scurried off towards a washroom in the corner. She locked the door behind her and waited for a few minutes before peering outside again. Kanji was still at the reception area, waiting for her as he fiddled with his phone to text Minho. Seeing that his mind was diverted, Jina tiptoed out of the washroom.


    "I feel my heart is somewhere on this floor!" Yumi was saying as they got out of Kanji''s sight.


    "But where could it be?" Jina frowned. "This ce must have many hearts in some kinda storage."


    "Let''s search for it!" Yumi insisted. "I know I can feel it-"


    "Jina?"


    Another familiar voice came from behind her. Jina turned around to see that Gayoon was at the end of the corridor, heading towards her. But something was odd about the Lady Cop''s expression. She looked...worried.


    Gayoon was rushing towards Jina, who stood supposedly alone at the other end. But the strange yet familiar coldness was sweeping over Gayoon. Her heart raced wildly as the presence next to Jina was getting stronger and stronger.


    "What are you doing here?" Gayoon asked in a worried tone. She held the little girl''s arm and to her relief, Jina''s skin was warm. But there was definitely a spirit standing right next to the little girl and Gayoon must get her out of there.


    Yumi frowned at the detective who was now holding on to Jina. Thetter briefly nced at Yumi, who signaled her.


    "I''ll go and look for it," she mouthed. Jina blinked her eyes, indicating that she understood before turning to face Gayoon.


    "I came to meet my aunt!" Jina lied. "Uncle Kanji is here too! Let''s go and meet them!"


    Before Gayoon could say anything else, Jina tugged at her arm and led her away. Gayoon looked back at the spot where she felt the presence. She could not hear anything but the spirit was still around. The presence was fading a little but the hint of coldness remained.


    "Let''s go Lady Cop!" Jina said, pulling her away. Gayoon smiled at her and followed the girl towards Mina''s office.


    But her mind was darting towards the eerie presence which was still roaming around this hospital. And for some reason, Gayoon felt that it was attached to Jina. But why?


    I must find out, she decided.

 Chapter 88: 11:59 (5)

    Chapter 88: 11:59 (5)


    Minho pulled up in front of the hospital. He had just finished a meeting with the investors when Kanji had sent him a text that he caught Jina snooping around Mina''s hospital on her own. After giving an earful to Driver Jang, he hurried towards the hospital as fast as he could.


    He rushed towards Mina''s office, almost bumping into a young intern on the way.


    "I''m sorry!" the intern apologized.


    "It''s okay...er" Minho read the name tag. "Doctor Shun Dohyun."


    Dohyun smiled at him and nodded. "Say, aren''t you Doctor Hwang''s brother?" she asked. "I saw a picture of her family on her desk and recognized you right away!"


    "Yes," Minho replied. "I''m on my way to her office right now."


    "I''ll go with you!" she volunteered. "I have to hand over some of my paperwork to her."


    Minho nodded and they set off towards their destination.


    "Doctor Hwang is amazing," Dohyunplimented. "She''s so young and yet, she can perform suchplicated surgeries so easily! Just yesterday, she performed a heart transnt on a newborn baby. The heart was heavier due to the excess tissues and if there were any mistakes in theposition of the heart, then the baby could have died. But she cut up the heart into the perfect shape and size so that the baby would not suffer. All of us thought it was impossible but she somehow did it."


    "Yeah"


    Minho did not know what else to say. His shopaholic sister was a genius in her own right. She barely touched any of her medical books but her photographic memory, thanks to her experience in memorizing the price tags and calctingplicated discounts, she managed to absorb all theplex information.


    How she got this didactic memory skill, was beyond hisprehension.


    "Does she have a boyfriend?" the intern asked. "She''s so pretty! Just like a supermodel."


    "I don''t know," Minho simply stated, not sure where the conversation was going.


    "Are you guys very close?" Dohyun probed.


    Minho frowned a little at that question. Why was this intern so curious about his sister''s personal life?


    Does she have a crush on my sister or something? He wondered but did not voice it out.


    "We''re family," he said slowly. "Of course we''re close."


    "Family is such an important thing," Dohyun sighed. "My parents always wanted the best for me. They always made sure that we had dinner together as a family. When I got into medical school, my father had bought thergest turkey he could find and we had a big feast that night!"


    Minho was now feeling a little ufortable. Something in his mind was telling him not to talk anymore and simply get rid of this pesky woman. And he always went with his instincts.


    "I''ll take those papers for you," he dered. Before Dohyun could say anything more, he took the papers from her hands.


    "But, Doctor Hwang needs to read these papers urgently and I have to exin to her the diagnosis of the patient in room number 501-" Dohyun was saying but Minho cut across her words.


    "I''ll take them," he said firmly. "My sisted is smart. She''ll know what to do even without your exnation."


    He red at her with a strict gaze, making the intern cower a little.


    "Understood," Dohyun said, lowering her head. Minho was about to leave but paused and added  thing.


    "Oh, Doctor Shun," he began. "Do remember that my sister is your supervisor not your friend. Don''t go around snooping about her personal life like you just did. Understood?"


    His steely gaze was causing a shiver to run down her spine. She timidly nodded as he walked away, leaving her behind.


    Unbeknownst to him, she was secretly smiling.


    "Looks like I can still scare you, little boy," she giggled. Her menacing eyes were staring at his back while her mind calcted the next move. This body was not going to survive long and he mustplete his revenge before discarding this useless girl. She only kept on whining and pleading with him to let her go.


    "It''s a pity I can''t carve her heart out and eat it," she sighed. "Dohyun would have made an excellent meal."


    She smacked her lips in anticipation. But whom to choose? The detective he loved or the sister he would die for?


    "It is such a tough choice," she sighed.


    .


    Minho entered Mina''s room to find Kanji, Jina and to his surprise, Gayoon was also there.


    "What are you doing here?" he asked in astonishment.


    "I was here to investigate a doctor who has been in aa for almost twenty years," she replied.


    "Which doctor is this?" Minho demanded.


    "I''m sorry but I can''t tell," Gayoon apologized. "We''re not supposed to share the details of this case with anyone outside the investigation team. If any information is leaked, our jobs could be on stake."


    Minho rolled his eyes but there was nothing he could do. Police officers were not allowed to share information with people outside the force because it was forbidden. After spending years with Junwan to find his father, he learnt a few insights on how the police really worked.


    He turned on Jina, who was cowering behind Gayoon.


    "Why did youe here alone?" he asked in a stern voice.


    Gayoon looked at Jina, surprised by her actions. "Jina," she began. "Did youe here on your own? Why?"


    Both of them were frowning at her, looking disappointed in her actions. She looked down, guiltily avoiding their eyes. Kanji looked from Gayoon to Minho who were towering over the little girl.


    They''re really acting like parents now, he mused.


    "I''m sorry," Jina mumbled. But it was not enough. Minho knew that his daughter needed to be disciplined otherwise she would keep on endangering herself.


    "You''re grounded for a month," he said tly. "No TV, no cell phone after school and you are to return home at 2 PM everyday on the dot."


    "Dad!" Jina protested. "I only wanted to surprise aunt!"


    Tears began to flow from her eyes. It was not fair! She only wanted to help the ghost and now she was being punished. Nothing even happened to her.


    "Lady Cop!" she turned to Gayoon. "I really am sorry."


    She looked at her with wide eyes, trying to appeal to Gayoon with her cuteness. Unfortunately, it did not work.


    "I''m with your dad on this one," Gayoon replied. "It may seem unfair, Jina. But what you did was reckless. Especially with a killer on the loose!"


    Jina''s shoulders fell in disappointment. Even the Lady Cop was not siding with her on this one. She was inwardly cursing that killer, hoping it would be caught soon. Until then, she was stuck home.


    "Fine," she agreed. "I''ll ept the punishment."


    Kanji felt a little sorry for the girl.


    "I think I''ll take her home after she gets to meet Mina," he suggested. "Minho, why don''t you drop Detective Jeon off at the station?"


    Minho was about to reply that he had an investor''s meeting when Gayoon piped up.


    "That''s okay," she said. "Taejoon is nearby. He can pick me up. I''m going home from here anyway-"


    "I''ll drop you off," Minho said loudly.


    "But-" Gayoon began to protest but Minho simply grabbed her wrist. Despite her misery, Jina snickered at her father''s petty jealousy.


    "Hey!" Gayoon eximed as Minho pulled her away.


    "Kanji make sure Jina gets home within an hour otherwise I''ll make sure you''re grounded for the rest of your life!" Minho threatened as he pulled Gayoon out through the door.


    Kanji and Jina simply stared as the weird couple left the room.


    "Jina, I think your father is starting to like Gayoon a tad bit more than he loves money," Kanji said.


    "By how much?" Jina asked.


    "I''d say...0.05 percent."

 Chapter 89: 11:59 (6)

    Chapter 89: 11:59 (6)


    Gayoon was pouting as Minho drove on. He noticed that she was quiet and was probably grumbling inwardly about how he dragged her with him. But for some reason, his temper red up when he heard that her partner was going to drop her off home and he acted on an impulse.


    There was no way he would let her go anywhere with that guy!


    "Hey, this is not the way to my house!" Gayoon frowned as Minho took a right turn away from the route to her neighborhood.


    "I know," he simply shrugged. "Since you''re free, you can just apany me."


    "Apany you where?" Gayoon demanded.


    "My investor''s meeting," he replied. "Jongin took the day off and I need a stand in secretary to take the meeting minutes."


    It was a lie though. He did not really need Jongin at the meeting but he was not going to tell her that. Gayoon was shocked.


    "What?" she eximed. "You expect me to pretend to be your secretary? I can''t do that! I don''t even know what to do."


    "Smile, nod and write everything you hear," he stated with a little smirk.


    Gayoon gaped at him. Was he serious?


    "I might end up making a mistake!" she imed. "And cause yourpany to lose money."


    "I doubt I''ll lose any money," he said with confidence. "Besides, cops like you are fast with writing since you guys take testimonies from witnesses everyday."


    Gayoon was now getting more irritated. What was going on with the money lover? Did he finally lose his screws?


    Minho, on the other hand, hid his amusement behind his impassiveness. For some reason, he was happy to get some free moments with Gayoon. After that disastrous date, they were barely able to spend time together and after the CCK''s reappearance, things became even moreplicated.


    None of them were sure where they stood in their rtionship but he knew that they needed to figure things out. Quickly.


    "I can''t go like this!" Gayoon said in ast attempt to ditch. She pointed at her uniform, secretly d that she decided not to dress up in her civilian clothes for that day. "Your business partner might get intimidated."


    Minho briefly nced at her. "You do have a point," he said slowly.


    Gayoon smiled, feeling triumphant. There was no way the money lover would take her to an important business meeting in this attire. It would make him lose a lot of money and cause embarrassment.


    .


    "What is this?" Gayoon asked in dismay. "Please tell me you are not serious!"


    "I am, " Minho smirked.


    He had pulled up in front of an exclusive boutique which was owned by Alexandra Riori, the only foreign designer in Country K. He was the best and most expensive designer in the country. Gayoon gaped at the small shop, her mouth hanging in awe.


    "I am not buying any clothes from there!" Gayoon protested. "Nuh uh! One dress from here is equal to my three months'' sry!"


    "Don''t worry, I get free stuff from him," Minho shrugged.


    "Why?"


    "This is my property," Minho exined. "He simply rents it. I''ll just cut the money from his rent. He shares his profits with mypany anyway so a little less money for one month won''t really affect me in any way."


    Gayoon could only bemoan and curse her fate for this. Rich people sure had it easy. I''ll not take it for free, she decided. Maybe I''ll ask if I can rent it for cheap.


    The posh boutique was neatly lined with clothes which were a cross between bright and sophisticated. Mannequins were dressed in the sleek and chic styles ranging from formal wear to casual dresses. Gayoon stared at all of them with a mix of shock and admiration.


    There was one suit in particr which caught her eye. The peach colored jacket seemed perfect for her slender figure. The cloth was slit across the wrists till a little before the arms while the shirt inside was designed in a skewed manner. The pants were long and straight cut while the waist was wrapped by a peach belt made of cloth.


    The simple and stylish suit was perfect for her but unfortunately it was not for rent. Minho noticed that Gayoon was ogling at the suit.


    "Do you like it?" he asked.


    "N-no!" she lied, not wanting to take that expensive suit for free. It made her ufortable to even think about it. She was feeling out of ce inside the expensive shop which clearly catered to the elites. The store keepers were also giving her an odd look and they were also somewhat fearful thanks to the uniform she was wearing.


    Minho sensed her difort and clear infatuation with the suit but did not say anything. Gayoon simply looked around, trying to find the cheapest dress she could find. It was only for one afternoon so she did not need a fancy dress.


    She picked out a random ck suit which was put up for rent. It was oversized but who cared? She was only doing it for one afternoon.


    "This one!" she said. Minho eyed her choice which was obviously one of the spare suits the store kept to rent out.


    "It''s for a guy," he pointed out.


    "So?" she asked. "I can wear it for a few hours and return it."


    Minho shook his head and strode over to snatch the suti from her hand.


    "Hey!" she frowned but he was not listening. Instead, he handed her the pink suit she was eyeing.


    "Go and change," he ordered.


    "I can''t take this!" she hissed. "It''s not for rent!"


    "I told you, I can get stuff for free here," he said warily. But Gayoon was not going to bend.


    "I am not taking these things for free!" she snapped. "It''s not right."


    "Fine, I''ll buy it for you," Minho finally said. "Just think of it as a payment for being my temporary secretary."


    "What? No!" she objected. "I can''t let you buy this pricey thing-"


    But the rest of her words were shut out as he put his palm on her lips. Stepping closer, he looked directly into her eyes with a strange intensity which made her heart flutter.


    "Jeon Gayoon," he whispered. "Just ease up and enjoy your boyfriend''s gift like a normal girlfriend does. Alright?"


    Gayoon''s eyes widened at his words while her heart beat so loudly that she was afraid he could hear it. Her cheeks turned as red as a tomato as his words circled around her head. Boyfriend? Girlfriend?


    "Now go and get changed," he said. He removed his palm from her lips, leaving her dazed for a few seconds. Gayoon quicklyposed herself and rushed towards the changing room, shutting the door behind her.


    Slumping against the door, her heart was wildly racing. Calm down, she told herself. Just calm down! But her traitorous feelings were all over the ce, spinning out of control. She felt like a giddy school girl who was experiencing her first love.


    Love?


    Her mind snapped at the sudden word which popped into it. Love?


    A new feeling began to eclipse the earlier tion she felt: fear.


    "No"


    Was she falling in love with him? Her thoughts were now conflicted between the budding feelings between them and her past. What would his reaction be if he found out she had given birth to a child for very selfish reasons?


    "Oh no"


    She held her knees close and buried her head in them, torn between the tough choice whichy before her.

 Chapter 90: 11:59 (7)

    Chapter 90: 11:59 (7)


    Minho was calmly waiting outside the trial room for ten minutes when Gayoon came out of there.


    "Good, you''re ready-" he began to say but upon seeing her, his words faltered. The peach colored suitplemented her fair skin. It fit her willowy built while her hair was tied into a bun, making her look every bit like a professional business woman.


    "So, does this look alright on me?" she asked nervously. Minho did not reply but stepped closer. Gayoon was blushing a little when he gently took off the clip holding her hair and let her long strands loose. He smoothed her hair, careful not to touch her but she felt as if small jolts of electricity were hitting her skin.


    "You look good in anything you wear," he said. Gayoon gaped at him.


    "But I should keep my hair tied," she said weakly. "It won''t look professional if I let my hair loose like this-"


    "I like your long hair," he mentioned. "It looks nice."


    He said it in a casual way but Gayoon could feel her heart racing again. How did this man managed to say these things with a straight face?


    "Uhh...er"


    "I''ve paid for the clothes already," he went on. "The store executives will pack your uniform in a bag and put it in my car."


    Gayoon wanted to thank him but her lips would not move because she was still in a daze. Red in the face, she followed him out and got into the front seat next to him.


    "S-so where is this meeting taking ce?" she asked, trying to distract her mind from his earlier words.


    "At one of my hotels in Town C," he replied. "It''s not far from here."


    "What exactly is this meeting about?" she queried. "I might as well get some pointers from beforehand so that I don''t miss out on any details."


    "I''ll be meeting up with and owner from Country J," he replied. "He has ancestralnd in this country and wants to sell it to us. I simply want to see what he has to offer."


    "What''s his name?"


    "Hyoui Kazuma," Minho answered. "Back in his country, he owns the Hyoui cafe chain which belongs to his family. It''s quite popr there and they''re looking into making an international chain."


    "Then why can''t he just use this currentnd to build his cafe?" Gayoon frowned.


    "Let''s see what he says," Minho replied. He pulled up in front of the hotel. A valet opened the car''s door for them.


    "This way, sir and madame," the valet said, ushering them ahead towards the lobby. They entered through the automated doors where the staff members immediately recognized Minho. They also noticed the stunning woman next to him who was walking beside him, emitting a quiet confidence. The sight of the beautiful couple was a treat to their eyes.


    Gayoon scanned around, impressed by thevish golden and rosy decor of the hotel. There was arge ss dome directly above their head through which she could see the sky. There were paintings of western artists hung on the walls while a small fountain stood in the middle of the lobby. It had a statue of a mermaid who was holding a pot through which the water was pouring out.


    The duty manager came forward to greet his boss.


    "Good afternoon sir," the manager greeted. "And madame."


    "Manager Song, I believe the meeting room has prepared for us?" Minho asked.


    "Yes sir," the manager replied. "If you would follow me."


    They followed him towards a private meeting room which was set up for their meeting. A man in his thirties sat there, waiting patiently for them. Beside him was a woman of the same age. She wore a red suit and her hair was tied into a long ponytail. They stood up upon seeing Minho and Gayoon entering the room.


    "Ah, you must be Hwang Minho," the man remarked. "My name is Hyoui Kazuma and this is my secretary, Ms. Kirishima Anna."


    The woman shed them a small smile which did not reach her eyes. Instead, she was studying Gayoon with intense scrutiny. Thetter did not flinch from Anna''s gaze and simply smiled back.


    "Nice to meet you," Minho said. "This is Jeon Gayoon. She will be joining us for the meeting today as my associate."


    Kazuma nodded at Gayoon. "Shall we start?" he asked.


    They took their seats as Kazuma prepared the projector. The image of and in the suburbs shed on the screen. Minho nced briefly at Gayoon who leaned in closer to see the image. She had spotted something awfully familiar and was about to speak up when she felt Minho gently squeeze her arm.


    "Please begin Mr. Hyoui," Minho requested.


    "This is my ancestralnd in Country K," Kazuma began. "As you can see, it is in the furthest part of D City which is the newest prize for all real estate owners."


    He clicked the remote control and the image changed to that of a sketch depicting a metropolitan city.


    "The government has already handed outnds for development to many real estate and construction businesses," Kazuma went on. "I believe Hwang Constructions also made several bids for thends and have won some. Thisnd in particr is in the perfect spot. It is situated within the nnedmercial hub and will be the golden spot for all business activities."


    He showed them several pictures of the blueprints of the development works. Thend was located right next to a spot where a skyscraper would be built while several businesses would be established all around it. Minho watched the presentation intently while Gayoon calmly took notes.


    "By buying thisnd, Hwang Constructions will get the upper hand," Kazuma imed. "The value is currently at one hundred million dors but very soon, it will increase. I already have several buyers up in my kitty but I believe that no one other than you can truly understand the worth of thisnd."


    Minho smirked at his statement. "Indeed," he replied. "No one else can understand the value of thisnd."


    He nced at Gayoon, briefly meeting her eyes and nodded.


    "We know how valuable thisnd is for business, Mr. Hyoui," Gayoon spoke up. "And buying thisnd would no doubt bring ourpany a lot of profit."


    Kazuma smiled, feeling triumphant that the deal was going to be made.


    "But we would rather make this deal with the real owner," Gayoon added.


    Kazuma''s smile faltered while Anna looked at Gayoon and Minho with interest.


    "What do you mean?" Kazuma asked. He was now feeling very nervous as sweat beaded from his forehead.


    "The real owner of thatnd, Fukishi Rei, was murdered a year ago," Gayoon revealed. "I recognized thatnd because his body was found there right next to the red stone b on the image. He had it built there when he was alive to mark his property. After his death thend belongs to his daughter, Fukishi Michi. Where is she?"

 Chapter 91: 11:59 (8)

    Chapter 91: 11:59 (8)


    Minho was smirking at Kazuma''s bewildered expression. He knew very well that the man was a fraud and a liar. Kazuma had been trying to illegally sell off his wife''s property in Country K so that he could raise money for his failing business.


    In reality, he had no intention of carrying on with this deal but he let Gayoon take the spotlight for exposing him. After all, Fukishi Rei''s murder had caused quite a scandal a few years back and his second wife had pleaded guilty for it. Hence, as a detective, Gayoon should know that murder spot well.


    Gayoon leaned against the chair and crossed her legs, waiting for Kazuma to speak. The man was looking nervous.


    "I-I" he fumbled.


    "You what, Mr. Hyoui?" Gayoon demanded. "Does your wife know you are attempting to sell hernd?"


    "T-this is mynd!" he imed. "She signed the papers and gave it to me-"


    "Then why did you tell us that this is your ancestralnd?" Gayoon interjected. "Why did you lie?"


    Kazuma was now very scared. Who was this woman and how did she know?


    "Fukishi Rei''s body was found on thatnd," Minho stated. "The price of and where a dead body was found would not be valued at the quotation you are setting. Furthermore, your business is falling. I know that you''re on the verge of bankruptcy and your wife is also about to leave you. You''re trying to sell thisnd in particr because it''s in a foreign country where your wife cannot intervene."


    His cold gaze was making Kazuma even more nervous. Kazuma had assumed it would be easier to forge the transaction in Country K but he did not realize how deep Minho''s insights were.


    "My men had collected your wife''s number," Minho went on. "She already knows about your little treachery and is on her way here. Her flight willnd in an hour and she has a lot of things to tell you. If I were you, I wouldn''t try to run because I''ve alerted my staff not to let you out of this hotel. Otherwise, we will call the police."


    Anna watched the scene in front of her with great interest. Every now and then, her eyes flickered towards Gayoon and Minho as she studied them. She had heard many things about Hwang Minho and it did not surprise her that he already knew of Kazuma''s treachery.


    But who was that woman with him?


    "If you do manage to escape the hotel," Gayoon added. "I''ll make sure you''re apprehended at all costs. Whether it is at the airport, seaport or enroute, the police will keep an eye out for you. So do as per Mr. Hwang''s advice and wait until your wife is here. Pray to god that she let''s you off the hook."


    "I-I-I"


    But Minho and Gayoon were done talking. Minho pressed a button underneath the desk and immediately a few men wearing ck tux entered the room. They bowed in front of him.


    "Take Mr. Hyoui to a guest room," he ordered. "And make sure he pays every single dime for the hours he will be staying until his wife arrives."


    "Wait!" Kazuma begged. "Please! I can''t afford to lose this deal!"


    "Talk to your wife and figure out things," Minho scoffed. "I''ll only make the deal with her. If she refuses, then I''ll make sure that you will never be able to set foot in this country ever again."


    Kazuma wanted to protest but Gayoon cut him off.


    "And if you try to harm her in any way, I''ll make sure you spend the rest of your sorry life in jail," she said in a calm tone. It was not an empty threat but a promise. She had seen many husbands killing their wives for money and this man seemed no different. Kazuma squirmed under her threat.


    With that, Minho and Gayoon exited the room, leaving Kazuma and Anna with the bodyguards.


    "This way," one of the bodyguards pointed. Kazuma turned to Anna.


    "You said this would work!" he eximed. But Anna simply grinned at him.


    "Did you really think that you can fool Hwang Minho?" she said in a sarcastic tone. "I was simply testing you. The deal you offered my father was lucrative and he wouldn''t have minded to buy off your business. But we wanted to test you. Unfortunately, you failed."


    shing him a cold smile, Anna began to walk out of the room. When the guards tried to stop her, she simply said, "You were instructed to lock him up. They didn''t say anything about me."


    "But-" the guard began but Anna brushed him aside and strutted away. Hwang Minho sure is interesting, she thought. But who was that woman and how is she rted to him?


    "Looks like I need to find out," she sighed.


    .


    "Why did you agree to meet him when you already knew that he was a fraud?" Gayoon asked. By the time they were done with the meeting, it was already evening. They were outside, heading for the car park. Minho paused and turned to face her.


    "I simply wanted to see what he had to offer," he shrugged. "I am interested in thatnd. Only that I will be dealing with his wife. She already decided to sell it to me and divorce her husband. This meeting was only to expose him. As soon as I saw the images, I knew you''d recognize that spot. After all, your precinct handled that case."


    "Actually, it was my first case as a detective," Gayoon admitted sheepishly. "I still remember how that poor old man was found."


    The image of Fukishi Rei''s mangled body sent a shiver down her spine. "But let''s not talk about that," she said. "I''ve had enough of dead bodies for this month thanks to the cannibal killer. I don''t wanna think about all that in my free time."


    Minho stared at her for a minute.


    "Wanna go for a walk?" he suddenly asked.


    "Now?" she frowned.


    "It''s not thatte," he pointed out. "We can hang out at the hotel''s garden."


    "O-okay," she stammered. She slowly walked beside him, red in the face. This was the second time she was out with him and she could feel the butterflied in her stomach. Her wretched mind was also reying their extremely intimate session from the other day, making her even more nervous.


    Minho noted her shyness and inwardly sighed. Her usually feisty demeanor dimmed whenever they were on a date and she was too hesitant to take any steps towards him.


    Screw Kanji''s rules, he thought. I''ll do it my way.

 Chapter 92: 11:59 (9)

    Chapter 92: 11:59 (9)


    Gayoon was staring ahead when suddenly, she felt Minho''s hand sping hers. She looked down in surprise at their intertwined palms.


    "What" She looked at him but he was nonchnt.


    "This is what people do on dates right?" he asked, feigning ignorance. "Hold hands?"


    There he was at it again! Gayoon''s already red face went up a shade by his words. She was too embarrassed to say anything but looked down and smiled a little. The warmth of his hand felt nice andfortable. Her mind was in a daze and her heart was beating wildly as he led her to the garden.


    The archway was decorated with green vines, tangled intricately together to form the path. There were colorful flowers blooming around them as they walked ahead towards a small seat. The ce was quiet and secluded from the rest of the hotel as only VIP guests were allowed to enjoy the scenery.


    "Hibiscus!" she eximed, pointing at the beautiful red flowers which hung from the vines. Minho watched as she ran towards the flower, looking at it with awe.


    "Is this your favorite flower?" he asked her.


    "Yes!" she replied. "I love them a lot!"


    She was watching the flower with her doey eyes. Minho was about to pluck it for her but she stopped him.


    "No," she said. "Don''t pluck it. Keep it there."


    "But you want it, right?" he frowned.


    "It''s beautiful," she agreed. "But it won''tst long. By tomorrow, it will wither and die. So let it enjoy the remaining life it has."


    Minho watched her as a sad, ssy look came in her eyes as if she was remembering something painful.


    "What is it?" he probed. "What are you thinking?"


    "Someone," she admitted. The sight of the flower reminded her of her daughter. Was she alright? What was her name? Was she living well?


    "Who?"


    Gayoon tore her eyes away from the flower and looked at him. "Years ago, I had to leave someone behind," she admitted. "A decision which I regret every single moment of my life."


    Minho suddenly understood what she was talking about but he did not interrupt her. He wanted to hear what she had to say so he kept quiet.


    "Sometimes, I wonder what would have happened if I hadn''t left," she went on. Her eyes were beginning to brim with tears. She quickly brushed them aside, not wanting to make him feel ufortable with her emotional outburst.


    "This hibiscus...it represents undying love," she said, pointing at it. "I may not be with that person, but the love I have for her is unconditional..."


    "Just like this hibiscus," Minho finished for her. Gayoon smiled and nodded. She was thankful that he did not ask her any questions but simply listened with an open mind.


    "I actually had a tattoo drawn on my body of a hibiscus," she giggled a little. "So that I remember her everyday.


    "A tattoo?" Minho frowned. "Where?"


    Gayoon bit her lip and smiled. "I can''t tell," she snickered. "It''s somewhere very private."


    Minho gaped at her. His mind was going wild with images of the mysterious hibiscus tattoo on her body. Suddenly, his cheeks were getting warm. He cleared his throat.


    "N-not that I want to see it," he imed. "I was just asking."


    Gayoon snickered at his expression. "It''s on my chest," she told him. "Right above my heart because that''s where she is."


    She smiled widely at him. Her eyes squinted into a moonlike shape whenever she smiled, making her look ethereal. Minho had seen many beautiful and rich women in his life. Many even threw themselves at him, hoping to catch his attention.


    But for some reason, only this woman was able to reach out to him without even trying. The letter she had left him contained the conflicting emotions and guilt she felt. He wanted to tell her that her heart was with him. The love for their daughter may have bound them together but a new connection was forming between them. There was no name to it yet but Minho knew that no other woman would be able to affect him the way Jeon Gayoon did.


    "What are you thinking? Gayoon whispered. He was staring at her with a deep intensity. She held her breath, unable to move an inch from her spot as he gazed at her.


    He took a step closer to her. Slightly brushing her cheek, he said, "0.05 percent."


    "Huh?" she blinked. But he was not going to answer her. His one hand held her cheek while the other one snaked behind her waist, pulling her closer. Gayoon could feel his breath on her face as he leaned closer. Her toes curled in anticipation as she shut her eyes, inclining towards him.


    His lips gently touched hers. She buckled, throwing her arms around his neck as he tasted her lips. He pried into her mouth, slowly meshing their tongues together. His pecks were brief but deepening with every second, making her moan. Unlike their earlier fiery kisses, they were being slower and softer, exploring each other to their heart''s content.


    Under the hibiscus vines, the couple were lost in their own bubble, gradually unlocking their intense emotions. Their lips were locked together, unwilling to let go. The sounds of their sloppy kisses resonated throughout the isted garden. It was unlike anything they had ever felt and neither of them wanted that moment to stop. Gayoon pulled him closer, pressing their lips further. Her fingers were clutching his hair, messing it up while he held on to her tightly. They lost sense of time, content with being there with each other, engaged in their passionate tryst without a care.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity of bliss, they finally parted. Both of them were panting, their foreheads pressed together as they struggled to catch their breaths. Their thoughts were in a mess but they were not ufortable by it. Gayoon was still clutching on to his neck while Minho caged her with his arms, both of them not ready to let go.


    "Are you alright?" he finally asked. He did not know why he asked that question but the emotional intensity of their kiss was too strong even for him.


    "I''m fine," she gasped, still reeling from his sweet attack. "Just-"


    Her words were cut off by her cellphone''s ringtone. Both of them were startled by the sudden intrusion. Gayoon took it out to see the caller ID.


    "Jiang?" she frowned.


    "Yes Jiang," she said, answering the phone. "What is it?"


    Minho frowned as Gayoon listened intently to the person on the other end and to his surprise, the color in her face was being sapped by whatever news she received.


    "WHAT?" she yelled. "Where?"


    She was now visibly scared as she listened to Jiang''s information.


    "I''ll be there in twenty minutes!" she said at once, hanging up the phone.


    "What happened?" Minho demanded. Gayoon bit her lip, massaging her head as if she was having a headache.


    "CCK just dumped another body," she revealed.


    It was now Minho''s turn to be shocked. But Gayoon was not done.


    "And that''s not the only worrying issue." she went on.


    "What else happened?"


    "He dumped the body at the spot from where Mina was kidnapped," Gayoon revealed. "And he left a message there...for you."

 Chapter 93: 11:59 (10)

    Chapter 93: 11:59 (10)


    Jina was in her room, impatiently walking to and fro as she waited for Yumi to return. Casper watched her fidgeting but he too was getting worried for the young ghost.


    "Where is that girl?" Jina asked in frustration. "She should have been here by now!"


    Casper made a gesture at her.


    "I can''t calm down!" Jina eximed. "She said she found her heart!"


    Casper gave her a confused look to which she replied, "I don''t know. She was pestering me to take her to the hospital where her heart was."


    He was about to ask her more questions when the room''s temperature dropped and a sudden coldness began to form.


    "Finally!" Jina shivered as Yumi appeared in front of them. Her already pale face was paler and she looked strangely disturbed as if she had seen something horrific. Jina and Casper watched her in confusion as she sat on the bed, trying to gather her thoughts.


    "What happened?" Jina demanded. "You look as if you''ve seen a ghost!"


    Yumi scowled at her pun. "I wish!" she snapped. "Well, I kinda might have seen a ghost but it was even worse than that."


    Just remembering the scene was making her shudder so much that her head fell off her neck again. Jina fixed it for her before saying, "Tell us. Did you find your heart?"


    "I did," Yumi replied.


    "Where?"


    Jina and Casper huddled around her, eager to learn her story. But Yumi bit her lip, not wanting to tell the little girl of where her heart really was.


    "Let''s just say, it wasn''t in a container," she began slowly. "It was...it was...with a person."


    Jina blinked. Was a person holding her heart and walking around the hospital? Even Casper was not understanding what Yumi was trying to imply. Yumi sighed and continued to tell her tale.


    "I was wandering around the hospital, looking for my heart," she said. "When I detected another strange thing. I had this eerie feeling which was simr to what I had felt the night I was kidnapped. It wasn''t far away. In fact, I felt the presence of my heart at the same ce. So I followed it"


    "I saw a young doctor," she whispered. "A woman. She was an intern I think. I couldn''t catch her name but she was walking along a corridor. But that was not the strange thing. The weird part was a dark figure which was walking with her. At first nce, it looked like a shadow but it wasn''t. It was pitch ck, walking right next to her like a stalker. I was so scared that I couldn''t even go near it. I was frozen to my spot but the most disturbing thing was that, I felt my heart was with that woman."


    "Was she carrying it around?" Jina asked.


    "No," Yumi said. "She...wasn''t carrying it around."


    "Then how do you know it was with her?" Jina frowned. Casper was also confused by what Yumi was trying to say.


    "When I say that it was with her, she wasn''t exactly holding it nor keeping it in her pocket," Yumi said in disgust and fear. "I felt...I felt the presence of my heart inside her."


    "Did she get some kind of transnt and ended up with your heart?" Jina asked.


    Yumi shook her head, too disgusted to speak but Casper understood what she really meant.


    "Forget about that," Yumi said, trying to divert Jina''s mind away. "Let''s just say she has my heart and is being stalked by a dark shadow."


    "Hmm" Jina said thoughtfully. "So you felt that your heart was with that woman and also suspect that she might have been your kidnapper. Or more specifically, that dark shadow is making her do it?"


    "Yes!"


    Jina was now more worried. She had never really dealt with this sort of phenomenon and was unsure of how to handle it.


    "Casper, I think we have to send that anonymous tip," she decided. "But how are we gonna do that? I''ve been grounded for a month!"


    She was now truly regretting her actions and threw a dirty nce at Yumi. If the silly ghost had not insisted on going to the hospital, she would not have been in this mess.


    "Let''s get to know about this killer first," she said, taking out her phone to tune into a news channel. A news reporter popped up on the screen to share thetest headlines.


    "Another girl''s body has been found inside a payphone around City C," the news reporter narrated. "The girl''s body parts had been dissected but the police are yet to confirm if her heart is missing and whether it really is the CCK. Our reporters are on the spot, trying to give us more updates."


    The scene cut to the crime spot where the police were swarming around. Suddenly, a familiar car came into the background.


    "That''s my dad''s car!" Jina pointed out. "Why is he there?"


    Minho and Gayoon emerged out of the car. Gayoon had changed back into her police uniform, ready to investigate the scene.


    "You''ll have to stay here," she said to Minho. "Outsiders are not allowed to be here."


    "But-" Minho began but someone called out Gayoon''s name.


    "Gayoon!"


    Taejoon was running towards them, looking very worried.


    "There''s something you need to see," he said.


    "Alright," Gayoon stated. Turning to Minho, she added, "I''ll go ahead. You should head home-"


    "No," Taejoon interrupted. "He needs to see this as well and answer some questions."


    Minho raised an eyebrow and nced at Gayoon. They followed Taejoon who led them to the crime spot.


    "You better wear these," Gayoon said, handing Minho a pair of gloves. They passed through the crime scene sign posts and paused in their steps, shocked at the view in front of them.


    Inside the payphone, the woman''s body was stripped naked while her organs were scattered and squashed all around the tiny space. The walls of the payphone were stained by blood while her dissected body parts were arranged to keep her in a sitting position. They did not need to figure out if her heart was carved out because there was a huge hole drilled over her left breast.


    But the chilling part was the message over her head.


    "To Hwang Minho,


    The next victim is closer than you think. Save her if you can.


    CCK"

 Chapter 94: 11:59 (11)

    Chapter 94: 11:59 (11)


    Junwan rushed through the corridor while the officers gave him verbal reports.


    "Sir we found the body in a sitting position but the parts were cut up and arranged that way," one of the officers stated. "And the message was addressed to Hwang Minho."


    "Where is he now?" Junwan demanded as he headed for the interrogation room.


    "With Detective Taejoon," the officer said. Junwan waved him away and hurried towards the interrogation room. Bursting through the door, he saw Gayoon was standing in the outer room while Taejoon was questioning Minho inside.


    "Why aren''t you interrogating him?" Junwan demanded.


    "I"


    "What is Hwang Minho''s connection to the CCK?" Junwan asked angrily. What has this man been up to? Why was the CCK out to give him a message?


    "Sir"


    Gayoon hesitated. She was not sure how to tell the truth to Junwan without giving away that Minho possessed a gun illegally at the age of sixteen and had possibly injured someone with it. It might even cause him legal problems. But the case was never recorded and more than fifteen years had passed so the statute of limitation was also over.


    "Sir, Hwang Minho had a run-in with the CCK," she revealed. "When he was sixteen, his sister was kidnapped by the CCK."


    "Mina?" Junwan asked in surprise. "But how-"


    "He''s telling all that to Taejoon right now," Gayoon stated. She recalled Minho''s expression when he saw the girl''s body. She was in her early twenties and had her whole life in front of her. Yet, the CCK did not hesitate to kill her.


    "I''ll tell everything," Minho had told her. He did not look her way but she could sense his rage. The CCK was out for his loved ones again and he was not going to stay shut this time.


    Gayoon sighed and nced through the ss window as Taejoon grilled Minho, who kept his calm. Please help him, she prayed.


    "The CCK is sending you a message," Taejoon stated. Minho''s eyes were devoid of any emotions as he sat there. Even under duress, Minho did not lose his cool because he had nothing to fear nor hide. It was the CCK who wasmitting crimes.


    "Twenty years ago," he began. "The CCK had kidnapped my sister."


    Taejoon''s hard expression turned to surprise as Minho narrated to him how Mina was kidnapped, how they found her through Mimi and also the fact that Minho ended up shooting the CCK twice.


    "Mr. Hwang, if what you''re saying is true, then we can charge you for illegal arms possession," he threatened.


    "The statute of limitations on that has passed," Minho pointed out. "Moreover, you have more pressing matters now than the case of an illegal gun possession which took ce over twenty years ago. If the police had done their jobs right, then my sister would not have been kidnapped and the CCK would have been caught years ago!"


    His cold words sent a chill down Taejoon''s spine. The man was unfazed by the cops and was ring back at him with contempt. He loathed the system which failed those women and let a psycho killer run loose.


    "If the police had done their jobs, then Yumi and this girl would have been alive," Minho stated. "But you guys can rectify the mistake. So instead of chasing me for trying to protect my family, I believe you should be looking for the killer."


    Taejoon was about to argue back when the door burst open and Kanji came in with a middle agedwyer in tow.


    "This is Lawyer Jay Shim," Kanji said curtly without bothering to greet them. "We want to know why you are interrogating my friend without awyer present? And on what basis are you holding him here?"


    "He has not been arrested!" Taejoon snapped. "He''s here as a witness."


    "And yet, you are interrogating him as if he''s a criminal," Kanji bit back. "Do you even know who he is? He''s Hwang Minho. He''s not only the richest man in the country but has enough influence to kick you out of the police force at the snap of his fingers!"


    Taejoon''s nostrils red but he kept his mouth shut. Gayoon and Junwan also entered the room.


    "Taejoon, he told me the whole story beforehand," she informed him. "But due to his status and with regards to the wishes of the other witnesses to remain anonymous, we tried to work on the case without involving them. Besides, the CCK escaped and is still out there! He''s out for revenge and we have to protect this city from him."


    "Tch!" Taejon scowled. Minho nced at Junwan.


    "I will cooperate with this case," he dered. "But Mina must be kept out of this."


    "We''ll make sure that Mina is not going to be dragged into it," Junwan promised. He knew that if that happened, Hwang Minho would have him removed from the force within the blink of an eye. The man rarely used his influence for anything but when he did, the whole country bowed to him. Even politicians would not dare to go against him thanks to the money he invested in their campaigns.


    "And," Minho pressed. "I want someone to guard me and my family. Someone highly capable who will protect my daughter and my sister. I''ll have Mina move in with us until the CCK has been caught. The assigned guard will also stay in my mansion, keeping an eye on us."


    "You can hire anyone you want," Junwan stated. "We will cooperate with that person-"


    "I want Detective Gayoon."


    There was a long stretch of silence. Even Kanji was shocked at that request. He wanted Jeon Gayoon to move into his mansion?


    Should I think of him as a protective family man or a smooth lover? He wondered.


    "W-what?" Gayoon stammered. Did he just mention...moving in? Together?


    "No way!" Taejoon protested. "You can hire your own bodyguards! Why are you taking in the person in-charge of the CCK case?"


    "That is precisely what makes her the ideal person to handle the security of my family," Minho said with a smirk. "The CCK is after us, right? So it''ll be easier for her to stay around us instead of running in circles while chasing the killer. Moreover, she''s the best detective in this squad. If I''m not wrong, she even beat you inbat many times."


    Taejoon gaped at Minho while Junwan frowned. "It isn''t unusual for cops to stay with witnesses to protect them," he said thoughtfully. "We can prepare for a special Witness Protection Program until the CCK is caught."


    "Hey!" Gayoon protested. "But my work! And my other cases! I''ve got so many things to do-"


    "Until the CCK is caught, you''ll work only with desk cases," Junwan ordered. "And stay with the Hwangs to protect them. You''ll take over their security details and keep and eye on the women there."


    "B-but my grandma will protest!"


    "I''ll talk to her," Junwan stated. "I''m sure she won''t mind."


    Gayoon wanted to argue more but she could not find a way out. Live with Hwang Minho? She was too embarrassed by the prospect! They had just begun dating and living together meant


    She shook her head, trying to cross out all the perverted thoughts entering them. You''re only going there for work, she reminded herself. No mixing work and personal life.


    "F-fine," she agreed. Taejoon looked outraged while Minho simply nodded. Kanji frowned, trying to figure out Minho''s thoughts but the man was unreadable.


    "We''ll take our leave then," Minho said as he stood up. He turned to Gayoon and added, "I hope you''ll arrive at the mansion tonight?"


    "Y-yes," Gayoon replied, not being able to look at him. He nodded and ushered Kanji to follow him.


    "Please take care of the rest, Lawyer Shim," Kanji requested the old man before following his friend outside.


    Once they were out of earshot, Kanji rounded on Minho.


    "You could have hired anyone," he used. "Why did you pick Gayoon? Moving in together under these circumstances? That too when you''ve just begun to date? Are you insane?"


    What is he thinking? Kanji wondered.


    Minho sighed. "I didn''t choose Gayoon simply because we''re dating," he said. "She really is the best of the lot and can handle the security team much better than anyone else. But"


    "But what?"


    "But there''s another reason why I chose her," Minho admitted.


    "What is the reason?" Kanji demanded.


    "There is a chance that the CCK will target her if he finds out about our rtionship," Minho revealed. "So the only way I could keep an eye on her is by making her move in with me."

 Chapter 95: 11:59 (12)

    Chapter 95: 11:59 (12)


    Gayoon entered the forensicb where Jaein was crouching over the remnants of thetest victim. She hadid the body parts in order but the scene looked disturbing to Gayoon who was inwardly grateful that at least this victim chose to move on rather than linger behind.


    "What''s the cause of death?" Gayoon asked despite knowing what caused the victim to die.


    "Same ol'' same ol''," Jaein sighed. "The victim is in her early twenties. I''d say she''s around twenty or twenty one. She was first knocked out by a potent drug and then kept in a very cold ce for days before she was killed. She diedst night probably around midnight."


    "11:59 PM to be exact as per Hwang Minho''s story," Gayoon stated. "He just gave his testimony on how he knows the killer and why the CCK is after him."


    "Oh yes!" Jaein eximed. "The talk of the town is that he asked you to move in with him."


    "I am not moving in with him!" Gayoon protested. "Im merely going to live there temporarily to protect his daughter and sister-"


    "So did you guys do the deed yet?" Jaein asked, ignoring the detective''s flustered look.


    "W-what?" Gayoon eximed. "We are in the middle of an investigation here! And there''s a dead body on the table! I think her issue is more pressing than my sex life!"


    "Uh huh," Jaein shrugged. "You guys haven''t done it then."


    Gayoon gaped at the crazy doctor who strode over to a table and took off her gloves. She took out a ss and poured herself some wine from her secret stash.


    "You''re not supposed to drink that!" Gayoon scolded Jaein. "Especially in here!"


    "When you''re around dead bodies all the time, you''ll need a drink too," Jaein said wisely, unaware of the fact that Gayoon used to be surrounded by things even worse than the dead. "Besides, the autopsy is done and I''ve finished the report too. I can binge on some good wine now."


    Gayoon pursed her lips in disapproval. There was no use in telling off Jaein who was the best forensic doctor in the city. She had never given a wrong report and had helped in solving many cases. Gayoon may have been able tomunicate with the dead at one point in life but Jaein understood them like the back of her palm.


    "Poor girl," Gayoon said, trying not to nce at the corpse. Even hearing Minho and Mina''s predicament was scary for her. So it was unfathomable to imagine the pain the poor victim must have gone through.


    "Calling him a monster is too tame," Jaein said, sipping her drink. "I''ve seen many monsters but this guy is the reincarnation of the devil himself. You know, I see mangled corpses everyday. Justst night, a corpse of a guy with his head smashed in arrived at theb. Nothing was left of his brains and maggots had infested it. Whoever his killer was did not just murder him butpletely annhted him. And yet, this cannibal killer takes the cake when ites to monstrosity."


    "How do you manage to tell such gruesome tales while drinking?" Gayoon winced.


    "I''m used to it," Jaein shrugged. Gayoon shook her head but inwardly, she understood Jaein well. After spending years in the police force, even Gayoon realized that humans were the real monsters. Ghosts were only a pale imitation of what they used to be when they were alive. Living humans were scarier.


    And with CCK on the loose, Gayoon was even more scared. That man was targeting Minho and possibly Mina. How long would it take for the killer to realize that Minho''s biggest weakness was Jina?


    Her heart ached at the thought of that little girl being in danger. She was an innocent soul who did not deserve to be stalked by the nightmarish CCK, who would no doubt find out about the little girl. The man was going to get his hands on her and Gayoon must protect her at all costs.


    "Will you take up the offer?" Jaein asked, reading Gayoon''s mind. "Living in Hwang Minho''s house?"


    "I will," Gayoon sighed. "I have to protect Jina."


    "Is it because she reminds you of your daughter?" Jaein asked shrewdly. She knew very well that Gayoon had once worked as a surrogate for an anonymous man to whom she handed her child over to. Gayoon had confided in her a few years ago but it did not shock Jaein much. She had noticed the detective''s strong maternal instincts when they were investigating the murder of a child. Moreover, her interactions with Jina were also a giveaway.


    "Why don''t you meet her?" Jaein pointed out. "You can ask thatwyer who set you up for the surrogacy."


    "I don''t have the right to do so," Gayoon replied. "And I won''t either. I''ve given her up on my own and even though I regret it, I can''t disrupt her life now. Besides, I''m sure she has a new mother and her family loves her a lot."


    "What if the father is a terrible person?" Jaein frowned but Gayoon shook her head.


    "He''s not," she said firmly. Even if she had never seen the man in person, she could tell with absolute confidence that he was not a bad person and loved their daughter very much.


    "How do you know?"


    "I just do" Gayoon said, trailing off. Her mind was ying a memory from all those years ago. At that time, she was nearing the end of her pregnancy and had temporarily moved into a private nursing home where she was catered to by the best doctors


    The eighteen year old was terrified as she looked at her new surroundings. The nurse who was sympathetic to the young mother''s predicament, gripped her shoulder.


    "Don''t worry Gayoon," she assured her. "You''ll be safe here. It''s only temporary. The baby will be well taken care of here and yourbor will be smooth as well."


    Gayoon smiled at her but then lowered her head. She had signed up for this deal to get rid of her ability buttely, there were too many ghosts haunting her. They were attracted by the baby''s powers which were growing in her. Every minute, she was being bombarded by ghosts who wanted theirst wishes to be granted.


    "Are you alright?" the nurse asked in worry.


    "I''m just...a little weak"


    Gayoon had been feeling feverish since morning but did not dare to say it out loud. The nervousness in her heart coupled with the pregnancy had sapped her of energy. She touched her bulging belly, trying to control her tears.


    What was she throwing her child into? The ghosts were going to haunt the innocent child and Gayoon severely regretted her deed. Her desperation to get rid of her abilities had only endangered an innocent. I''m so selfish! Shemented. She did not know motherhood was this painful. If she had known that she would end up unconditionally loving this unborn child, then she would have never gone through with this.


    "Rest well, Gayoon," the nurse told her. "After all"


    She shed the girl a wide, toothless smile. Her eyes darkened and a pearly light emitted from her. The woman''s skull was smashed in as she gleefully looked at the young mother.


    "You still have to find my killer," the nurse said. Gayoon closed her eyes and looked away. The nurse''sughter echoed in her ears as the ghost waded away, leaving her alone. Gayoon copsed on the bed next to her, tired and exhausted by the ordeal.


    Tears rolled down her cheek as shey on the bed. Her temperature was rising and she did not have the energy to call anyone. All she wanted was for the ghosts to go away from her and her child.


    Clutching the pillow close to her, she sobbed. Please protect my child, she begged. I''ll do anything but please protect her. She could not stop her tears as they kept on flowing from her eyes until she finally fell into an uneasy sleep.

 Chapter 96: 11:59 (13)

    Chapter 96: 11:59 (13)


    The images of the ghosts would not leave her. Her body was shivering as the fever gripped her while the pearly figures were haunting her dreams.


    "He...lp...us"


    They wereing in crowds, reaching out for her. Gayoon clutched her belly and ran through the long corridor, trying to reach the exit. But it was too far and no matter how hard she tried, the door was unreachable. The pale figures were behind her, watching her desperate attempts.


    "You can''t run" the ghostly nurse told her. "Your baby is ours."


    "No" Gayoon moaned. They were going to take her child! She would not let them!


    The spirits were closing in on her, surrounding the young mother. They would not let her leave. Gayoon fell to the ground, trying to block them out. They were not going to spare her and her child but she must save her daughter.


    "Please...please save me" she begged. Someone! Anyone!


    The pale hand of the nurse was reaching for her. It was looking at her coldly, unaffected by her pleas.


    "Please don''t" Gayoon begged. "Let us go. Please!"


    But her words fell on deaf ears as the ghosts circled around her,ing closer and closer.


    "Ours" they chanted. "Ours"


    Gayoon closed her eyes as their close hands touched her


    She awoke with a start. For a minute, her eyes were shrouded byplete darkness. Panicking, she tried to get up but her body was too weak. Her fever still did not subside and she could not move a muscle.


    Am I going to die here? She weakly wondered. Clutching her belly, she caressed it. Will her daughter ever be able to grow up and be a lovelydy?


    "Help me" she moaned. Her consciousness was going in and out as she hung onto life. But there was no one to help her.


    I guess we are unfortunate, she thought mirthfully. In her half awake state, she did not hear the door open and someone walked in. It was a tall figure but she could not make out the face in the darkness. She was too weak to fight a ghost and her mind was muddled.


    "Please"


    Suddenly, she felt something cool touch her forehead. It was a wet cloth. The cold cloth felt good against her skin as the stranger wiped her face.


    "Rest."


    As deep voice reached her ears. Who was this stranger?


    "You''re ill," he said. "Why didn''t you tell anyone?"


    He knew very well that she was not able to see his face and her condition would worsen if she was not given quick treatment. Unfortunately, the doctors were catering to another patient so he would have to monitor her health.


    Gayoon did not reply but her breath wasing in shorts. She wanted to thank the stranger but her energy levels were low. The stranger''s hands were warm and her heart fluttered a little when he touched her with the wet cloth again. Was he a nice ghost?


    "I''ll go and call a doctor," he said but Gayoon spoke up.


    "No!" she said. "Stay."


    She did not want the stranger to leave because if he did then her nightmares would be back. The man was probably taken aback but he obliged and stayed back. The girl had surprised him already by refusing the money and voluntarily agreeing to his contract terms. No matter how many times he thought about it, the girl''s response only intrigued him.


    "Are you really alright?" he asked curiously. "Giving up this baby?"


    He wanted to know what this girl really felt. She seemed to be regretting her choice and yet she was going through with it.


    "No," she sadly admitted. "I''m not. But I have to. It''s the only way she can be happy"


    The man waited for her to say more but Gayoon refused to talk. Instead she asked, "Are you...are you him?"


    The man knew very well what she wanted to ask. "Yes," he confirmed before continuing to wipe her forehead.


    "Why...why do you want a baby so badly?" she asked. Her mind was weak due to the fever but she wanted to keep the nightmares away. So she kept on trying to distract herself with small talk with the stranger who was probably her baby''s father. She could not see his face in the dark but his voice sounded nice. He sounded a little aloof but there was a warmth too which wasforting her.


    The stranger sighed. The girl wanted to chatter on in that state and would probably not remember their conversation much afterwards.


    "I guess it''s because after raising my sister for so many years, I got used to being a parent," he admitted. "Now that she''s going to college and doing her own thing, I realized I''m gonna be lonely. A lot of people told me to get married and have a family but I refused."


    "Why?"


    "It''s not worth the money when you settle down simply because you have to," the stranger shrugged. "A loveless union isn''t going to bring anyone joy and is a waste of time. A child is better off with a parent who would love it wholeheartedly rather than have two distant parents who would neglect it."


    There was a hint of sadness in the stranger''s voice as if he was remembering something very painful. She reached out in the darkness to pat his cheek but her palmnded on his nose instead.


    "What are you doing?" he asked warily.


    "I can''t find your cheek," she mumbled, patting his nose to try being assuring. "You''re a strange person but a good human being."


    The stranger was amused by her assumption. "I thought people called me a raging volcano," heughed.


    But Gayoon was not listening. Her eyes were tired and she wanted to sleep. The stranger had somehow calmed her down and assuaged her worries. If this man was the father of her child, then she would not be too worried about her child''s future.


    The stranger watched as Gayoon began to drift off. He pulled the nket over her body and slightly shifted her to help her adjust to her back and sleepfortably before he continued to wipe the sweat off her forehead.


    "It''s a girl"


    The stranger''s hand paused for a second when he heard her revtion.


    "It''s a girl," Gayoon mumbled. "We''re having a daughter."


    His expression was not visible in the darkness but Gayoon''s eyes were drooping as she fell into a dreamless sleep. Before she fell into a deep sleep, she thought the man had said something like, "Thank you."


    But she was not too sure. All she knew at that moment was that the stranger from that night would wholeheartedly love their child.


    And that he was a good man.

 Chapter 97: 11:59 (14)

    Chapter 97: 11:59 (14)


    The vein on Minho''s head was about to pop any second. Jongin and Lia watched apprehensively as their CEO was on the verge of exploding.


    "What is the percentage again?" he asked, trying to keep his rage under control. Jongin cowered away and tried to look for ces to hide when the Vesudas erupted.


    "Five percent," he squeaked.


    "It''s a big number sir!" Lia quipped in. "Seven hundred million! That''s two hundred million more profit returns fromst year."


    "And what is the profit after the costs are paid off?" Minho asked. He was tapping his foot, impatiently waiting for them to talk.


    "Eh"


    Jongin gulped. The CEO would not be happy hearing the numbers. "Four hundred million," he squealed.


    "Last year out profit was six hundred million," Minho stated. The vein on his head was now reaching dangerous levels. "And this year it''s four hundred million. What happened to the rest of the two hundred million?"


    He stood up, putting his hands on both sides of the table, ring at them. Lia squirmed away while Jongin closed his eyes, ready for the st.


    "MY TWO HUNDRER MILLION DOLLARS WERE TIED IN USELESS COSTS AND YOU''RE TELLING THIS TO ME NOW?"


    Minho''s booming voice was heard by everyone at the office and the employees knew they were about to be put on a leash. Even though they still made more profits than JK Limited, Minho was fussing over the two hundred million they had spent on excessive costs.


    "Looks like we''re going to be working overtime again," one employee sighed.


    "And here I thought the CEO would mellow down after getting a girlfriend," another employee muttered.


    "But have you heard?" Jinri spoke up. "The CEO''s girlfriend is apparently moving in with him."


    The other two employees were now highly curious about the news. "What?" the first employee eximed. "Really?"


    "Yes!" Jinri imed. "I''ve heard it from Driver Jang! His girlfriend is moving in with him and apparently is close to his family as well."


    "Is she the daughter of some rich family?"


    "No," Jinri replied. "She''s a cop! A tough nut too and the best in her precinct. The CEO is strangely infatuated with her. He even took her to Lee Shawn''s party and also to that meeting with the heir of Hyuoi Cafe! I''ve heard the cop exposed Hyoui''s schemes and saved the CEO from buying thatnd!"


    "I wonder if they''ll get married?" Kanji asked.


    "Who knows?" Jinri shrugged. "They-"


    She stopped midway and did a double take as Kanji''s cheery face popped in front of them. Immediately, the employees froze and stood up to greet him.


    "Sir!" they greeted in fright. Was he going to tell the CEO that the employees were gossiping about his love life?


    "Rx!" Kanji assured them. "I''ve got some juicy gossip too!"


    Jinri and the other employees looked at each other. The CEO''s best friend was going to gossip with them? Why?


    "This girl is definitely a tough nut," Kanji said, nodding in agreement. "She''s strong too. I think Minho is a masochist in bed-"


    WHACK!


    "OW!" Kanji yelled and turned around. Mina hit his head with her purse and before he could react, she grabbed his ear.


    "What the hell are you spewing about my brother?" she scolded him. "Masochist? Him?"


    She whacked him a few more times. "Stop it!" Kanji begged but Mina was not done with his antics.


    "Don''t you have any work?" she screeched. "Go and earn some money you idiot! And stop ndering my brother!"


    The employees watched themotion, unsure of whether tough or feel pity for the young master of JK Limited. The man might be as rich as Hwang Minho but he fluttered around his friends more than stay at his own office.


    "I''m sorry!" Kanji finally said. "I was kidding!"


    "Keep your perverted jokes to yourself!" Mina yelled. "I wanna meet my brother!"


    As soon as she saw the news about thetest victim, she could not help but be worried. Lawyer Shim had also called her up and arranged to move her things back into the mansion. It was going to be a long ride from home to the hospital but it seemed that the CCK was targeting them again.


    "He''s in a meeting now, Madam," Jinri supplied. "You can wait here if you want."


    Mina sighed. "No, it''s alright," she said. "I''ll meet him at home."


    She turned to Kanji, who was scared of her rage. "You!" she pointed at him. "Come with me. Now."


    Kanji gulped, knowing very well that she was about to make him spill everything. There was no point in hiding anything from her anyway so he followed her outside while the employees looked on, pitying him. Once they were at the parking lot, she turned on him.


    "What is going on?" she demanded. "The CCK...did he threaten my brother?"


    Kanji took a deep breath and narrated her the whole story. Her eyes widened in shock at his words. The dread she had once left behind was now catching up to her. For many years, she had to fight that demon in her nightmares and just when she finally assured herself that he would never return, the monster had reappeared. And this time, he was going to destroy her brother.


    She leaned against the wall and slumped onto the ground.


    "He''s back" she whispered. "He''s going to kill all of us"


    Kanji rushed to her side and held her by the shoulders. "He''s not going to harm anyone," he said in a stern tone. "That monster can never reach us-"


    "He wants me," Mina stated. "I know it. He wants me and he''ll use me to get to my brother."


    "No he won''t!" Kanji assured her. "He won''t be able to get you nor Jina. We''ll make sure that he''s caught."


    "You don''t know him!" Mina insisted. The guys might have rescued her that night but they only saw a fraction of that evil man. It was Mina who suffered his true monstrosity. Seeing thetest victim on the news enraged her but the old demons were back to stalk her. She thought that she was strong enough to deal with the monster but she was wrong. He still had a hold over her, feeding on her fears. The monster was real and he was back for good.


    Tears streamed from her eyes and she broke down. Kanji did not say anything but he knew Mina did not like to be seen crying. He took off his jacket and put it over her head, covering her face. It was their secret ritual. Whenever Mina would cry in secret, he woulde over and hide her face with a cloth so that no one would see her tears.


    He sat beside her as she kept on wailing underneath the jacket.


    "Why is this happening to us?" she sobbed. "First it was our father and now it''s this"


    She could not bear to go on. Did they not deserve to be happy and at peace? Why were they gued with unending nightmares?


    Kanji put his arm around her and she fell onto his chest, crying hard.


    "Who knows?" he mused. "If we had all the answers, then the world would have been a better ce. Unfortunately, we don''t have the answers and people keep on unleashing their worst sides. We can''t change everyone."


    "But we''re wiser now," he went on as Mina cried on his shoulder. "I don''t know if we''re stronger but we know what we''re getting into. And this time, we''ll be prepared. We can either choose to live in fear or face him head on. If we don''t fear him anymore, then what will he feed on?"


    He held her close, letting her cry her heart out as they awaited the uing danger looming ahead.


    .


    The bag came flying at Gayoon and she dodged it by inches. She barely had time to reel from the shock when another bag was hurled at her.


    "GRANNY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she yelled as her grandmother threw the bags outside. The old woman was gleeful as she packed all of Gayoon''s belongings. Thetter had arrived home to break the news that she would temporarily move out only to find that her luggage was already packed and kept outside.


    Minho''s chauffeur, Jang, was also there and he watched the scene, trying to stifle hisughter. As soon as he had broken the news to the old woman, she was beyond ecstatic and with great enthusiasm, packed all of her granddaughter''s belongings within an hour. When Gayoon arrived to pick up her things, she received the shock of her life when her grandmother hurled all her stuff out.


    "Those are my clothes!" she protested. "And my books! Why are they here?"


    "The driver told me everything!" Shujin eximed. "You''re moving in with a rich man! Finally! So I packed all your stuff and helping you to move out"


    "It''s only temporary!"


    "Who cares? You can make it permanent. If needed I''ll help!"

 Chapter 98: 11:59 (15)

    Chapter 98: 11:59 (15)


    "Ahjusshi will oppose!" Gayoon imed.


    "He''s out of town so no worries," Shujin replied. She put thest of Gayoon''s bags on the steps, overriding all her protests.


    "I''m gonnae back after a few days!" Gayoon said crossly.


    "If youe back as a single woman then I''ll not open the door!" Shujin shot back. "I better get another grandchild and this time, you better keep it!"


    "Granny! How can you throw out your own granddaughter?"


    "Like this!"


    Shujin threw more bags out while Gayoon scrambled to pick up her belongings. She had nned to pack an overnight bag but her grandmother had wrapped up all her belongings and really was throwing her out.


    "My books! Myptop! My stuffed toys!" she moaned.


    "And here are the most important things!" Shujin eximed with joy as she handed a special bag to Gayoon. "It has all the sexy stuff," she added in a low tone.


    "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU OLD WOMAN?"


    They were bickering to and forth until Jang cleared his voice. "Madam," he said with a bow. "It''s time for us to leave."


    "Can''t I even say bye to my family?" Gayoon snapped. Even though she was irritated at her grandmother, she still wanted to spend some time with her before leaving.


    "Okay. Goodbye," Shujin said and turned around to head back in.


    "Hey!" Gayoon protested. "You can at least cook me dinner before I leave!"


    "You go and worry about how to seduce the rich guy!"


    Gayoon cursed her luck. Why did she end up with a grandmother like this? Why could she not have one of those conservative grandmothers who kept their precious grandchildren away from dating?


    Grumbling at the old woman, Gayoon slowly picked up her bags and began to load them into the car with Jang''s help. The driver pitied the girl but was also d that she was moving in with the young master and Jina. They seemed to share a great bond and he wondered why the young master was so interested in this girl.


    "Let''s go, madam," he said with a bow.


    "Ahjusshi, you don''t have to be so formal around me," Gayoon said politely. "I''m much younger than you. You can call me by my name."


    "I would very much prefer to address you as madam," he insisted. "It''s the least I could do for the person who is protecting our home!"


    Gayoon was a little embarrassed. She was not used to older people being formal with her but she could not argue with Jang. He was showing her respect in his own way and rejecting it would be an insult to his devotion towards the Hwangs.


    She got into the car. Jang revved up the engine and sped off.


    "So...how long have you been working with the Hwangs?" Gayoon asked.


    "Almost thirty years, madam," he replied. "I''ve been in their employment since Master Minho was six years old."


    "So you must have known his parents too," Gayoon stated.


    There was an awkward silence. Gayoon realized that the topic of Minho''s parents must be a difficult one to talk about.


    "I''m sorry," she apologized. "He told me a few things and I just wanted to know more."


    "That''s alright, madam," Jang assured her. "I did know the elder master and mistress. They were very good people."


    "But...but didn''t Mr. Hwang''s father"


    She did not want to ask anymore but the old driver knew that one day she was bound to find out anyway.


    "He did," Jang confirmed. "He murdered his wife and ran away."


    "He must have been a terrible person," Gayoon muttered. Killing his own wife like that...why would he do it? She wondered.


    "On the contrary, he loved her dearly," Jang sighed. "But no one knows why he killed her that night. Master Minho saw it with his own eyes and all of us were shocked. The master would never kill his wife and yet he did."


    Gayoon frowned. Minho''s father killed his wife without any reason? That did not make sense. In her experience as a detective, murderers who killed their own family members had motives. Even serial killers who killed their loved ones had a strong reason to do so. It could be because of the abuse they had suffered at the hands of their victims or to exert their physical dominance.


    Moreover, Minho''s father must have been a powerful man. He could have hired someone to kill his wife and washed his hands off her murder. Why would a man like that risk his reputation and wealth to kill his wife in cold blood?


    Something was not right.


    "What was his na-"


    "We''re here, madam," Jang dered. Gayoon looked around and realized that they had reached the mansion.


    "Madam, I am not allowed to discuss this topic any further," he said apologetically. "I''m sorry."


    Gayoon sighed. The matter about his past must be very traumatizing for Minho and he forbade anyone from talking about it. No wonder the driver was reluctant to talk.


    "I understand," she said. "Thank you."


    She got out of the car and immediately, a few of the household staff came forward to unload her luggage.


    "Is she going to stay here forever?" one of the maids whispered. "Why did she bring so much stuff?"


    "She''s probably aiming to be the mistress of this house," another maid snickered. Gayoon heard them and sighed. Her grandmother''s antics had already ruined her image in front of the staff who were eyeing her with envy.


    She turned around and faced them. "I want to meet the security team," she said coolly. "Where are they?"


    "They''re off to pick up Ms. Mina''s luggage," one maid said in a rude tone. Gayoon raised her eyebrow. The maid brushed her by and took the luggage inside the mansion. As Gayoon entered the house, she could feel the jealous and angry gazes of the staff. They were not pleased that their master was making his girlfriend move in. For years, they had enjoyed a lot of independence over the house and they had no intention of listening to this woman.


    Gayoon did not bother to tell them off for their rudeness. She had bigger things on her te and petty politics was never her cup of tea.


    Instead she stood at the front door and nced around the mansion. I wonder what new problems would arise now, she sighed inwardly. She was about to ask one of the maids where her room was when she froze.


    It was that feeling again! The cold wave brushed past her, lightly touching her arm. Her mind was on high alert and she was sure that there was a spirit haunting that house.


    No...there were two spirits. She recognized one of them. It was the same spirit which lingered near Minho when Gayoon demanded him to make a testimony. And she knew who that spirit belonged to.


    "Yumi," she whispered.

 Chapter 99: 11:59 (16)

    Chapter 99: 11:59 (16)


    "Your room will be at the end of the corridor downstairs," one of the rude maids told her. "It''s right next to-"


    But Gayoon was not listening and rushed upstairs.


    "Hey!" The maid called, running after her but Gayoon was not listening. She darted through the long hall until she reached Jina''s room. The spirit had entered that room!


    "Jina!"


    Gayoon burst through the door, startling the little girl who turned around. Upon seeing the detective, Yumi''s spirit vanished.


    "Lady Cop!" Jina squealed but Gayoon was looking around the room, trying to sense the spirit. Where was it? And why did it run away again?


    "Are you looking for something?" Jina asked curiously.


    "I-I"


    "Miss!" The maid had caught up with them and she did not look pleased."Your room is downstairs beside the kitchen. This area belongs to the master and his family!"


    Jina scowled at the rude maid. "She''s going to stay with us!" she snapped. "Not downstairs!"


    "It is the only room avable for her," the maid replied. "We have already prepared it and the detective will befortable there."


    Jina wanted to argue more but Gayoon stopped her.


    "Jina, you shouldn''t argue with them," she said in a stern tone. "I''m a guest here and I have no problem staying in the guest room."


    She turned to the maid and added,"Show me to my room."


    Jina wanted to protest but pursed her lips when Gayoon shook her head. It was just not worth it and there was other stuff to deal with at the moment which was more important than petty jealousies.


    But Jina was not going to give up. As soon as Gayoon left the room with the maid, she took out her cell phone and dialed her father''s number.


    The maid looked at Gayoon with disdain. "Follow me, miss," she said. Gayoon quietly followed the maid, ncing backwards towards Jina''s room. Why was Yumi''s spirit in this house? Did it follow Minho? And who was the other presence haunting Jina?


    "This way," the maid said, stopping in front of a room. Unlike the otherrge rooms in the mansion, this one was quite small. In fact, it was even smaller than Gayoon''s room back at her grandmother''s house. Her bags were kept cramped up in a corner and she doubted the small cupboard would hold her clothes since her grandmother had sent all her belongings.


    Clearly the staff in the house did not like her.


    "Thank you," Gayoon said but the maid merely nodded and went away. Gayoon rolled her eyes andy back on the small bed, thinking about the strange presence she felt in that house. It seemed that those two lingered around Jina a lot. The poor girl probably does not even know that she was being stalked by two ghosts.


    But she was a little surprised to find that the spirits were rtively peaceful. They had not harmed anyone inside the house and they seemed to be simply roaming around, minding their own business. It was a rare case and Gayoon wondered why those spirits were there. Especially Yumi.


    No doubt that she had followed Minho after finding out that he might know something about her killer. Spirits often haunted the witnesses of their murders, trying to guilt them into giving testimonies. It rarely worked but it was still worth a try for the desperate ghosts.


    I think I''ll take a shower, she decided. She pulled out a shirt and a pair of pajamas before heading off to the small bathroom at the corner of the room.


    .


    The red car sped into the parking lot and nearly collided with the sleek limo which was parked ahead. Driver Jang watched in astonishment as Minho emerged out of the red one, looking furious.


    "Sir, is everything alrigh-" Jang began to ask but Minho brushed him aside and stormed inside the mansion. The household staff were petrified to see their master back from work so early and his cold expression made them all nervous.


    Upon seeing her father''s car enter the premises from her bedroom window, Jina came rushing downstairs.


    "It was her!" Jina imed, pointing at the maid who was rude to Gayoon earlier. The maid squeaked as Minho turned on her.


    "Where is Gayoon?" he demanded.


    "She''s in the guest bedroom next to the kitchen!" the maid squealed.


    "That''s not a guest bedroom. That is the servant''s quarter."


    Minho''s voice was icy and menacing. A looming threat lingered in the air as he looked down on the trash of a human being who did not respect Gayoon.


    The maid lowered her eyes in shame, her fingers fidgeting. "I''m sorry sir!" she cried. "I didn''t know she was an important guest!"


    "She''s not a mere guest," he stated. "She''s someone I''m dating."


    The staff were even more scared. They had not realized that the master was serious about this woman and they had behaved rudely with her!


    "You''re fired," he dered. "Pack up your stuff and leave by tomorrow morning."


    The maid broke into tears but he did not care. He was not going to waste his money on someone who did not behave like a decent person. The other staff were scared and all their prejudice against Gayoon disappeared in seconds. Nanny Kim was on leave so they were not given proper guidance on how important the detective was to the family.


    Minho red at them onest time before heading straight towards Gayoon''s room.


    Gayoon emerged out of the bathroom wearing her thin white shirt and strawberry printed pajamas. The security team needs to be briefed tomorrow morning, she decided. I should check the locks before going to bed.


    She was about to open the door and head out when it burst open and Minho dashed in, startling her.


    "What are you-" she began to ask but he was not listening. To her shock and embarrassment, he scooped her up in his arms casually carrying her out as if she was as light as a feather.


    "Hey!" she protested. "Where are you taking me? Put me down!"


    "I''m taking you to your new room," he announced as he stepped on the stairs while the staff watched in surprise. Their master was acting like a lovesick puppy!


    "I was fine there!" Gayoon eximed but Minho was not listening. "Put me down!"


    "Fine," he groaned. "But you are not staying downstairs."


    They had reached the top of the stairs and he put her down. She red at him.


    "Where is my new room?" she gritted. She knew there was no point in arguing with this man since he was adamant on shifting her elsewhere.


    He was about to answer when Jina came rushing and hugged Gayoon''s thighs.


    "You''ll stay with me of course!" the little girl eximed happily. Gayoon let out a sigh of relief. Staying with Jina would mean that not only could she keep an eye on the child but also on those ghosts.


    "No you''re-" Minho began but the girls ignored him.


    "I would love to stay with you!" Gayoon squealed, giddy with joy. "We''ll have fun at night!"


    "Let''s go roomie!" Jina said in excitement, pulling Gayoon''s wrist. Thetter happily obliged, leaving Minho to gape at them.


    "ButI had my room ready," he said in dismay as the two girls happily went into Jina''s room, shutting the door behind them.

 Chapter 100: 11:59 (17)

    Chapter 100: 11:59 (17)


    Gayoon was ncing around Jina''s room. She could not sense the spirits anymore but there was a strange disturbance in that room. In her many years as a ghost seer, she knew that spirits frequent certain ces a lot and if they mark an area, a faint trace is left behind. They used that trace to return to the spot and Gayoon was sure that the spirits of that house would also return.


    "Lady Cop!" Jina called out Gayoon who was startled.


    "Can you help me with my homework?" she asked, widening herrge eyes.


    "Which subject?" Gayoon asked.


    "Maths!"


    "Err"


    "Come on!" Jina said, tugging her wrist. Gayoon was in a fix. She sucked at maths!


    But it''s elementary level, she told herself. I''m sure I can handle that much at least.


    Jina led her to the study desk and took out her books. Pointing at a chapter, she said, "This one! I can''t figure out this problem."


    Gayoon stared at the question. "If worker A takes 15 days to do a work then how much would heplete in 5 days?"


    She gaped at the question while Jina looked at her expectantly. Her head was spinning as she tried to make head or tail of the question.


    "Jina," she began. "Are you really in kindergarten?"


    "Yes!" Jina replied. "I get all A''s in my sses. Except Maths. I''m terrible at it!"


    Seeing Gayoon''s helpless look, it seemed that she was also bad at it. But the detective rolled up her sleeves and took the pen in her hand.


    "I''m sure we can figure it out!" she dered. "We''ll use both our heads!"


    "Aye!" Jina proimed and both of them got to solving the problem. After two hours, Gayoon stretched her limbs.


    "Is the answer 300.55 days?" she asked in dismay. Jina hung her head low.


    "No," she sighed. "It''s not."


    "How many more problems do we have to solve?" Gayoon asked helplessly.


    "Ten," Jina replied. Both of them nced at the math book and were on the verge to cry. This was going to take them all week!


    "You know, my dad is pretty good at Math," Jina began. "It''s the only subject he worked hard for at school ording to Uncle Kanji."


    "Eh?" Gayoon gaped. "What about the other subjects?"


    "Uncle Kanji said he didn''t study them at all but somehow ended up getting the highest marks in all of them," Jina sighed. "Instead of studying, he used to sleep during his free time. My dad is an alien. He''s got a photographic memory."


    "Some people are just damn lucky!" Gayoonined. And I used to be chased around by ghosts during my free time! She cursed her luck and her ancestor who was kind to that weird shaman. Why couldn''t she mind her own goddamn business?


    "Let me go and call him," Jina said, sliding off her chair. Gayoon watched her leave the room and sighed. She nced at some of Jina''s books on the table and frowned a little. The girl was highly interested in thriller books which was unusual. Girls her age liked to read fairy tales or light novels.


    But on Jina''s desk there were mystery books by Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. Gayoon took one out and flipped through the pages. The books were a little too advanced for a girl of her age. She paused at one page where there was a bookmark. There was a paragraph marked with a highlighter.


    "As the darkness of the night dawned on the sleepy town," she read. "The people were blissfully asleep, oblivious to the happenings outside. It was nothing special and yet, the domineering presence driving through the sleepy town could not be ignored. Had the townsfolk were awake, they would have been cautious of the stranger who was passing by."


    "The hooded man''s face was not visible through the dark window pane as he drove on. He was driving a cold storage van, almost as ck as the night itself. There seemed nothing to be out of the ordinary about the vehicle but it was quiet. In fact, it was too quiet. The headlights were turned off and the man drove so silently, that no one could hear the van speeding by. It was almost invisible."


    Gayoon frowned at the passage. Why did Jina mark this passage? She wondered. She was about to flip the page and read more but the window burst open and a sudden wind gushed in through the room. Startled by the sound, she got up to close the window.


    She was about to close the window when something made her freeze. Her heart thumped loudly as the cold figure stood behind her. She could not see it but it knew that she could feel it. The figure was watching her with a strange curiosity but she did not dare to turn around. The chill ran down her spine as the figure approached closer.


    "ck...shadow"


    The cold whisper of the deceased girl hit her ears, making her shiver in fear. Yumi studied the woman in front of her. She knew that it was the same cop who was in charge of her case but there was something odd about that woman. It was as if she knew that Yumi was standing near her but the detective simply stood in her spot, unmoving.


    Slowly, Gayoon closed the windows and locked them. She turned around, brushing past the cold figure and went back to her seat, pretending not to have heard anything. If the ghost knew she could feel its presence, then there was no telling what it would do. Especially to Jina.


    I''ll have to handle her in my way, Gayoon decided. She did not move her neck but from the corner of her eye, she nced at the spot where Yumi stood. The ghost was a little confused and lingered around to see if Gayoon would react.


    When she did not do anything, Yumi sighed and disappeared. Jina had asked her and Casper to chill elsewhere for the next few nights since Gayoon would be staying with them. So Yumi went back to stalking that doctor she had seen at the hospital.


    Gayoon was relieved when the cold figure left. Her hands were mmy with sweat and she was shaking out of fear.


    "What''s going on?" She whispered.

 Chapter 101: 11:59 (18)

    Chapter 101: 11:59 (18)


    "Dade on!" Jina pulled her dad''s sleeve. Minho had already changed into a V-neck t-shirt and baggy pants, all ready to go to bed when Jina barged into his room and pulled him out of there.


    "What happened?" he asked warily.


    "I need help in Maths," she exined.


    "Why don''t you ask your Lady Cop to solve it?" he asked irritably. He was annoyed at Gayoon for not getting the hint and going off to sleep with Jina. It was not like he was about to do anything to her...yet.


    "She''s as bad in maths as I am," Jina revealed.


    So that''s where Jina gets herck of talent in maths from, he snickered inwardly. Trying to suppress his smile, he followed his daughter to her room. Gayoon was sitting at the desk, unusually still.


    "I heard you''re terrible at maths," Minho said bluntly. "How do you even solve cases without that basic knowledge?"


    Upon hearing his voice, she spun around. To his surprise, she looked pale and scared as if she had experienced something horrible within the span of a few minutes.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked.


    "Lady Cop, are you alright?" Jina inquired.


    "N-nothing!" she stammered. "And I solve the cases just fine! I use my fists most of the time!"


    "Uh huh," Minho scoffed. "If fists were everything then my sister would have been a genius."


    "But she''s a doctor," Gayoon frowned.


    "That''s coz science was the only subject she excelled in," he stated, taking a seat next to her. Jina sat on Gayoon''sp and flipped the pages of her math book. She pushed it towards her father.


    "This one!" she pointed out. Minho nced at the math and groaned. He looked at the clueless duo who faltered under his stern gaze.


    "Are you telling me that you can''t solve this simple problem?" he snorted. "How did you be a detective again?"


    "Through my hard work!" Gayoon eximed, feeling irritated at the money lover who was snickering at her. He found her annoyance highly amusing. Gayoon scowled at him as he picked up the pen and began to solve the problems one by one.


    Both Gayoon and Jina watched in awe as Minho wrote down all the steps, exining to them through writing rather than speaking. Even a math dunce like Gayoon understood what he wrote and after ten minutes, he put the pen down.


    "Look," he said triumphantly. He smirked as Gayoon checked all the answers. To her annoyance, they were all correct.


    "We just can''t do all thisplicated stuff!" sheined.


    "Yeah!" Jina agreed. "Who cares about how long it takes to finish a work? As long as it''s finished!"


    Minho sighed. There was no way to make Jina understand the simple maths. If her own mother could not understand elementary level stuff in her mid twenties then there was no hope for their daughter either.


    "Now go to sleep," he ordered. "You''ve got school tomorrow."


    "But I wanna y with Lady Cop!" Jina insisted. "Don''t we Lady-"


    She turned around to find Gayoon had fallen asleep on the desk.


    "Should I wake her?" Jina asked.


    "No," Minho said. "You go and get dressed for bed. I''ll handle her."


    Jina got off Gayoon''sp and headed for the bathroom to change into her pajamas. Minho stared at Gayoon''s sleeping face. A small smile appeared on his lips.


    Her face looked more peaceful and calm as she snoozed. The event of the past few days had mentally drained her. On top of that, her sudden move into Minho''s house had also tired her out. The woman was a hard worker and did everything on her own, something which Minho greatly admired. He would never admit it to her but it was the most beautiful aspect of hers.


    He leaned over and carefully scooped her up in his arms. If he had it his way, he would have taken her to his room but Jina would throw a tantrum. So he ced her on Jina''s bed.


    She stirred and rolled over, a stray strand falling onto her face. Minho gently removed it and tucked it behind her ear.


    "Encore! Encore!" she mumbled in her sleep. What are you dreaming of? He wondered.


    "Dad, I''m ready."


    Jina came out of the bathroom, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She, too, was tired and wanted to sleep. Climbing onto the bed, Jinay down as her father tucked her in.


    "Dad," she said. "Will the Lady Cop stay with us forever?"


    Minho''s hands paused and he nced at his daughter who was looking at him with hopeful eyes.


    "Can''t she stay here forever?" she asked.


    "I don''t know," he admitted. "Only if she wants to."


    "Do you want her to stay?" Jina asked. "I want her to stay here with us for a long time."


    Jina nced at Gayoon who was sleeping like a log, oblivious to the little girl''s wishes. Minho, too, looked at her. His mind was reying the first time they had talked at the hospital when Gayoon hadrevealed that they were having a daughter. At that time, they were strangers who were never supposed to meet again.


    But the fates were strange and they met under the most testing circumstances. What would Gayoon''s reaction be if she found out about their connection? Would she leave again?


    "I want her to stay as well," Minho told his daughter. "But if she wants to go someday, then we can''t stop her."


    Jina bit her lip. She wanted all of them to be a happy family. Was it too much to ask?


    "Dad...why don''t you sleep with us tonight?" she requested. Minho was about to refuse but she held his hand and said, "Please."


    Minho exhaled a deep breath. Gayoon was sleeping peacefully on the other side andhe wondered what her reaction would be when she woke up. But he could not refuse his daughter''s earnest request either.


    I''ll just sneak outter at night, he decided. "Alright," he conceded. Slowly, he climbed onto the bed, settling at Jina''s other side so that she was sandwiched between Gayoon and Minho.


    "This feels nice," she said sleepily. Minho kissed her forehead and patted her until she was asleep. Gayoon shifted and hugged Jina in her sleep, thetter settlingfortably in her mother''s arms.


    Minho settled on his pillow, staring at his daughter and Gayoon. Both of them had grown very close over the past few days unaware of the rtionship they shared. He was hesitant to reveal it. What if Gayoon ran away again? And what if this time, they never find her?


    "What made you run?" he whispered. Gayoon did not reply but kept on sleeping beside her daughter.


    Minho watched over them for a while before he, too, fell into a deep slumber, pushing away the thoughts of their uncertain future.

 Chapter 102: 11:59 (19)

    Chapter 102: 11:59 (19)


    The neighborhood was quiet as the residents slept blissfully. There was only one working streetlight while the rest were out of order. The road was dark but a lone figure was walking along it as quietly as possible. Hwang Junho had his hoodie up as he made his way to his destination.


    "Where is he?" he muttered to himself. He was carrying a bag on his shoulder and stood under themp, checking his watch. It was past 2 AM and he was waiting for someone. His patience was running out as he tapped his foot.


    Suddenly he heard the scrapping of feet approaching his way. A person shrouded in a long shawl came into view. Junho groaned as the man stood in front of him.


    "What''s with the weird getup?" he scoffed. Underneath the shawl was a man in his fifties. He had snowy white hair and a portly stature. His neck was hidden beneath his chubby face and he walked with a limp. But the man''s attire made him stand out the most.


    He wore a set of mismatched clothes. The red top was too tight for his body shape and he wore very loose yellow pants with them. There were colorful beads around his neck and there were strangely shaped bracelets on his wrists.


    "Junho!" the man eximed. "My buddy!"


    The man attempted to hug Junho but he backed off, feeling irritated.


    "You look like a fraud, Shijin," Junho scowled."What''s with the strange clothes? I thought you wanted to stay anonymous."


    "I like the dress," Shinjin grinned. "It makes me feel young."


    "Makes you look like an old hag."


    "You''re just jealous that you can''t pull it off!"


    "I don''t want to wear such filthy clothes!" Junho said in aghast. "But enough of that nonsense. What news do you have?"


    Shinjin smirked. Lan Shinjin was a frence exorcist who had been working with Junho for the past two decades. They had first met when Junho was chasing his wife''s killer to Country A. Even though Junho had almost caught the ghost at that time, the spirit had managed to escape and almost killed Junho. If it was not for the timely interference from Shinjin, Junho would have died that day.


    "You sure are obsessed with that spirit," Shinjin sighed. He took out a file and handed it to him. Junho nced through it. He raised his eyebrows as he read the documents.


    "This" he began. "That spirit is controlling other spirits now? How?"


    "Who knows," Shinjin shrugged. "But the method of killing is the same."


    Junho picked out the photos of the crime scenes. One spouse killed the other but have no idea how or why they did it. Who would believe that a spirit made them do it?"


    "How do you know these people were possessed?" Junho frowned. "There could be a chance they''re lying! After all, this spirit could possess anyone."


    "For some reason, this spirit is targeting married couples," Shinjin said thoughtfully. "In some cases, it''s the husband being possessed whilst in others it''s the wife. In short, he''s got something against married couples."


    "But why these people?" Junho demanded. "Why was it Suna? What did she do to him?"


    "Only he can tell that," Shinjin sighed. "The only reason I thought these people may have been possessed is because all of them had one thing inmon. It was the smell of sulphur which lingered in the air after they killed their husband or wife. And that they saw a white orb leaving their bodies after they were done killing. In your case, the orb left your wife''s body after you..."


    He did not dare to go on. Junho''s face hardened and his fingers were clenched into a fist. Shinjin cleared his throat.


    "I tried contacting a few of the inmates," he went on. "Most don''t even remember what they did while the others were reluctant to even believe that they were possessed. But there was one who looked nervous as if he wanted to say something. I think he''ll talk if we coerce him."


    "Where is he now?" Junho asked.


    "In a prison right outside the city," Shinjin replied. "If we go tomorrow, we can meet him."


    Junho was a little hesitant. That would mean he must go into a police protected area and he was not sure whether he could take the risk. He knew that his son was out for his blood and had spies all over the city. So far, Junho had kept his head down, trying to find that spirit and prove his innocence.


    But that ghost was hiding behind his army, watching his every move. There was no way to find him and Junho was at his wit''s end.


    "When will this end?" hemented. He shook his head in despair. His son loathed him and his daughter does not even know of his existence. He does not even know what his little girl looked like. She must have grown up and forgotten all about him or like Minho, she must also hate him.


    "I want to see my family again," he admitted. "I want to return to my wife''s grave and finally face her! But until I find her killer, I can''t even do that"


    He leaned against themp pole and sat on the ground, exhausted. Shinjin pitied the man. There was a time when Hwang Junho had everything but in one night, he lost it all. His family, his friends, his reputation. Most importantly, he lost his heart. After being used of his wife''s murder, he had lost all hope. His wife may have been possessed but he was the one holding the knife that killed her.


    "Finding him won''t be easy, Junho," Shinjin told him. "That spirit is too powerful and deranged. You can''t fight against him on your own. You''ll need someone who would be able to see him. If only that girl still had her powers. Why did you let her give it up?"


    "Gayoon had suffered enough," Junho said tly. "And I am not going to trouble her anymore."


    "What about her daughter?" Shinjin asked. "It would be a waste to let that ability go to waste-"


    He faltered under Junho''s angry gaze. "Let me be clear," he warned. "Do not go near Gayoon or her daughter. We will find that spirit without their help. I don''t want Gayoon to suffer nor do I want to involve her daughter. So don''t go looking for that child. Understood?"


    Shinjin gulped and nodded. Hwang Junho may not have his influence anymore but that man was no less dangerous.


    "I''ll take this and talk to that inmate," he announced."Thank you for your help."


    With that, he turned on his heels and left the exorcist behind. I will find you, Junho swore.

 Chapter 103: 11:59 (20)

    Chapter 103: 11:59 (20)


    Jina stirred in her sleep as the morning sun broke her sleep. She opened her eyes and yawned widely. Her dad and the Lady Cop were still sound asleep on either side. They were in such deep sleep, that they did not even move when Jina gently pushed both their hands away from her waist.


    "I''ll just let them sleep more," she decided, yawning again. Quietly crawling out of the bed, she headed for the bathroom to freshen up and change into her school uniform. Ever since Gayoon had instructed her to do her own work, Jina had been learning to get ready for school all by herself. Nanny Kim had been a little apprehensive at first but Jina managed to appease her. She could even tie her own shoes now.


    When she came out of the bathroom, all dressed in her school uniform, they were still asleep.


    "Man, they''re not morning people at all!" Jina frowned. "Are all grown ups like this?"


    She shook her head and left the room, thinking that she would live a healthier life than these two.


    Gayoon rolled in her sleep. Unconsciously, her hand touched something sturdy yet felt veryfortable. Still sleeping, she threw her arm and leg around it, embracing it tightly.


    Minho frowned as he felt something soft brushing against him, clutching onto his body like a pillow. He fluttered his eyes to see Gayoon''s hazy figure cuddling against him like a child. He did not think much about it and hugged her back before falling asleep again.


    After an hour, Gayoon dimly heard her phone ringing. She tried to shut out the noise and continue to sleep but the wretched thing would not stop.


    "Son of a-" she mumbled and opened her eyes only for them to fall on someone''s broad chest.


    "Eh?"


    Slowly her eyes darted up and she almost screamed. Minho! Hwang Minho! Why was he there?


    She tried to back out but his arms were caging her. For a guy who rarely used his muscles, he was strong! She could not even move an inch!


    "W-what is going on?" she squeaked. Wasn''t I in Jina''s room?


    She nced around. Judging by the pink wallpapers and series of toys kept neatly on the shelves, there was no doubt that it was Jina''s room. Then how did she end up sleeping with Hwang Minho?


    DId I jump on him in my sleep? She wondered. But she had stopped sleepwalking after losing her ghostly sight. Then how


    Minho stirred and clutched her tighter. Gayoon was nowpletely trapped in his arms. She did not dare to wake up the sleeping dragon either. What if he exploded like a volcano?


    She was very still, thinking what to do. But the sleeping man made it impossible for her to think. Despite his icy demeanour, he looked very rxed in his sleep. He even looked much younger than his age as the scowl on his face softened. His usually sleek hair which he kept brushed back had bangs which fell over his eyes. His almond like scent was very intoxicating and there was afortable warmth in his touch.


    "Who would say this man has a bad temper?" she muttered. "Even his cheeks look so smooth. I''m jealous"


    She poked his silky cheeks. "That jaw can cut diamond," she sighed. "Why are some people born so lucky? If it wasn''t for his temper, he would have been the perfect guy-"


    "Say that again and I''ll make you pay rent for staying here."


    Gayoon nearly yelped as Minho''s brown eyes met hers. "How long have you been awake?" She screeched, trying to get away from him but he only held on tighter.


    "I was awake the whole time," he yawned, closing his eyes again.


    "Don''t go back to sleep!" Gayoonined. "Let me go!"


    "I''m toozy," he mumbled. "You''re morefortable than a pillow."


    "Y-you"


    She was not able to win against this man at all! Howe he was so shameless? Was he a natural yboy?


    I have to go to work! She thought in dismay but the money lover was refusing to let her go, No matter how much she poked him or tried to push him, he was as stubborn as a child! Sometimes, she wondered who was the real child in the mansion. Jina or him?


    "I have to go to work!" she eximed.


    "You''re working here now," Minho yawned.


    Gayoon scowled at him. Then an idea hit her.


    "If you don''t wake up," she began. "Then you''ll bete to your office. If you''rete, then your work will be dyed. If your work is dyed, then you''ll earn less money."


    Her words worked like a charm. Minho''s eyes flew open and he let her go. "My money!" he realized, scrambling out of the bed.


    Gayoon could not hold back herughter as he dashed out of the room to prepare to head for office. She leaned over to pick up her phone. It was Jaein.


    Did she find something new? She wondered as she dialed the doctor''s number.


    .


    Minho was at the table, having breakfast when Gayoon came running out of Jina''s room, running as fast as lightning. He frowned as Gayoon almost stumbled on the stairs but shrugged it off and continued to run. He followed her outside only to find her on the pavement, desperately looking for a cab.


    "What happened?" he demanded. "Has there been another murder?"


    "No," she replied, pacing to and fro, trying to find a cab. "Jaein just called me. They found something strange!"


    "What did they find?" Minho asked. Gayoon bit her lip, unsure of what to tell him. He could not share intel about the case with outsiders but Minho was very much involved with this case. He needed to know.


    "Thetest victim" she began. "Her name is Nam Jiyeon. She''s the daughter of doctor Nam Daewhi, who is currently in aa at Mina''s hospital."


    "So?" Minho frowned.


    "Doctor Nam has been in aa for twenty years," Gayoon whispered. "For self operating on mysterious wounds."

 Chapter 104: 11:59 (21)

    Chapter 104: 11:59 (21)


    Jaein was in herb, waiting for Gayoon. Thetter burst in, charging towards the doctor.


    "She was Nam Daewhi''s daughter?" Gayoon asked. "The guy who''s been in aa ata hospital for over twenty years?"


    "Good morning to you too," Jaein yawned. "And yes. I ran the DNA tests and her parents were listed as Lee Dami and Nam Daewhi."


    Gayoon slumped back onto the chair. "I went to check up on him at the hospital," she sighed. "He was one of the doctors who has been inactive for the past two decades, shortly after the CCK disappeared. But he''s in aa so I doubt he''s the killer."


    "Unless the current CCK is a copycat," Jaein shrugged. "You never know."


    "We haven''t gotten any clues of this killer being a copycat," Gayoon stated. "But we can''t discount that theory. I''ve wondered too if he was a copycat but then again if he''s a fake, how did he know about Minho and CCK''s confrontation?"


    "Who knows," Jaein said. "I''m only a simple forensic doctor."


    She went around the table where Nam Jiyeon''s bodyy. Gayoon looked at the poor thing. Barely twenty one and she had her life snatched away from her. And that too in such a gruesome way.


    "She didn''t deserve this," she muttered. "None of them did."


    "Being prey to a cannibal," Jaein said in disgust. "Her mother will collect the body today. Maybe you should talk to her."


    "I should," Gayoon said, feeling ufortable. It was the least favorite part of her job. Talking to the victim''s family members always took an emotional toll on her because most of them wouldpletely break down. No matter how many times Gayoon followed the procedure, it was hard to stay neutral when people were in such pain.


    "How are your new living arrangements?" Jaein asked. "Did the money lover keep you up all night?"


    She snickered at Gayoon''s mortified expression.


    "There''s a dead body in here and you''re talking about my love life?" Gayoon scolded her.


    "So? There''s always a dead body here," Jaein shrugged. "It''s not like they can hear us!"


    Gayoon did not reply to her. If only Jaein knew that the corpses brought to her table sometimes did hear what the living people said about them. It was a good thing Nam Jiyeon chose to move on instead of lingering around to finish her unfulfilled regrets. Very few spirits of her age chose to go to the afterlife. They would mostly stay back, lurk around to create havoc in the world of the living.


    "Get me the full autopsy report," Gayoon instructed her. "I''ll talk to the mother when she arrives."


    Jaein nodded and Gayoon left theb. She reached her desk and sat down to turn on herptop when Taejoon came over.


    "How''s the case going?" he inquired.


    "Nothing!" Gayoon sighed. "I thought with all the advanced technology we have, we''d make some progress but"


    She trailed off. No matter which approach they used, every route led them to a dead end. She was getting annoyed at theck of progress. The more they dyed, the more victims would turn up. She recalled her encounter with Yumi''s ghost. It was still lurking around somewhere, trying to get attention from the living.


    "And how was" Taejoon began but hesitated.


    "How was what?" Gayoon frowned.


    "You''re living with him now, aren''t you?" Taejoon asked bluntly. Gayoon blinked in surprise. He sounded a little angry for some reason.


    "I am living there because I was assigned to protect him," she said slowly.


    "He asked for you specifically," Taejoon stated in an usatory tone. He was jealous of the fact that Gayoon was now living with some guy she had just met and it was eating up his insides. After all, he had tried to date her for years but she kept onughing it off. And now she was staying with a random guy.


    "I don''t like it," he admitted. "He''s not right for you-"


    "Detective Taejoon, I think right now finding a serial killer is more important than my love life!" she snapped. "The topic should not be about whether someone is right for me or not but rather about how to catch the killer and bring justice to the victims'' families!"


    Taejoon averted his eyes in shame while Gayoon red at him. She had enough of this nonsense from people.


    "I was just-"


    "And please do remember that I''m in charge of this case," she stated. "It''s my duty to keep the witness safe. If the CCK is after Hwang Minho, then we should be protecting him and his family. We entered the police force to make sure that no innocent person is hurt by criminals. If you''re more interested in the rtionship I share with him rather than the case, then I think you should be taken off the case."


    Her angry gaze shut his mouth and Taejoon felt guilty for asking her such a personal question. He was also taken aback by her reaction, realizing that he had crossed a line.


    "I''m sorry," he mumbled.


    "You should be," Gayoon replied. "Now go and talk to the victim''s mother. Ask her what she knows."


    She deliberately delegated this task to him so that he could at least realize the gravity of the case instead of mull on her personal life. Taejoon mumbled an ''Yes'' and went off. Gayoon shook her head in dismay. Even if millions of dead bodiesy on the ground, people will still care more about other people''s personal lives rather than respect the ones who passed away.


    No wonder the dead want to curse you all, she thought bitterly.


    .


    Junwan was summoned to City A''s prison by the warden. They were strolling through the corridor which had a series of cells on both sides.


    The dreary and cold prison was making Junwan ufortable. He had visited many of them but this prison in particr made him feel ustrophobic. There was not a ray of suning in through the walls which werepletely made of brick. The ce had no windows but only a few venttors which were connected to the policeplex next to the prison. The cells had heavy metal doors, padlocked withrge locks.


    But the most eerie part of the prison was its silence. Junwan could hear his breath as he walked on. The ufortably soundless ce was making his spine chilled. There was not a single sound. He could not even hear the scurrying of insects.


    The prisoners were locked for varying degrees of crimes but it did not matter. Whether it was for petty theft or mass murder, all prisoners were treated with one thing only: disgust. They were kept in those cold cells, devoid from any contact. Unlike other prisons where the prisoners were kept in groups, here they were inplete istion. They had no one to talk to nor were they allowed to contact others. The families were allowed to meet them only once a month.


    It was enough to make anyone go mad.

 Chapter 105: 11:59 (22)

    Chapter 105: 11:59 (22)


    "Why did you call me here?" Junwan asked the Warden. The Warden, who went by the name Choi, grumbled.


    "There''s this inmate who asked for you," the Warden groaned. "He''s been begging us for the past two days to meet you."


    "Why?" Junwan frowned. "Who is this guy?"


    "His name is Lan Dongwook," the Warden said. "He''s in for the murder of his wife."


    "And what does that have to do with me?"


    "He ims that he didn''t do it," the Warden grinned. "Just like the rest of the assholes locked up here. He probably wants you to hear a sob story in the hopes to make you help him."


    Junwan was not so sure. Why would he help aplete stranger? It made no sense. I''ll just talk to him and leave, he decided.


    The Warden led him to a dark room which looked like an interrogation room with a desk and pair of chairs. He motioned Junwan to sit at one of the chairs.


    "I''ll get him," the Warden announced. Junwan nodded and sat down on a chair. The ce was lit by a dimmp hanging over his head and there was no other furniture in it. He tapped his fingers on the desk in order to make some sound in the deafening silence which was making him agitated. After a few minutes, the door opened and the Warden came in with a few guards followed by a young man in his mid twenties.


    The boy was wearing the grey prison garb and his hands were locked with handcuffs.


    "Sit there," the Warden ordered him. The boy did not speak but sat down as he was told.


    "The guards will watch over him," the Warden said. "We can''t leave him alone. The son of a bitch tried to kill himselfst week."


    He pointed at the boy''s bandaged wrist. The boy shuddered and pulled his sleeves to hide the scars but Junwan caught a glimpse of them anyway.


    "I''d like to hear what he has to say," Junwan said curtly. The Warden red at him for a while before leaving the room. The guards stayed near the door, standing straight with stony expressions on their faces.


    Junwan turned to the boy. He was scrawny and his sses were too big for him as they kept on slipping off. The boy looked traumatized as if he was going to go insane in there.


    "What do you want?" Junwan demanded. The boy winced a little, unsure of what to say.


    "I-I was told to talk to you," he finally began. "By a man who visited me a couple of days ago."


    Junwan resisted the urge to roll his eyes but red at the boy. Thetter was cowering a little under the older man''s gaze but he had to muster his courage and talk.


    "I didn''t kill my wife," he went on. "I swear! It wasn''t me!"


    "You fingerprints were all over the murder weapon," Junwan told him. "The Warden showed me your file. All the evidence point at you! And you''re iming innocence?"


    "I am innocent!" Dongwook insisted. "It wasn''t me! It was him!"


    "Now you''re cooking up a story about a non-existent person," Junwan sighed. "The CCTV footage showed that only you were present when your wife was killed. No one entered your house nor did anyonee out."


    He leaned over to face the boy. "Dongwook, are you really going to lie more?" he used.


    "I didn''t know what I was doing!"


    Dongwook''s eyes were brimming with tears as he recalled that night. "My wife...I loved her very much! We were high school sweethearts and I would never kill her. We were about to have a baby as well! I had no reason to kill her!"


    "And yet you did," Junwan stated.


    "It wasn''t me! It was the white orb!"


    Junwan frowned but the boy was determined to make him listen. "Kid, I don''t have time for this," he said getting up from his chair. "You''re either deranged or a liar."


    "Is that what you told Hwang Junho as well?" the boy demanded. The mention of Hwang Junho made Junwan freeze.


    "He''s the one who told me to contact you," the boy revealed. "He came here two days ago. He was the only one who believed me and told me to reveal all this to you!"


    "What did you tell Hwang Junho and what did he want?" Junwan asked. "Tell me everything."


    The boy took a deep breath and began to narrate his tale.


    "Last month, I had just returned from work," he recounted. "My wife, Sunmi, was pregnant so she took time off from work. That night, I stopped at a Chinese joint to buy food for her. She really loved Chinese so I thought I''d get her some."


    "She was delighted to see her favorite dishes. We had a good meal and soon went to sleep."


    "Then what happened?" Junwan asked.


    "I woke up in the middle of the night," he whispered. "There was a strange noiseing from the living room. My wife was sound asleep and I didn''t want to disturb her. So I went to investigate"


    Junwan held his breath, anticipating what the boy would say next.


    "In the living room, I heard scratching noises," Dongwook whispered. "I looked around but there was nothing. I thought the noises wereing from the food boxes we had left on the table. I looked into it and there was nothing."


    "Suddenly I heard a sound," he continued. "Someone whispered in my ears."


    "There was another person?" Junwan frowned.


    "That''s the thing!" Dongwook pointed out. "There was no one. And yet, I heard someone whispering something in my ears. Something like ''turn around''."


    "On an instinct, I turned around and suddenly, I cked out. The only thing I remember before losing consciousness was a dim white light rushing towards me! It was for a brief second but it was there. And it moved into me."


    White light? Junwan straightened up. Hwang Junho was also chasing a white light after killing his wife!


    "I woke up a few dayster," Dongwook said. "And to my horror, I was standing over my wife''s corpse, holding the bloodied knife. There was also a faint smell of sulphur in the air which was awful..."


    He trailed off, unable to say anything more. Junwan waited for him to collect his thoughts. The boy was shivering in fright as he recalled the torturous interrogations and the trial which found him guilty for a crime he did not even remembermitting.


    "I tried to tell them of the white orb," he insisted. "But no one believed me! And then a few days ago, Hwang Junho came to look for me. He heard my side and told me to contact you. Apparently, you handled a simr case in your past and that you can help me! That must mean there are other people out there who became victims to that orb''s enchantment!"


    "Hwang Junho is a criminal himself," Junwan revealed. "I doubt anything he does will help you in the slightest."


    He kept a poker face but his mind was troubled. Hwang Junho came to look for this boy. How did he know about the white orb this boy had seen? And why did he take the risk toe to a prison only to meet a stranger?


    Something was not right.


    The boy''s hopes were dashed by Junwan''s words. He did not have much of it but the remnants were now gone. No one could help him.


    "Finish your sentence," Junwan suggested. "And live a good life once you''re out of here."


    He got up to leave and was almost at the exit when Dongwook spoke up. "My life was over the moment that white orb killed my wife," he said in a sad tone. "I''m just a walking corpse now."


    Junwan did not know whether to sympathize with the boy or scoff at his ims. But his tale was disturbing him. Should he look into this mysterious white orb which kept on propping up?


    It was time to find out.

 Chapter 106: 11:59 (23)

    Chapter 106: 11:59 (23)


    "WHAT?" Junho thundered. "GAYOON IS LIVING WITH ANOTHER MAN?"


    He had just returned home from his trip when Shujin informed him that Gayoon had been living with her billionaire boyfriend for the past two days.


    "Oh she''s a grown woman!" Shujin snapped. "She can take care of herself-"


    "SHE''S A GIRL!" Junho eximed in outrage. "What if he''s a yer who''s taking advantage of her? What if he never marries her? Or worse, makes her pregnant and abandons her? Thest time she took on that surrogacy task, it almost destroyed her! You want her to go through it again?"


    "Gayoon was young, naive and desperate back then!" Shujin snapped. "If she hadn''t gotten rid of her abilities, she would have gone crazy!"


    "And the aftermath of that pregnancy drove her to depression as well!" Junho reasoned. "I wasn''t in town that time either! You keep on pushing her towards these crazy ideas behind my back and she ends up suffering!"


    He red at her. Shujin may not have approved of Gayoon''s desire to give up her abilities through surrogacy but she did not stop the girl at all. Junho would have stopped her but he was out of town that time, looking for the white orb and did not return until monthster when Gayoon was already at thest trimester. He did not talk to her for weeks after that but when she ran away to find her father, he went after her only to find that man had abandoned her once again.


    "She is happy!" Shujin insisted. "Why can''t you see it?"


    "Do we even know who she''s living with?" Junho shot back. "What if he''s not the right person for her? Do you really want her to go through more trauma?"


    "She''s a grown woman who had given up her child and police officer who once had the ability to see ghosts," Shujin replied. "She can handle herself now after going through all that. I''m sure the guy she chose is a wonderful person-"


    "I will decide that," Junho dered. "I''m off to meet her and bring her back home. No more living with a billionaire yboy!"


    Shujin hit his head with a newspaper.


    "What was that for?" Junho demanded.


    "Just because you were a yboy before meeting your wife doesn''t mean everyone is like you!" she scolded him.


    "You don''t know men!" Junho imed. "They pretend to be cold and aloof to entice gullible women!"


    "It didn''t even work in your case! Your wife refused you for over two years until you cleaned up your act!"


    "I''m still going to bring Gayoon back," Junho grumbled. "God knows how she''s been living with that guy''s family! What if they treat her like trash? Think of her as if she''s not worth their son? What if the boy''s mother looks down on her?"


    "This is not a drama," Shujin said, shaking her head but Junho was not convinced. He could let his precious goddaughter suffer again!


    "I''m off to find her," he went on. "And smack some sense into her head. No one messes with our Gayoon!"


    Picking up his jacket, he stormed out, leaving Shujin to gape after him. She sighed but was also a little relieved that Junho was so protective of Gayoon. Even though he missed his own children, he pampered Gayoon a lot. Whenever some ghost haunted her, he would protect her and soon, learnt to vanquish them so that Gayoon would not live in fear everyday.


    The man gave up a lot of things to find his wife''s killer and yet, he could not meet his own children. He especially missed his daughter and since Gayoon was the same age as her, he could not help but dote on her.


    "I really wish he''d meet her soon," she sighed.


    .


    Junho was marching to the hospital where Gayoon was. He had texted her and asked where she was. To his surprise, she was at the National Hospital regarding a case she was handling. Junho had been out of town for days so he did not know much about thetest news but as soon as he arrived, he saw the headlines on the news channels through his phone. Apparently some old serial killer had returned and Gayoon was in charge of that case.


    He was on the opposite side of the hospital, about to cross the road when he noticed a red sports car pulling up in front of the building. Junho was about to take a step to cross over to the other side when the car''s door opened and a young man came out.


    Junho froze in his steps. He knew that man!


    Kanji came out of the car and stretched his limbs. He had been out on an overnight trip to City E and had been driving for hours.


    "I should go and meet my cutie Mina," he happily said to himself, not noticing the man who was observing him from across the road. But Junho instantly recognized Kanji. After all, he was the second richest man in town and also his former best friend Jason''s son. Even if he had not seen the boy for over twenty five years, Kanji''s face was as recognizable as Minho''s.


    Junho quickly hid behind a tree. Why is he here? Junho wondered. He cursed his luck. Gayoon was in the hospital regarding a case and Junho could not even enter the ce with Kanji around. What if he recognized him and told Minho? His son would never believe him that he did not kill Suna and might even pull many strings to punish him somehow.


    I''ll have to wait until he leaves, Junho decided. Groaning at his luck, he wandered around the street, keeping a close eye on the red car from afar.


    "Discount!" he heard a seller yell. "Special 50 percent discount on all apparel! Discount!"


    The mention of discount made him turn. "Maybe I can do some shopping while I wait," he muttered.


    He entered the shop where there was a huge crowd gathered around the apparel section. There were clothes for men, women and children along with some selected formal wear arranged for the shoppers. The bargain buyers hoarded the ce along with Junho, who pushed through them.


    "Move it!" he snapped at a few buyers as he tried to get his hands on the clothes on sale. As a former businessman, he always kept an eye out for discount prices for the cost effectiveness. It turned out to be a great survival skill too.


    His eyes fell on a pink jacket which was hung on a clothing stand.


    "Gayoon would like that!" he nodded. Darting towards it, he made a grab for it.


    "FOUND IT!" Both of them eximed. Eh?


    Junho looked up to find a girl in her mid twenties, wearing a doctor''s coat. Both of them stared at each other in surprise and then back to the jacket they were holding.

 Chapter 107: 11:59 (24)

    Chapter 107: 11:59 (24)


    Mina was looking at the old man in surprise. "Ahjusshi, I got here first," she said. "Can I have the jacket?"


    "No," Junho replied. "I grabbed it first."


    He tried to pull it from her but Mina''s grip was firm.


    "I''ve been standing outside for hours to find this jacket for my best friend!" Mina imed. "I grabbed it first!"


    She tried to pull it from the old man''s grasp but he was not giving up.


    "Ahjusshi, are you really going to fight with a girl over a jacket?" she demanded.


    "Yes," he scowled. "It''s mine!"


    "It''s mine!"


    They were both tugging the jacket, neither willing to step down. Mina was surprised by the old man who was insisting on getting the jacket.


    "What are you going to do with it anyway?" she yelled, still holding on to it with her might. "You''re not even gonna wear it!"


    "I''m gonna give it to my goddaughter!" he yelled back. The girl was surprisingly strong and would not let go. But he was not giving up either!


    "GIVE IT TO ME!"


    "NEVER!"


    Some bargain shoppers stopped to watch the duo tugging the jacket. They were shocked and amused by the scene unfolding in front of them. Finally, a shopkeeper came up to break the fight.


    "Break it up!" the burly manager shouted at them. They instantly stopped pulling the jacket, ring at each other.


    "There''s another one!" the manager snapped. "Both of you can buy the same jacket!"


    "Oh!" both of them said in unison. The manager shook his head and went off to the backroom to find the other jacket. Junho and Mina stood in awkward silence.


    "I''m sorry, ahjusshi," Mina finally said. "I was eyeing this jacket for the past few days and was waiting for the sale so that I could give it to a friend."


    "I''m sorry too," he mumbled. "I just thought it''d look good on my goddaughter."


    He was staring at the floor, feeling a little ashamed for fighting with the girl over a jacket. Mina, too, was a little guilty for behaving like that.


    "Guess we really care about our loved ones," Junho sighed.


    "You must love your goddaughter a lot," Minamented. "To be fighting with people only to get her a jacket."


    There was a little hint of envy in her tone. She never had a dad who would fight for her like that and Mina felt a pang of jealousy towards this unknown goddaughter of his.


    "She''s like my own child," he mused. "I live away from my family due to certain circumstances and she''s the only person who was a great source offort for me all these years."


    Mina could not help but smile. So there are good dads like him as well, she thought.


    "I want to get it for my new friend," she said. "She''s so cool! She''s been dating my brother and I''ve never seen him happier. I mean, the guy was like a robot all these years! Only working and earning money!"


    Shemented theck of her brother''s social skills. His work might have gotten them money and filled their pockets but he was so clueless when it came to women. It was a good thing Gayoon was patient otherwise he would have been kicked to the curb long time ago.


    "I just wanted to give her something nice," she went on. "With my own money that is. I mean, I rarely spend my own money coz it''s reserved for my family. I usually drive Kanji to the point of bankruptcy."


    Junho stiffened at the mention of Kanji''s name.


    "Who is Kanji?" he asked.


    "Oh he''s my brother''s best friend and sort of family," she replied. "You know that big firm called JK Limited? He owns that!"


    Junho''s eyes immediately fell on her nametag. It read ''Hwang Mina''.


    "Of course my brother is richer," she went on. "Anyways, so I want to get this jacket for the girl my brother has been dating. I wanted to get her something even more expensive but she really hates it when someone spends tons of money on her! I don''t know why. So I have to resort to discounted stuff. But then again, I love discounts and sales too. I have a natural knack for finding them!"


    Just then the store manager reappeared.


    "I''m sorry, we ran out of that jacket," he sighed. "I guess one of you can buy it but you gotta decide who gets to keep it."


    "I guess ahjusshi here can buy-" Mina began and turned to face the old man but he vanished.


    "Ahjusshi?" she called out but he was nowhere around. She caught a glimpse of the buff figure leaving the store but she was not sure if it was him or not.


    "Are you buying it?"


    The store manager''s voice broke her reverie.


    "Huh? Okay!"


    She handed the jacket to the manager and nced around in confusion. Why did the man leave? She wondered. The manager packed the jacket for her and she paid the money to him. Upon leaving the shop, she kept on hoping the man might be outside but he was not there either.


    "Weird," she muttered and shrugged off the encounter. She put the package under her arm and hummed as she headed for the hospital. Humming to herself, she entered the Cardiology department only to find Kanji standing a few feet in front of her. He was not alone but was talking to a clearly infatuated nurse.


    "The flowers are very pretty," the nurse was saying, pointing to the red roses he held. "Are those for your girlfriend?"


    "Unfortunately, she doesn''t like roses," he sighed. "So I thought I''d give them to a prettydy I meet."


    He winked and handed the flowers to the nurse, making her blush.


    "Won''t your girlfriend mind?" the nurse asked.


    "Mina is more happy shopping with bargain buyers," he smiled. "She''ll be fine."


    Mina put down the package on a nearby desk and flexed her neck. Stretching her muscles, she quietly crept up behind him. The nurse saw Mina approaching, looking like an angry tigress.


    "Doctor Hwang?" she gasped in surprise. Kanji, who was leaning against the wall, nearly fell when he heard the name. Turning around, he faced the wrath of Mina.


    "HOW DARE YOU CALL ME YOUR GIRLFRIEND?" she screamed. She grabbed the flower bouquet from the nurse''s hands and began to beat him with it. Kanji yelped and ran for it with Mina chasing him around the premises.


    "FORGIVE ME!" he cried but Mina was not listening and kept on chasing him towards the stairs.


    "Where is he?" Gayoon was asking on the phone. Her grandmother had called her to tell that Junho was heading to the hospital. "But he''s not here and-"


    A suddenmotion startled her. She looked around to see Kanji running towards her at full speed.


    Kanji, who did not notice Gayoon, tumbled over and before Gayoon could react, both of them lost their bnce. He fell on top of her and Gayoon was hit on the head as she stumbled on the ground.


    "Gayoon!" Mina shrieked. Kanji rolled over in pain and scrambled up to see Gayoon on the ground,pletely cked out.

 Chapter 108: 11:59 (25)

    Chapter 108: 11:59 (25)


    "As you can see, this project is going to be one of the most talked about topics in town," the portly man with arge moustache said. His name was Mr. Choi and his team had arrived at Minho''s office to discuss the construction of a superstore which would be thergest one in the subcontinent.


    "How many shops can it hold?" Minho frowned.


    "With over 500 acres, this can host almost 1500 shops," the man imed. "And if each shop gains at least a million in revenue per month, the ie for the mall will be almost fifteen billion dors. Of course after cost and other taxes are cut off, the profit shoulde down to one billion but it will still be worth the risk."


    Minho leaned back, thinking hard at the prospect. For months, his team had been working on this project with Mr. Choi and they had positively reviewed the n along with measuring all the pros and cons. He was highly interested to pursue this and with Mr. Choi''s impable reputation, he was also confident of this project.


    The problem, however, was thend itself.


    "I''ve heard some rumors about thisnd though," Minho stated. "The locals are not very keen on letting this project continue. Why?"


    "We have discussed the issue," Mr. Choi sighed. "Legally, we own thend. They can''t stop us from building it and due to the tight government scrutiny, they won''t create any disturbances. However, the leader of that colony did meet with us and"


    "And what?"


    "He was iming that there is something wrong with thend," Mr. Choi replied.


    "Is it not suitable for this superstore?" Minho demanded. "But we had it inspected. Thend is perfectly fine as far as the reports go."


    "It''s not thend''s infrastructure," Mr. Choi said. "It''s a belief there that thend is cursed. Apparently, there''s an evil spirit there which is haunting thend for the past five years."


    Minho rolled his eyes. The locals were probably worried that they would go out of business if the superstore is built and have concocted such absurd tales. He was a practical man and only believed in numbers. Things like ghosts were unquantifiable nor profitable to him. He simply did not believe in such utter nonsense.


    "Tell them that the construction will go ahead as nned," he firmly stated. "Get police protection for theborers there and make sure the construction goes smoothly. Alright?"


    "Yes sir," Choi said and bowed. "I''ll make sure your orders are implemented."


    Minho nodded. "And about the paperworks," he went on. "I''ll sign them today and-"


    Suddenly his phone vibrated in his pocket but he ignored it. He never took calls during important meetings and whoever it was could go to hell for all he cared.


    "And I''ll also visit thend," he went on. "I want to see-"


    The door to the room burst open and Jongin hurried in. Minho was not pleased by the intrusion.


    "I told you not to-" he began in an irritated tone but Jongin cut him off.


    "Sir, Ms. Jeon had been hospitalized!" he eximed. "Mr. Jang just called that she had fallen and hit her head."


    Minho froze in his spot. Gayoon was in the hospital?


    "What happened?" he asked calmly.


    "Mr. Jang crashed into her and she hit her head on the ground," Jongin replied. "He tried calling you but you were not picking up the phone."


    To everyone''s surprise, Minho stood up and dered, "The meeting is over. Cancel all my appointments for today."


    "But sir, we have to finalize the cost and profit analysis for the project today," Choi pointed out.


    "Canceled."


    "But if we don''t go to visit thend today then we''ll not be able to fix the expenses and-"


    "Canceled!"


    Mr. Choi was genuinely astonished. He had been working with Hwang Minho for almost fifteen years and the man had never missed a single financial meeting. He had always juggled his schedules like a pro, calcting each and every penny to the T.


    Then why was he leaving so abruptly?


    He watched in dismay as Minho hurried out of the room, not caring about the money he might lose.


    "Just who is the Ms. Jeon?" Choi frowned.


    "A miracle worker," Jongin sighed. His boss was in love and had no idea about it. The Vesudas really is clueless, he thought.


    Minho did not stop to greet anyone but rushed out of the building. All the employees watched in shock and surprise as their boss sprinted through the corridors, almost colliding into a few staff members on the way.


    Upon reaching the parking, he got into this car and sped off. He was driving faster than usual, narrowly making through the red lights. Turning on his phone''s bluetooth, he dialed Mina''s number.


    "Brother!" Mina eximed as soon as he called her. "Brother, Gayoon-"


    "How is she now?" he demanded.


    "She''s still unconscious!" she reported. "It''s all my fault! I was chasing Kanji and he collided into her"


    She sounded as if she was crying. Was Gayoon that badly injured?


    "Is she bleeding?" he asked.


    "I don''t know yet! The neurologist is checking up on her. We shifted her to a ward for now and she''s still out cold."


    "Have her shifted to the VVIP ward," Minho ordered. "Get her the best treatment and make sure she''s resting well-"


    But Minho disconnected the call and increased his car''s speed. His mind was full of worry for Gayoon. He was so used to her being strong and spunky that it never urred to him that she might also get seriously injured.


    His heart was thumping loudly at the thought of her getting hurt. What if it was a serious injury? What if she never woke up? What if


    Cool it! He scolded himself. It''s a minor injury. That''s it. It''s minor


    But his silly heart would not stop beating hard. The only time he felt that scared was when he had faced the CCK all by himself. It was the only time when he felt true fear and had thought that he would never face such a feeling again. But he was wrong. The fear of losing someone close to him was even worse than confronting a serial killer.


    He gripped the steering wheel tightly. I won''t lose another person again, he vowed. Never.


    .


    "She''s fine," the neurologist told Kanji and Mina. "The fall only shocked her a little. There''s no internal bleeding. It was just a temporary ck out and she''ll be awake in a few hours. I''d suggest keeping her here overnight in case any internal bleeding does urter."


    They let out a sigh of relief upon hearing his words. Mina leaned against the wall and fell to the floor, burying her head in her knees while Kanjiforted her.


    "It''s all my fault," she told herself. "I was only messing around with you but"


    She closed her eyes, feeling guilty. And she wanted to give her friend something nice as well! Who knew her childish banter with Kanji would end up hurting Gayoon?


    "It was an ident," Kanji assured her. "Gayoon is a cop. She''s tough! Don''t worry. She''ll be fine."


    But Mina was really guilty. She hated it when someone was hurt because of her and it made her feel even sadder.


    "Aunt!"


    They looked up to see Jina running towards them.


    "Jina!" Mina said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"


    "Uncle Kanji told me!" Jina eximed. Her eyes were red and tears were flowing from them as she hugged her aunt. "The Lady Cop is hurt!"


    She wailed loudly, fearing that Gayoon was heavily injured. "S-she''s not gonna d-d-die is she?" she hupped.


    "No!" Mina said, patting her back. "She''s fine. She''ll be awake soon."


    Jina sobbed even harder. She was informed by the nanny that Gayoon was hurt and she threw a tantrum so that they would be forced to bring her to the hospital. There was no way she would stay at home when Gayoon was hospitalized.


    Minho had rushed into the corridor and spotted the trio a few meters away.


    "How is she now?" he demanded. Mina let go of the crying child and looked up at her brother. Slowly getting to her feet, she averted her eyes.


    "It was my fault," she admitted. "I was only having my usual banter with Kanji and chased him through the hospital when he crashed into her-"


    "Minho, don''t be mad at her," Kanji barged in. "It was an ident. I should have been careful. It'' snot Mina''s fault-"


    "We''ll talkter," Minho said curtly. "Where is Gayoon?"


    "She''s in the VVIP ward," Mina answered. Minho brushed past her and entered the VVIP ward where Gayoony. She was unconscious and her palm was attached to a saline bag. In her still state, she looked pale and all the color was sapped from her face.


    Jina approached the bed and climbed up toy beside Gayoon, hugging her. Minho did not scold his daughter for defying her punishment but simply let her stay beside her Lady Cop.


    "She''ll be awake in a few hours," Mina said in a meek tone. "I''m sorry brother. It was my fault-"


    "It was an ident," Minho stated. "It wasn''t any of your faults."


    Kanji noted that Mina was not buying into Minho''s words and still felt very guilty. He put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Let''s go. They''ll take care of her."


    "I wanna stay!" Mina insisted but Minho shook his head.


    "I''ll stay back," he said. "And Jina can stay with us as well. I''ll take care of them. You''ve been in the hospital for the past two nights. You should go home."


    Mina did not dare to argue further but simply nodded and let Kanji lead her away. After they left, Minho looked back at Gayoon.


    "She looks as if she''s sleeping," Jina murmured. "Will she be awake soon, dad?"


    "She will be fine," Minho assured her.


    Jina was quiet for a while, huddling closer to Gayoon. Minho checked Gayoon''s forehead for her temperature and to his relief, she did not have any fever.


    "Dad?" Jina said after a while.


    "Yes Jina?"


    "Can Lady Cop be my mom?" she asked.

 Chapter 109: 11:59 (26)

    Chapter 109: 11:59 (26)


    Minho paused for a second. Jina turned around to face him with the doey innocent eye she had inherited from


    He was about to answer when Gayoon stirred. She did not wake up but shifted a little to hug back Jina.


    "I''ll go and get some dinner from the cafe," he said instead. "You stay here and do not go anywhere else. Got it?"


    "Yes dad!" Jina said. Minho nodded and left the room. Once he was outside, he noticed a familiar figure running towards the VVIP room. He groaned in annoyance as Taejoon came closer. The men were not pleased to see each other.


    "How is she?" Taejoon asked curtly.


    "She''s fine," Minho replied in an icy tone. "She''s resting."


    Minho did not want to argue with this man in the middle of the hospital and was about to turn to leave when Taejoon spoke up.


    "I talked with the mother of thetest victim," Taejoon said. Minho froze in his steps and turned around to face him, frowning.


    "And?" he asked.


    "She was married to Doctor Nam Daewhi," Taejoon replied. "Apparently, he''s in this hospital but in aa."


    They began to walk towards the cafe as they talked. "Nam Daewhi?" Minho recalled the name. Gayoon had mentioned that he was one of the suspects of being CCK but the man was in aa so there was no way he wasmitting the murders.


    "He had self operated on himself," Taejoon revealed. "And ended up in aa. Twenty years ago."


    Minho stopped in his steps. "Self operated?" he echoed. "How did he-"


    "The doctors don''t know why he did it," Taejoon sighed. "He cut arge chunk of his own meat and was on the verge of death. The doctors don''t think he''ll ever wake up again. So there is no way he is the CCK."


    "Where is this guy?" Minho suddenly demanded.


    "Room number 341," Taejoon replied.


    "I wanna see him," Minho said. "I want to see his injuries. I might be able to tell whether he''s the CCK or not."


    "Uhh" Taejoon began. "You can see him but we won''t be able to check for his injuries without a warrant or doctor''s approval. You''ll have to wait until tomorrow. We can''t do this without a due procedure."


    Minho resisted the urge to roll his eyes but there was little he could do. Thews stated that the police could not vite a person''s privacy without sufficient proof and warrant. It would be impossible to check on Nam''s injuries without a warrant from the authorities.


    "Anyways, if Gayoon is not awake, then I''ll returnter," Taejoon went on. "But you know, it''s weird that she got injured soon after she started living with you."


    "What does that mean?" Minho gritted.


    "I mean, all these years I''ve been with her, she was never injured," Taejoon shot back. "And she lived only two days with you and she''s already in the hospital over a minor head injury."


    Minho did not reply but kept on walking as if he had not heard the detective.


    "I mean, I have protected her better than others," Taejoon said loudly. "Even during those all night raids and stakeouts, she was never injured as long as she was with me. I guess I could protect her better-"


    "Who said she needs your protection?" Minho asked. "From what I see, Jeon Gayoon is perfectly capable of protecting herself. In fact, I pity the criminals who have to face her wrath. And she wasn''t hurt when she was with you? It''s not because you were protecting her. She never got hurt because she''s a good cop. She doesn''t need your or anyone else''s protection."


    Taejoon gaped at his reply, feeling irritated. He was about to bite back when Minho said, " I believe you''re done now. You can leave. Visiting hours are over and only family can stay behind."


    He put extra emphasis on the word ''family'' to make Taejoon realize that he was fighting a losing battle. Between him and Minho, thetter knew very well who would be able to win over Gayoon.


    Taejoon gave him a hard stare before turning on his heels to leave. Minho proceeded to buy two cups of ramen and was about to head back to the VVIP ward but changed his mind halfway and proceeded towards room 341 instead.


    Averting the crowd, he quietly made his way towards the room where a frail old many. He was on multiple venttors andy still on the bed. Minho stood there, staring at the old man who was lying in front of him.


    His mind was echoing the cold voice of the monster he had faced so many years ago. Even after all this time, he could recall it as if he had met that monster just yesterday. The chilling tone which emitted nothing but hatred. A menacingughter which had haunted Minho in his nightmares, unstopping and determined to continue until the end of his life.


    Was this man the monster which stalked their dreams?


    He looked around to make sure there were no doctors or nurses around. There was no one.


    "This is my only chance," he muttered. Reaching for the helm of the old man''s hospital garb, he pulled it up.


    There was arge scar on the side of the stomach but the flesh looked as if it had been regrowing for years. The man had truly tried to operate on himself and cut off his own meat. Minho checked his arm next and there were simr self inflicted scars from the botched surgery. There was no doubt that this man had operated on the same spot where he had shot the CCK.


    "Is the new one a copycat killer?" Minho frowned. But what if he was wrong and the injuries on Doctor Nam were nothing more than the actions of a foolish man?


    He was so deep in thought, that he did not notice the drop in temperature. A slow, cold breeze was creeping into the windowless room, brushing past Minho. He shivered a little and pulled his jacket closer, still engrossed in his thoughts about the CCK. Unbeknownst to him, a shadow was beginning to form behind him, watching his actions carefully.


    The shadow was quiet and still as it eyed its topic of interest checking the injuries on theatose man. It felt nothing but a cold hatred for the young man who was now busy in his own thoughts. It crept closer to him until it was only millimeters apart.


    Minho was about to turn and leave but suddenly, his gut instincts told him not to turn around. A strange fear began to creep up in his heart and he did not dare to move.


    This is ridiculous! He told himself. Why am I afraid to move?


    But his feet would not listen to him and instead, stayed rooted to their spot.


    "Save her...if you can"


    A hushed whisper rang in his ear. Even though he could not make out what was being said, Minho felt an ominous threat looming in the air. It was the same fear he had experienced when he confronted the CCK. But how was that possible?


    The shadow behind him backed off until itpletely disappeared. The fear gripping Minho had left him and he copsed on the ground, sweating. His breath was heavy and he was panting.


    For some inexplicable reason, Minho nced at the wall clock. It was 11:59 PM.


    Turning to the man on the bed, he asked out loud, "Who the hell are you?"

 Chapter 110: 11:59 (27)

    Chapter 110: 11:59 (27)


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    ....


    Gayoon slowly opened her eyes. At first her vision was shrouded by darkness and she panicked. Startled, she tried to get up but her head felt heavy and her muscles were slow to move.


    "Ugh!" she groaned and tried to sit up but she realized that something light was hugging her tightly. Slowly, her blurry vision began to return and she nced aside to see Jina sleeping beside her.


    "Wha-"


    The memories from the past few hours began to rush into her mind. Kanji crashed into her and she fell, hitting her head and lost consciousness. What was I doing at the hospital again? She frowned inwardly. Then it hit her.


    She was there to take another look at theatose patient!


    "Right!" she realized. Quietly, she slid off of Jina''s embrace and put the sleeping girl in a morefortable position. Taking out the saline from her palm, she hissed. Blood was oozing out and she quickly grabbed some tissue from the nearby table to stop the flow. Bending her hand to control the blood flow, she quietly crept out of the bed. Making sure that Jina was still fast asleep, she headed out of the room.


    She made her way towards the room where Nam Daewhi was kept in. The room was quite dark except for the lights from the machines attached to Doctor Nam''s body. He was still as a rock as Gayoon approached him.


    "This man is connected to the CCK," she muttered. Twenty years ago, he tried to operate on himself and lost so much blood that he fell into an unendinga. Additionally, the CCK also disappeared around that time. And then two decadester, his daughter was killed by the CCK.


    Was this current serial killer really the CCK? She wondered. The MO is the same. Copycat killers usually made some kind of mistake but the murders were executed exactly how the real CCK used to do it. Was it an aplice?


    But given that Minho and Kanji only faced one CCK, she doubted there was any aplice. No, this killer was the real deal.


    Then why was Doctor Nam''s name popping up so often in this case. As she kept on thinking, the area behind her became darker and darker. It was quietly observing her, as she kept on muttering to herself.


    Silly girl, it thought to itself. It crept closer to the detective who was unaware of the danger lurking towards her. The dark shadow was increasing its pace, eager to take a taste of the delicious meal which stood before her


    "Lady Cop!"


    The shadow disappeared as Jina stood in the doorway, looking fearful. She was panting heavily as if she had been running all around the hospital.


    "Jina!" Gayoon eximed. "Weren''t you sleeping? How did you find me?"


    But Jina did not reply and grabbed her hand. Gayoon was surprised as the little girl pulled her out of the room, not talking at all.


    "Jina what-"


    But Jina kept her mouth shut. Her face was as white as a sheet and her lips would not move. She only wanted them to get out of that room. Gayoon was confused by her sudden reaction and no matter how many times she tried to coax the little girl, thetter would not speak.


    Once they were back in the VVIP ward, Jina turned around and hugged her around the waist.


    "Jina what happened?" Gayoon demanded but to her shock, Jina was crying.


    "Don''t go back there!" she pleaded. "Just don''t!"


    Gayoon was stunned at the little girl''s words. Why was she saying that?


    Jina only clutched on tightly as she recalled the dark shadow which was about to take Gayoon away. She had woken up to see that the detective was gone. The little girl was about to call her father, who was at the cafeteria, when she felt the presence of something sinister.


    Unlike Casper or Yumi, this one felt different. It was not a ghost nor a living being but was a shadow, stuck in a limbo. There was a dark and dangerous coldness emitting from it which only she could feel. Was it the same shadow Yumi had told her about?


    "Just don''t go back to that room!" she insisted. "Don''t!"


    Gayoon was at a loss. Why was Jina acting so strange? What did the little girl see that scared her so much?


    She knelt down and faced the scared girl. "Jina," she said in a gentle tone. "What happened? Did you see something? Why are you so scared?"


    "I"


    Jina could not exin it. No one ever believed her whenever she told them that she saw things they could not. Everyone dismissed her words as the wild imagination of a child and she felt ashamed to admit her abilities to Lady Cop. What if she thought her to be crazy as well?


    "I saw a nightmare," she lied. "Where a big bear attacked you in a room which looked like the one we were in. So when I woke up and didn''t find you, I was running to the cafeteria to find dad but saw you on the way! And brought you back! That room might have arge teddy bear lurking in the shadows!"


    Jina crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping that Gayoon would buy her lie. To her relief, Gayoon let out augh.


    "It was just a nightmare!" Gayoon assured her. "Don''t worry. There are no giant teddy bears lurking there."


    She patted Jina''s head, who looked down in guilt. The little girl could not meet her dear Lady Cop''s eyes.


    Just then Minho entered the room to find Gayoon wide awake and out of bed. He nced at her arm which was blood stained, making him narrow his eyes.


    "What are you doing out of bed?" he asked in an icy tone. Gayoon straightened up and gulped under his stern gaze.


    "I-I suddenly woke up and was thirsty-" Gayoon began to lie but Jina cut across her words.


    "She''s lying!" Jina piped up. "She went to that room on the third floor! I woke up and found her gone. So I was heading to the cafe to find you but ran into her in that room!"


    Minho frowned and looked at Gayoon who made a face. Jina did not regret telling the truth at all. She was going to do anything to keep Gayoon away from that room and if her father can keep the Lady Cop from going there, then Jina did not mind to bust her at all.


    Gayoon looked at the floor as Minho stepped towards her. Putting his finger under her chin, he made her face him and towered over her.


    "I''m sorry!" she mumbled, widening her innocent looking eyes. It was time to unleash her cuteness on him. "I will never run off like that again."


    She blinked her eyes several times, trying to make his heart melt. After all, it worked on Junho ahjusshi a lot so it should work on this guy as well.


    Unfortunately, her charms did not affect him at all.


    "You better not," he threatened. "Otherwise, I will make you pay for each and every penny I have spent on the VVIP room especially for you."


    "B-b-b-but"


    "And charge rent," he added.


    "Throw in the food too," Jina suggested.


    "Yes," Minho agreed. "Food too. And mind you, the food at our house is exported from abroad."


    "WHAT?" Gayoon bellowed but Minho did not care about her protests.


    "If you don''t get back to bed within ten seconds, I''ll start charging by the second," he warned.


    "B-b-but I was only-"


    "Ten," he counted. "Nine."


    "I was only checking up on a possible suspe-"


    "Eight," Minho continued. Gayoon yelped and sprung back on the bed. Pulling the nket over her, she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. Jina climbed next to her, settling by her side.


    "Don''t be angry at me," Jina whispered. "I just don''t want you to go to thatrge teddy bear."


    Gayoon did not reply but put her hand around the little girl, pulling her closer to indicate that she was not mad at the little girl. Minho sat on the couch and watched over them until they fell asleep. A little whileter, he leaned back and dozed off as well.


    Once the others were asleep, Jina opened her eyes and nced at her dad and Gayoon. The dark shadow she had seen was shing in her mind. For some inexplicable reason, she knew the dark shadow was about to harm Gayoon if Jina had not interfered on time. It was connected to Yumi''s murder as well but Jina could not tell that to Lady Cop without beingughed at.


    I have to let them know of this shadow, she decided. Somehow.

 Chapter 111: 11:59 (28)

    Chapter 111: 11:59 (28)


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    .....


    Mina went to the hospital as soon as it was morning. No matter how much she tried, she could not sleep a wink all night. Upon arriving, she rushed to Gayoon''s room and to her relief, thetter was awake.


    "Mina!" Gayoon eximed as Mina barged in.


    "Gayoon!"


    Mina stood by her side. "Where''s my brother and Jina?" she asked. "They were here all night, right?"


    "They''ve gone downstairs to have breakfast," Gayoon sighed.


    Mina fidgeted nervously. "Gayoon," she began. "This is all my fault. If only I wasn''t chasing that dumb Kanji all around the hospital"


    She buried her head in her hands in shame. She never wanted someone to get hurt because of her!


    "It''s alright," Gayoon assured her. "It''s an ident! Don''t worry. I''m fine. I have a strong head. I was just taken aback that''s all."


    Gayoon patted Mina''s back in a reassuring way. Mina smiled at her before pping her hands as if remembering something.


    "Ah! I almost forgot."


    She took out a bag and handed it to Gayoon. "I know you hate expensive presents," she went on. "So I waited for the shop to have a sale before I swooped in to buy it!"


    Gayoon took the package and took out a soft pink jacket. "Woah!" she eximed. "This is so pretty! I love it!"


    "It was thest piece," Mina went on. "You should have seen how I fought with an old man to get this for you! He gave up in the end"


    I wonder what happened to the man, she added in her thoughts. Gayoon was delighted to get the present. Growing up, she could rarely make friends since people would stay away from her because they thought she was crazy. Those who did find out about her abilities stayed away from her in fear. So finding a friend in Mina was something which she really appreciated.


    "Mina" Gayoon began. "Can I ask for a favor?"


    "Sure," Mina said.


    "Can I get Nam Daewhi''s medical files?" she requested. "A copy would do. It''ll take me ages to get the official warrant and we don''t have that much time. If I can get the ex-wife to bring permission, then can you give me those files?"


    "I can if the ex-wife gives permission," Mina nodded. "If she stops by this afternoon to sign the permission papers, I can send it over to you."


    "Great!" Gayoon smiled, giving her a small hug.


    The door opened and Minho entered with Jina in tow. "You two look very happy," hemented.


    "Mina got me a nice present!" Gayoon squealed, showing off her new jacket.


    "My sister got someone presents?" he frowned. "That is so unlike her."


    Mina threw a pillow at him which he dodged with ease. "I can be nice!" she imed. "Ya''ll just can''t see it!"


    "My aunt is nice!" Jina piped in, climbing on Gayoon''s other side. "By the way, when are we leaving this awful ce?"


    The little girl could not sense the shadow anywhere near them but on her way to the cafeteria, she had the feeling that it was still lurking in the building somewhere. It seemed to be moving here and there so she concluded the shadow could move to ces. And she did not want to wait around in that hospital to see it again.


    "You''ll be discharged in an hour," Minho stated.


    "Good!" Gayoon said in relief. "Can you drop me off at the precinct? I need to catch up on the work I missed!"


    "You''re gonna work in this state?" Minho frowned. "Absolutely not!"


    "Yeah!" Jina said. "You''re not in good health."


    "She''ll be fine," Mina assured them. "She doesn''t have a concussion. A little tylenol and she''ll be fit to work. The doctor already told me this morning. There''s nothing to worry about."


    "No!" Minho said firmly. "She is still looking ill. I''m not gonna let her work today."


    His tone was decisive. He was not going to let her work that day in that condition. Luckily, Gayoon knew he was going to refuse so she had her defense ready.


    "But if I work then I get to earn more," she pointed out. "And if I earn more, I can spend more on our dates which will save your money."


    The look in Minho''s eyes changed immediately as he debated with himself about whether to let her work that day or not.


    "Fine," he conceded. "But only for a few hours! I''ll pick you up on my way from work and you can''t argue. If you feel any difort at all, call me."


    "Fine."


    "On the second thought, I''ll keep Driver Jang stationed outside the station," he added. "If you need toe home then he''ll drop you off."


    Gayoon wanted to argue but Mina muttered, "Just go along with his advice or he''ll end up tailing you to the precinct instead!"


    "Fine!" Gayoon agreed.


    "And you can''t eat any junk food for the rest of the month," Minho went on. "No fried meat. No unhealthy ramen. No fast food and no oily stuff."


    "What?" Gayoon protested. "B-b-b-but-"


    "If I don''t find you on the phone when I call, I''ll have you pay for your one night stay at the hospital," he went on.


    "How much does this room cost anyway?" Gayoon frowned. She had not noticed it at night but she was kept in an unusuallyrge and luxurious room. Min leaned over and whispered something into her ear, making Gayoon shell shocked.


    "WHAT?" She bellowed. "That''s equal to my seven years worth sry!"


    Minho grinned. "Break any of the rules I stated and I will squeeze out every penny from you," he said in an unusually cheerful tone.


    Jinaughed while Mina could only shake her head in amusement. Gayoon gaped at him with her mouth open, unable to speak. The shameless money lover would not let her live in peace!


    "Oh and one more thing"


    He leaned closer to her with his stern gaze. Gayoon gulped while Jina and Mina watched in anticipation of what he was about to say.


    "If I catch you wandering around Nam Daewhi''s room alone," he began. "I will send a little letter to your grandmother, narrating your shenanigans to her."


    He leaned closer to her ear and added in a low tone, "Also the fact that you''re not sleeping in your boyfriend''s room might make here over for a little visit."


    Driver Jang had told him of theical encounter with Gayoon''s grandmother and Minho was amused that he had one weapon of mass destruction in his hands to control Jeon Gayoon.


    Gayoon widened her eyes, blushing hard. Damn the smooth talking money lover! She cursed him in her thoughts yet she could not help but turn beetroot red at his words.


    Mina and Jina were frowning as Minho whispered something into Gayoon''s ears.


    "What are you telling her?" Mina demanded.


    "Yeah! We wanna know!" Jina insisted.


    But Minho''s icy look reappeared and he stood up. "Kids like you won''t understand," he shrugged. "I''ll see you tonight," he added to Gayoon who was still red in the face.


    The aunt and niece were frowning at the mysterious encounter between the CEO and his detective. What just happened?

 Chapter 112: 11:59 (29)

    Chapter 112: 11:59 (29)


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    ....


    Gayoon was dropped off at the precinct by Driver Jang who was ordered by Minho to stay there all day until the end of her duty. She was grumbling loudly but since she was one desk duty for a while, there was little she could do. Upon entering the station, she found Taejoon talking to a middle aged woman whom she recognized as Nam Jiyeon''s mother.


    She tentatively approached them.


    "Hello," she greeted the elderly woman who stood up to slightly bow. "I am Detective Jeon Gayoon."


    "Hello," Lee Dami greeted back. Her voice was heavy as if she had been crying non stop for hours. Gayoon ushered her to sit. ncing at Taejoon, she began to converse with the woman.


    "How are you holding up?" Gayoon asked gently. "Is there anything we can do for you?"


    "N-no," Dami hupped. "It''s just"


    She burst into tears. Taejoon quickly pulled out some tissues from a box nearby and handed them to her. The woman was beside herself with grief, thinking about her deceased daughter. Gayoon patted her arm but nothing would console the mother who had just lost her daughter in a brutal way.


    "Why her?" Dami cried. "Why my little girl? Why"


    She dabbed her eyes but the tears would not stop flowing. It was the question Gayoon hated the most. Why? Why did these people be victims? What was their fault?


    The answer was simple yet the worst one: there was no answer. No matter how much they tried, they would never know why people are killed. Why their lives were cut short. Seeing the bereaved mother break down in front of her, Gayoon hated herself for not being able to give her answers to her question.


    "We are trying to find out," she said in a soft tone. "The killer is still out there and we need your help. Please."


    "I just want my daughter back!" Dami wailed. She fell on the floor and Gayoon stooped down to hug her. The older woman clung on to her, crying for her only child.


    Taejoon was perplexed but he stood there quietly as Gayoon consoled Dami.


    "We will get that killer this time," Gayoon promised. "But we''ll need your help. Please, Ms. Lee! We can''t do it without your help."


    Dami pulled herself together as Gayoon helped her to sit back on the chair. Holding her palms, Gayoon said, "Please. We really need to find this killer. He will strike again and kill another girl. Another mother might lose a child if we don''t find him. And for that, we''ll need to ask you some things."


    "W-what can I do?" Dami asked.


    "Can you tell us about Jiyeon?" Gayoon gently pressed. "And about the day she vanished?"


    Dami''s hands were shaking as she tried to collect her thoughts. She took a deep breath and began to narrate.


    "Jiyeon was a volunteer worker," she began. "Other than her college studies, she worked part time for a local NGO. There, she was in charge of their ounts and was very good at it. People loved her. She was always smiling and cheerful. Never had any bad reputation nor fights. Her teachers spoke well of her and she topped all her sses. She was about to enroll in English sses to improve her bilingual skills. I know it all sounds like another bragging but you can ask her peers. They''ll vouch for her."


    "That night," Dami continued in a low tone. "She waste because the NGO she worked at had a small event. Jiyeon was helping the kids to dress up and perform the y. She called me around 9 PM to ask me whether I''ve eaten dinner."


    "Afterwards, she did not return home. She had told me that she would return by 11 PM but 1 PM had passed and she was still not home. I went to the NGO''s office but they told me that she had left two hours back! I was shocked so I went around looking for her."


    "Morning came and she was still missing so I lodged aint. But the police could not find any clues until five dayster when she"


    She trailed off and broke into another fit of hysterical sobs. Gayoon waited for her to cry her heart out while Taejoon was grim faced. Once Dami was calm again, Gayoon interrogated her again.


    "Can you tell us about her father, Nam Daewhi?" Gayoon asked cautiously. "I know he''s your ex-husband but we want to know more about him."


    "Daewhi?" Dami frowned a little. "He''s been in aa for years. What does he have to do with this?"


    "Your husband had self operated on himself, right?" Gayoon questioned. "Why?"


    "I don''t know," Dami admitted. "I only remember getting a call from him to pick him up from his hunting spot in the woods. He had this passion to hunt and went out at night almost every week to hunt."


    Gayoon and Taejoon looked at each other. Hunt?


    "I went to pick him up only to be shocked," Dami said. "He was in the woods, bleeding. There were chunks of his meat...cut off."


    She shivered as she recalled how she found her husband all bloodied and motionless. With the help of a passing truck, she had managed to bring him to the hospital.


    "Anyways," she said. "He fell into a lifelonga and would never wake up. But I still had some hope that one day he would see our daughter. But that dream, too, has been shattered."


    Gayoon felt a strong sense of pity for the woman but she could not express her feelings. It was another part of her job she loathed. She could never show her feelings to the victims'' families. One show of sympathy can make the investigation biased.


    "What did he used to hunt?" Gayoon asked in an attempt to probe more about this Nam Daewhi. "Your husband."


    "He was a doctor but it''s so ironic that he loved hunting," Dami said. "He mostly hunted and chopped the animals in the woods. Sometimes it was a deer. Sometimes a wild turkey. But he always brought and cooked the hearts of the animals. He would not let me taste them either! He imed that only he could eat those hearts."


    Gayoon froze and felt Taejoon''s eyes on her. Both of them were thinking the same thing.


    "And for some reason he always ate dinner at exactly 11:59 PM," Dami mused.

 Chapter 113: 11:59 (30)

    Chapter 113: 11:59 (30)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BOOK FOR THE WIN WIN EVENT BY BUYING THE PRIVILEGE CHAPTERS FOR 1 COIN.


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    ....


    Inside the storeroom, Dohyun had toppled over as she looked for medicines. Lately, her stomach had been acting up a lot and she could not figure out why. Her body was weakening and she was vomiting more often. Her body had gotten dangerously thin and worst of all, to her horror, she had thrown up meat which she did not recall eating at all.


    She dragged her weak legs towards the medicine cab, trying to find something to soothe her stomach. Tears fell down her face as she tried to collect her thoughts. The poor girl could not figure out what was happening to her body and she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Finally, after a few struggles she managed to find a medicine for the stomach.


    Gulping it down, she slumped on the floor in despair. Her hands were shaking and she felt really cold. Her body temperature had dropped considerably and she was scared of what was happening to her. The stress of the events made her heart weak. A sudden pain panged through it and Dohyun fell back as her heart ached in agony.


    The door opened and Mina walked in to get some medicines. To her shock, Dohyun was sprawled on the floor, crying.


    "Dohyun?" she frowned and rushed to her side. The girl looked scared and terribly weak. Mina checked her pulse and to her shock, it was too weak!


    "Dr. Shun Dohyun!" she called out, slightly pping her cheeks. Dohyun''s face had lost all color and she was fading in and out of consciousness. There was nothing physically wrong with her and Mina knew she had no underlying illnesses. Then why was this seemingly healthy girl suddenly so weak?


    Mina took out her pager and spoke into it. "Code Blue at the fourth floor storage!" she eximed. "I repeat code blue at the fourth floor storage!"


    Within seconds a nurse and wardboy came into the room with a stretcher. They heaved the half conscious doctor on to it and together with Mina, rushed her into a treatment ward. Dohyun''s hand was attached to a saline while Mina monitored her heart. It was beating erratically, sometimes speeding up and sometimes slowing down.


    "We need the ACE!" she ordered the nurse. "She''s having a heart attack!"


    The nurseplied and took out a fresh injection which she filled with the medicine and handed it to Mina. Thetter took it and sanitized Dohyun''s arm before preparing it for an injection dose.


    Once injecting the medicine into the girl, her heartbeat began to turn to normal. Mina let out a sigh of relief. Dohyun was still unconscious but the danger might not be over. Thankfully, the attack was minor and probably the girl''s first time.


    "It''smon among the interns," the nurse said. "They work so hard all the time and little sleep."


    "Yeah," Mina sighed. "She was probably very stressed out. We''ll monitor her tonight and see what her condition is and-"


    Mina felt a hand grabbing her arm. Startled, she looked to see Dohyun was a little conscious.


    "Dohyun! You need to rest-"


    "Doctor," Dohyun gasped. "P-please pump out my stomach. Hurry!"


    Mina frowned at such a strange request. Pump out her stomach?


    "Dohyun, we''ll know what''s wrong with your heart once we do some tests," Mina said. "It might just be a heart attack induced by stress from your work."


    But Dohyun shook her head and began to cry. "No," she tearfully said. "It''s not my work. It''s what I''ve been eating! I don''t know what I ate! I''ve been throwing up stuff which I have not eaten at all! Evenst night, I only ate rice and steamed kimchi but this morning I threw up parts of meat which I did not consume! It''s been happening everyday and it took a toll on me."


    Mina was surprised by the girl''s ims. She could not recall what she ate? How was this even possible?


    "Doctor please pump my stomach and see what I have been eating!" Dohyun begged. "Please! I know it''s linked to that mysterious meat!"


    Mina bit her lip. Should she heed to this request? Then again, if a patient requested for a certain test, they could not refuse their plea so Mina could not see any reason why she should not keep Dohyun''s request.


    "Alright," she agreed. "I''ll ask the General Department to look into this and they''ll pump your stomach. However, it will be a painful process and you will feel very ufortable. You will not be able to eat for a while. Are you sure you want to do this?"


    "Yes!" Dohyun replied. "I do. Please heed to my request!"


    "Alright," Mina conceded. Turning to the nurse she added, "Pass the message to the general ward and tell them to prepare for the procedure."


    The nurse heeded to the order and hurried out. Mina patted Dohyun''s head and said reassuringly, "You should rest, alright? And press the button here if you need us. I''m here all night so call me if you need anything."


    With that, she left Dohyun to rest. The girl felt a little relieved after getting the medicine andy back on the pillow. The medicines were making her drowsy and sleep began to engulf her. Closing her eyes, she tried to rest.


    After a while, her eyes shot open. For a few minutes, the girl kept on staring at the ceiling above her. But there was a crazed look in them almost as if she was possessed by something.


    "Detective or doctor?" she wondered out loud. "Which one would make a tastier meal?"


    The girl kept on wondering and wondering as she stared off into the space, trying to make a decision. A shadow loomed over her, staring directly into her dark eyes as she tried to make a choice.


    "Detective or doctor? Detective or doctor? Detective or doctor?"


    Then a small smile curved on her lips. "I guess, I would have to settle for her," she wheezed gleefully.

 Chapter 114: 11:59 (31)

    Chapter 114: 11:59 (31)


    AUTHOR''S NOTES: Please buy my privilege one tier! It costs only 1 coin. Support this book for Win Win and help me reach 500 coins


    I''LL GIVE MASS RELEASE IF WE REACH 500 COINS FOR WIN WIN


    ....


    Junwan was looking over at the files of CCK''s murder cases. The investigation team had sent him their daily reports and every word made him sick to the stomach. Twenty years ago, the police could not catch the CCK due to their ipetence but he hoped that this new team would be able to get some clues. Gayoon had been working tirelessly to get her hands on the murderer but every time they got closer, the killer vanished again.


    There was a knock on the door.


    "Come in," he said. Gayoon entered the room.


    "Sir, have you read the reports I have sent?" she asked.


    "I did," he sighed. "You think it''s a copycat killer? And the real CCK may be in aa?"


    "The timing of his disappearance coincided with Dr. Nam''sa," she exined. "Moreover, his habits ofte night hunting and eating at exactly 11:59 PM also matches Hwang Minho''s story. The wife gave us the date when he was found in the forest. It was a few hours after Hwang Minho and his sister escaped from the CCK''sir."


    "Then if Nam is in aa," Junwan said. "The current killer might be a copycat."


    "It''s a possibility," Gayoon replied. "Unfortunately, Nam is in a lifelonga and won''t wake up. So it''ll be impossible to punish him."


    The very thought of it was making Gayoon fume inside. If Nam was the CCK, then the victims would get no justice at all. While he slept in a peacef, his victims'' souls were writhing in sadness and agony, waiting for a justice that would nevere. She clenched her fist, trying to control herself.


    Junwan could read her mood. "Gayoon, I know you''re mad that the killer would get away on the basis of his medical condition," he said gently. "But as a police officer, you should know that not all cases can be solved."


    "I know," Gayoon nodded, looking at her feet. "If everything was fair, then we would not have a job, would we?"


    Junwan chuckled at her words. "I know you can solve this case. If there''s one detective who can crack this mystery, it''s you Gayoon."


    But Gayoon was not so sure of her own capabilities. So far, she only hit deadends and the only way for her was to talk to the dead girl. And it was one method she was not keen on using.


    "I will try my best, sir," she said. Junwan nodded and dismissed her. Gayoon was about to leave when the door burst open and a middle aged man walked in. She was taken aback by his sudden appearance but slightly bowed at him before leaving.


    "What news do you have, Jooyeon?" Junwan asked. "Did you look into the case I have asked for?"


    "I did," Jooyeon replied. "Lan Dongwook. Twenty six year old IT professional who was married to Kim Sungmi. The police found him with a bloody knife, standing over his wife''s body."


    "So he killed her?" Junwan questioned.


    "The fingerprints on the knife were his," Jooyeon stated. "And his DNA was all over the crime scene so he did kill her."


    I knew it, Junwan thought in aghast. How could he believe a criminal like that? And that too someone who got the tip from Hwang Junho?


    "But there is something interesting," Jooyeon went on. Junwan leaned forward as Jooyeon took out some papers and a pendrive.


    "Before her death, Sunmi was researching ghostly possessions," Jooyeon revealed.


    "What nonsense?" Junwan scoffed.


    "At first she was searching for things like schizophrenia and DID," Jooyeon said. "But the week before her death, she was researching ghosts and spirit possessing a human''s body. She even wrote on different forums about it where she got a few answers. One of them led her to a man called Heo Shinjin, a frence exorcist."


    "So did she meet this Heo Shinjin?" Junwan frowned.


    "Apparently he was out of town so he could not meet her," Jooyeon shrugged. "And before they could set an appointment, Sunmi was killed by her husband."


    Ghosts? That was Lan Dongwook''s defense? The boy had mentioned something about a white orb but there was nothing of that sort in the police report.


    "And these are pictures of the crime scene which were taken right when Dongwook was arrested," Jooyeon said, pushing an envelope in front of him. Junwan opened it and saw the picture of Sunmi''s dead body lying on the floor. She had been brutally stabbed to the point that her intestines were sprawled across the ground. Her expression emitted a look of pure fear.


    But there was something else which caught Junwan''s eyes.


    "This thing here" he pointed at a faint white dot which hovered near Sunmi''s body. It would have been negligible had the halos around it not been visible. It was simr to the one in Hwang Junho''s picture.


    "What about it?" Jooyeon asked.


    "This was in Hwang Junho''s picture!" Junwan imed. "I saw it!"


    "It might be a printing problem," Jooyeon replied. "Can happen."


    Under ordinary circumstances, Junwan would have believed that but this was different. Junho and Donwgook, two seemingly unrted individuals, were somehow connected by this one tiny white dot. Was it truly a coincidence or something more?


    "I will look into this," Junwan said. "But no one should know about our conversation. Hwang Junho might be on the run but it does not make him any less dangerous. The man managed to evade thew for over twenty years and that is not an easy feat. He might have very powerful friends who are backing him. If they get to know about this, he might flee the country."


    But why didn''t he? Junwan wondered. Even though he said those words, he could not help but doubt himself a little. Hwang Junho could have escaped the country and yet he stayed back. Junwan knew because he got reports of Hwang Junho popping sporadically every now and then, as if trying to make his presence known.


    "Understood," Jooyeon said. "I''ll look into more couples who might have gone through a simr case and bring the reports to you."


    Junwan nodded and the hacker left the room. Once he was gone, Junwan was lost in his own thoughts.


    What are you trying to tell us, Hwang Junho? He wondered.

 Chapter 115: 11:59 (32)

    Chapter 115: 11:59 (32)


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    .......


    Shujin was busy watering the nts when Junho staggered into the house. She looked up to see the man was depressed and crestfallen.


    "What''s going on?" she frowned. "Why do you look as if someone died?"


    Junho slowly dragged himself towards a chair and sat on it. He looked older than his actual age and his eyes were on the floor while his fingers were sped with each other. Shujin reached over and sat opposite to him.


    "Junho," she called his name. "What happened?"


    Taking a deep breath, he said, "I saw her yesterday. My daughter."


    Shujin''s eyes widened in surprise. "Y-you saw your daughter?" she stammered. "Where? How? Did she recognize you?"


    "No," Junho said, sadly shaking his head. "She was a baby when I left. But I knew it was her."


    He narrated how he saw Kanji at the hospital and to avoid detection, he went into a store where he bumped into Mina. Upon finishing his story, Junho''s eyes were starting to brim with tears. He tried not to cry but his wretched feelings would not stop overwhelming him. His daughter, his little Mina came in front of him and he could not even hug her.


    Shujin did not speak but let Junho pour his heart out.


    "She was hardly a year old when I left," Junho reminisced. "When she was born, my wife and I were beyond ecstatic. We''ve wanted a daughter for a long time and after giving birth to Minho, Suna had some issues with conceiving again. But finally, after ten years, we had Mina. We were so happy. Our family wasplete."


    "I never let her out of my sight," he went on. "Can you imagine that I took months off of work to take care of her? Suna was so annoyed at me for working from home but I wouldn''t let the nannies raise my precious daughter!"


    He let out a sad snicker as he recalled how he carried baby Mina around the house while Minho would y all sorts of pranks to take his sister away. Junho used to fuss over his children and all of them drove Suna up the wall once she arrived home from work.


    "You miss them a lot," Shujin said. "Why don''t you go and meet them? The statute of limitation is over! The police can''t arrest you."


    "They can''t but Minho is still looking for me," he remarked. "Probably to punish me in his own way."


    "What do you mean?" Shujin asked sharply. "Your son wants to punish you? What do you expect him to do? Kill you? Torture you? Is this some kind of mafia movie?"


    "He has assigned an officer to look for me," Junho revealed. "For the past twenty six years, he had been looking for me and almost caught me a few times too. But in all honesty, I don''t want to face them without catching their mother''s killer. I know they won''t believe me but I don''t care. The day I destroy that spirit with my own hands, I can finally face my children again"


    Shujin sighed. Theplicated rtionship between Junho and his children would be his downfall. She had tried to coax him into contacting them for many years but he was too scared of meeting them. Minho''s wrath did not bother him but he could not face his son without resolving Suna''s murder.


    "She''s a doctor now," he mused. "My little girl is a doctor! I wish Suna was here to see her. She would have been proud of Mina."


    "And your son?" she probed. "Isn''t he some bigshot in the business world?"


    "Apparently he''s the richest man in the country," Junho sighed. "Net worth being over a hundred billion dors. Pfft! Back in my day, my worth was over two hundred billion! Damn kid couldn''t even surpass his own father! I could make that much in my sleep!"


    Shujin shook her head in amusement. I sincerely hope the son is not as fond of money as the father is, she thought.


    .


    "Twenty million dors?" Minho raised an eyebrow. "You''re telling me to spend twenty million dors on thisnd?"


    He was in his bedroom, leaning against a couch while talking on the phone with Lawyer Lee. The old man had called him up regarding and in the city for their new project.


    "Think about it Minho," thewyer said. "The locals in that area don''t want you to upy thatnd! They''ve sent in a special request!"


    "The whole area had been sold to the developers," Minho countered. "Thatnd is ours and they can''t interfere even with legal means. And you''re telling me to buy anothernd worth an additional twenty million for this project? That too within the city? If I had to buynd in the city, I wouldn''t spend that much on it! I know that thend you''re talking about could be sold as low as one million given how poor the soil quality is. Any building constructed there would copse within years!"


    Lawyer Lee sighed. "Alright," he agreed. "But you should give up on thatnd. It''s going to bring you nothing but trouble! I''ve heard it''s cursed too-"


    Minho snorted. Who believed in all that in this day and age?


    "Leave the business decisions to me," he dered. "You should go ahead and see if the locals will create any nuisance there. Get protection from the authorities if you have to."


    "Fine," Lee replied and hung up. There was no point in trying to make him understand. Minho was as stubborn as a bull when it came to money.


    Minho hung up the phone and looked at the time. It was 9 PM and Gayoon had not arrived home yet. That careless woman, he sighed inwardly and decided to go home.


    Once he reached his mansion, he went up to his bedroom to change into morefortable clothes before texting Gayoon.


    "Where are you?" he wrote. Within a few seconds, her reply arrived.


    "Just got in," she wrote back.


    Minho smirked, wondering what her reaction would be once she found out about their new arrangements.


    ...


    Gayoon had just entered the house and unlikest time, the staff were more courteous to her. Kim came forward to help her.


    "Madam, your things have been shifted today," she informed her with a courteous smile.


    "Shifted?" Gayoon frowned. "Where?"


    "In the master bedroom," Kim replied. "Young Jina''s exams are about to start and she would needplete privacy so the master had your things shifted to his room."


    Gayoon let out a hup. "H-his room?" she stammered, her face turning red. That damn money lover!


    She nervously went upstairs and headed straight for his bedroom. He was casually sitting on the couch, typing away on his phone.


    "Why am I being shifted here?" she asked with uncertainty.


    "Strategically, my room is right in the middle of this floor so if anyone broke into Mina or Jina''s room, you''ll be able to reach them more quickly," he exined not looking up from his phone.


    Gayoon was about to argue back but he added, "And given that we''re dating, I assumed that you''d not object to it. Why? You want me to move you to another bedroom? But it''ll be very far from the main rooms so you might not notice when an intruder breaks in. It''s a big house, you see."


    "B-b-b-b-but"


    She could not think of an argument at all. The very thought of living with him in his room was making butterflies flutter in her stomach but she could not reveal that to him!


    "It''s a little too early, don''t you think?" she hesitantly asked. "We just started dating and now we''re living together and"


    She gulped. Her mind was suddenly filled with very explicit scenes wondering how Minho looked without his shirt off


    Stop it! She told herself, feeling embarrassed.


    Minho''s lips curved into a sly smile which did not help the butterflies in her stomach at all.


    "What are you implying?" he asked innocently. "We''re simply sleeping here. Are you hoping for something more to happen?"


    Gayoon''s red face turned into a darker shade of scarlet. "No!" she eximed. "Absolutely not! I''ll take the couch then-"


    "This couch is too small," Minho pointed out. "It''s a one seater."


    "I''ll sleep on the floor then!"


    "The futons have been all washed today. No extra ones left."


    Gayoon gaped at him in dismay. He was saying all this with a straight face, making her blush even harder. Howe he was so shameless?


    "Go and take a shower, detective," he said. His voice sounded as if he was highly entertained by her. "Don''t worry about anything else. It''s not like someone is gonna attack you here."


    To her immense surprise, he ruffled her hair. I''m afraid I might be the one who''d end up attacking, she thought in despair as Minho strode over to go to bed.


    "Where are my clothes?" she asked.


    "Inside that walk-in closet," he replied, picking up a book to read. "Thest shelf."


    Gayoon hurriedly picked up her clothes and dashed into the bathroom, trying to cool her thoughts.


    "We''re just gonna sleep," she chanted. "Only sleep. Sleep"


    Taking a deep breath, she decided to push back those thoughts and take a shower. Minho was still reading his book when Gayoon emerged out of the bathroom in a loose t-shirt and white pajamas. Her wet hair was wrapped by the towel while she seemed shy and hesitant.


    Minho sighed and put several pillows in the middle of the bed. "There you go!" he said. "None of us are gonna cross this barrier. Alright?"


    "Uhh...okay," she squeaked. Without another word, shey on the right side of the bed, putting as much space as possible between them. Minho could feel her nervousness but only shook his head in amusement. For some reason, it was fun to tease her.


    "Good night," he yawned and shifted his position so that he faced away from her. The fun was over. The girl would die of embarrassment if he teased her any further.


    Gayoon mumbled a weak "Good night" and closed her eyes, trying to sleep. It did not take her long to fall asleep since she was already tired from work.


    After a while, Minho felt something wrapping him tightly. Startled, he woke up to find Gayoon had kicked off all the pillows in her sleep and had settled on his back. Her thigh was over his waist while she hugged him close, snuggling against him.


    Minho did not say anything but smiled a little and went back to sleep, letting his little pet rest in peace.

 Chapter 116: 11:59 (33)

    Chapter 116: 11:59 (33)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BOOK FOR THE WIN WIN EVENT BY BUYING THE PRIVILEGE CHAPTERS FOR 1 COIN.


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    ..........


    A silly grin was etched on Gayoon''s face as she stirred in her sleep, hugging thefortable pillow her limbs were wrapped around. She had a good rest and felt toozy to wake up. It was Sunday and thankfully, she had a day off so she wanted to stay in bed all day.


    "You know, by this time of the morning, I can earn at least five million dors," a voice broke through her slumber.


    Gayoon frowned in her sleep but merely stirred. The voice sounded familiar but her muddled mind could not recognize it. She was feeling toofortable to care.


    "Five more hours," she mumbled. "It''s Sunday."


    Minho shook his head. The crazy girl had been clinging onto his back all night, using him as a bolster. After all her nervousness about sleeping on the same bed, she broke down the barriers in seconds and the pillows were scattered all over the bed.


    He was wide awake but Gayoon was still sleeping like a log so he did not move lest she woke up. Instead, he fiddled with his phone, texting investors and clients to finalize deals. He kept on typing and by the time he was done, he earned twenty million dors from six different projects while Gayoon kept on sleeping.


    Sinally, after what seemed like hours, she yawned. She smiled widely, without opening her eyes as she was feeling exhrated for some reason. She had an unusually good sleep and felt likezing around on bed, not leaving it ever.


    "Are you done sleeping?"


    Upon hearing the deep voice, her eyes shot open and her euphoria was smashed into teeny tiny pieces. To her horror, the first thing she saw was Minho''s back! What am I doing on his side? She wondered wildly.


    "AH!"


    She screamed and backed off while he turned around to gaze at her with his deadpan eyes.


    "H-how did I end up on your side?" she eximed. Minho did not reply but nced at the mess of pillows she made in her sleep. Gayoon followed his gaze and cursed herself for being a chaotic sleeper.


    She looked back at him, feeling like a student who was about to be punished by her teacher. Instantly, she scrambled up to her knees and bowed in shame. Her worst fear hade true. She jumped on him!


    "I''m sorry!" she apologized profusely. "I didn''t know what I was doing! I-"


    "What are you doing?" he asked sleepily.


    Gayoon peeked at him with herrge eyes. "Apologizing for jumping on youst night," she said, feeling embarrassed. She wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it out of shame. And if her grandmother was there, the olddy would have buried her herself for not going any further than sleepingst night.


    "Well, you did use my back as your personal pillowst night," he mumbled, stretching his limbs. Gayoon hupped a little seeing his ripped muscles. His t-shirt clung on to his fit body making his abs visible.


    Gayoon nced at her ownplexion in the bed side mirror. Her hair was looking like a bird''s nest while her cheeks had blotches of redness. Her eyes were dull and she was sure she drooled on Minho''s back at night.


    Why was this man so goddamn good looking in the morning while I look like an old grandma? She screamed internally. Even his hair looks perfect! Did he use some kind of hair gel?


    Despite herself, she could not help but wonder what products he used. Minho was flexing his neck when he turned to face her only to be startled. She came closer to him and intensely scrutinised him. To his surprise, she touched his hair as if examining it.


    "Is there any kind of gel on it?" she wondered out loud.


    "What are you doing?" he asked in a t voice. She clutched his hair and was examining it from every angle.


    "Do rich people use some kinda night hair gel to keep their hair in perfect shape even while sleeping?" She questioned. "I mean how is your hair so silky and smooth?"


    She ruffled it only to be disappointed for his hair fell back into its usual neatness. Minho sighed at the girl''s crazy obsession with his hair.


    "And you even smell like vani!" sheined. While I smell like a pig! She cursed all the good looking people for being able to look so perfect all the time.


    "I don''t do anything," he said in his usual nk voice.


    "No hair products?"


    "No."


    "No night cream?"


    "No."


    "No extra perfume?"


    "No."


    Gayoon blinked at him for a few seconds before saying, "Curse you pretty people."


    Minho was dumbfounded at her as she slumped back on the bed in misery and hid under a nket, rolling the other way.


    "Not my fault for having naturally good looks," he muttered as he got off the bed to freshen up. When he came out, Gayoon was still in her cocoon, about to fall asleep again.


    "Jeon Gayoon," he called, poking her arm to wake her up. "Wake up!"


    "I''m sleepy again!" sheined, turning away from him and pulling the nket over her head in an attempt to go back to sleep. To her surprise, he turned her back and before she knew it, he rolled on top of her, caging herpletely. She was shell shocked as his deep crown eyes pored into hers. Half of her face was covered with the nket so she was shyly peeking at him.


    Seeing his devilishly handsome face up close was making her heart beat faster to the point that it felt as if it would explode.


    "W-w-w-what are you doing?" she squeaked.


    There was an evil twinkle in his eyes which made her even more embarrassed and after recalling what almost happened on that very bed a few days ago, made her face redder.


    "Just trying to wake up my girlfriend," he shrugged, feigning nonchnce. He raised a finger to slowly take off the nket off her face.


    "I am awake!" she imed. "I''ll be up now!"


    "Okay," he remarked but did not budge from his position. Instead, his finger trailed to her cheek, tracing her jaw. She waspletely hypnotized by his actions, unable to move. He leaned closer and she shut her eyes as his lips brushed against hers. Unable to resist anymore he swooped down to engage in a liplock.


    Gayoon was intoxicated by his fervent kisses as she clutched onto him, her fingers running through his silky hair. Her soft lips enticed him as he probe into her mouth with his tongue, entangling in a passionate embrace. The sounds of their intimate kisses were echoing through the room. They were fierce and demanding, unable to have enough of each other.


    Minho left her lips and trailed his lips along her neck, causing her to purr. She let out a moan when he bit into her neck, leaving a red mark on it. His lips moved near her ear and he whispered, "It''s time to wake up."


    Gayoon whimpered a little, not wanting the moment to end but he simply winked and got off her. She smiled a little and stretched her limbs, feeling ted once again.


    It was a good morning indeed.


    .


    Mina had been in the hospital all night, carrying out multiple shifts. Even though her body was tired, she knew her patients needed her. She had to tend to five heart attack patients and a six hour surgery which had left her exhausted. Thankfully, she had two hours of break time and if nothing major happened, then she could rest in the break room.


    "I''ll look into a few more reports before taking a break," she decided. Just then, a text arrived. She took out her phone to see it was Kanji.


    "How''s the night shift going?" he wrote.


    Mina sighed and replied, "As usual. Terrible!"


    Within seconds he texted back, "Want me to bring you some breakfast?"


    "I already had some," she wrote. "Let''s meet up for lunch instead. I''ll head home afterwards."


    "OK," he replied. She put down her phone and picked up some of the files on her desk. The first one was of Doctor Dohyun.


    "Poor girl," she sighed. Dohyun''s condition was a mystery to them. The girl never had any heart problems before and she insisted that it was not stress but rather something she was eating. Mina had the reports drawn out by their Gastroenterologist, Doctor Shin. She vaguely recalled that Doctor Shin wanted to discuss something with her regarding Dohyun but Mina was in the middle of a surgery when the message was given to her and shepletely forgot about it.


    I think she wanted to give me these, she realized. Did the reports have something serious?


    She opened the report and nced through it. "650.75 kilo cal," she read. "Meatprising of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, potassium, chlorine, oxygen"


    She checked the percentage masses and calcted them in her head. "Presence of 25% of fibrosts were detected in the meat and 75% cardiomyocites"


    Mina''s mouth fell in shock. "This...this is" she gasped. She threw the reports away from her in fright and dashed outside the room towards Dohyun''s ward.

 Chapter 117: 11:59 (34)

    Chapter 117: 11:59 (34)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BOOK FOR THE WIN WIN EVENT BY BUYING THE PRIVILEGE CHAPTERS FOR 1 COIN.


    I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF WE REACH 500 COINS!


    .......


    Jina was at the dining table, chowing on her cereal. Her two musketeers were out looking for that dark shadow Yumi had seen at the hospital. For the past few days, they had been stationed there, keeping an eye on it. They had to wait until everyone was asleep to report to her because for some reason, whenever they were near, Gayoon would also appear and drag Jina away. For once, Jina wished she got some privacy to talk to her friends.


    She looked up to see Minho descending from the stairs. He bent down to kiss his daughter and smiled.


    "How are your exams going, Jina?" he asked, taking a piece of toast to put jam on it.


    "I somehow passed maths," she said. "The rest were easy."


    Minho gave her a reproachful look. "Have you been practicing? What is it that you don''t understand?"


    "That''s this thing," Jina said, feeling unabashed. "I don''t even know what I don''t know! As long as I can add and subtract, I''ll be good. It''s not like I''m gonna ask criminals how many oranges they had left over after they gave them away to their friends when I''ll be arresting them."


    "It''s an important subject. Even police officers need to learn math!"


    Just then, Gayoon wasing downstairs. She was still sleepy and needed at least five cups of coffee to stay awake. She slumped onto the dining chair next to Jina''s andid her head on the table.


    "Haven''t you slept enough?" Minho frowned. You''re the reason I''m awake on a weekend! She screamed internally but did not retort in front of Jina.


    "Hey Lady Cop!" Jina piped up. "Tell me, did you ever need maths in your entire career as a police officer?"


    "No," Gayoon yawned. "As long as I caught criminals and made sure they were in jail for their crimes, I didn''t need math. It''s not like I had to ask them how many oranges they gave away to their friends!"


    Jina beamed while Minho shook his head in dismay. Mother and daughter indeed, he sighed.


    "So where are we going today?" Jina asked.


    "You have exams," Minho frowned. "You can''t go out. Plus, you''re still grounded."


    "Yes, but the punishment dictated that I could not go out alone," Jina pointed out. "Nothing about not going with you two. So, where are we going?"


    "You need to study," Gayoon said, pinching her cheek. "Whether you do well or not, you should be studying!"


    Jina was disappointed. Stupid exams! She cursed. Not only she could not go out but it was impossible to even help Yumi under all the stress. Being a kid was hard!


    Gayon picked up a toast to eat and nced outside. It was a sunny morning and since she was off duty that day, she wanted to check the beautiful garden the Hwangs had. If Mina was not on duty, they could have gone to a bargain market.


    I should text her, Gayoon decided. She took out her phone from her pocket and sent a text. But to her surprise, the text bounced back.


    "Mina''s phone is switched off," she remarked.


    "She might be at a surgery," Minho replied. "You can try asking Kanji. He always meets up with her whenever she has weekend duties."


    "I should," Gayoon nodded. She dialed Kanji''s number. He picked up after one ring.


    "Detective!" he greeted cheerfully. "Hearing your lovely voice brings joy to this wonderful morning! How are you feeling now?"


    "I''m fine," Gayoonughed while Minho scowled. "Do you know where Mina is? Her phone is switched off."


    "Oh yeah she has a surgery," he replied. "We texted this morning. She told me to meet for lunch. I''ll head out and wait for her until she''s done before taking her out. Rx! She''s at the hospital. It''s not like someone can kidnap her from there. It''s a public ce and I''m sure she''ll be safe."


    "Okay"


    But for some reason, Gayoon was having doubts. Maybe it was the police officer in her which was overthinking. I''ll call her again after an hour, she decided.


    ...


    Mina was rushing towards the ward where Dohyun was kept.


    "Dohyun, I just-" she was saying, entering the room but to her surprise it was empty. She frantically searched for her in the bathroom but the girl was not there either. Mina stopped a passing nurse.


    "Where is Dohyun?" she demanded. "She wasn''t supposed to leave the hospital!"


    "We''ve been trying to find her as well but she''s been unavable," the nurse replied. "The security has been informed already and they''re trying to contact her mother."


    "Where does she live?" Mina asked. "Does anyone have her address?"


    "I think she lives in the apartmentplex four blocks down," the nurse frowned. "The three storeyed one right next to the school. A lot of the interns live there."


    "Alright," Mina nodded and dashed off towards the changing room. She had to talk to Dohyun about the reports. How did the human flesh reach her stomach? Why did she eat it?


    The repulsive memories of CCK wereing back to her. Even though she was too young to understand what he was doing, the fear had remained in her heart. That menacingughter still echoed in her ears, chilling her very soul. She knew Dohyun as a hardworking andpassionate doctor. There was no way that girl would consume


    Mina did not want to think about it. She changed her clothes and rushed to her car. Revving up the engine, she drove towards Dohyun''s apartment.


    Please let me be wrong, she prayed. Trying not to think about what would happen if the authorities found out, she kept on driving until she reached the apartment. To her surprise, Dohyun was on the doorstep, standing like a statue.


    "Dohyun!" Mina called for her and rushed to her side. The girl was pale and her eyes werepletely nk. She looked at Mina with those lifeless eyes.


    "Doctor Hwang," she mumbled weakly. "What is happening to me?"


    "Dohyun,e here."


    Mina pulled the traumatized girl aside and sat her down on the steps. Her body was unusually cold and Mina took off her jacket to put it around her.


    "What''s going on?" she hissed. "I saw your reports and"


    Dohyun did not respond but was staring at the ground. "Are you really consuming human meat?" Mina demanded.


    "I don''t know" Suddenly, she burst into tears, unable to hold in her confusion any longer. "What''s happening to me? Why is this happening? I don''t even know what I''m doing!"


    Mina could not help but feel bewildered. Howe she did not know what she was eating?


    "Dohyun, what''s going on?" she asked firmly. "Are you stressed? Did someone offer you food which you didn''t know was human flesh?"


    She held the girl''s shoulders and forced her to look at her in the eye. "Tell me," Mina said.


    "For the past few nights, I''ve been losing my memories," Dohyun admitted tearfully. "I''ve been having memory gaps. I don''t know where I''ve been nor do I know what I did. And then, I began to throw up meat which I do not recall eating at all! And there were traces of blood on my shoes. I don''t know how it got there! I was so...so scared. I"


    She broke down and hugged Mina. Thetter bit her lip in worry.


    "We''ll have to get you to a psychiatrist," she said gently. "I didn''t tell anyone about the reports yet but let''s get you help. I''m sure it''s some form of schizophrenia."


    Dohyun''s eyes widened in fear. "W-what?" she asked fearfully. "Am I mad?


    "No," Mina replied. "It can happen and it can be controlled with proper treatment! We''ll get you all the help you need, alright?" So just trust me. Don''t be scared, alright? Now let''s go back to the hospital andplete your remaining treatment."


    Dohyun choked up her tears and nodded. "Wait," she said, remembering something.


    "I left something in my van," she said. "My wallet."


    "Let''s go and get it," Mina suggested. She helped the girl to get up and led her towards a van parked at the backside of the building.


    "I think it fell between the gaps of the seats," Dohyun sniffed. "I''ll look in the front. Can you search in the passenger seat?"


    "Sure," Mina offered. She opened the backseat and began to search between the gaps. "What does your wallet look like?" she asked.


    "It''s purple!" Dohyun''s voice came from the front seat as she rummaged around. Mina stooped lower and her eyes fell on the wallet which was underneath the passengers'' seat.


    "Found it!" Mina dered. Picking it up, she emerged out of the van and was about to turn around when suddenly, a hand sped her nose and mouth.


    "Mph!" Her voice was muffled as she began to lose consciousness. A strong scent of chloroform hit her and her mind was bing muddled while her eyes drooped.


    "Long time no see, little one. Ready for a meal?"


    The voice was different but it had the same chilling tone. Thest thought she had before losing consciousness was the memory of that evilugh which had haunted her dreams for so long.


    ...


    Yumi and Casper were watching the whole scene in horror as the younger girl heaved the unconscious Mina into the van.


    "It''s the same van!" Yumi eximed. "That''s the one!"


    Casper held his breath as Dohyun drove away. He could see the ck shadow too which was engulfing the girl. For some reason, it could not sense them at all which struck him as strange.


    "We need to tell Jina!" Yumi insisted. He nodded and they vanished in thin air. There was no time to spare.

 Chapter 118: 11:59 (35)

    Chapter 118: 11:59 (35)


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    ..........


    Gayoon was enjoying the view of the garden. The sun shone brightly in the sky, illuminating thendscape to highlight the vibrant colors around her. She had to admit that the Hwangs had great taste when it came to their decor. The garden was like a mini park. There was an arch in the entrance which embodied the theme of Alice in Wondend. It was decorated with cards belonging to the Hearts'' deck.


    Once inside, there was a small pond with a mini fountain in the middle of it. The water sparkled under the sunlight while there were different species of pet fish swimming around merrily. The pathway was tiled with broken stones, leading towards the marigold garden which was lined in a linear manner on both sides.


    She walked on towards the crimson carnations which were nted in the corner, standing out amidst the yellow and orange marigolds. She also notices thevender lilies'' bed in the center. It took her a while to realize the pathway was in a circr shape. Another route located directly across the lily bed which seemed to be like a maze.


    Gayoon followed the maze like route. The nts were a foot taller than her, entangled into a chaotic union as the branches hovered around her. She could not see where she was going but the maze was designed in a way that it would lead her somewhere. Gayoon, as if enchanted, kept on walking ahead until she reached a mini patio There were other routes heading for the patio making her realize that no matter which one she would have taken, she would have ended up there.


    "Woah!" she marveled. The whole ce felt like a world of its own, leading her to where it wanted her to go without making her lost. She sat on a seat at the patio, basking in the bright sun. The fele of the warm sunlight felt good against her skin and she was feeling more rxed.


    "It''s so peaceful here," she sighed. She could not remember thest time she felt so at peace. For years, she had been busy with the dark life of the underworld, catching criminals so she barely had any time to rest or work on her mental peace. But being at that garden made her feel like home.


    Suddenly, she missed her grandmother and ahjusshi who were back home. She had not heard from ahjusshi after he had returned. Was he mad at her? Her grandmother had called a few times and hearing her voice made Gayoon miss them even more. Shey on the seat with her hands under her head, staring at the clear sky above her. Were they missing her at all?


    Her eyes were beginning to droop. Taking out a handkerchief from her pocket, she put it on her face to protect it from sunburn. She was feeling sleepy and wanted to rest for a while in the wilderness, free from any worry.


    As the sun shone in the clear sky, a slow and cool breeze began to swirl around the garden. It hovered around the sleeping figure, brushing by her as she slept. The wind was rustling the branches with its soft touch as if careful not to wake up the girl. A cold wave began to dawn on the garden as the wind kept on swirling and swirling, knocking the handkerchief away from the sleeping figure. Gayoon stirred a little but did not wake up. Her body was bing cold but in her sleep, she did not realize what was happening.


    Something cold was touching her slender neck. Gayoon frowned in her sleep, her mind beginning to realize something was wrong. The cold touch was now more aggressive, alerting her subconsciousness and suddenly, her neck felt constricted.


    Her eyes flung open and to her horror, a grey shadow lurked over her. The faceless shadow was pressing down its cold fingers around her neck, throttling her. Gayoon tried to hit it but her limbs would not move. They were paralyzed to her sides, refusing to defend as the cold shadow strangled her. The calm wrath emitting from the shadow was scaring her as its hatred for her became even more evident.


    As her consciousness began to fade again, the shadow leaned into her ear. Its gleeful whisper haunted her.


    "If I can''t have you, then no one else can"


    "Gayoon! Gayoon!"


    Gayoon awoke with a start, frantically struggling.


    "LET ME GO!" She yelled. "NO!"


    "Gayoon it''s me!"


    Minho''s voice caused her to calm down. She was sweaty and panicked. Minho was rmed when he saw her struggling and writhing in her sleep as if she was in immense pain. She was breathless and for the first time, Minho saw her looking very scared.


    To his surprise, she threw her arms around his neck and hid her face in his embrace. She was shaking as if feeling very cold even though the weather was scorching hot. He was perplexed when she began to cry. Patting her back in assurance, he tried to calm her down.


    "Are you alright?" he asked. He felt her shaking her head.


    "Do you want to talk about it? What happened? Did something scare you?"


    Again, she shook her head. She was not ready to talk about it but something had scared her a lot. For many years, she had not seen that dream but suddenly, it was back to haunt her. The dream which she tried to escape from desperately was back. But does that mean


    No! She told herself. He''s not back. If he was, I''d have known. It was only a dream. Just a dream.


    Minho did not press her any further but the fear she felt was familiar to him also. It was the same feeling he got whenever he remembered that night he had confronted the CCK.


    It seemed as if Gayoon, too, had her own CCK.


    He did not ask anything else but let her rest in his arms as she calmed down. She did not dare to face him while she was crying but being with him made her feel safe and she was finally able to control her chaotic thoughts.


    Finally, she let go of him. His shirt was a little wet because of her tears.


    "Sorry," she sniffed. "Your shirt is wet because of me."


    "Forget about that," he shrugged. "Are you alright?"


    "Yes. No. I don''t know," she admitted. "It''s hard to tell."


    Her mood was so breezy that morning but now there was nothing left but a fear and uncertainty. She held her knees close, trying tofort herself. Whenever she would have these nightmares, Ahjusshi would calm her down by saying that the monster was gone. He would never return because Ahjusshi had taken care of him.


    But why was she seeing him in her dreams again?


    Minho stared at her for a while before stooping down to pluck out a small violet flower. To Gayoon''s surprise, he handed it to her.


    "W-what''s this for?" She asked, feeling startled.


    "K-Kanji said that girls like flowers," he frowned. "In his rule book. I thought if I gave you something you liked, then you''ll feel better."


    He spoke in a very serious manner while holding the flower. Gayoon blinked for a few moments before bursting out into giggles.


    "Rule book? "She snickered. "What rule book?"


    "It''s what he gave me for that date!" Minho frowned. "Bring a girl flowers, take her out to dinner, walk in the park, gift her something and then-"


    "Ohhh," Gayoon said, remembering their first date when Minho was mumbling something about rules. "So that''s what those rules were about!"


    She could not help but be amused at Minho''s affronted expression.


    "I studied those rules very diligently," he boasted.


    "And did any of them work?"


    There was a short silence before he replied, "No."


    Gayoon sighed at the money lover who looked like a confused puppy. "Rtionships don''t have rules," she exined. "You just go with the flow and see if anything happens down in the road. If you y by these ''rules'' then you won''t get to enjoy the perks of the unknown."


    "I like to calcte everything," Minho scowled. "If I have to spend money on someone then that person has to be worth my time."


    "Are you spending any money now?" she asked. "When you wereforting me a few minutes ago, were you thinking of any cost value?"


    Minho had to think for a while. Gayoon rolled her eyes and lightly pinched his arm.


    "You should reply no to that question!" she scolded him.


    "Sorry," Minho pouted. "No. I simply saw you were afraid and I came over to help you."


    His pouting only made Gayoonugh more. Her mood was getting lighter at his antics and the color on her face was returning. Despite his slight annoyance, Minho was d that she was smiling again.


    To her surprise, he held her andy back, pulling her on top of him. She was startled by his gesture, red in the face as she hovered over him. His feet were tangled with hers while his arms held her tightly, not letting her go.


    "W-what are you doing?" she squealed in embarrassment. If someone came into the garden and saw them like this then she would have to bury herself in the ground!


    "Rest," he told her.


    "I can rest on the seat!"


    "No, you''ll be morefortable this way," he said in his deadpan tone, making her mortified. The damn smooth talking money loving CEO! She cursed.


    "I-"


    Suddenly, Minho''s phone rang up. He was irritated by the disturbance and to his further annoyance, it was Kanji.


    Gayoon took the chance to be free of his embrace and sat up as he answered the phone.


    "What is it?" Minho demanded.


    "Minho!" Kanji''s panicked voice came from the other end. "It''s Mina. She''s missing!"

 Chapter 119: 5 Days-The Beginning

    Chapter 119: 5 Days-The Beginning


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    .......


    Jina was busy studying when the two ghosts popped into her room. She felt a little irritated at their intrusion and was about to scold them for ruining her study time when she noticed the grim expressions on their faces.


    "What happened?" she frowned. Casper was about to talk to her in signnguage when Yumi cut through.


    "Your aunt has been kidnapped by that ck shadow!" she eximed.


    Jina froze in her seat. The ck shadow? "The one from the hospital?" she gasped.


    "Yes," Yumi nodded. Jina was in a fix. She had seen that ck shadow with her own eyes and it was not a friendly ghost. In fact, she was sure it was not a ghost. The shadow was something else entirely because it was not a human but it was not a dead being either. It was stuck in a limbo, phasing in and out of the two worlds.


    "You have to save your aunt!" Yumi said in desperation. "That shadow...it''s going to kill her!"


    Casper was thinking hard while Jina could not figure out a way to help her aunt.


    "What do we do?" Jina asked in despair. "No one is gonna believe me!"


    She was bing increasingly frustrated at the adults who did not believe her words. They thought she was merely a child and all of the talk about ghosts were figments of her imagination. No matter how many times she tried to tell her dad, he wouldugh it off as her silly dreams and nothing else.


    Casper understood the little girl''s and patted her head. Jina looked like she was on the verge of crying but tried to keep herself together for the sake of her aunt who was in danger. Yumi, too, pitied the little girl. If she was alive, she would have also scoffed at Jina''s ims.


    But death had given her a different perspective of the world. No one could hear her cries nor feel her pain. She wanted to rip that shadow into pieces. It had not only killed her but as ast act of sadism, it even consumed her heart. Her body was cut into pieces and discarded like she was trash which had no value. She was worthless in its eyes and the very thought of it made her furious.


    "There is one way," she said quietly. Both Jina and Casper looked at her, their eyes filled with hope.


    "What is it?" Jina asked. "What can we do?"


    "I''m not entirely sure about this," Yumi began. "But I think that"


    She trailed off. Should they really try this method? What if she was wrong? There was only one way to find out but if they tried it then people might think Jina was crazy.


    "Your Lady Cop," Yumi began. "I think she can sense us."


    "WHAT?" Jina bellowed. "Impossible! She can''t sense you! If she did, she would have told us."


    "No," Yumi stated. "She wouldn''t. What if like you, she can also sense us but keeps her mouth shut because people make fun of her too?"


    Casper made some gestures at her.


    "What''s he saying?" Yumi asked.


    "He''s asking how can you tell that Lady Cop can sense us?" Jina interpreted.


    "Think about it," Yumi said. "Whenever we arrive to talk to you, she barges in. Every single time."


    Jina thought about it. Her mind wandered to how the Lady Cop would suddenly appear whenever she tried to talk to Yumi and Casper alone. Was it all a coincidence?


    "Let''s try to send her a message first," Jina suggested. "Like a tip about the killer which only you would know!"


    "Yes," Yumi replied while Casper nodded. "That girl carrying the shadow is driving a van. It probably had some kind of cold container in the back. Because I felt the ground moving when I was kidnapped. I was in a vehicle of sorts and that van wasrge enough to carry a cold storage!"


    "What else do you know?" Jina asked. She took out a pen and paper to take notes. Her handwriting was childish but there was no time. They had to send a tip as soon as possible


    Yumi hesitated to give the other information and even Casper was not too keen on it.


    "Write exactly what I''m about to say," Yumi stated. Jina nodded.


    Yumi took a deep breath and said, "Yumi''s heart is inside CCK."


    Jina frowned at her, feeling confused but Yumi only said, "Just write that. And add about the cold storage."


    "O-okay"


    The little girl could not understand why the ghost told her to phrase it like that. Her heart was inside CCK? What did that even mean?


    Casper nced at Yumi who looked troubled. There was little time and Mina could be dead for all they knew.


    Please be safe, aunt, Jina prayed as she wrote the note.


    .....


    Cold. Her body was shivering with cold, freezing up her limbs. She could not move and to her shock, words would note out of her mouth either. Shey on the t table, paralyzed by the drug.


    Dohyun was watching her, quietly rocking to and fro on a chair. Her dull eyes were lit with amanic twinkle as if she was eyeing a prey.


    "Hello little one," Dohyun said softly. "We meet again."


    There it was again. That familiar chilling voice which had haunted her dreams for the past twenty years. The fear the man had instilled wasing back again, making her insides burn with a quiet fury. The face was different but Mina knew it was him. It did not make sense to her how the CCK had turned into Dohyun. Was it even the CCK?


    It is him, she thought. Her usually rational mind tried toe up with many excuses to convince her that it was not the CCK. But she knew it was him. There was no exnation to it but her gut feeling was screaming at her. The monster was back and this time it would not fail to devour her.


    "Did you miss me?" Dohyun wheezed. "You must be wondering how I ended up in this body"


    Dohyun took a deep breath. "You see, at first I wanted to possess your body," she admitted. "On your first day, when you walked into the room where myatose bodyy. The moment Iid my eyes on you, I knew that you were Hwang Mina. The little girl who got away. I could have chosen another victim. But I had some unfinished business with your dear brother."


    Brother? Was he going to harm Minho again?


    She tried to move her body but she was as helpless as she was twenty years ago. At that time, she was a child who had no idea how to protect herself. But now she was older and things were different. Even if the drugs prevented her movement, she was patient. She would not let him scare her anymore.


    "Feisty," Dohyun murmured. "I wonder if your heart is still the same."


    She trailed a finger along Mina''s cor to the left side of her chest. Mina wanted to hit the monster but her hands would not move. Plus, the person in front of her was Dohyun who was acting out of the ordinary. Was she delusional?


    But thetter part was impossible. Every month, the doctors and all hospital staff members had to go through mandatory mental health checks to ensure that they were of sound mind whenever handling patients. Dohyun''s license could be suspended and she would have been ced on mandatory psychiatric check ups if she had failed. There was no way she had a mental problem.


    "This girl," Dohyun went on in that chilly tone. "She''s so gullible. Was sympathetic to me. You see, she felt sorry for the doctor who had been in aa for twenty years."


    Doctor Nam! Mina realized. Is she talking about Doctor Nam? How was this even possible? Dohyun is speaking as if she was possessed!


    "Always threw up the good part," Dohyun sighed. "Her body could not handle the meals. I wonder if your body would have been able to handle it"


    It''s him! It''s CCK!


    The voice in Mina''s head was screaming at her, urging her to run. But how was she going to escape this time?


    "I''m going to enjoy my sweet revenge," CCK leered at her. "Five days. I''m gonna enjoy our time together. Tormenting your brother is the sweetest revenge."


    A single drop of tear fell from Mina''s right eye, making the maniacugh. The bone chillingughter echoed through the cold room which was about to turn into the mayhem of nightmares.


    ....


    "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING?" Junwan yelled at Gayoon. The entire precinct was watching the drama with interest. Some of the police officers were even d that Gayoon was being scolded for her ipetence. They had hoped to get the CCK case but when Junwa chose Gayoon to lead the investigation, many of them became jealous.


    "Detective Jeon Gayoon, you were sent to the Hwang Mansion to protect the residents there!" Junwan screeched. "But your negligence caused Mina to be kidnapped again!"


    Gayoon did not make any excuses for herself. She had be toox and ended up endangering Mina''s life. Minho had dropped her off at the station and left to disperse his men through the town, looking for Mina.


    "I will find her," Gayoon swore. "I will not let the CCK-"


    "You will do nothing," Junwan said sharply. "As of now, you have been taken off this case."

 Chapter 120: 5 Days-Day One

    Chapter 120: 5 Days-Day One


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    ..........


    Minho barged into the hospital where Kanji was waiting for him. Thetter was ash faced in worry and he was clutching a paper in his hands. He looked up to see Minho, looking disheveled as he dashed towards Kanji.


    "What happened?" he demanded. "How did the CCK manage to kidnap Mina from the hospital?"


    "I don''t know," Kanji replied. His usually cherry voice was hollow and nk, devoid of any emotions. "The only thing I found was this."


    He handed Minho the paper he was holding. Minho nced at the paper which looked like someone''s medical report.


    "It was strewn across the floor," Kanji went on. "Mina was reading itst. Minho, you know her habit right?" Whenever she''s shocked, she throws the things in her hands on the ground. Something about this report must have frightened her!"


    "Doctor Shin was the one who signed this report," Minho said, pointing at the bottom of the page where the doctor''s signature was visible. "Maybe we should ask him?"


    "Let''s go," Kanji agreed. They hurried out of Mina''s office and dashed towards Doctor Shin''s office. Minho knocked on the door.


    "Come in," a soft voice came from the other end. They entered the office of the elderly doctor who was looking at an x-ray. He frowned upon seeing the two men.


    "How may I help you?" he frowned.


    Minho handed him the papers and asked, "My sister, Doctor Mina was reading this report before she went missing. What does this report say?"


    A strange look came over Doctor Shin''s face as he saw the reports in Minho''s hand but he quicklyposed himself. "I''m sorry but I cannot divulge the medical condition of another patient to people who are not rted to her," he said firmly. "You''ll have to get a police warrant for that."


    Minho mmed his hands on the table, looking at the doctor with his steely eyes. He did not have the time for bureaucracies when his sister''s life hung by a needle.


    "My sister is out there somewhere, alone and scared," he hissed. "CCK will not just kill her! He will cut out her heart and"


    He could not bear to go on. Even till that day, the thought of CCK''s actions brought him nothing but disgust and fear. The monster they had tried to leave behind would not let them go and Mina was once again in his clutches. It was going to be another uphill battle and he had only five days to find her.


    "Iunderstand your feelings," Doctor Shin said in a sympathetic tone. "But you will have to get the warrant in order to know this information. I really can''t help you. However, I can tell you that report belongs to Doctor Dohyun. You can ask her directly what she has been...er...eating."


    "Eating what do you-" Minho began before it struck him. He nced at the reports again while Kanji, too, realized what the doctor implied.


    "Minho, we should head down to the precinct and let the coroner see this," Kanji eximed. "They might give us a quicker answer."


    Minho nodded and together, they ran off towards the police station.


    ...


    Gayoon stood there in shock. Junwan''s words seemed to be final and she was devastated by that decision.


    "Sir," she began. "My team worked day and night to gather evidence! We were the ones who unlocked that the CCK is a cannibal and that he was shot twice! We were the ones who discovered that the real CCK is lying on a hospital bed and the current one might be a copycat! We''re this close to apprehending him and now you''re-"


    "You have failed to protect the victim and now she''s been kidnapped once again!" Junwan snapped. "You were sent to Hwang Minho''s house to protect his family but now I''m hearing that you were dating Hwang Minho even before this case was entrusted to you. You''ve mixed in your personal and professionalmitments. Any officer who does that cannot be seen as a reliable person to handle a case this big!"


    "But sir-"


    "No more excuses Gayoon," Junwan said tly. "I don''t care whether you keep living with your boyfriend or not but you are officially off this case. Hand over all your files to Taejoon."


    With that, he dismissed Gayoon. She swallowed her pride and turned around to leave. Hurt and disappointed, she felt the eyes of her other fellow officers staring at her. Some of them were sympathetic while the others were jeering at her for her failure.


    Junwan was right. She did fail to protect Mina and now her friend was facing the consequences of Gayoon''s inability to protect her. Dejected, she slumped onto her chair andy her head on her hands.


    Gayoon tried her best to not burst out and cry. As a police officer, she should not be showing her emotions out in the public but it was very hard to hold herself together. She could not even face Minho and Jina in that state.


    I failed, she thought. I simply failed. She could not even defend herself in her thoughts out of guilt.


    "Detective Jeon?"


    She looked up to see one of the rookie officers standing next to her desk.


    "Someone left this note for you," he said.


    Gayoon frowned and took the note. Opening it, she read the contents. The letter was printed out but there was no signature.


    "Look for a ck van with arge cold storage in the back," she read. "It belongs to one of the doctors at the hospital. And the shadow is neither living nor dead"


    Her frown deepened as she kept reading until thest line whichpletely shocked her.


    "Yumi''s heart is inside CCK!"


    Gayoon''s mouth fell in shock. Whoever wrote this letter knew the CCK was a cannibal killer but that was not possible! That part was not publicized to the media and only the few people involved with the case knew about it.


    She studied the letter back and forth, trying to find the sender''s name but there was none.


    "How did you find this letter? Who gave it to you?" she demanded of the rookie.


    "I don''t know," he said. "We found it stuck on the precinct''s door with a chewing gum."


    Gayoon groaned in annoyance. Taking out the CCTV footage would take hours and she did not have time to waste.


    Just then, Minho and Kanji barged into the precinct. They looked very worried and scared as they approached her.


    "We might know who the new CCK is!" Minho eximed as soon as he reached her.


    "Your coroner can confirm if the contents found in this doctor''s stomach is a human heart or not," Kanji added.


    Minho held up the reports for her to read. To his surprise, she also held up a paper.


    "And I might know how he''s been hiding," she revealed. "But before that, you''ll have to do me a favor."


    Minho and Kanji frowned at her. "What do you want us to do?" Minho asked.


    Gayoon gave them a cryptic smile and said, "Hire me."

 Chapter 121: 5 Days-Hired Help

    Chapter 121: 5 Days-Hired Help


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    ....


    Taejoon presided over the case briefing with the CCK team. While the others were surprised that Gayoon was taken off the case, they did not dare to voice out their displeasure. Junwan was also present there, overseeing the preparations.


    "All we know is that this is a copycat killer," Taejoon said. "He''s connected to the original CCK in some way. Probably a fan or someone who had insights on the serial killer. He knew that the real CCK was Doctor Nam and also that he was put into aa after his confrontation with Hwang Minho. And now he''s out for revenge."


    "Have you talked to thetest victim''s parents?" Junwan asked.


    "We did sir," Taejoon replied. "We checked the CCTV footage as well but it was damaged. What we don''t understand is why the copycat killer targeted the CCK''s own daughter. And how he managed to kidnap Hwang Mina from the hospital-"


    "That''s coz she was not kidnapped from the hospital."


    The voice made everyone turn and gasp in shock as Gayoon entered the room followed by Minho and Kanji.


    "Jeon Gayoon!" Junwan yelled at her. "You were taken off the case. What are you doing here?"


    Gayoon felt a little guilty for disobeying orders but that did not deter her. She stood tall, looking at her supervisor in the eye.


    "I''m here to solve the case assigned to me," she said boldly.


    "You are no longer in charge of the CCK case," Taejoon pointed out. "I am the new leader."


    "Not the CCK case," Minho spoke up. "I have hired Detective Jeon to investigate my sister''s kidnapping. As an elder brother, I''m very much concerned about her disappearance and I want Detective Jeon to independently handle this case."


    Before Taejoon could argue back, Kanji piped in. "And given that the CCK might possibly be behind Mina''s kidnapping, the two cases merely coincided," he added. "There isn''t any proof that the fake CCK kidnapped Mina. But it''s a possibility so our highly talented Gayoon will take care of it."


    "She can''t meddle with this case anymore!" Junwan said hotly. "She''s personally connected to the victim-"


    "As a citizen of this country, I do believe I have the right to choose which officer could look into my sister''s case," Minho said loudly. "And I''ve hired Detective Jeon for it. After all, she will put more passion into finding my sister since she''s personally connected to us. If you want, I can put in a few calls to themissioner and see what he has to say about the fact that you decided to remove your best detective from the CCK case at a time when her expertise is needed the most. Don''t forget that if she hadn''t persuaded me to testify, you guys would''ve never found out about Doctor Nam."


    HIs steely voice was calm yet made everyone nervous. The cold and icy re chilled Junwan''s spine, making him more ufortable. Hwang Minho had a way with words which made people bend to his will. He did not need to use his money; his wits were enough.


    "Fine," Junwan finally conceded. "The CCK team will cooperate with Detective Jeon to find Mina. However, if Mina''s kidnapping turns out to be unrted to the CCK case, the officers will not provide anymore information to Jeon."


    "Deal!" Gayoon eximed. "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have something important to share."


    She walked towards the front and turned to face all of them. Holding up the letter she said, "This morning, someone had sent me this."


    She handed the letter to Junwan who frowned. "This is" he began.


    "An anonymous tip from a witness," Gayoon said. "Or maybe a sadistic y from the CCK himself. We don''t know. However, before being kidnapped, Mina wasst seen in the hospital. A nurse told us that she was looking for Doctor Dohyun and upon learning that Dohyun was not at the hospital, she rushed towards thetter''s house."


    "What does this have got to do with the case?" Taejoon asked.


    "Doctor Dohyun was admitted into the hospitalst night," Minho supplied. "She had food poisoning and a sudden heart attack which was at first thought to have urred due to stress."


    "But it turns out, Doctor Dohyun was having memory gaps," Kanji added. "In Mina''s notes, she wrote that Dohyunined of forgetfulness and that she had been eating things which she did not recall consuming."


    He handed the file to Junwan. ncing through it, Junwan was reluctantly impressed by the three vignt sleuths who had been snooping around.


    "The contents found in Dohyun''s stomach matched the chemicalposition of the human heart," Gayoon revealed. "Our coroner, Jaein, confirmed it herself. Mina found out about it as well and rushed to find Dohyun."


    "Human heart?" Hobin gasped from his seat. Beside him,Rui looked as if she was about to throw up whileJiang also looked visibly distrubed by the revtions. The case was not only barbaric but very sickening. The young rookies had little chance of tolerating the CCK''s barbarity.


    "So Mina must have gone to find Dohyun at her apartment," Gayoon continued, hiding her own disdain. "And that''s when she was kidnapped."


    "Have you checked the CCTV footage near Dohyun''s apartment?" Junwan demanded.


    "Like all the other kidnappings, the CCTV was damaged here as well," Gayoon admitted. "However, the hospital''s CCTV and the roadside cameras caught Mina''s car along the route which led to Dohyun''s house. And as per the note, Dohyun drove a ck van which is big enough to store arge cold storage."


    "This also goes with our theory that the CCK was storing his victims inside a cold temperature for five days before he finally kills them. Today is day one and we have only four days to save Mina."


    "How do we know this note is legit?" Junwan questioned her. "We get fake tips all the time."


    "Whoever wrote this note knows that the CCK is a cannibal," Minho pointed out. "This was not public information."


    "Which means that the writer of the note is a witness or the CCK himself," Kanji concluded. "Thetter is unlikely because the CCK is in aa. Plus, the copycat is imitating the CCK to the T so he would not send the note either. This was a genuine witness. All we gotta do is find him or her."


    "But first, we need to find Mina," Gayoon pressed. "We''ll have to hunt down every ck van which is big enough to hide a cold storage in the back. Once we get the van, we can find the CCK."


    Junwan leaned back, ncing at the troublesome trio. He was reluctant to let Gayoon back on the case because of her connection to Hwang Minho but thetter turned out to be even more tenacious to keep Gayoon with the case.


    Hwang Minho went through all this trouble for her! Junwan thought in astonishment. Either they''re very serious about each other or there''s something more to them than meets the eye.


    "Fine," he caved in. "I''ll give the order to search all the ck vans. And the CCK team will work with you to find Hwang Mina. But my earlier statement still stands. If the kidnapper is not the second CCK, then this team will not help you any further."


    "Done," Gayoon agreed. She knew very well that the kidnapper was the fake CCK and thest warning was useless. But there was no time to dwell on that. They had a murderer to catch.

 Chapter 122: 5 Days-Day Two

    Chapter 122: 5 Days-Day Two


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BOK FOR THE WIN WIN EVENT BY BUYING THE 1 COIN PRIVILEGE TIER! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF WE REACH 500 COINS!


    ......


    The freezing temperature was making her shiver. No matter where her eyes went, it was only ice and ice all around her. Her body was kept paralyzed but she was being slowly frozen. Mina was trying to think calmly about the whole situation.


    She was kept awake this time because the CCK wants to make her suffer as much as possible. It was hard to guess whether the person talking to her was Dohyun or CCK. Her rationality said that it was a copycat killer who idolized CCK but Mina''s heart was screaming that it was the real killer. It was hard to exin but she felt the same fear from years ago when she first encountered him. All she knew was that Dohyun was not in control of her actions.


    I have to get out of here! She told herself but her wretched body would not move.


    Suddenly, the door to the storage opened again and Dohyun came in. She stared at Mina''s still figure and put her palm on thetter''s forehead. Mina wanted to squirm and kick her but was unable to do so. Dohyun''s cold finger traced to her abdomen, making Mina disgusted.


    "You have grown to be a fine woman," CCKmented. "More refined and pure."


    She pped her stomach and wheezed in glee. It was going to be a good meal, she thought happily. Only three more days.


    The CCK could not wait to see the look on Hwang Minho''s face once his sister''s corpse was found. It would be a treat to watch his agony. After what that man had done, the killer was relishing the fact that justice was about to be served.


    "We''ll have a very good time together," Dohyun whispered. "I''m sure you''re wondering how this happened?"


    She pointed at herself, indicating the connection between CCK and Dohyun. "You see, little one, I''m neither here nor there," she whispered. "You and your brother had left me in a state of nothingness. I can''t go back to my body nor die. I wander here and there while the living humans pass me by, oblivious to my existence"


    The bitter memories of being ignored were rushing back to the CCK. He had cried and screamed, demanding for the people to look at him. But they kept on living and moving on while he was in a limbo, stuck in an unending maze with no one to turn to.


    He had watched his wife visit the hospital once with their baby daughter whom he could not even hold in his arms. Would she remember him? Did she know who her father was?


    "All of you had ignored me in my state," he continued in a bitter tone. "I was lost and lonely, desperate to meet my family. What did I even do to you? All I was doing was to eat and survive."


    Mina could feel the bileing up her throat by listening to his story. The person in front of her really was an evil entity from hell itself. Now she was certain that it was not Dohyun but someone else talking through her lips. The poor girl probably had no idea of what was going on with her.


    "But you and your brother had taken away the chance from me to meet my little girl," he hissed. "You have destroyed my family."


    "When I saw that you had arrived to work in the hospital where my still bodyy, my thirst for vengeance filled me again," he revealed. "I kept an eye on you, observing you. Even after the fear I instilled in you, you dared to rise out of it! You dared to be a doctor and took my ce!"


    HIs voice was now shriller and manic. "So I took over this girl''s body," he revealed. "I mustered all my energy and began to control this clueless idiot who had no idea what was happening to her. She thought she was going mad but it was me! I made her kidnap those girls. I did it exactly how I used to do it all those years ago. I kidnapped them and made a feast out of them!"


    His manic grin was getting wider and wider with every word. Through Dohyun''s eyes, he was emitting his psychotic aura, overwhelming Mina. She tried not to be scared but like her body, her mind had also gone into shock of what she had just heard. This thing...it was controlling Dohyun? How was this even possible?


    "Three more days, little one," he promised. "Three more days and all of this would be finally over. Maybe, I''ll be awake from mya and see my own daughter while you will rot away in a cold grave. But don''t worry, a part of you will always live...inside me."


    He let out another wheezingughter and began to walk away, leaving Mina in a state of shock and denial.


    The CCK was back.


    .....


    Jina had snuck out of the house with Yumi and Casper after everyone at home had gone to sleep. Minho and Gayoon were out solving the case and would not be back for a while. The staff had tucked her to bed and finally retired to their rooms so Jina took her chance to escape through her window and easily climbed down the pipe. With Casper and Yumi by her side, she was not really afraid of any danger.


    "Are you sure this will work?" Yumi frowned. "I''m still a new ghost. I don''t know anyone else who is like me other than this weirdo."


    Casper frowned at her before making hand gestures at Jina.


    "You''re right," Jina agreed. "We should look around that spot from where my aunt was kidnapped. You said there was a water spirit living at the park nearest to that ce?"


    Casper nodded.


    "Then let''s go and ask that thing," Jina decided. "It might know where the spirit took my aunt."


    Together, they marched off towards the spot in question. Since Jina was seemingly alone, it would take them longer to get there. They took a public bus to Dohyun''s area and after half an hour, the bus dropped her off there. Casper and Yumi led her to the apartmentplex where Dohyun lived.


    "So this is where my aunt was kidnapped from," Jina said thoughtfully. She nced around but there were no spirits in sight.


    "Let''s go to the park then," Yumi suggested. "I''ve seen that doctor roam around there quite a lot when I was alive. Maybe that spirit will know."


    Her words made Jina and Casper turn to her in surprise.


    "Wait a minute," Jina frowned. "You''ve seen that doctor roam around in the park when you were alive?"


    "Yeah," Yumi shrugged. "I don''t know her so I didn''t realize it before but now that I think about it, that doctor used to frequent the park a lot to jog or feed the pigeons or something. Anyways, my house isn''t far from here so I used to frequent the park as well. We never talked but I caught glimpses of her from time to time. Which is why she looked so familiar when I saw her at the hospital. I just realized itter."


    Then she realized something. "The other victim!" she eximed. "The one killed after me also used to visit this park!"


    Jina and Casper looked at each other in shock. "The missing link!" Jina gasped. "It''s the park! That''s how he''s getting his victims!"

 Chapter 123: 5 Days-Just a Woman

    Chapter 123: 5 Days-Just a Woman


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE BUY THE PRIVILEGE TIER OF THIS BOOK TO SUPPORT ME IN THE WIN WIN EVENT! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF WE CAN MAKE IT TO 500 COINS!


    ........


    Gayoon mulled over the note in her hands. She was sitting alone in the interrogation room. Sometimes when she felt lost and confused, she locks herself in that room to think clearly. There were no spirits nor anyone else who would disturb her there and she could think quietly in peace.


    Minho and Kanji left to brief their private security team to find Mina. Two of the most powerful men in the country were out to find her and yet, the serial killer was still able to hide while Gayoon was questioning her abilities in that little room.


    "ck van," she muttered to herself "Yumi''s heart"


    The CCK team had already obtained Dohyun''s vehicle registration number and a team was dispersed to look for it. The van wasst captured on CCTV, leaving the city''s lines but after that it disappeared. No doubt the van must have gone into the vast forest along the city lines but it would take them weeks to look for Mina in that wilderness and they did not have much time left. It was the second day and they had barely three days in their hand.


    But the line which intrigued Gayoon the most was about the ck shadow. Why did the anonymous sender mention a ck shadow? How was this connected to the case?


    "UGH!" she eximed. She put her head down and tried to clear her thoughts. What was the missing link? How did the CCK get his victims? He did not just kidnap random women. There must be a link!


    "Think!" she scolded herself. "Think!"


    She wanted to question the first survivor, Mimi, but ording to Minho she was suffering from dementia. Years of suppressed fear and nightmares finally caught up to her and there was no way they could use her as a reliable witness. The police team also visited the spot where CCK was shot but that ce was now turned into an amusement park.


    Should I ask Yumi? She wondered. It was a step she dreaded to take but there was little choice. Yumi might know something which would help them find Mina.


    I''m gonna ask her, she decided and got up to leave. She was almost at the door when it burst open and Taejoon walked in.


    "Taejoon!" she said in surprise. "Did you find anything?"


    "Not yet," he admitted. "But I want to talk to you."


    He looked really serious and Gayoon dreaded what he was going to say.


    "What are you doing?" he questioned her. "You were removed from the case! You know that killer is out to take revenge on Hwang Minho! Don''t you think that killer might target you next? Why are you risking your life like this?"


    His question annoyed Gayoon. As much as she appreciated the concern, her gut feeling told her that Taejoon was more worried that she was working with Minho than about her actual wellbeing.


    "I''m a police officer," she stated. "It''s my job to help people."


    "You told him to hire you for his sister''s kidnapping and to treat it as an independent case," he used her.


    "So?" she shot back. "What''s wrong with that? You know very well that the CCK kidnapped a friend of mine and I have more reason to find him! I will be more relentless!"


    "You are mixing your personal and professional life!" he retorted. "And this will make you the CCK''s next target! You''re just a...a"


    "A what, Taejoon?" she demanded, waiting for him to answer despite knowing fully well what he wanted to say.


    "You''re just a...a...woman!" he finally said out loud. "You might be a good detective but it still does not change the fact that you''re still a woman! That killer is targeting women and you''re also close to the person he wants to exact revenge from! Don''t you think that you should worry about your safety first?"


    Gayoon gave him a cold gaze. "Safety?" she scoffed, shaking her head. Even after solving numerous cases and giving her heart and soul to a job she loved, all her aplishments were zeroed down to her gender. It was her personal life which interested people more than a mad killer on the loose.


    "Thanks partner," she said in a sarcastic and sad tone. "Thanks a lot for believing in me. After all these years, thanks for seeing me as a capable officer rather than think me of as a woman who should think of her safety first."


    "Gayoon I didn''t mean that-"


    "No, that''s exactly what you meant," she said. "After all, I should think of my safety because I''m a woman, not a police officer who swore to protect the citizens."


    Hurt and disappointment filled her eyes, making Taejoon avert his eyes in guilt. He did not want to put his words that way but seeing her recklessness only made him worried for her and he ended up blurting those things to her.


    "Now if you would excuse me," she said. "I have to go and do my job."


    She reached for the knob before pausing to add, "And about mixing my personal and professionalmitments. Think whatever the fuck you want. As long as I can catch the killer and save Mina, I don''t care about your or other people''s opinions."


    She turned and left him in the room to reflect on his actions.There were far more pressing matters in her hand.


    ...


    Minho was in his office, briefing his security team alongside Kanji who had also brought his men. Even though Minho''s reputation was fairly clean and he never dabbed into the underworld business, Kanji''s case was different. His father, Jang Jason, was one of the most dreaded men in the mafia due to his influence. Their businesses were legal but that did not stop Jason from extending his control over the nation''s mafia for his self interests. And with Kanji as his heir, the mafia were bound to follow him.


    After dispersing the men to find more information, Minho and Kanji were alone in his office, trying to figure out their next move.


    "The forest where CCK''s old hideout was has been destroyed," Minho stated. "It''s now an amusement park and hence, it''s unlikely that he''s gonna use that hideout."


    "The police think it''s a copycat killer," Kanji pointed out. "But how is it even possible? The killer knew that you had injured the CCK years ago. Only the three of us knew this! Even Mimi didn''t know the details. And that doctor was a toddler when CCK was hospitalized! How did she know about all these details?"


    Minho was also wondering along the same lines. The new CCK knew too much. Only someone who was present that night could have known all this. Moreover, the MO waspletely the same. Copycats usually differ from the original ones at one point but this killer was a perfection in being CCK.


    "Only Doctor Dohyun herself can reveal this mystery," he finally said.

 Chapter 124: 5 Days-A Peeper

    Chapter 124: 5 Days-A Peeper


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    ......


    Meanwhile Jina and her two minions were keeping an eye on the park, waiting to see if any spirit turned up. They were hiding in the bushes to peep on the passing ghosts, debating whom to ask.


    "What about that one?" Jina asked, pointing at a paledy whose face was slit on her sides to resemble a smile. The cuts were bleeding a pale liquid and the woman was watching beadily at the humans around her.


    Casper shook his head and made hand gestures.


    "You''re saying that''s the Kuchisake Onna?" she frowned. "Isn''t she the one who goes around asking people if she''s pretty or not? And whatever the answer is, she''ll end up slitting people''s faces anyway?"


    Casper nodded while Yumi groaned. "I used to think ghosts were only figments of everyone''s imagination," she muttered.


    "Some are," Jina exined. "There are a few stories which were made up but a lot of them aren''t."


    The pale woman nced their way and approached them. An evil glint was evident in her eyes as she came up to the trio from the back, hiding her de in her long kimono.


    "Little girl," she said in a sing-song voice. "Am I pretty?"


    "No," Jina replied offhandedly, her eyes still looking out for other spirits.


    The woman took off her mask and asked again, "Am I pretty now?"


    "Buzz off!" Yumi snapped. "We''ve got bigger things to worry about than your ugly face!"


    The ghost was taken aback by Yumi''s bluntness and was about to attack but Casper turned around to re at her. Seeing his bashed in face scared the ghost and she screamed.


    "AHHHHH!" she yelled in fright and ran away while the trio stared at her retreating back.


    "She should really take a good look at herself in the mirror," Yumi scoffed.


    "What about that ghost?" Jina pointed at a sad looking ghost sitting next to a trash can. He was gloomy and was seated at his spot for a long time. Casper shook his head.


    "Why not?" Jina frowned.


    "That''s coz that old man keeps on annoying people with his sob story," Yumi sighed. "When I was stalking that doctor, I stopped by this park to say hi to him. I thought I should get to know more ghosts. But the guy went on and on about how his girlfriend had dumped him and married a rich guy while he became so depressed that he hung himself on that tree next to the trash can. The guy even reenacts it to add dramatic effect. When I asked him what happened to his girlfriend, he went on to repeat the same story and hung himself. Again."


    "He''s out then," Jina said, shaking her head. "But we need to find someone who can give us information!"


    She scanned the area but it was of no use. They would have to split up and search.


    "Yumi unnie, you go south," she said. "Casper and I will take the northern side. Let''s see if we can find a spirit who can give us info."


    "Fine," Yumi agreed and they split up. Jina and Casper headed towards the pond where the spirits were mixed with living human beings who were there to enjoy a nighttime stroll.


    Normally, Jina would have been too scared to venture out at night on her own but with Casper as herpanion she was not afraid. Even if he could not physically hurt anyone who would dare to harm her, he could hurl things at them which was enough to scare people away.


    Casper pointed at one girl ghost who was staring in jealousy at a lovey dovey couple.


    "Nah," Jina refused. "She seems to be a crazy stalker. Let''s find someone more perceptive"


    She nced around until her eyes fell on one male ghost who was lurking behind a tree. He was a slim man in his mid twenties and even though he was pale to the point he was almost transparent, Jina could tell he had greasy hair. His face was in and he was obese for his age. The guy was creepily staring at a group of women, leering at them.


    "That peeper," she began. "Let''s ask him."


    Even though she was only eight, she had seen these kinds of spirits. They tended to stalk women and peeped on them like they did when they were alive. Jina called them peepers and whenever she saw one around, she would throw things at them until they ran off. These ghosts were not dangerous but they were cowardly and perverted. Yet, these ghosts also knew a lot of information about people.


    Casper nodded and they quietly approached the ghost which was busy jeering at the girls.


    "Huhuhu," he giggled. "That one looks like Angelina Jolie! I should stalk her tonight"


    She was eyeing a pretty blonde girl who was probably a foreigner. The girl had no idea a pervert was lusting after her as she merrily chatted with her friends. Jina pulled up her sleeves and put her hands on her waist.


    "Oi you!" she called at it. The peeper was shocked and turned around only to find the little girl calling him.


    "Y-y-you can see me?" he asked in astonishment.


    "Yes," she replied. "And also the fact that you''re stalking those girls! Do you want me to unleash Casper on you?"


    She pointed at her scary lookingpanion who crunched in knuckles in a menacing way, ready to punch the peeper. The peeper yelped and fell to his knees.


    "Forgive me!" he begged. "I was only keeping an eye on my sister! She''s the blonde one!"


    "Yes, I can see the resemnce," she snorted. "I''m eight but not dumb!"


    "I won''t do it again!" he lied but Jina did not have time to deal with his idiocy.


    "I want to know something," she began. "Do you know that female doctor who lives in that building?"


    She pointed at the apartmentplex where Dohyun lived. The peeper frowned.


    "A lot of female doctors live there," he stated. "I''ve seen them all and know their names. Which one are you talking about?"


    Casper made hand signs at Jina who nodded and turned to the peeper. "Dohyun," she said. "Doctor Dohyun. She owns arge ck van."


    "Oh yes!" the peeper eximed. "That weird one. I''ve seen her around but I didn''t dare to stalk her! She is already being stalked by a ck shadow. I don''t want to go anywhere near that half dead thing!"


    "Half dead?" Jina questioned.


    "Oh that shadow is alive," the peeper revealed. "It''s not dead nor is it fully alive. Whoever it belongs to, is in a state between life and death. He can''t pass on to the world of the dead nor live among humans. It''s the product of a limbo."


    "Then howe it''s stalking people?" Jina asked. "And why is it targeting that doctor?"


    "Maybe ittched on to the first person it could find," the peeper shrugged. "But there isn''t any criteria for possessing people. Anyone can be possessed if they have a weak willpower. It''s difficult to possess people with stronger willpower. It must have sensed that doctor''s insecurities and thought she was the perfect vessel."


    "What did he make her do?" Jina asked.


    "Well"


    The peeper thought hard. "I did see something," he admitted. He leaned closer as if afraid that someone would hear him.


    "I did see her leavete at nights," he whispered. "She got into her van and drove off somewhere. This happened a lot and I found it strange because that girl looked as if she was hypnotized. So I followed her one night-"


    "You just said that you didn''t stalk her!" Jina used.


    "I wasn''t stalking!" he said indignantly. "I was just curious about what she was upto."


    "That''s called stalking and it''s illegal!"


    "Do you want the info or not?" he demanded. Jina bit her lip, feeling conflicted while Casper scowled at the pervert.


    "Fine!" she conceded. "What happened next?"


    "The ck shadow did not realize I was following it," he went on. "But it was with her in the van. They drove to this warehouse just a little down the airport. The warehouse was abandoned so they were using it for something. I didn''t go any further than that in case the shadow had noticed me but I lingered around. After a while, the girl emerged out of the warehouse, carrying arge bag. I didn''t know what was in it, but as she was dragging it away, I saw fresh blood pouring out of it, staining the ground"


    Jina felt ufortable at the gory details while Casper red at the peeper who was unabashed by his descriptive storytelling.


    "Anyways," he went on. "The doctor carried it out and ced it in her car. Then she drove off once again with the shadow in tow. I didn''t follow them any further because I was afraid of that ck shadow. It was making the doctor do a lot of things and there was no doubt that she''s possessed."


    Just then Yumi appeared out of thin air to find Jina and Casper''s shell shocked faces.


    "Who is this beauty?" the peeper asked, catcalling at Yumi. Thetter hit him with all her might, throwing him to the ground.


    "Disgusting pig!" she cursed. "Get outta here!"


    The peeper was not hurt since ghosts did not feel anything but was irritated at Yumi. He grumbled in annoyance and got up to leave.


    "What did you two find out?" she asked, turning to them.


    "A lot of things!" Jina eximed. "Come on! I''ll tell you on the way home!"

 Chapter 125: 5 Days-Day 3

    Chapter 125: 5 Days-Day 3


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BOOK FOR WIN WIN BY BUYING THE PRIVILEGE TIER! IT COSTS ONLY ONE COIN!


    IF I GET 500 PRIVILEGE COINS, I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE!


    ......


    Kwak Shujin carried a tray of food and made her way upstairs towards Junho''s tiny room. The man had not eaten properly for the past few days and had shut himself up in the room, refusing toe out unless it was necessary. What''s wrong with him? She wondered.


    "Open up!" she eximed, knocking on his door. It took him a while to answer but the door slid open and she walked in. Junho shuffled towards a small chair while Shujin nced at some pictures on his desk and sighed.


    "You took out your old albums again?" she asked, putting the tray on the desk. There were a few pictures strewn across the desk of a family who were happily posing for pictures.


    Junho was younger and slimmer in them, looking very handsome while his wife Suna was an olive skinned beauty with dark chocte colored eyes and a pretty smile. She was holding a little baby who was barely a few months old while her other arm was around a ten year old boy with the same eyes as hers.


    "If you really miss them so much, then go and talk to them," she suggested. "Minho might actually listen to you if you just exin!"


    "He won''t," Junhomented. "He won''t believe me. And my little girl she probably hates me for leaving them like that! She doesn''t even remember her own father! I can''t face them when their mother''s killer is still out there."


    He was bitter and angry at himself for how everything turned out to be. This was not supposed to happen. Their family was supposed to be happy! At this age, he was supposed to have retired and spent all his time with his wife. Minho should have been married and had children of his own while Mina chased her own dreams. They were supposed to stay together as a family.


    But there he was, depending on the kindness of outsiders while he hid from his children out of guilt and fear.


    Shujin knew the dilemma going on in his mind and felt sorry for this man. He had been through so much and was still trying to aplish his mission to bring his wife''s killer to justice.


    "I saw her that day," he said. "Mina."


    Shujin gaped at him in astonishment. "How?" she asked. "Where?"


    "At a store right outside the hospital Gayoon was visiting," he revealed. "I was about to go into the hospital but I saw my old friend Jason''s son, Kanji,going in so I backed off. He would have recognized me so I hid in a store. There, I met Mina who was buying a jacket for her friend."


    He could not help but smile at their little altercation over the jacket. Seemed like his daughter was also a keen bargainer like him and would stop at nothing to go out of her way to shower her close ones with gifts and love.


    "She''s a doctor now," he went on. "I can''t believe it! She was so tiny thest time I saw her. I could carry her around in one arm and now she grew up to be a beautiful youngdy! And I couldn''t even tell her how proud I was of her."


    His voice croaked and he averted his eyes to hide his tears. Shujin did not speak but simply listened to him talking about his daughter who probably did not even know about his existence.


    "Seeing her made me happy and also sad," he admitted. "I thought that after all these years, I have be strong enough to face them but I was wrong. The moment I saw her name on the hospital''s name badge, I couldn''t face her anymore and walked away. I couldn''t do it. I just couldn''t"


    "Just go and meet her," Shujin urged. "You don''t have to tell her that you''re her father! Meet her as a patient and talk to her. As long as your son does not find out, you can meet her in secret. Just be careful."


    "I-" Junho began to protest but Shujin was not going to hear any of it.


    "I''ll tell you what, you can take me with you," she pressed. "I''ll pretend to be your aunt and we''ll go to visit her chamber as patients. You can catch a glimpse of her! Now,e on! Get dressed."


    The old woman tugged at Junho''s palm. Despite wanting to resist, his heart yearned to see his daughter again and he did not protest much. After half an hour, they were all dressed up and headed for the hospital in a cab.


    After a while, they got off the cab and walked towards the hospital. "Do you know which department she works for?" Shujin asked.


    "Let me inquire at the reception," he replied.


    Stepping towards the reception he asked the front desk staff, "Excuse me. I would like to have an appointment set up for my aunt and have her checked by Doctor Hwang Mina. I''ve heard many good things about her treatment n."


    "Does your mother have any previous cardio conditions?" the receptionist asked.


    Cardiologist, he realized. My daughter is a cardiologist!


    "Uhh, yes," he lied. "She suffers from frequent heartburns. We thought that we should have it checked up on."


    "I can give you an appointment with Doctor Lin today," the receptionist stated. "Doctor Hwang is currently unavable until further notice."


    Junho frowned. Unavable until further notice?


    "Is she alright?"he asked in a casual tone. "It''s just that she''s a friend of my daughter''s and she was the one who rmended her. I hope she is doing fine."


    "Uhh" She did not want to say anything but Junho slipped in a hundred bucks through the flexi ss and her eyes lit up at the sight of it.


    The receptionist looked around before lowering her voice to talk.


    "I''ve heard that she went off to find Doctor Dohyun, an intern at our hospital," she whispered. "Doctor Dohyun had mysteriously vanished the night before and Doctor Hwang went to look for her. Moreover, there were some tests done on Doctor Dohyun and what they found was so disturbing."


    "What were the test results?" Junho asked quietly.


    "Apparently, Doctor Dohyun was consuming human hearts!" the receptionist winced. "It became the talk of the hospital and Doctor Mina went to find her only to end up missing herself! We''ve heard that Doctor Dohyun might be the CCK! You know, the serial killer who''s kidnapping women and slicing them up after taking their hearts?"


    Junho froze in shock. Mina was kidnapped by the CCK?


    "And that is not all," she went on. "One of the police officers who came here after Doctor Hwang was kidnapped, told us that the CCK had some sort of personal enmity with Hwang Minho, Doctor Hwang''s elder brother. His name was written on one of the crime scenes."


    "I see"


    Junho quietly backed away, his face pale with shock and anger. His daughter was kidnapped by a serial killer? His insides were fuming with anger as he pictured his little girl, cold and helpless while a serial killer loomed over her, threatening to end her life.


    "What happened?" Shujin asked once he reached her.


    Junho quietly told her everything and her eyes widened in fear. "That''s the same case Gayoon is working on!" she revealed. "Which means Gayoon must know about what is going on with Mina!"


    "I can''t risk asking Gayoon," he said. "I''ll have to find this killer myself before it''s toote! I''m gonna ask around in my hunter circle if they know anything about any such serial killer."


    "Those old men only know about ghosts and spirits," Shujin frowned. "Serial killers are way out of their league!"


    "You''ll be surprised at what they know," he stated cryptically. "They can summon nearby spirits and ask them as well."


    Before Shujin could argue further, Junho walked away, determined to find his daughter. Taking out his phone, he dialed Shinjin''s number.


    "Shin!" he barked. "Get ready for a seance."


    Shinjin, who was fast asleep and was not amused by being woken up by the unexpected call, frowned in annoyance.


    "Now?" he asked. "It''s still early in the morning!"


    "Yes, now!" Junho scolded him. "Prepare everything. We''ll do it tonight. I need information."


    "On what?"


    Junho took a deep breath and said, "On the CCK. He has my daughter and I have to save her."


    ...


    Jina was climbing the pipe which led to her room. She had snuck in through a hole in the garden which only she knew about and somehow managed to avoid the numerous CCTV cameras on the grounds. Thankfully, Casper knew about the blind spots and instructed her on which route to take so that she can sneak in and out undetected.


    Heaving herself in through the window of her room, shended with a soft ''plop!'' on the ground.


    "Made it!" she eximed. She could tell that the adults were still out and no one had realized she was missing since it was still the wee hours of morning.


    Yumi and Casper appeared next to her.


    "What are we gonna do now?" Yumi asked. "Send another note?"


    Before Jina could reply, the door knob began to rattle. She quickly scrambled on her bed and pulled the nket above her head, pretending to be asleep while Yumi and Casper retreated to a corner, standing very still.


    Gayoon entered the room, careful not to wake up Jina. The little girl was sleepingfortably on her bed, unaware of the nightly visitors and Gayoon could not help but feel sorry for her. She lightly stroked Jina''s head.


    Thetter did not dare to move but stayed still as Gayoon patted her.


    "I know you two are standing behind me," she said, still patting the little girl. Casper and Yumi were taken by surprise. What?


    "Now, tell me everything you know about the CCK, Yumi," Gayoon demanded in a calm tone.

 Chapter 126: 5 Days-A Revelation

    Chapter 126: 5 Days-A Revtion


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPOR THIS NOVEL FOR WIN WIN EVENT BY BUYING THE PRIVILEGE TIER FOR 1 COIN!


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    .........


    Jinay very still, trying to process what Gayoon had just done. Lady Cop can see spirits too? But how was that possible? She could not see the ck shadow in the hospital whereas Jina had clearly seen it!


    Casper was also surprised but Yumi kept her cool. She had suspected it for a while but it seemed that Gayoon could truly sense them on some levels. It was an odd coincidence but Gayoon looked very confident.


    The detective stood up and faced their way, determined to know the truth. She was looking at the wrong direction though which made Yumi frown.


    "Can you see us?" Yumi demanded.


    "No," Gayoon admitted. "I can only sense your presence and hear you. On my first night here, you told me about a ck shadow. And yesterday, a letter arrived telling me of a ck shadow. It was rted to the CCK since the letter also mentioned about your...heart."


    Yumi was silent for a while. "Did you send that letter?" Gayoon pressed. "How did you do it?"


    Yumi was about to tell how Jina could see them but Casper shook his head and made gestures at her to lie. He was not sure how much they should reveal to the detective and it was best to gauge her reactions first before they told her the full truth.


    "I possessed a passing traveler and made him write it," Yumi lied smoothly. "About the ck shadow too. I know the CCK has my heart. I know what he did with it too."


    It was a good thing that Gayoon could not see them otherwise their expressions would have given away their lie.


    "He?" Gayoon raised her eyebrow. "The current CCK is a copycat and it''s a woman. Doctor Dohyun who is an intern at-"


    "Dohyun is only a scapegoat," Yumi revealed. "The ck shadow! That''s the real culprit. Dohyun is being possessed. We saw it!"


    Gayoon froze in fear. A ck shadow? Possession?


    "That''s impossible!" she gasped. "Only spirits can possess other people''s bodies! That too when they be very powerful after lingering for a few years! I''ve never heard of ack shadow being able to possess people. Moreover, if it was a spirit then I would have sensed or heard it!"


    "It might be because it''s not a spirit!" Yumi replied. "It''s not even dead! We staked outside that doctor''s house and also asked the spirits in the park! They told us that the ck shadow isn''t dead but not alive either. It was somewhere in between life and death, resembling a half dead entity. Maybe that''s why you couldn''t sense it? The shadow lingers in the hospital butes out to possess the doctor."


    Gayoon thought hard. She had never encountered such a phenomenon and this was going to be a challenge. On the other hand, if the ck shadow belonged to Doctor Nam, then it perfectly exins how Dohyun was able to replicate CCK''s methods to the T.


    "What else do you know?" she demanded. "And who is yourpanion? You keep on mentioning ''we''. There are two of you?"


    Is it Jiyeon? She wondered.


    "This is Casper," Yumi stated. Casper waved at Gayoon but thetter could not see him so she did not know that he was greeting her.


    "He can''t speak," Yumi supplied. "But he''s waving at you."


    "Uhh"


    Gayoon gave him a little wave as well, confused over the unlikely pair. "Anyways," Yumi shrugged. "You should investigate that park as well."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "The other victim, the one he killed after me, visited that park," Yumi said. "And it''s near Doctor Dohyun''s building too! I also frequented that ce when I was alive. The shadow might be getting victims from there."


    "This is brand new information," Gayoon muttered. I''ll have to dig up the old case files, she decided. If that''s how he''s getting victims now, then the previous victims must have also visited one ce quite frequently toe under his radar. Maybe his killings were not random after all.


    "Tell me about the night you were murdered," she said. "What do you remember?"


    "I remember that it was very cold," Yumi recalled. "I waspletely paralyzed from top to bottom but my consciousness was working. My head was jumbled up but the ce was moving. I was put in some kind of cold storage which was inside a vehicle. And we saw thetest one, Mina, getting kidnapped in a van which was big enough to have a cold storage container."


    "Did you see where she was taken?"


    "No, but a passing spirit told us that he once saw the van in the bunkers kept near the airport," Yumi exined.


    Gayoon began to piece all the puzzles now. Dohyun was not CCK but a vessel for the killer to carry out his revenge n. He was following his same MO in order to threaten Minho and get his revenge. The man was so hellbent on his revenge that he consumed his own daughter in the process.


    "But why are you here?" Gayoon finally asked. "Why are you in this house?"


    This was something which was baffling Gayoon. Yumi knew that Minho could not sense nor see her then why was she lingering in his mansion. And what was with the other ghost? Why was he there?


    "I came here after following Hwang Minho," Yumi said. It was half true anyway. She just happened to chance upon Jina who could see spirits. "And I met Casper here who is helping me to find my killer."


    "And you, Casper? Why are you here?"


    Casper scrambled to think up an excuse but Yumi came to his rescue.


    "He''s saying that one of the servants is his grandson andys out food for his soul every night," she lied. "So hees to ept the offering. We ended up meeting and he helps me out in getting used to my life as a ghost."


    "So you''re the ghost I felt hanging out inside Mina''s closet?" she questioned. "What were you doing there? And why are you always lingering near Jina?"


    "Jina reminds him of his granddaughter," Yumi lied once again. "He can''t speak but he''s very fond of the little girl and acts as a guardian angel! I swear, he''s not harmful at all! He might look scary but he''s a nice guy. He''s been here for a while and he did not harm anyone!"


    Yumi was surprisingly sincere about thetter part. Gayoon was a little hesitant to let the two ghosts stay there but they were so far harmless. If they had any malevolent tendencies then they would have harmed the family by then. She was not worried about herself but it was Jina who would bear the brunt. Children were vulnerable to ghostly possessions and she did not want Jina to suffer.


    "We mean no harm to anyone here!" Yumi imed. "In fact, Casper keeps all the dangerous spirits away from this house! I swear! We just want to find the CCK!"


    "We''ll talk about this after the case is over," Gayoon told them. "Until then, you guys are absolutely forbidden from entering Jina''s room. I''ll know if youe here! If you need to talk to someone, you can talk to me. But you can''te in here."


    Her decision was absolutely firm. There was no guarantee that harmless spirits would not turn out to be dangerous. Moreover, the silent ghost was also making her wary since it was hard for her to tell what kind of spirit he really was. What if he was a pedophile? Or worse, a mass murderer or criminal?


    "Fine," Yumi agreed, knowing fully that it would not stop Jina from seeing them. They can always meet up with her elsewhere in the house when Gayoon was not around. Casper also nodded in agreement.


    "I''ll talk to the CCK team and somehow sneak in the updates," Gayoon went on. "And tell them to take a look around those areas since they''re quite secluded."


    "And now, I think you two should go and ask more ghosts," she added. "No more sneaking around in Jina''s room."


    "Alright," Yumi said. "Let''s go Casper."


    The two of them disappeared. Gayoon felt their presences were gone and she hoped that they would keep their end of the bargain. The chances were low but she could only hope.


    She nced at Jina who was still pretending to be asleep. Patting the little girl''s head once more she kissed her cheek before leaving the room. Once she was gone, Jina opened her eyes and sat up.


    The little girl was shocked to learn that the Lady Cop could sense spirits too. There was another person like her who knew of the existence of ghosts!


    "This is getting weirder and weirder," she muttered. She let out a loud yawn.


    "Meh, I''ll just go to sleep and deal with everythingter," she mumbled, lying back again to sleep. It was a long night and she needed energy to find her aunt. She could not help but worry about Mina and how she was doing. Was she scared? Was she fighting hard? Or was she already


    No! She told herself. Aunt is fine. She''s tough! I''m sure she''ll make it.


    With uneasy thoughts, she went to sleep, trying not to think of whaty ahead for Mina.

 Chapter 127: 5 Days-A Request

    Chapter 127: 5 Days-A Request


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE BUY THE ONE COIN PRIVILEGE FOR THIS BOOK AND SUPPORT ME IN THE WIN WIN EVENT! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF WE REACH 500 COINS!


    ......


    Minho was at the precinct with Kanji, working at Gayoon''s desk to gather more intel. They had set up a proxy camp there and even their men were reporting to them in the police station. Some of the officers were staring at the men disapprovingly but Minho refused to leave. What if the officers found information on Mina and decided to hide it from him?


    Moreover, Junwan refused to give Gayoon and additional support for the case since ording to him she went rogue by going behind his back and hence, she would only work with the CCK team as a consultant not a full fledged member.


    All this annoyed Minho and he set up his camp there so that he could aid Gayoon as much as possible.


    "The van disappeared somewhere on the outskirts of the city," Kanji exined, pointing at the monitor which showed the images of Dohyun''s van.


    "It couldn''t have gone very far," Minho said. "With the out of town routes blocked by the police for the past few days, it must be hovering somewhere between the next town and this town. But where?"


    "The original CCK hid in the woods," Kanji said thoughtfully. "His wife said that was his frequently visited ce. He used to hunt there. This copycat must be hiding in a simr ce too."


    "The woods aren''t his MO," Minho said, shaking his head. He got up and walked towards a white board where they had noted down all the clues they had found so far.


    "His MO is theb," he stated, circling the phrase b in the woods''. "The copycat will need a ce where she could build ab."


    "But Doctor Dohyun is not that rich," Kanji pointed out. "We have her bank details here. She''ll need tons of money to build ab of that size. CCK may have been a serial killer but he had the money and ess to build ab. It''s not unusual for doctors to build their ownb under the pretense of research and out-patient practices. But Doctor Dohyun is still an intern. She wouldn''t get the ess nor resources."


    "Then she''s working with a makeshiftb," Minho muttered. "And it''s somewhere outside the town. Somewhere she went quite often."


    His phone rang up. It was Gayoon.


    "Where are you?" he asked over the phone.


    "I''m at Lee Dami''s house and picked up some info," she replied. She was standing outside Ms. Lee''s house to confirm the park theory Yumi had told her.


    "Did you find out anything?"


    Minho put the phone on speaker so that Kanji could hear their conversation too.


    "I did," Gayoon said. "But first, tell me something. The year Mina was kidnapped, did she go to a specific ce quite often. Say...a park or mall or something like that?"


    "Why are you asking that?" Minho frowned.


    "Just tell me!"


    "I think she used to go to the children''s toy store near our mansion," Minho frowned.


    Toy store? Gayoon thought. "No, that can''t be right," she muttered. "Think harder. Any other ce she used to go to. A lot. A more public ce where many adults go as well."


    Minho was about to reply that perhaps she used to go to the church but Kanji beat him to it.


    "She used to visit a swimmingplex with my mom and I," he quipped. "We went there secretly since Minho wouldn''t allow her to learn swimming at such a young age. So we sneaked her out under the pretense of going to the church."


    Minho scowled at him while Gayoon got her lead. "Now this is what I want you two to do," she said. "There are tons of files on the CCK''sst victims on my desk. Go through them and see if the previous victims used to go to that particr swimmingplex as well."


    "But there are tons of them!" Kanji protested but Minho threw a dirty re at him.


    "We''ll look through them," he stated. "What else?"


    "Tell some of your men to keep an eye on the bunkers around the airport," she instructed. "I''ve talked to the officers there and they confirmed that a strange ck van had been spotted there a lot in the past few days. Maybe it''s the copycat''s van."


    "Alright," Minho agreed. "When are youing back?"


    "I''ll be back in an hour," she replied. "I have to go somewhere first. I''ll meet you at the precinct."


    She hung up the phone and debated with herself before dialing Junho''s number. He picked up on the first dial.


    "Gayoon!" he eximed. "I was about to call you! Where are you?"


    "I''ming over for a while," she said. "Ahjusshi, I need to ask a favor from you."


    "I need to talk to you too," he stated. "I''ll wait for you."


    "Alright," Gayoon said, hanging up the phone. She got into her car and drove off. Her head was filled with worry and doubts. So far, they had never encountered a phenomenon like this. A shadow stuck in the middle of life and death, creating havoc in everyone''s lives. It was unimaginable that something like it could even exist.


    She recalled what Junho had told her many years ago. "Ghosts are mere imprints of the feelings someone had left behind," he had told her. "Their feelings were quite strong. Whether it''s hatred or love, if those feelings lingered behind, then the ghost of that person is formed after he or she dies, unable to move on until their wishes are fulfilled."


    Is this shadow following the same troupe? Were his menacing feelings so strong that even without dying, he created an alter ego in the form of a ck shadow which could possess people?


    After a while, she parked in front of her house and got out of the car. Heading straight for the t upstairs, she knocked on the door.


    "Ahjusshi!" she called, knocking on the door. It creaked open and Junho let her in.


    "Ahjusshi, I need to ask you something-"


    Gayoon froze mid-sentence and stared at the things he was packing into a bag. There was an ouija board along with garlic, rosary beads and a few other things which Gayoon did not know the names of but it was clear what he was going to do.


    "Are you performing a seance?" she questioned him.


    Junho hesitated before replying, "Yes. I''m going to perform one tonight."


    "But why?"


    "To find my wife''s killer," he lied. Gayoon hesitated and was unsure of whether to ask him for the favor. A seance can be done only once a month because the energy required to do one spirit summoning ritual could make a person exhausted. Doing more than one seance in a month could kill the ritual performer.


    Junho sensed the hesitation in her face and asked, "What happened, Gayoon? What are you thinking?"


    She took a deep breath and looked at him, her eyes filled with guilt.


    "Ahjusshi," she began. "Can you perform the seance to find the CCK instead?"

 Chapter 128: 5 Days-To Save His Daughter

    Chapter 128: 5 Days-To Save His Daughter


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: PLEASE BUY MY PRIVILEGE CHAPTERS FOR 1 COIN AND SUPPORT ME FOR WIN WIN EVENT!


    I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE FOR THIS BOOK IF I MAKE IT TO 500 COINS!


    ........


    Junho narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "CCK?" he questioned.


    "You know he''s the serial killer who''s terrorizing the city!" Gayoon eximed. "Except, the CCK is not really human anymore. He''s a shadow. A ck shadow which is possessing Doctor Dohyun, an intern at the national hospital. And he kidnapped my friend Hwang Mina and-"


    "Wait," Junho interrupted her. "Hwang Mina?"


    He recalled that Mina was talking about a friend for whom she was buying the pink jacket and also that her friend was dating Minho. Was it possible that


    "I''m dating her brother," Gayoon confessed. The color on Junho''s face changed drastically at her admission which worried her. Was he going to be angry at her? Ahjusshi was always strict when it came to her dating life because he did not trust people. There were times when a few men tried to take advantage of Gayoon''s powers when she was a teenager and it led to a major event in her life. Since then, he was very wary of any guy who would enter her life.


    "Tell me everything about CCK," Junho said. He chose not to think about Minho and Gayoon for the moment. Mina''s life was more important and they had little time.


    Gayoon hesitantly narrated the event from twenty years ago of how Minho and Mina had encountered the CCK and why the killer was out for blood. She also told him about the ck shadow which manifested from theatose doctor along with Dohyun''s condition and Gayoon''s encounter with Yumi''s ghost.


    "I think that the CCK will kill Mina tomorrow," she stated. "He''s going to use Dohyun to kill her and consume her"


    She could not go on. Even thinking about it was painful. Mina was somewhere out there, scared and praying for her life. She was waiting for them and already so much time had been wasted.


    Junho was silent. He was shocked by the bizarre turn of events and wanted to curse himself. His children had gone through so much and he could not even protect them. And now, Gayoon was mixed up with their problems. Moreover, if Minho found out that the woman he was dating was also hiding Junho in her house, there was no telling what he would do.


    "Gayoon," he began. "You have to listen to me very carefully. We will save Mina. No matter what happens, we will take down that ck shadow. But you must promise me one thing."


    "What is it?" Gayoon asked, startled by the earnest plea in his voice.


    "You must promise me that you will not tell anyone about me," he said. "Not even to the Hwangs."


    "But why?" Gayoon asked. "They''re nice people! I''m sure if you ask for their assistance, they''ll help you to reunite with your family-"


    "Gayoon, I''ll tell you everything," Junho promised. "But on ater date. For now, just promise me that you won''t tell them about me."


    "A-alright," Gayoon agreed. "So you''ll do the seance tonight?"


    "I will," he stated. There was a strange determination in his eyes which Gayoon had never seen before. It was as if he got a new zeal, a purpose to live for.


    "Thank you, ahjusshi," she said gratefully. To Junho''s surprise, she hugged him. He smiled and patted her head.


    "And after all this is over, you and I are gonna have a long chat on your new boyfriend," he added. "His ie, character, personality and past dating life. Everything."


    He might have chosen not to worry about Minho and Gayoon''s little tryst but that did not mean he was going to brush it under the rug.


    Gayoon quickly let go of him and backed off. "I-I-I gotta go!" she squeaked. "Have tons of work to do!"


    "If his ie is less than two billion dors then he can forget all about you!" Junho threatened as she dashed outside. "And I know he''s a yer! I can tell that men like him have painted the town red with their deeds! I''ll shave his head off if he has exes!"


    Gayoon quickly ran towards her car, away from Junho, whose vein was about to pop. She had hoped that under the duress of finding Mina, he would not think much about the fact that she was dating Hwang Minho. But Junho was not going to let her off the hook easily.


    Why do I have so many crazy people in my life? Shemented as she revved up the engine and sped off, away from Junho''s wrath.


    "I wonder what''ll happen when ahjusshi meets the money lover," she muttered.


    Junho watched her drive away. As soon as she was out of sight, he quickly gathered the materials and packed them into a bag. He picked up his phone and called Shinjin.


    "Junho!" Shinjin eximed, answering the phone. "I was getting everything prepared for the seance. We''ll summon the nearest spirit tonight-"


    "Change of ns," Junho said. "We''ll not summon the nearest spirit, but a specific one."


    He quickly told him about the ck shadow and how theatose CCK was controlling Dohyun. Shinjin''s frown deepened with every word.


    "This is a tricky case," he finally said. "The ck shadow is not a spirit so it can''t be summoned. However, we can trap it inside the body of thea patient. But"


    "But what?" Junho demanded.


    "We can only trap it temporarily," Shinjin replied. "It''ll be trapped inside theatose body for a few years before it gathers enough energy to return. There''s only one way to get rid of it permanently."


    "How do we do that?"


    Shinjin hesitated. He did not want to take that route but given that the serial killer was creating so much havoc, there was little choice.


    "We''ll have to trap the shadow in its original body and kill doctor Nam," he revealed. "Only then will the shadow go away and the spirit will be free. It won''t be able toe back since we''ll be cleansing it during the ceremony."


    He paused before asking, "Do you have the heart to kill a human being?"


    "The man who had killed so many innocent girls has no heart himself," Junho said. "And on top of that, hemitted one of the worst sins a person couldmit. As a father who could not protect his daughter before, I will not hesitate to cut down that ck shadow with my own hands. I couldn''t be with Mina then. But now, I will save her. Even if I''m far away from her, I will save her. If someone has to kill that man, then it''ll be me and only me."


    Shinjin sighed. There was no stopping the old man who was out for revenge.


    "Fine," he said. "Meet me at the hospital tonight. I''ll bribe some of the staff there to sneak out the patient. I have a few people I know in there. They can help out."


    Junho nodded and hung up the phone fully making up his mind.


    He was Hwang Junho. Not the ruthless ex-tycoon who changed the game in the business industry but a father who would go to any length to save his children.


    I will not fail this time, he swore.

 Chapter 129: 5 Days-The Bunkers

    Chapter 129: 5 Days-The Bunkers


    PLEASE BUYING THE 1 COIN PRIVILEGE TIER AND SUPPORT ME IN THE WIN WIN EVENT! I''LL GIVE ANOTHER MASS RELEASE IF I MAKE IT TO 500 COINS!


    ......


    Minho and Kanji were gathered around a desk, trying to map the route the copycat might have taken.


    "Gayoon said that the van was seen somewhere near the airport," Minho stated, drawing a circle on a map he was reading. "But the area around the airport is restricted and there aren''t any residential buildings there."


    "But there are bunkers," Kanji pointed out, marking a spot a few inches off the airport. "They''re not far and anyone can own a bunker as long as they pay rent."


    "We should head there," Minho said. "If Mina is kept there, then we have very little time."


    His eyes went to the clock on the wall which ominously read 11:59 AM. They had exactly 24 hours before the CCK struck. It was going to be a long day.


    "Let''s call Gayoon and tell her that we''re going there," Kanji suggested. "Also, we should take the CCK team and our men with us. What if the situation worsens?"


    "Agreed," Minho nodded. But a nagging feeling was disturbing him. Was the CCK really there? Were they making a mistake?


    "Let''s go," he finally said. He picked up the map and the notes they made and headed straight for his car while Kanji texted Gayoon and the CCK team. Within a few minutes, their men had gathered in front of the police station while the officers from the CCK team weregging behind.


    "Where are they?" Minho asked impatiently. "They''re wasting my time!"


    "There they are," Kanji said, pointing at the station''s entrance. All of them were wearing bullet proof vests and carried ammunition with them. Taejoon, who was in full uniform and protective gear, stepped in front of Minho. Both the men red at each other.


    "We can''t allow you to go," Taejoon said. "This is our case. Civilians can''t interfere."


    Minho raised an eyebrow. "My sister is in danger," he gritted. "And if it wasn''t for us, you wouldn''t have gotten the most crucial information on the CCK-"


    "We appreciate your help," Taejoon retoreted. "But for the sneak operation, only the case in-charge can call the shots. And as the lead of this case, I cannot allow you and your men to interfere in our mission. Detective Jeon can apany us but I will not allow you to go."


    "What the hell are you spouting?" Kanji spat. "This is insane! There''s a life in danger and you know that my men are fully capable of handling the serial killer. You''re wasting all of our time."


    "This is the protocol," Taejoon said loudly. "We can''t allow civilians to be engaged in this! If anything happens to any one of you then we''ll be med for it."


    "I''ll just call themissioner then," Minho warned, taking out his phone but Taejoon had anticipated his move.


    "Themissioner also agrees with me," Taejoon shot back. "It''s in our policies and even he can''t go against it. Moreover, if you try to weasel your way into our mission, then it''ll reflect badly on Detective Jeon since she is the one who allowed you to assist us. If anything happens to you or your men in this operation, she will be the one who would be charged and suspended."


    Kanji was about to retort but Minho held him back. There were too many people watching them and he did not want to create a scene. They would have to sit back.


    "We''ll stay back," Minho conceded. "But you''re making a big mistake."


    "We''ll take the risk," Taejoon said curtly. He turned to his team and ushered them to get into the police vans.


    "Minho...we can''t let them do this!" Kanji hissed. "These guys have no idea how the CCK''s head works!"


    Minho was writhing in a cold fury but there was little he could do. If they interfered then Gayoon would be harmed and it would create a bigger mess. No, they had to sit and watch.


    "Let''s see what they can do," he said in an icy tone. Kanji knew that tone very well. Minho did not believe that the CCK team would be able to find Mina but thews were not being kind to them. Even he, the richest man in the country, was not above thews and it was paining him.


    But if the team failed to bring Mina back that day, then even thews would not be able to save Taejoon from Minho''s wrath.


    ....


    Gayoon pulled up in front of the bunkers. They were ced a few miles off the airport, right next to the ship''s graveyard. It was an isted ce where all therge ships were dismantled once their usefulness had expired. The gigantic scrap metalsy all around her as she stepped ahead. Taking out her gun, she made her way towards the bunkers.


    The bunkers were likerge metal chambers which were used for keeping the decaying remains of the ships. Some people also owned them privately where they parked their sea vehicles. There were a series of such bunkers and Gayoon was confused over which one to enter.


    "Which one is it?" she wondered out loud. The afternoon sun was shining birghtly above her but the shadows from the ships shrouded the ce in an eerie darkness. She walked in between the remains of a ship which smelled like rusting iron and fish. The scent was too strong and Gayoon had to resist the urge to gag as the nausea hit her.


    "Cop!"


    "AH!"


    Gayoon yelled in shock, her heart skipping several beats. Yumiappeared right behind her, staring at her in amusement. Gayoon looked all around, trying to pinpoint where the ghost stood.


    "Cop, I''m on your left," Yumi said.


    "What are you doing here?" Gayoon hissed.


    "We''re trying to help you of course! I can see the ck shadow, remember?"


    "Fine," Gayoon whispered. "But I can''t talk to you. What if it hears us?"


    "Alright," Yumi said. "But I can talk right?"


    Gayoon merely nodded and kept on walking. Yumi followed the cop, looking around the ce. The ce was so dark that it made even Yumi shiver. Suddenly, she thought she saw something moving ahead.


    "Cop, I think I can see something moving in that room on that ship!" she said, pointing towards one of the broken cabins of a ship ahead of them. "The third one on the right."


    "I don''t see anything," Gayoon frowned, looking at the ship in question


    "But it''s there! It''s right there!" Yumi imed. "I swear!"


    Gayoon raised her gun. "Yumi, you stay here and keep and eye on that ce," she instructed. "If the CCKes out and I end up missing him, then you can at least follow him."


    "But, he''s very dangerous!" Yumi protested.


    "I know," Gayoon said, biting her lip. Truthfully, she did not want to go in there alone but someone needed to stay outside in case the CCK escaped. "But you''ll be able to follow him faster than me. So just stay here and keep an eye out."


    She paused for a moment. "If I don''te out within half an hour," she added. "Then go to the hospital tonight at midnight. A pair of men will be performing a seance at the room where CCK''s real body lies. They''ll be able to help you."


    Yumi hesitated but finally said, "Alright. But be careful."


    If she''s not out within half an hour, I''ll tell Jina, Yumi decided. Gayoon took a deep breath and headed for the ship.


    Please help Mina, she prayed. Please keep her safe.

 Chapter 130: 5 Days-Twist in Plan

    Chapter 130: 5 Days-Twist in n


    The air was cold and the room was dark as she stepped on to the slightly damp floor. The inside of the decimated ship smelled even worse of dead animals and rotten nts. Gayoon walked barefoot on the ground, ignoring the iciness under her feet. The shoes she wore would have echoed throughout the ship and attracted attention to her, something she was keen to avoid. Her gun was raised as she made her way to the chamber Yumi had pointed at.


    The rats scurried out of her way as she walked while there were sounds of water dripping in various ces. The air was so cold that she could see her breath. She passed through the oncevish dining hall which was now nothing more than a dpidated room.


    Suddenly something crashed behind her and she turned around quickly, ready to shoot. To her relief, it was just a cat.


    She let out a sigh and kept on walking. The whole ce was scaring her but she could not let her fear show up on her face. CCK wanted her to be scared but she was not going to give it that satisfaction. It was no longer a human being but a shell of a monster which lingered behind to scare everyone. But if there was something Gayoon followed religiously as a police officer was not to show her fear in front of a criminal. The moment she showed her weakness, the criminals would win.


    Slowly heading upstairs, she kept her senses on high alert. The room should be somewhere on that floor.


    The sound of something swishing made her turn around. Holding her breath, she stepped towards the ce where she thought she had seen someone. Was it the CCK? It must be Dohyun, she decided. The poor girl had no idea what was going to happen to her and was unintentionally tangled in this mess.


    Gayoon reached a door to a room. She slowly opened it to find arge, hollow room with only a couch in it. And on top of the couch was


    "Mina!" she gasped, rushing towards her. Mina was half conscious, unable to fathom what was going on around her.


    "Mina!" Gayoon whispered, slightly pping her cheeks. Her skin was cold as ice and Gayoon was worried that she was on the verge of dying.


    "Ga...yoon" Mina whimpered. She was trying to tell her something but her words were iprehensible.


    "We''ll get you to a hospital," Gayoon said, trying to hoist the girl up but Mina was too heavy for her to carry.


    "R-r...run"


    "What?" Gayoon asked.


    "Run!" Mina managed to gasp.


    "What do you-"


    A sharp pain hit Gayoon''s neck. She turned around to shoot but the figure dodged her and the bullet hit a pipe, causing water to flush out of it. Mina was trying to desperately move but her limbs were still paralyzed while Gayoon was beginning to lose consciousness herself.


    She touched her neck and yanked out the injection. Trying desperately to stay awake, she shot at Dohyun again but she onlyughed and dodged.


    "Will you really kill the owner of this body?" CCK giggled. "After all, she is innocent."


    "Y-you"


    Gayoon staggered forward, trying to subdue Dohyun but she fell over. Her legs gave away and she could not move anymore.


    "How nice of you to finally fall for my trap," CCK said in Dohyun''s voice. "I was torn between you and the sister but ultimately, thought of going with the flow."


    "Fortunately for the little one here, I can only have one victim at a time," CCK wheezed. "She turned out to be a good bait. The sister would have made a good hunt but the lover seems to be a better one. Feisty and clever women usually have stronger hearts. Just like how I like it"


    Mina watched in horror as the CCK picked Gayoon up.


    "I''m letting you live so that you can live the rest of your life in fear and guilt," the CCK smirked at her. "That your brother''s lover and friend died because of you. And that my dear, is my revenge against you."


    Mina wanted to scream and attack him but her wretched body would not move. She could only watch helplessly as the CCK carried Gayoon away to god knows where.


    "N-no!"


    She mustered all her willpower to throw herself off the couch, crawling on the floor to grab on to Dohyun''s foot but thetter kicked her away. Mina rolled over in pain, her nose bleeding from the force of the kick. The door in front of her shut and the CCK was gone, taking Gayoon with him.


    "No"


    She did not know for how long shey there. It might have been minutes or hours but she lost track of time. The drug was too strong and no matter how much she tried, she could not lift even a finger.


    Suddenly, she heard several footsteps heading her way. There were people in there!


    I have to move! She told herself. I have to tell them about Gayoon!


    She knew that they had very little time in hand and there was no way the CCK would let Gayoon live for long. He was hellbent on revenge. The face might have been Dohyun''s but the soul was CCK''s. She did not know how such a thing was possible but it was and the real CCK was back.


    Mina used thest shred of her willpower to drag herself towards the door. Her legs were still motionless and she had to use her fingers to somehow force her body to move. She crawled very slowly until she reached the door. With great difficulty, she tapped on the door six times. She paused and then repeated to tap on it six times. It was the code for danger and if the people out there were smart, they would get her pattern


    "Sir, I think there''s someone in here!" Someone shouted from outside. "It''s the tap for danger!"


    "Open the door!" another man ordered. There was a small pause before the knob of the door slowly turned and it popped open. A group of police officers came in, holding their guns only to find Mina sprawled on the floor.


    "She''s alive!" one of the police officers dered and she was immediately lifted off the floor by a pair of strong arms.


    "You''re safe!" Taejoon assured her. "Your brother is waiting-"


    "G-ga-yoon.." she murmured.


    "What?"


    "G-g-gayoon...CCK...has her"

 Chapter 131: 5 Days-Day 4

    Chapter 131: 5 Days-Day 4


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT THIS NOVEL BY BUYING THE 1 COIN PRIVILEGE TIER! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF IT REACHES 500 COINS THIS MONTH!


    .....


    Mina was rushed into the hospital''s emergency room. An oxygen mask was put on her while the doctors monitored her heart rate.


    "Her BP is very low!" one of the doctors yelled. "How''s the heart rate?"


    "Weak but it''s increasing!" the nurse replied.


    "Her body temperature is too low," the doctor stated. "Bring out the hemodialysis machine!"


    The nurse quickly pulled in arge dialysis machine which was used to filter and rewarm the blood. The doctor checked Mina''s pulse and decided that the blood near the heart was too cold due to the prolonged hypothermia she had gone through. He quickly connected the machine to her chest and the machine began to filter out the cold blood by sucking it out of her veins and processed it to the normal temperature before recing it back via the other tube connected to her heart.


    Minho was outside, stone faced as Taejoon talked with Kanji.


    "We found her inside the rundown ship," he was saying. "She was freezing and looked sickly."


    "Where is CCK?" Kanji demanded. "She was there so the CCK must have been there as well. Surely you have caught him?"


    Taejoon hesitated before replying, "No. We haven''t caught him"


    Officer Jiang, who was also at the site with the rest of the team, decided to tell them the truth. He nced at the others who nodded at him. They were very much disheartened by the fact their supervisors had reced Gayoon as their team leader when she was clearly more level headed andpetent in finding the clues. Her kidnapping came as a shock to all of them.


    "The CCK''s real target was Detective Jeon," he revealed. Hearing his words, Minho looked up from his nearly catatonic state.


    "What did you say?" he asked in a low tone.


    Taejoon threw Jiang a dirty look but the rookie officer ignored him.


    "The CCK hadid out the trap to kidnap Detective Jeon," he went on. He nced at Taejoon and added, "I''m sorry sir, but I believe that if our team had not dyed while you argued with Mr. Hwang, we would have arrived there earlier and possibly could have saved Detective Jeon."


    "You don''t know that!" Taejoon snapped. "We could not let civilians risk their lives! You know the protocols-"


    "With all due respect, sir," Hobin stepped up. "You were the one who did not want to work with Hwang Minho. If we had hurried up and followed his team to the bunkers, this might not have happened."


    Taejoon red at them. Did the rookies not understand the fact that it was impossible to go against some protocols?


    Minho did not reply but simply stood up and walked towards Taejoon. They were of the same height but Minho''s aura easily overpowered him.


    "We will do this our way now," he stated in his deadpan voice. "My men will search for Gayoon and if needed, be vignte to save her. Your team is wee to help us but we won''t stop looking for her simply because of somews."


    "You don''t know what you''re getting into-" Taejoon began but Minho had enough.


    In an uncharacteristically cool tone, he simply added, "If you or any of your superiors dare to intervene, I will make sure that all of you are suspended and driven to the point that no one will ever employ you. You won''t get help from banks or government bodies. Any firm hiring you will fail and any business you start will go bankrupt. I will make you pay the price not just with money but with your blood."


    His calm threat was like a chaotic tornado which blew all of them away. Taejoon tried to be intimidating but a single drop of sweat was running down his forehead while the other officers were also frightened by Minho''s words. They had heard of this man''s ruthlessness and how he had bankrupted nearly all his rivals to reach the top. He can destroy anyone with the snap of his fingers. The man would not kill them but destroy their spirit in such a way that they would not be able to stand again.


    Kanji also felt a shiver down his spine. He had seen Minho''s petty anger and temper burstsmany times. But those were merely a facade which hid the calm and calctive Minho who would not hesitate to strike down anyone trying to harm his loved ones.


    Minho did not care about the fear he had instilled in everyone''s hearts but simply walked away with a new glint in his eyes. He refused to be scared of the CCK anymore. It was time to finish what they had started all those years ago.


    And if it ended in a bloody battle then he would not think twice before spilling it.


    ...


    Gayoon slowly opened her eyes. Her head felt heavy and she was still muddled with sleep but surprisingly, she could still move her muscles. She was seated on a chair with her hands and legs tied with metal chains. ncing around her, she realized that she was in some kind of cold storage. Her body was shivering violently while her hands and bare feet were icy cold. It was difficult to breathe in the storage as her lungs felt constricted.


    He didn''t paralyze me, she realized. Why?


    "You must be wondering why I didn''t paralyze you?"


    She slowly turned her head to her right where the CCK sat. It smiled at her through Dohyun''s lips, watching her like a hungry predator.


    "You see, you are a special one," it went on. "The money lover who never had a lover before, suddenly ended up dating a girl who was not even rich."


    Gayoon kept a poker face but was frowning inside. Minho never had a lover? Then how was Jina born?


    The way CCK spoke, it was as if it still did not know of Jina''s existence which was a relief to Gayoon. She kept her cool as the serial killer rambled on.


    "My mother always taught me that we have to eat together as a family," CCK sighed. "I wish my family was with me. I''m sure my child would have been thrilled to share a meal with her dad"


    It looked at Gayoon, expecting her to be scared or disgusted. To its surprise, she only listened with a bored expression.


    "Now that I have you here," it went on. "I''m going to have a...hearty meal."


    It giggled loudly at its own joke. "So far, I''ve had only frozen food so I wonder how the fresh one would taste like. You see, I''m going to-"


    "Yeah yeah!" Gayoon scoffed. "You are gonna kill me within a few hours coz you always eat at 11:59 PM. I''ve heard that story so many times that I''ve memorized it by heart. Stop beating around the bush and just say out loud that you''re a bloody cannibal! It''s annoying to hear the same story over and over again."


    The CCK blinked at her boldness. Huh?


    Gayoon smirked at him. "I mean, I get it that you had parental issues. Was it the mom who taught you table manners? Or was it the dad who probably made you eat a whole person in one go?"


    The mention of the dad made CCK fidget.


    "So it is the dad," Gayoon concluded. Time to turn the tables, she decided.

 Chapter 132: 5 Days-Her Delicate Heart

    Chapter 132: 5 Days-Her Delicate Heart


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT MY BOOK FOR WIN WIN EVENT BY BUYING THE 1 COIN PRIVILEGE TIER! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF I REACH 500 COINS BY 30TH NOVEMBER!


    ........


    Jina rushed to the hospital as soon as she got the news of Mina''s rescue. Driver Jang had driven her there after she threw a lot of tantrums. Minho, who was talking to his men about how to rescue Gayoon, was shocked to see Jina running towards them.


    "Jina!" he eximed as the crying child ran into his arms. "It''s alright, your aunt is alright."


    But the little girl was sobbing hard, unable to control herself. Yumi had told her everything about Gayoon''s kidnapping and was currently out with Casper to look for her. She was scared for the Lady Cop and she could not help but talk to her father.


    "Dad...Lady Cop"


    She broke downpletely while Minho tried to console her. He was at a loss over what to do. Someone must have leaked the news to her and she was crying uncontrobly, worried for Gayoon. Kanji, who was also there, stopped down to pat Jina''s head.


    "We''ll find her," he promised. "We''ll save your Lady Cop."


    Jina let go of her dad and looked up at him. "Dad, you must find that shadow!" she imed. "The shadow is the real culprit! I saw it! It''s somewhere here!"


    Minho patted her head and said, "You should stay by your aunt''s side. You''re in shock."


    The poor girl was so traumatized by the events that she did not know what she was saying. Too many things were going on and Jina''s imagination was going out of control due to so many shocks.


    "I''ll find her," he assured the little girl but Jina only shook her head.


    "You don''t understand!" she insisted. "It''s the-"


    Just then, Minho''s phone rang up and he got distracted. Jina wanted to tell her dad everything but he was not paying attention. Instead, he was talking to the man on the phone.


    "Any traces of the van?" he asked the caller and listened intently.


    "Around the docks?" he questioned. "Alright."


    He hung up the phone and turned to Kanji. "They''ve sighted a strange van near the docks," he informed him. "We need to go and check it out."


    "Let''s go," Kanji nodded. Minho turned to Jina who was desperate to say something but her father cut her off.


    "Jina, stay here and don''t go anywhere," he ordered. "The guards will look after you. If anything happens, call me or Kanji. Alright?"


    "But dad-"


    Minho kissed his daughter''s forehead and rushed off to find Gayoon. He checked his watch. It was 1 AM in the morning and they had very little time. Jina could only watch helplessly as they strode off.


    She was frustrated and angry. "Why won''t anyone listen to me?" she yelled in agony. Her tears would not stop flowing and her delicate heart was full of bitterness. Yumi had told her everything she had seen and the bunkers. The ghost saw the ck shadow carrying Gayoon away and immediately came to warn Jina. She even told her about how Gayoon had instructed her to find the men who would be performing some sort of ceremony at the hospital before running off with Casper to look for the shadow again.


    Jina wiped her tears and gleaned around her. There was a guard who was assigned to her and she needed to escape from his clutches.


    "I think I''ll go inside and rest in the bed next to my aunt''s," she told him. The guard nodded and she went inside Mina''s room. They had managed to treat her but she was still too weak and was sedated. Jina waited for a while, watching over her aunt before peeping outside to see that the guard was dozing off on a chair. She quickly ced some pillows on the spare bed and covered them with a nket. Quietly stepping outside to dodge the sleeping guard, she made her way towards the third floor.


    Please keep her safe, she prayed. Please keep the Lady Cop safe!


    ...


    "Daddy issues huh?" Gayoon smirked. Just hearing the word ''dad'' was enough to make the CCK avert its gaze away from her. It looked angry and at the same time, scared.


    "You know nothing, Detective," CCK said in a cold tone. "My father...was a difficult man. You have no idea of his torture."


    It paused before continuing, "He was the one who gave me the first taste of meat. It tasted different from all other food I''ve ever had. I hated it yet he kept on feeding it to me until I was so addicted to the flesh that I couldn''t live without it! He taught me how to hunt and whenever I failed, he would beat me. He would punish me by not letting me eat for days! You think you know what pain is? Trust me, detective. You haven''t seen hell...yet."


    CCK clenched its fists as the memories of the distant past came rushing back to it. The father it had loved and loathed was the reason it could not move on. Its soul was in a limbo, tormenting itself in pure agony.


    And the person who would bear the brunt of its wrath, would be Hwang Minho''s lover. To its surprise, Gayoon let out a sarcasticughter.


    "It''s so typical of you serial killers," she scoffed. "All of you think that you''re different. You''re special and the world doesn''t understand you or your needs. But in the end, it''s the same damn story. Family problems followed by mental issues. Possibly killed a few animals. In your case, eat humans. From there on, it''s either the life of a criminal putting on the facade of normalcy or going to medical school and pretending to be like everyone else whereas you''re there to fulfill your thirst to kill. Either way, you''re just like every other serial killer."


    "And what is this hell you''re talking about?" she taunted. "You think that just because you''re in a limbo, you''ve seen hell? How pathetic."


    She was deliberately provoking it. The CCK relished its victims'' fear and she was not going to give it that benefit. He wanted her to be scared? She would do the opposite.


    All she had to do was wait for the right time to throw her trump card.

 Chapter 133: 5 Days-The Fear She Felt

    Chapter 133: 5 Days-The Fear She Felt


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE BUY THE 1 COIN PRIVILEGE TIER AND SUPPORT ME FOR THE WIN WIN EVENT! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF I MANAGE TO GET 500 COINS!


    .......


    Yumi was peering at the spot where she had seen CCK take Gayoon. Casper was with her too, watching the cabin. The CCK had taken Gayoon into the woods near the docks. The secluded area was perfect for the serial killer to carry out his crimes.


    "He''s been changing his killing spot," Yumi muttered. "I can''t hear anything! We should go closer."


    Casper nodded and they glided closer towards the cabin, peeking through the window. It was strange that the CCK''s shadow could not sense them at all.


    "Casper, don''t you think it''s strange that the ck shadow can''t sense us at all?" she whispered. "So far, it never seemed to have detected our presence."


    Casper nodded, thinking the same thing. Why could he not sense them?


    "You know what I think?" Yumi went on. "Only fully formed spirits can sense other spirits. Since this guy isn''t dead yet, he can''t sense us. Otherwise he''s been stuck in the hospital for years and didn''t sense a single spirit? It''s either he didn''t want to or he couldn''t!"


    Casper nodded in understanding as Yumi peeped through the ss, trying to catch a glimpse of the CCK. She made out two figures. One was tied up while the other towered over it.


    "I see them!" she hissed. Casper peered through the window and saw Gayoon and Dohyun/CCK ring at each other.


    "What are they doing?" Yumi frowned. "CCK didn''t paralyze her? Why?"


    Both of them wondered the same thing and decided to glide through the wall. Gayoon immediately sensed their presence and it came as a relief to her. She maintained a poker face as the two spirits crept up behind the CCK. There was little they could do but at least they would be able to enter the seance at the hospital and inform Junho.


    "Pathetic you say?" CCK said in a low tone. It red at Gayoon before bursting into a fit ofughter. Gayoon watched calmly as the serial killer kept onughing.


    "You-" it choked. "You really think you''re fearless, aren''t you?"


    "No," Gayoon simply said. "I just think you''re pathetic-"


    WHACK!


    The force of the blow was so hard that Gayoon was almost knocked off the chair. Blood oozed out of her cheek but she did not care and red back at the CCK. There was cold fury on its face as it tried to silence her.


    Yumi did not dare to cry in shock while Casper watched in horror as the CCK dealt more blows to Gayoon. Thetter spat out blood, panting heavily but was determined not to wince. Her hair was sweaty while bruises began to show up on her face.


    "Still pathetic," she grinned.


    "You''re the one who''s about to be dead in a few hours and you think that I am pathetic?" CCK spat at her. "Do you even know how horrific your death is going to be like-"


    "First you will slit my throat, watch me as my blood gushes out while you relish every bit of the torment," Gayoon began to narrate. "The cut won''t be deep because you''ll keep me alive for a long time. Your face will be lit with joy, thinking of the ways you will make it more painful for me."


    "Then you will cut my pulses," she went on. The serial killer''s face was growing darker and darker with her every word. "The whole floor will be bloodied and I''m sure you will sneak a taste. After all, how can you resist the temptation of fresh blood?"


    "Shut up," it whispered.


    "Then you''ll proceed to cut my heart open," Gayoon pressed. "You''ll still keep me alive. I''m guessing there would be no anesthesia so that you can make it as painful for me as possible, trying to instill a fear in me as you cut out my heart in front of my own eyes until I can see no more. You''ll make my death as painful as possible."


    "So you do know how you''ll die," it grinned.


    "It''s just predictable," Gayoon smirked. "You see, serial killers are all the same. They think they''re different but they really are not. Their MO might differ but their motives are all the same. Trying to unleash their anger on a world which they thought was unfair to them."


    "You know nothing about what''s unfair, detective!" it hissed at her. Gayoon sneaked a nce at the wall clock. It was 2:30 AM in the morning and the seance would start within half an hour. She felt the two other presence in the room vanish while the CCK red at her.


    "You might not be scared now," CCK scoffed. "But once the de touches your soft skin, you''ll know what hell is."


    Gayoon let out a loud sigh. Her heart was beating loudly in fear. It was beating so loudly that she was afraid the CCK would hear it and gloat its victory. Her hands were mmy and she tried her very best not to let her legs shiver in fright. She was very much scared in the presence of that lunatic but showing any hint of fear would be her downfall. The only reason it had not killed her yet was because it wanted her to be afraid.


    And she must buy herself more time for ahjusshi to extract the shadow out of Dohyun.


    ...


    Jina rushed towards the third floor where she had seen the ck shadow. To her surprise, the whole floor was empty. There were no doctors or nurses around, making her extremely suspicious and scared. What if the dark shadow returned and spotted her?


    She tried not to think about it. I have to be brave, she told herself.


    Suddenly, she saw two figures sneaking into the room ahead of her. She quickly dashed towards it and burst through the door.


    Junho and Shinjin were about toy their equipment on the floor when the door flew open and a little girl entered the room. They were shocked and startled by the appearance of the little girl who looked very scared upon seeing them.


    "I thought you said there won''t be any people here tonight!" Junho hissed.


    "I didn''t know a little girl would barge in!" Shinjin hissed back.


    "Uh...misters?" Jina began.


    "Little girl, why are you here?" Junho asked in a gentle tone. "You should go to your mom and dad. Are you lost?"


    Jina shook her head and asked, "Are you two the men who would get rid of the ck shadow which took my Lady Cop?"

 Chapter 134: 5 Days-Jinas Request

    Chapter 134: 5 Days-Jina''s Request


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT ME FOR THE WIN WIN BY BUYING THE 1 COIN PRIVILEGE OF THIS BOOK! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF WE REACH 500 COINS! CURRENTLY AT 253 COINS


    ........


    Junho and Shinjin stared at the little girl in surprise. She was looking at them with herrge eyes, hopeful that they could help her.


    "What did you say?" Junho questioned her.


    "Can you save the Lady Cop from the ck shadow?" Jina repeated. "Yumi told me about you two! You''re here to get rid of that shadow which has been killing people! The CCK!"


    "How do you know about the shadow?" Shinjin asked.


    "I saw it!" Jina revealed. "It came out of him."


    She pointed at Nam''s unconscious figure. "Yumi also saw it! Casper too! The shadow was lurking near the Lady Cop as well. It had kidnapped my aunt Mina and now Lady Cop is with it!"


    Shinjin grabbed Junho''s arm, unable to believe what they were witnessing.


    "Junho" he began. "This girl"


    Junho stooped down and stared directly into her eyes. Jina did not flinch away from the stranger as he bombarded her with questions.


    "This Yumi, isn''t she one of the victims of CCK?" Junho asked. "And you can see her?"


    Jina slowly nodded. Junho heard Shinjin gasp behind him.


    "S-she''s a Seer!" Shinjin eximed. "But how is that possible? I thought only Gayoon''s family line could see ghosts! There can''t be more of them."


    But Junho knew there was one more. The one whom Gayoon had to distance herself from.


    "What is your name?" he finally asked. There was a strange adoration in the stranger''s voice and he tried to keep a poker face but his eyes were turning a little misty.


    "Jina," she replied. "Hwang Jina. The Lady Cop lives with us in our mansion."


    Junho''s eyes widened in shock. "W-what did you just say?" he gasped. "Gayoon lives with you in your mansion?"


    "Yes!" Jina revealed. "And I know that she can sense ghosts too! I overheard her talking to Yumi and Casper. But she doesn''t know I can see the ghosts as well. She got kidnapped before I could tell her!"


    "And your parents...who are your parents?"


    Junho held his breath. Could this little girl be?


    "I don''t have a mother," Jina squeaked. She was getting worried by this stranger''s questions. Why was he asking about her family? What did he know about her abilities?


    "My...my father''s name is Hwang Minho," she finally revealed.


    Something shed through Junho''s eyes. Jina could not ce what it was but the old man suddenly seemed to be having difficulty in handling his emotions. Shinjin watched his friend in rm, hoping that Junho would not get overwhelmed by his feelings at this moment. Not only was he staring at Gayoon''s daughter but the fact that the little girl turned out to be his own granddaughter was making the man weak at this crucial moment.


    Jina reached out to wipe a tear off Junho''s cheek.


    "You can save her!" she assured him, naively misreading his thoughts. "You''re her ahjusshi right? She talks a lot about you. She told me that you can always save her no matter what!"


    Junho did not even realize that he was crying but the little girl''s words strengthened his resolve. He smiled at her and nodded.


    "I will save your Lady Cop," he promised. "Thank you."


    He hesitated before patting the little girl''s head. Jina felt a strange warmth from the old man and gave him a small smile.


    Junho got up and turned around to face the monster which slept peacefully on the bed.


    "Let''s do this," he said, his voice filled with determination. It was not just a question of his goddaughter''s life anymore. His granddaughter made a request to him for the first time and he must fulfill his promise to her.


    Even if he had to sacrifice his own life in the process.


    ....


    Minho stopped the car right outside the woods near the docks. Kanji was beside him while their men had followed them in their own vehicles. They had informed the CCK team as well and for once, they had not hesitated in heading out for the mission.


    Kanji held a digital map in his hand on the whole area. "This ce is over seventy acres!" he informed Minho. "It''s going to be difficult to find her."


    "The van wasst spotted entering these woods," Minho stated, checking the CCTV footage his men had gathered.


    "But does the copycat have ab here?" Kanji frowned. "Doctor Dohyun doesn''t have the resources to build ab here all by herself."


    "Family money? Friend''s ce? Who cares about all that?" Minho snapped. "We have to find Gayoon before 11:59 PM!"


    He checked his watch. It was nearly 3 AM in the morning and they were wasting time. Turning to his men, she ordered, "Split up into groups! Team A will go south. Team B take north. Team C will go west. Kanji and I will go east. The CCK team will join us in the eastern route in a few minutes. If any of you find the van or any cabin which might have ab in it, notify us via your mics."


    The men yelled, "Yes sir!" and split up to enter the woods. Minho and Kanji wore protective gear and each had a gun in their hands, ready to injure the copycat if they spotted it. They entered the dark woods, unsure of what they were going to face in there.


    "Are you afraid, Minho?" Kanji asked. He was not mocking his friend but was rather worried for him. Minho might seem calm but the fear instilled by the CCK into their hearts was so strong that even the copycat scared them. The events of that night never left their minds especially Mina and Minho''s. The terror they had faced was not something they were keen to revisit but circumstances were forcing them to face their demons again.


    "I am," Minho admitted. "But being afraid is going to cost me a lot this time. And you know me. I hate costs."


    Kanji smirked in spite of himself. "Money lover through and through," hemented.


    "Only this time, if I fail, I won''t be losing money," Minho said as they slowly crept deeper into the darkness whichy ahead of them.


    "What will you lose then?"


    The memory of Gayoon''s smile as she hugged their daughter shed momentarily in front of his eyes. Her and Jina''sughter echoed in his ears as he braced himself to face the fear he had been trying to ovee for years.


    "Everything," he whispered.

 Chapter 135: 5 Days-The Ritual

    Chapter 135: 5 Days-The Ritual


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE BUY THE 1 COIN PRIVILEGE OF THIS BOOK AND SUPPORT ME FOR THE WIN WIN EVENT! I''LL GIVE A MASS RELEASE IF THIS BOOK GETS 500 COINS!


    .........


    Jina watched as Junho and Shinjin poured some powder around Nam''s bed. They drew a white star with the bed in the center.


    "What is this powder?" Jina asked curiously.


    "Salt," Junho exined. "If you sprinkle it on a spirit, it will temporarily go away."


    "Why?"


    "Because salt is considered to be a holy ingredient," he said, taking out some holy water from his bag. "In many cultures, salt barriers are used to keep away evil spirits at night. If trapped in a salt circle, the ghosts cannote out of it unless the circle is broken."


    He finished creating the barrier while Shinjin took out a pair of beads. Handing one to Junho, he sprinkled some water on to Nam who was unresponsive. Junho turned towards the little girl who was watching what they were doing.


    "You shouldn''t be watching this," he said.


    "I want to!" Jina eximed. "Only I can see that ck shadow!"


    "This is no ce for a child," Junho said in a gentle tone.


    "But-"


    "I promise that your Lady Cop will be safe," he assured her. "She''s an important person to me too. I won''t let her get hurt."


    Jina bit her lip. She usually did not trust strangers but the man had a sense of certainty and calmness about him which reassured her. Moreover, Lady Cop also trusted him and told Yumi to find him so he must be trustworthy.


    "How long would it take?" she asked.


    "I don''t know," Junho admitted. "It can take hours or even days."


    But they did not have that much time. The killer would strike any moment and they were beginning to get desperate.


    "Are you sure that no one would disturb us here?" Junho asked Shinjin who was sitting cross legged at a corner.


    "I''ve done many exorcisms here," Shinjin exined. "The head of this department knows me and personally assured me that everyone has been moved from here under the pretense of maintenance work. So rx. No one will disturb us here."


    Junho nodded and gently led Jina away from the room. The little girl was scared but obediently followed the man outside. He ced her on a seat and sped her tiny palms. A lot of emotions were passing through Junho''s heart as he held his granddaughter''s hands.


    He never thought that he would meet his grandchild under such circumstances and the fact that she was Gayoon and Minho''s daughter made him even more determined to fulfill her only request. His heart was yearning to tell her that he was her grandfather but fates were cruel to them. Hwang Junho was a murderer in everyone''s eyes and he did not want his granddaughter to think of him like that as well. It would crush his heart.


    Keeping his overwhelming emotions aside, he said to her, "You must remember one thing very clearly, Jina. No matter what happens, you will not enter this room while the ritual is going on."


    "W-why?" Jina asked, visibly scared. "Is something scary going to happen there?"


    "Yes," Junho replied. There was no point in hiding this from the child. She had already seen ghosts but exorcisms were not something for a child''s eye. Her curiosity to see what was going to happen inside might end up botching the exorcism or in the worst case, Jina would end up being possessed. He took out a packet of salt and handed it to her.


    "If you see the shadow or any bad ghosts around, sprinkle some of this on it," he instructed. "And remember. No matter what happens, do not enter this room while we fight the ck shadow. If you do, we might not be able to save your Lady Cop."


    Hisst words frightened the little girl more and she clutched to the edge of her seat, shivering in fear. Junho felt guilty for imposing such burdens on her but it was important for the ritual to go smoothly for Gayoon''s sake.


    Using hisst ounce of willpower to leave her there, he went back into the room and locked it behind him. Shinjin was already at the edge of the bed, ready with his rosary bead and holy water. The windows were tightly shut and lights turned off. Namy on the bed, sleeping peacefully.


    "Let''s start," Junho dered. Shinjin nodded.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," they chanted. "The soul who has lost his way and wreaked havoc in this world. Come out! Come out!"


    The air around them began to slightly swirl, the temperature dropping by many degrees. The windows rattled around them as if about to break open any minute while pages from the hospital''s notebooks began to tear off. The two men stood there, not breaking the chant as the air circled them like a tornado. The force of the wind almost made them lose their bnce but they were undeterred.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," they kept on repeating. "The soul who has lost his way and wreaked havoc in this word. Come out! Come out!"


    Outside, Jina was startled by the sound of breaking china. She shut her ears, trying not to listen to the noisesing from within. Her heart was curious to know what was going on in there but remembering the old man''s warnings, she stayed glued to the seat. A cold wave wasing through the cracks of the door, making her tremble.


    At that moment, Casper and Yumi appeared beside her. They were shocked to see the little girl so scared and timid. Casper immediately shut Jina''s eyes while Yumi held her in her arms, trying to console her.


    "What''s going on in there?" Yumi gasped as the sses inside the room began to break loudly. She wanted to go and check inside but Jina held her and shook her head.


    "Don''t go in!" she begged. "Otherwise we won''t be able to save the Lady Cop!"


    "Uhh"


    Yumi nced at the room while Casper patted Jina''s head, trying to assure her that everything would be fine. All they could do was wait.


    Suddenly, the sounds stopped. The cold air disappeared and the men inside were no longer chanting the charms. The trio stared at the room, waiting eagerly. What was going on?


    The door clicked open and the two men came out. Their hair was messed up by the wind and they were panting heavily. Junho looked grim while Shinjin was tired. They had been in there for barely fifteen minutes and yet, looked as if they had fought a war.


    "What happened?" Jina asked. "Did you guys save the Lady Cop?"


    The men hesitated, unsure of how to answer her.


    "Well?" Jina demanded.


    "The ritual failed," Junho revealed. "We couldn''t summon the ck shadow."

 Chapter 136: 5 Days-Endurance

    Chapter 136: 5 Days-Endurance


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: PLEASE BUY THE PRIVILEGE TIER FOR THIS BOOK! IT''S JUST 1 COIN!


    ....


    Gayoon barely had any time to breathe as another blow hit her abdomen. She was in immense pain but did not give in to the CCK''s torture. Through Dohyun''s eyes, it emitted a sadistic aura which only got more riled up by her words. It was not going to give her an easy death and wanted her to beg for mercy.


    But she was not giving in to its demands and kept on provoking. Instead, her bloodied lips curved into a smile.


    "You''re just as pathetic as your dad was," she grinned. "You wanted his approval, didn''t you? And yet, he only saw you as a failure!"


    WHACK!


    Another pnded on her cheek. Her face was already bruised and her stomach ached in agony. The CCK kicked her backwards causing the chair to flip over. Putting a foot on Gayoon''s neck, throttling her, the CCK towered over her.


    "You''re in no position to provoke me," it imed. "Your time is numbered. All I''m waiting for is 11:59 PM and you''ll be dead. Until then-"


    "Yes, you''ll torture me so that I beg for death," Gayoon gritted. "I''m not scared of that threat."


    Truthfully, she was very scared of what the CCK would do to her. Like any human being, she too, was afraid of the torture it was going to inflict on her. Her heart was racing wildly while the metal chains cut into her wrists, making them crimson red while her body was somehow enduring the beatings.


    The CCK grabbed her hair and pulled her up.


    "No one is going to save you here, princess!" it wheezed. It ran a finger across her bloodied cheek, pinching a cut hard. Gayoon resisted the urge to scream in pain, biting her lips until more blood gushed out of them. The CCK smirked at the obvious pain it was inflicting on her, relishing in her resistance.


    "You really are a tough nut aren''t you?" it questioned. "No wonder Hwang Minho fell for you. I guess he likes women with...sturdy hearts."


    It giggled at its own pun.


    "Howme," Gayoon scoffed. Her remark earned her another punch. She faced it and spat the blood on its face.


    The CCK was infuriated by the galls the woman had. She was not showing any hint of fear and stared at it directly in the eye, challenging its ego.


    "You''re nothing more than a shell," she whispered. "You''re writhing to prove your dear daddy wrong. That you can be like him. Even better than him. But you''re just worse!"


    "My father made me who I am!" it hissed. "You think I''m a monster? Do you know what he did to his prey?"


    A sinister smile was carved onto Dohyun''s pretty face as the CCK reveled in the memories of his father''s sadistic tendencies.


    "All of us had a favorite part," it said. "My mother loved the juicy liver. She loved biting into its softness and used her special ingredients to cook it whenever she could."


    Gayoon tried her best to hold in the bile which was forming in her stomach. Thankfully, her stomach was empty otherwise she would have thrown up on the spot. Keeping her gaze directly on the killer before her, she tried her best to not show any weakness.


    "My father loved the thighs," he went on. "Dry but very delicious ording to him. There were times when he only bought the thighs while the rest of the body rotted away in a grave somewhere."


    The CCK paused to gauge Gayoon''s expression but to its disappointment, she remained unaffected.


    "This ce," it went on. "Do you know why I chose this ce? Look around you, detective. What do you see?"


    Gayoon let out a yawn, causing the CCK to frown. Her jaw muscles hurt like crazy but she ignored the pain. After ensuring hours ofbor pain, this felt nothing to her.


    "It''s so obvious," she sighed. "Daddy issues. Favorite parts of the meal. A nice cannibal family living in the woods away from everyone. It is so cliche! I don''t even have to nce around and I already know this ce is your family home!"


    .....


    Minho led the way while Kanji followed him. The CCK team had not joined them which only meant those idiots were not there yet or lost. Minho did not waste any time waiting for them but kept on marching ahead into the dark woods.


    It was almost time for sunrise and they still did note across the van.


    "What I don''t understand is why did the copycat choose this ce?" Kanji frowned. "CCK had chosen theb in the forest twenty years ago because it was his hunting ground, right? That means the ce held something special for him. But does that theory apply to this copycat?"


    "There are so many mysteries," Minho muttered. He stepped on a stick causing it to snap loudly. "When we confronted the killer, there was no one around. Doctor Dohyun must have been a baby when the CCK caused so much havoc! Then how did she know about his cannibalism? Only we knew about it along with Mimi. But Mimi has been suffering from mental illness and as per our reports, Doctor Dohyun never met her."


    "What about CCK''s wife?" Kanji asked. "I know her daughter died by the hands of the copycat but there is no way the wife wouldn''t know about her husband''s tendencies!"


    "They were married only for a few months before he went into aa," Minho stated. "There are little chances that she got the opportunity to find out."


    "But for a copycat to know this much! It''s so weird. It feels more like she''s been possessed by the real CCK or something!"


    "Don''t talk rubbish!" Minho snapped. "She probably figured out something by looking at his past reports or was fascinated by the story of the serial killer. Either way, she''s a criminal and has Gayoon with her"


    He trailed off, trying not to think of what was happening with Gayoon. There was no doubt that she was being tortured by the CCK and the very thought of it made Minho''s heart strangely ache. Was she alright? How long could she keep up with its actions? Was she hoping for him to save her? Or did she give up already?


    No! He told himself. If there was one person who would be able to hold CCK at bay, it was Jeon Gayoon. He knew she was alive. She must be.


    Otherwise he would never be able to face Jina again.

 Chapter 137: 5 Days-18 Hours

    Chapter 137: 5 Days-18 Hours


    "F-failed?" Jina echoed. The two men could not bear to look at the little girl who lookedpletelyheartbroken over the news. Yumi was also disheartened over their failure while Casper kept on patting Jina''s head. Junho clenched his fists in frustration.


    Gayoon was probably holding onto the hope that they would be able to save her but they failed the first attempt and the second attempt would take a bigger toll on them unless they were absolutely sure that the ritual would be a sess.


    "There must be some other way!" Jina insisted. "The Lady Cop is waiting for us!"


    "We''ve tried our best," Shijin admitted. "But this is one type of spirit we have never encountered before. Getting rid of a spirit who ispletely dead is easy for us but someone who is living...I don''t think we can exorcise this unconscious body as long as he''s alive while his spirit is off possessing others"


    Jina''s shoulders fell in disappointment while Junho was speechless. His heart was filled with remorse. Was he going to fail to save someone close to him again?


    Suna''s dead eyes were staring back at him, questioning him. Every night, he saw the recurring nightmare of his wife''s still body while the white orb hovered above her. It sneered at him for his failure to save her and gloated its victory.


    "You will lose, Hwang Junho"


    Its sinister voice rang in his ears and no matter how much he tried to shut it out, theughter would not stop. The evil presence which he had hunted down for so many years was mocking him again. It was right; he would never be able to save his loved ones.


    Hwang Junho was going to lose a loved one once again.


    Casper watched them helplessly, turning his head from one person to another. Yumi was silently crying while Jina was pain stricken and Junho was beyond grief. He was too numb to react. The failure of the ritual had hit them hard and there was no other way they could see.


    Can''t exorcise the unconscious body


    Suddenly it hit him and he made wild gestures at Jina. She looked up to frown at his strange behavior.


    "I think Casper is trying to say something!" she eximed. Shinjin and Junho, who could not see the ghosts, frowned.


    "Your ghost pal?" Junho asked. "Where is he standing?"


    "You can''t see him and Yumi?" Jina frowned. "I thought you guys were ghost experts!"


    "Well, we can only see them when we perform the rituals and exorcise them," Shinjin exined. "Because the ritual forces them to show themselves. Otherwise, the only way to realize a person is possessed is when their skin turns cold and they start to act feral."


    "What''s feral?" Jina asked.


    "It means to act savage," Shinjin replied. "They act like animals,sh out at people and even eat raw animal-"


    "Enough with all that!" Junho snapped. "What is the ghost saying?"


    Jina read Casper''s gestures and nodded. "That is a good idea!" she realized.


    "What did he say?" Shinjin asked.


    "He''s saying that maybe the ritual failed because the spirit is not in this guy''s body!" Jina interpreted. "It''s in the body of that doctor, right? So you gotta catch her and do the ritual! Drive it out of her body!"


    Junho and Shinjin looked at each other. They had assumed that they could use the ritual on theatose doctor Nam and pull his soul back in before killing him off. But they had not considered this point at all!


    "She''s right," Shinjin stated. "This means that we need to do a double exorcism! That too simultaneously!"


    "So one of us would have to stay here while the other one goes to that possessed girl!" Junho eximed.


    "And once the spirit has been extracted from her," Shinjin stated. "It will be transferred to the sleeping lunatic here."


    "Can you do it?" Junho asked. "We''ve never faced something like this before!"


    "It''s the same ritual but your incantation will be different," Shinjin said, pointing out the passage in the book. Junho read it well, memorizing it until it was etched into his memory.


    "Let''s try," Junho said. "This is ourst hope. If we fail this double exorcism, we''ll not get another chance. The ck shadow might jump onto someone else if we fail and we''ll not be able to find it again!"


    Jina was getting annoyed by the old men talking too much. They were pressed for time!


    "We have to hurry up then!" she urged. "Which one of you ising with me?"


    The two men turned on her, looking stern.


    "You''re too young," Junho said tly. "You will stay here while Shinjin goes to the possessed girl and exorcise the spirit."


    "Yeah, I can''t let a little kid tag along!" Shinjin agreed.


    Jina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Were the old men always this dumb? She wondered


    "Do any of you know where that doctor has taken the Lady Cop?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.


    "Err"


    "Uhh"


    "Can any of you see Yumi and Casper, who by the way know where the killer has taken the Lady Cop?" Jina questioned them, squinting her eyes.


    There was dead silence from the two men who scratched their heads, finding themselves in a fix.


    "I think it''s obvious that since I am the only one who can see them, I''ll be able to help you twomunicated with them," she concluded with a smirk. She tapped her foot, waiting for the old men to challenge her who could not think of a single counter argument. Unfortunately, the little girl was right. She was the only one who could lead them to Gayoon.


    "Now hurry up!" she scolded the two men, ushering them to follow her. "We have very little time!"


    They watched in shock as the girl sped away and were totally ashamed to admit that the two men in their old age were being bossed by an eight year old.


    "Is it me or is she more like Gayoon than I initially thought?" Shinjin asked in dismay.


    "I don''t think we even need a DNA test to figure out their connection," Junho sighed. He turned to Shinjin and added, "Call me when you''re ready."


    Shinjin nodded and sprinted off behind Jina. Junho went back into the room where the sadistic doctory, unaware of everything that was about to happen. As if on intuition, he looked up at the clock. It was 5:59 AM.


    Eighteen hours to go.

 Chapter 138: 5 Days-Her Trump Card

    Chapter 138: 5 Days-Her Trump Card


    They had been walking through the deep forest for hours without any sign of the copycat nor of Gayoon. Minho checked his watch. It was already half past 6 and it felt as if they had been going in circles.


    "This forest is deeper than I thought," Kanjimented. "It''s so weird. Everything feels exactly like it was twenty years ago."


    "That''s coz it''s a copycat," Minho gritted, pushing past the heavy branches hanging low till the ground. "She''s copying the CCK''s MO."


    "Yeah but to this extent?" Kanji pointed out. "Don''t you think it''s a little too much? No one can copy this well."


    "Maybe Dohyun was obsessed with the CCK and figured out Doctor Nam is the serial killer," Minho reasoned. "And somehow found out about his killing style and is copying it."


    "But that still doesn''t exin how she knew about our encounter with the CCK. It''s almost like she''s possessed by the CCK himself!"


    "What rubbish!" Minho imed. "That''s impossible."


    "I don''t know Minho," Kanji admitted. "There are so many things in this world we can''t exin. This doesn''t seem like a mere copycat killer. It feels more like the actual killer has risen from his slumber and is continuing his task as if he never left."


    Minho did not reply to that. He did not want to consider such an absurd possibility but Kanji was not entirely wrong either. No matter how much he tried to find a logic in everything, even he could not figure out why and how the copycat came to know of their encounter with the CCK in the past. That too when she was barely a toddler then.


    Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.


    "What is it?" Kanji asked. Minho did not reply but pointed ahead. There were tire tracks on the ground.


    "Is that...is that the van''s tracks?" Kanji gasped.


    "Let''s follow it," Minho said. They began to trail the tire tracks, entering deeper into the woods which were bing rmingly darker.


    Even though it was daytime and the sun had probably risen, it was hard to tell amidst therge trees looming above them, gloomily observing the intruders who had walked into their midst. A cool fog had set in, clouding their vision. But it was the familiar fear in their hearts which had them on the edge.


    It was like dejavu. They had somehow transported back in time to the night they had rescued Mina. It was the same setting and they were hunting for the same killer who had changed their lives so drastically. They might be older and wiser but the eerily simr feeling would not go away. Nothing had changed in the twenty years except for their ages.


    "Minho" Kanji began. "Do you still think that this is a copycat killer?"


    He knew it sounded ridiculous but his heart was screaming that something was amiss and he knew that despite Minho''s ims, he, too, was doubting his own logic.


    Minho did not reply for a while before finally admitting, "I don''t know what is true anymore."


    ...


    "It''s your...family home...isn''t it?"


    Gayoon shed the CCK a bloodied grin. The killer only snarled at her apparent smugness. No matter how many times it hit her, she would not give in to her fear. It had severely underestimated her.


    "You are too confident for your own good," it hissed.


    "I merely have confidence in my loved ones," Gayoon shot back. "You see unlike you, I actually have people who love me. They would find you sooner orter."


    "They will never find me!" CCK boasted. "And by the time they do, you''ll be dead."


    "Says the guy who was beaten by a teenager twenty years ago in his own turf," Gayoon scoffed. "If a sixteen year old Hwang Minho can beat you, then imagine what the current Hwang Minho would do to you! You think he''s gonna let you go after seeing me like this?"


    "Tut tut Detective," CCK said. "Hwang Minho only thinks of my current self as a copycat. He''s going to see Doctor Dohyun and shoot her. You really think I''m here to merely kill you?"


    A sadistic smile formed on its face, scaring Gayoon. She had to use every ounce of her willpower to not show her fear.


    "What do you mean?" she gritted.


    "You see my dear," it sneered. "After you die, Hwang Minho would hunt down Doctor Dohyun and kill her. I know he''s capable of doing that. After all, I''ve seen that monster in him."


    Gayoon''s eyes widened in shock. This spirit was not only evil but it was beyond redemption.


    "You want to turn him into a killer," she whispered. "This was your n all along"


    "That''s right," the CCK grinned. "Once you''re dead, he wille for Doctor Dohyun and kill her. He will be a killer just like me! I will make him unleash the monster in him and once he does that, I will reveal my true self. I''ll taunt him and relish in his pain when he realizes that he had killed an innocent person! I will make him stoop to my level and see him suffer for the rest of his life. He cut my time short with my family and I''ll make sure he''s never able to face his family again!"


    Its hatred oozed out of it, turning Dohyun''s pupils pitch ck. It was relishing in its victory. Within a few hours, the death of Jeon Gayoon would mark the beginning of Hwang Minho''s fall into madness. Twenty years ago, the CCK had seen the ruthless monster in Minho''s eyes which would unleash havoc in the world once unleashed. The darkness was masqueraded by the CEO''s iciness but it was there. Only a killer like the CCK could unlock it.


    Gayoon''s shock turned into hard determination. She knew that the CCK would truly win if that happened and no matter what, she would stop it. She had no intention to die that day and nor would she let Minho kill Dohyun. Her strength was leaving her as the pain in her body intensified but she bit into her lip hard, trying to keep herself awake.


    "There''s no use in trying to fight the drowsiness," CCK taunted her. "Soon, you''ll be cut up into pieces anyway. Unlike the others, you''re not going to get an easy death my dear. I''ll make sure you feel the sharpness of the de into your soft skin"


    It licked its lips in anticipation, d that the detective was finally beginning to show some fear. But to its shock, she began tough. Gayoon let out a mirthfulughter at the CCK''s irony.


    "Why are youughing?" it asked in annoyance.


    "Unfortunately, pal," she began. "Even if Minho kills Dohyun, he would still not be the monster you are. He might end up killing a person but even if he kills a thousand people, your one single sin will beat all of his."


    "What do you mean?" it demanded.


    "Do you know the name of yourst victim?" she asked.


    "No!" it scoffed. "Who cares about their names as long as they served their purpose towards me!"


    "Oh you would love to know thest one''s name," Gayoon smiled. "But I must warn you, if you hear it, then you''ll regret it for the rest of your miserable existence."


    The CCK fumed as Gayoon slightly leaned forward to throw her trump card.


    "Her name was Nam Jiyeon," she revealed. "Daughter of Lee Dami and...Nam Daewhi."

 Chapter 139: 5 Days-Father

    Chapter 139: 5 Days-Father


    "How much deeper is this forest?" Kanjiined in frustration. They were lost in the jungle as the daytime stretched on. They had been following the tire tracks but they vanished after a while at the river, leaving them with no other choice but to walk along the water bed. It was already past afternoon and they had lost all sense of time as they walked on for hours.


    Minho was also tired. Sweat beaded from his forehead and his feet were writhing in agony but they had to go on. They had very little time and there was no telling what the CCK was doing to her at that very moment.


    "It''ll be dark soon," hemented, looking at the sky. More than a day had passed and they were still going around in circles in the midst of nowhere. Their men had not called them either which meant they had no luck in finding Gayoon either.


    "Thest time we found him in some sort of hill," Kanji recalled. He checked the map on his phone. "But there aren''t any hills here."


    "This copycat killer has been following the CCK''s footsteps, right?" Minho asked. "Why don''t you look up on CCK''s information instead? Doctor Nam? Did you collect anything on him?"


    "Wait, I think I had the files in my inbox," Kanji muttered, scrolling through his phone. "Aha!"


    He opened the mail his secretary had sent him and read the contents. Minho peered over his shoulder to read.


    "Father''s name was Nam Minhyun," Minho read. "Mother''s name was Song Irina. They were a well to do upper ss family who were considered to be an ideal family."


    "Except that they were a family of lovely cannibals," Kanji stated. "They had properties in uptown, City B, and in Country U and"


    He scrolled further down and gasped. "A cabin in the woods near the docks!" he eximed. "They had a cabin here!"


    "Makes sense," Minho realized. "Remember what Gayoon said? That the CCK used to hunt in the woods? Maybe the ce where we found him twenty years ago was only one of his hideouts and we just happened to get lucky by finding Mina there? He had another hideout here!"


    "And somehow Doctor Dohyun found out," Kanji added. "And now she''s using this ce as the second hideout. But the question still remains, Minho. How does she know all of this?"


    "She can''t be the CCK''s daughter," Minho sighed. He was beginning to feel frustrated over the mystery of this copycat. "Since Gayoon said Nam Jiyeon was the daughter whom he so brutally murdered and had for dinner."


    Kanji winced a little hearing those words but Minho did not care. He was too distracted by the fact that he had to save Gayoon that the gruesome details did not faze him anymore.


    "Where is this cabin?" Minho asked.


    "It''s around three hours from here on foot," Kanji replied. "The copycat had a van so it took her less time tomute but we have little time. It''ll be sunset by then."


    "Let''s go," Minho said. "We''ll have to find them. Soon."


    .....


    "You...what the fuck are you spewing?" the CCK used her. "You''re lying!"


    It did not believe her words and was fervently denying everything. There was no way it would not recognize its own offspring. His daughter was alive and well, waiting for her dad to wake up. The detective was lying.


    But Gayoon was ruthless in her stance.


    "You want to make monsters out of others but you''re still the worst one!" she spat at it. Her grin was widening with every word, delighted to see that she was rattling the shadow. No doubt the CCK possessing Dohyun was bing more unhinged. It can deny the truth but not change it.


    "You killed and consumed your own daughter!" she went on. "And nothing in this world can top that sin."


    "Shut up," it whispered.


    "You wanted your daughter with you at all times but you were the one who cut her life short!" she went on. "Your daughtery on that stretcher of death, watching in horror as you tortured her!"


    "Shut up!" it repeated, this time the madness beginning to engulf it. Her words were cutting into its dark soul, as it vehemently denied any such incident. No! It told itself. My daughter is alive! She is! She has to be!


    "You lie!" it imed.


    "Whether you ept it or not," Gayoon said. "It''s the truth. You killed other people''s daughters and fate led you to kill your own offspring! This is your karma!"


    "SHUT UP!" it bellowed and struck more blows to her this time more vicious. It wanted to kill her instantly, not even bothering to use the tools on her. It wanted to choke the life out of her with its bare hands and rip her heart out. But he still had a vendetta to fulfill against Hwang Minho and its pride kept it from tarnishing its ns.


    Gayoon smirked at the killer who was hellbent on destroying her but she no longer cared. Even if she died there, at least she was satisfied to know that this monster would be tormented by her words for the rest of its miserable existence. It would never be able to forget her and would fall into a living hell over its actions. No amount of remorse would be enough to repay for what it did.


    Her strength had left herpletely and with a smirk on her lips, she finally lost her consciousness. The CCK threw her aside and paced around the room. Rubbing its hands through Dohyun''s hair, it was in a manic state as it circled the room for hours nonstop.


    "She''s lying," it kept on repeating. "She''s lying!"


    Yet the detective''sst ounce of torment was enough to keep it on the edge of its sanity. The images of its father''s abuse were pouring into its head and the man''s words echoed its ears. Its mind drifted off towards its first kill, the memories filled with fear and love.


    ....


    <em>"You''re useless!" its father had shouted to him. "You can''t even cut up the best part of this fresh meat!"</em>


    <em>He struck the ten year old Nam, who fell onto the ground crying while the unconscious body of a womany on the stretched before him. His father picked up a scalpel and handed it to him.</em>


    <em>"Cut out the heart," he ordered. "And do it neatly."</em>


    <em>"No father...please"</em>


    <em>Another kick to his shins caused the boy to topple over in pain. The image of his father killing thest one was still haunting him and he did not want to do it again. But the father was ruthless in his pursuit of turning his boy into a man. There was no room for weakness at all.</em>


    <em>"Do it Nam Daewhi!" father warned. "Otherwise you will get no meat for a month! And I know you want the meat!"</em>


    <em>Nam was scared and confused. Yes, he wanted to consume the flesh of the human lying on the stretcher. She looked so soft and delicate. He was sure that if he pierced the scalpel into her skin, she would bleed out a lot of blood. But he was too scared of his father.</em>


    <em>"Do it Daewhi," father threatened. "Otherwise, you will never be one of us. You want to be in our family, right? Then you have to do it!"</em>


    <em>Shaking in fear, the little boy took the scalpel and gulped. Turning to the still girl, he made his way towards her. Her pearly skin shone under the bright lights and her delicate skin was enticing him. She looked delicious.</em>


    <em>"Do it," father urged. "Do it Daewhi. Otherwise you won''t be able to be a man!"</em>


    <em>That''s right, the little boy thought. I want to be a man like my father. I want to be a man.</em>


    <em>He looked down at the woman''s body. Controlling his fear, he put the scalpel on her skin and pierced it. One drop of blood was followed by a rush of red liquid gushing out until she bled to death in front of his eyes. The little boy watched in wonder as life left the woman''s body. A slow smirk formed on his lips.</em>


    <em>"I want to hunt for more," he told his father, marveling at his first kill.</em>


    <em>"Patience my son," the father said. "We will go on another hunt. Soon. Let''s finish this one up until then."</em>


    <em>Smiling proudly at his son, the father-son duo finished off the woman on the table. That night, they had a hearty meal as their mother made meat curry and kimchi, two of Nam''s favorite dishes. As he bit into the spicy meat, he could only be thankful for having such a lovely family.</em>


    .....


    Back in the present, the CCK kept on pacing through the room like a madman. It was doubting itself. There was no doubt that it loved its daughter. After all, it went on a hunting spree the moment he heard that he was going to have a child. It even had many ns for its daughter and how he would teach her to hunt as well.


    So there was no way it had consumed its own daughter''s flesh.


    "The detective is lying!" it told itself. It looked at Gayoon''s bruised body with sheer contempt and hatred. Hwang Minho''s woman was as despicable as him. No wonder they were attracted to each other. It did not matter to the CCK whether she was lying or not.


    She was going to die that night and Hwang Minho would be a killer because of her. That was in their destiny.

 Chapter 140: 5 Days-Rising Dread

    Chapter 140: 5 Days-Rising Dread


    "Hurry it up!" Jina urged Shinjin who was speeding past the cars. The ghosts were in the back, giving directions through Jina.


    "I am going fast!" Shinjinined. "This is the fastest limit!"


    "Your car is a dump!" Jina shot back. "I knew that we should have taken our one! It''s faster."


    "Yeah well, kid, your car costs more than my lifetime earnings!"


    "Your car is a snail!"


    They were bickering back and forth. It had been hours and even though they had started early in the morning, the sun was already setting. Shinjin''s old truck was slow and further slowed them down when they had to stop at the gas station to refill the tanks which took a long time.


    "Will you two shut it?" Yumi snapped at Jina. "We''re trying to find the way!"


    "But you two already went there!" Jina frowned. "You should know the route."


    "We followed that thing at night," Yumi exined. "That too by using the faint trace of my heart in its...Anyway we need to remember the route."


    "What''s the ghost saying?" Shinjin asked.


    "They''re trying to recall the route," Jina sighed. Casper was peering out of the window, noticing a ship in the distance. They were driving along the penins and the sight of the ship made him remember something. He waved at Jina to make hand gestures.


    "There was a ship?" Jina asked. Casper nodded and held up 7 fingers.


    "There were 7 ships?" Jina interpreted. "So it must be around the docks?"


    Casper nodded and Yumi pped her head in realization. "Oh yes!" she eximed. "It had driven straight past the docks and into those woods. I remember there was a marker there too. That thing drove into the forest and I noticed there was a bodhi tree which we passed on the way."


    "And that there was a cabin. It took him over an hour to drive from the forest to the cabin."


    "What are the ghosts saying?" Shinjin frowned, not being able to hear what they were saying.


    "Just head for the docks and drive into the forest," Jina ordered him impatiently before turning back to the ghosts. "What else?"


    "The cabin did have ab but the detective wasn''t kept in it," Yumi said. "In fact, she waspletely conscious! The CCK was even talking to her but I have to give it to the detective. She sassed the shadow and turned the tables. But I don''t know how long she can keep up. She was badly beaten up when we were there."


    Jina bit her lip in worry. The CCK was probably torturing the Lady Cop and she needed their help more than ever.


    "My dad and uncle Kanji are already there," Jina stated. "I''m sure they will be able to take the killer down."


    "No," Shijin said grimly. "They will get thedy doctor but not the CCK."


    "But it''s in her body, right?" Jina asked. "So if they get her, they would get the shadow as well."


    "That''s not how it works," Shinjin exined. "You see, a spirit can move from one host to the next. So even if they get the doctor, the shadow possessing her might move on to another person and create more havoc. It might move onto someone close to your family as well."


    "It can possess us?" Jina asked in shock.


    "Depends on a person''s will power," Shijin went on. "If the person has a weak will then they are more prone to getting possessed. People with strong will rarely get possessed. Only a very powerful spirit can do that. In fact, I know of only one such person who had a monstrous willpower but was possessed by a very dangerous spirit."


    "Who is it?"


    Your grandmother, Shijin added in his mind but aloud he said, "Doesn''t matter. She''s gone. For now, we gotta focus on finding Gayoon."


    Jina sped her hands together in a prayer. They were only a few miles away from the forest and she could not help but think what the CCK might have done to the Lady Cop. What if she was already dead?


    Fear crept into the little girl''s heart. Her Lady Cop was strong but for how long could shest? Tears fell from her eyes as the images of Gayoon''s lifeless body shed in front of her mind. Yumi and Casper, noticing her tears, reached out to pat her.


    "She''ll be fine," Yumi whispered. She knew the fear Gayoon was going through and the sheer will it must have taken her to face the CCK head on.


    Unlike the other victims, he would make sure that she felt each and every bit of pain it was going to inflict on her. Even if Yumi did not remember much after she bled out, she knew the feelings of fear and anger she had felt. The shadow had not hesitated to take her life. Many times she had asked herself, "Why me? What did I do?"


    Her heart also went out to the other victim who was killed. She, too, must have felt the same fear and pain. The shadow did not have an ounce of sympathy in it and it was about to unleash its worst side on Gayoon. The little girl in front of her would either save her Lady Cop today or be traumatized for the rest of her life.


    "We''re at the docks!" Shijin eximed. "Where''s the route?"


    "Take a right turn," YJinai instructed. "There''s a narrow opening between next to a fir tree. Drive through it and head south until you reach a bodhi tree. After that, turn left till you reach the river and drive alongside it. The cabin should be there."


    Shijin stepped on the pedal and tried to speed up his poor truck without wasting time. Jina watched on, ash faced and fearful of what she was going to find there. They drove on silently, trying to squash the ominous thoughtsing into their minds.


    Please be safe, she prayed. But were prayers enough?

 Chapter 141: 5 Days-Realization

    Chapter 141: 5 Days-Realization


    Gayoon was strapped to a stretcher. She was too weak to move as the CCK tied her hands with the cold straps. She had been unconscious for hours after the beating and the shadow had been in a delirium over her explosive reveal. CCK still refused to believe that its only child was dead.


    "You are about to find out what happens when someone lies to me," the CCK hissed, towering over her. Dohyun''s face was contorted in a blood thirsty fury, ruining her beautiful features with a psychotic mania. Even in that state, Gayoon could not help but pity the poor girl who had inadvertently be a pawn to this monster''s twisted game.


    "It...still w-wouldn''t change the truth"


    The CCK pped her again but Gayoon was numb to the pain. Her body would not be able to take another beating but she must stall it. The shadow was going to kill her at exactly 11:59 PM but before that, it would no doubt try to torture her more.


    CCK put on a mask and scrub. Reaching out to its left, it turned on the surgical lights.


    The while lights blind Gayoon, almost burning her bruised eyes. She winced and closed her eyes as her head began to be dizzier. Her breath was heavy and she was panting while the CCK was gleeful seeing her difort.


    "This is only the beginning pretty girl," it sneered. "Just because I will kill you at 11:59 PM, doesn''t mean I won''t have some fun."


    It picked up a scalpel and shed it in front of Gayoon. She hid her fear, masking it with a look of apparent indifference but was well aware that if the knife pierced her skin, the pain would be unbearable.


    "Still so smug," it sighed. "Let''s see now"


    Gayoon felt the cold knife touch her skin.


    "Let''s see your smugness now."


    The CCK pressed the scalpel deep into her skin. It took Gayoon all her might to not scream out in pain. Biting her tongue, she endured the sharpness cutting into her flesh and she writhed in pain but did not dare to scream.


    "Still smug eh?"


    It pressed the scalpel deeper and Gayoon almost screeched yet managed to stop her screams from escaping her mouth. But the next cut would definitely make her yield into his sadistic tendencies and she was not sure how much longer she could endure it.


    "Enough with the forey, dear," the CCK joked. "Let''s just get to the heart of all things."


    It raised the scalpel again and Gayoon watched in horror as it lowered the knife to her chest. The CCK''s manic grin was etched onto its face as the scalpel came nearer to her heart.


    The loud sound of the gunshot echoed throughout the forest. Staggering backwards, clutching its arm, the CCK looked up in shock.


    Minho''s cold eyes were staring right into it. He had shot its arm while Kanji leapt forward to untie Gayoon. She struggled to get up, her body too injured so Kanji picked her up in his arms and led her away to a corner.


    "It''s alright," he assured her. "The back up team is on its way. We''ll arrest her."


    "N-n-n-no!" Gayoon gasped. "Not her"


    "What?" Kanji frowned. The detective was probably too traumatized by what she had to go through and was not understanding what was going on.


    Minho stood with the gun still pointed at Dohyun. Thetter''s arm was oozing out blood but she kept on smiling like a psycho.


    "You''re here atst!" she wheezed. "I''ve been waiting for you, Hwang Minho."


    She let out another bout ofughter while Minho looked at it coldly. "You could have been a great doctor," he said. "And yet, you chose to follow the path of a serial killer. Of all the things you could have done, you had to be a monster like him."


    But Dohyun onlyughed harder. "Like him?" she sneered. "Like him? You really believe that, Hwang Minho?"


    Gayoon held on to Kanji who was startled by the surprising strength the detective possessed. "Gayoon, don''t worry," he reassured her. "The copycat will be caught. We just need to wait for the-"


    "It''s...not a copycat" Gayoon whispered.


    "What?" Kanji asked. "Detective, you''re hurt and you don''t know what you''re saying-"


    "It''s him!" Gayoon weakly insisted. "It''s the real CCK. She''s possessed"


    Kanji did not know what to say to her. Possessed? He turned around to see the confrontation between Minho and the copycat who was ecstatic. What was going on?


    "You can try to pretend that you''re the real one," Minho said. "But you''re just a copycat who-"


    "The fun in meals," Dohyun quoted. "Is the hunt. The more you run after the prey, the tastier the food bes."


    Her chilling words made Minho and Kanji wide eyed with shock. Dohyun relished the effect she was having on them as she ruthlessly went on tormenting the duo with her words.


    "You still have my eyes, Hwang Minho!" she imed. "The eyes of a killer. I know you want to kill me. Why don''t you finish what you had started twenty years ago? You also want to kill someone so badly."


    Minho''s hands were mmy with sweat. It was exactly like that night. The killer was not only taunting him but was quoting the exact words from the night twenty years ago. It felt as if...as if


    "As if I am the real CCK?" Dohyun crackled in a high pitched voice. Her eyes were getting darker and darker until her pupils werepletely ck. And then it spoke in a dual voice.


    "I want to as well," it said. Blending with Dohyun''s voice was the familiar shrilly one which had been haunting Minho for years.


    "I want to kill every woman I see. Old or young. Fat or thin. I want to kill them too...Just like you want to kill someone."


    Both Minho and Kanji stared in shock as the entity before them was controting its face muscles. A dark shadow was beginning to emerge from it while its words invoked the familiar fear into their hearts.


    "You want to kill your father, too," it went on. "What did he do kid? Did he abandon you? Did he also kill someone close to you? Was he also a... monster?"


    "Minho"


    Kanji''s terrified voice reached his ears. Minho knew what he was about to say.


    "I know," Minho said quietly. "This isn''t a copycat. This...this is the CCK himself."

 Chapter 142: 5 Days-Its Him

    Chapter 142: 5 Days-It''s Him


    For a moment his mind wentpletely nk. How was this possible? The man who was CCK was lying on the hospital bed! Minho had shot him years ago and he had seen those wounds himself. There was no way the CCK was a female and that too so young!


    Yet, here she was. Or rather ''it'' was. Somewhere in his mind, he knew that whatever was standing in front of him was not human but rather something which could not beprehended with logic. Dohyun knew exactly what the CCK had told him all those years ago. The same words, the same taunts and jeers. Most of all, it had that same cold tone, devoid of any feelings or humanity. Its eyes had changed right in front of him, throwing out all doubts he had.


    It was him and Minho knew it.


    "Shocked?" CCK asked gleefully.


    Gayoon watched helplessly as Minho kept on pointing the gun at Dohyun. Thetter, as CCK, was keeping no stones unturned in tormenting him and she knew that he could shoot at Dohyun any moment.


    "You see, after you put me in aa, I was nothing!" the CCK narrated. "And now...now I''m back to have my revenge on you!"


    "You''re lying," Minho bluffed. He feigned denial because he knew that it wanted him to be afraid of it. He had to control the shaking of his hands with great difficulty as he kept his aim straight at Dohyun.


    "Am I?"


    To all of their horror, Dohyun''s neck began to slowly rotate like a clock. It twisted her neck with a sadistic grin on her face. As her head twisted, Minho and Kanji felt the bileing up their throat. Kanji could not help but rush to a corner and throw up while Minho kept his cool. Whatever it was in front of him was trying to make him relent to the fear.


    "How did you turn out like this?" Minho asked. He was buying time for the backup team to arrive and arrest Dohyun on sight. Or shoot her dead. Whatever was required to get rid of the CCK, he was fine with it as long as it was gone.


    "I am an enigma," the CCK imed in its dual voice. "A shadow you cannot escape from! I have dreamt of this moment for so long. You called me a monster but you...you, my friend, are the bigger monster. You hide behind a mask of elegance while we both know that you''re itching to kill him."


    The mention of Minho''s father was enough to make him unhinged. The CCK knew his weakness and was exploiting it to its heart''s desire.


    "Your father was a scumbag who destroyed your family," it went on. "Didn''t he kill your mother? How was it again?"


    "Min...ho" Gayoon whispered but her voice was too weak. He did not hear her silent pleas but kept his focus on the possessed Dohyun. She must tell him what it was trying to do otherwise it would be toote.


    "How did he do it, Hwang Minho?" the CCK pressed. "What did he do to her?"


    "Shut up," Minho muttered.


    "Do you want to see it?" it whispered.


    "Min...ho" Gayoon tried to reach out for him but she could not move. Kanji kept his grip on her but he was too shocked to say anything.


    "What''s going on?" he whispered as he watched Minho trying to fight the demons he had been struggling with for years.


    .....


    Its words were bringing back the memories of that night. The ten year old Minho, who had woken up in the middle of the night, was slowly descending the stairs. It had been many days since their mother had been sick. Their father forbade them from going into the bedroom and he was locked in with her, taking care of her. The little boy wondered what was going on with his parents and why they were being so secretive. But no matter how many times he tried to enter the room, his father would not allow it.


    Suddenly, there was a sound of breaking ss. Startled by the noise, Minho made his way towards the source of the noise. It wasing from his parents'' bedroom. Mina was asleep in her little cot upstairs and he was the only one home.


    Is it a burr? He wondered. Stepping towards the master bedroom, he held his breath as he reached out for the doorknob.


    Before he could reach it, a strange voice rang in his head.


    "The gates of hell are opening again"


    It was for a brief moment but someone or rather something just spoke into his ears. He was not sure what it was. Was he imagining things?


    His mother''s shrill cry broke his reverie and he forgot everything else. Bursting through the door, the horrifying sight of his father standing over his mother''s corpse met his eyes. The older man turned around to face his son.


    "I''m sorry"


    Those were thest words he heard before the little boy passed out of shock. All he could remember, was a faint smell of sulphur lingering in the air.


    ...


    "Did you see it?" The CCK asked. Minho was panting as if he had been running for hours. The cold seat was falling from his forehead and his appearance was disheveled by the memories he had just seen. The CCK had unearthed them and was using them against him.


    "The father you had once looked up to," CCK taunted. "Killed your mother."


    "Shut up" Minho repeated. His finger was on the trigger, ready shoot. He no longer cared for thew and wanted to shoot every single bullet into that hideous thing''s head.


    "You failed to catch him!" the CCK jeered. "You failed your mother!"


    Something in Minho snapped. He could no longer tolerate the thing which was tormenting him. The torture was going beyond all limits and the nightmares could no longer be kept at bay.


    "You''ve had your chance," he said quietly. "No more."


    Gayoon wanted to scream at him to stop but her voice was too weak. She could not stop him nor tell anything coherently to Kanji. Thetter had no interest in stopping Minho either because the CCK was beyond any redemption.


    Minho''s finger was on the trigger, ready to fire


    "DAD STOP!"


    Minho turned in shock to see Jina standing at the door with a strange looking man. She was looking at him, pain stricken and scared.


    "Don''t shoot her!" Jina eximed. "It''s the ck shadow doing all of this!"

 Chapter 143: 5 Days- Day 5

    Chapter 143: 5 Days- Day 5


    Jina stood there with Shinjin, staring directly at her father who was holding the gun. She could tell that the shadow was torturing him to the point that he was willing to kill thedy doctor but she must stop him from doing so.


    "Jina how-"


    "Stand back!" Shinjin yelled as he threw salt on Dohyun. To his relief, it worked as the shadow screamed in pain because the salt burned its skin.


    "Jina, go to your father and put the salt barrier around everyone like I''ve instructed!" he ordered.


    The little girl nodded and set off to work. Jina ran to her father and pulled him into the corner where Gayoony, barely conscious.


    "Jina what-" Minho began to ask but Jina took out a container full of salt and drew a circle around all of them.


    "Don''t cross this line!" she told them. "No matter what happens! The old man told me not to let anyone cross this!"


    Minho and Kanji were very confused by her attitude and sudden appearance. How did the little girl know of their location? But Jina did not care for their questions and bent down to tend to Gayoon who was badly injured.


    "Lady Cop!" she cried. Her eyes were teary and seeing Gayoon in that state scared her. WAs she alright? Was she alive?


    Gayoon was wincing in pain but her thoughts were on Jina''s safety. She should not be seeing a malevolent shadow in her age!


    "Jina, how did you get here?" Minho demanded.


    "I"


    Jina was not sure how to exin it. Her father would never believe her but the Lady Cop will. She turned to Gayoon who was barely trying to keep herself awake.


    "Yumi told me," she revealed. Minho and Kanji frowned while Gayoon was shocked.


    "W-what?" she stammered, ignoring the pain in her body. "Y-Yumi?"


    "I know you can sense them too!" Jina revealed. "I heard you conversing with Yumi and Casper! They told you about the ck shadow! And they''re with me here! I know you can sense them too!"


    She was right. Gayoon had sensed the presence of the ghosts ever since Jina had turned up. But the little girl''s ims were confusing her. She could sense them? How was this possible?


    "I can see them!" Jina whispered. "I see them everyday, every night."


    "Jina, what are you talking about?" Minho snapped. "I know you have an imaginary friend called Casper but now is not the time to talk about nonsensical stuff! How did you get here and who is that stranger?"


    "Minho, I think she''s just distrubed" Kanji began but Jian stomped her foot in anger, frustrated at the adults who would not listen to her at all. She was tired of exining to them that she could see ghosts and they still brushed her off as a child.


    "I AM TELLING THE TRUTH!" Jina yelled, taking everyone by surprise. "I see these spirits everyday! They''re walking and talking amongst us! Theymunicate with me! I see them everywhere I go! They''re real and they''re here! I AM NOT IMAGINING THINGS SO WHY WON''T YOU BELIEVE ME?"


    The little girl was angry at the world which was marking her truth as the rantings of a kid. She never lied and yet, no one would believe her. Yumi and Casper watched helplessly as the little girl tried to convince the adults to listen to her. Gayoon was staring at her, nk faced as she tried toprehend Jina''s words while the men were skeptical.


    "Jina," Yumi said. "Repeat my words to him."


    Jina was taken aback but nodded.


    "Jina, this is all your imagination!" Minho argued back. "I don''t know what that thing is over there but-"


    "Ahjusshi, you were there that day," Jina began to narrate. "You saw my cold body in the morgue, chopped into pieces like I was some kind of wild animal."


    "What is she-" Kanji frowned but Jina went on.


    "What was my fault, ahjusshi? I was merely hanging out with my friends that night. The next day, I was supposed to meet my favorite idols. I had dreams and hopes like anyone else"


    Tears began to well up in Jina''s eyes while interpreting Yumi''s story. Minho was startled by what his daughter was saying. He had never told anyone else about the fact that he had seen Yumi''s corpse. Only Gayoon knew about it and he was sure she would not tell anyone else either.


    "The detective was urging you to give your statement," Yumi spoke via Jina. "But you refused. You didn''t tell them anything even after they showed you my corpse. Why? Why didn''t you?"


    "Jina how do you know all this?" Minho demanded. What was going on? Did his daughter really


    "Dad, please believe me," she begged tearfully. "I see them. I see the ghosts around us. Theye to me. They tell me things. I really can see them. And so does the Lady Cop."


    "Believe her."


    Gayoon''s soft voice came from behind him. Jina''s tearful begging brought back her own traumatic memories when people did not believe her. They would jeer at her, make her doubt her own sanity and seeing this little child going through the same thing was breaking her heart.


    And it was all her fault.


    As if in a trance, Minho turned his attention to Gayoon. Even in that state, she could hear everything that Jina had just said. The wordsing out of the little girl had shaken her to the very core and seeing Jina cry was even worse than the torture inflicted on her by the CCK.


    Both of their eyes met, as they finally realized the truth.


    "Is she...is she" Gayoon whimpered. Biting back her pain, she asked, "Is she...our daughter?"


    Minho gave her a stiff nod. He could read the mix of emotions in her eyes which ranged from happiness to guilt.


    "And this ability to see ghosts" he began. "Did she inherit it from you?"


    Unable to speak due to the sudden rush of pain and emotions, Gayoon simply nodded and everted his eyes. Minho did not need to know anything further nor did Gayoon. They were at a crossroads, unsure of what to do with the revtions they had just unearthed.


    All they could do was to wait until the nightmare was over.

 Chapter 144: 5 Days-Conclusion

    Chapter 144: 5 Days-Conclusion


    Junho prepared himself as he drew the salt line around Nam''s bed, leaving only one blind spot for the spirit to enter through. Shinjin had already texted him that he was about to start the ritual at the cabin where Dohyun was kept captive. He had been waiting for hours, carefully guarding Nam as he tried toprehend the event which had urred.


    Not only did he find Gayoon''s daughter but the fact that the little girl was also Minho''s child and his own granddaughter was making him question the strange workings of fates. The sheer amount of coincidences was too much to ignore and he had an inkling that Minho already knew that Gayoon was Jina''s birth mother.


    Then why did he not tell her anything?


    Did Gayoon find out about her daughter today? He wondered. These questions were swirling around his mind and before he knew it, many hours had passed by until Shinjin texted him. Pushing aside all questions, he tried to concentrate on the matter in hand.


    Positioning himself at the foot of Nam''s bed, he waited. It was going to be a long night.


    .....


    Minho turned away from Gayoon, his expression unreadable. Kanji looked from him to Gayoon while Jina was weeping. The ghosts were awkwardly standing there, feeling as if they had intruded on some kind of family drama.


    Meanwhile, Shinjin had managed to weaken Dohyun and tied her up on the stretcher. The girl was sleeping but Jina could see the shadow was still within her.


    "The shadow is in her," she whispered in a heavy voice.


    "What do you know about this shadow?" Minho asked Gayoon. There was a coldness in his tone which was like a crushing blow to her but she had no time to dwell on it. As much as she wanted to hug Jina and shower all her love on her, they had to deal with the CCK first.


    "It''s not...alive...nor dead" she managed to say. Her abdomen was hurting like crazy but they could not get out of that ce until the exorcism seeded. "After you shot Doctor Nam and sent him to aa, the shadow had emerged from the darkness of his soul, existing in a limbo. Until it saw Mina again and its desire for revenge was renewed. It possessed Dohyun to exact its revenge on you."


    "What''ll happen if Doctor Dohyun is killed?" Minho asked. "Will the shadow die as well?"


    "No," she replied. "It''ll move into someone else and the cycle will continue."


    Shinjin stood back, staring at the unconscious doctor.


    "Cover Jina''s eyes," he told them. "It''s not something a child should see."


    Kanji immediately covered Jina''s eyes and held her close. Jina did notin and hid her face in Kanji''s arms.


    "It''ll be alright," he assured her. He could not help but pity the strange family who had to deal with so many revtions in a short amount of time. Even though he was surprised to hear of Gayoon''s abilities, he was still curious about why she had passed on her powers to her daughter. Was it a gift or a curse? And what was Minho thinking?


    Shinjin sped his hands together and began to chant.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," he murmured. "The soul who has lost his way and wreaked havoc in this world. Come out! Come out!"


    He sprinkled holy water on Dohyun and she squirmed in agony. The water was burning her skin and angry blisters appeared on her body as she thrashed. Her ck eyes were ring at the man in front of her.


    "You think you can get rid of me, you fucker?" the thing inside her yelled. "I''m gonna cut you up into-"


    Shinjin threw more water on it and she let out a shrill scream, arching her back. It shook violently, trying to get rid of the straps binding it.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," Shinjin repeated without break. "The soul who has lost his way and wreaked havoc in this world. Come out! Come out!"


    The air around them was swirling rapidly as the shadow tried to break the salt barrier but its powers had no effect on it. Minho and Kanji watched in horror as the light bulbs began to burst from the sheer force of the shadow and the girl on the stretcher kept on screaming curses at them. Her body felt like it was on fire as Shinjin kept on repeating the charm and threw more holy water on it.


    A pungent smell of sulphur was beginning to engulf the whole area, making Minho and Kanji almost barf. Gayoon had passed out, herst ounce of willpower leaving her while Jina was too frightened to look. The ghosts were patting her back, as they too watched in horror and shock at the exorcist who was ruthlessly driving the shadow away from Dohyun.


    The poor girl was in such agony that it was almost unbearable to watch. The CCK had turned her into only skins and bones. It was a miracle that the girl was alive after all this.


    "That monster" Yumi cursed. She was so angry at the serial killer who treated their lives like toys. To him, they were nothing more than food. It was sick and disgusting that a monster like him was still alive.


    ""Oh you who has gone astray! The soul who has lost his way and wreaked havoc in this world. Come out! Come out!"


    Dohyun let out onest agonizing shriek, her body beginning to levitate. The stretcher rose several inches above the ground, frightening everyone around her except for Shinjin who was calm. It rotated in the air for a few seconds before crashing onto the ground, leaving nothing but a deafening silence behind.


    Minho and Kanji were shell shocked while Jina peeped out from Kanji''s arms. The ghosts were also watching in anticipation at Dohyun''s still body as if afraid that the shadow within her would awaken again.


    "Is it over?" Minho whispered.


    "No," Shinjin said. "There is one more thing left. All we gotta do is to wait."


    .....


    Junho was waiting patiently when the windows of the room flew open and a strong gale gushed in. He remained calm as a ck shadow crept in through the open windows, making its way towards Nam. He did not move as the shadow slid through the opening he had left deliberately open for it to enter through.


    He watched as the shadow went back into its real body. Nam''s heartbeats were beginning to increase and one of his fingers moved. The doctor''s eyes fluttered open only to see Junho, standing next to his bed.


    Without another word, Junho put on a pair of gloves and before Nam could even move, he pressed a pillow onto the doctor''s face. Nam struggled for a while before his body went still again. This time, forever.


    Slowly removing the pillow, Junho put it away and quietly walked away. Within a few hours, the doctors would find him dead but they would rule it off as a natural death.


    As he walked away from the room, he realized that when it came to his family, he did not mind hunting down any monster who would haunt them. For too long, his children had suffered in the hands of that vile creature and as their father, he would destroy any monster who would make his children suffer.


    Years ago, he did the same for Gayoon and now he did it again for his children. And he would do it again for Suna.


    ....


    Shinjin''s mobile vibrated as Junho''s text arrived. He turned to the group who were shaken up by the scene they had just witnessed.


    "It''s over," he dered. "The CCK is dead."

 Chapter 145: The Classroom

    Chapter 145: The ssroom


    The ssroom was dark and empty sans for one person. She was shivering in a corner even though it was a hot summer night. The girl was barely seventeen and was wearing a school uniform. Her name tag ''Jeon Gayoon'' was stuck on her chest.


    The girl was shaking badly as she hid her head in her knees, desperately shutting her ears.


    "Stop" she moaned. "Please stop"


    The soft thumping of footsteps was approaching her way. There was no one else in the school except her and yet, the footsteps were slowly heading towards the ssroom. Gayoon cowered back in fear, her cheeks stained with tears. It could sense her presence there and no matter how much she tried, she could not get rid of it.


    The footsteps stopped in front of the ssroom door. Gayoon backed up against the wall as the door slowly opened. She dreaded the thing that was about toe in.


    No! She begged. Someone save me! Please!


    The door was fully open. A pale looking boy inrge, nerdy sses entered the ssroom. He had slick hair and was taller than her by a foot. He wore the same uniform as her and scanned the room until his eyes fell on her.


    "Gayoon?" he asked in astonishment. "What are you doing here?"


    Gayoon did not reply but backed up against the wall, not daring to talk. The boy took pity on her and came towards her. He touched her shoulder but she squirmed away.


    "Why are you so scared?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Gayoon, what happened?"


    She looked on the verge of crying but did not dare to do so. Her voice would note out as the boy patted her head.


    "Gayoon, why are you so afraid of me?" he asked. "Don''t you know how much I love you?"


    "Stop!" she begged. "Just stop!"


    "Gayoon, I know we are meant to be," the boy went on. "Don''t you remember how much I love you? Is it because of this?"


    He pointed at therge hole on his chest and grinned. Gayoon shut her eyes and turned away from the entity which had been stalking her for months, ruining her peace of mind and driving her insane.


    Ahjusshi, where are you? She cried inwardly but the boy was simply smiling at her.


    "Gayoon, those bullies threw me off the roof and I ended up being spiked by the sharp fences," he said. "But I love you so much that I ended uping back for you! And yet...yet...you won''t even look at me?"


    The boy''s ghost had never imagined that the girl he had loved so much would end up seeing his spirit. It was like fate. They were destined to be together and since then, he had been following her. He came into her dreams, determined to make her fall in love with him.


    "Gayoonieee" he called her. The very nickname he had for her sent chills down her spine. She backed off further but there was no escape from this nightmare. No matter how many times she tried to get rid of him, he kept oning back to haunt her. Her abilities had attracted a highly dangerous stalker who was hellbent on making her his property.


    "Don''t you want to be with me, Gayoonie?" he asked. A demonic grin was etched on his face and Gayoon wanted to scream but her voice betrayed her. He stretched out a cold hand towards her.


    "No"


    The hand kept oning closer and closer until it was only centimeters away from her. She did not want it to touch her. The very thought of being with that spirit in that room was hellish for her.


    Ahjusshi! She cried in her thoughts. Save me, please!


    But there was no one to help her. She was all alone in the school and there was no one who would rescue her.


    "Please...don''t do this" she wept but the boy did not care. Gayoon was his and his alone. No one else could ever take her away from him.


    "We are meant to be together...forever" he whispered, his hand almost brushing against her skin, making her crawl in disgust.


    Suddenly, the door burst open and the lights were turned on. Gayoon copsed in shock, her strength giving away. The bright lights shone directly above her eyes but her vision was blurry. A tall silhouette was walking towards her, calling out her name.


    "It''s alright"


    Who was it? Was it ahjusshi? But that was not his voice.


    "Don''t be scared...you''ll be okay"


    She wanted to thank her savior but her body was too fatigued and she cked out.


    .....


    Gayoon slowly opened her eyes only to be momentarily confused by the white lights which were shining above her. For a second, she thought wildly that she was back in high school and tried to frantically sit up but a strong pair of hands held her down.


    "NO!" she screamed. "LET ME GO!"


    "The patient is being violent!" the attending doctor yelled. "I think she''s in shock! Nurse! Nurse! Come in here!"


    The doctor tried to hold her down but the detective was too much to handle on her own.


    "NURSE!" the doctor called but Gayoon was not calming down at all.


    "LET ME GO!" she yelled. "DON''T TOUCH ME!"


    "Detective, you have to rx!" the doctor eximed, trying to calm her down but Gayoon was not in her right mind. She was too scared and pushed the doctor aside before scrambling off the bed. But her body could not tolerate the sudden outburst of strength and before she could run, she fell forward only to be caught by a strong pair of arms.


    The familiar warmth of the person calmed her down and she clinged on to him. Minho was taken aback by Gayoon''s screams and was even more shocked to see her acting that way. Shepletely broke down in front of him, unaware of whom she was holding onto. There was something which had scared her a lot and she hid her face in his chest, crying hard.


    The doctor tried to intervene but Minho held up his hand, motioning her to stop. She understood the cue and quietly left the room.


    There were many things he wanted to ask her. He wanted her to exin what was happening to their daughter and whether she knew of Jina''s abilities. They had many issues to sort out.


    But at that moment, he simply let her cry.

 Chapter 146: A Turning Point

    Chapter 146: A Turning Point


    The doctors had managed to sedate Gayoon and put her back to sleep. Her grandmother, Kwak Shujin, had arrived and was devastated to see her only grandchild in this condition. Junho had told her everything that had happened.


    She was shocked to find out that not only was Gayoon had been inadvertently living with her own daughter but was also dating the little girl''s father! Shujin could not help but muse at the way fate had worked. Yet, she was also worried about the consequences of this encounter.


    Sitting by her granddaughter''s bedside, she stroked her. Gayoon''s pretty face was bruised but the doctors had said that the bruises would be gone and there would be no scarring. Her stomach and chest dealt with the heavy blows. If the beating had been more severe or gone on longer, she could have died. She also broke her arm which would take a month to heal.


    This girl really knows how to make me worry, she sighed. There was a knock on the door. She turned around to see a tall, handsome man in his mid thirties standing there.


    "You must be Hwang Minho," she guessed.


    "Yes, I am," he said with a bow. "I would like to talk to you."


    Shujin was dreading this moment and tried to avoid it as much as possible but it seemed she could not dy it any longer. She followed Minho out of the room.


    "Tell me everything," he demanded quietly. "Jina''s abilities. Did she inherit them from Gayoon?"


    "Yes," Shujin admitted. "There''s a gift in our family. Many years ago, a shaman granted the women of our family with the sight to see ghosts andmunicate with them. However, once any of the women give birth to a daughter, the mother loses the sight and it is passed on to the daughter. Then to their daughter and so on. If a son is born, then the sight skips a generation and moves on to his daughter."


    "So Gayoon knew that if she gave birth to a daughter, she would lose this power and it''ll transfer to her?" Minho asked. "To Jina?


    There was a coldness in his tone which rmed Shujin. She could tell that Minho was very angry at Gayoon for hiding this from him.


    "Yes," she admitted. "That is precisely why she chose the surrogacy. But she-"


    "That is all I have to know," Minho said abruptly. Shujin was shocked by his indifference as he walked away.


    "Wait, Hwang Minho, you don''t know the truth-"


    "I know enough," he dered in a quiet tone. He turned his back on her and walked away. Shujin called after him but he would not listen. Minho felt hurt and betrayed by the one woman he had trusted.


    Shujin could only watch helplessly as Minho refused to listen. She wanted to tell him the truth of why Gayoon really took such an impulsive action but there was little she could do. Shaking her head in dismay, she turned around only to see a little girl, standing there lookingpletely shocked.


    "Lady Cop...is she my mom?" Jina finally asked. Shujin could not bear to face the little girl and averted her eyes. There was no doubt that the little girl would despise Gayoon for what she had done to her. Her hatred would devastate Gayoon who had yearned to see her child for years. If only they would listen to the truth


    Jina did not say anything but went into the room. Shujin watched curiously as the little girl climbed onto the chair and began to stroke her motionless cheeks. Unlike her father, there was a tenderness in her eyes as she watched her mother.


    "Will it be okay if I call her mom now?" the little girl asked her great grandmother. She has the same eyes as Gayoon, Shujin noted.


    "She''ll be delighted," Shujin whispered. Her eyes were tearing up and she turned away to wipe them off. Jina kept on lovingly taking care of her mother who was blissfully asleep.


    "It''s okay," she said. "I''m not mad at you, mommy. If it wasn''t for this gift, I wouldn''t have been able to save you today. I met so many nice people because of you. I got to have friends like Casper and Yumi. There were scary moments but I had a lot of fun with the few good ghosts I know. They protect me from harm. So don''t worry. I''ll be fine."


    Shujin was surprised by the love this little girl had for Gayoon. Even though they were unaware of their bond, they became integral parts of each other''s lives. Shujin smiled and patted Jina''s head,nding a kiss on it.


    "She''ll be happy to hear that," Shujin assured her. But something was bothering Jina.


    "Granny," she began. "What were you going to tell my dad?"


    Shujin did not want to burden this girl with too much information. "Let''s just say that, your mother was also running away from a bad ghost," she said in a cryptic manner.


    "A bad ghost? What did he do?"


    Shujin nced at Gayoon''s sleeping figure and replied, "The ghost had managed to destroy her once. And god knows when it''ll be back to destroy her again."


    Jina could not understand what the old woman was talking about but there was an rming warning behind her words. Was her mother in danger? Will they be separated again?


    She squeezed her mother''s hand, trying not to cry. But the wretched tears would not stop pouring from her eyes.


    "Please don''t go, mommy," she begged. "Please!"


    Shujin did not say anything but quietly stood by, patting the little girl''s head. There was no telling what the future held for Gayoon and her daughter. She sincerely hoped that one day, Hwang Minho would listen to her story but until then, her granddaughter would have to endure the heartbreak.


    CCK''s torture was nothingpared to the pain Gayoon was about to go through soon. But the question was, would she survive it?


    ......


    *One Month Later*


    "Drill into that spot!" the worker shouted at the drillers. It waste at night and they had been drilling thend for days to set it up for construction.


    The ce used to be a school which had moved to another area but the building had been left abandoned for many years before the owners finally received permission to build a building on it. Hwang Constructions had acquired it and decided to turn it into amercial officeplex. The building had been broken down and a new building was to be constructed in its ce.


    The driller turned on the machine and kept on drilling the ground. The construction would start within a few weeks and the ground was still not ready for the foundation to be set.


    "This school is built on shittynd," one of the workersined as he dug into the soil with his shovel. "It''s so uneven!"


    "It''s one of the reasons the school was moved," another worker exined. "The construction was faulty and the building was on the verge of copse. So they sold it off."


    "And now we have to clean up their mess," the other worker grumbled as he dug his shovel deeper into the soil. Suddenly, his shovel hit something metallic.


    "Hey, I think I found something in here!" he shouted. The other workers gathered around and helped him dig. They removed the soil and were astonished to see a safe which had been locked tightly.


    "Stand back," one of the workers said. The others obeyed as the worker hit the safe''s lock with a shovel and broke it open.


    "Do you think there''s money in there?" one worker asked gleefully.


    "Who knows?" another worker said. "Might be a treasure too!"


    They were excited as the door of the safe opened. As soon as the door was unlocked, they were disappointed.


    "What the hell is this?" a worker frowned, taking out an old uniform.


    "Looks like a kid''s uniform," another worker frowned. "There''s something else in there."


    He bent over to pull out a red envelope which was sealed with a ck thread.


    "What the hell?" he muttered. Taking off the thread, he opened the envelope.


    A button fell out from it.


    "It''s a button," a worker scoffed. "Useless things! Why were these buried there?"


    "Probably some kid made a prank," another worker imed. "Let'' just keep it in the site locker room."


    "But it''s junk!"


    "What if the school authorities ask for it? Could be some kid''s assignment or a project? And you know how strict our boss is about taking stuff from digging sites."


    "Fine!" the worker agreed. "Let''s keep it in the locker room. If no one ims it after the digging isplete, we''ll sell it off."


    There was a murmur of agreement and the things were locked away in a locker. The workers went off to continue their work before going home.


    Meanwhile, inside the locker, a red light began to emit from the uniform. Crimson liquid poured out from the torn cloth, slowly beginning to fill up the locker. The red blood oozed out of the locker''s cracks and began to synchronize together to form a figure.


    "Gayooniee"


    An ominous cackle echoed through the empty room as the crimson liquid flowed out of there, leaving no sign of its existence behind.

 Chapter 147: One Month Later

    Chapter 147: One Month Later


    Minho strutted along the aisles with his team in tow, trying to keep up with him. Jongin and Lia were nervous as they followed their boss around the shopping mall while he checked all the shops for their revenue generation reports.


    "Sir, this one is our highest earning store," Jongin exined, pointing at an apparel shop which catered to the high end and upscale customers.


    "Also our biggest spender," Minho rebutted. "Its earnings were twenty five million per month but spending was thirty million. Get rid of their wifi connections. All staff are to be charged for cell phone data instead. They''ve been spending way too much on the inte, browsing unnecessary websites."


    "But sir-"


    "And cut off their electricity line for one hour everyday."


    "But-"


    "And none of the staff are to work overtime without informing their managers. I want a roster for it. They''ve been taking too many overtime shifts for unnecessary tasks."


    Jongin gaped at his boss who kept on walking. Donning a long dark coat and sunsses, their CEO looked like a runway model. Yet, he still had the temper of a volcano.


    "Vesudas has been making our lives miserable!" Liained. "Why doesn''t he go home? It''s been so many days! He''s been going home after 1 am every night and arrives at work at 6 am!"


    "Shhh!" Jongin warned her. "Don''t talk about home! You know how riled up he gets whenever someone talks about his home."


    Lia scowled. For the past one month, the Vesudas had been literally staying at the office, making everyone''s lives a living nightmare with his numerous projects and infinite amount of tasks. The employees thought after his girlfriend got discharged, he would go home to her. But to their dismay, he kept on overworking himself to the point he rarely went back home anymore.


    "Rumor is that there''s trouble in paradise," Jongin whispered. "If you talk about his girlfriend, he''ll re up."


    "But she''s still living with him, isn''t she?" Lia asked in a hushed tone.


    "Yes," he replied. "The CEO''s girlfriend is living with him. But they''re in separate rooms! She''s been staying with his daughter ever since she has been discharged. Just yesterday, she called me to check up on him but he refused to talk."


    "I wonder what''s going on," Lia wondered.


    "Jongin!" Minho barked. "Where are the sales report for shop number 271?"


    "Yes sir!" Jongin eximed and scurried towards Minho. Thetter took the reports and frowned.


    "They made 0.5% profit less thanst month," he stated. "What happened to my 0.5% profit, Jongin?"


    Jongin gulped as Minho gave him a threatening look. "The shop had to be refurbished," Jongin squeaked. "Their old furniture were scrapping off so we had to order a few new ones! But their revenue picked up after-"


    "And they couldn''t work harder to cover up those costs?" Minho spat. "Tell them to either pick up their business or get outta here!"


    "Yes sir!" Jongin squeaked. Why doesn''t this nightmare end? He moaned silently. He could not even go on a date with his new girlfriend over the past month and she was on the verge of breaking up with him!


    Please fix the CEO''s love life, he prayed to all the gods he could think of. Please!


    "JONGIN WHY IS THERE A 1% FALL IN REVENUE FOR SHOP NUMBER 45?"


    Jongin wanted to cry while Lia pitied his state. It was going to be a long day for all of them.


    ....


    Jina was concentrating very hard. The atmosphere was tense as she eyed the red piece while Gayoon peered at her. Putting her hand on the striker, she hit it towards the red piece. Gayoon held her breath as the striker slid towards the red piece and missed it by a few inches.


    "Oh no!" Jina wailed while Gayoon smiled smugly.


    "My turn!" she said gleefully only for someone to clear their throat loudly.


    "I believe it''s Casper''s turn," Yumi pointed out.


    "Technically, we''re on the same team," Gayoon stated. "Since you guys can''t touch the pieces directly, you''ll have to direct our hands to aim."


    Casper nodded as Gayoon took her position. He put his cold fingers on hers, directing her aim towards the red piece. They had been ying carrom for hours and so far it was a tie. Jina and Yumi had won twice while Gayoon and Casper had also won twice. This was a tie breaker round. Whichever team struck the red piece first, would win.


    "This one''s mine!" Gayoon dered. Casper impatiently tapped on her palm.


    "Fine," she said, rolling her eyes. "This one is ours!"


    She carefully aimed the striker at the red piece and struck it. As if in a slow motion, the striker slid through the board, hitting the red piece. Jina and Yumi watched in dismay as the piece went into the hole.


    "YES!" Gayoon yelled in victory, holding out her hand in the air for Casper to high five her. "WE WON!"


    She wanted to do a victory dance but her stitches might reopen if she did. Instead she held up a V sign.


    "Tch!" Jina scowled. "Aren''t you ashamed to be so harsh on your own daughter?"


    "Everything is fair in love and war dear," Gayoon said wisely. "And carrom is war."


    "You won against an eight year old!" Yumi protested. "If I were alive, I''d have beaten you in a snap!"


    Gayoon stuck out her tongue towards Yumi''s direction. After being discharged from the hospital, she had been spending her days spending time with Jina and also got to know the ghosts she hung out with. Surprisingly, Casper turned out to be a wise one and even befriended Gayoon. He was mute but had a friendly attitude, something which was rare in the ghost world.


    Yumi, on the other hand, was impulsive and loud yet, kind hearted. She and Jina squabbled a lot but the ghost was fiercely protective of the little girl.


    "Jina, it''s almost 9 PM!" Yumi reminded her.


    "Oh oh yes!" Jina squealed. "It''s time for...him!"


    "Him?" Gayoon questioned. "Who?"


    "It''s this idol we''ve been crushing on!" Yumi told her. Turning to Jina, she added, "Turn on the TV!"


    Jina moved over to pick up the remote and turn on the TV in front of them. Instantly, the screen came to life, showing a live audience. A portly host, Kim Changshin, came into view.


    "Ladies and gentlemen!" he roared. "Now it''s time to introduce our special guest for tonight. He''s the heartthrob who has been your top idol for the past nine years! The man who won all the international music awards and is fresh from his Oscar win for Best Original Song! Put your hand together for, Ahn Jaewan!"


    The audience cheered loudly as the tall, muscr man entered the stage. He was the same age as Gayoon, with short dark hair. His hazel eyes held a devilish charm while his full lips broke into a crooked smile. The man was as handsome as a Greek god and was even dubbed as the ''Apollo of Country K''.


    "You really made it big," Gayoon murmured with a small smile. "Ahn Jaewan."

 Chapter 148: Ahn Jaewan

    Chapter 148: Ahn Jaewan


    "Ahn Jaewan!" Ahn Jaewan!" the audience screeched as Jaewan came onto the stage.


    With his boyish looks and charisma, Ahn Jaewan had established himself as one of the best idols in the country. Not only did he possess an angelic voice but there was a raw charm to him which amplified during his stage presence. Women, in particr, were attracted to his maic personality. Over the past decade, he had graced the covers of international magazines and all his albums were hits.


    As a solo artist, he embarked on many tours and concerts, earning global des. Entertainmentpanies flocked to sign him but he had established his own agency, refusing to work with anyone else, citing them as ''creative killers''. As he came onto the stage, the audience''s cheers would not stop.


    Changshin raised his hand to silence them while he led Jaewan to the sofa while he himself took the seat behind a desk on the stage. Once settled down, Changshin began to converse with his guest.


    "So, Jaewan! How are you feelinging on this show after such a long time?" Changshin asked.


    "I thought I''d never get an invitation toe here after I roasted thest host on his nighttime skin care routine," Jaewan joked. "So I was genuinely surprised to receive an invitation!"


    The audience chuckled with him, adoring him for hit wit. Changshin shook his head in amusement, knowing fully well that Jaewan was not simply roasting the old host but insulted him to the point that the poor bloke had to resign.


    "The song you won an Oscar for, The Lonely Beauty, is regarded as one of the best romantic songs of this decade," Changshinmented. "What do you say to that?"


    "Anything Ipose is bound to be the best," Jaewan imed. "After all, have I ever written a bad song?"


    Under the veil of smile was a smug confidence. Jaewan knew very well that he was the best in the industry and there were very few people who could match his skills. He was not boasting about himself but it was simply the truth. He just could not help but point it out.


    "But you must have had some-" Changshin began but Jaewan cut across him.


    "Just a second, sunbae," Jaewan frowned. Everyone watched curiously as he took out a handkerchief and began to wipe the table with deep concentration.


    "What are you doing?" Changshin asked in surprise.


    "The spot on the table," Jaewan said, still wiping the area. "It''s annoying me."


    Changshin was speechless as he stared at his guest''s antics. Jaewan was so engrossed in getting rid of the spot, that he did not care about being filmed. Jaewan''s manager, Chun Woobin, was watching everything from the backstage area and facepalming himself.


    Damn that germaphobe! He cursed. The guy just had to disy his obsession with cleaning on live TV.


    "There!" Jaewan announced. "All cleaned up."


    He beamed proudly at his work while the host gaped at him speechlessly. Jaewan was not simply a perfectionist but a neat freak as well. He would not rest until everything around him was spotlessly clean and organized. His staff had a lot of difficulty keeping up with his excessive demands regarding cleaning and if the payment was not good, they would have thrown him into the dumpster a long time ago.


    "What were you asking again?" Jaewan politely asked Changshin who was baffled. It took thetter a few minutes to recall what the question was.


    "Oh yes!" Changshin eximed. "The song is not only beautiful but also meaningful. A lot of the fan theories spected that it was based on a woman you had once loved. Is that true?"


    The audience held their breaths as they watched Jaewan''s expression change. In fact, he was nk and zoned out after hearing the question as if he was remembering something. It was hard to tell if whatever he recalled was a pleasant memory or a sad one.


    "It''s based on love," he replied cryptically. "That''s all I can say."


    "Ohe on!" Changshin scoffed. "You''re only twenty six and the most beloved idol of the nation! Surely, you must have dated or fallen in love?"


    "I never dated," Jaewan revealed. "I have, however, fallen in love. I still am."


    The audience gasped and Changshin leaned forward, eager to capitalize on this scoop.


    "Fallen in love?" he echoed. "With whom? Who is the luckydy?"


    He winked at the audience while Jaewan simply smiled.


    "I have fallen in love" Jaewan began. There was a wishful look on his face as the image of an awkward yet beautiful doey eyed girl shed in his mind. Everyone was eager to know about their beloved idol whose heart was stolen by a mysterious woman. Was she his girlfriend? All of them wondered.


    "I have fallen in love with myself," he revealed with augh. "Don''t ya''ll think I have a beautiful face? I think anyone who sees me, falls in love with me. Including myself!"


    The audienceughed at his joke while Changshin masked his disdain with a show of politeness. Jaewan was skilled in avoiding personal questions and his private life had remained a mystery to all fans which only endeared him to the public more.


    He would give them enough fan service to maintain his relevance but keep them at arm''s length, away from his private affairs. No one had any idea about his dating life and no matter how much people tried to probe into his life, he made sure that no one would be able to know anything more than what he revealed.


    "Now!" Jaewan eximed, pping his hands together. "Who wants to hear my new song?"


    The audience was ecstatic as Jaewan strode over to the center stage, ready to sing.


    As he waved and winked at the audience, somewhere in his mind, he wondered if the doey eyed girl was watching him as well.


    ....


    Jina fell asleep on Gayoon''sp so thetter picked her up and took the little girl to her room. Tucking her into bed, she kissed Jina''s forehead. The ghosts had gone to their stations on the roof where they stayed to keep an eye on any dangerous spirit which might venture their way.


    Gayoon was about to lie next to her daughter when she realized that she left her cellphone in the living room. She quietly tiptoed out of the room and rushed downstairs to find her phone.


    "Where is it?" she muttered, searching for it on the couch they were sitting on. "Aha! Found it."


    As she picked up the phone, the front door opened and shut. Minho had just entered the mansion and for a moment, froze upon seeing Gayoon in front of him. Gayoon was also rooted to her spot, not daring to move. Her heartbeats increased rapidly and she was unsure of what to do or say.


    "We-" she began to say but he coldly brushed past her as if she was invisible. No matter how much his heart ached to walk past Gayoon without ncing at her, Minho gave no indication that he knew her.


    Instead, he left her standing there without even ncing back at her, not noticing the single drop of tear which fell from her eye.

 Chapter 149: A Deal

    Chapter 149: A Deal


    Minho closed the bedroom door behind him and slumped onto his bed. Hey back, staring at the ceiling, his head full of many unspoken thoughts which he was dealing with for the past month.


    The revtion about Gayoon''s abilities had shocked and hurt him. He was not bothered with the fact that she was able to see spirit but he was disappointed in her actions. Her desperation to get rid of her abilities had caused a lifetime of suffering for Jina.


    Their daughter might not think of the dangers in this tender age but what about in the future when even more dangerous spirits woulde looking for her? It was bad enough that she had to see the ck shadow formed by CCK''s sinister thoughts. What would she do when even worse spiritse for her? And the fact that her own mother had passed on this curse to her enraged Minho.


    He did not doubt that Gayoon felt no guilt. In fact, he knew how much she med herself. Yet, her guilt could not change the past. It would not change Jina''s future either. Both of them knew that one day, Jina would have to deal with unforeseeable dangers on her own. Every time he saw Gayoon, he could not help but think of what she did to Jina. To protect their daughter, he had to take an action he never thought he would take.


    ...


    *One Month Earlier*


    Gayoon was sitting on the hospital bed, her face heavily bandaged. While the doctors had managed to perform surgery on her scars, it would take a few weeks for them topletely heal. She sighed, thinking about the events that had taken ce.


    Her heart was wrecked by the revtions. The pieces had finally fallen into ce. How ironic it was that Gayoon, who took the case of finding Jina''s mother, turned out to be her real mother. Even though Jina was ecstatic, Gayoon could not bring herself to face the little girl. Her smile would not reach her eyes as she watched Jina take care of her.


    Guilt and sadness was eating her soul as she berated herself for passing on such a terrible curse to her own daughter. Her grandmother might say that she was young and naive when she took that rash decision but Gayoon could never forgive herself for it. Seeing Jina grow up so well delighted her but knowing the uncertain future whichy ahead of her was also creating more dread in her heart.


    Someday, Jina would grow to resent her abilities and me Gayoon for her misery. If that happened, then it would destroy her.


    There was a knock on the door. Startled, Gayoon looked around to see Minho entering the room. His expression was cold and aloof. Others would think that he was being himself but Gayoon knew better. He was very angry at her and rightfully so. After all, she hid a big secret from him which could destroy their daughter''s life.


    "Doctor Dohyun has been arrested," he informed her in a formal tone. "But ording to the shaman, Shinjin, the possession had taken a toll on her mental health. She has been admitted to the psychiatric ward and the doctors said that she was schizophrenic when shemitted the murders and hence, is not ountable for her actions."


    "Yumi''s parents and Lee Dami were not pleased to hear that Dohyun would get away on the grounds of insanity," he went on. "And they have appealed against her in the high court. But the chances are that the high court would not agree to their appeal. One look at Dohyun would tell them that she is a lost cause."


    Gayoon nodded. Even though CCK was possessing her body, Dohyun was truly innocent in all this. A lifetime of living in an asylum was better than going to jail for a crime she did notmit. At least she would be taken care of there.


    "As for the real CCK," Minho said. "The head of the department said that he died in his sleep."


    Gayoon was silent. She knew very well who was responsible for the death of Doctor Nam and even though the police officer in her disapproved of vigntism, she was grateful to her ahjusshi for protecting them. That man was ready to get his hands dirty if it meant that his loved ones would be safe. If it was not for him, Gayoon would have been dead a long time ago.


    She stared at her fingers, fidgeting them nervously. Was Jina alright? It was all she wanted to ask. There was an awkwardness between them, a wall which stood in their way. She was afraid of breaching that wall in case things became moreplicated than they already were. How did it alle to this? What sort of sick game was going on?


    "Jina is fine," Minho said, reading her thoughts. "She''s in Mina''s ward, ying with her. Mina is fine too. She''ll be discharged tomorrow."


    Thank god, Gayoon sighed inwardly. She was afraid that Mina would be more traumatized but the woman had the nerves of steel. When she heard that Gayoon was injured, she fought off all the orderlies and rushed to her room. Upon seeing Gayoon, shepletely broke down, apologizing for not being able to protect her. It took the doctors over an hour to shoo Mina away from Gayoon.


    "I''m d," Gayoon managed to say in a small tone. Another awkward silence followed, both of them trying to figure out how to address the elephant in the room. Before Gayoon could open her mouth, Minho cut through.


    "Since you''re the only one who has experience with...ghosts," he began. "You''ll have to help Jina with her abilities. You''ll live with her in the mansion and help her in controlling her powers so that she can live a normal life."


    Gayoon opened her mouth to ask him to borate on that but Minho added, "If you refuse this offer, I''ll hold you ountable for breach of contract. Years ago, you had signed an agreement that you will not contact Jina and yet, you did. It''s a vition of the terms and you''ll be fined. If you can''t pay the fine, you''ll be jailed."


    His voice was devoid of any affection and ineated he talked to her as if he was making a business deal. He was not angry nor did he sound disappointed. He simply did not care anymore.


    And that crushed her heart into pieces.


    "As for our prior closeness," he continued. "It''s time we face reality. Nothing would havee out of these casual feelings since I would eventually have to settle for someone who would bring some profit to mypany. A mere detective would not attract any investors."


    He intended to hurt her. Even though his own heart was beating rapidly as he spewed the cruel words, he had hoped that she would at least protest or react in some form.


    Say something, he urged inwardly in spite of his anger. Anything!


    But she simply stared at him, epting his punishment withoutint. If she was saddened by his actions, she did not dare to voice out her true feelings. Was she affected at all? He wondered. What did he want her to do? What did she want him to do?


    There were many unanswered questions in their minds but none of them were ready to face each other. He stood up to leave.


    When he was almost at the door, he paused and turned around to add onest thing. "In front of Jina, we''ll pretend that everything is normal," he said. "She shouldn''t get an inkling of the discussion we just had. Other than that, we''ll stay out of each other''s lives."


    With that, he left the room, shutting the door behind him. As he was leaving he thought he had heard a soft sob but he did not look back. Whatever they had agreed upon was the best course of action. It will be best if we stay away from each other, he decided.


    Then why...why was his heart aching so much?

 Chapter 150: Stain on the Window Pane

    Chapter 150: Stain on the Window Pane


    Jaewan strutted along the hallway towards the tour bus where Woobin was waiting for him. As soon as he reached the bus, he took out a mini disinfectant bottle from his coat and sprayed on the door''s handle. Woobin was at the driver''s seat, watching his boss incredulously and shaking his head. Jaewan opened the door, and sprayed the disinfectant on the seat as well before climbing into the bus.


    "I had the whole bus sanitized!" Woobin eximed. "You don''t have to spray that thing every time you enter a ce!"


    "Better safe than sorry," Jaewan said, taking out another disinfectant spray and using it to clean the other bottle he had. "If only I had another bottle to clean this one!"


    Woobin wanted to bash his head against a wall. He had been working for Jaewan for the past six years. Before he came along, Jaewan had difficulty in hiring a manager because the neat freak would drive everyone up the wall with his obsession with cleanliness. Only Woobin managed to tough it out for that long because he had negotiated a hefty sry.


    He revved up the engine and began to drive away from the studio. Jaewan was scrolling through his news feed, admiring his pictures.


    "I look so good," he happily sighed. "But this picture here"


    He frowned at one of his side profiles which was captured at the camera.


    "I have dark circles under my eyes!" he eximed. "Get this picture removed from the inte."


    "But your fans love it!" Woobin protested.


    "No, I look bad!" Jaewanined. "Rece it by tomorrow morning."


    He happily went back to scrolling his pictures while Woobin cursed his boss. "You have a meeting with the CEO of Hwang Constructions tomorrow," he reminded Jaewan.


    "For what?" Jaewan asked.


    "You signed on to be the new brand ambassador for their shopping mall in city A," Woobin informed him.


    "When did I sign such a deal?" Jaewan frowned.


    "You remember the time when you visited Hwang Corporationsst week and was appalled by the tiny peck of dust on their navy blue ss window pane?"


    "Oh yeah and then when the manager handed me a Parker pen to sign the documents, he had touched it with his bare hands instead of wearing a pair of disposable gloves doubly sanitized with disinfectant like I had asked!" Jaewan recalled. "I had to clean the pen with my highly effective pocket spray sanitizer. That too twice."


    Woobin resisted the urge to roll his eyes.


    "Anyways," he went on. "You have to go to the inauguration of their new sports'' shop tomorrow at 11 AM. It''s mandatory since you''ve signed the contract."


    "Make sure to carry our own pair of scissors," Jaewan reminded him. "Sanitized and wrapped in a stic bag. And also-"


    "Your preferred cleaning wipes, tissue papers, properly cleaned pens and disinfection sprays will be at the head table," Woobin narrated. "The floors are to be cleaned with Brand A floor cleaning liquids. You won''t be going to public washrooms so no water based diet for tomorrow. Anything else?"


    "You forgot the disposable gloves."


    Woobin wanted to rip out the steering wheel and throw at his boss but held his temper. Jaewan smirked, oblivious to his manager''s plight.


    "Say, boss," Woobin said after a while. "When you said that you''ve never dated in your entire life, is it true?"


    "Yes."


    "Is it because of your fear of germs?" Woobin asked curiously.


    "Don''t be ridiculous!" Jaewan snapped. "I may like things neat and clean but I''m not that extreme."


    Maybe girls just won''t hover near someone who would start cleaning their rooms on the first date, Woobin mused.


    "There is just someone I''m looking for," Jaewan admitted. Woobin was surprised by his boss'' admission.


    "Wait, you have a girlfriend?" he gasped. "Who? It will be sensational news if it gets leaked! The fans will not tolerate it at all!"


    "She''s not my girlfriend," Jaewan sighed. "It''s...a littleplicated. I''m just looking for her."


    "I''m sure any girl would be delighted to know that you''re looking for her," Woobin remarked. "After all, you''re Ahn Jaewan! The nation''s biggest heartthrob."


    Jaewan did not reply but stared outside of the window. Memories from ten years ago were rushing into his head as he remembered that strange girl.


    ...


    "Shirt? Properly ironed without wrinkles," Jaewan muttered. "Pants? Not a single stain. Shoes? Crystal clear!"


    He checked himself in the mirror. Jaewan''s family had just moved into the country after spending many years abroad. The shift was sudden and Jaewan had to leave behind many of his friends so he was very nervous for his first day at school. He tried to keep a poker face but took great care in his cleanliness and grooming until he was satisfied with his look.


    With jet ck hair and sharp features, Jaewan was quite handsome. On top of that, his tendency to maintain his looks and image added an extra charm which made many women insane.


    "I look perfect," heplimented himself. "Good job, Jaewan!"


    He shed himself a thumbs up before picking up his bag to go to school. It was his first day and he did not want to bete.


    Walking down the street, he took each step with caution, careful not to dirty his shoes with dust.


    Suddenly, out of nowhere, a small and furry creature jumped out at him. He yelped and almost tripped but managed to steady himself. It was a small pug puppy which was wagging its tail at him. Jaewan backed away from the creature, fearing he might contract some kind of disease.


    "What the hell?" he gasped. To his dismay, a little bit of dist fell on his shoe!


    "Ugh!" he scowled. "I have to polish it again!"


    Luckily, he carried shoe polish and brush in his bag. He took out the materials and stooped down, careful not to touch the ground, to clean his shoes. He was so engrossed in cleaning his shoes that he did not notice a slender figure approaching the puppy.


    She leaned down to pick up the puppy in her arms. Jaewan looked up to see the dark haired girl with doey eyes petting the puppy. She wore the same colored uniform as his but did not notice him looking at her. He was about to turn away from the germ infested girl when she spoke up.


    "Puppy, why do you look so sad?" she asked softly. "Do you miss her too?"


    The dog whimpered in her arms as if replying to her. Jaewan watched the girl with curiosity. There was a sadness in her eyes and she looked as if she had lost all hope. Yet, she held the puppy with a tenderness.


    "Don''t be sad," she said. "She''s always with you. If you''re sad, she also bes sad. She''s even crying right now"


    The girl briefly nced at a spot a few meters away from her. Jaewan followed her gaze but there was nothing there.


    "You''re lucky," the girl told the dog. "That your mommy loves you so much. She''ll always watch over you. I wish I could take you home with me but granny is allergic to dogs."


    From afar, she seemed like a crazy person but there was an earnestness in her voice which intrigued Jaewan. She was trying her best to hold back her tears, not being able to part from the puppy.


    "I''m sorry," she whispered.


    Jaewan did not know why or how, but his feet were moving as if on their own. The girl looked up as the tall, handsome boy stopped in front of her.


    "Can I...can I take him home?" he asked. What the hell am I doing? He asked himself, bewildered. He was about to back off but the girl broke into the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. She momentarily put him under a trance, unaware of the effect she was having on him.


    "Thank you!" she eximed gratefully, unable to hold in her tears.


    Enticed by her charm, he found himself automatically reaching for that puppy and for once, he did not worry about germs or cleanliness.


    As long as the girl in front of him kept smiling at him, nothing else mattered.


    ...


    Jaewan was staring out of the window for a long time, worrying Woobin.


    "Are you alright, boss?" Woobin asked. Jaewan did not reply but kept on reminiscing the past. After a while, he finally spoke up.


    "Woobin."


    "Hm?"


    "There''s a stain on the window pane."

 Chapter 151: Jinas Mission To Love (1)

    Chapter 151: Jina''s Mission To Love (1)


    When Jina woke up the next morning, Gayoon was still asleep next to her. Shezily rubbed her eyes and frowned at her mother''s sleeping figure. Last night, Gayoon was murmuring in her sleep which made Jina rmed but since her mother was sleeping, she did not wake her up. She yawned and got off the bed to head for the bathroom to freshen up. Once she was done brushing her teeth andbing her hair, she went downstairs for breakfast.


    Minho was sitting at the dining table, calmly reading the newspaper as he sipped coffee. Jina was delighted to see her dad and went over to hug him.


    "Jina?" Minho asked in surprise, smiling. "Why so much love for me today?"


    "I''ve missed you dad," she mumbled. "You''ve been so busy this month!"


    She pouted in annoyance. Her dad had been out of sight for the past few days. He headed for office early in the morning and returned reallyte at night after Jina had gone to bed. It was as if he wanted to stay out of sight.


    "I''ve just been busy dear," he exined.


    "Yeah yeah," she muttered and climbed onto her chair. "And you''re going to the office again!"


    She pointed at his suit. He was dressed formally which meant he was going out for work.


    "I have an important event today," Minho sighed.


    "It''s a Sunday!" she protested. "And I''m on summer break as well! Can''t you stay for one day?"


    "No dear," Minho tried to exin. "I have to go to S Mall to inaugurate a shop. A very important person is also going toe."


    Jina drew a sharp breath and did not bother to listen to her father''s flimsy excuses. No matter how much she tried to spend a day with her mom and dad together, Minho would slip away making some excuse while Gayoon would stay away from his sight. Even though they thought Jina had no clue, she had heard through the grapevine, aka Yumi, that Minho was very angry at Gayoon over something and refused to talk to her.


    She sighed and poured herself some cereal before remembering something.


    "Dad, do you know and Park Seungjo?" she asked.


    Minho frowned. "Park Seungjo? No. Why?"


    Her questioning slightly rmed him. Was it another ghost? Was she seeing more of them?


    "Mom was muttering this name in her sleep," Jina replied. "She was mumbling, ''please no'' and ''Park Seungjo''. She kept on repeating that name and I even saw tearsing out of her eyes. I wanted to wake her up but she held onto my hand and curled up again."


    Minho raised an eyebrow. Park Seungjo? Why was Gayoon mumbling someone else''s name in her sleep?


    "She must have been dreaming about some drama she had watched," Minho assured her. "It''s nothing, really."


    Jina shrugged and began to chow on her cereal when an idea hit her. Should I ask dad? She wondered but then thought better of it. Let it be a surprise, she decided.


    Minho quickly finished his breakfast and kissed Jina on the cheek before bidding her goodbye to go off to work. He had an important inauguration of a fitness shop where the most popr celebrity of the country, Ahn Jaewan, was going to attend as the brand ambassador. If everything went alright, this would be their most sessful venture which would fetch him over a hundred million dors in a month.


    His mood was lightened by the thought of a hundred million dors. Ahn Jaewan was an expensive brand ambassador but whatever the man touched turned into a profitable business. His face alone could earn millions of dors and his fans would probably drink poison if he gave it to them with a smile.


    "A good day indeed," he happily said to himself. But then his smile faltered a little as he thought of what Jina had just told him.


    Park Seungjo. Who was this Park Seungjo and why was Gayoon mumbling his name in her sleep? An ex?


    For some reason, Minho felt annoyed at this mysterious Park Seungjo. Whatever, he tried to shrug it off. It''s her life and she can do whatever she wants with it.


    Ignoring the slight turmoil in his heart, he started the engine and drove off, trying to focus on his hundred million a month revenue.


    ....


    The press had gathered in front of therge sports'' store at the H Mall. They were chattering excitedly as they waited for Ahn Jaewan''s arrival. Fans also flocked to see their beloved idol, pulling and pushing at each other to catch a glimpse of him.


    Jaewan was in his tour bus with Woobin and his stylist team who were unusually rigid.


    "Umm...sunbae."


    Woobin crane his neck when the new stylist, Shin Sobin, whispered at him.


    "I thought our boss was a neat freak," she muttered.


    "He is," Woobin agreed.


    "Then howe he has that thing with him today?" she asked, pointing at the dog which was happily sitting on Jaewan''sp.


    It was a small pug dog withrge and innocent ck eyes. There was a ck spot on its tummy while it wagged its tail enthusiastically while staring happily at everyone. It seemed excited to be out with its master and while it looked overly excited, it stayed calm.


    "That''s Mona," Woobin sighed. "Jaewan''s onlypanion."


    "But I thought the boss hated anything that would carry germs and dirt."


    "Well, let''s just say Mona is an exceptionally clean dog," Woobin shrugged. "She picked up on her master''s traits. Most dogs bark at intruders. Mona barks at people for not cleaning their shoes with the extra shine and polish Jaewan put out for guests who came to his house. This is why he barely has visitors."


    Sobin shook her head. Meanwhile, Jaewan was cooing at his beloved Mona.


    "Our Mona is happy today, isn''t she?" he asked gleefully. The dog barked in excitement. She was a very well behaved dog and had adapted to Jaewan''s lifestyle. Like its owner, Mona liked things neat and clean too. She never gave him any trouble with cleanliness as she wiped herself properly after finishing her business in the garden at his mansion and never dirtied the house with paw marks.


    Mona was lovable and even his staff members adored her for her cute demeanor. In fact, she was easier to take care of than Jaewan.


    "We''re here boss," Woobin announced. Jaewan looked up and immediately, he found himself being bombarded by fans when he exited the car. The security team held the crowd backa s they cheered at him. He put on a smile and waved at them, walking past them like a supermodel. With his long jacket, three quartered jeans and ruffled hair, he looked as if carved from a special mould by the gods themselves.


    "OPPA!" the fans screamed. "OPPA WE LOVE YOU!"


    "Oppa loves you too!" he replied, throwing them a flying kiss. Woobin followed him, carrying Mona in his arms. Together, they headed straight for the ground floor where the new shop would be inaugurated.


    ...


    "Wow, the ce sure is crowded today," Gayoon said thoughtfully. Jina had insisted that they go to the mall because she wanted to buy new clothes.


    "It''s fine!" Jina eximed. "Apparently a new store has opened up. Let''s just go and look for clothes."


    Gayoon shrugged and led her daughter towards the apparel section, hunting for clothes. As they looked through the dresses, Jaewan passed by, his legions of fans surrounding him. He paused momentarily and frowned. Craning his neck, he tried to see something amidst therge fan gathering.


    "Is there something wrong, boss?" Woobin asked.


    "I just...I just thought I saw someone familiar," he muttered. But the fans were blocking his way and he could not see who it was. Shrugging it off he said, "Let''s go."


    Woobin frowned and followed his boss towards the store.

 Chapter 152: Jinas Mission to Love (2)

    Chapter 152: Jina''s Mission to Love (2)


    Where is he? Jina wondered. She kept an eye out for her dad who was somewhere in the mall. Her n was to orchestrate a chance encounter between her parents and throw her childish tantrums to ckmailthem into spending time together. It was not hard since she was the one thing holding them together and despite her young age, Jina knew how to use her charms to the full.


    Jina''s Mission to Love had begun.


    Unfortunately, her two minions were nowhere to be found that morning so she was on her own in this mission.


    "Mommy, let''s look there!" she eximed, pointing at the kids'' section where they were selling jackets for girls.


    "Ah, you do need winter clothing," Gayoon murmured. "It''s gonna start snowing in a few days."


    They were already feeling the chills of winter and Jina had outgrown a lot of her clothes. Gayoon could not help but notice that Jina had grown several inches which made her reminisce about the cute little child who used to barely reach up to her waist. No doubt she would grow tall, probably almost as tall as Minho in the future. Inwardly, Gayoon was d that her daughter was going to get his height and brains.


    As long as she doesn''t get his temper, she sighed.


    "You want the pink one?" Gayoon asked.


    "No, it''s too bright," Jina scowled. "I like the blue one over there!"


    "But it''s too small for you," Gayoon sighed


    She began to search through the aisles, looking for mufflers and other essentials Jina would need for the uing months. Thankfully, she had some money saved aside so she could at least buy quite a few clothing items for her daughter. It was the least she could do.


    Even though Minho had set aside a monthly allowance which she could spend only for Jina''s needs as per their new agreement, she did not touch a single cent of it. Minho''s anger at her was justified to some extent but she still had her own pride and refused to touch his money. Instead, she secretly used that money to make trust funds for Jina''s college education.


    "Maybe we should look at other stores," Jina suggested. "This ce doesn''t have nice stuff!"


    "Alright," Gayoon agreed and they left the store. They were heading for another store while Jina kept a lookout for her father.


    Where is he? She wondered, scanning through the crowd. A few meters ahead, she saw that arge group of people had gathered around, watching something in excitement.


    "Ahn Jaewan ising?" one of the spectators asked eagerly.


    The mention of Ahn Jaewan made Jina forget everything else. Jaewan oppa? Her Jaewan oppa?


    The little girl''s lips broke into a wide smile and her eyes lit up as millions of stars floated in front of her.


    "Mom!" she eximed. "Can we go and see Jaewan oppa?"


    "Uhh"


    Gayoon hesitated at Jina''s request. It had been almost nine years since she had seen Jaewan and even though they were acquainted in the past, he was a famous celebrity now. She felt a little guilty for leaving him behind without saying goodbye and doubted that he would even remember her. Still, she could not help but feel nostalgic about the snarky germaphobe who always had her back.


    "Come on mommy!" Jina begged. "I really wanna meet Jaewan oppa!"


    She widened her eyes and pouted in acute way, knowing fully well that Gayoon would never be able to resist her. And she was right.


    "Fine," Gayoon conceded. "But only from afar. The security won''t let us near him."


    "Yaii!" Jina jumped happily and took her mother''s outstretched hand as Gayoon led her through the crowd. I''ll just not get too close, Gayoon decided.


    ...


    Woobin was holding Mona in his one arm while talking to a client on the phone using his other hand.


    "Yes, Jaewan''s next drama will be a full on revenge theme," he was saying on the phone. "But we''ll need tough police security. Some fans stalked him to hisst drama set and he wasn''t pleased after one of them touched him with her hands. He had to sanitize it for hours before he was satisfied that there weren''t any germs on him."


    Mona suddenly began to bark loudly and straightened up, looking highly interested. She was wagging her tail rapidly and wriggled to get out of Woobin''s arm.


    "Mona, don''t disturb me!" Woobin scolded the dog but she was being unusually agitated as she tried to free herself. Woobin was too busy with the client on the phone who was an important producer so he loosened his grip, letting Mona slip through. He was so focused on the call, that he did not notice that Mona had run away.


    ...


    Jaewan was at the backend office, where he stood at a corner in a rigid manner. He was offered a seat on the couch by the mall''s staff but he refused to go anywhere near them. What if the couch was not clean enough? Or worse, had germs and diseases?


    He patiently waited for the CEO of Hwang Constructions who was scheduled to meet him in a few minutes. He took out his phone and sprayed sanitizer on it before scrolling through it to read up on articles about himself.


    Other than a few baseless dating rumors, there was not a single interesting news about himself. As a celebrity, he liked to keep daily updates on what others were saying about him. Like his possessions, he liked his image clean and crisp. It was not an obsession but, in his words, a necessity.


    The door opened and he looked up to see a man in his mid thirties entering the room. Jaewan immediately recognized him as Hwang Minho, the infamous CEO of Hwang Constructions who was termed as Vesudas, a mix between the volcano which destroyed Pompeii and the character of Midas.


    Minho eyed the celebrity in front of him warily. He was not a fan of such endorsements but if Ahn Jaewan could bring him money, he did not mind.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you," Minho said gracefully. He knew about Ahn Jaewan''s aversion to handshakes and did not bother to extend his hand. Jaewan did not reply but squinted his eyes, scrutinizing Minho.


    "I believe your endorsement alone would make millions of dors worth revenue for mypany," Minho went on. "However, if we see that the deal is not profitable enough then I will not hesitate to cut off ties with you. So you must have a clean image throughout the duration of our campaign."


    Jaewan pursed his lips, and was resisting himself from doing something with great difficulty. Minho was a little confused by the man''s attitude but acted in a professional manner.


    "As you know, I''m very particr about my money and records so I expect this project to be the most profitable venture-"


    "AGH! I CAN''T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Jaewan yelled. Minho was taken aback and was about to tell him off for his rudeness when Jaewan took out a packet of wipes from his pocket. He tore it open and began to wipe Minho''s face, much to thetter''s chagrin.


    "What the hell are you doing?" he asked, feeling aghast.


    "You had a tiny ink spot on your face," Jaewan muttered in horror as he rigorously wiped Minho''s cheek.

 Chapter 153: Jinas Mission to Love (3)

    Chapter 153: Jina''s Mission to Love (3)


    Minho was speechless at the strange guy who was still wiping his cheek.


    "Stop it!" he said irritably, pping Jaewan''s hand away.


    "It''s gone," Jaewan said. "Good! That thing was annoying me."


    "My face is perfectly fine!" Minho gritted, feeling affronted. "As I was saying, this deal is very lucrative and with you as the brand, we''re hoping that this venture will go to new heights."


    "Don''t worry," Jaewan assured him. "Unlike yours, my face remains clean all the time. Not even a spot ever falls on it! In fact, I have a variety of skincare collection which I can rmend to you."


    The vein on Minho''s head was at a dangerous level, ready to pop anytime but he had to control his temper. No one ever had the audacity to talk to him like that. The man waspletely unabashed with his words with no consideration to other people''s thoughts.


    "That''s alright," Minho said with great restraint. "I use the best brands. Would you like to know their names?"


    Thest question was sarcasm but Jaewan replied, "Unfortunately, my skin is sensitive to the drug store brands."


    Drug store brands?


    Before Minho could retort, Jaewan went on, "I think it''s nearly time for the inauguration to start. Shall we go?"


    Minho gaped at him as he left the room. What the hell?


    The crowd cheered wildly as Jaewan took the stage. The host weed him while the fans, particrly the women, were screaming at the top of their lungs. Gayoon held on to Jina''s hand as the little girl could not hold her excitement.


    "Oppa!" Jina squealed. "He''s so handsome in real life!"


    Suddenly, Yumi apparated beside her. Gayoon felt the familiar cold sensation as the teenage ghost danced in excitement.


    "Yumi, what are you doing here?" Jina asked in surprise.


    "My oppa is here!" Yumi said gleefully. "How can I miss out on him?"


    Kids, Gayoon thought, shaking her head. EXO is clearly better than him!


    But she did not dare to voice out her preference and simply kept her eyes on the stage. Amidst the hundreds of fans, he would not notice her but she remembered him well.


    "He really did achieve everything he ever wanted," she said out loud.


    "You speak as if you know him," Yumi frowned.


    "Uh...sort of," Gayoon admitted. Both Jina and Yumi stared at her in shock.


    "He was a high school ssmate," Gayoon confessed. "But that was years ago! I doubt he''ll recognize me anymore."


    Or might even refuse to meet me, she added as an afterthought. She had abruptly disappeared after her eighteenth birthday and was aware that Jaewan tried to find her many times. But she was shifted to Minho''s out of town farmhouse where she spent most of the duration of her pregnancy. Since the surrogacy was kept a secret, she broke off all contact with her former friends. Only her grandmother andter ahjusshi knew where she was.


    By the time she returned, Jaewan had be a national sensation and she, too, did not stay in town for long because she got into the police academy.


    "Lucky!" Jina moaned. "I wanna get his autograph so badly!"


    "Me too!" Yumi insisted. "Can''t you try to get closer, detective? Who knows? He might even recognize you! And imagine this. What if he had a secret crush on you and has been looking for you all along?"


    "That''s nonsense!" Gayoon scoffed. "The guy had legions of girls following him but the only things he loved were cleaning equipment and sanitizing products. He might not look like it but he''s a neat freak. Look at what he''s doing on the stage!"


    They turned their attention to Jaewan who was spraying the chair with a pocket disinfectant.


    "He''s so considerate of these things" Jina said dreamily.


    "His house is also clean and crisp!" Yumi added. "His instagram feed is full of the posh condo he lives in and it is so lit. The walls are as white as snow and every surface cleaned to perfection. Not even a tiny speck of dust on anything!"


    "I''m gonna learn how to clean properly so that when I grow up, I can marry him and we can clean the whole house together!" Jina piped up.


    "You''re way too young for him!" Yumi snapped. "He needs a mature and sensible woman. Like me."


    "At least I''m alive!" Jina retorted.


    "At least I can apparate right into his apartment and watch him shirtless!"


    "Stalker!"


    "Puny!"


    "Stop it!" Gayoon scolded both of them. "Stop fighting otherwise I won''t bring you two to these events again!"


    Jina and Yumi scowled at each other. Gayoon sighed and kept her attention on the stage where Jaewan was cutting the ribbon. He posed for the cameras, shing them a wide smile. The fans around him screamed and screeched for his attention while the reporters clicked more pictures of his from all the possible angles.


    "Mom, let''s go closer!" Jina begged.


    "Fine," Gayoon said. She led them ahead, keeping a firm grasp on Jina''s tiny palm. The ce was just too crowded and Gayoon had to push through a lot of people.


    "It''s really crowded," Jinained. The people were so excited to see Jaewan that they did not care for anything else. IT was getting difficult to maneuver there and Gayoon tried to move past the people in front of them.


    "Excuse me!" She eximed to a group of teenagers. "Please let us through!"


    No matter how much she tried to move forward, therge crowd would shove her backwards and she was beginning to worry that she would lose Jina in the crowd.


    "Jina don''t let go!" she told the little girl but suddenly, a group of people pushed her back and for a moment, Gayoon almost lost her bnce. In that split second, her hand slipped from Jina''s.


    "Jina?" Gayoon yelled in panic. She turned to see that her daughter was gone.


    "Jina!" she kept on calling and roughly pushed past the crowd to search for her daughter but the little girl was nowhere to be seen.


    "What happened?" Yumi''s voice floated in her ears.


    "Jina is gone!" Gayoon said tearfully.

 Chapter 154: Jinas Mission to Love (4)

    Chapter 154: Jina''s Mission to Love (4)


    Gayoon and Yumi were scared as they dashed through the mall, looking for Jina. They could not find her anywhere near the ground floor.


    "Jina?" Yumi called, popping into one of the toilets to see if the little girl was there but she was not.


    "Jina, where are you?" Gayoon looked into the nearby shops but her daughter was nowhere to be found. Moreover, Jina''s cellphone was with her and there was no other way to contact her!


    After looking for her for over an hour, Yumi popped up near Gayoon.


    "I couldn''t find her," she informed Gayoon. She pitied the detective who was on the verge of tears but somehow managed to keep her cool.


    "I''ll talk to the mall''s security," Gayoon said. "And have them close the exits. I''m sure she''s somewhere around."


    Her hands were mmy and shaking as she tried to calm herself down. Normally, she was calm andposed during unwarranted situations but when it came to Jina''s safety, she was beginning to have ominous thoughts. What if Jina got kidnapped? Or found herself in thepany of a bad ghost?


    "Calm down," Yumi consoled her. "She''ll be fine. I''ll go and grab Casper as well. He might be able to find her faster."


    With that, she disappeared. Gayoon was left alone, looking for her daughter but to no avail. She dreaded to call Minho but there was no choice. He must be informed because he would be able to dispatch the security team on an urgent basis. With her shaky hands, she picked up the phone and dialed Minho''s number.


    He was in a meeting with the mall''s investors. Jongin, who was tailing his boss, felt Minho''s phone vibrate in his pocket. His boss had entrusted him to hold on to it since Minho does not like to be distrubed during meetings. He nced at the screen and saw that Gayoon was calling him.


    "Our mall is projected to make at least a hundred million this month alone, thanks to Ahn Jaewan''s endorsements," Minho was saying. "I''m sure all of our invested money will be worth it. After all, shareholders will get a hefty amount and if all goes smoothly-"


    Jongin approached his boss and whispered into his ears.


    "Sir, the detective is calling on your phone," he muttered.


    He had expected Minho to pick up the call but his boss threw him a dangerous re which made Jongin gulp in fear.


    "I''m busy," Minho stated. "IF she has something to say, then it can wait."


    Jongin cowered away and disconnected the call. But the detective kept on calling the phone. He did not dare to tell Minho again so he switched it off.


    Gayoon was desperate to reach Minho but his phone was now switched off. No doubt he was at some meeting or more specifically, avoiding her. But she had no idea where he was so there was no other way to contact him.


    Tears began to roll down her eyes. Unable to hold in her emotions anymore, she began to cry. Her head waspletely nk but she still had to do something. I''ll go and check the security boxes, she decided. Maybe Jina went to one of the guards and was looking for her as well?


    She turned around and headed for the nearest security checkpoint, her heart heavy with fear.


    ...


    "Aww!" Jina squealed in delight, petting the little pug she had spotted from afar. The dog yfully barked at her, wagging its tiny tail as she petted it. After she got separated from Gayoon, she walked away from the crowd and sat on a bench near the stairs when she saw the little dog wandering around the mall. It was so cute that she could not help but walk towards it.


    "What''s your name?" she wondered out loud. It had a name tag on it which read, ''Mona''.


    "Mona!" she realized. "Such a lovely name! I wonder who''s your owner."


    She nced around, hoping someone woulde and take the little dog but there was no one. However, the dog seemed to know its way well. It was sniffing her as if it was getting a familiar whiff from her. Mona looked up at her and barked before pulling the helm of her pants as if motioning Jina to follow her.


    "You want me to follow you?" she asked curiously. The dog barked in agreement. Jina was curious about the dog as she followed her. Mona wagged her tail as she led Jina.


    ...


    Woobin and the staff were shaking in fear as Jaewan red at them. They had informed Jaewan that Mona was missing for over an hour and all of them were afraid of what Jaewan was going to do to them.


    Jaewan was quietly watching them, not making a singlement as they cowered in front of him.


    "I tried to look for him!" Woobin imed.


    "Her," Jaewan corrected. "Mona is a female."


    "Her, I tried looking for her!" Woobin eximed. "But I couldn''t find her anywhere! I swear I tried!"


    "Clearly you didn''t try harder," Jaewan said. "What will you do if I never find Mona?"


    His steely eyes were threatening. Woobin felt the sweat rolling down his forehead and he was too afraid to speak even a single word. Jaewan was not usually a temperamental person but his calm anger was more dangerous than angry outbursts.


    "I-I-I"


    "You, you, you what?" Jaewan demanded. "What will you do if we never find Mona?"


    "I-I''ll resign!" Woobin imed.


    "Not enough," Jaewan said. "If I never find Mona, I''ll make sure that you''ll scrub toilets in public washrooms for the rest of your life."


    Woobin whimpered, knowing very well that Jaewan meant his words. Ahn Jaewan might be a famous celebrity but he also had a considerable amount of influence in the country, one of the few men to be able to do so. One word from him and all thepanies would cklist Woobin for the rest of his life.


    "Fortunately," Jaewan went on. "Mona has a good sense of smell. She doesn''t get lost easily and will ultimately return to me. So you don''t have to worry."


    Huh?


    Woobin frowned at his boss whoid back and smirked. The sadistic clean freak was enjoying the expression of horror on Woobin''s face, relishing the fear he felt. And multiplied it by ten folds.


    "You guys are so easy to tease," he grinned. "Mona went missing many times and ultimately returned home on her own. I''m not too worried about her."


    As soon as he said those words, a familiar bark was heard in the background as Mona happily entered through the door, pompously wagging her tail.


    That bloody mutt! Woobin cursed. But she was not alone. Standing at the door was


    "Oppa!" Jina eximed. "Jaewan oppa!"

 Chapter 155: Jinas Mission to Love (5)

    Chapter 155: Jina''s Mission to Love (5)


    Everyone stared at the starry eyed little girl who had just entered. Mona jumped into herp, happily licking the little girl''s face. Jaewan frowned at the girl.


    "Who are you?" he asked.


    "Jina!" she replied. "Your future wife."


    Her response made the staff almostugh. She was staring dreamily at Jaewan, her cuteness making everyone''s heart melt.


    "I don''t want a child bride," Jaewan sighed.


    "I''ll grow up and marry you!" she insisted.


    "Kid, that''s an unforeseeable future," he sighed. "What do you want? An autograph?"


    "I''ll settle for an autograph for now," Jina agreed. Jaewan picked up a pen and paper and signed his name on it.


    "Here you go kid," he saidzily, handing it to her before sanitizing his hands. "I''m tired now and I need rest. Go back to your parents."


    "I don''t know where they are," she simply said. "I got separated from my mom while we were seeing your show."


    Woobin leaned over to whisper in his ears.


    "Boss, we should take this kid to the security team!" he suggested. "What if something bad happens to her if we let her go like this?"


    "Just show her the way out and let her find her own way!" Jaewan whined. He was not particrly fond of children since they were messy. Mona barked in Jina''sp while the little girl cooed at her. Jaewan nced at them, noticing that Mona was fond of this girl. It felt a little strange because Mona would never voluntarily jump onto a stranger''sp since she was a neat freak as he was. She even growled at his staff whenever they tried to pick her up.


    "Mona loves her," he muttered. "Aish!"


    He was a little irritated but seeing how much Mona was liking the kid, he decided to go along with Woobin''s suggestion.


    "Kid, let''s take you to your mom," he sighed. "Where was shest?"


    "That''s okay, you can take me to my dad instead," she replied. "He''s in the main office of the mall."


    "Dad?" Jaewan echoed. "He works here?"


    "He doesn''t work here," Jina scoffed. "He owns this mall. Hwang Minho is my dad."


    "Hwang Minho?" Jaewan asked, trying to recall the name. "Ah, yes! The guy who had ink mark on his face and uses drug store brands."


    Woobin wanted to facepalm himself. That was how his boss remembered the most powerful man in the country?


    "Let''s take you to him then," Jaewan stood up and yawned. "But I''m not holding your hand!"


    Jina pouted and followed him outside towards the private lift with Mona still in her arms. As soon as they entered the lift, Jina asked him, "Oppa, howe you don''t have a girlfriend?"


    "No girl ever interested me," he said in a matter of fact tone.


    "But you know so many pretty girls!" she eximed. "Weren''t you in love with that idol, Kim Soobin?"


    "Rumor."


    "Jung Kahi?"


    "Another rumor."


    "Shin Mihee too?" Jina asked in astonishment. She used to support Mihee and Jaewan a lot.


    "Hate her. She''s a bit-"


    Jaewan stopped himself from saying the word aloud but seeing the little girl''s expression, it looked like her fantasies came crashing down.


    "Well," she began. "They''re pretty. But not as pretty as my mom."


    Then an idea sprang into her head. "I know!" she realized. "Why don''t you make my mom your girlfriend?"


    Jaewan was amazed at the girl''s wild imagination. "Your mom is married to your dad," he snorted. "Why would I date her?"


    "They''re not married," she sighed. "I don''t even know what they are"


    There was a tinge of sadness in her tone as she recalled how sad her mother was by her father''s silence. They had not spoken with each other for so many days that even Jina felt that them staying apart was better than them living under the same roof in utter silence.


    Jaewan was unsure of what to say to the little girl who was on the brink of crying. Hesitating a little, he gently tapped her head.


    "What are you doing?" Jina frowned.


    "Trying to pat you," he replied. There was an awkward silence between them.


    "You suck at this," Jina said bluntly.


    "Tch! I know."


    ...


    Minho was inspecting the stores in the mall with Jongin in tow. They were discussing the profit generation of the shops as they walked around when they noticed a few of the security guards approaching them.


    "What happened?" Minho asked, noting the tension on their faces.


    "Sir, we just received aint from a customer that her daughter went missing in the mall!" the guard informed him. "We need your permission to secure the area so that no one can leave until we find the girl."


    "Keep an eye on all the exits and make the announcements," Minho instructed. "And-"


    He froze upon seeing a slender figureing their way. Gayoon halted when she saw Minho ahead. The visibly nervous look on her face told him everything.


    He walked past the guards and stopped in front of her, his eyes ring at her with a cold fury.


    "What happened?" he asked coldly.


    "Jina and I were watching Ahn Jaewan''s event," she began to exin. "When-"


    "When you lost her," Minho concluded. He put an emphasis on the word ''you'' making her feel worse than she already was.


    "I tried calling you for help!" she retorted. "I spent hours looking for her all over the mall but I couldn''t find her! So I called you but you were so blind in your anger that you wouldn''t even pick up the phone!"


    "You couldn''t even take care of her for one day!" Minho argued back. "Who told you to bring her here anyway?"


    "Well, if you had spent more time with Jina, you''d have known that she''s growing out of her clothes!" Gayoon used him. "And now, instead of trying to find her, you''re yelling at me!"


    She had had enough of his silly anger. The tears she had tried to hold back were now flowing through her eyes and she was unable to control her emotions any longer. Her daughter was nowhere to be found and this infuriating man was making usations instead of helping.


    "You can go home, Jeon Gayoon," he said loudly. "I''ll find my daughter."


    "She''s my daughter too! I''m not going until I find her."


    She turned around to find Jina on her own but Minho said, "Really? Where were your feelings when you passed on your curse to her?"


    Jongin and the guards who were standing there had no idea what the crazy couple was talking about. Gayoon turned around to retort when Jina''s voice came out of nowhere.


    "Mommy!" Jina eximed as she stepped out of the elevator, holding a pug dog in her arms. She ran towards her mother who hugged her tightly. Minho stooped down, relieved to find his daughter was safe. Gayoon was crying uncontrobly, baffling Jina.


    "Where were you?" he asked as Jina let go of Gayoon, who was still sobbing hard, slumping on the ground.


    "Long story!" Jina said. "Oppa found me!"


    She pointed at Jaewan who was standing at a distance. Minho stood up and approached him, feeling thankful for his help.


    "Thank you for you-" he began to say but as if in a trance, Jaewan walked past him. To everyone''s shock, he walked towards the crying Gayoon. Jina also watched as Jaewan stooped down, finally finding the woman he had been looking for so many years.


    Gayoon looked up when Jaewan''s warm hand touched her head. She was shocked to see him in front of her after so many years.


    "Gayoon?" he whispered.


    No other words were said. It was as if time had not passed at all. In a slow motion, Minho watched as Jaewan hugged Gayoon,forting her. Inexplicably, she epted his gesture, hugging him back, d to find assurance from an old friend who stood by her side a long time ago.


    "I missed you, Ghost Girl," Jaewan said, unable to suppress his relief.


    "I missed you too," Gayoon sobbed. "Oppa."

 Chapter 156: Jinas Mission to Love (Conclusion)

    Chapter 156: Jina''s Mission to Love (Conclusion)


    Green. A color which was associated with nature. The color which created a blend of beauty and tranquility, adding ayer of meaning to everything in its shade. The calm and soothing color was enough to make anyone feel at peace upon being surrounded by it.


    It was also the color for envy. And unfortunately for Hwang Minho, all he could see in front of him was the dark shade of envious green as the anger in him hissed like a serpent, ready to unleash itself upon a certain sanitizer lover.


    But he stood there at his spot, watching Gayoon crying on Jaewan''s chest. Jina was also trying to assure her mother that she was fine and nothing happened. Jongin and the other guards has excused themselves, unwilling to fall in the middle of the perceived love triangle and face their boss'' wrath.


    Gayoon was not sure why she clung onto Jaewan at that moment. She was so exhausted by the events of the past month and suppressing them took a huge toll on her emotionally. The ordeal she went through with CCK followed by so many revtions and Minho''s coldness towards her was making her weak. And the momentary fear of losing Jina once againpletely broke her.


    So when Jaewan, one of her only friends, appeared in front of her, she could not help but break downpletely. Disregarding his obsession with cleanliness and hygiene, Jaewan held her, not asking anything. He nced at the little girl who was hugging her mother from the back and then his eyes fell on Minho.


    So this is him, he realized. The father.


    There was no doubt in his mind that Hwang Minho made Gayoon cry. Both the men red at each other as a silent war brewed between them. Minho wanted to rip those two apart and possibly throw Jaewan off the eighth floor but his pride was not allowing him to do so. He was still disappointed in Gayoon for not only endangering their daughter''s life with such a curse but she also almost lost her today. It was not forgivable.


    "It''s alright," Jaewan consoled her. "I''m here now. And I''ll always be here with you."


    Gayoon nodded and let go of him, wiping her eyes.


    "You remember me!" she sniffed. "I thought that you''d forget all about me. Especially after how I left."


    She felt really guilty for leaving him behind without any notice. After all, he was the only guy who epted her abilities and embraced her as a friend. The other children would run away and call her a freak but Ahn Jaewan stayed by her side, protecting her whenever she needed help.


    But after a devastating incident, Gayoon ran away to get rid of her abilities for once and for all, resulting in an evesting guilt which tore her apart everyday. Seeing Jaewan after so many years only made her appreciate her friend even more.


    "I''ll never forget you, ghost girl," he said, poking her forehead. "Neither did Mona."


    "Mona?"


    "This is Mona!" Jina yelped, showing off the pug in her arms which immediately jumped into Gayoon''s arms.


    "Mona!" Gayoon eximed as the dog licked her face. "You still have her?"


    It was the same puppy she had found on the street but it had grown now. Even though it was small in size, the dog was now happier and more energetic. After an ident killed her mother, Mona was wandering the streets helplessly. Gayoon had seen the spirit of the mother dog tailing her little pup, worried for her safety since Mona was a weak pup. It was when Jaewan saw her talking to the pup, he decided to adopt it.


    "She must have realized that you were nearby," Jaewan said. "That''s why she ran off. But she found Jina and brought her to us."


    "And oppa decided to marry me when I grow up!" Jina piped in.


    "I did not!"


    "Yes you did!"


    Gayoonughed at them but suddenly noticed Minho was standing at the corner, coldly staring at them. She red back, not backing down. His earlier words rang in her ears and she was no longer going to stay quiet.


    "If you are done with this happy reunion," he spoke up. "We need to go home."


    "I wanna stay with my future hubby!" Jina protested.


    "Don''t be a killjoy, Mr. Hwang," Jaewan smirked. "We can go and buy some of the drug store brands you like."


    "Unlike you, I have very limited time to spare," Minho shot back. "You see, my time means money. Some of us work hard for it instead of using our faces."


    Jaewan was about to snap back but Gayoon intervened and said, "Oppa, you can have my number. I''d love to catch up with you in your spare time. And I''ve heard that a high school reunion is alsoing up. If you are able to go, let me know."


    "Fine," he agreed, taking out his phone. He saved her number, fully intending to call her everyday.


    "Did you be a cop like you had nned?" he asked.


    "I did," Gayoon nodded. She held his hand and sped their palms together. "Thank you for supporting me."


    She smiled at him, grateful for the unending encouragement he gave her when they were in school. Meanwhile, the green shades were getting darker in front of Minho and he turned on his heels to leave.


    "Oppa when will you take me to sign the marriage certificate?" Jina asked in a dreamy tone.


    "Never!"


    Gayoon giggled at their banter and took Jina''s hand. "Let''s go home," sheughed. Turning to Jaewan, she added, "I''ll meet up with you soon."


    "Don''t run away this time, Gayoon," Jaewan said. There was a longing in his tone. He was afraid that she would disappear again, this time for eternity.


    "I won''t," she promised. "Not this time."


    They shared a smile, reminiscing about the past left behind before bidding each other goodbye. Jaewan watched her leave, his heart beating fast. She was the same kind and strong Jeon Gayoon as she was ten years ago. It was hard to pinpoint what made him fall for her all those years ago but he did and was still very much in love with her.


    And now that he found her again, he was determined to be with her. Forever.

 Chapter 157: Blood Soaked Vengeance

    Chapter 157: Blood Soaked Vengeance


    The front door burst open as Minho barged through it with Gayoon and Jina in tow. Jina was worried for Gayoon because her dad looked furious. However, she was surprised that Gayoon was perfectly calm, ignoring Minho''s cold fury which was on dangerous levels.


    "Jina, you should go to bed," Gayoon told her, kissing her on the forehead. "You''ve had a rough day. Even Casper and Yumi must be worried for you. I couldn''t find them anywhere so I was unable to tell them that you''ve been found. Hope they''ve returned by now."


    "I met my oppa so my day went great!" Jina said. "I''ll go and see if the ghosts are back!"


    She turned to her father, who put up a soft expression in front of her.


    "Good night dad!" she eximed, hugging him. Minho kissed her forehead and smiled as she went upstairs to her bedroom. As soon as she was gone, the soft expression on his face was reced by his usual fury again.


    ring at Gayoon, he said, "We need to talk."


    "Let''s talk in the study," she suggested, her voice unusually calm and steady. He nodded and they walked into the study room. Minho closed the door behind him while Gayoon stood near the bookshelf.


    "You almost lost Jina today," he used. "We had a deal. You''re supposed to look after Jina and provide her with the necessary guidance to control her powers, something which she had inherited due to your selfishness."


    Gayoon did not reply but simply stared at him.


    "And on top of that, you had the galls to hug another man in front of her!" he went on. "What sort of impression is that sending to Jina? We''re supposed to be acting normal in front of her! If you''re gonna cry in some other guy''s arms in front of her then-"


    A book came flying at him and hit his head. Tumbling in pain, he staggered back and looked up.


    Gayoon''s eyes were burning with a ferocious fire as she hurled another book at him which he dodge by inches.


    "Jeon Gayoon!" he yelled. "What the hell are you doing?"


    But she threw more books at him, all of which he managed to dodge. For once, he was scared of her as she unleashed all her pent up fury at him.


    "LOST MY DAUGHTER?" she yelled. "YOU THINK I DID IT ON PURPOSE? THAT I WASN''T SCARED TO DEATH?"


    Minho stumbled onto a sofa, backing off from the angry detective. He was about to retort but she was not giving him a chance to speak.


    "I CARRIED HER FOR NINE MONTHS!" she kept on yelling at him. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT I FELT DURING THAT TIME? YOU THINK I WANTED THIS CURSE IN MY FAMILY? DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE TRUTH?"


    "Jeon Gay-"


    "FROM THE MORNING SICKNESS TO THE UNTIMELY CRAVINGS!" she shouted. "MY BLADDER BURST AT RANDOM TIMES AND MY HORMONES WENT HAYWIRE ALL THE TIME! AND THE GUILT I FELT FOR KNOWINGLY PASSING THIS CURSE TO MY DAUGHTER WHOM I CAME TO LOVE SO MUCH! I DEALT WITH IT ALL ON MY OWN! AND WHERE WERE YOU? MAKING BLOODY MONEY?"


    "Before I got pregnant, all I could think of was to get rid of this curse!" she kept on wailing. "It brought me nothing but pain and fear! You lived in fear of one CCK while I had millions of CCK''s visiting me throughout my life! Do you have any idea of this unending nightmare? And what else could I have done to get rid of this curse other than give birth to a kid and hope it went away? AND THE BLOODY THING DIDN''T EVEN GO AWAY FULLY!"


    "Jeon Gayoon you-"


    "For eight years I cried for her! I wanted to hold her so much! I wanted to shower all my love on her! When I got pregnant with her, I didn''t realize how much I would end up loving her. I was eighteen! Barely an adult who was simply desperate for a normal life. How was I to know that my desperation to get rid of a curse would end up being my biggest regret?"


    Minho wanted to tell her to calm down but she had enough.


    "This past month, I''ve been feeling nothing but regret and shame!" she went on. "The torture from CCK was nothingpared to how you constantly reminded me that I''m a bad mother! I can''t even imagine staying away from my daughter for another minute"


    "And today, when I almost lost her, I felt like I was dying!" she cried. "I was running around the mall, all alone, looking for our daughter! And what did you do? YOU IGNORED ME AND TURNED OFF YOUR CELL PHONE YOU ASSHOLE! BASTARD! CURSED SWINE! D-"


    That night, Minho realized that Jeon Gayoon knew the curses belonging to all the twenty six alphabets as she hurled all of them towards him. Even X, Y and Z had curse words which she threw at Minho. If Minho''s anger was volcanic, then Gayoon''s fury was a blood soaked vengeance from hell.


    "AND IF YOU DARE NOT TO ANSWER YOUR PHONE WHEN I CALL, I''LL TIE UP EVERY SINGLE BIT OF MONEY YOU OWN, SET IT ON FIRE AND THROW THE ASHES IN THE RIVER!" she screamed at him.


    Minho stared at her, shell shocked at her gigantic outburst. The feelings she had bottled up had exploded, leaving her with a sense of calm.


    She took several deep breaths, calming herself down. The screaming was making her voice hoarse but getting it all out of her chest made her feel better. Moreover, seeing Minho''s visibly rmed expression was even more enjoyable. To his shock, she changed her tone 180 degrees.


    "As for Jaewan," she said in a businesslike voice, shocking Minho at the drastic change. "He''s my friend and I intend to maintain my friendship. So stop being a jealous ex and stay away from my matters. I''ll keep on taking care of Jina because I''m her mother. Not because of some nonsensical contract. I hope we are clear on the phone call issue. That shouldn''t happen again. And as for losing Jina, I''ll be extra careful from my end as well."


    With that, she turned around and left the room. Minho gaped at her, speechless at what had just transpired. It took him several minutes to realize what had happened.


    He, the great Hwang Minho, got scolded by his daughter''s mother. It took him several minutes to reel over the shock of what had happened.


    "Jealous ex?" he scoffed. "Who the hell is she calling an ex?"


    Yes, he was angry at her but they never broke up so technically, they were still in a rtionship. Did she perceive him as an ex?


    He quickly took out his phone and dialed Kanji''s number. Thetter was sleeping soundly, dreaming of Mina when his phone rang up. Irritated by the disturbance, he picked up the phone.


    "Who the hell is it?" Kanji mumbled.


    "Kanji! Meet me tomorrow morning at 9 AM!" Minho''s angry voice came through the other end. "We need to talk."


    "I''m busy dreaming of Mina," he weakly protested.


    "Bring her as well," Minho ordered. "This is an emergency."


    "What is it? You lost a dor in the stock market?"


    "I wish! No, it''s worse."


    Kanji frowned as Minho''s next words came through.


    "Gayoon thinks I''m her ex."

 Chapter 158: Doctor of Hearts

    Chapter 158: Doctor of Hearts


    Kanji and Mina were staring at Minho, judging him intensely after he had finished his story. Minho looked at them, hopeful that they would be able to help him.


    "I never told her we''ll break up," he said. "I merely told her our rtionship would not be profitable but that too because I was really angry at her! I was angry at her actions. I still am. But I never told her to break up! I was just waiting to see what she would do."


    They were at his office, discussing the recent developments. Kanji and Mina were already aware of Gayoon''s abilities but they did not know that Minho was being such a jerk to her behind their back. They had assumed that everything was alright but it seemed that nothing was fine.


    The duo were quiet for a while before Mina spoke up.


    "Kanji, you know what to do."


    Kanji nodded and stood up. He walked over to Minho''s side and said, "Minho, I''m not sorry for doing this."


    "What are you-"


    Kanji smacked his head hard.


    "Oye!" Minho yelled angrily. "What''s the big idea?"


    "You colossal idiot!" Mina yelled at him.


    "I agree with her," Kanji sighed and went back to his seat. Minho had summoned them to his office that morning. At first, they thought that the money lover probably had a minor tiff with Gayoon but they did not expect the situation to be so dire.


    "She''s the one who passed the curse to Jina!" he protested. "And didn''t tell me!"


    "Would you have believed her if she had told you?" Mina countered. "You''d have thought her to be crazy! You didn''t even believe Jina when she tried to tell you about those spirits! Besides, did you even ask Gayoon why she was signing up for surrogacy? Brother, she was eighteen! Have you ever stopped to think that why would an eighteen year old sign up for surrogacy?"


    "I thought she was in for the money," he murmured.


    "And did she take any?" Kanji countered. "No. She refused to take the money after the procedure was done. And you didn''t even meet up with her! Just saw her profile and after checking on her background, you agreed. You didn''t even ask her why she was so desperate to enter this deal. And on top of that you make her sign that stupid contract where she can''t meet her child! For eight years, you didn''t even attempt to meet her. At least you could have met her then and talked with her. But no! You were adamant on remaining anonymous."


    Minho did not consider all those possibilities. He was curious about Jeon Gayoon but to him, as long as she was willing to go through the surrogacy and posed no threat to their secrecy, he did not bother to find out more. Except for that one time when he went to the nursing home to check up on her, he did not meet her face to face.


    All these realizations made him feel even worse.


    "And on top of that, you spewed all that nonsense about profit and whatnot to her!" Mina eximed. "That too right after she had that awful experience. Do you even have any idea what she went through with the CCK? Hell, do you even have any idea what she went through with those ghosts she used to see?"


    "If she had a bad experience with those ghosts, then she should know what her own children would go through!" Minho argued. "And yet, she passed it on to Jina-"


    "That ability would have passed on to any children she might have had," Mina reasoned. "Whether it''s with you or someone else! Besides, what she did might not be right, but it wasn''t wrong either."


    "What do you mean?" Minho scoffed. "Passing on such a dangerous ability to a child! Who knows what horror Jina is going to see in the future?"


    "Oh please!" Mina snapped. "Both you and I know that humans are worse than ghosts. In case you haven''t forgotten, it was me and Gayoon who had to suffer the torture of CCK. Not you! We were the ones who went through the pain he inflicted. You only dream of his lighter every night but we...we relive the pain and fear over and over again! That monster''s touch haunts us in our dreams and we can''t get rid of those memories. If I had the chance to do what Gayoon did to get rid of her powers, I''d do it in a heartbeat! If it means that I''ll be free of those memories, then whether it''s one or thousands of babies, I''ll do it."


    Her monologue caught the men by surprise. There was a quiet conviction in her words because she fully understood why Gayoon would take such a drastic step.


    "You don''t know the pain of being haunted by a real monster," she whispered, her body shivering as she recalled CCK''s sinister words. "I''ve only met one monster and it was enough to make me live in fear for the rest of my life. But Gayoon...she met hundreds of such monsters. And she even told you that she has her own CCK. A monster which had traumatized her to the point that she was forced to take up surrogacy and get rid of her abilities. Don''t you think you''re being too judgemental about her?"


    Kanji held her palm while Minho was shocked by the realizations. Mina was right. He might have confronted the CCK but she lived through his torture that too twice. Moreover, Gayoon was hurt the most physically and mentally.


    He did not understand the pain she might have gone through at such a young age and for the first time in his life, Hwang Minho felt immense guilt at what he did. Gayoon was right to be angry at him after how coldly he treated her for the past one month. And that bloody neat freak made his mood even worse.


    "I don''t know what came over me yesterday," he admitted. "I was such an asshole to her!"


    Kanji and Mina were surprised at his use of ngs. Minho, despite his heated temper, never used curse words or ngs but now he was insulting himself.


    "What do I do?" he asked, feeling desperate. "Should I buy her gifts? Maybe a property? Or jewelry? Or-"


    "Stop with the buying," Mina said sharply. "Not every girl is like me who''d be pacified with a shopping spree."


    "You can follow my rules of love!" Kanji piped up. Both the siblings threw him a dirty look.


    "Your rules will never work on anyone!" Mina snapped. "Listen to me brother. You guys rushed into this rtionship with too many secrets which is why all this is happening. This time, you gotta take it slow but in a smooth way."


    Minho looked at her quizzically which made her sigh.


    "Firstly, apologize to her directly," Mina advised. "And then, follow what I''m about to say to you."


    For the next one hour, Minho listened to his sister with apt attention. When she was done, both the men saw her in a new light.


    "I thought you were just a mindless shopaholic," Minho frowned.


    "And a gold digger," Kanji added.


    "I''m all those and a lot more," she winked. "I''m not a doctor of hearts for nothing ya know!"

 Chapter 159: Money Lovers Repentance (1)

    Chapter 159: Money Lover''s Repentance (1)


    Gayoon was waiting for Jina''s school to end. Standing outside the building with Driver Jang, she kept on checking her watch until the hands struck 2 PM. Since she was on leave from work for another month, she spent her time filling up the gap with Jina. The little girl did not mind since she epted her mother with open arms and an open heart which only made Gayoon overwhelmed. No matter how small the tasks were, when it came to Jina, she did those without any hesitation.


    "Madam, you don''t have toe everyday to pick up the little miss," Jang said. "I can do that myself."


    "Oh no I insist!" Gayoon pressed. "I like to pick up my daughter from school."


    Jang smiled at her determination. It came as a shock to all of the staff when it was revealed that the detective was actually Jina''s mother but the old driver was pleased that it turned out to be so. He had seen the detective around Jina and they shared a very close bond.


    Suddenly, a navy blue car stopped in front of them. Gayoon raised an eyebrow as Minho stepped out from it. Unlike his usual formal suit, he wore a casual long jacket and gray woollen sweater underneath with dark jeans. Donning a pair of sunsses, he strode towards her, looking more like a runway model. Some of the other women waiting outside the school were checking him out as he was such a treat to their eyes.


    Gayoon, however, ignored him and kept on waiting for her daughter to turn up. Minho stood next to her and motioned Driver Jang to leave them alone for a while. Nodding, he stealthily left the couple alone.


    "Can we talk?" Minho asked, adopting an unusually calm tone. "Please."


    Gayoon kept on ignoring him as if he was air. His words fromst night still rang in her ears and she was in no mood to handle another one of his tantrums. It did not matter to her what he wanted to tell her.


    Minho sighed and said, "I know you''re listening to me, so I''ll just say it out loud. I-"


    Suddenly, Gayoon''s phone rang up. She took it out and smiled widely upon seeing the caller ID.


    "Oppa!" she greeted as soon as she picked up.


    Oppa? Minho''s mind was suddenly alert. Was it


    "Gayoon, where are you at?" Jaewan''s annoyingly deep voice came from the other end. "I''m around the town square and I was hoping we could catch up."


    "Really?" Gayoon asked. "I''m at the school nearby, waiting for Jina toe out. I think we can meet for lunch!"


    Minho''s anger was at boiling point but he kept his calm. Mina had specifically told him not tosh out whenever he was jealous. It would only make things worse.


    Calm down, he chanted to himself. Calm down. He''s just a pesky fly around her. Calm down.


    "Shall we go for Chinese food then?" Jaewan asked. "I know you love Chinese!"


    "You remember that I love Chinese food?" Gayoon was surprised that he recalled that much about her. It was as if no time had passed at all. Minho, on the other hand, learnt something new about her and was disappointed in himself for not knowing that much.


    "We''ll be there in half an hour," she said. "Bye!"


    She happily hung up the phone only to notice Minho''s sour expression. Turning her head away from his pettiness, she waited patiently for Jina to turn up. She did not have the energy to deal with his stupid jealousy and-


    "I''m sorry."


    Gayoon did not turn around but her heart skipped a beat. Did she just hear it correctly?


    "I''m sorry for hurting you," Minho said in a sincere tone. He knew she was still mad at him and was well aware that they were in the middle of the road. He could have made some grand gesture to melt her heart but Mina had urged him to ditch the pride and say those two simple words. It did not matter what the situation was as long as he was genuinely remorseful.


    "I''m sorry for being...all those things you said about mest night," he went on, his head hanging low in shame. Gayoon briefly nced at him. He had taken off his sunsses and looked sincerely apologetic for his actions.


    She was about to say something but he quickly cut her off.


    "I know you have a big heart and would probably stop being mad," he stated. "But I was an asshole to you so I''m going to rectify my mistakes through my actions not my words!"


    Eh? Gayoon was confused. She was about to tell him that the jacket looked ridiculous on him. No doubt he grabbed the first thing he could find in his hurry.


    "I''ll work on being a better person," he swore with a firm determination. "I''ll listen to you and learn more about you. And"


    Thest one was going to be tough but when he told Mina that it would be an impossible task for him, she told him to, "Suck it up you big baby!"


    "And...I will not act jealous about Ahn Jaewan," he said with great difficulty. Even saying that neat freak''s name was making him squirm. Gayoon wanted tough at his obvious jealousy but stifled it. He looked so serious about his words that she did not want to ruin the poor guy''s moment byughing at him.


    Then an idea came into her head.


    "You''re right," she agreed. "You need to show you''re sorry through your actions. How about a little test then?"


    Crossing her hands triumphantly, she stepped closer to him. She might be shorter than him by several inches, at that moment, she intimidated him. Minho waited for her next words.


    "Let''s see how sincere you really are," she said. "For the next one week, you''ll have to do everything I say. Everything. And you can''t refuse."


    An evil grin was etched on her face but Minho did not back down. Mina was right. The apology process was going to be a long one and would probably test his patience. But Jeon Gayoon was underestimating his will power.


    "I won''t," he promised. "I won''t refuse."


    "Good," Gayoon smiled. "Because your first task starts right now."


    "What is it?"


    She took a deep breath and said, "Stand in front of the building on one leg and spread your arms out like a scarecrow for the next half an hour. You have to keep smiling and you can''t break the pose."


    Gayoon said it as a joke, thinking that he would back off but to her shock, he walked up to the building and stood on one leg.


    Forcing a smile on his face, Minho kept on standing in that pose. Everyone around them gaped at the weird man who was creepily standing in front of the building and it took Gayoon all her strength to stop herself fromughing.


    This was going to be fun.

 Chapter 160: Money Lovers Repentance (2)

    Chapter 160: Money Lover''s Repentance (2)


    The people around them were snickering at the strange man who stood on his leg, creepily smiling at the school building. Some were even whispering at his odd behavior.


    "Is he a pedophile?" one woman whispered.


    "Why is he doing that?"


    "Pervert!"


    Minho was painfully aware of the things people were telling about him and he wanted to run away from the spot with his pride intact. But his pride would have to be trampled upon if he wanted Gayoon to truly forgive him.


    The task, it seemed, was going to be more difficult than he had imagined.


    As he stood in front of the gate in the strange pose, his insides were screaming at him. Gayoon wasughing hard and took out her phone to take pictures. The view was too funny to miss and she would make sure to remind him of this for the rest of his life.


    "Yo money lover!" she giggled. "Smile for the camera!"


    He turned to the camera, forcing a scary smile on his lips. The guy really did not know how tough, Gayoon sighed. Her mind was shing with ideas of what she wanted him to do for the week.


    Revenge was so sweet.


    Jina was happily humming and strolling out of the school building when the sight caught her eyes. She stopped in her steps, rubbing her eyes over and over again to make sure that she was seeing it right.


    "What the hell?" she frowned. "Is that...is that my dad?"


    Her dad was standing in front of the school building, posing like a scarecrow! That too with a scary smile!


    She did not say anything but covered her face and pretended not to know him. If anyone found out that her dad was the scary guy at the school entrance. Minho had hoped his daughter woulde to his rescue but she bolted towards her motherpletely ignoring him!


    "What is he doing?" Jina whispered at her mother.


    "Your dad is gonna do my bidding for the rest of the week," Gayoon smirked.


    "Why?"


    "Let''s just say that he deserved it," she giggled with her eyes on the money lover who was now clearly in pain from standing on one foot for too long.


    "Can I shift to the other leg?" he asked, not breaking his smile.


    "No!" Gayoon replied. Minho sighed and continued to stand in that pose while peopleughed at him. It was going to be one long week.


    ....


    Junwan was in his office, reading the files on the CCK investigation. Taejoon stood in front of him, reporting every detail of it.


    "The girl, Dohyun, is still mentally not fit to stand for trial," Taejoon reported. "She has permanent brain injury and the courts will probably give a not guilty verdict."


    "This is an embarrassment!" Junwan cursed, throwing the files away. "My highlypetitive police force could not catch the criminal and instead let her be apprehended by a bunch of amaetuer sleuths!"


    He was very much ashamed of how Taejoon''s team handled the situation. Moreover, they even let another detective get kidnapped and almost killed!


    "We should thank the gods that Gayoon did not report a case of negligence against you!" he spat. "Otherwise, no one would have been able to save you from this."


    "Gayoon was not even supposed to be in this case!" Taejoon argued.


    "But she was hired by Hwang Minho to find his sister and technically, she had solved her part of the case," Junwan countered. "I made the mistake of letting her off the case and hand it to a bunch of imbeciles who could not even put their egos aside! This is an embarrassment!"


    Taejoon looked down in shame. He was guilty for letting his ego get to him which had almost killed Gayoon. But there was no point in crying over spilt milk.


    "I''ll try to do even better," he promised.


    "What did you see when you found the doctor in that cabin?" Junwan asked.


    "Well"


    How should he exin it? The sight they had seen was strange and inhuman, making him question as to what really happened that night.


    "That night, my team arrived at the spot around five minutes after midnight," he narrated. "But when we entered, the ce was a mess. Detective Jeon Gayoon was heavily injured by the CCK and Hwang Minho rushed her outside towards the police car which we had brought along. My team and I went inside the cabin and saw"


    He trailed off for a while, unable to form his words.


    "What did you see?" Junwan pressed.


    "The ce was aplete mess," Taejoon finally said. "It looked as if a storm had blown over there! Theb equipment was broken and scattered all over the floor while the window panes were shattered to pieces. There was blood all over the room and Doctor Dohyun...she did not look like a human at all!"


    "What nonsense are you spouting, Taejoon?" Junwan scoffed.


    "She looked as if she was badly beaten but they were all self inflicted" Taejoon replied. "In fact, when we got there, she wasshing out at everyone, scratching and biting herself. She was not sane at all. She kept on picking on her wounds, making them bleed even more. And she had surprising strength! We needed ten people to tie her down and take her to the van. It was insane!"


    Junwan sat back and frowned at what he had just heard. "But this girl didn''t have any prior medical diagnosis, right?" he asked. "She always had a healthy mind ording to her family members. They were shocked to hear of her deeds."


    "She never had any fascination with the CCK either," Taejoon stated. "In fact, she only visited Doctor Nam''s room briefly during one of her routine check ups which were part of her medical curriculum. Other than those, she never had any contact with him. Furthermore, she would have been too young to remember what the CCK did all those years ago."


    "And no one knew about Doctor Nam being the CCK," he added. "So how did shee across such details? It''s almost as if she was possessed by the CCK himself."


    Possessed? Junwan was fixated on that word. His eyes fell on Lan Dongwook''s file whichy next to him. Even if the cases were unrted, Lan Dongwook''s wife had also searched for spirit possessions before she was killed. In both cases, the culprits had no prior mental disorder and yet, ended up killing people around them.


    How did two seemingly normal people change so abruptly? Was that even possible? Were they truly hiding a sinister side or was there something more?


    I must find out, he decided.

 Chapter 161: Money Lovers Repentance (3)

    Chapter 161: Money Lover''s Repentance (3)


    Jaewan''s heart was ted as he sat on the fully sanitized chair, waiting for Gayoon. He smiled as he took out another bottle of table cleaning spray from his bag and sprinkled it on the ss table in front of him. He was a regr customer at the restaurant so the staff were used to his entricities but he was in an unusually jovial mood that day.


    "Is he out on a date?" one of the waiters murmured.


    "The poor girl better have some sanitizers with her."


    They shook their heads in amusement while Jaewan sat at the table with a stupid smile etched on his face. The door to the restaurant opened and Gayoon walked in. She nced at Jaewan and waved at him. He returned her smile.


    "Ga-" He was about to call her but his smile soured when Minho followed her inside along with their daughter Jina. The little girl looked ecstatic to see Jaewan again.


    "Oppa!" she called and immediately ran towards him.


    "No hugs!" Jaewan warned but the little girl did not pay any heed. She went up to him and gave him a tight hug. The idol squirmed in shock but upon seeing Gayoon smiling at them, he did not say anything. He would have to take another showerter though.


    "Warm and soft," Jina sighed. "Just like how I imagined hugging you would be like."


    She was beyond ecstatic to meet her idol again. Minho, on the other hand, scowled at Jaewan. FIrst the guy charms Gayoon and now his daughter too!


    Finally, Jina let go of Jaewan. Thetter stood up to wee Gayoon and stepped forward to embrace her.


    "Gayoon, how have you been-" he began, widening his hands to hug her but Minho stepped in and blocked the way. Gayoon was taken aback as Minho grabbed Jaewan''s hand and shook it.


    "We''re doing very well, thank you very much," Minho said loudly.


    Jaewan made a disgusted face upon Minho''s touch and said, "I''ll have to jump in the swimming pool now."


    Minho smirked sarcastically as Jaewan took out a sanitizer and sprayed his hands while Gayoon was amused. What is going on? She wondered. The two men clearly disliked each other and the entire rivalry seemed funny to her.


    "Let''s just take our seats," she said, trying to hold in herughter. The two men scowled at each other before taking seats opposite each other. Gayoon, not wanting to sit with Minho, sat right next to Jaewan much to Minho''s chagrin. Jina took the seat next to her father, happily staring at Jaewan. She had no clue about the silent war between her father and her idol. All she cared about was marrying her oppa someday.


    "Have you been waiting for a long time for us, oppa? "Gayoon asked.


    "Not long," Jaewan lied. The restaurant staff, who were standing nearby, wanted to scoff. The guy had driven them nuts for the past three hours, making them clean and re-clean the whole restaurant for him. Some of them even debated to spit in his food but that would get them fired so they had to abandon that n.


    "Really?" Minho asked in a sarcastic tone. "The faces of those staff show that you must have driven them up the wall for hours."


    He pointed at the servers who looked very tired. Gayoon frowned at Jaewan but thetter said, "Let''s just order."


    He ushered a server to approach them. Slightly confused, Gayoon picked up the menu and nced through it. She was about to speak when Jaewan spoke up.


    "I know you''re gonna take the peking duck," he guessed. "Am I right?"


    "You still remember?" She asked in shock. "How do you remember this little detail?"


    "I know you well, Jeano Gayoon," heughed, ruffling her hair while ignoring the silent daggers Minho threw his way. Jina was surprised to see her father was so still as he coldly red at Jaewan and Gayoon. He was clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles were almost white.


    "I also know you''re gonna have iced lemon tea with a strawberry cream pie," Jaewan added. He said those deliberately to show Minho that he knew much more about Gayoon than the money lover did. Gayoon, on the other hand, was impressed.


    "Now I wanna guess what you wanna order!" she said in excitement. "Umm...vegan chow mein with orange juice and tofu cake!"


    She looked at him, her doe like eyes full of hope that she was correct.


    "Right," he grinned, d that she still remembered his preferences just like he did hers. Minho was boiling in anger but he had to keep himself calm. If he exploded, then all his attempts to woo Gayoon over would be futile.


    Don''t be jealous, he chanted. Think of the hundred million dors you made today. Hundred million. Hundred million.


    The chant worked to a certain extent as the thought of money soothed him a little but notpletely. Jina, feeling sorry for her father, patted his back as she realized that her old man was being overprotective of her future marriage with her idol. After all, every dad was paranoid when it came to their daughter''s choice in men.


    "Don''t worry dad," she assured him. "Even after I marry my oppa, I''ll make sure to visit you once a week."


    Gayoonughed at her daughter''s words while Minho tched and Jaewan shook his head but was secretly amused that Gayoon''s daughter was at least epting him wholeheartedly.


    "I''ll have the same dish as her," Minho stated, turning to the server. Gayoon was surprised.


    "But you hate dishes made of ducks!" she frowned. "And you don''t eat dessert."


    "So? A person can change."


    "In one night? You didn''t have the duck sd the cook madest night."


    But Minho did not care. He wanted to prove to Gayoon that he, too, liked the things she did. Gayoon, however, tried hard to stifle herughter. His jealousy was causing his face to go as red as a tomato which also made his strangely cute. She suppressed a secret smile but it did not go unnoticed by Jaewan.


    The two men shared a look of mutual dislike, fully knowing that neither would be backing down from pursuing Gayoon.

 Chapter 162: Money Lovers Repentance (4)

    Chapter 162: Money Lover''s Repentance (4)


    "Oppa, you were so cool in that spy movie!" Jina chattered. "The way you jumped from the building made my heart flutter!"


    She blushed hard, remembering the scene where Jaewan chased a viin of the movie and jumped from the ten storey building only to catch the bad guy using a parachute. She could not help but repeat the scene over and over again. It was her favorite movie and she never got tired of watching it.


    "It was a tough scene," Jaewan bragged. "I did the stunts myself. My body is very strong and I work out a lot."


    He flexed his biceps which made the little girl squeal. Even Gayoon was impressed by how much he maintained himself. Minho, on the other hand, scowled. The guy was a skinny chicken!


    "You really do work out," she said in astonishment, poking the bicep only for Minho''s temper to reach boiling point. For the first time in his life, the Vesudas was forced to keep hisve from erupting as Gayoon checked out Jaewan''s muscles.


    "Tch!" Minho scoffed. "Going to the gym is no biggie!"


    "Oh really?" Jaewan shot back. "What would spoilt billionaires like you know about good health? We work hard to maintain our image unlike you folks who die young due to the stress and bad habits you umte over the years."


    Before Minho could reply, Gayoon said, "But Hwang Minho goes to the gym everyday. In fact, he has a very good body."


    She said it in an offhand way because it was the truth. After seeing him in his towel during the CCK investigation, she knew that Minho maintained himself well so she corrected Jaewan''s misconception. Instead, Jaewan''s face contorted into an expression of disgust while Minho smirked triumphantly.


    "Yeah," Jina piped in. "Coz as per my dad, the healthier he is, the longer he''ll live. The longer he lives, the more money he can earn."


    "That''s right," Minho agreed. "You see, unlike some people, we earn money through hard work and not just by our pretty faces."


    "At least my face will remain pretty," Jaewan said with a smile. "The faces of CEO''s be old and wrinkled by the time they''re in theirter thirties. You''re thirty six, right? You better start taking care of your skin now. Although"


    He peered at Minho''s skin making the money lover ufortable.


    "Yep, your wrinkles are already showing," Jaewan said smugly. Gayoon and Jina also nced at Minho''s shocked expression.


    "Yeah I do see some around the eyes," Gayoon murmured.


    "Dad, you really need to take care of your skin more," Jina nodded.


    "I''m naturally very handsome," Minho boasted. "I don''t need to take extra care of my skin when I can use the time to make money. Unlike some people, I don''t have the time to indulge myself with cosmetic surgeries!"


    Jaewan was aghast at the jibe. He did have a surgery done on his nose but that was because it was injured during a performance! The doctor just happened to reduce it a little as per Jaewan''s instructions.


    "Your nose does look different-" Gayoon was saying but Jaewan was irritated at the money lover and overrode her words.


    "At least I have something more to value than money!" he snapped. "My face earns millions on its own so I can focus on things that really matter."


    "And what is that?" Minho asked in a sarcastic tone. "Bathroom cleaners?"


    "Oh you think you''re better than me?" Jaewan snorted. "Let''s have an arm wrestlingpetition to see who''s better!"


    "You sure you can handle my strength with your bony hands?" Minho asked, raising an eyebrow. Truthfully, both of them were of the same build and possibly had the same amount of strength. But with Gayoon''s affections on the line, they wanted to beat each other and win her over by showing off their superiority.


    Their prize jewel, on the other hand, was getting annoyed while Jina chanted, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"


    "Are you two crazy-" Gayoon began but was overridden again, this time by Minho.


    "I used to box during high school," Minho stated, putting his arm on the table.


    "I used to do karate," Jaewan shot back.


    "I can lift at least 100 kilos of weight!"


    "I can lift 200 kilos!"


    Gayoon''s nerve was now twitching as the two grown men acted like children, ring at each other like some kind of love rivals. Jina, however, was very amused and took out her phone to click pictures of her idol and her father having a go at each other.


    She was having the best week of her life. First she got to meet her idol and now her father waspeting with Jaewan in arm wrestling. This was a dreame true for her!


    "Are you sure those muscles aren''t for show?" Jaewan taunted, as he sped Minho''s hand.


    "Unlike you, I don''t make false ims!" Minho retorted, tightening his fingers around Jaewan''s palm. Their reputation was at stake and both men were determined to bring the other down in Gayoon''s eyes.


    What they failed to notice was that Gayoon was reaching her maximum limit with the two big babies. Pulling her sleeves behind and flexing her fingers, she was ready to smack sense into them.


    "On three!" Jaewan dered. Minho nodded as Jaewan counted, "One...two.thr-"


    Suddenly both of their heads were pinned to the table as a pair of strong hands pressed on them hard. Gayoon''s eyes were filled with her ferocious temper while Jina clicked pictures on her phone.


    After all their big talks about strength, they could not stand a chance against Gayoon''s assault.


    "You two are annoying," she gritted. "Boasting about strength when you know very well that between us three, I''m stronger than two of youbined. Now, enough of this nonsense and let''s eat in peace!"


    Minho and Jaewan wheezed as she pressed them harder before letting them go. The two men panted, rubbing their heads and murmuring apologies while Gayoon returned to her seat. The staff around they were impressed by thedy who subdued two men twice her size and height.


    "Mommy is the best!" Jina eximed happily, kissing her mother''s cheek. Minho and Jaewan''s eyes met for a brief second, both of them realizing that they did agree on one crucial fact.


    Jeon Gayoon was freakishly strong.

 Chapter 163: Money Lovers Repentance (5)

    Chapter 163: Money Lover''s Repentance (5)


    Junho sat on the chair, looking miserable while Shujin went about doing her business. Looking at the ex-tycoon, she groaned in frustration. Ever since he found out that Gayoon was dating his son, he had been constantly worrying about her like an overprotective parent and fussing how his son is no good for her.


    "Are you still depressed over Gayoon dating Minho?" she sighed.


    "I wonder how he treats her," Junho said. "Is he attentive towards her? Is he making sure she''s taken care of? What if the servants are rude to her? Or worse, he''s cheating on her! He''s my son and I was a yboy before my wife straightened me up! What if he''s worse and treats Gayoon like dirt?"


    "What is this, some kinda dramatic novel?" Shujin snapped. "Even in those books, parents of the male lead oppose their sons'' marriages because of wealth and status. And here you are, opposing a rtionship because your son is bound to be a yboy like you? If he was a yboy, then why would he choose surrogacy? Wouldn''t he have done it himself?"


    Junho pursed his lips and pouted. Shujin was right. If his son was a yboy, then he would have directly knocked up someone else but Junho did not care. He was still worried for Gayoon and wanted to make sure that she was happy. If Minho was not out for his blood, he would have been charging towards the mansion, bringing his daughter, grandchild and proxy daughter-inw to live with him. His son could live in the streets for all he cared!


    "What if he''s not treating her right?" he asked, feeling worried. "I''ve raised Gayoon with a lot of care! If he dares to hurt her I''ll have Shinjin unleash all the ghosts at him!"


    Shujin shook her head in dismay while Junho imagined all the ways he would make his son pay if he ever hurt Gayoon.


    "All rtionships will have problems but you know very well Gayoon can handle it on her own," she exined. "Do you really think a guy can bully Gayoon and get away with it? She''s been raised by you and me! She''ll probably make the guy bend to her will."


    "That is true," Junho nodded and took a deep breath.


    He was reminiscing how the children have grown up. Even if he did have his reservations about Minho, he was d that his son grew up to be a good person and Mina also chose to do a career in medicine rather than live off her family money for the rest of her life. The little glimpse of Jina also assured him that Minho had raised her well.


    The thought of the little girl brought a tear to his eyes. She had the same eyes as Gayoon while retaining her father''s spirit. The girl had no fear and she was able to tackle ghosts in her own innocent way. She was aware of the bad ghosts but it was her faith in the good spirits which kept her safe all these years.


    But one day, she would see the horrors of the gift she had been given and soon, it would turn into a curse. What would she do then?


    "You''re worried about Jina," Shujin guessed. They had told her everything about Gayoon and Minho''s child and it saddened her to see the little girl being bestowed with so many responsibilities.


    She had also met the girl when she went to meet Gayoon at the hospital and it surprised her to see the bond the little girl shared with her mother. It was as if they were never apart and Jina waspletely devoted to Gayoon. Thetter also showered her child with all the love she had, not holding back at all. Minho seemed a little distant and Gayoon had told Shujin about his offer.


    At first, Shujin was outraged at his so-called contract but in Minho''s point of view, Gayoon did knowingly pass on a curse to the little child and which father would be able to tolerate that? Shujin still did not reveal the details of the contract to Junho otherwise he would charge towards the mansion and an ugly confrontation between the father-son duo would end upplicating matters even worse. Hence, she kept her mouth shut and let the kids figure out their lives on their own.


    Suddenly, Junho''s phone rang up. To his irritation, it was Shinjin.


    "Ugh!" he scowled. "He must have called me to bail him out of another fraud case."


    Since Shinjin was a shaman, he frequently ran into people who would think of him as a fraud and lock him up in jail. Whenever that happened, Junho would have to use hiswork among the exorcists'' society to bail him out.


    "What is it?" he asked, picking up the phone.


    "Junho, there''s an emergency!" Shinjin''s frantic voice came from the other side.


    "Are you in jail again?"


    "No!" Shinjin replied. "It''s not that. I just sensed something bad."


    Junho frowned. Whenever the shaman sensed something like that, then ominous things were in store for them.


    "What did you sense?"


    "I think one of our captured ghosts has escaped!" Shinjin revealed. "I''ve been sensing something odd for a while so I used the ouija board to contact nearby spirits. One of them informed me that a ghost we had captured in the past has escaped and is plotting something!"


    Junho froze in fear. A ghost had escaped? How was this possible? Someone must have disturbed the ce where they had buried the ghost''s locker in and hence, unleashed it into the world once again.


    "Which ghost is this?" he demanded. Shujin watched as all the color from Junho''s face disappeared, leaving nothing but fear and anxiety.


    "What happened?" she whispered but he motioned her to stay quiet.


    "I don''t know, but it must be an old one," Shinjin said. "The longer the ghost stays in this world, the stronger they be. I''m guessing this ghost is also powerful because the spirits in the ouija board refused to take his name."


    Junho was now panicking. Which ghost had escaped? And how?


    "I must revisit all the spots where we buried the captured spirits," Junho instructed. "And see if they''re still undisturbed."


    "Let mee with you-" Shinjin said but Junho cut him off.


    "You stay here and deal with the business here," he said. "I''ll go to the spots and check. You might be needed here. If anything happens, let me know. I''ll only be a phone call away!"


    "Alright," Shinjin said and hung up the phone. Shujin was rmed to see Junho so worried and scared.


    "Did a ghost escape?" she gasped.


    "Yes," Junho replied in a grim tone. "We don''t know which one."


    Shujin was now truly worried. If a ghost had escaped, then it woulde to take revenge on the people who trapped it. She watched as Junho packed his bags and headed for the door.


    "Be careful, Hwang," she warned. "This ghost will be more powerful than before and captivity has increased its thirst for revenge. It won''t be easy to recapture again unless you can get rid of itsst remaining property which is tying it to this world."


    Junho sighed and nodded. If he had the thing the ghost''s were attached to in the past, then he would have easily eliminated them. Unfortunately he did not have them and had to contain their spirits in boxes after exorcism.


    What cmity are we gonna suffer now? He wondered as he strode through the front door and got into his car. He must find out which spirit had escaped before it was toote.


    .....


    "Will you be going to the reunion?" Jaewan asked Gayoon as they had dessert. Minho was still scowling as he tried to swallow the sweet dish in front of him. In an attempt to impress Gayoon, he ordered the duck and the dessert but truthfully, he was not fond of any of those dishes. He did not like duck because of the smell and he was not a sweet tooth either. Yet, he painfully managed to swallow it all in order to show that he liked the same things as her.


    But he was pretty sure he would get sickter on.


    "Uh, I''m not so sure," Gayoon admitted. She did not have fond memories of that high school and there was a solemn expression on her face which did not go unnoticed by Minho. Jaewan, too, understood her predicament. After all, she suffered a lot during her school time.


    The kids at ss used to bully her a lot because they perceived her as a freak. At first, Jaewan had not believed her ims to see ghosts but after seeing how she was tormented by them with his own eyes, he was forced to ept that she was telling the truth and hence, he had nicknamed her the ghost girl.


    "Gayoon, many years has passed by," Jaewan told her. "I''m sure everyone would be delighted to see you there. Besides, I''m going and I need a date!"


    "Why?" Minho shot at him. "You couldn''t get a partner so you''re asking her as ast resort? Maybe she has a date already."


    "No I don''t!" Gayoon imed, feeling irritated but also pleased that she had Minho on her whim. Even if jealousy made him look petty, she could not help but be amused at his actions. He was willing to do anything for her forgiveness and the game was turning out to be fun.


    "I still don''t have a date," she replied. "I''d love to go with you, oppa!"


    Minho shot Jaewan a dirty look but the neat freak was too happy to care.


    "The reunion is next Thursday at our old schoolpound," Jaewan said. "Did you know the old library building is being torn down to make a mall?"


    Library building? School? Minho frowned.


    "Really?" Gayoon asked in astonishment. "Well, the building is old and our school shifted front here years ago. Right after we graduated, the school was moved to D-Town. So there''s no point in keeping the building anymore. Is this why they''re doing a reunion? To gather the alumnus onest time at the old schoolpound?"


    "Yep!" Jaewan shrugged, taking a sip of his juice. Minho was no longer able to hold in his curiosity.


    "Which area is this?" he asked.


    "It''s near S-Town," Jaewan replied. "Blooming Sun High School."


    Minho did not say anything further but took out his phone and sent a text to Kanji.


    "Find out everything you can about Gayoon''s time in Blooming Sun High School," he wrote. "About her ssmates too."


    The two friends were chatting and Jina was happily browsing through her phone so no one saw what Minho was doing. He scooped more of the disgusting dessert in his mouth but his mind was elsewhere.


    If Mina was not wrong, something had happened to Gayoon in that school and the way she was hesitant to go, only added to his suspicions. Exactly what happened to her there?


    I must find out, he decided.

 Chapter 164: Money Lovers Repentance (6)

    Chapter 164: Money Lover''s Repentance (6)


    By the time they entered the Hwang mansion, Jina was fast asleep in Minho''sp. He carefully walked upstairs towards her room while Gayoon tiptoed behind him, both careful not to wake up Jina. He gently put her on the bed and tucked her in the nket while Gayoon stroked her head. Minho watched her and Jina for a while as they shared a tender moment.


    He wanted to curse himself for hurting Gayoon over the past month and was determined to do everything he could to make her believe that he was truly sorry. Kanji had emailed him the files on Gayoon''s high school years and he had read through them on their way back home. The contents were very disturbing.


    From a young age, Gayoon was treated as an outcast by her peers. She used to be called the ''cursed one'' because she used to make ominous ims about spirits. There were many instances when the children bullied her to the point that they locked her up in a washroom for one whole night. When she was found the next day, she was unconscious for days and when she woke up, she said that a pale man with decaying flesh had been trying to enter the stall she was locked in but she managed to ward him off with salt.


    All her ims were treated as the delusions of a disturbed child but after finding out about her abilities, Minho knew that she was telling the truth. But there was one part of her past which greatly worried him.


    It was about a boy named Park Seungjo. There was an incident about this boy where he was bullied by a bunch of older kids but the prank went horribly wrong, resulting in his death. The school covered it up as an idental death and let the students go scot free. But soon, one by one the bullies began to die in mysterious ways. Gayoon had tried to tell everyone that Seungjo did it but her pleas went unheard.


    And then a few weeks after the incident, Gayoon took an early graduation and left her school to be a surrogate for Minho. Was this incident rted to her decision? He wondered.


    The more he found out about her, the more he realized that she truly had no other choice when it came to giving up her abilities. Jina just happened to be a coteral damage, caught in the midst of some kind of twisted karmic game.


    Gayoon looked up to see that Minho had a strange expression on his face. She was still very angry at his petty behavior and was about to walk past him when he spoke up.


    If you have some time tomorrow," he began. "Will you go somewhere with me?"


    "Where?" she frowned.


    "A ce," he simply replied.


    "You''re not off the hook," she said bluntly. "And after today''s behavior I-"


    She faltered off, noticing the seriousness in his eyes. He was not demanding her to apany him but it seemed like his request was extremely important to him.


    "Are you going to make me pose as your secretary again?" she sighed. "Coz I can''t help you earn money."


    "Believe it or not, it''s not about money," Minho shrugged. "I''ll wait for you tomorrow at 8 AM."


    Before Gayoon could reply, he left the room. "What is it with him?" she pouted.


    Then again, she had an entire week to torment him which greatly excited her. Thinking of all the ways she was about to make him go broke, she happily went to the bathroom to change. Once she freshened up, she climbed onto Jina''s bed andy beside her sleeping daughter. Jina stirred and hugged her mother while Gayoon put her arms around her, patting her softly on the back.


    Her mind was still thinking of Minho''s request. Where did he want to take her? And why?


    Guess I''ll know tomorrow, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.


    .....


    The next morning, Gayoon descended the stairs to find that Minho had already finished his breakfast and was about to leave. Jina was still sleeping upstairs since it was a weekend and Gayoon did not wake her up.


    "Where are we going?" she asked him as she sat at the table to have a piece of toast.


    "To one of my properties," he replied. "An old age home located outside the city."


    "Why?"


    "You''ll see," he said in a cryptic tone. Gayoon frowned but nodded and quickly finished her breakfast before following him outside. Driver Jang was standing there, thinking that Minho would take him along but thetter shook his head and took the car keys from him.


    "Let''s go," he said, opening the car door for her. Gayoon was still confused but got into the car. Minho got into the driver''s seat and revved up the engine. Soon, they rode off towards the streets, leaving the mansion behind.


    "Now will you tell me why we are going to this old age home?" she groaned. "Are you going to rob some poor old man of his property?"


    "What?" Minho scowled. "No! I love money but I won''t go to that extent."


    Gayoon gave him an ''are-you-kidding'' look to which Minho reluctantly admitted, "Okay, I might do that but only if the old bloke willingly sells me his property. I wouldn''t go and snatch it out of his hands!"


    "Then where are we going?" she demanded. Minho took a while to think. He was not nning to bring her along but after reading her filest night, he thought that it was time for them to be more honest with each other''s past. If she could embrace his darkness, he must make the effort to ept her one too.


    "To visit someone," he admitted. "Someone from my past."


    "Who?" Gayoon asked.


    "Jongin''s mother," he revealed. "Mimi."


    Gayoon''s eyes widened in shock? Mimi? The first victim of CCK''s to have survived?


    "You''re taking me to visit her? Why?"


    "You''ll see," he muttered. Gayoon did not ask anymore questions and kept her eyes on the road. Minho was being secretive and she was sure he was up to something. Was this another grand scheme to make sure that she would forgive him?


    She could only wait and watch.


    After an hour, they pulled up in front of an old age home. Gayoon stepped out of the car to take a look at the ce. It consisted of several cottages in the midst of arge, greenndscape. As they entered through the gates, she could see that a lot of thought and care had been put into the architecture of the facility. The cottages were kept in and simple with off-white colored walls while the garden area consisted of several outdoor activities.


    There was a long jogging trail along the borders of the facility while a tennis field was situated at one side. The grass was trimmed and watered while the flower bed had vibrant flowers of different colors. At the very opposite end was a clinic where the sickly elderlies were treated. Each of the residents of the ce also seemed to have their personal attendants as none of them were left unattended as they strolled through the garden or chatted with each other.


    "Mimi lives here?" Gayoon asked. "Why is she here? Why isn''t she with Jongin?"


    Minho did not reply but motioned her to follow him. She obliged and he led her to the clinic. Some of the staff stood up to greet Minho. He bowed back as he led Gayoon to a private ward. She entered the room to find a frail old woman in her sixties, lying on the bed.


    The woman looked much older than her actual age and was conscious but seemed not to recognize anyone. Drool was dripping from her mouth and half of her face was paralyzed. Her hair had turnedpletely white and she was babbling incoherently.


    "What happened to her?" Gayoon asked in shock.


    "Trauma," Minho replied in a grim tone. "She might have escaped CCK''sir but she could not escape the memories. Even though she mustered the courage to save us, she could not save herself from the subsequent consequences."


    "Every night, she used to dream of that monster," he went on, his voice barely a whisper. "The ck shadow we saw became a recurring nightmare for her. She tried to hold on to her sanity until her sons grew up but finally, she sumbed to her darkness and suffered a fatal stroke. The doctors managed to save her but she''s beyond repair. The damage is permanent and she''ll never regain her senses again. Right now, she''s nothing but a living corpse."


    Gayoon could not help but pity the woman who had to endure years of hardship. The woman who had escaped CCK could not leave behind the trauma which took over her life. She nced at Minho and there was a visible guilt on his face. He was also feeling responsible for Mimi''s state because that night, she had taken the painful step of trying to rescue him and his loved ones. That might have also traumatized her.


    "Why did you bring me to meet her?" she finally asked, her voice heavy with grief and pity.


    "Because at this moment, only you can understand her pain," he said. "And"


    He turned to face her, their eyes directly looking into one another. "Now that you saw with your own eyes what trauma can do to a person, I want you to tell me everything."


    He took a step towards her, not breaking their eye contact.


    "Jeon Gayoon," he began. "Tell me about the things you used to see. Tell me the trauma you had to go through. Who was your CCK and why did he force you to make a decision which would only fill you with regret?"


    Gayoon bit her lip in worry. Her hands were shaking as the memories of those terrible days came back to her. How no one believed her when she tried to warn them of the spirits. And the torment she had to go through in the hands of both the dead and the living. No one ever believed her and after a while, she stopped telling them anything, quietly tolerating the torture on her own.


    As if reading her mind, Minho dered, "I believe you, Jeon Gayoon. So tell me everything. No matter what you say, I will believe you and this time, I''ll not let you down."

 Chapter 165: Gayoons Story (1)

    Chapter 165: Gayoon''s Story (1)


    "Jeon Gayoon!"


    The teacher''s stern voice startled the seventeen year old Gayoon and she snapped out of her apparent daydreaming. The other students were also staring at her as she sheepishly stood up, facing the teacher.


    "Care to exin what you were staring at?" the teacher asked angrily. Gayoon trembled but did not dare to say anything. Jaewan was at the backseat, frowning at her. She looked visibly scared and he noticed that she was ncing constantly at the window. He followed her gaze and there was nothing there except for the zing sunshine entering through it.


    But her silence only angered the teacher. Gayoon whimpered, not daring to say anything.


    "Tell us, Jeon Gayoon!" he barked at her. "Is my lecture that boring? Are you not happy in this ss? Or do you want to leave?"


    "I" she trailed off. She could not find her voice and was very afraid. The teacher mistook her silence as insolence and the other students were snickering at her state.


    "Freak," a pretty girl at the front muttered, making sure that Gayoon heard her clearly.


    "Detention for you, Jeon Gayoon!" the teacher spat at her. Gayoon winced. Detention?


    "Sir, I''m really sorry!" she said quickly. "I''ll pay more attention in ss but please don''t give me detention!"


    "No more excuses!" the teacher yelled at her. "I''ve had enough of your bad attitude. Orphans like you lose track of right and wrong! You''re going astray and if you weren''t a good student, this school would have thrown you out a long time ago! After all the false ims and usations you made over the years, I''m surprised the board is still keeping you here!"


    He looked at her in a way as if he was repulsed by her. A few months ago, Gayoon had warned him not to pass through the rose garden in the school premises and he had scoffed at her. When he passed by the garden to reach his car, he slipped on the ground and fell, breaking his hip.


    What shocked him was that the ground was rough and there were slippery ces on it. It was as if someone had grabbed his foot while he walked by. He had also heard rumors of this strange girl''s predictions and she was an outcast. The teachers were afraid of her and students shooed her away from them because her ominous words used toe true. It was like she was a curse.


    "You will serve detention today and if you keep on protesting, I''ll put you in detention for the rest of the month!" he threatened her.


    The threat worked because Gayoon was even more scared now. She did not want to stay in the detention room for the whole month but the teacher was forcing her to stay there after school. The room was thest ce she wanted to be but she had no choice.


    Suddenly, a paper ball came flying at the teacher and hit his head. The teacher turned around in shock to see Jaewan smirking at him.


    "W-what?" he spluttered.


    Jaewan looked bored as he said, "Oops! My hand slipped. Sorry."


    The teacher was enraged and dered, "Detention for you, Ahn!"


    Jaewan shrugged while Gayoon looked a little relieved. At least she would have someone to apany her during detention. She gave him a small smile and he nodded.


    "Go to your seat, Jeon!" the teacher ordered her. She nodded and slowly walked towards her seat. As she sat down, she nced at the window onest time.


    Outside the window was a pearly apparition, scratching the window pane. It was a woman with long, ck hair and a long oval face. Her pale white skin was glittering under the scorching sun as she looked inside the ssroom. But she was not really looking.


    Her sockets werepletely empty and ck liquid was dripping from them as she tried to understand who among the students was able to see her. The woman could tell that there was a seer amongst them but she could not figure out who it was.


    Gayoon stared at the woman in fright but quickly averted her gaze, trying to focus on the lesson while her heart was beating fast. The teacher had his back to them as he exined the lesson so one of the students threw a paper ball at Gayoon. She picked it up from the floor.


    In it, was one word written in bold.


    FREAK.


    She tucked the paper away and focused on the lesson while Jaewan stared at her back. He nced at the window where she had been staring but saw nothing. After their encounter on his first day at school, he had been carefully observing the girl. Everyone at school picked on her because she was an orphan who lived with her grandmother.


    But there were some disturbing rumors about her. A lot of people whispered that she was cursed and could bring bad luck to people. Many students were hurt because of her after she warned them of dangers, but they ignored her and only bullied the girl. However, all her predictions came true and instead of following her advice, people were scared of her.


    Gayoon lowered her head, doing her work in peace while dreading the impending detention. The woman at the window was one of the many ghosts who haunted that building and the detention room was one of her favorite spots. She did not want to go in the same room as that woman because the ghost looked so scary.


    Moreover, the woman even injured one of the students at school by pushing her off the roof. Luckily, the girl held on to the pipe and managed to save herself. Gayoon had seen it all and tried to warn the girl from not going to the roof but the girl only spread rumors that Gayoon was the one who pushed her. After that, she was alsobeled as a crazy psycho.


    She sighed and counted the minutes until the ss ended. At least Jaewan would stay with her so she would not bepletely alone. After a few minutes, the bell rang, indicating the end of the lesson and the teacher left. Gayoon was packing her bag, preparing for the art ss when someone walked up to her.


    "G-Gayoon!"


    She looked up to see Park Seungjo, a scrawny looking boy who was in the same ss as them.


    "What is it, Seungjo?" she asked curiously.


    "T-this is for you!" he eximed, handing her a paper. Gayoon was about to open her mouth to refuse when a snide voice came from behind them.


    "Well well well!"


    A tall, muscr boy with blonde hair came towards them with a sneer on his face. His arm was around the pretty brte who had called Gayoon a freak moments ago.


    "What do we have here?" he snickered. "A love story?"

 Chapter 166: Gayoons Story (2)

    Chapter 166: Gayoon''s Story (2)


    Gayoon and Seungjo froze as Jung Yoo walked towards them with a sinister smile on his face. He had three other cronies, Park Seohyun, Kim Mingjae and Shin Woohyun, who used to do his bidding. All of them were part of the football team with Yoo as their star yer. They were extremely popr for their looks and talent but also feared. Their antics were notorious for being extreme and their favorite pastime was to bully other students.


    Yoo''s girlfriend Shim Minjung was also the most popr girl in the school. She was the captain of the cheerleading team and a ssic beauty with her petite figure and brte hair. As Yoo''s girlfriend, she ran the school and was also one of the girls who made Gayoon''s life a literal hell. She looked at the cursed girl with disdain as if she was smelling something bad.


    "What do we have here?" Yoo sneered and before Seungjo could react, he pulled the paper from thetter''s hands to open it.


    "Give that back!" Seungjo protested but Yoo was not listening.


    "What''s this?" Yoo frowned. "It''s a sketch!"


    It was a sketch of Gayoon, sleeping in the library. She was shocked to see that Seungjo had drawn it with such details, feeling it was a vition of her privacy. But Seungjo was flushed with embarrassment and leapt forward to take it back but Yoo was too tall for him.


    "Looks like Skinny here has a thing for the Cursed one here!" he said it loudly for everyone to hear. The whole ss wasughing as Seungjo tried to snatch the sketch back.


    "They do make a good couple!" Minjung piped in. "Two freaks together. What a match made in heaven!"


    Gayoon clenched her fists in anger. "And you two belong together," she said out loud. "Two dumb dumbs who could barely say the alphabets."


    It was widely known that Yoo and Minjung were terrible students. They mostly failed and managed to stay in school thanks to their parents'' connections. Minjung was furious at Gayoon while Yoo stepped towards her and grabbed her by the throat.


    Gayoon tried to fight him off but she was too weak against his brute strength. The rest of the ss watched, cheering for Yoo as he throttled Gayoon. No one cared for her, watching her choke. She scratched his hands, trying to make him let go of her but it barely made any difference to him.


    "You need to be taught a lesson," he said in a menacing voice. "Your cursed predictions caused Seohyun to almost lose an eye!"


    He was referring to the time when Gayoon had tried to warn Seohyun against ying at one of the football games. She had seen the ghost of a girl haunting the field. Whenever she got the chance, the ghost would swoop in between the games to kick the ball in the face of a yer to try and hurt them. That night, she had chosen Seohyun as her target and despite Gayoon''s repeated warnings, the team ignored her.


    As a result, the ghost kicked the ball to Seohyun''s face, almost crushing his face. He was lucky that she could not hit him hard otherwise he would have lost his eye. Since then, Yoo and his gang had been tormenting Gayoon because they thought she had cursed them.


    Gayoon was almost losing consciousness when suddenly, someone stepped forward and began to spray something on the face of Yoo and his gang.


    "What the hell-" Yoo began to curse but Jaewan kept on spraying the bottle on them with a bored expression. The bullies were irritated as the liquid slightly burned their eyes, causing them to yell in pain. In the haste, Yoo dropped the picture on the ground which Seungjo immediately picked up.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Mingjae yelled.


    "Make him stop!" Minjung whined, closing her eyes.


    "Jaewan have you gone nuts?" Yoo screamed. "What are you doing?"


    "Cleaning," Jaewan simply stated and continued to spray on them. "This ssroom is too dirty so I''m getting rid of all the germs. This is a special form I made by myself. Contains ammonia, bleach and chlorinators. Very effective for cleaning even the toughest spots!"


    Gayoon was panting for breath while Seungjo attempted to lift her from the ground. But she squirmed away from his touch, making him back off. The bullies were yelling in pain as Jaewan kept on using his special form on them. The other studentsughed at Jaewan''s actions while Yoo was enraged.


    "I''ll get you for this!" he swore. Jaewan stopped spraying at them and stepped closer. Unfortunately for Yoo, Jaewan was taller and more muscr than him. Moreover, Jaewan came from a wealthy family so they could not dare to anger him.


    "Get out of here otherwise I''ll use my broom to clean up this ssroom," he threatened. Then he paused and added, "Which means I''ll hit you guys with my broom. Now get out of here!"


    Yoo red at him and grabbed Minjung''s hand. She was still rubbing the chemicals from her eyes when Yoo pulled her away followed by his cronies. Jaewan turned and stooped down to help Gayoon who was still wheezing. Seungjo watched them as Jaewan attempted to help Gayoon. His hands were clenched into a fist, crumpling the picture of Gayoon''s.


    "Are you alright?" Jaewan asked.


    "I''m fine," she assured him. He noticed that she looked angrily at Seungjo and knew that she was not amused by that picture. After all, Jeon Gayoon was fiercely protective of her privacy and loathed it when people tried to interfere in her personal life. Bullies might annoy her but people like Seungjo equally irritated her and she made a point to stay away from such people.


    Seungjo, stood there...ring. Behind his spectacles was a rage which Gayoon had instantly noticed. She went up to him, displeased by his actions.


    "That picture you drew," she began. "When did you draw it?"


    "I saw you were sleeping in the library," he said. "There was no one in there so I...I drew it. You looked so beautiful that I couldn''t resist!"


    There was a strange glee in his voice. He clearly had no idea of what he did and Gayoon was ufortable by his actions.


    "I don''t know what you were thinking," she said in a calm tone. "But drawing my picture without my permission was wrong. It''s even considered to be a crime. I''m letting you go this time with a warning but next time, don''t pull this sort of stunt again."


    Her voice was gentle yet behind her calm demeanor was a fierce threat. She would not let anyone vite her privacy like that. There were already millions of ghosts waiting to pounce on her and she was already sick of them. They were bad enough and now humans were also stalking her? All she wanted was a break from it all!


    Seungjo looked embarrassed and Gayoon turned around to tell Jaewan, "Let''s go from here, oppa."

 Chapter 167: Gayoons Story (3)

    Chapter 167: Gayoon''s Story (3)


    The bell for the final period rang and the students began to file out of the ss. Gayoon and Jaewan remained behind because they had detention. Once the students were gone, they picked up their bags and began to walk towards the detention room.


    "Why did you hit the teacher with the paper ball?" she asked. "Won''t you miss out on practice?"


    His behavior really puzzled her. Jaewan was not a particrly smart student but never got into trouble with the teachers either. He was mostly busy with his training schedule at his agency and always had after school practices which he attended quite regrly. So it baffled her to see him act that way.


    "I thought I could clean the speck of dust off his head if I hit him with a paper ball," Jaewan shrugged in an attempt to lie. Gayoon rolled her eyes. The guy spoke such ridiculous stuff with a serious face which made her wonder if he was right in the head.


    Once they entered the detention room, Jaewan froze.


    "What is it?" she asked.


    "This ce" he began, scrutinizing the area. It was a small room with only ten desks and a chair for the teacher in the middle. The space was cramped but that did not bother him. Instead, he ran a finger on one of the desks and frowned.


    "Dusty," hemented and immediately took out a cloth and spray from his bag.


    "You actually carry those?" Gayoon asked, resisting the urge to facepalm herself.


    "I wasn''t joking when I said I make my own cleaning form!" he imed. Gayoon gaped at him. The guy who was the worst student in chemistry was making cleaning products?


    His mind sure is far away from theprehension of humans, she sighed and sat on a chair. Jaewan was happily cleaning his desk and chair when the teacher walked in.


    "You two will have to stay here for three hours," he said. "No talking and not looking at each other. You can read or do your schoolwork during this time."


    Jaewan made a face at him. He had hoped to use this time and talk to Gayoon but the girl simply nodded and like the good nerd she was, took out her books to study. It amazed him that despite having a handsome hunk like him so close to her, she was still focused on her studies!


    .....


    "Can we skip the part where the mother of my child was spending three hours detention with a clean freak and focus on the important bit?" Minho said in an irritated tone. Even though he was listening to her story with great interest, he could not help but scowl everytime Ahn Jaewan popped up in her tale.


    "He is an important part of the story!" Gayoon frowned.


    "Yeah well, shorten his contribution!" Minho sneered.


    Gayoon shook her head. Despite narrating one of the most harrowing parts of her life, she could not help butugh at Minho''s jealousy.


    "You said you''ll do whatever I''ll tell you to," she reminded him. "So bear with me."


    Minho looked like he was fighting an internal struggle. He wanted to listen to her whole tale but the presence of Ahn Jaewan was ticking off the nerve on his forehead.


    "Fine," he gritted. "Continue."


    ....


    It was almost two hours into their detention. Gayoon was still diligently doing her schoolwork while Jaewan was reading aic. The teacher had dozed off in his chair, not bothering with the troublemakers.


    "Ugh, Maths!" Gayoon muttered as she stared at theplicated numbers in front of her. She aspired to join the police academy and seriously doubted her need to learn these things. How was it gonna help her in learning what happened to squares of x and y? It made no sense to her!


    She muttered angrily as she tried to solve the problems although she was sure that all her answers were wrong. Yet, she was so engrossed in her work, that she did not notice the temperature dropping inside the room. A slow gush of wind was blowing inside, making her shiver a little. The lights flickered above them.


    The sudden scratching sound caused Gayoon goosebumps. Finally feeling the coldness in the room, she gradually looked up. The door to the detention room was ajar but she could see a pearly glow behind the cracks.


    A long figure entered through the door, her nails scratching the walls. It was the same blind woman Gayoon had seen outside of their ssroom window. She was walking around the room, scratching the wall as she went along. Jaewan was still reading hisic while the teacher was snoozing, both of them unaware of the spirit which was walking amongst them. They could not even hear her making scratching noises.


    Only Gayoon could hear them and she wanted to shut her ears. The ghost had not sensed her yet but it was closing in on her. She passed by Jaewan, who simply shivered as the ghost walked past him. Gayoon squirmed and froze as the ghost approached her way.


    The noise was making Gayoon more scared and she held her breath, not daring to move. Trying to focus on her schoolwork, she wanted to ignore the ghost.


    It''s blind, she told herself. It can''t see you. It''s blind. So it''ll be okay.


    She tried to read the numbers in front of her but her concentration was breaking. The ghost was too near and Gayoon wanted to scream. Her body ached to run away from that thing but it betrayed her. She kept on looking at her book, hoping the ghost would go away.


    Suddenly, the noises stopped but Gayoon did not look up in fear. What if it was still around but only hiding? She kept her gaze on the book, trying not to look sideways. But it was of no use.


    The pale white hand sped her palm. Its cold hand made Gayoon shudder but she dared not to move. The ghost had found her and the fact that it could touch her, made it finally believe that there was seer amongst the students.


    As if in a slow motion, Gayoon looked to her right, her eyes directly looking into thedy''s empty sockets.


    "Found you," the ghost moaned.

 Chapter 168: Gayoons Story (4)

    Chapter 168: Gayoon''s Story (4)


    Jaewan was walking beside Gayoon, who was very quiet and visibly nervous. He was puzzled by her behavior and whenever he tried to ask her what was going on, she would simply shake her head and brush him off. They had just finished their detention and were walking towards their respective homes.


    "Where do you live?" Jaewan asked. "I can apany you till your home."


    To his mild surprise, Gayoon shook her head.


    "It''s alright!" she eximed. "I can go home on my own!"


    "But it''ste at night," he frowned. "You might be stalked by some weirdo."


    "That''s okay, " she assured him. "I can go home on my own. I have to stop by the grocery shop anyway to pick up some items for my grandma. The cafe she runs is short on supplies!"


    Before Jaewan could insist more, Gayoon ran off, leaving him in the middle of the road. He was confused by her and no matter how much he tried to get to know her, she kept on running away. Gayoon, on the other hand, was a little relieved to have gotten away from him. Even though she liked Jaewan as a friend, there were certain things she could not exin to him. Like everyone else, he,too, might end up thinking of her as a freak.


    Cursing out loud, she walked towards a secluded area where there were no people before turning around.


    The eyeless ghost had followed her all the way from school. Pale and scary, she stood behind Gayoon like a sinister shadow. She could not see Gayoon but it felt as if she was staring right at her.


    "So, what do you want me to do?" Gayoon groaned.


    "Boss, I just want you to pass on a message to the guy!" the ghost said in an unusually squeaky voice. Unlike her earlier demeanor, she was actually quite childlike and naive. She had been roaming around the school because the ce she used to haunt was torn down and new ghosts had moved in, throwing her out. The poor soul then took refuge in the school, wandering around to talk to people.


    But her attempts had failed miserably. No matter how many times she tried to make new friends with the school kids, things would end up in disaster. Just a few days ago, she had tried to tell one of the teachers at school that the students had put glue on his steering wheel but the guy could not see her. In her desperation, she pulled at the guy''s leg to stop him but he tripped and fell.


    "What''s the message?" Gayoon frowned.


    "Tell him that I didn''t steal his yboy magazine!" the ghost imed. "I swear! Some kids at my old school pulled a prank on me and put it in my bag. I was about to return it on the day I died. I was cooking dinner and the stove exploded which resulted in my death! But the guy thinks I stole his magazine but what would I do with it?"


    The ghost was pleading to her with her hands sped together. "Boss, please just tell the guy I''m innocent!" she begged. "I swear that''s all I want."


    "You''ve been haunting the school because of that?" Gayoon asked incredulously.


    "Well, I also have another aspiration but that''s a far fetched one," the ghost sighed. "I wanna be a singer!"


    Gayoon resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What am I doing? She wondered. I should be out with a boyfriend or friends! Not run errands for ghosts!


    "Boss, please just do me this favor and I''ll be indebted to you!" the ghost kept on begging.


    "Fine!" Gayoon agreed. "I''ll do it. Just stop whining! And what''s with the boss? Why am I your boss?"


    "Boss, think of me as a subordinate!" the ghost said gleefully. "All I want is for you to tell the guy that I''m not a thief and also, listen to me sing every once in a while. I''m calling you boss as a show of respect!"


    "Why me?"


    "Coz you can see me, duh! By the way, I''m Han Sooyeon."


    Gayoon sighed and was resigned to her fate. The ghost was really naive because once their names were revealed, it was easy to exorcise them. Clearly, Sooyeon had no idea about this but Gayoon chose not to tell her. Instead, she followed the ghost to her friend''s house.


    "Will you move on after this?" Gayoon asked. "To the afterlife?"


    "I''ll stick around for a while, wait for my family members to enter the afterlife before I move on," Sooyeon said.


    There was a hint of sadness in her voice. She used to visit her family at times and it saddened her to see that they missed her a lot. It had been a few years since her untimely demise and the thought of facing the afterlife all alone without her family scared her. So when she woke up as a ghost, she decided to stay until it was time for her family members to pass away and she could join them so that they could be together.


    Gayoon did not reply. She had no idea how long that would take but as far as she knew, ghosts could be malevolent any day. There were some good spirits who genuinely tried to help others but they could easily turn bitter and vengeful. They were imprints of humans and like humans, they too had the choice of being good or bad.


    Some chose to stay good but unlike humans, their feelings were unstable. If they see their loved ones beginning to forget about them or moving on, they be lonely and eventually this could lead them to harbor negative feelings. Gayoon wondered if Sooyeon would remain an innocent virgin ghost or would she also sumb to the darkness which she tread on?


    "There!" Sooyeon said, pointed at a house nearby. "That''s his house."


    Gayoon sighed and walked up to the house. She took off her name tag in an attempt to hide her identity. Sooyeon stood beside her as Gayoon rang the doorbell. After a few seconds, a boy a few years older than her, opened the door.


    "Yes?" the boy asked. "Who are you?"


    "I''m...Shin Jiho," Gayoon lied. "I have a message to give you."


    "Message?" the boy frowned.


    "You''re Kim Suho right?" she asked. "Yeah, I''m a friend of Sooyeon''s and as you know she had passed away a few years ago, right?"


    "Sooyeon...oh yeah!" Suho recalled. "The girl stole my yboy magazine!"


    "Actually, that''s the thing," Gayoon replied. "She didn''t steal your magazine. Someone put it in her bag and when she found it, she wanted to return it to you. But she died before she could. So she''s very sorry about it."


    "What?" Suho asked in confusion. "How do you know her?"


    "I...I happened toe across her diary in our school!" Gayoon lied. "And herst thoughts were written there. You see, in our English ss, we were given an assignment to read the diaries of deceased people and try to fulfill theirst wishes. Sooyeon''s diary was there and I read it. She had mentioned how she found a magazine in her bag and was about to return it. But that''s where her diary page ended since she passed away that day."


    "Nice work boss!" Sooyeon muttered but Gayoon ignored her, hoping that Suho was dumb enough to buy her excuse. Fortunately, he was.


    He nodded and said, "Oh. I guess I was mistaken about her all this time."


    Sooyeon looked very happy while Gayoon was relieved that she was not being thrown out as a lunatic. She bowed and took her leave with the ghost in tow.


    "Boss, that went well!" Sooyeon eximed. "Your lie was good!"


    "I got lucky," Gayoon said smugly. "Most of the time, they''d throw salt at me, thinking me to be a bad spirit."


    "Aish! Being a ghost seer must be hard."


    Tell me about it, Gayoon added in her thoughts as she walked towards her house.


    "I think I''ll go back to the school," Sooyeon said. "There''s this really cute spirit who haunts the bathrooms at night, holding two toilet paper rolls."


    "Toilet paper rolls?" Gayoon frowned.


    "Yeah," Sooyeon said. "He carries one red and one blue toilet paper roll. And for some reason, he always walks towards thest stall and if anyone is in it, he would ask if they wanted a red one or blue one."


    "What happens when they choose any one of them?" Gayoon asked.


    "Well, if they choose the red one then the toilet floor burst open," Sooyeon described. "And arge fire explodes through it andrge ck birds fly out of it, pecking the stall user until he falls into the pits of hell!"


    She pped her hands in an attempt to show how the birds flew, making Gayoon scowl in disgust.


    "And the blue roll?" she asked.


    "Oh it turns into a snake and strangles the user to death," Sooyeon shrugged. "He''s got evil methods but at least he''s good looking! Just like a celebrity."


    "Ugh!" Gayoon scowled. She must tell ahjusshi to exorcise that pretty boy before he killed more people. Bidding the ghost goodbye, she continued down her path towards her house. It was almost 9 PM and the night ws getting darker.


    She shivered and pulled her sweater closer. It was a chilly night and the wind was blowing softly against her skin. Winter is arriving early this year, she noted. Personally, she loathed winter because ghosts were the most powerful during these months. The darker the days were, the more powers they gained.


    Gayoon was almost at her house when she suddenly had a strange feeling that she was being followed. She nced back but saw no one.


    Is it a ghost? She wondered. Her heart beat fast as she quickly gained pace, trying not to attract attention from any other ghosts. But the feeling would not go away. No matter how many times she nced back, she saw no one. Clearly, a ghost was ying pranks on her.


    She took out a handful of salt from her bag and held on to it, ready to throw it on the ghost. She kept on walking but the ghost did note near her and once her house was in sight, she quickly ran through the gates and shut it tight.


    Heading for upstairs, she closed her bedroom door and put on a protection charm on the door. Her ahjusshi had made it in order to keep away the nightly ghosts from her. It was not always effective but gave sufficient protection. Gayoon quickly headed for the window to put the charm over it only to freeze in her steps. Peering through the ss, she noticed a figure standing on the road in front of her house. It was not a ghost.


    It was Park Seungjo.

 Chapter 169: Gayoons Story (5)

    Chapter 169: Gayoon''s Story (5)


    She was standing alone in the middle of the corridor, her heart beating fast as she looked around her. The windows were shut tight and no matter where she looked, there was no escape route. She ran towards the end of the long corridor but the door seemed so far away. The more she tried to get closer to the exit, the farther it slipped away from her.


    I must get out of here! She thought in panic but she was kept rooted to that spot. Her feet were moving but not progressing, keeping her in an endless loop.


    "Help!" Gayoon shouted. "Someone help me! Ahjusshi! Granny!"


    But there was no one there with her. They could not hear her screams and she was trapped in that limbo.


    Suddenly, she heard the noise of something crawling very fast towards her. Panicked, she turned back and screamed. Arge ck shadow like substance was quickly pacing towards her. It devoured the entire hallway, reaching for her with a possessive sinisterism. Gayoon tried to run but the mysterious corridor kept her at its ce, letting the ck moss reach her.


    "Gayoonieee"


    The whisper of a single person reached her ears, shocking her to the very core. She wanted to escape but how? How could she escape this unending nightmare?


    "Gayoonieee"


    She turned around to see the ck moss had taken a form. It was the form of a human. Someone she was very familiar with.


    "Park Seungjo," she gasped. He stood there with a strange smile etched on his face as he crept closer to her.


    "You can''t escape this ce, Gayoonie," he said, his smile toying with her. "You will live here with me. Forever."


    "NOOOO!"


    Gayoon woke up, startled by what she had seen. Her whole body was sweating and she gasped for breath as Shujin came running to her room.


    "Gayoon!" she cried out as she hugged the scared teenager. Gayoon grabbed on to her grandmother in fright, surprising thetter with her desperation. "What happened?" Shujin asked. "Why are you screaming? Is it a ghost again?"


    Shujin could no longer see the spirits anymore nor sense them so she had no idea what scared Gayoon so much. On the other hand, she was also worried about Gayoon''s abilities in particr. Unlike the rest of the family, Gayoon''s powers were much stronger and to some extent, dangerous even.


    She did not simply see spirits but attracted them like a ma. While the rest of the women in their family saw passing spirits and still managed to go on with their lives, spirits came to Gayoon from far and wide, sometimes haunting her if she refused their offer. They could sense that she was able tomunicate with them and a lot of the ghosts took advantage of her powers, scaring her until she did their bidding.


    "Did you see another ghost?" Shujin repeated. Gayoon shook her head but refused to answer. Shujin kissed her head andforted her which soothed Gayoon a little.


    "Get dressed," Shujin told her in a gentle tone. "It''s a weekend! You should go out and have fun. Not stay home and sulk!"


    "I don''t wanna go out," Gayoon murmured but her grandmother would not listen to her excuses.


    "You can''t deny, Jeon Gayoon!" she snapped. "You''re at the age where you should go out and have fun. Make a boyfriend and be one of those cringey lovey dovey kids in love! Not sulk around in the house!"


    Gayoon pouted. She did not have any friends other than Jaewan but she was not even that open with him. After all, who would be friends with her? Everyone thought she was cursed including her own father. The thought of her father made her feel sad.


    "Granny," she began. "Is my dad going toe for my eighteenth birthday?"


    Shujin''s heart broke at the grief in her granddaughter''s voice. Every year, Gayoon hoped that her father would turn up on her birthday and was disappointed all the time. The man had no shame and hebeled his own daughter as a curse, abandoning her shortly before her birth. Gayoon''s mother died shortly after giving birth to her and she was left to Shujin.


    Luckily, Gayoon''s ahjusshi was also there to take care of her and even though they were not rted by blood, he raised her like his own daughter. He had a little daughter of his own but was forced to stay far away from his family so when he first saw Gayoon at the hospital as a newborn, he felt a connection to her and was determined to raise her. Despite knowing about her abilities, he tried his best to give her a normal life, something both Gayoon and Shujin were thankful to him for.


    "Where''s ahjusshi?" she asked.


    "He''s off to find that spirit," Shujin sighed. Gayoon understood what her grandmother meant by ''that'' spirit. For years, her ahjusshi had been searching for a spirit which had destroyed his life and killed his wife. But no matter how many times he tried to find it, the spirit kept on escaping. No one knew what the spirit wanted and where it was. Ahjusshi, however, was determined to find it.


    "I hope he''ll be alright," Gayoon voiced out. "He keeps on venturing into dangerous areas in search of this thing."


    "He''ll be fine," Shujin assured her. "The man has the nerves of steel. The more the spirits beat him down, the faster he rises back. Especially on days when stores give a discount!"


    Gayoon snickered at her grandmother''s joke and sprang off the bed to freshen up.


    "I think I''ll go to the mall and check out some stuff there," Gayoon stated as she stretched her muscles. "Will take my mind off things."


    Her grandmother smiled and nodded as Gayoon went towards the bathroom.


    "I''ve cooked chicken porridge for breakfast!" Shujin eximed.


    "Alright!" Gayoon said happily from the bathroom.


    .....


    After an hour, Gayoon came out of the house. She was wearing a light pink t-shirt and jeans. Her wallet was tucked away in her pocket and she took out her bike to ride towards the mall. Humming under her breath, she was about to ride off when something caught her eye.


    Standing behind a bush, was the same person she had seen in her dreams, staring at her.


    Park Seungjo.

 Chapter 170: Gayoons Story (6)

    Chapter 170: Gayoon''s Story (6)


    Gayoon froze in her steps. Park Seungjo must have noticed that she had spotted him and he quickly stepped out of the bushes, looking ashamed. Gayoon marched up to him, her insides fuming with anger.


    "Are you stalking me?" she demanded.


    "N-n-no!" he eximed. "I''m not-"


    "I saw youst night standing outside my window!" Gayoon used. "Don''t lie Seungjo! I know you''re stalking me. Ever since I rejected that picture you drew for me, you''ve been following me everywhere!"


    Seungjo looked guilty and averted his eyes. He did some quick thinking and took out a piece of cloth from his pocket. It was Gayoon''s handkerchief.


    "Where did you get that?" she asked. "Did you steal it?"


    "What? No!" Seungjo imed. "I found it lying on the library''s floor and I saw your name on it."


    He showed her the handkerchief where her name was stitched on. Gayoon pursed her lips and snatched it from his hands.


    "You could have returned it at school," she said curtly.


    "I thought after what those bullies did to you, you''d avoid me," he said in a small tone. He looked so shy and awkward that Gayoon was feeling bad for yelling at him. But he did follow her stealthily to her house and that was not normal behavior.


    "You could have given it tome at school," she repeated. "Those bullies don''t scare me but this behavior of yours is not normal. You shouldn''t be following girls to their homes that too in the middle of the night!"


    "I''m sorry!" he apologized. "I''m sorry! I really am!"


    "It''s fine," she replied. "Don''t do it again. Now go home."


    With that, she got on her bike and rode off, leaving him behind. Seungjo watched her leave, his hands clenched into a fist as he stared at her back. She did not nce at him even once and went on her merry way while he suffered for her.


    In her anger, Gayoon failed to notice that he was wearing the same clothes fromst night. Seungjo had been standing outside her house, staring at her window all night long in the hopes that she would see him. But she did not see him while he only waited for her and her only.


    "Why won''t she look at me?" he whispered. His mind was repeating the same phrase over and over again. She refused to even nce at him and it was all Yoo''s fault. If Yoo had not interfered the other day to make fun of the picture he drew for her, Gayoon would have been impressed. She would have epted his feelings for her and they could have been in a rtionship by now.


    But Yoo and Minjung ruined his ns, making Gayoon detest him. What was so wrong in drawing a picture of hers while she slept? She was his future wife after all! What was his fault? She loved him anyway.


    "We''ll be together, Gayoon," he swore. His heart was filled with a burning obsession and his eyes fixed on his target. He would trap her in his love spell even if it was thest thing he did.


    ...


    Gayoon parked her bike in the mall''s parking lot. She hummed a song as she entered the mall to look for clothes. Passing by the expensive branded stores, she opted towards the ones having a sale.


    "What should I buy?" She wondered. "My t-shirts are fine but I guess I''ll need new pants"


    She scavenged through the pants which were on sale, looking for her favorite shade of pink. Despite the darkness in her life, she really liked the color pink and most of her stuff were of that shade. Her grandmother was driven nuts by the amount of pink clothes Gayoon owned but the girl could not help it. She just naturally gravitated towards that color.


    "Aha!" she eximed as she picked up a pair of baby pink pants. "Perfect!"


    She walked towards the counter to pay for it when a middle aged man stood in line behind her. He was well dressed and looked like awyer. The man was talking on the phone to someone.


    "Surrogate?" the guy frowned. "You''re looking for a surrogate?"


    Someone was telling him something from the other end and the man replied, "But that''s insane! Why don''t you just get married and get a child, you know, naturally?"


    The man paused as he listened to the caller and groaned.


    "You don''t wanna get married because it costs money?" he gritted. "Kid, that''s just a dumb excuse! This surrogacy will cost more money if you''re gonna pay the birth mother."


    He paused again, listening to the caller.


    "That''s your excuse?" thewyer sighed. "That you''ll be paying the birth mother just once while you''ll be paying the expenses for a wife for the rest of your life? THAT IS YOUR REASON? WHY HAVE A KID THEN?"


    Thewyer looked as if he had given up all hope in the world as he listened to his boss. Meanwhile, Gayoon was listening to the conversation and held in a giggle. It seemed that the person on the other end of the line was a miser. The conversation highly amused her and she could not control herughter anymore.


    "Damn that money lover," thewyer gritted as he hung up the phone. Noticing the teenager staring at him, he snapped at her, "What are you looking at, kid?"


    "Nothing!" Gayoon said at once, turning away to hide herughter. She pitied the poorwyer who had to deal with such a pain-in-the-butt boss. Do people like him really exist? She wondered as she paid for her pants. When she turned around, thewyer was gone but she noticed that a card had fallen out.


    She bent over to pick it up. Lawyer Lee? Gayoon frowned. Thewyer was nowhere to be found and she assumed he left so she pocketed the card. She picked up her shopping bag and wandered around the mall a while longer, looking at the products on disy.


    "So expensive," shemented as she stared at a ss vase. It was reflecting the colors of the rainbow from all angles, making her marvel at it. The ss was transparent but she was sure that whoever designed it used some sort of material to make that kind of reflection. The surface was so clear that she could see her own face in it.


    "So pretty," she murmured as she stared at her reflection on it. She leaned in closer to take a clear look at it when a shadow popped up on the ss, making her yelp in shock.


    "AH!" she screamed and fell back. The people around her were startled and turned around to see the skinny teenager t on her back. But Gayoon did not care for their stares. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the ss vase.


    Because on it, was the face of a pale man with a burnt face.

 Chapter 171: Gayoons Story (7)

    Chapter 171: Gayoon''s Story (7)


    "Are you alright?" an elderly woman asked Gayoon who looked very shocked and scared. Gayoon was visibly shaken at what she had just seen and wanted to quickly get out of that ce.


    "I''m fine!" she squeaked, getting to her feet and walking away from that ce while people stared at her. She dashed towards her bike and got on it. ncing back, she was a little relieved to find that the ghost did not follow her but as soon as she tried to back out of the parking lot, her way was blocked by arge motorbike.


    Two people took off their helmet and to her annoyance, it was Yoo and his girlfriend Minjung. They were surprised to see the freak there but soon, Yoo''s lips curved into a wicked smile.


    "Oh look it''s the freak!" he sneered. "What are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be locked up in an asylum?"


    "They don''t want her either!" Minjungughed. "Even the inmates can''t handle her nonsense. She''s cursed after all."


    Gayoon did not bother to reply and was trying to back out of the lot but Yoo pushed her from behind, causing her to tumble on the parked bikes and she fell with a loud crash.


    "UGH!" she groaned in pain. Her foot was caught in one of the bike''s wheels and her hands were scraped but she red at the two bullies who were roaring inughter.


    "I guess she needs some holy water too!" Minjung dered, taking out a water bottle and began to sprinkle Gayoon with it.


    "Stop that!" Gayoon yelled but Minjung kept on sprinkling the water while Yoo recorded it on his phone,ughing wildly.


    "Are the spirits gone, freak?" Minjung taunted as she sshed Gayoon with the water.


    "STOP IT!" Gayoon yelled. Her clothes were getting wet and she aimed a kick at Minjung who fell over.


    "AH!" she screamed as she stumbled backwards. Yoo immediately rushed to her side and held her hand.


    "Babe, are you alright?" he asked worriedly as Minjung reeled in pain.


    "The bitch pushed me!" she yelled. Yoo snarled at Gayoon who was trying to get up but he grabbed her by the hair and pulled it hard. Gayoon screamed in pain as he kept on pulling her hair.


    "You''re gonna pay for this!" he threatened her but Gayoon spat at his face, temporarily distracting him. Yoo cursed at her, wiping the saliva off his face with his free hand when Gayoon took advantage of his distraction and kicked him hard in the shins.


    Yoo screamed in agony as another punchnded on his face, knocking him backwards. Minjung yelled for him but Gayoon did not stay back to check if he was seriously injured and she ran for her life. The two bullies might be teenagers but they would not hesitate to kill anyone. She just did not want to be part of their victim list.


    Leaving her bag and bike behind, she ran with all her might, not looking back at all. It was only when she reached her house, did she finally stop to let out a sigh of relief. Panting heavily, she locked the gates behind her and dashed to her room. Her grandmother was at the cafe so she was all alone in the house.


    Gayoon checked herself in the mirror. The fall had caused her face to sustain minor scratches and her foot was beginning to hurt. Is it broken? She wondered. Limping towards the medicine cab, she began to apply a balm on her injured foot and then disinfected her cuts to put ointment on them. Her grandmother would flip if she found out about the bullying so she would have toe up with a good lie.


    She sighed and put away the medicine box when her eyes fell on the calendar. It was 16th February that day, only a month away from her eighteenth birthday. The prospect of bing eighteen was exciting for Gayoon who was surprised to be even alive all this time. But the thought of spending another birthday away from her dad also saddened her.


    Her father had abandoned her mother after finding out about her abilities to see spirits and also believed that the unborn Gayoon was a curse. He never came back for them, leaving them behind as he went on to have another family of his own. Gayoon had asked her grandmother many times about him.


    What if he had changed his mind and was regretting his decision? What if he wanted to see his daughter now? What if he was just too ashamed to return? What if? What if?


    Gayoon wanted to think positive. She wanted to believe that her father truly loved her and sincerely wanted to return to her. But no matter how many times she asked her grandmother about her father, the old woman would not tell her, believing that they were better off without that man. Gayoon did not even know his name and Shujin just would not tell her.


    She sighed and limped back to the cab, locking the medicine box in it. Her eyes briefly went to the mirror on the cab and she yelled in fright.


    The burnt ghost was standing right behind her, staring at her with a loathful re. His skin was peeling off while his lips were ckened with soot. His hair had been burnt off while one of his eyes was squashed inpletely and the other eye was looking at her directly.


    "So you can see me," the man jeered at her. The aura was growing darker around her as she backed off to a counter. The burnt man stepped towards her, a sinister smile etched on his burnt lips as he cornered the girl. The moment he saw her at the mall, he knew she could sense him and when she screamed upon seeing his appearance, his suspicions were confirmed.


    "You''re a pretty little thing, aren''t you?" he whispered. "I like pretty girls"


    He raised a pale finger, reaching out for her. Gayoon squirmed as the cold finger touched her and she winced when it was stroking her cheek. The ghost was not a friendly one and she wanted to run away from the ce.


    "I haven''t been with a pretty girl for a long time," the man went on, his voice filled with a cold fury. "Thest one I tried to assault, ended up burning me. I wonder if I still have that lust"


    Gayoon whimpered. Ghosts might be the spirits of the dead but extremely malicious ones could assault humans and some even rape them without leaving any evidence while the victim lives in trauma for the rest of their lives. This man was also one of those evil spirits and upon finding Gayoon all alone, he could not help but lust for the young girl. He wondered how delicate her skin was as he stepped closer to her.


    Suddenly, Gayoon threw a handful of white powder at him and the ghost yelled in agony, stumbling backwards as its skin burnt. She had thrown salt on him which was causing him pain. Taking her chance, she dashed for the front door.


    As soon as she opened it, she bumped into a tall figure who was startled to find her in that state.


    "Gayoon?"


    "Ahjusshi!" she eximed and hugged him tightly. Her ahjusshi was surprised to find her so scared but immediately understood what might have happened.


    "Where is it?" he asked quietly.


    "Near the medicine cab!" she replied. "It''s a dangerous one!"


    "Don''t worry," ahjusshi assured her. "Doesn''t matter how dangerous the spirit is."


    His eyes were lit with a dangerous gleam as he wore a pair of dark sses and took out the rosary beads from his pocket.


    "If any spirit tries to harm my family again, I''ll send those bastards to hell!" he dered.

 Chapter 172: Gayoons Story (8)

    Chapter 172: Gayoon''s Story (8)


    Ahjusshi entered the house wearing his sses. These were special sses which were made by a fellow parapsychologist, containing an EMF chip which measured the electromaic particles. As a spirit hunter, ahjusshi entered the house, checking for areas with high frequency. Spirits had higher frequency than humans but without an EMF reader, they were invisible to the eyes of normal people. Only when they possessed a person, were spirits easier to identify.


    He quietly put salt on the doorstep and scanned the area, pouring salt in every opening as he walked towards the cab. The temperature in that area was unusually low and the particles in front of his eyes were beginning to spiral, forming a figure in front of him.


    The ghost was looking at him warily, ready to attack. The human seemed to have spotted him and was probably somehow rted to that seer.


    "Who are you?" ahjusshi demanded. "Why are you following her?"


    "Because I wanted to!" the ghost cackled. "Such a pretty little girl. Too bad no one tainted her-"


    Suddenly, its skin began to burn as ahjusshi threw a handful of salt at him. The ghost hissed and floated in the air, its maliciousness engulfing the whole area. It wanted to kill that man who dared to throw salt on it.


    "You can''t defeat me old man!" he imed. "I, Jung Kyung, has been wandering the earth for the past decade! I''m stronger than you think-"


    "You''re the dumbest spirit I''ve ever met," ahjusshi scoffed. "You just gave away your weakness."


    Kyung red at him and scooped down to attack him but ahjusshi sprinkled holy water at him. The ghost''s skin was aze as it fell backwards and ahjusshi began to chant.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," he chanted. "Jung Kyung, the son of the world, who rejected the heaven beyond and chose to create havoc in the world of living, go home! Go away! Go to your world!"


    With every word, he threw holy water on the spirit, causing it to yell in agony. Gayoon, who was sitting on the steps outside, was too scared. The spirit''s cries echoed in her ears and she tried to shut it out. But the screaming would not stop and no matter how hard she pressed her ears, the sounds seeped through, scarring her soul.


    Tears came out of her eye and she was not able to tolerate this curse anymore. Her grandmother imed it was a gift from a shaman but for Gayoon, it was nothing but a curse. In a family of freaks, she was the freakiest one. The other women were able to hide their abilities with ease, only helping the passing spirits while their lives were mostly unaffected.


    They did not attract the ghosts the way Gayoon did. Not even her grandmother''s abilities were this powerful. Gayoon, on the other hand, kept on running into ghosts. Like her, they also sensed her and were attracted to her. Whether it was the good ones or the bad ones, they would seek her out to fulfill theirst desires.


    It sickened her to be the medium between two worlds. Her whole skin crawled whenever a creature of the dead was nearby. Sometimes the whispered things into her ears, popping in and out of her dreams to make their voices heard. They tormented her, wanting to take her away with them but she would not let them.


    She shivered violently, not out of cold but out of fear. The spirit inside was still screaming as ahjusshi tortured it. Its cries made her feel even worse and even guilty for inadvertently bringing it home.


    Finally, after a while, the screams stopped. The front food creaked open and ahjusshi came out, looking a little tired. Spirit cleansing was a difficult ritual and could sap out the energy from the person performing it. Ahjusshi had just returned from one exorcism trip and this one only exhausted him more.


    "It''s gone," he said gently, patting her head. "Don''t worry."


    To his surprise, Gayoon began to cry. Ahjusshi was at a loss as he tried to console the teenager. She felt so vulnerable at that time, her mind full of many ominous thoughts. What if ahjusshi had note? What if the ghost had assaulted her? What if she had died?


    All these things were too much for her to bear and she longed for a normal life where she would be blissfully oblivious to these things.


    "Why am I not normal?" she wailed as she cried on ahjusshi''s shoulder. "Is this why dad left me? Is this why my mom died? This ability? Why is this happening to me? Am I really cursed?"


    Ahjusshi did not say anything to her but waited until the girl cried her heart out. He did not know what to tell her. False assurances would not work because Gayoon had lost almost all hope of having a normal life. She was devastated by the effects of her hereditary ability and the burden of it was too much for a young girl like her.


    "When you were born," he began. "Your grandmother used to dread your future. Your mother had fallen sick and the doctor had said that she might not survive thebor. All of us were worried about how to prepare you for your powers. We had sensed that unlike the other women in the family, your abilities were going to be far stronger and possibly even dangerous."


    "Your dad could not stand the burden and abandoned you," he went on. "Called you a lot of names and broke off all ties. I was dealing with my own demons at that time. I had drowned myself into hunting that monster who destroyed my family."


    His tone hardened as he remembered those dark times. The months after his wife''s death were the hardest for him. He had trained himself in fighting, learning everything he could on spirits and how to get rid of them. Immersed in a deadly obsession, he did not care about Gayoon''s impending birth much but on the goal of his life to destroy that demon.


    "I was in a dark ce," he whispered. "I was putting myself in danger, traveling to the most haunted ces in search of that demon. I thought I had lost all happiness and hope once my wife was dead."


    Gayoon was a little surprised to hear all that because ahjusshi was usually a very optimistic person and while he hid his pain from her, he never came as the type who also had a darkness in him.


    "Your mother passed away shortly afterbor," he said in a heavy voice. "She was a good friend to me and myte wife. Even though I did not believe her ims about the spirit haunting my wife until it was toote, she still supported me and gave me shelter here. So when she passed away, I was too afraid of how to face you. I was barely surviving. How could I have taken care of a baby that wasn''t even mine?"


    "But then the doctor handed you to me," he mused. "I could fit you in one arm! You were so tiny! In that moment, I felt as if I was holding my own daughter when she was born. You had really chubby hands though."


    "Ahjusshi!" Gayoon eximed in annoyance causing him to chuckle.


    "But at that moment, I felt a sense of hope," he smiled, ruffling her hair. "Your father might have thrown you away by calling you a curse. But you were simply a little baby who came to this world with a lot of hope and joy. So when you looked at me with those tiny eyes, I felt the darkness in my heart slowly fading away. The pain of losing my wife will always remain, but you gave me hope that someday, I''ll reunite with my family."


    Gayoon was sobbing once again but this time, she was not scared. Her tears were for the man who had raised her despite having a family of his own. The man who had risked many things in order to give her a good life and did not treat her as a curse.


    "So don''t ever think of yourself as a curse," he stated firmly. "Not even for a moment. A person who brought hope in another person''s life can never be a curse."


    Gayoon smiled at him and gave him a tight hug. Ahjusshi smiled and hugged her back, showering his fatherly affections on her.


    "Thank you, ahjusshi," she whispered. "Thank you."

 Chapter 173: Gayoons Story (9)

    Chapter 173: Gayoon''s Story (9)


    "Your eyes look hideous," Jaewan noted. They were having lunch at the cafeteria and Gayoon looked as if she had not slept for days.Dark circles formed beneath her eyes and she looked as if she would fall asleep any moment.


    "I haven''t slept for days," she said with a yawn. "Exams are around the corner."


    And the ghost of a bloody opera singer has been singing like a banshee every night, she added in her mind. Sooyeon''s ghost had been arriving at her room every night, insisting on making Gayoon listen to her ''songs''. Turned out, she was a terrible singer and also tone deaf. Gayoon felt like ripping her ears off and throwing them at her just to make her stop.


    She slumped on the table, exhausted. Jaewan frowned at her state. He could tell that there was something more to the story but he did notment on it. Gayoon snoozed while he finished his lunch and stood up to throw his cartons away.


    "Do you want a drink?" he asked. She merely nodded, not looking up. Jaewan strode off towards the vending machine to get the drinks. After a few seconds, she heard the chair next to her slide.


    "You got the juice?" she mumbled, still not looking up. Instead, she held her hand out to take the packet. He shoved it in her outstretched hand and she quietly sipped on it before frowning.


    "This is avocado!" sheined, getting up to face Jaewan. "I like-"


    She froze mid-sentence. Sitting next to her was not Jaewan. It was Seungjo.


    He was smiling sheepishly at her from behind those dorky sses but Gayoon squirmed. Seungjo edged closer to her and said, "Avocado juice is good for your health, Gayoonie."


    Gayoonie? What the hell?


    "I don''t want it," she said firmly, grabbing her bag to get up but Seungjo followed her to the secluded corridor outside the cafeteria.


    "I just thought that you''d need something nutritious for your body!" he imed. "I know you like apple juice but this is even better!"


    Gayoon paused and turned to face him, anger visible on her face.


    "How do you know what I like?" she demanded. She was a nobody at school! People there did not care for her likes or dislikes. Even Jaewan did not know much about her but this guy...this guy was trying to get too friendly with her.


    Something about him greatly irked her and she could not help but be angry at him.


    "I see you drinking apple juice everyday," Seungjo simply said. "I watch you from afar and I know all your habits."


    Gayoon''s lips quivered as he went on. She noticed that his shyness was being reced with a strange smile as he narrated his findings about her.


    "I know you like to eat sweet stuff a lot," he stated. "You also like to listen to the new idol groups. You also prefer to have spicy ramen with beef and also you have a habit of scratching your pencil whenever you''re nervous. And-"


    "Enough!" she eximed. The more disgusted she felt. All the things he was saying about her did not make her feel jittery nor happy that someone knew so much about her. Instead, it made her feel as if her privacy was being invaded. This person had been spying on her and she remained oblivious!


    "Are you stalking me?" she asked. "This is insane!"


    "No!" Seungjo imed. "I''m not stalking you! I merely observe you!"


    "You followed me to my house!" she used. "Park Seungjo, this isn''t healthy behavior! Everything that you''re stating is known only by my close friends! This is really troubling. You are not my friend nor do I know you well-"


    "But I am your friend," he insisted. "I care so much about you! Look, I even made another picture of you."


    To her horror, he took out another handmade portrait where she was looking through the clothes at a mall. This was drawnst week when she had visited the mall to buy clothes.


    "You followed me there?" she realized. This boy is insane! She thought.


    "I apanied you there," he corrected. "That''s what friends do! They protect each other."


    His dorky eyes hid a hint of a dangerous manis which was now oozing out of him. Gayoon was scared of this boy who clearly hid behind a nerdy facade.


    "What''s going on here?"


    Jaewan''s voice startled them as he came up to Gayoon, holding two packets of apple juice in his hands. He looked from Gayoon to Seungjo who flushed at the sight of him.


    "N-n-none of your business!" Seungjo imed. "This is between me and Gayoon!"


    His hands clenched into a fist as the pretty boy frowned at him. It angered him to see Gayoon hanging out with another boy whereas he was always there for her.


    Jaewan raised an eyebrow at Seungjo''s words. "I''m her friend," he said coolly. "What happens with her does concern me."


    He turned to Gayoon who looked angry and scared. One look at her told him the whole story.


    "Is he bothering you?" he demanded. "Do you want to file aint against him to the teachers?"


    "Yes," she replied firmly. There was no way she would let a creep like him loose in the school like that. What if he stalked someone else and ended up harming them?


    Upon her words, Seungjo was visibly scared. He sped his hands together and begged her.


    "Please don''t!" he pleaded. "If my mom finds out, she''ll be devastated! I swear I''ll not do it again!"


    "No," Gayoon refused. "I won''t heed to your begging. You''ve been stalking me and that''s just in disgusting. I can''t let this go-"


    "I don''t have a dad!" Seungjo revealed. "My mom raised me with a lot of difficulty. I can''t let her down! Please, Gayoon! Please let me off the hook this time."


    Jaewn nced at Gayoon who looked a bit affected by his words. The fact that Seungjo did not have a dad either tugged at her heartstring and she was debating with her herself.


    "Fine," she conceded. "I''ll let you go this time. But I won''t be lenient if you do this again!"


    Thest part was a direct threat. She was not going to let him off the hook if he repeated this offence. Jaewan was about to open his mind to protest but she held his arm and simply said, "Let''s go from here."


    She threw a disgusted look at Seungjo before leading Jaewan away from that ce.


    Seungjo watched as she walked away from him, holding another man''s arm. His blood boiled at the sight and he wanted to smash the pretty boy''s face. Gayoon never looked his way and called his romantic gestures disgusting.


    But he was smirking in joy. His mission to her heart was halfwayplete. Very soon, she woulde to him on her own to beg for his love. The time was near.


    "You wille to me, Gayoonie," he swore.

 Chapter 174: Gayoons Story (10)

    Chapter 174: Gayoon''s Story (10)


    Gayoon tried to keep her attention on the board but her eyes were drooping. She had no idea what the teacher was talking about and as much as she tried to keep her concentration, theck of sleep was getting to her. Jaewan was sitting right behind her and he jabbed her shoulder with a pencil.


    The sharpness of the pencil temporarily caused her to jerk awake but soon, she was being engulfed by sleep again. Suddenly, someone threw a paper ball at her. She nced to her right and saw Minjung snickering at her along with her friends, making faces at Gayoon. Thetter was not amused and picked up the paper ball to throw it back when the teacher''s voice boomed behind her.


    "Looks like Ms. Jeon is enjoying her time too much," the teacher dered. "Her high grades probably made her think that she''s way above school work."


    Gayoon looked at him guiltily, fidgeting her fingers.


    "I''m sorry Mr. Shim!" she apologized. "I-"


    "I get it that you have no parents. Ms. Jeon," the teacher taunted her. Mr. Shim was their math teacher and he was a nasty piece of work. The man was notorious for his sharp tongue and had a tendency to make the students feel humiliated. He was particrly harsh on Gayoon for herckluster math skills and also because of her reputation as a ''cursed'' student.


    "But sir, I didn''t-" Gayoon tried to exin but Shim mmed his hands on the table, scaring her. Gayoon froze, looking down at her feet as Shim went on to sneer at her. Seungjo, who was also in that ss, clenched his fists. How dare the teacher talk to his Gayoonie like that?


    "Orphans like you are losing their way in the world," he continued. Some of the students were smirking at Gayoon''s misery while the rest stayed mum. Only Jaewan looked mortified at a teacher''s behavior against a student.


    No one noticed that Seungjo had snapped a pencil in two as Shim berated Gayoon.


    "Your parents aren''t around to teach you morals, so you must be thinking that you can do anything you want!" Shim yelled at her. "But this is my ssroom and-"


    Jaewan raised his hand and said loudly, "Mr. Park, the germs in this ss is bothering me. I must clean the ssroom otherwise I won''t be able to study!"


    Shim gaped at him. "What the hell are you spouting?" he spluttered.


    "Yes," Jaewan shrugged. Gayoon motioned at him to stay shut but Jaewan added, "You see, any teacher who would trash talk about his student is a dirty person. Allow me to cleanse this ss by kicking you out of this room."


    The rest of the students were visibly scared of Jaewan''s words. The teacher did not look pleased by him and his face was turning red with anger.


    "Detention for you Ahn!" the teacher threatened but Jaewan was not going to let him off the hook.


    "Go ahead," heughed. "I''ll just go and tell the headmaster that you were discriminating against a student based on her parental status. As far as I know, the school has an anti-discriminatory policy. And you know very well that my parents are close friends with the headmaster. If I make aint against you, then I wonder whom will he listen to? You or me?"


    He sat back on his fully sanitized chair, smirking in victory while Gayoon threw him a grateful look. Shim was petrified by his words, unable to retort.


    Ahn Jaewan meant his words and he would not hesitate to take action against the teacher. Gayoon was also shocked by his actions but was nheless, grateful for the help. But there was no doubt that the teacher would make her life even more miserable by lowering her already abysmal grades in maths.


    Shim was about to argue back when the bell rang.


    "We''ll discuss the rest tomorrow," he grumbled. Before leaving, he shot a dirty gaze at Jaewan who was pretending to read aic book. As soon as the teacher was gone, Gayoon turned back and hit his arm.


    "OW!" he yelled. "What was that for?"


    "Why do you keep on messing with the teachers?" she demanded. "The more you p back at them on my behalf, the more they target me!"


    "Well, they''re not doing a very good job of being teachers if they''re gonna pick on their students like this," Jaewan muttered.


    "Let them say whatever they want!" Gayoon eximed. "It''s just for a few months. After that, I''ll graduate and leave this hellhole for the police academy anyway!"


    Jaewan pretended to read theic in his hands but his heart sank at her words. It was true that Gayoon would leave for the police academy and he would go for an idol agency. Both of them were about to go their separate ways and he could not help but feel a little lonely at that thought.


    There were very few people who would ept him for his entricities and Gayoon was one of them. She was one of the few people he could call a friend and seeing her brought a little bit of joy to his otherwise mundane life.


    "Earth to Ahn Jaewan!" Gayoon called at him, snapping her fingers in front of his eyes. He was startled and his attention returned to her.


    "What are you thinking?" she asked.


    "Nothing," he lied. "I was wondering how annoying you are."


    That remark earned him more punches on the arm but he did not mind. As long as he was by her side, nothing else really mattered. All he wanted to do was to make the best of the little time they had left.


    .....


    Shim was walking up the dark road, pulling up his coat to protect himself from the cold.Winter was setting in and the days were getting shorter. It was only 8 PM in the evening but it looked as if it was midnight. The road was isted and there was not a single soul in sight as he made his way towards his tiny apartment.


    He lived three blocks from the school. Since he had to go home and check the test papers, he was using the shortcut route through the alleys. He kept on ncing back for muggers because there were not CCTV cameras in that area so he was afraid that some criminal might attack him.


    The night was setting in quickly and the air was getting colder. Shim hated winter and wished that spring woulde soon. The day long sses with bratty kids and winter winds soured his mood.


    Suddenly, he heard the shuffling of footsteps behind him and he froze in his steps. Someone was following him! Is it a mugger? He wondered in panic.


    "Um...teacher?"


    He turned around to find Park Seungjo standing there.


    "Park!" he yelled at Seungjo. "What the hell are you doing here? You almost scared me!"


    "Teacher, you forgot your sses in the ss," Seungjo said, taking out a pair of spectacles. Shim frowned.


    "I have my sses here," he replied, checking his pockets but to his surprise, his spectacles were not in his pocket. Strange, he thought. I could have sworn I put it in my pocket.


    "Alright, have them to me," he said, reaching out for them.


    Seungjo came closer to give the sses to him. Shim was about to pull them from Seungjo''s hand but thetter''s grip was tight.


    "Seungjo, let go," Shim said impatiently. "I have to go home!"


    He frowned when Seungjo smirked at him. There was a gleam in his eyes as he studied Shim.


    "I''m afraid, you won''t be able to go home, sir," Seungjo said in a cryptic way. "Not today. Not ever."


    "What do you mean-"


    But the rest of his words were shut off by a sharp pain in his abdomen. Shim looked down and to his horror, he saw crimson liquid gushing out of his stomach. A silver knife glittered amidst the blood.


    Shim looked up to face the cold eyes of Seungjo, who was smiling like a maniac.


    "No one can talk to my Gayoonie like that," Seungjo whispered, pushing the knife deeper into Shim''s stomach. Shim staggered backwards and fell on the ground, writhing in agony as he bled out. He tried to scream but Seungjo put a foot on his mouth, muffling any sounds. Seungjo pressed his foot harder on Shim''s mouth watching his teacher''s life being sucked out.


    "You''re paying for your sin," Seungjo dered. "Now no one will harm my Gayoonie."


    Shim''s eyes began to lose consciousness and soon, he stopped struggling and his hands went still. Seungjo coldly red at the corpse in front of him before turning away to leave.


    "Gayoonie will be so pleased when she finds out that her tormentor is gone," he said gleefully. "She will definitely love me back!"


    HIs heart was jovial as he pranced all the way home, thinking of his future with his lovely Gayoonie. He would be her husband and she would be his wife. She would be at home, taking care of their babies and be an obedient wife. He would keep his lovely wife away from the world, lock her up in their world. As long as he was there, she did not need to work and only concentrate on him.


    Their lives would be happy.

 Chapter 175: Gayoons Story (11)*

    Chapter 175: Gayoon''s Story (11)*


    WARNING: THIS CHAPTER DEALS WITH A SENSITIVE TOPIC LIKE SEXUAL ASSAULT. SO PLEASE READ IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE INCIDENT PORTRAYS A HEINOUS CRIME AND IN NO WAY ROMANTICIZING IT.


    .....


    "He killed a teacher?" Minho echoed. "And got away with it?"


    "There weren''t any CCTV cameras in that area," Gayoon stated. "Besides, that area was secluded. The police thought it was a mugging gone bad because money was missing from his wallet and he didn''t have any expensive valuables on him. Moreover, who would have thought that a student wouldmit a murder? Even now, police barely look into underage criminals unless there is strong evidence."


    "And what about the school? Did they probe into the matter?"


    "The headmaster wanted the case closed," Gayoon sighed. "He wrote it off as a mugging and told the students to be careful. We weren''t allowed to use that route anymore."


    Minho did some quick thinking. He had bought the school''snd around that time and the proprietors did not mention the teacher''s death. They must have hidden it deliberately to sell off thend and get the money.


    Gayoon waited for him to say something but he shrugged off his thoughts and simply motioned her to continue. Even though he was not saying out loud, he felt as if there was something about that school which was hidden in his memory but he could not recall it.


    "Anyways" Gayoon began. "The news of Mr. Shim''s death spread like wildfire the very next day."


    ...


    *shback*


    "This is so weird," Gayoon muttered, putting down the newspaper while Jaewan seemed uninterested.


    They were at the school''s balcony, reading the news. Mr. Shim''s death was the hot topic because it was the first mugging in that area. Everyone was gossiping about it relentlessly, concocting wild theories. Some people thought it was a jilted husband of some woman Shim was having an affair with while others thought it was some enemy Shim had made. He had a nasty personality so his death did not shock them.


    "You''re thinking too much into it!" he scoffed. "The guy was mugged."


    "Yeah, but it''s still weird," she frowned. "I mean, no one saw any suspicious person around. Who was this mugger? Why didn''t he leave after taking the money? Why kill him?"


    "Maybe Shim saw the mugger''s face," Jaewan shrugged, spraying his special disinfectant on the bench before sitting on it while Gayoon took the seat next to him.


    "I''m telling you, something is not right!" she insisted. But Jaewan was not listening.


    "Drop it!" he said sharply. "The man was a douchebag! Are you seriously contemting on solving his murder mystery? Let the police do their jobs!"


    Gayoon pursed her lips, not arguing any further on the topic. Jaewan was clearly not interested in it and there was no other way to find out about the topic. Gayoon had no intention of searching for Shim''s spirit although she doubted the man came back as a ghost. If he did, she would have seen him snooping around the school. Moreover, the spirit of dead people returned to the living world within 24 hours of their death. If it did not appear then the chances of the spiriting back were very less.


    "Cheating on your boyfriend, Jeon?"


    Yoo''s sneering voice came from behind them and they looked up to see his gang surrounding them. Gayoon rolled her eyes while Jaewan shook his head. They looked angry because the memory of Gayoon hitting Yoo was still fresh in thetter''s mind.


    "You''re gonna break our Seungjo''s heart," Yoo snickered, putting one foot on the bench, leaning in closer to her.


    "Come any closer and I''ll hit you in the crotch again," she threatened. Minjung, who was standing behind Yoo, attempted to hit her but Jaewas stood up, holding his special spray.


    "Girl, you dare toe close to Gayoon, I''ll spray this on your pretty hair," he warned. "This time, I added some acidic substance. Good for the skin but terrible stuff for hair."


    "You-" Minjung wanted to curse at him but the sight of the bottle intimidated her and she was afraid of what the strange chemical would do to her hair. She consciously backed away.


    "You two think you''re so high and mighty," Yoo said. "But how long will you be able to protect her?"


    He motioned at Gayoon, who snorted. After handling so many ghosts, these humans thought her to be weak?


    Technically, you are weak, a nagging voice in her head pointed out to her. It was true. Gayoon had aspirations to enter the police academy specifically to train herself inbat. She knew some basic self defense against humans and it was easy for her to knock them out with a punch. But her skills were useless against ghosts since they did not get hurt and could bounce back repeatedly without bing exhausted.


    "We''ll get you for this," Yoo said menacingly. "I''m not gonna forget the humiliation from the mall!"


    "If you forget," Gayoon said. "Come backter and I''ll remind you again."


    She deliberately flexed her fist in front of him, making him gulp in fear. One person she could handle but it would be a problem if they came in a group. That would be a challenge and she doubted that Yoo had the guts to tackle her on his own.


    He threw a dirty re at her before storming off with his pets while Gayoon and Jaewan stared at them.


    "If you can really curse people, then howe he''s still walking around with his head intact?" Jaewan wondered.


    "Let''s just say even ghosts wouldn''t want to dirty their hands by hurting him," she sighed. "Let''s go to ss."


    Jaewan nodded and they headed off towards their next ss.


    Unbeknownst to them, Seungjo was sitting a few meters away, hidden by a bush. He had witnessed the whole scene and the appearance of the bullies angered him. They dared to hurt his Gayoon!


    But what pained him the most is seeing his beloved walking away with Ahn Jaewan. What did Gayoon even see in him? The guy was nothing more than a pretty face! Clearly, Seungjo was better and smarter.


    And yet...yet she would not look at him. She squirmed at his touch and always ran away. Why? What did he do?


    "I love her so much" he whispered. He was holding a sketch book and in it were portraits of Gayoon, drawn from different angles. He always watched her and drew these pictures so that one day he could give them to her as a token of his love.


    But Yoo and his friends ruined everything by making fun of his feelings, causing Gayoon to hate him.


    "They will pay," he dered. "I will exact my revenge."


    .....


    Minjung was at the cheerleading practice, overseeing the newbies who came to audition for the vacant spots.Since she was already 18 years old, it was herst season as the cheerleading captain and she wanted her tenure to be a memorable one so she chose only the best dancers.


    The first batch of newbies had already finished their auditions and she was going through the assessment papers which she had marked the shortlisted candidates.


    "Alright girls!" she eximed. "We''ll wrap it up for today! Tomorrow, we''ll let you know the results!"


    The girls murmured and one by one, began to exit the auditorium. Minjung was still scavenging through the papers when someone approached her. She looked up and groaned.


    "You," she said to Seungjo. "What do you want?"


    He held out a bottle of juice. "Y-Yoo told me to give this to you!" he squeaked.


    Minjung smirked at her boyfriend''s thoughtfulness. He used his cronies to send her gifts and food so it was not unusual for him to coerce Seungjo into sending her a drink.


    "Well, I guess if Yoo sent it then I''ll have to ept it!" she said gleefully. "Even if it was touched by the likes of you."


    She added thest sentence in a condescending tone and snatched the bottle from his hand. In her arrogance, she failed to notice the dark gleam in his eyes as he watched her drink the whole thing.


    "Now go away!" she told him. "The sight of you makes me want to puke."


    But Seungjo did not move. Instead, he stood there, ring at her.


    "Why are you standing here?" she snapped. "Go-"


    Suddenly, her head felt dizzy. Her muscles were contracting and bing rigid while darkness was clouding her eyes. She felt lightheaded and attempted to stand up but lost her bnce. Her body felt hot and feverish, confusing her as to what was happening to her.


    Seungjo grabbed her and looked around. The auditorium was empty so he took her to the nearby broom closet. Locking the door behind him, hey her on the ground. Minjung was in a daze, her mind hazy as she faintly saw him take out a camera from his bag and cing it on a shelf, facing her way. He shed a torch at her while the camera recorded her face.


    "You''ve hurt her," he said in a low tone. His hands were on her skirt, pulling them down to reveal her panties. Minjung wanted to fight him off but her body was too weak. Taking the opportunity, he took off her panties, leaving her bare. His hands then moved to take off her shirt followed by her bra and she was left naked. Her mind screamed no but she could not move an inch.


    "Wh..at" she tried to beg but in her hazy mind, she thought she heard the unbuckling of pants. Seungjo stood over her, ring at her with his hateful eyes. This woman was proud of her pure beauty and pretended to be innocent. Now he was going to take it away from her.


    "Now you''ll know what real pain is," he whispered before leaning over her, parting her limp legs. Within moments, the sharp pain ran through Minjung''s body and she fell unconscious, while the monster engulfed her.

 Chapter 176: Gayoons Story (12)

    Chapter 176: Gayoon''s Story (12)


    "H-town?" Gayoon asked. She was in the kitchen, preparing egg rolls for dinner while her grandmother was sitting at the table, cleansing the rice.


    "Yeah," Shujin sighed. "Your ahjusshi has gone to H-town to perform an exorcism."


    "On whom?" Gayoon frowned.


    "This kid who seemed to havee into the possession of an ouija board," Shujin replied. "Some rtive gave it to him as a joke and he naively used it without following the instructions. He ended up summoning the ghost of some colonel who died in a war many years ago and is refusing to leave his body."


    "I thought ahjusshi only focuses on finding the ghost which killed his wife," Gayoon said, putting the egg rolls on a te and cing another pot on the stove to cook the rice.


    "Yeah, but these side exorcisms brought him a lot of money," Shujin stated. "Even in this state, the guy is really hell bent on making money!"


    "Well he''s got to live somehow," Gayoon pointed out. "His kids aren''t gonna help him since he''s living far away from them. This is his only hope. Besides, traveling to other ces and searching for vengeful spirits do cost money."


    It was true. Her ahjusshi was fixated on finding his wife''s killer but going to those ces cost a lot of money. Since he no longer had ess to any of his ounts, he resorted to perform exorcisms and was surprisingly good at it. He was a quick learner and using the tech Shinjin made for him, he couldmunicate with spirits like a medium. So far, he had not failed a single exorcism and yet, was unable to find his wife''s killer.


    "How are the preparations for the spring festival going?" Shujin asked.


    "Not good!" Gayoon eximed. "Our ss is supposed to do a bakery but Minjung is in charge. At first everything was going smoothly until Minjung stoppeding to school."


    "Minjung" Shujin tried to recall the name. "Isn''t she the same girl who keeps on tormenting you at school?"


    Gayoon set the tes on the dinner table as she replied, "She tries. Too bad she''s too dumb. She can''t even faze me."


    "Why did she stoping to school?"


    "I don''t know," Gayoon shrugged. "In fact, she disappeared after the cheerleading auditionsst week and the very next day, she was absent from school. Her parents told the school that she came down with chicken pox."


    Shujin frowned but did not think too much into it. Gayoon sat down next to her grandmother and both of them said a quick prayer before digging into the food. Gayoon was about to put in more egg rolls in her mouth when thendline phone rang up.


    "I''ll get it!" Gayoon said and jumped off her seat to dash towards the phone.


    "Hello," she greeted. There was a faint sound of breathing from the other end but the caller did not reply.


    "Hello? Who is this?" she asked but the caller was still silent. She frowned and checked the caller ID. To her surprise, the ID was hidden. Was it a private number? Why would someone hide their number like this?


    "Who is this?" she asked loudly.


    "What happened, Gayoon?" Shujin asked.


    "I don''t know," Gayoon replied. "Some idiot is on the other line but isn''t talking."


    "Just hang up the phone!" Shujin said in annoyance. Gayoon obeyed her advice and hung up the phone. She was heading for the dining table again when suddenly, there was a noise of something crashing upstairs.


    "What the hell?" Shujin yelled. Gayoon stood up in shock and dashed towards her room from where the noise originated from. Shujin followed her granddaughter to her bedroom and they entered it to see a strange sight.


    Gayoon''s window pane was shattered by arge stone. Shards of ss were scattered throughout the floor and to her horror, some of her clothes were also strewn across the floor.


    "What the hell happened here?" Shujin gasped. She picked up the rock which was probably from their garden downstairs. Gayoon rushed to the window, checking if there was anyone on the road but the street was empty.


    "Why would someone do this?" she whispered. Shujin was checking her closet to see if anything was missing. Gayoon''s money bank and all other valuables were untouched. The only thing that was messed around with, was the lingerie drawer.


    "Gayoon," she began. "Someone looked through your...private stuff."


    Gayoon moved towards the closet and to her disgust, someone did touch her lingerie. The very thought of some pervert rummaging through her belongings mortified her and she noticed that one pair of her panties were missing.


    Shujin watched her granddaughter in rm as thetter''s face was turning green. Gayoon looked sickened by the act and rushed to the bathroom to throw up in the toilet. Scary ghosts did not bother her but perverts made her feel dirty and sick. The very thought of some creep possessing her panties was making her blood boil.


    Finally, after a while, she emerged from the bathroom. Shujin was worried for Gayoon.


    "Could it be a spirit?" Shujin asked.


    "I don''t know," Gayoon replied. "But we should inform the cops! Someone broke into our house and stole my"


    She could not bring herself to say it out loud. "Moreover, he even broke my window!" she added. "We need to call the cops right now!"


    "I''ll call them," Shujin said. "You should go downstairs and wait there. I don''t want to leave you alone even for a minute tonight. What if the creepes back?"


    Gayoon nodded and followed her grandmother''s orders. Shujin dialed the police emergency number and narrated the whole story to the telephone operator. They assured her that a patrol car was on its way to their home.


    Half an hourter, the doorbell rang. Shujin opened the front door to find two policemen.


    "We received a call from this house that it had been broken into," one of them said. He was a middle aged policeman, probably in histe forties or early fifties. The other one was a little younger, in his thirties.


    "I''m Detective Junwan and this is Officer Lee, my partner," Junwan stated. "We were in the neighborhood when the operators informed us about the break in."


    "Yes!" Shujin replied. "Someone broke into my granddaughter''s room."


    "Can wee in and investigate?" Lee asked. Shujin nodded and stepped aside to let them in. Gayoon stood up and bowed at the men. Lee went upstairs to investigate while Junwan motioned Gayoon to sit down on the couch.


    "What happened, dear? Junwan asked in a gentle tone. The girl was not scared like most victims but was determined. Most of the time, many women were too afraid to speak out against these sorts of incidents. It was either because they were worried about societal prejudice or fear that their stalkers would retaliate and make their lives even more miserable.


    Sadly, thetter was true for almost all the assault cases they had investigated. Gayoon, on the other hand, looked a little sickly but confident.


    "We were having dinner," she began to narrate. "When I received a call on thendline phone. The caller was silent and did not say anything. The number was hidden so it might have been a private number. I hung up the phone when suddenly, there was a loud shattering noise which came from my room. We went there and saw that the window was broken and my clothes were thrown all over the floor. And"


    She took a deep breath before saying, "A pair of pink panties are missing from my closet."


    Junwa wrote her testimony down while Shujin stood nearby, listening to Gayoon''s statement. Lee came downstairs after taking photographs of the scene.


    "Someone did break in," he dered. "I found footsteps on the window sill."


    Junwan turned to Shujin. "I would advise you two toe to the police station with us to file the FIR," he suggested. "The sooner you do, the quicker we can take action."


    Shujin bit her lip, looking worried. Junwan knew that most civilians were too afraid to go to the police station to file theints but there were some procedures they must follow. To his surprise, it was Gayoon who spoke up.


    "We''ll go," she said. "We''ll file theint."


    "Gayoon, it might be a very tiring process," Shujin pointed out but Gayoon shook her head.


    "I''m going to join the police someday," she stated. "If I don''t start fulfilling my duties now, then I''ll never be a good cop!"


    Junwan was very much impressed by the girl''s spirit. She was preparing herself to face the challenges ahead and this was a small but very crucial step. This girl would make a great detective someday, he thought.


    Shujin conceded and the two policemen waited for the women to grab their coats before meeting them outside.


    "Let''s go," Gayoon said.They got into the police car and Junwan drove off towards the station. After a while, he pulled up in front of the station and unlocked the car doors for the women who were sitting in the back.


    As Gayoon got out of the car, she noticed a familiar figure, standing behind one of therge patrol cars. The figure looked at the station, pacing to and fro as if debating with herself whether to go in or not. She looked terrified and even though her hoodie was pulled up, Gayoon could tell that the girl waspletely distraught.


    "Minjung?" she frowned. But before she could call Minjung, thetter had spotted her. Mortified by Gayoon''s sudden appearance, Minjungturned around and ran off, disappearing into the darkness.


    "Let''s go," Junwan offered. Gayoon nodded and followed him but kept on ncing backwards.


    Why was she here? Gayoon wondered as she entered the station.

 Chapter 177: Gayoons Story (13)

    Chapter 177: Gayoon''s Story (13)


    Junwan wrote down the FIR and handed the records to Gayoon. She nced through it and her grandmother signed it on her behalf since she was still a minor.


    "We''ll investigate the area and see if we can find the CCTV footage," Junwan said. "Even though the camera in your neighborhood does not cover your house, maybe we can get a shot of the assant from another camera. Perhaps the shops nearby have some cameras installed. It''s going to take a while though."


    "What if he attacks again?" Shujin demanded.


    "I''ll tell a patrol car to pass by your house every hour," Junwan assured her. "And I''ll advise you to put a grill on the window to stop anyone from breaking in."


    Shujin was not fully convinced by the policeman''s assurances but there was nothing they could do. Gayoon touched her arm in assurance.


    "I''ll be fine," she told her grandmother. "Let''s go from here."


    Turning to Junwan she bowed and added, "Thank you for your help, sir."


    Junwan watched the two of them leave. He debated with himself before getting up to follow them.


    "Ms. Jeon!"


    Gayoon and Shujin were almost at the exit when they turned around to see Junwan running after them.


    "You go ahead, grandma," she told Shujin.


    "Are you sure?" Shujin asked, feeling worried for her granddaughter. "I can wait."


    "I''ll be fine," Gayoon assured her. "Wait for me at the gates. I''ll just hear what the officer has to say and I''ll join you."


    Shujin nodded and went ahead towards the gates, leaving Gayoon with Junwan.


    He took out his card and handed it to Gayoon, who quizzically stared at it.


    "You want to be a police officer, right?" he asked. "This is my contact details. All me after you graduate and I''ll be happy to refer you to my department. I usually look after the homicide cases but I took up a patrol duty tonight as a favor for another fellow officer. Who knew, I''d run into a promising police candidate!"


    "H-h-homicide?" Gayoon echoed. Truthfully, she had not thought much about which department to choose after bing a police officer but if it was homicide then she would no doubt run into more ghosts. Junwan noted that the girl looked nervous and assumed that she was just scared of the amount of death she would have to deal with in that department.


    "I know it sounds like a dangerous department," he stated. "And if I''m being honest with you, it is a very dangerous task. We have to deal with dead people almost everyday and the workload is insane. But seeing how you are so determined to catch the criminal who wronged you, I believe that your passion to punish the culprits is exactly what our department needs."


    "I...I''ll think about it," Gayoon said. She was not sure if she would ever follow his advice but she did not want to offend the officer either. After all, he was going out of his way to help her and she could at least acknowledge his support. She bowed and left to find her grandma.


    Shujin was standing at the gate, waiting for her granddaughter.


    "What did he say?" she asked once Gayoon came up to her.


    "He gave me his contact number in case I need help," she shrugged. She did not want to worry her grandmother by revealing that the officer wanted her to join the homicide department once she graduated from the academy.


    "I really don''t like this," Shujin admitted. "Why do you have to be a police officer? Why can''t you join a corporate office or some other job? Why a police officer?"


    "Well"


    Gayoon was not sure how to exin her thoughts. She was not chivalrous enough to im that she wanted to punish the culprits or give justice to the ordinary citizens who were victims of a crime. Her reasoning was simple: to clear ahjusshi of all charges. Once she became an officer, she could use thew to prove that he was not guilty of those crimes and possibly one day, reunite him with his family. It was the least she could do for the man who raised her.


    "I just want to," she lied. Shujin waited for her to borate but Gayoon did not say anything further on the topic. They took a cab to their home when Gayoon remembered something.


    "I think I''ll stop by the department store to buy a baseball bat," Gayoon stated. "For our protection. You should go home."


    "But-" Shujin began to argue but Gayoon shot her down.


    "I''ll be fine!" she assured the old woman. "I''m buying a baseball bat for our protection. Besides, you need to go to bed early. You have to cater to a wedding banquet! You need a good night''s sleep. I''ll be home within ten minutes."


    "No," Shujin said firmly. "I''ll wait in the car for you. If you don''te out within ten minutes, I''ll call the cops again and when they find you, I''ll beat you with my slipper for scaring me like that!"


    Gayoon sighed. There was no point in convincing her grandmother. The woman was as ferocious as a bull and a very feisty woman for her age. She had a feeling if Kwak Shujin got her hands on the intruder, she would beat the crap out of him with her handy dandy sandals.


    "Fine," Gayoon conceded. "Ten minutes."


    She got off the cab and headed into the department store. Walking towards the sports section, she picked up the strongest baseball bat she could find.


    "This should do it," she muttered. "I think I should get another one. Just in case."


    She took another bat and was walking towards the counter when something caught her eye. It was Minjung.


    Gayoon hid behind one of the shelves and watched her from afar. There was something wrong with that girl. She was staring at a range of cutlery items and her eyes fell on arge butcher''s knife.


    Minjung took it in her hands, examining the de. She seemed to be debating with herself and to Gayoon surprise, tears were falling from her eyes. Minjung was shaking uncontrobly and put the knife back. She looked like she was fighting with herself, torn between choices she was finding too difficult to make. Her eyes were bloodshot while her fair skin was unusually pale and chalky. It seemed as if she had not eaten nor rested properly for days.


    Putting the knife back, Minjung put on her hoodie and left the store. Gayoon stared after her. For the second time that night, Minjung was acting weird and even though she was a bully, Gayoon could not help but pity the girl. Something was clearly bothering her, eating her from within. But what could it be?

 Chapter 178: Gayoons Story (14)

    Chapter 178: Gayoon''s Story (14)


    Two weeks passed by without any other incident. Junwan said that they had checked the CCTV cameras at the shops and found nothing suspicious but still assured them that the case was being investigated. But Gayoon knew very well that the police was losing interest in it and the case would be closed off soon due tock of evidence.


    Spring festival was nearly upon them and the school was busy preparing for it. Minjung was still absent from school and even though Gayoon sometimes wondered what was going on with her, her mind became preupied with other stuff. Her ss was doing a bakery for the festival and she was put in charge of preparing the cakes'' base for the event. It was a difficult job but since her grandmother ran a cafe and she had helped her in the past, the teachers assigned her with the job.


    "I can''t take it anymore!" sheined as she heaved what seemed like the hundredth bag of flour on the floor. Jaewan was the only one who was helping her carry the flour bags from the ssroom to the storage situated on the same floor.


    "The other kids won''t even help us with this!" she said, feeling annoyed.


    "Well, they dumped it all on us," Jaewan sighed. He took off the gloves he was wearing and put on a fresh pair.


    "It''s such a pain!"


    She was irritated at her fellow ssmates. They were not serious about the event at all, focusing only on their own enjoyment instead of the grades. The best ss disy at the festival was going to get an A for the project and for Gayoon, that grade meant a lot. She wanted to sit for the National Police exam and if she got consistently good grades, she could enter the force directly as a detective. She gave up on Maths entirely so her other subjects were her only hope. She could not afford to miss out on the grade!


    "Stop fretting!" Jaewan said sharply. "Both of us know that our ss is gonna win. The other kids dumped it all on us but we can pull it off."


    "If only Minjung was here!" Gayoon said out loud. She hated to admit it but Minjung was good at making the kids at their ss work. The girl was popr so the other kids would listen to her. Up until her strange absences, Minjung was carrying out all the tasks smoothly but now, Gayoon could see the A slipping away from her.


    She still wondered what happened to the girl and why she was acting so strange at the police station.


    Gayoon checked her watch and gasped.


    "Oh damn!" she cursed. "I was supposed to print out some papers for Mr. Kang!"


    Mr. Kang, their history teacher, had assigned Gayoon to print out some research papers for him. He was one of the few teachers who treated her well and even agreed to give her a good rmendation for the police academy. She helped him out with his own research work after school and he had requested her to print out a file for him from the school''sputerb.


    "Yeah, I think we can stack the rest of the bag tomorrow," Jaewan said, yawning loudly. He was very sleepy due to the vigorous after school practice sessions at his agency. They were preparing him for a solo debut and he had to work extra hard in order to keep up with the dance routines. And even though it was a rare day off for him, he still chose to stay back and help Gayoon with the flour bags.


    "Yeah, you should go home and rest," she suggested. "I can print out the research papers myself. See yater!"


    She waved him goodbye and headed the opposite direction towards theputerb on the fourth floor. Running through the halls, she was in a hurry because she must submit the papers to Mr. Kang within fifteen minutes.


    "Shit!" she cursed, checking her watch and ran towards theb when someone appeared in front of her out of nowhere. Gayoon tried to stop herself but she crashed into Seungjo, who was startled by the sudden collision.


    "Ouch!" both of them yelled. The camera he was holding fell on the ground while Gayoon''s bag also dropped on the floor, scattering the contents.


    "I am so sorry!" Gayoon apologized. Thankfully, she did not bump too hard into him but he fell over on his back while she managed to steady herself on time.


    "Are you alright?" she asked as Seungjo groaned.


    "Y-y-yeah," he stammered. For some reason, he was looking very nervous and looked around wildly to find his camera before locating it a few feet away. Gayoon was about to bend down and pick it up for him but he snatched it away from her reach and scrambled to get up.


    Seungjo was in such a hurry that he would not even look at his beloved Gayoon and ran off. Gayoon was confused by his odd behavior but Park Seungjo was always a strange guy.


    At least he''s not stalking me anymore, she thought in relief. The boy''s creepy antics initially made her suspect him of the break-in at her home but without evidence, it was hard to pinpoint the me on him.


    She shrugged and picked up the contents of her bag which included a memory chip which belonged to Mr. Kang. Putting all her things back inside, she heaved her bag on her shoulder and continued towards theb.


    Theb was empty at that time because the students were busy preparing for the festival downstairs. The teachers were also aiding them so Gayoon found herself a secluded PC.


    Keeping the bag aside, she took out the memory chip and turned on theputer. The screen shed brightly and she inserted the chip into the drive. Instantly, the folder opened to reveal the files.


    "These look like video files," Gayoon frowned. "Am I supposed to print out images from them?"


    There were only two videos in them. She clicked on the first one to check the contents.


    The screen turned ck for a moment before the screen showed the inside of a broom cab. Gayoon frowned as she noticed two figures on the screen. One was of a girl who was unconscious while the boy shed a torch on her face. To Gayoon''s horror, she recognized the girl.


    "Minjung?" she gasped. The broom cab was dark so the camera did not reveal the boy''s face but when he stooped down to strip the unconscious Minjung, Gayoon immediately realized what he was about to do.


    "Now you''ll know what real pain is"


    That voice! I know that voice! Gayoon realized and to her horror, the boy bend over, parting Minjung''s legs only to-


    She instantly disconnected the chip from the drive and turned off the PC. Her heart was racing fast and the sight of what she had witnessed was carved into her head. No wonder Minjung was absent from school and it also exined her strange behavior.


    Minjung was not bunking school on purpose. She was traumatized.


    "I have to talk to her," Gayoon decided. Picking up her bag, she put the chip in it and dashed off, determined to find out the truth.

 Chapter 179: Gayoons Story (15)

    Chapter 179: Gayoon''s Story (15)


    Gayoon stood in front of Minjung''s house, feeling very nervous. They were not close and did not even like each other and she wondered what would be Minjung''s reaction upon seeing her. She clutched the straps of her backpack and took a deep breath.


    "Just stay calm," she told herself. She walked up to the door and rang the bell. No one answered. She rang the bell again but still, no one answered.


    "Maybe they''re not home," she muttered. She peered around a little and realized the lights inside were turned off.


    "I''lle back tomorrow," she decided. She was about to leave when she noticed something. The lights were on in one of the rooms upstairs and even though the window was blinded by the curtains, she could make out a slim figure standing inside that room. To her horror, there was also the silhouette of what looked like the loop of a rope, hanging from the ceiling in front of the shadow in the window.


    "Shit!" she cursed loudly and looked around. There was a pipe which snaked its way towards the ceiling, passing by that window. She climbed the pipe, ignoring the fear in her heart. Putting her foot forward to scale the house. It was difficult to ascend the narrow pipe and she nearly lost her bnce many times but Gayoon was determined to stop Minjung.


    She managed to reach Minjung''s bedroom window and to her relief, the window was open. Pulling the curtain apart, she stumbled upon the sight of Minjung about to put the rope around her neck.


    "Minjung no!" Gayoon yelled and barged inside the room. Minjung was taken by surprise at the intrusion and taking the chance of her temporary distraction, Gayoon lunged at her. Both of them crashed on Minjung''s bed.


    "Get off me!" Minjung screamed at her, pushing Gayoon off her.


    "What the hell were you about to do?" Gayoon yelled back.


    "None of your business! What are you doing here anyway? How dare you break into my house?"


    Minjung looked shocked and angry at Gayoon''s intrusion. Thetter looked down at her feet, feeling awkward. How was she going to say that she knew the truth?


    "I...I wanted to check up on you," she admitted. But Minjung was not in the mood to hear anything.


    "My life is already cursed enough!" she retorted. "I don''t need another one from you! Just leave me alone!"


    She pushed Gayoon away but thetter had very thick skin. Gayoon was undeterred by her words.


    "Oh and that''s why you were about to kill yourself?" she demanded. "With this rope?"


    "None of your business!" Minjung snapped. "Why do you care anyway? You should be happy if I''m dead!"


    And see another ghost? Gayoon added in her thoughts. Aloud she said, "If you wanna die then go ahead. But have you thought of your loved ones? What''s gonna happen to them if you kill yourself? Your mom and dad, are they gonna be able to survive if their only daughter is dead?"


    Minjung was in no mood to hear Gayoons words. The pain she had been living with was bing too unbearable and no one knew what she was going through. That day kept on reying in her head, the scars of the assault still fresh on her body.


    "You don''t know what I''m going through," she whispered. Suddenly, she slumped against the wall andpletely broke down. Her eyes were red as if she had been crying for days and she clutched her hair, messing it up as she cried more. The sleeves of her sweater came down a little and to Gayoon''s shock, there were cut marks on her wrists.


    She grabbed one of Minjung''s arms and pulled the sweater back.


    "You...you did all this?" she gasped. Minjung''s arm was full of cut marks, some looking fresh while others were days old. Minjung''s face went pale and she quickly hid them. The girl was traumatized to the point that she was willing to kill herself. Gayoon sat down beside her.


    "Do you want to cry?" she asked. "You can cry on my shoulder."


    It was a strange offer but Gayoon knew the importance of holding on to a well wisher when things looked bleak. Inwardly, she did not understand Minjung''s pain and a selfish part of her hoped that she would never have to but what that girl went through was worse than hell.


    Minjung did not know what to feel from that small gesture but without a word, she fell on Gayoon''s shoulder, crying uncontrobly. Gayoon patted her head, not saying anything but let her cry her heart out. They sat like that for several minutes, waiting for Minjung to clear her head.


    Finally, thetter hupped and sat up.


    "Thanks," she mumbled. She wiped her tears and sniffed. "Why are you here?" she asked.


    Gayoon debated with herself for a moment before taking her backpack off her shoulder. Taking out the memory chip, she showed it to Minjung.


    "I bumped into Park Seungjo at theb today," she revealed. "And this chip ended up in my bag identally."


    The remaining colors was sapped off of Minjung''s face. "P-Park Seungjo?" she stammered.


    She looked terrified and distraught. Her hands were shaking in fear and she clutched her knees closer, rocking back and forth like a possessed person.


    "I...I saw part of the video," Gayoon confessed. Minjung whimpered and shut her ears, unable to hear any more of it. She was too terrified to speak and her heart was beating too fast as the memories of that traumatic day came rushing into her head.


    "Don''t" she begged. "Don''t...please"


    "Did he do this to you?" Gayoon asked in a gentle tone. "Minjung, don''t be scared! I''ll help you in whatever way I can. Just tell me everything."


    Minjung shook her head, refusing to speak. As much as she tried, the horrible images just would not leave her head. She wanted it all to end but there was no end.


    "What if he hurts someone else?" Gayoon pointed out. "If you''re silent today, he''ll harm some other girl tomorrow! Do you want that?"


    "I don''t care!" Minjung yelled. "I just want my nightmare to end! BUT IT''S NOT ENDING!"


    She sprang up and ran towards her bed to hide under the covers as if that would protect her from her nightmares. Gayoon sighed but did not force her any further. Instead, she left the memory chip on Minjung''s bedside table.


    "That monster is going to hurt someone else," Gayoon stated. "If you want to see him getting his due punishment, then all you have to do is call me and I''ll be there."


    She was about to leave when Minjung grabbed her hand.


    "Don''t tell this to anyone," she begged. "My parents...they won''t be able to bear the taunts from everyone else. I didn''t even tell my parents about this."


    Her eyes were full of pleas. Gayoon was in a dilemma. On one hand, she wanted to give Seungjo his due punishment but on the other hand, if everyone else found out about the incident, it would deteriorate Minjung''s mental health even more.


    "Fine," she caved in. "I won''t tell anyone until you''re ready to do it yourself. But you also have to promise me that you won''t hurt yourself. No matter what happens, you won''t try to kill yourself at all."


    Minjung nodded. "Can you stay with me here for a while?" she requested. "I don''t want to be alone right now."


    Gayoon nodded and sat next her on her bed while she drifted off to an uneasy sleep. The girl must not have slept a wink since that day and exhaustion was engulfing her. Soon, Minjung fell into a deep sleep while Gayoon sat there, wondering what was about to happen next.

 Chapter 180: Cashless, Kissless Date (1)

    Chapter 180: Cashless, Kissless Date (1)


    Minho was rmed at Gayoon''s reaction. While narrating the story, he noticed how mmy her palms were bing and even though she did not realize it, her body was shivering. The shivering was bing more evident with every word and whatever happened next was definitely something she did not want to recall.


    Gayoon paused, unsure of how to go on. All those memories from nine years ago were haunting her again, but she owed Minho the truth.


    "After that night I-" she went on but to her surprise, Minho put his palm on her lips. He stood too close to her and whilst she was scared, she was also grateful for the warmth emitting from him. She did not realize how fast her heart was beating while she narrated her tale but seeing him up close, she felt...safe.


    "That''s enough for today," he whispered.


    "But you need to know the truth," she mumbled from behind his palm, causing him to sigh.


    "Not when you''re clearly bing traumatized," he told her. "I''ll listen to the rest when you''re ready to tell me."


    Gayoon blinked at him with herrge round eyes. A blush crept up in her cheeks as he removed his palm from her lips. She averted her eyes and nstead focused on Mimi who was still catatonic.


    "She still couldn''t fight off her demons," she said softly. Seeing Mimi in such a state saddened her and she wished that she could do something for her.


    Mimi''s mouth was drooling and saliva was flowing out of it. She made some grunting noise. Minho was about to step in to help her but Gayoon beat him to it. She picked up a cloth and gently wiped the drool off her face. Mimi''s mouth moved a little before she turned the other way.


    "Is there any way to heal her?" Gayoon asked. "Any treatment? Medicine? Anything?"


    "No," Minho sighed. "There isn''t any way to cure her. The doctors have tried everything but she''s not responding to any treatment."


    It was the only failure in his life. He could not help the woman who had saved them. The pain inflicted by CCK was so great that no matter how much she tried, she simply could not fight it off. Not many people had the guts to face their fears like Mimi did.


    He nced at Gayoon and could not help but marvel at her quiet strength. In his anger, he did not realize that she had passed not one but several hurdles, each worse the one before. She managed to survive CCK''s torture, something which even he could not tolerate. If it was not for her, he would have caved in to CCK''s ploy to shoot Dohyun and be a murderer.


    "Let''s go," he suggested. "She needs to rest."


    Gayoon nodded and they slowly walked out of the room. She nced onest time at Mimi who was still lying on the bed, unable to fathom anything around her. The woman who was the first survivor of CCK, could not survive her demons. Seeing her only strengthened Gayoon''s resolve to live a full life with her loved ones.


    We''ll live a happy life, she promised. For your sake, we will.


    Minho led her to his car and opened the door for her. She got in and after a few seconds, he also entered the car. Gayoon was about to pull her seat belt when Minho leaned over and pulled it for her. She drew a sharp breath as his honey vored scent hit her nostrils. He was careful not to touch her as he buckled her seat belt.


    She was very still, her heart racing madly at their proximity. They had not been this close ever since that night at the garden which seemed like a hundred years ago. Minho noted her cheeks had turned redder and he smirked at her before pulling back.


    Don''t cave in! Gayoon told herself. You can''t let him off the hook this easily!


    Minho was highly amused at her internal dilemma. He knew very well that she was trying hard to stay angry at him but was fighting a losing battle. For some reason, he found her antics extremely adorable. In many ways, Jina resembled her and inwardly, he was d that their daughter was growing up to be as feisty as her.


    Gayoon suddenly felt something patting her head. She looked around to find Minho giving her a rare yet genuine smile.


    "You did well," he said. "Little pet of mine."


    "Pet?" she frowned. "Who the hell are you calling a pet, you money lover?"


    She pped his hand away in annoyance. Minho was about tough but seeing Gayoon''s angry expression, he stifled his amusement. Her curses still echoed in his ears and he did not want a reenactment of that night.


    "If I remember correctly," she said with a stern look. "You are my pet for the week. Didn''t someone say that he''d do my bidding?"


    Minho narrowed his eyes at the sly detective. He had hoped that she would probably forget about her anger and they could resume their rtionship but it seemed like climbing the Everest would be easier than winning over Jeon Gayoon''s heart.


    "What do you want me to do?" he asked her. "Name anything and I''ll do it. If you want me to buy you the most expensive thing on this, I''ll get it as well."


    "Huh?" Gayoon scowled. "You''ll actually spend money for my sake?"


    Minho seemed to be struggling with himself at the thought of spending money but finally said, "Yes. I will."


    A sly grin came upon Gayoon''s face. The money lover was willing to spend money on her and it was one chance most girls would not let go of. Too bad he was dealing with her.


    "No," she said, shaking her head. "It''s the easy way out. Buying my affections with money won''t do. You gotta do the exact opposite."


    "Opposite?" Minho echoed.


    "Yep," Gayoon dered. She turned towards him, her face beaming as if she was very proud at herself foring up with a n to torment him.


    "I want you to take me on a cashless, kissless date!" she announced.

 Chapter 181: Cashless, Kissless Date (2)

    Chapter 181: Cashless, Kissless Date (2)


    "A cashless and kissless date?" Kanji frowned. "The hell is that?"


    He was at Minho''s office, sitting on the couch. Minho was at a loss about Gayoon''s mission and he had to summon the only person he could think of who was an expert in women. Unfortunately, Mina had an important surgery to perform so he had to settle for Kanji.


    "Basic rules of this date are," Minho began to read out from a paper where Gayoon had written down all the conditions. "No spending cash on anything rted to this date. This includes food, gas and other utilities as well."


    "Wait, then how will you guys eat on this date?" Kanji asked.


    "I don''t know!" Minho eximed. He had been thinking so much about the conditions Gayoon had set that he missed out on making his early morning 20 million dors from the stock market. He had to recoup it in the next hour and surprisingly, instead of 20 million he made 50 million dors.


    "What''s the next one?"


    "No kissing on the lips," Minho read. This was the rule which annoyed him. How could they not kiss on a date? It was bad enough his stupidity caused them to be apart for a month and now no kissing? Impossible!


    "How did this womane up with such conditions?" Kanji wondered out loud. "She really knows your weakness. You could''ve offered her to buy the whole mall."


    "I did," Minho sighed. "She refused by saying it was too easy."


    Eh? Easy? Kanji was wondering if the sun rose from the west that day. His best friend, the man who loved to earn money more than anything else, was saying that he was willing to spend money?


    Kanji walked towards Minho''s chair and to thetter''s chagrin, touched his forehead.


    "That the hell are you doing?" he asked angrily.


    "Checking if you''re sick," Kanji said in a serious tone. "How many fingers am I holding up?"


    He held out three fingers in order to make sure Minho had not gonepletely cuckoo. It was impossible to believe that Minho was ready to buy gifts for a woman. No way! Impossible!


    "I''m fine!" Mine said in annoyance, pping his hand away. "Believe it or not but I am willing to spend money on her!"


    Kanji was still looking at him in a serious manner. There was something inevitably wrong with his best friend and he must find out!


    "Tell me something Minho," he began. "How did you feel when you and Gayoon were not talking the entire month?"


    "It felt as if someone ripped out my heart, crushed it and burnt it to ashes in front of me," Minho said instantly without hesitating. "I don''t know why. Whenever she was in front of me and even though my stupid ego wouldn''t let me talk to her, I felt miserable. I had this urge to talk to her but-"


    "But you were still an idiot," Kanji agreed. "Next question! What did you feel when Gayoon hugged Ahn Jaewan?"


    A scowl formed on Minho''s face as the forbidden image shed in front of his eyes.


    "I felt like tearing off that pretty boy''s face and throwing it into the gutter to spite him," he gritted. "And throw his bloody sanitizers into the toilet!"


    Just the thought of that pretty boy angered him and seeing how close he was to Gayoon, he was writhing in jealousy.


    Wait a minute. Jealousy?


    Kanji sighed, shaking his head. "Minho, my friend," he patted Minho''s shoulder. "You really are a virgin, aren''t ya?"


    There was a short pause as Minho tried toprehend what Kanji had said while thetter beamed at his best friend who was undoubtedly falling in love. But he was unaware of the volcano which was about to erupt.


    Virgin?


    Within seconds, Kanji found himself running for his life as the book Minho threw barely missed him by inches.


    "I was only trying to help!" he protested.


    "Well, then be more useful!" Minho snapped, sitting back on his chair, scowling at Kanji.


    "Fine!" Kanji said. "This cashless, kissless date. Clearly she doesn''t want you to spend. So you gotta take her to a ce where you''ll be more focused on activities rather than money. Somewhere outdoors maybe. You''ve got plenty of properties like that. Pretty sure you can take her on a short trip to one of those!"


    "And how are we gonna get there?" Minho asked.


    "Trek," Kanji suggested. "Just walk there. You can choose a spot which is closer to home. Or you can just take my car. If I pay for the gas, then technically, you''re not spending any money."


    Minho did some quick thinking. He did have quite a few camping spots around the country and there was one particr property which was perfect for an overnight camping trip.


    "What about Jina?" he asked. "Someone needs to take care of her."


    "I''ll do it!" Kanji offered. "And I''ll get Mina to help as well. We''ll look after her. You and Gayoon can spend a romantic night, somewhere far away from all this ghostly drama."


    Minho thought about it. Maybe this date was exactly what they needed in order to reevaluate their rtionship. Taking his chance, Kanji decided to suggest more bolder ideas.


    "And you two can also camp out all night," he said. "Imagine this. The cold weather, a warm fire to cook and just oneforter. Don''t you think that''ll be fun?"


    To his surprise, Minho''s face turned red at the image he had put in his head. It reminded Minho of the first night he spent with Gayoon and how it had taken him all his willpower not to seduce her. It was not like she made it easy for him either by clutching on to him all night.


    And the worst part about this date was that he could not even kiss her!


    He inadvertently gulped while Kanji scrutinized him. This guy really is a pure virgin, he thought in dismay. I feel as if I''m tainting an innocent princess!


    Suddenly Minho''s face turned sour. "Ugh!" he eximed.


    "What happened?" Kanji frowned.


    "There is one problem," Minho said in a gloomy tone. "What about the food? We can''t order takeout nor buy food from elsewhere thanks to the cashless rule!"


    "Well, just cook," Kanji shrugged. Minho shot him a deadpan look. It took Kanji a few seconds to realize the problem with that rule.


    "Oh no!" he said, facepalming himself. "You can''t cook!"


    This was going to be a problem. The cashless, kissless date was going to test Minho''s patience and possibly the riskiest thing he had ever done. Kanji could not help but snicker at Minho''s sullen face.


    The mighty ruler of the country''s stock market and the richest man of the nation, Hwang Minho, was about to be defeated by one tiny detective who held his heart.


    And he did not even know it.

 Chapter 182: Cashless, Kissless Date (3)

    Chapter 182: Cashless, Kissless Date (3)


    "You what?" Mina eximed, almost sputtering out her coffee. Gayoon sat across her, sipping on carameltte while describing her mission to Minho. Thetter had arrived at Mina''s hospital to talk about thetest task and Mina could not help but gape at her. Jina was at the children''s ward, ying with the kids there while Gayoon and Mina talked about the recent developments. Mina canceled on her brother in order to help Gayoon with her rtionship woes.


    "A cashless and kissless date!" Gayoon stated. "He has to prepare a date where he can''t spend money and can''t kiss me."


    Mina snorted. "Knowing my brother, you just handed him a te full of gold bars!" she snapped. "The guy must have been ted to know that he doesn''t have to spend any money on this date!"


    "He actually offered me to buy the most expensive thing in the world," Gayoon shrugged.


    "What was he gonna get you? The Titanic?" Mina scoffed. "I''d say, rip his wallet apart and bankrupt him!"


    "That seemed too easy," Gayoon mumbled. Mina was peering at her with suspicion.


    "Don''t tell me" she began, leaning over her desk. Gayoon backed off under her scrutiny.


    "THIS MISSION IS HIDING YOUR DESIRE TO GO ON A DATE WITH HIM!" Mina bellowed.


    "Shhh!" Gayoon shushed her. "Yes," she admitted. "I did."


    She was not going to lie but she really missed Minho over the past month. His anger hurt her and this was a good opportunity to get to know each other more. Just the thought of what he was going to n made her heart flutter like a schoolgirl.


    "I...I just want to have a normal life," Gayoon said, looking at her fingers. "And give Jina a good example. I mean. Everything so far has been not so normal. What is Jina learning from us? She''s seeing her parents being distant and this is gonna shape up her views about rtionships in the future! Besides, I don''t like to fight with him. Maybe this is what we need. To stop for a minute and just...talk."


    Mina stared at her for a minute before sighing. "After hearing that, I can''t even be mad at you for letting him off so easily," she grumbled. Then she frowned.


    "But I''ve heard yourst date was a disaster," she stated. "Kanji told me how my brother got you flowers you were allergic to, almost took you to a sad y and you ended up paying for dinner."


    "What are you talking about?" Gayoon asked curiously. "I had a lot of fun!"


    "Eh?"


    "He didn''t know about the flowers," Gayoon went on. "But at dinner, he was kind to the restaurant owner and even offered her a full time catering job in this office. Then he got me a really nice bracelet and even wore the tie I gifted him. It was hard to get it because everything was so expensive at the mall! Thankfully, they put up ast minute discount sale. Everything was sold at a huge discount."


    Mina''s mouth fell in shock while Gayoon was oblivious to everything else. She was recalling their first date with a misty look in her eyes and a shy smile on her lips.


    "And when he dropped me off at home, he"


    Gayoon trailed off, remembering their kiss. It was unexpected and his gesture threw her off guard but she enjoyed the feelings which filled her heart at that time. She could not describe them in words but their first date held some of her fondest memories and for once, she felt that there was hope for some normalcy in their lives.


    Meanwhile, Mina was about to faint from shock but somehow managed to keep her bnce. Her stone cold, money loving brother took the initiative to kiss a girl? She had assumed Gayoon was the bold one in their rtionship but it seemed like it was the opposite!


    "I wish I could save that cute video he sent me," Gayoon sighed. "He wished me good night using bunny ear filters."


    "Okay, that I can''t believe," Mina said. "My brother doesn''t take selfies! He calls them a waste of time."


    "B-b-but," Gayoon stammered.


    "Forget about all that!" Mina waved, feeling annoyed. "You need to focus on how to torment my brother more. You can''t let him off this easily! Show him that you''re the boss in this rtionship!"


    She looked fierce and was determined to make Gayoon torture her brother for his folly. Just on time, Gayoon''s phone''s notification bell rang. She picked it up to find a message from Minho.


    "He told me to pack some trekking gear and an overnight bag," she stated. "We''ll be going to the steamke nearby for camping."


    Mina pped her hands together. "Perfect!" she eximed.


    There was a dangerous glint in her eyes as she thought of a devious n. Steamke huh? She thought. Hehe.


    "Let''s make it a date the money lover won''t forget for the rest of his life!" Mina dered while Gayoon could only stare at her in confusion. Huh?


    ....


    "This is not fair!" Jina protested. They were back in the mansion where Mina was packing Gayoon''s bag for the date. Minho said that he''d pick her up at 6 PM so they had little time to prepare.


    "Jina, you can go on dates when you grow up," Mina said warily. But Gayoon was concerned for her daughter who was pouting.


    "Maybe I should take her along," Gayoon said. Jina''s ears perked up upon hearing that but Mina was stern.


    "No!" Mina stated firmly. "She can''t go."


    "But-" Jina began to argue but Mina added, "If you stay back tonight, I''ll take you to Ahn Jaewan''s fan event next week."


    That cheered up Jina. "Really?" she asked excitedly. "You''ll take me to my oppa''s event?"


    "And Gayoon will get you a premium seat," Mina said. "Won''t you Gayoon?"


    "Uh" Gayoon nced at her daughter''s hopeful eyes which were begging her.


    "Fine," she conceded. "I''ll ask him."


    Jina yelped in victory, her earlier desire to tag along was thrown out of the window. The doorbell rang. Gayoon nced at the clock and it was already 6 PM.


    "I think that''s him!" she gasped. She suddenly felt very nervous. Was she asking toomuch from him? Maybe she should have given him an easier task.


    "You''ll be fine!" Mina assured her, reading her mind. "Just don''t give in. Make him get blue balls tonight!"


    "I''m not so sure it''ll work" Gayoon said, feeling doubtful. But Mina was confident in her words.


    "Trust me," she stated. "He''s gonna suffer all night long. The cashless part may not faze him but the kissless part will definitely torture him. Especially when you equip yourself with the weapon of mass destruction!"


    "What weapon?" Gayoon frowned. Mina smirked and whispered something into her ear. Gayoon''s eyes widened in shock.


    "EHHHHH?"

 Chapter 183: Cashless, Kissless Date (4)

    Chapter 183: Cashless, Kissless Date (4)


    Minho was waiting for Gayoon by the car. He wore a ck puffy jacket with dark blue jeans. He had stuffed everything into the back of the car including the tent and barbecue equipment. Checking his watch, he was patiently waiting for Gayoon. After a while, she came out of the house, carrying her bag.


    To his slight amusement, she was also wearing matching clothes with a white beanie on her head which was far toorge for her head. Gayoon felt a little shy upon seeing their matching colored clothes. It was almost Mina knew that her brother would be wearing these colors and had deliberately made her wear the same ones. Would he be embarrassed? Was it a little too much?


    She stopped in front of him, feeling bbergasted. "M-Mina made me wear these!" she squeaked. Wait. Why am I squeaking? She wondered. I''m supposed to be the dominant one here!


    Gayoon was shaking so much in nervousness that the beanie fell over her eyes. She was about to pull it back up but Minho beat her to it. Her face turned red when his fingers slightly brushed against her cheeks. He did not say a word but was standing a little too close to her. His brown eyes were on her, looking at her with a strange intensity while he fixed her beanie.


    "I-Is there something on my face?" she asked, wiping her face.


    "No," he shrugged and to her surprise, he gently pinched her cheeks, making her blush even more. Her heart was beating fast against her ribs and she was afraid that it might just explode. He softly brushed his fingers against her skin and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to ce a kiss on her lips.


    What were these strange feelings erupting between them? They were entangled by an invisible thread, binding them in a magical experience which neither of them had ever imagined. Their hearts beat in the same rhythm, synchronized to follow each other and yet, they could not ce their fingers on this feeling.


    Gayoon''s lips went dry and he was inching closer. She could not think straight and unconsciously, closed her eyes, expecting him to kiss her any moment.


    Minho slightly smiled and whispered, "We''re going to bete."


    His words brought her out of her reverie and she backed away in embarrassment. Minho somehow controlled a snicker and opened the door for her.


    "I said that it''ll be a cashless date," she frowned. "Driving there means that you''re making an expense for the gas!"


    Minho held up one finger. "Firstly, it''s a full tank so we won''t need any gas," he stated. "Secondly, it''s Kanji''s car so technically he''s the one paying for the gas. Not me. Besides, we can''t carry the barbecue equipment by hand! They''re too heavy. And no, I didn''t pay for them but simply got these from the office pantry."


    Gayoon pouted a little. The money lover knew how to find loopholes in the rules and she wondered what other shortcut was he going to exploit.


    Without another word, she got into the car while Minho climbed into the driver''s seat. He revved the engine and they set off.


    "How far is the ce?" Gayoon asked.


    "Not far," Minho replied. "Just an hour away. It''s a park mypany owns and has a built in steamke in it. I''ve closed off the ce for tonight. Even sent the staff home so we''ll have the ce to ourselves. It''s mine anyway so it won''t cost me a thing."


    Gayoon peered at him. "How many loopholes are you going to exploit?" she asked him, feeling suspicious. What was the money lover up to? Even though he maintained a poker face, she could tell he was inwardly ted by this mission.


    Minho kept his gaze on the road but Gayoon''s suspicions were right. He had sat in his office for hours, pulling up every bit of skullduggery he could to find the loopholes in her rules. And to his delight, there were many. His heart was dancing in joy but he was not going to show off his happiness in front of her. After all, he still had to win her back.


    After a while, he pulled up in front of the park. It was enclosed by huge walls while an automated gate let them in after Minho punched his ID into it. The system lit up, recognizing him and let them in. He drove through the gates and headed straight for theke.


    "We''re here," he announced. Gayoon got out of the car and marveled at the view. They were at a secluded part of the park which was shrouded by tall fir trees which loomed over them, gently swaying in the cool winter breeze. The trees hid argeke with an artificial waterfall which was almost fifty feet high. Steam emitted from theke, making the air around them foggy. The air was warmer there and cozy enough for an overnight camping experience.


    "Woah!" she eximed. "You built this?"


    "Yeah," Minho replied, taking out the tent from the back. Gayoon rushed forward to help him set it up and soon, they managed to build it. She took out theforters while Minho set up the barbecue grills.


    "Can you cook?" Gayoon asked when Minho lit up the grill.


    "Uh...Yes!" he replied. "I''m a great cook!"


    Or so he could hope. It was not his strongest point and his culinary skills were something he avoided to explore. He was not going to admit that to Gayoon, but if he followed the instructions on thebels, he should be fine.


    Gayoon noted that he was nervous as he peered at the grill as he was about to fight some kind of enemy.


    "I can help you know," she offered but Minho shook his head.


    "I''ll do it!" he insisted. "After dinner, we can go for a swim in theke. And then watch a movie. I''ve brought everything."


    He looked so serious while saying this that Gayoon could not help butugh. Her musicalughter temporarily distracted him and when she stood on her toes to ruffle his hair, he could not help but smile.


    "You''re doing well, money lover," she giggled, still patting his head. "Let''s see how long you canst in this challenge."


    Minho bent his knee and lowered himself toe to her level. He enjoyed her touch and shed Gayoon a wide smile which almost knocked her breath away. Why did he have such dazzling teeth? She wondered in dismay.


    "Do it again!" he insisted, still smiling like an idiot. Gayoon scowled at his childishness.


    "No!" she eximed, sticking out her tongue and pulling her hand away from his head. "Go and cook! I''m hungry!"


    She turned away from him and went back towards the car to pick up the beer bottles. Minho''s face fell and he pouted a little as he tore open the packet of frozen steak and put it on the grill to cook.


    It was going to be a long night for him.

 Chapter 184: Cashless, Kissless Date (5)

    Chapter 184: Cashless, Kissless Date (5)


    A thick, heavy fog shrouded his vision as he slowly made his way up the street. The cool winter air swirled around him, making him shudder and her clutched his jacket closer. There were not many people on the street due to the cold weather, most preferring to stay indoors within the warmth of their homes.


    Junho shivered as he walked towards the dested cemetery, carrying arge guitar case. Beyond the fog, he could make out the tall, ck gates of the graveyard. The steely metal was cold from beneath his heavy padded gloves as he pushed the gates open. He quietly walked into the cemetery, passing by the series of graves. The air was colder here and the fog heavier but he knew that it was not due to the fog.


    Years of ghost hunting had made him more aware of ghosts and his experience allowed him to even faintly sense them. He could feel the brushes of the lonely spirits as he walked by. They were trapped in this world by their own guilts and regrets which could either turn them sympathetic or vengeful.


    They were whispering into his ears, some begging to be freed while others taunting him and making threats. Junho ignored all of them, undeterred as he walked towards one particr grave. As soon as he neared the grave, the other spirits whispering into his ears disappeared. They would not go near that ce because something sinistery beneath it. Its aura was so strong that even though it was buried, the other spirits could still feel its anger from beyond the grave.


    Junho marched up to the grave and bent over. It belonged to a man named ''Shin Hyunsoo'' as written on the gravestone. He opened the guitar case. Inside it was a long shovel which he took out. Putting the shovel in the ground, he began to dig.


    It took him a while but he kept on digging until, finally, the shovel hit something metallic. Junho stooped down to dig it up with his hands. It was a small aluminium box which was tied by a red cloth held together by a thin, silver thread. It looked untouched.


    "This thing is still trapped," he muttered. Even though the spirit was still locked within the box, he could feel that the entity had sensed someone had dug up the box. The box was turning really hot, trying to make Junho drop it so that it could break open. But Junho did not care for the heat and instead, put it carefully back in the grave before reburying it under the dirt. The entity was slowly growling inside the grave but Junho was unperturbed. As long as it was locked up, there was nothing to worry about.


    He turned around and stepped away from the grave where he was once again bombarded by the other spirits, most of which were cursing him now for daring to open the grave. He could hear their choice of words, some jeering at him while others were trying to tug him. They were angry and wanted him to leave. The air around him became colder as more spirits came to scare him away. They wanted to hurt him and kill him for touching that entity.


    Junho ignored all their jeers and curses. Instead, he picked up his phone to call Shinjin. Thetter was in the middle of a meditation session when Junho called.


    "Did you find out which spirit has escaped?" he asked.


    "It ain''t the Ripper," Junho replied. "He''s still angry at us for trapping him in that box and tried to burn me. But he''s still locked up so he can''t do anything."


    "It''s not him?" Shinjin frowned. "That''s weird. The escaped spirit gave off his vibes. This one is possibly a killer as well but I can''t pinpoint its location at all."


    "I''ll keep looking," Junho stated. "Without searching, it''ll be very difficult to tell which one has escaped. You also keep asking the nearby spirits. They might be able to tell."


    Shinjin hesitated before suggesting, "We can use the little girl, you know. She can make the process easier-"


    "No!" Junho said firmly. "We are not going to put Jina in any danger. She doesn''t deserve to see such horrors! I will not put her through this."


    Shinjin did not argue further. Jina was too young to apany them on ghost hunting but the truth was that she was the only one who could see which spirit might have escaped. All Shinjin had to do was involve her in a seance and she would be able to pinpoint the ghost. But in order to do that, the girl will have to go through an exhausting process in which many spirits will be attracted to her and might even try to possess her which would psychologically scar the child.


    "I''ll look into the next ghost on my list," Junho said, still ignoring the legions of ghosts which were bombarding him, trying to possess him but failing due to his iron strong willpower. He hung up the phone and headed for the exit, wondering which spirit had escaped.


    Where could it be? He wondered as he left through the gates of the cemetery, leaving it behind. He could still hear the hisses and groans of the ghosts which were trapped within the graveyard''s premises, their jeers following him until the end of the town.


    .....


    "Uhhh"


    Minho had put the te of steak in front of her and she stared at it, unsure of what to feel. The meat was burnt to a crisp while the side vegetables were undercooked. She looked up at Minho, who seemed to be hiding his embarrassment behind his stoic face.


    He had followed the instructions on the cover and he still ended up making this abomination!


    They stared at each other for a while before Minho finally caved in. "I can''t cook," he muttered in his monotone voice.


    Gayoon wanted tough but seeing how embarrassed he was in admitting his w, she did not dare to giggle. Instead, she stood to her feet and pped her hands together.


    "Looks like I get to flex my own skills," she said gleefully. "Watch and learn."


    She lit up the grill again. Minho stooped down beside her as she mixed the seasonings in a bowl, stirring it until the mixture was thick. It looked creamier than his one and the scent of chillies, spices and vinegar was pleasant. She took out a b of frozen meat and let it defrost by hanging it over the warm grill.


    After a while, the meat softened up and she brushed the seasoning over it. As soon as she put it on the grill, it began to sizzle. Minho watched in awe as she cooked the meat to perfection, cut it into half and put it in tow tes before handing one to him.


    "Ta-dah!" she eximed. "This is how you make a barbecue steak."


    "Where did you learn to cook?" he asked curiously.


    "Ahjusshi taught me," she simply said. Minho sighed, wondering what else did this mysterious ahjusshi of hers taught her.


    He took the te from her hand and both of them took a bite of the steak. Minho was chewing slowly while Gayoon looked at him apprehensively, wondering if it tasted any good.


    "Well," she began. "How is it?"


    She had devoured her steak because she was really hungry but she was also worried that it may not taste good to him. After all, he had the best steaks in the country thanks to his constant traveling and business meetings. She doubted that he would like her amateurish one.


    Minho, on the other hand, took his sweet time to enjoy the juiciness of the steak. He was pleasantly surprised by the taste and it was on par with the food of the international hotels. Even better actually.


    Gayoon was still looking at him, hoping to get an answer but he was quiet, finishing off his te. He even finished the sauce, not leaving behind a single bit of it.


    "Is it good?" Gayoon asked. He looked up and stared at her for a moment. Gayoon was waiting for his answer when suddenly, he reached over and before she could react, he wiped off some sauce from the corner of her mouth.


    "What the-" she began to frown but he yfully winked at her and licked his finger. Gayoon was frozen to her spot by his sudden mischievousness.


    "I think thest bit of the sauce was tastier," he said in his deadpan voice, making her blush furiously. This man! She screamed in her head. She could not even stay mad at him!


    "Let''s go for a swim," he suggested, as he stood up. "The water is hot from the steam so it''ll be rxing."


    Gayoon, who was too mesmerized to say a word, suddenly came back to reality. She had a mission to torment him. She could not be distracted.


    Time to take out my ultimate weapon! She dered inwardly.

 Chapter 185: Cashless, Kissless Date (6)

    Chapter 185: Cashless, Kissless Date (6)


    Minho was already in theke, rxing against a t stone b. His shirt and pantsy on the b while he was only wearing his swimming shorts. The steam swirling around him was calming down his nerves and the warmth of the water rxed his muscles as he leaned against the stone. The sky was clear and while the weather was cold, the hot steam emitting from theke kept them warm.


    Even though he tried not to show his nervousness on his face, he was extremely worried about this date. It was their first night away from people and her kissless rule made it hard for him to be around her without having indecent thoughts. He might have concentrated only on making money all his life but he was also a man!


    Think about the hundred million dors you made today, he told himself. Hundred million. Hundred million.


    His usual chant was working albeit weakly. Even money was not able to distract his mind.


    He heard her soft footstepsing his way. Turning around, he saw that she looked extremely nervous. She was wearing a pink sweater but no pants, showing off her shapely legs which did not help his indecent thoughts at all.


    Hundred million dors! Hundred million dors! He kept on chanting in his head like a mantra.


    Gayoon was slightly surprised to see that Minho was frozen to his spot, his eyes trying not to wander to her exposed legs. Seeing his reaction made her even more shy to take off the top. What is her body turned him off?


    The very thought of it made her red in the face. Minho cleared his throat, trying to push away the sight of her legs from his head.


    "The water is very hot," he said. "Come in. You''ll enjoy it."


    "Mhmm," was all Gayoon could manage to say. She stepped closer, slowly taking off her sweater.


    Minho, who was still reeling from the sight of her legs, got the jolt of his life when he saw what she wore underneath. She was wearing a white two-piece bikini. Itplimented her petite stature while the thin material clung in all the right ces to highlight her curves.


    Hundred...million...hun...what was I thinking again?


    He had no idea. He could only ogle at her as she slowly approached theke. Gayoon was anxious, her mind filled with worry that he would not like it or worse, it would have no effect on him. Mina had guaranteed her that Minho would be tortured by her sight because he was not allowed to kiss her at all. Even though Gayoon was apprehensive to wear this, Mina pushed her into taking it.


    "Show off your sexy side and give him blue balls!" she said fiercely.


    What sexy side? Gayoonmented. It was having no effect at all!


    She misunderstood Minho''s stillness as indifference but in reality he could not help but admire her. He had to control the urge to kiss her there and take her into their tent but he made a promise to her which he now severely regretted.


    He drew a sharp breath when she came to settle next to him. His eyes fell on the red hibiscus tattoo which was half peeking from her bikini top and suddenly, he had the urge to see it full.


    Control, he repeated it to himself. Control.


    But his mind was already searching for more loopholes in her rules. There must be one!


    "Wow, the water is rxing," she remarked. She had never been to a steamke before. In fact, she had never been to an overnight camping trip because there were always ghosts in the forests or the waterbed. Those are usually dangerous spirits or even forest poltergeists which were even deadlier. To her surprise, she did not feel any intruding spirits with them that night.


    "It''s an artificialke," Minho exined. "It''s designed to rx the muscles and provide relief to the people using it."


    "This ce is safe," she said. The water was rxing her tight muscles and she realized that she really needed this kind of retreat.


    "Safe?" Minho frowned.


    "I mean, I didn''t sense any ghosts here," she replied. "Which means that whatever you did with this ce, people were safe within these walls. There are no angry or sad spirits wandering this ce"


    It felt so peaceful to be in a ce like that. She was marveling at the view around her. The forest was twinkling under the stars, swaying slightly in the winter winds. The mix of warm and cool air made the ce more heavenly. There were no wild animals in the forest but it was so quiet that she could hear the cicadas cry in the distance.


    Minho did not say anything but watched as she sighed in contentment. He smiled a little, d to see that she was enjoying herself. Her skin had turned as red as a tomato due to the heat and he could not help but poked her cheek.


    "What was that for?" she pouted. She noted that sometimes, when they were alone, he had the habit of touching her cheeks as if she was a child!


    "You''re cute," he said in an unusually soft tone. Gayoon bit her lip, unsure of how to respond to his uncharacteristic flirtations. He said them in such a matter-of-fact manner that he did not even realize that those words made her heart flutter.


    "Shameless," she muttered.


    "Heh?" Minhozily frowned. "I just like telling the truth."


    He gently stroked her cheek again, not taking his eyes off hers. Their gazes were locked on each other, unable to look away. It was as if time had stopped for them and they were thest people on earth. Far away from their worries and demons, they were in their own little haven where it was just the two of them.


    Minho leaned in closer to her. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her towards him. Gayoon was surprised but her mind was too dazed to think of anything else. He was leaning in closer and she closed her eyes, anticipating him to kiss her.


    Kiss...Kissless date!


    His lips were almost on hers when she mumbled, "It''s a kissless date."


    Minho chuckled at her words. Even though she had set the rules, he could tell by her tone that her resolve was falling apart. Maybe he could help her ''strengthen'' it a little more.


    He still leaned in closer to her. Gayoon was still captured by his charm and just when she was about to lose all her reasoning, he moved lower and kissed her neck.


    "H-h-hey!" she weakly protested. "No kissing, remember?"


    Minho shed her a wicked smile which made her blush harder. He rarely smiled but when he did, he knew how to make her knees weak. She was nowpletely caged between him and the stone behind her, her heart racing fast while anticipating what he was about to do.


    "Your rule stated, no kissing on the lips," he winked. "The other areas were not off limits."


    Gayoon wanted to call him out on his foulness but her mind was distracted when he trailed a finger over the edge of her left side bikini top. She hissed when he gently traced over the spot where her tattoo was inked right above her nub.


    "Right now, I wanna see more of that tattoo," he whispered, gently pressing it.

 Chapter 186: Cashless, Kissless Date (7)*

    Chapter 186: Cashless, Kissless Date (7)*


    Gayoon lost all her senses when Minho softly pressed on her tattoo. Despite the warmth of the water, she let out a shudder at his touch. His one arm was wrapped around her waist while the other one was fondling her breast, exploring the trace of the tattoo.


    Minho drew a sharp breath at her reactions. She was not pushing away his advances, her posture beginning to rx. He gently squeezed her breast, making her hiss. She looked at him with herrge, sultry eyes. Minho smirked, squeezing it a little more, causing an unfamiliar heat to rise within Gayoon. She could not understand the feeling but it made her feel good.


    She used her index finger to trace his taut abs almost gulping. The kissless date was testing her patience and she leaned in closer to kiss his neck. Minho groaned when she bit into his skin, leaving a red mark on it. Before Gayoon could taste him more, she felt Minho''s other hand pulling on the strings of her top.


    To her shock, her bikini top came off and floated off into the water. Conscious of herself, she was about to cover her chest but Minho held her close.


    "Rx," he murmured in her ears. "Just rx. If there''s anything you don''t want me to do, then just say it."


    Gayoon was too shy to say it out loud but she was enjoying his touches and wanted more. Her heart and body reacted to him in a way that she could not fathom. She had never felt this strongly for another man before and despite their differences, there was an undeniable connection between them which was bringing out the feelings which were dormant in both of them.


    But were they ready to go further than this?


    "Are you alright?" he whispered. She nodded against his chest.


    He understood her nervousness. This level of intimacy was exciting and at the same time, scary for her. Especially after the happenings of the past month, she was still in a delicate state. No matter how strong she tried to be, there was a part of her which was still hesitant about the future.


    "I" Gayoon began but trailed off. Minho waited for her to collect her thoughts. Gayoon was not sure if she wanted him to stop or not.


    "I want to show you my tattoo," she finally managed to squeak. Minho snickered. Still holding her in his embrace, he slowly led her towards the stone b and grabbed her waist to hoist her over it. Gayoon barely had the time to sit when he jumped on her, pushing her back against the cold stone.


    He let out a sharp breath upon seeing her topless, lying beneath him. Gayoon blushed as he eyed her body, devouring her with his gaze alone. Her twin mounds were perked up by the heat coursing through her body while her face had turned scarlet due to their proximity. Minho stroked her cheek, unable to take his eyes off her.


    His fingers traced her jaws to her neck, leaving a ticklish sensation across her skin. Gayoon closed her eyes, trying to feel the warmth of his touches, his fingers trailing her intimate parts. Minho leaned over to kiss her nape, licking it. Gayoon suppressed a moan when he found a sensitive spot, causing her hips to slightly brush against his groin. Their legs were entangled together, her ones writhing against his thighs.


    Minho traced his kisses from her neck to her chest, leaving little bite marks. Gayoon''s fingers were clutching his hair, her eyes closed while her instincts were on high alert to his teases. He kissed her skin all the way to her nubs, when he paused and stared at the hibiscus tattoo.


    It was a simple tattoo of a pink hibiscus with ck vines emerging from it in the shape of small spirals. The tattoo was hardly bigger than his thumb but the color of it was alluring against her pale skin. He grazed his finger over it, feeling the smooth ink.


    Gayoon opened his eyes to look at him. He was marveling at the tattoo and his usually stoic face was shing a thousand emotions.


    "Y-you didn''t like it?" she stammered in a small tone.


    Minho shook his head. "No," he said. "I think it''s the most beautiful thing I''ve ever seen."


    Hwang Minho had a way with words which was enough to drive Gayoon insane. Every word he spoke were with sincerity which would make anyone feel loved even though he did not realize that he could possess such a power. Hearing that from him overwhelmed her heart and before she could see anything more, Minho''s resolve broke.


    He slowly kissed the tattoo, causing jolts to coarse through her body. Gayoon whimpered a little when his mouth came onto her breast, tasting it. Her fingers ran through his hair, pulling him closer. She heaved her chest upwards to give him more ess to her breast, her body unconsciously grinding against his. Her legs were wrapped around his waist, going up and down against his thigh and she felt his member hitting her private part through their remaining swimming wear.


    His other hand was slowly massaging her right mound, making her moan loudly at the double assault on her. Minho licked her nub, nipping it with his teeth. Gayoon was in an erotic ecstasy, her body reacting to his whim.


    Minho left her left breast and began to lick her other one. He was holding back his desires with great difficulty and even the sweet honey taste of her skin was not enough for him. His lips weretched onto her breasts, exploring them in turns. Her soft moans were only driving him more insane, and their resolve to take it slow was almost breaking. He captured her left breast again, leaving the red marks of his sweet attacks on her.


    Gayoon bit her lip to stop more moans from escaping it but was unsessful. The feel of his soft lips was making her insane and she wanted more. She gasped for breath, unable to bear the pleasurable torture anymore but she did not want to stop either. The warm steam was engulfing them but the heat from her body was not due to the hot air. She was desperate for more intimacy with the man who was snatching her senses from her.


    "Gayoon"


    His hoarse whisper made her slowly return to reality. Her eyes fluttered open and they gazed at each other for a while. Their breaths were heavy and both of them were panting. They had never been intimate in this way and now that they had stopped, Gayoon''s senses were returning.


    Minho did not say anything but got off her. Gayoon realized, once again, that she waspletely topless and quickly sat up to cover herself. Minho reached for his shirt, which was lying nearby, and handed it to her. She quickly wore it, covering herself.


    He sat next to her and for a while, none of them said a word. Instead, he let her put her head on his shoulder while they watched the steam swirl around them.


    "Are you alright?" he finally asked. He was worried that their intimacy might have tired her out.


    "I''m fine," she mumbled. She hesitated before adding, "Thank you."


    "For what?"


    "No reason."


    Minho did not ask anymore questions but patted her head. After a while, Gayoon spoke up again.


    "Let''s head back to the tent," she suggested.


    "You wanna watch the movie now?" he asked. He had snooped around and finally managed to get a list of movies Gayoon might like. She had enough horrors in her life so he settled for lightedic ones so that she could rx.


    "No," she said. "Let''s just talk. I just want to talk."


    "About what?"


    "Us," she simply said. Minho watched as she stood up and extended a hand to him. He smiled and took her hand, letting her lead them back to the tent.

 Chapter 187: Cashless, Kissless Date-Conclusion

    Chapter 187: Cashless, Kissless Date-Conclusion


    Gayoon waited inside the tent for Minho who was outside, preparing tea for them. He imed that it was the only thing he knew how to make properly. She sighed and let him have his way. There was no point in arguing with him when he was being so cutely childish. It reminded her of Jina''s antics whenever she came up with crazy ideas.


    Guess the father and daughter are alike in many ways, she mused.


    She had already changed into dry pants but her selfish side refused to change out of Minho''s shirt. He had a sweet apple scent which she found very soothing. The thought of what they were doing earlier also made her redder and she could still feel the warmth of his lips on her skin. Yet, there was something stopping them from going all the way even though she had no idea what it was. She did not know what their future held but what they had in the present felt so natural and real that she was afraid of what would happen if they went further than this.


    Will this rtionship go far? She wondered. It was a strange situation. They were already dating and living together. They even had a daughter and yet they did not clearly confess their real feelings to each other. What did he really feel for her? Was this a passing fancy or could it be something more?


    Don''t think about all that! She scolded herself. They must figure out some things on their own before they were sure of what they wanted. Even though in her heart, she knew that she was falling for him, she was reluctant to take the first step.


    Let''s just enjoy our time together, she decided.


    Shrugging off those thoughts she settled under the covers, while leaning against the tent wall, waiting for him. She increased the brightness of the portablemp, illuminating the whole ce.


    Minho finally entered the tent, holding two cups of hot tea. He, too, had changed into a fresh pair of shirt and pants which made Gayoon blush a little. Was he stark naked outside while changing?


    That image was giving her lewd thoughts again.


    No! She scolded herself. You gotta take it slow! Don''t rush!


    Handing one cup to her, Minho said, "Here you go! Hwang Minho''s special ginger tea."


    Gayoon took it and to her surprise, it smelled good. Minho settled beside her while she took a sip.


    "This is good!" sheplimented. "Well done!"


    She ruffled his hair yfully, making him smirk. "Of course it''ll be good!" he boasted. "Even a five star hotel can''t make tea this good!"


    He looked so proud of himself over this small achievement that Gayoon could not help but smile. Minho was d that she liked it.


    "My mom taught me how to make it," he confessed. "It was the only thing she was able to teach me before"


    He trailed off. The memories of their happy family were swirling in his head, aching his heart even more. Yes, they were a happy family. His mother and father were in love l. They could not even think of living without each other.


    Yet, his father had killed his mother in cold blood. The image of Hwang Junho standing above his mother''s lifeless body was still haunting him. But there was something else which bothered him even more.


    After his encounter with the CCK, a new memory propped up in his head. He might have suppressed the memory but it was something which appeared suddenly after all these years.


    "Gates of hell will open again"


    Who was that? What did he mean? There was another person in that house, someone only Minho had heard. He could not put his finger on it but the voice did not soundhuman.


    Was it possible that there was something more in the y?


    He got distracted when Gayoon patted his shoulder. "Tell me about her," she said gently. "She sounds like a really good person."


    "She was," Minho reminisced. "Unlike my father, she came from an ordinary family. My maternal grandparents died when she was in college but she managed to handle herself. She got a job at my dad''spany and her simplicity won him over. My grandparents were also thrilled to have her. It was like, everything was perfect. Until that night when my dad killed her."


    "Did you" Gayoon hesitated to ask. The matter about their parents is soplicated. She knew how it felt to be abandoned by a parent but she could never understand the pain of seeing one''s own father kill their mother.


    "Did I ever find out why he did it?" Minho guessed. "No, I didn''t. He ran away without an exnation."


    There was a short silence between them as they sipped their tea.


    "When I was pregnant," Gayoon began. "There was a time when I ran away. I felt so attached to Jina, that I wanted to break off our contract and run away."


    Minho was surprised at her confession. He did not know that she had tried to run away but he was not angry at her for it. In fact, he understood that the pain of separating from Jina must have hit her at one point.


    "You could have told it to Lawyer Lee," he said. "I''d have made sure that you could be involved in her life."


    And in mine, he added in his head. But he did not say it out loud. It was hard for him to hold back from kissing her which turned out to be a harder job for him than spending money. His body was aching to close the distance between them but it would probably be too overwhelming for her.


    "I was too afraid," she confessed. "I didn''t think that I could get so attached to the tiny life which was growing inside me. So I tried to run away and keep her. It was a selfish thought but it was all I could think of."


    "What changed your mind?" he asked.


    Gayoon took a deep breath. It was a day she would never forget. Never in her wildest dreams could she have thought that her own father would be afraid of her.


    "That night, I ran away to my dad''s house," she said. "I didn''t even inform my grandmother and ahjusshi of my decision. I got my dad''s contact details from an old friend of his and went off to the town where he was staying. I was six months pregnant at that time, so the journey was very difficult on my own."


    Minho could picture it in his mind. The barely adult pregnant girl searching for the father she craved to seek validation from. She wanted his love and care especially in that state.


    "When my father saw me, he became very scared," Gayoon whispered. A single drop of tear fell from her eye. Before Minho could wipe it out, she brushed it off.


    "He called me a witch and a curse," she sniffed. "And threw salt at me because salt is supposed to keep away evil spirits. My mother didn''t tell him about my powers when they got married. It wasn''t until she was pregnant with me when he found out and instead of supporting her, he abandoned us. Still, I thought he might react differently if he saw me. But all I saw was pure contempt in his eyes."


    "His words broke me out of my bubble. It was true. I was cursed and the curse was about to pass on to my child. At that time, I thought that I''m gonna bring nothing but misery in Jina''s life. She will hate me for what I did! Which is why I finally decided that I''ll have to let her go. It was the best decision for her. I wanted to cry a lot that night but it would have been bad for the baby. So I had to suppress it within myself. If ahjusshi hadn''t tracked me down, I would have died."


    She did not realize that tears were flowing out of her eyes again. Her mind was still thinking about that dark night when her father had abandoned her again. She cried and banged on his door, just wanting him to see her only once.


    But he left her out in the cold, uncaring and indifferent.


    A warm touch on her face slightly startled her. Minho gently wiped her tear from her cheek and held the drop on his finger for her to see.


    "My mom used to tell me that tears are tiny pearls," Minho mused. "These may not be expensive, but a single drop holds infinite emotions of a person which could not be measured with money."


    "And something which cannot be measured by money, is the most invaluable thing of all," he went on."Which is why, we should only cry for those who deserve the emotions you hold in your heart. Wasting these tears on people who cannot appreciate your feelings is even worse than wasting millions of dors."


    Gayoon stared at him, feeling incredulous. For someone who had little experience in dealing with rtionships, he really knew how to pacify a person with his insights.


    She stroked his hair, which caught Minho off-guard and he was blushing furiously.


    "I''m d Jina was raised by a kind person like you," she smiled.


    Kind? No one ever called him that and the word seemed to be an alien to him. Buting from her mouth, he could help but beam a little even though he tried to maintain a poker face.


    Damn the cashless, kissless rule!


    Suddenly, Gayoon let out a yawn. It waste and she was getting sleepy.


    "I think I''ll go to sleep-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, he suddenly yanked her and she yelped, falling on his chest.


    "What are you-"


    But Minho threw the nket on them and held her close.


    "It''s cold and I need my little bolster to keep me warm," he said smugly.


    Bolster? Who the hell was he calling a bolster!


    "But"


    She tried toe up with an excuse and protest but he was alreadyfortably settled in, not letting her break free.


    Unbeknownst to her, Minho was smiling. If he could not kiss her, then he would just exploit all the other loopholes to his advantage. It was hard enough to keep his hands off of her and if he had his way, they would not be sleeping at all.


    But he had to control his desires and settle for the cuddling. For the moment.


    Gayoon sighed and gave up on her efforts to break free. The stoic fellow seemed so happy that she did not have the heart to refuse him.


    That day she learned a new thing about the money lover. He was a shameless romantic at heart.

 Chapter 188: Confess To Me

    Chapter 188: Confess To Me


    Mina peered her eyes in suspicion while Kanji stared back at her. He kept a straight face while Jina looked from one to the other, anticipating what they would do next. Casper and Yumi were also tensed by the heavy atmosphere.


    "Six of Hearts," Mina said, putting a card on the table, the face turned backwards. Kanji looked at it, thinking hard.


    "Bluff!" he imed. "You''re bluffing!"


    "Am I?" Mina smirked and turned the card around. To his shock, it was a six of Hearts.


    "Son of a-"


    He was about to curse but an invisible hand whacked him. Casper had hit his head, preventing him from using bad words in front of Jina.


    "What was that?" he yelped in fright, looking around.


    "That was Casper," Jina replied. "He does that whenever someone tries to use ng in front of me."


    They were ying Cheat and so far, Mina was winning every round. No matter how much he tried, Kanji could not win against her apt ability to read people. Moreover, since his credit card was on stake, her senses were extra alert, examining his every expression while calling out his bluffs.


    "So I win this round again!" Mina dered. She scooped the credit card from the table and happily pped, thinking of all the things she was about to buy.


    "Howe you only im my credit card?" he asked in annoyance. "Am I your personal ve or something?"


    "Yes," she said without hesitating. "Only I can use your card and no one else!"


    "And how many other guys have given you their cards?" he asked sullenly.


    "Many tried," she imed, holding the card against the light to make sure he did not give her a fake one. "But I''ll only use your one."


    "Is it coz I''m the richest one?"


    There was a short pause as Mina tried toe up with an exnation.


    "No. It''s coz they''re just not you," she finally stated. "It''s no fun going on a shopping spree without you."


    She shed him an evil smile which made him pout. Jina was also examining the card alongside her aunt while Yumi, too, was eager to use it.


    "This is a ck credit card!" Jina said in awe. "You can buy anything with it! I''ve seen Jaewan oppa use it!"


    "Jina, tell your aunt to buy me the limited edition CD of Jaewan oppa''s first album!" Yumi begged.


    "Who the hell uses CD''s nowadays?" Jina frowned.


    Kanji and Mina stared at her. She was talking to the invisible ghosts again. While Kanji was scared of them, Mina was curious.


    "Jina, what''s the brat saying?" Mina asked. She knew that there was a teenage ghost among them and she even suspected that the girl sometimes broke into her closet to check out her dresses.


    "Who is she calling a brat!" Yumi protested. "First she takes advantage of Kanji oppa''s kindness and now she''s calling me a brat?"


    "Aunt always talks like that!" Jina said, trying to pacify the ghost but Mina''s anger was also ring.


    "Is the brat trying to insult me?" Mina eximed.


    "No aunt-"


    "Yes I am!" Yumi bellowed. "Stop bankrupting my Kanji oppa!"


    "What the hell is the ghost saying?"


    Even though Mina could not see nor hear the ghost, she was still arguing with the teenager as if she knew where thetter was. Yumi was also cursing back at Mina, both of them driving the little kid crazy.


    Kanji could only watch the strange scenario in front of him while Casper shook his head in dismay. It astounded them that the spirit seer in the Hwang family was the sane one out of all of them. With a money loving father, ferociously strong mother and shopaholic aunt, it was a miracle that Jina turned out to be the only normal one.


    Mina scowled and sat back. "Another round!" she dered. "And this time, we''ll put our gold credit cards on stake!"


    "I''d love to but it''s past Jina''s bedtime," Kanji said tly. "Look at the time! We''ve been ying for hours!"


    Mina nced at the clock and to her shock, it was almost midnight.


    "Oh no!" she eximed. "I was supposed to put Jina to bed hours ago!"


    "I''m fine!" Jina insisted. "Can we see one more round? This time I wanna bet too!"


    "Er"


    Mina and Kanji looked at each other. If Minho and Gayoon found out that they were gambling in front of Jina, both of them would be yed alive. They were so immersed in their game that they forgot that it was not an appropriate thing for a child to watch.


    "Jina," Mina began. "You shouldn''t be ying this at your age. It''s not a good thing to y."


    "But you two yed it," Jina frowned. "And even lied to win. Come to think of it, isn''t that cheating? Did you cheat to win this card game?"


    Uh oh, Kanji thought. Mina but her lip and nced at him before turning back to Jina.


    "I will buy you anything you want if you don''t tell your parents that we were ying cards in front of you," she swore.


    "If your parents find out, they''ll kill us!" Kanji begged. "Uncle Kanji will also buy you anything you want if you just keep your mouth shut."


    Jina contemted the offer. Yumi leaned towards her ear and whispered, "Ahn Jaewan is having a fan event tomorrow at T-Town Square. Tell them to take you there."


    "That''s a good idea!" Jina eximed. She turned to the culprits and said, "Take me to Ahn Jaewan''s fan event tomorrow. And I want two autographs!"


    "Done!" Mina said. "Both of us will take you there tomorrow!"


    Jina and Yumi were excited while Casper merely nodded. They were going to meet their Jaewan oppa!


    "Now off to bed!" Mina said.


    "Okay!" Jina said and scurried off towards her room upstairs with the ghosts in tow. Mina sighed and began to pack up the cards back into the deck. Kanji silently watched her clear up the area. She put the deck away before finally slumping on the couch next to him.


    "You still can''t win against me in cards!" Mina giggled.


    "Maybe I just let you win," he shrugged. She yfully pinched him.


    "Git!" she snickered. "You know I''d hate it if you do that."


    Kanji shook his head. "You know me too well," he sighed. "By the way"


    He turned to face her, curious about something. "What did you mean earlier when you said that you don''t use your other boyfriend''s cards because they''re ''not me''."


    Mina gave him a strange look before replying, "They''re not the pushover that you are."


    Kanji frowned at her words. Her yful tone had turned a little hard and before he could say anything more, she got to her feet.


    "I should go to bed as well," she said. "I had a long surgery today."


    With that, she hurried to her room, leaving a very confused Kanji behind. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it, looking down.


    "Stupid Kanji!" she said softly. "I never had any boyfriends. It was always you! And yet, you won''t tell me what I really want to hear."


    Despite his yful ims that he would marry her someday, the silly guy never worked on those feelings. She had been waiting for ages for him to ask her out but the guy kept on trodding around the subject while flirting with other girls. Was she merely a childhood friend whom he only loved to tease and nothing more? Did his words mean anything at all?


    She stared at the credit card in her hand. Her shopping sprees were mere excuses to spend time with the idiot who was always busy chasing other girls. Even that day at the hospital, her blood boiled when she saw him with that nurse, she could not help but feel jealous. He would go around iming to everyone that Mina was his girlfriend and yet, never bothered to ask her out!


    Was he an idiot?


    "Tch! Stupid Kanji!" she cursed again. "Just confess to me already!"


    She slumped on to her bed, clutching the pillow to her chest. Sleep evaded her as she half hoped that he would knock on her door and tell her something but he did not.


    Meanwhile, downstairs in the guest room, Kanji was talking on the phone.


    "Are you sure it''s him?" he asked in a low voice. Unlike his usually cheery tone, he was hardened and emotionless as he spoke.


    "I''m sure boss," the voice of his subordinate came from the other end. "Shin Jaewoo was the one who sold us out to the Lin family. They found out about our interference in the stock market and acted before we could buy those shares."


    Kanji was silent for a while before saying, "Kill him. He betrayed us and needs to be punished."


    He paused before adding, "Don''t hurt his family. Make sure he''s killed somewhere far away from them. I don''t want a little girl to end up witnessing her father''s death."


    "Understood boss," his subordinate replied. "Will do."


    Kanji hung up the phone andy on his bed, struggling with his own thoughts. He knew very well that Mina was expecting him to go to her and formally confess his feelings for her. His heart was screaming at him to go and confess to her at that moment but he was intentionally holding himself back. It pained him, but it was a necessary choice.


    Beneath his happy demeanor, hid many secrets which even Mina did not know about. There was another side to him which he hid from the world. His hands were stained by blood as he handled the dirty world of the mafia alongside his father.


    Their businesses may be legal but those were merely a cover. The Jang family had tremendous influence in the underworld. His family had been running the mafia activities for years, even murdering rival gang members for their gain. Kanji himself did not hesitate to take down the opposing factions, a fact which only Minho knew about. Mina was still unaware of his facade and despite his flirtations, he did not want her to get involved in his dark world. He could never do that to her.


    "Guess we''ll not have any happy ending," he sadly mused.

 Chapter 189: His Profit

    Chapter 189: His Profit


    The sunlight peered in through the transparent window of the tent, hitting Minho''s eyes. He slowly opened them. It took him a while to remember where he was and he found Gayoon cocooned in his arms, fast asleep.


    She looked so tiny in her sleep that it felt as if he could carry her with one hand. Groaning in her sleep, she tried to move but her movements were restricted by his strong arms so she merely nudged. He could not help but gaze at her and cursed himself for the thousandth time for being irrationally angry at her for the past month.


    He gently let go of her and ced her properly on the pillow. She stirred but still did not wake up. Minho picked up his phone and quietly went out of the tent. Kanji had texted him sometime during the night to call him back. Minho dialed his number.


    "Hi hi!" Kanji''s cheery voice came out from the phone. "Did you get some action donest night?"


    "You''re unusually cheerful so early in the morning," Minho yawned.


    "Haven''t slept all night!" Kanji replied. Despite his cheeriness, Minho could read the slight sting in his voice and sighed.


    "Did you fight with Mina again?" he asked.


    "On the contrary, we had a lovely evening where I lost five of my credit cards to her in a game of cards!"


    Why does he even bother to y cards? Minho wondered.


    "Why did you ask me to call you?" he asked. Kanji suddenly turned serious.


    "I dug up a lot more on this Park Seungjo," he said. "After you''ve told me what Gayoon said to you, I made a few inquiries."


    "My men went to talk to his mother," he went on. "ording to her, Seungjo was killed by a few bullies who were probably smoking weed on the roof. Some guy named Yoo was the one who pushed him down the roof after Seungjo caught them."


    "And?" Minho asked.


    "But here''s the thing," Kanji said. "In the CCTV camera, it was shown that Seungjo did climb up the stairs but he was not heading for the roof. Instead, the CCTV footage stopped when he was on the fifth floor. Someone tampered with it. So, there is no guarantee that he fell from the roof. Moreover, when he died, the police found a button in his hands. The button was a patterned one which means that it did not belong to a boy but to a girl."


    Girl?


    Minho stared at Gayoon''s sleepy figure. Was it


    He shook the thought off his mind. No, it was not her. Could it be Minjung? What was the truth?


    "What else did you find out?" he pressed.


    "Soon after Seungjo''s death, a rumor spread," Kanji stated. "The people who used to bully him, began to get into serious idents one by one. Their gang leader, Jung Yoo, was arrested for a hit and run. After he was caught, he imed that he had no recollection of the event but his fingerprints were all over the wheel. The funny thing is that Jung Yoo didn''t know how to drive. They didn''t find any traces of alcohol in him either but they found marijuana which was enough for the prosecutors to prove that he was guilty."


    "His other friends, Park Seohyun and Shin Woohyun, ended up falling from the roof and both of them were paralyzed," he went on. "Seohyun partly recovered but is bound to the wheelchair while Woohyun is in a lifetimea."


    "What happened to Minjung?" Minho asked. After hearing about that girl''s tale, he could not help but wonder if she had something to do with Seungjo''s death.


    "Shim Minjung just disappeared," Kanji said. "Her parents had tried to look for her but she was never found. It was shortly after Gayoon''s eighteenth birthday. She wasst seen heading for school but she never returned home. The police looked for her but never found Minjung."


    Disappeared? How? Did Seungjo harm her as well? Minho was trying to piece what could have happened but asking Gayoon could take a toll on her. After all, thest time she tried to tell her story, she was shaking so badly that he had to stop her from revealing more. He did not want to snoop in her matter behind her back anymore.


    "I think Gayoon should be the one to tell us what happens next," he decided. "Stop the investigation from your end."


    "Are you sure?" Kanji frowned. "We''re really close to the truth!"


    "No," Minho said firmly. "Stop the investigation. Let Gayoon take her time and tell us the truth herself. I owe her this much."


    He could hear Kanji sighing on the other end. Kanji knew very well that once Minho made up his mind, it would be impossible to change it.


    "Alright," he said. "I''ll hand over the files to you by today."


    Minho hung up the phone and turned around. Gayoon was still asleep, lost in her own dreams. She was frowning in her sleep before turning around toy on her stomach. Minho was trying not tough at her antics and instead, quietly backed away to freshen up at a restroom which was nearby.


    After a while, Gayoon fluttered her eyes open. She sleepily looked around. Minho was nowhere in sight and she sat up, yawning.


    "Where is he?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes and getting out of the tent. The air was still warm thanks to the steam and she looked around, seeing the ce properly in the daylight. The forest was foggy by the steam and she marveled at the tranquility. It was so quiet and calm that it soothed her. She felt a lot more rxed and sat down on the ground, crossing her legs to enjoy thezy morning. There was a shuffling of footsteps and she turned around to see Minho heading her way.


    "Where were you?" she asked.


    "At the washroom," he shrugged.


    "Washroom? There''s a washroom here?" she frowned.


    "Of course there is!" he said. "It''s a manmade campsite. We have washrooms and even a small cafe in the middle of the forest."


    So he wasn''t changing his clothes out in open, Gayoon realized and again blushed at the thought of him being naked.


    "What are you thinking?" Minho asked shrewdly.


    "Nothing!" she said at once, still red in the face. "I''ll go and freshen up!"


    She scurried on her feet, grabbed her toothbrush from her bag and charged off, leaving a very confused Minho behind. Thetter shrugged and proceeded to make some tea.


    By the time Gayoon was back, there were two cups of freshly brewed tea and a couple of rice cakes ready for her. Minho hadid out a nket for them, sitting on it as he put the cakes on the tes.


    "Did you make those?" she asked, eyeing them apprehensively.


    "As if!" Minho scoffed. "I got our caterer to make these for us. She packed them in aluminium foil to keep the food fresh overnight."


    "Good," Gayoon said in relief. Minho slightly scowled but she did not care and dug into the food. They did not speak for a while but simply enjoyed each other''s presence. Gayoon could not help but peek at him asionally, wondering how to thank him forst night. Minho caught her ncing his way a few times but she quickly looked away, blushing hard.


    There was a small spot of sauce on one corner of his lips which he had not noticed. Gayoon struggled with herself before taking a deep breath.


    "Hwang Minho!" she spoke up. Minho gave her a quizzical look as she slowly inched closer.


    "What are you doing?" he asked in surprise.


    "Just stay like that for a minute!" she ordered, feeling bbergasted. Her face waspletely red and she looked as if she was debating with something in her mind. She held his shoulders with her hands and before Minho could say anything more, she sat on hisp, facing him.


    Minho waspletely still but his head was running a thousand thoughts. She was sitting on his sensitive area which was beginning to get worked up. Gayoon threw her hands around his neck, leaning closer to him.


    "What are you doing?" he whispered. Her face was too close and he knew that she was about to kiss him.


    She did not reply but instead, leaned closer and to his surprise, licked the corner of his lips.


    "Just a little thank you forst night," she whispered back. "It was an amazing date."


    "Was?" Minho echoed. "So it''s over?"


    Gayoon shyly nodded. Suddenly, Minho held her waist tightly and pulled her even closer.


    "Good," he said before crashing his lips onto hers. Gayoon did not protest and was immersed into the kiss. His tongue pried into her mouth, meshing with hers. Their hearts were pounding erratically and they deepened their liplock. Her fingers clutched his hair, his scent intoxicating her. Their month long separation made their longing for each other stronger as they tried to take their fill of the passion they felt.


    In her fervor, Gayoon''s finger moved to his shirt but that brought Minho to his senses and he broke the kiss. She was confused for a moment by his action but he looked at her intensely.


    "Not here," he said in a hoarse tone. "Not now. And not like this."


    Gayoon blinked at him in confusion. Did he not want her?


    As if reading her mind, he replied, "I still have three more days of punishment left."


    "Eh?" Gayoonpletely forgot about their deal!


    "Oh yeah!" she groaned. "The punishments!"


    Was it even necessary anymore? She wondered. It seemed like that deal was punishing her more than him!


    Minho chuckled and gave her a short peck on the lips. It was taking him all his willpower to not break their deal right then and take her back into the tent. But a deal was a deal.


    "Three days, three punishment," he promised her. "After that, I''ll make sure to get my reward."


    "If you canplete them that is," Gayoon challenged him.


    "If you''re the profit," he said, holding her close to him. "I''m ready to spend every penny on your punishments."

 Chapter 190: Credit Card

    Chapter 190: Credit Card


    The fans were crowding in front of the mini stage where Ahn Jaewan was supposed to hold his monthly fan meeting. They were eager to see him and the girls in particr were screaming at the top of their lungs. The meeting was being held right outside the studio where Jaewan was shooting for histest drama and the fans were ecstatic to see him.


    "Where is oppa?" one girl wondered. "The show is about to start!"


    "He''s probably very tired," another girl guessed. "After all, he was shooting until 3 AMst night!"


    "Or he might possibly be cleaning a dirty room," another fan snickered. His obsession with cleanliness was known among the fandom and for some reason, it made him even more endearing to the women. They loved a man who cleaned well.


    Jina clutched onto her aunt''s hand while standing on her toes to try and sneak a peek of Jaewan.


    "He''s not here yet!" Jina moaned. "When is heing?"


    "He''ll be here," Mina assured her. Kanji and Mina brought the little girl to the fan meeting just like they had promised but as soon as they arrived, Kanji headed off elsewhere citing that he had to meet a client in the area. Mina tried to protest but he scurried off.


    Where is he? She wondered. Afterst night, she thought that he would stay with them throughout the outing but to her disappointment, he only handed her the credit cards and left them.


    "I''ll be nearby," he told her. "I''ll just go and have a quick chat with the client. Stay here!"


    Before Mina could protest, he ran off, leaving her with Jina. His stupidity sometimes annoyed her, making her want to rip his hair out and demand to know what he really felt about her.


    I''m gonna make him go bankrupt! She swore. Sometimes the guy really frustrated her. He would proim his love for her and then go on to say the same thing to ten different women, confusing her even more.


    "Aunt!" Jina shook her hand. "Look! It''s him!"


    The whole audience erupted in cheers when Jaewan came on stage and blew a kiss to them.


    "Oppa!" Jina eximed, feeling breathless. He was so handsome that she could stare at his pretty face all day. "He''s so beautiful!" she added.


    "That he is," Mina admitted, nodding in appreciation. If Minho''s words were correct, this guy had a crush on Gayoon which only made the whole situation funnier somehow. After all, the nation''s heartthrob was in love with a detective who was dating the country''s most influential man. It was like a drama springing into real life!


    Jaewan was smiling widely when his sharp eyes fell on a familiar face who was looking at him in excitement.


    "Thank you everyone foring to this fan meeting!" he announced and the whole crowd went crazy. "Sorry for beingte. My assistant forgot to tell the cleaning staff to use my special forms for cleaning my desk so I had to polish it all over again."


    There was a burst ofughter from the audience. After being his fans for so many years, they were not surprised at his actions. It was typical of him to be so self conscious about cleaning everything and somehow, they epted it. From the backstage, Woobin shook his head in dismay.


    It''s a good thing he''s pretty, he sighed inwardly. Otherwise people would have thrown him into the ocean years ago.


    "And I see a familiar face!" Jaewan announced. Jina was pleasantly surprised when he pointed at her.


    "My new friend," Jaewan said with a smile. He might not be fond of children but anyone with Gayoon''s genes held plus points in his eyes. If he could impress the kid, he might be able to make a ce for himself in Gayoon''s heart. Someday.


    "Jina, why don''t you join us today?" Jaewan asked. The fans turned around to see the adorable little girl beaming in excitement. They ''aww''ed upon seeing her and some even encouraged her to go and join Jaewan.


    "Oppa remembered me!" Jina squealed.


    "You wanna go on stage?" Mina asked. The little girl nodded and Mina slowly led her through the crowd towards Jaewan


    "And who is this?" Jaewan asked, indicating at Mina.


    "I''m her mother''s friend," Mina replied. She did not want to mention that she was rted to Minho in case Jaewan refused to give her an autographter on. Instead, she quietly backed off and let Jina take the spotlight with her beloved idol.


    Jina happily ran forward and hugged Jaewan''s waist which made the audience only squealed more at the cuteness. Jaewan hesitated a little at being touched but he took a pikachu hat and put in on her head. The little girl shed a cute smile at everyone and instantly, the videos of the two went viral.


    That kid will make a good idol someday, Mina mused as the audience showered all the love on her niece. She stood at the backstage with the other staff, who were also watching the event. Jaewan and Jina got busy with the show where fans were lining up to get autographs while Jian sat next to him and watched it all. Some fans even took selfies with both of them which were being circted throughout the inte and many positivements wereing in.


    Mina was watching it all with a smile on her face when her phone rang up. It was a call from the hospital. There was too much noise around her it would be impossible to hear.


    "Umm...excuse me," she said to one of the staff. "Can you please keep an eye on my niece while I attend this phone call?"


    "Sure," the staff member replied. Mina thanked her and headed further away from themotion.


    "Hello, Dr. Shin," she answered. She had wandered off to a more secluded part of the set which had no people in sight. It looked like the set for a period drama since there was arge set resembling a pce and a throne was put in the middle of the room. Mina''s concentration was on what Dr. Shin was saying on the phone, oblivious to anything else.


    Dr. Shin was saying something on the other line to which Mina stated, "So the reports concluded that the patient''s cancer had spread to the heart? This could beplicated."


    "It is," Dr. Shin sighed. "However, the cancer is still treatable if the affected areas in the heart could be removed. It did not infect the whole heart yet, so maybe there is some hope."


    "But a chemotherapy after doing a heart surgery would be deadlier for the patient," Mina said. "I''ll have to take a look at the reports closely. I can''t make any conclusive decisions without consulting with the Head of the Cardiology department."


    "Very well," Dr. Shin said. "I''ll hand you the reports tomorrow and you can make the decision."


    Mina nodded and bid him goodbye before hanging up the phone. She was about to leave when she heard someone giggling followed by a familiar voice. Frowning, she followed the noise only to find Kanji standing a few feet away from where she stood.


    To her horror, his hands were around the waist of a petite blonde who was giggling at him.


    "I shouldn''t be doing this," she said a little nervously. "If my boyfriend finds out, I''ll be killed."


    "Are you that afraid of him?" Kanji asked, toying with a strand of her hair. He smirked at her, giving her a yful gaze.


    "You don''t know my boyfriend," the blonde woman sighed. "He''s mad and dangerous."


    "Why?" Kanji asked. "Why are you so afraid of him?"


    The woman lowered her voice and leaned closer to whisper something in his ears.


    "Pfft!" Kanji scoffed. "Those things don''t bother me. After all, I am the second richest man in this country. Who else can protest you better than me?"


    "You seem very confident," the woman said in a sultry tone, biting her lip in a suggestive manner. She was eyeing him as if he was a fresh prey but Kanji looked like the predator in the situation. He was carefully observing her movements, interested to know what she was going to do. Her leg was rubbing against his thigh, trying to seduce him.


    Mina watched them in that intimate position, her heart being cruelly wrenched. She quietly backed off, unable to bear the sight anymore.


    He never promised me anything, she told herself. They were not even together and he did not confess to her.


    "He can do whatever the hell he wants," she said to herself. She was right. He had the liberty to date or sleep around with whoever he wanted. It was his life and she was nothing more than a childhood friend who was after his credit cards. That was all.


    Then why was she crying? Why would the tears not stop?


    "Don''t cry Mina," she reminded herself, trying not to break down. But the stupid tears would not stop flowing. What was wrong with her? How did she fall in love with that man?


    Back at the secluded set, the woman tried toe closer to Kanji but he backed off with a smirk.


    "I thought you wanted more," the blonde woman pouted.


    "All in due time," Kanji promised. "This isn''t the right ce for our first time. I want to shower you with so much more, Talia."


    The woman named Talia smiled at his ttery. "Where and when?" she demanded.


    "Tonight," he said. "At my private mansion. I''ll send you the address."


    "I''ll be waiting," she winked. She rubbed his lips with her thumb before walking away. Kanji watched her leave and as soon as she was out of sight, he picked up the phone to call his subordinate, Seo Hyunjoo.


    "Is everything ready?" Kanji asked, his voice uncharacteristically cold and calctive.


    "Yes sir," Hyunjoo said from the other side. "I''ll leak the news about Talia''s rendezvous with another man to her boyfriend and once he reaches the mansion, we can capture him."


    "Good," Kanji stated. "Everything must go ording to our ns."


    "Understood, boss," Hyunjoo said and hung up the phone. Kanji put his phone back into his pocket, carefully calcting his move. They had been chasing Do Byunhyun for months. He was a notorious gangster who was working for their rival family, the Lin''s, and had even killed one of their trusted aides.


    Talia, Byunhyun''s girlfriend, was their only link to the guy and if they could trap her, they could easily get to Byunhyun. Kanji was pretending to romance her so that they could capture Byunhyun and punish him for what he did.


    Kanji was about to leave the set when something caught his eye on his way to the exit. Frowning, he picked it up and to his surprise, it was one of the credit cards he had handed to Mina.


    "Oh no," he muttered.

 Chapter 191: Outwitted by a Kid

    Chapter 191: Outwitted by a Kid


    The fans who gathered around the stage not only wanted to take pictures with Jaewan but Jina also turned out to be an instant hit with them. Herrge puppy dog eyesbined with her brash cuteness was making the fans squeal and many were even taking photos with her.


    "You''re a hit kid!" Jaewan remarked. "They''re more interested in you than in me!"


    "I''m a kid, "Jina stated. "I get by with my cute looks."


    Just then a middle aged man approached the stage in a formal suit and hat. Jina immediately recognized the guy as the owner of a famous agency.


    "Kim Seungyeom?" Jaewan frowned. Kim Seungyeom was the CEO of B-Entertainment which was known for housing many famous idols and actors. He was known to recruit only the best of the best celebrities and also had a knack for spotting future stars. The man tried to recruit Jaewan many times but the guy refused, citing that their cafeteria used cheap spray cleaners to wipe their windows.


    "Ahn Jaewan!" Seungyeom roared. "It is so good to see you here!"


    He went over to hug Jaewan who squirmed. He could not outright refuse the CEO of a famouspany in front of so many people so he had to endure the hug. Making a point to go and jump in his fully disinfected pool back hometer on, he asked aloud, "What brings you here?"


    "I was here to try and convince you to change your mind but who knew I''d run into a future star here?" Seungyeomughed and to everyone''s surprise, he bent over to talk to Jina.


    "This girl would make a big star someday," he said. Jina frowned when he held her cheeks and examined her face, making her feel very ufortable. "She has the looks too," he added.


    "Mister, do you touch every kid like this?" she mumbled in annoyance when the man was not letting go of her. "Someone should call the cops on you."


    Jaewan snickered while Seungyeom, too,ughed. "Ahh a cheeky one too!" he eximed heartily, letting go of Jina. "Kid, would you like to join the entertainment industry-"


    "No," Jina said tly.


    Seungyeom blinked. Which kid did not want to join the entertainment industry and be around celebrities?


    "Why don''t you think-"


    "No."


    "You''ll get to meet celebrities-"


    "I meet them a lot on a daily basis," Jina shrugged. "I even have Choi Kanna on my social media list."


    Who is this girl? Seungyeom wondered while Jaewan could onlyugh, inwardly wishing luck to the man who was trying to recruit Jeon Gayoon''s daughter into the entertainment industry. He had seen Gayoon refusing many such offers whenever she stopped by at his studio when they were teens. She called it a waste of time and that she could not starve herself to fit into an unhealthy notion of body image.


    "But why?" Seungyeom asked. "You''d get to perform on stage, earn money and-"


    "I don''t wanna starve myself and fit into an unhealthy body image," Jina said in an angry tone.


    Jeon Gaayoon''s daughter through and through.


    "Besides, I''m dedicated to something else," Jina dered.


    "And what''s that?"


    "My country and to my oppa," Jina simply said. Seungyeom could only gape at her while Jaewan was about to burst out inughter. Some of the fans who were also there, could not help but chuckle at the old man who was dumbfounded by the little girl''s straight forward attitude.


    "Give it up, Seungyeom," Jaewan advised. "This little girl is too much for you to handle."


    Seungyeom only nodded and got up on his feet. "I''ll wait for you at your makeup room," he said to Jaewan.


    "Why don''t we just meet at your office after my shooting is over?" Jaewann suggested. The man looked very pitiful after being exposed to the raging machine named Jina and probably needed to be kept away from her for a while.


    "O-okay," Seunyeom agreed. He was turning away to leave.


    "Bye mister!" Jina waved at him. Seungyeom could only nod in acknowledgement after being outsmarted by a kid. Even Jaewan could not help but pity the old man while Jina happily slurped on the juice she was given by Jaewan''s staff, unaware that she just outwitted a fully grown man.


    "Kid, be my PR manager," Jaewan joked.


    "Sure, but I won''t charge a penny less than two million per day," Jina replied. "These looks don''te for free ya know!"


    Jaewan could only shake his head in amusement and he resumed signing photos for the fans.


    ...


    By the time they were done signing photos, it was already afternoon. Jaewan led Jina to his dressing room where his staff and Mina were waiting.


    "Aunt!" Jina happily leapt to her aunt''s arms. Mina carried her up and smiled.


    "Did you have fun?" she asked.


    "Yeah, loads!"


    Mina turned to Jaewan, who was sitting on a chair while Woobin handed him a cup of coffee. "Sorry if she bothered you up there," Mina added.


    "She was fine," Jaewan said, putting on a pair of gloves before taking the coffee from Woobin''s hand. He motioned his staff to leave the room while he talked with Mina. They obeyed and left the three of them alone.


    "When she called you aunt" Jaewan began. "Are you two rted?"


    "Ahh, yes," Mina admitted.


    "She''s my aunt!" Jina said. "My dad''s sister."


    Jaewan leaned back against his chair, noting the slight resemnce. "Are you a money lover like him as well?"


    "A credit card lover," Mina corrected him. "And also into bargain shopping."


    "So you''re probably involved in fashion," Jaewan guessed. "Can I call you by your name...Miss"


    "Mina," Mina replied. "Hwang Mina."


    "She''s a doctor," Jina informed him. Jaewan was surprised by that but then again, the Hwang''s were a crazy family in his eyes.


    "Where are her parents?" Jaewan asked suspiciously. "Why aren''t they here?"


    Mina peered at him. If she was not wrong, this guy was also into Gayoon. A wicked smile etched on her lips.


    "They''re out on an overnight trip," she said. "They should be back home by now to rest."


    Jaewan''s face turned into all shades of green at that news. Mina could see that he was trying to control himself. Jaewan felt like there was a dirty spot in front of him which he was unable to clean no matter how many times he wiped it.


    "Are you okay?" Jina asked, feeling concerned for her beloved idol.


    "I''m...fine," he gritted. There was little he could do since Gayoon already had a child with that money lover and she never liked Jaewan more than a friend. But the thought of them being together was driving his heart insane.


    It''s time for me to be more proactive, he decided. Then an idea came into his head.


    "Can you tell Gayoon that our high school reunion is in three days?" he requested. "I think they sent her an e-invitation in her mail."


    "High school reunion?" Mina echoed.


    "Yeah," he shrugged. "I figured that she will feel better after seeing some old friends."


    "What friends?" Mina frowned. "Didn''t the people at her schoolbel her as a curse and turned her life into hell?"


    "There were still some teachers who liked her," Jaewan pointed out. "Professors who would be delighted to see her there. Besides, I''m sure she would be d to see that the people who used to torment her turned out to be nothing more than losers in their lives. Maybe she can have augh at them."


    Mina very much doubted Gayoon would have augh over that but she simply shrugged and said, "Alright. I''ll pass the message."


    "Oppa, will you be there as well?" Jina asked.


    "Of course! I''m the guest of honor!"


    "I wanna go as well!" Jina insisted.


    "Ask your parents," Mina said sharply. Just then, there was a knock on the door. To Mina''s surprise, it was Kanji.


    "Can we talk?" he asked. "Alone?"


    "Jaewan, can you look after Jina for a while?" Mina asked, her eyes not moving from Kanji. "I gotta talk to my friend here."


    "Sure," Jaewan agreed, confused by the looks Mina and the other guy were sharing. Mina followed Kanji out of the room. For some reason, he looked very serious.


    He stopped at a corridor where there were no people around.


    "What do you want?" Mina asked. "I''m busy discussing bargain shopping with Ahn Jaewan!"


    Kanji held up the credit card she had dropped at the set. Mina simply stared at it with a poker face.


    "Were you at the ptial set a while ago?" he asked.


    "Probably," she shrugged. "I was talking to a doctor from the hospital so I might have dropped it somewhere."


    "Did you see anything else?" he asked, hoping that she did not overhear him.


    Mina feigned to think for a while before replying, "Other than you feeling up that blondie? Nope. Not a thing."


    Kanji sighed. How was he going to exin to her about his real work? She was a doctor who saved lives while he was a mafia who took the lives she saved. He had to y along and goad her misconceptions more so that she would not get involved in his darkness.


    "Aww are you jealous, hun?" he teased her, faking a smile. "Don''t worry. You''re still my number one girl!"


    "Yeah," Mina said. "It''s not like you and I are together. Besides, I''m more into our credit cards."


    She snatched his card from his hand and added, "Now if you''d excuse me, I''m off to shop more!" she announced, turning her back on him.


    Kanji watched her leave, relieved that she thought of him as nothing more than a teasing friend. His heart might ache seeing her slipping away from him but it was for the best. Nothing good wille out of this rtionship and she would only be put in even more danger. She had already suffered enough in the hands of CCK and she should not be in more pain because of him.


    Even if his own heart ended up being ripped to shreds.

 Chapter 192: Punishment Time

    Chapter 192: Punishment Time


    By the time Jina and Mina arrived home, Gayoon and Minho were already there, waiting for them. They were at the patio, having the snacks which Ms. Kim brought for them. As soon as she entered the premises, Jina happily ran into the arms of her mother while Minho noted that Mina looked a little lost.


    "Mom, I met Ahn Jaewan again!" Jina eximed. The mention of Ahn Jaewan made Minho''s mood go sour.


    "Why?" he scowled. "Isn''t it bad enough that he''s on my television screen 24x7? Now you gotta see him offscreen too?"


    "He''s my friend," Gayoon said sharply. "And you promised that you won''t be jealous of him anymore."


    Minho grumbled and sat back, silently nning ways to throw mud at the neat freak the next time they came face to face.


    "I also signed autographs for people," Jina sighed.


    "Autographs?" Gayoon frowned, looking at Mina who sat next to her.


    "Your daughter turned into an overnight sensation after Ahn Jaewan spotted her and invited her to the stage," Mina snickered. "You should''ve seen her with the crowd. They went nuts!"


    "A weirdo even tried to scout me," Jina added. "I said no. Not gonna give up my food for fame!"


    "You guys seemed to have a lot of fun," Gayoon noted. "I can''t believe I missed it! I could''ve met Jaewan oppa again!"


    "Haven''t you seen him enough for a week?" Minho sneered. "Why do you have to see him again?"


    "Because he''s a friend and I want to meet him!" Gayoon insisted.


    "Yeah, well he''ll be busy cleaning his toilets and also the neighbors'' ones!" Minho imed. "The bloody neat freak is preupied with his extracurricr activities."


    "He just likes to be clean," Gayoon stated. "That''s not abad thing. I''m sure a little neatness won''t harm anybody!"


    "That''s riching from someone who stuffed her closet with junk," Minho muttered under his breath.


    "What was that?"


    "Nothing!"


    Mina was tired of their bickering while Jina only looked from her mother to her father, wondering whom to side with. Finally, both of them decided that enough was enough.


    "I''m going to take a shower," Mina announced. "Then I''ll have to go to the hospital for a night shift."


    She paused before adding to Gayoon, "Ahn Jaewan passed a message for you. Your old high school is having a reunion and you''ve been sent an e-card. Check your email."


    "And I have to read my fanmails," Jina said, hopping off her mother''sp to follow her aunt back into the house. Both of them were d to be out of the lovebirds'' childish bickering. Gayoon red at Minho who was still sulking like a kid.


    "Why are you so jealous of him?" Gayoon asked warily. "He''s just a friend."


    "He wants to be more than a friend," Minho gritted. "Men can be very persistent when pursuing someone and I can tell that he still has feelings for you."


    Gayoon shook her head, slightly amused and also annoyed by his words.


    "You can let go of your petty jealousy because I have no such feelings for him," she assured him. "He''s just a friend!"


    "Obviously," he said in a matter-of-fact way. "But you don''t know men. They only have one thing in mind."


    "As if you don''t have that thing on your mind!" Gayoon scoffed. Afterst night''s date and seeing how he went out of his way to find those loopholes in her rules, she had no doubt that Hwang Minho was not merely a money lover but also had an extremely shameless side to him.


    Strangely, he reminded her of Junho. She could not help but find simrities between the two men and wondered what would happen if they ever came face to face.


    Even ghosts would be too scared to see a showdown between these men, she thought warily.


    "I''m a different case!" Minho imed.


    "How so?"


    "Firstly," he said, holding up a finger. "I have quite a few things on my mind. Jina, you...that thing and you and money."


    Gayoon was astounded by his brash confession and could only gape at him. Did this man have no shame or was he just oblivious to what he was saying?


    "Secondly," he went on. "We''re dating so it''s fine for me to have those thoughts but if any other man has them then they''ll have to face my-"


    "STOP IT!" Gayoon yelped, covering his mouth with her palms. He was still muffling his nonsense but she was too embarrassed to hear any more of it. Her heart was beating so fast that she was afraid that she would get a heart attack.


    "How can you say...how the hell can you talk about all these things so freely?" she demanded, blushing furiously.


    "I read it all in the magazine Kanji lent to me," Minho replied. "He told me that it has everything I need to know about women. Apparently, women like it when men are honest with them. It''s the first thing that was written in that article!"


    He said that in such a serious manner that it was almostical. But Gayoon felt like digging a grave and burying herself in it. The man read it all in a magazine! That too lent by Kanji of all people?


    "I''m outta here!" she dered, jumping off the bench and scurrying back inside while Minho tailed her.


    "The magazine also stated that girls like it when their boyfriends fondle them-"


    "STOP IT!"


    Gayoon tried to run back inside the house but Minho grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Her heart was thumping loudly and before she could react, he softly pressed his lips against hers. It was a short peck but his gesture was making butterflies flutter in her stomach and her cheeks heated up. She lost count of how many times he made her knees weak and admittedly, she was liking whatever he made her feel.


    "Did you learn this from a magazine too?" she pouted. All those shameless flirtations was from a dumb magazine? Who the hell wrote that crap?


    Minho winked and gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. Gayoon could not help but feel the goosebumps on her body when he slightly brushed his finger against her skin. She bit her lip, unconsciously expecting him to kiss her again and when he began to lean closer, she shut her eyes, anticipating the warmth of his lips.


    Minho smirked and kissed her cheek instead. Gayoon opened her eyes, too shy to face him. She turned around and ran off, leaving him to smile at her antics.


    Unbeknownst to Gayoon, Minho had thrown away the magazine Kanji had lent him and he had uncharacteristically swallowed up his pride for her sake. He was about to head in when Gayoon returned again, this time red up like an angry kitten.


    Minho''s smile faltered when he saw what she was holding in her hands.


    "No way!" he said. Gayoon shed an evil smirk and held out the bunny costume.


    "Punishment time," she dered.

 Chapter 193: Bunny CEO

    Chapter 193: Bunny CEO


    Jongin was at his desk, reading the files Minho had handed him the day before. He had stayed awake all night, cancelling a date with his new girlfriend to finish the work. Jongin cursed the money lover who dumped all his work on him. At this rate, he was going to die a bachelor!


    Will I ever get a girlfriend?" he wondered in dismay. Lia came up to him, staring at the insane workload Jongin was dealing with.


    "Tsk tsk," she remarked. "Does he pay you enough for all this?"


    "If he hadn''t, I''d have left this ce long ago," Jongin sighed. "But my love life is a mess because of that guy!"


    "The new one is leaving too huh?" Lia asked.


    "Probably," Jongin sighed. "If only someone could control that money lover! It''s not fair! Howe he gets to have a love life while we suffer?"


    "Well, fate can be strange," Liamented. "You''ll see that one day, the Vesudas will be forced to face his karma."


    "Well, I made ten million for him in a night so might cut me some ck today," Jonging said. "I hope."


    "You know what he''ll say," Lia said. She stood upright to mimic Minho. "Ten million? Pft! I can make over twenty million in a night!"


    Jongin scowled at her apt mimicry. That was exactly what Minho would say before dumping thousands of other work on him. The money lover really had no mercy when it came to business. Only his daughter Jina and recently, his girlfriend, the detective, could straighten him out.


    "Ugh! I wish a day came when we get to see the Vesudas suffer!" Jonginined. "Six years I''ve worked for him and he never had a single embarrassing moment!"


    "He''s very meticulous," Liamented. "You really think that he''s going to have an embarrassing moment? We both know very well that he insists on maintaining his image because it makes money for him."


    Jongin could only cry in despair and seeing his workload only made him cry more. Would a day evere when the money lover would end up in an excruciatingly embarrassing situation which would bring joy to their lives?


    Suddenly his phone buzzed. Jongin picked it from the desk to see that it was Driver Jang''s text.


    "Is the Vesudas here?" Lia asked.


    "Yeah, but there''s something else," Jongin said, frowning. He held up the phone for her to read the text.


    "Vesudas is here," she read out loud. "Whatever happens, don''tugh."


    "Don''tugh?" she echoed. "What does he mean?"


    But Jongin was as equally stupefied. Why would theyugh? Laughing at the Vesudas was akin to courting death.


    As if answering their questions, the door to the elevator opened. The employees, who were busy with their work, looked up to greet their boss but before any of them could say anything, their mouths hung open in shock.


    Stepping out of the elevator was Minho, wearing a full body bunny costume. The pink and fluffy costume also had a furry tail on the back along with long ears which were swaying in the air as Minho marched ahead. The employees stared in shock as their disgruntled and highly embarrassed boss walked through thene, trying to act normal but failing miserably.


    Lia and Jongin, who were talking inside their CEO''s room, turned around to greet him when they heard the door opening.


    "Good morning-" they both were about to greet but froze mid-sentence. Seeing their CEO dressed as a pink bunny mascot shocked them to their very core. Lia felt she was about to have a heart attack while Jongin began to recite all the prayers he knew. They tried their best not tough out loud but their lips were treading on dangerous territories, almost betraying them.


    "Where are the agreement for the vendors at H-mall?" Minho demanded, ignoring their suppressedughter.


    "Erthey''re heresir," Jongin somehow managed to say. It was taking him all his willpower to control hisughter but it was impossible. The CEO looked so embarrassed and even though he pretended that everything was normal, there was a red tint on his cheeks.


    Minho could feel the eyes on him and no matter how much he tried to brush them off, it was eating him alive. He had millions of meetings and investors to woo. Yet, Jeon Gayoon imposed her punishment on him by making him wear that ridiculous costume!


    "I''ll sign all of them," he said. "Also, send me the ns for the children''s corner we want tounch at H-mall. I want to see results! The previous ns they showed me are worthless. Where are the new ones?"


    "Sir, the ns are not ready," Jongin replied. He still could not get over the ridiculous outfit Minho was wearing and it was hard to keep a straight face.


    "The investors are waiting for our results!" Minho eximed. "Why aren''t the ns ready?"


    "Sir, we have a draft," Lia supplied. "But they still need your approval."


    Minho looked at them and to his disappointment, the n was still not up to the mark. They needed something more but his head was wrapped around the stupid bunny costume Gayoon made him wear.


    "We''ll have to visit the spot today," Jongin said, suppressing another snicker. "The investors want the ideas for the children''s theme park by today."


    It was hard to take the CEO seriously when he was wearing that thing. Instead of the volcanic yet enigmatic tycoon with a knack to make money, Hwang Minho looked like an angry kitty cat.


    "Can''t it be rescheduled?" Minho groaned.


    "No sir," Lia replied. "You''ll have to go there today."


    It was not entirely true though. They could have postponed the meeting but it was an opportunity too good to miss. After all, who would not want to see the infamous Vesudas roaming around the mall in a bunny costume? They might even rope in some kids tough at him.


    "Fine!" Minho grumbled. "We''ll go there."


    The stupid costume was making him feel irritated. He nced at the side mirror he kept on his desk and wanted to bury himself alive. If it was not for Gayoon''s punishment, he would have never agreed to wear this childish thing!


    Childish costume! Childish detective! Childish


    Suddenly an idea struck him. He nced at the mirror again, his headformting a n to make more money. Slowly, his lips curved into a smile as he eyed the two guinea pigs standing in front of him.


    He leaned forward with a serious look in his eyes. The prospect of meeting investors in that hideous costume was an outrageous idea but he had a backup n which would make the embarrassment bearable for him.


    "I think I have a n," he said. Lia and Jongin were rmed at the evil gleam which was shing through his eyes as he looked at them. A sinister smile was ying on his lips and they were dreading his next words.


    What was the money lover about to do?


    An hourter, the executives from Hwang Constructions entered H-mall with Minho leading them. The shoppers who were there could only gape at the strange group which had just entered. Jongin and Lia were highly embarrassed at their CEO''s activities and wanted to desperately get out of there while the other managers were also crying inwardly.


    The investors for the children''s theme park were waiting for them at the mall''s back-end office. As soon as the management from Hwang Constructions entered, the investors widened their eyes in shock.


    All of them were wearing costumes of different animals. Jongin was forced to wear a cheetah costume while Lia was dressed up as a field mouse. The other managers were wearing costumes of animals like bear, monkey, rat and chicken. Leading them was their bunny CEO.


    Minho smirked at the investors who openly stared at them .


    "Allow me to introduce our ideas for the children''s theme park at H-mall," he dered.

 Chapter 194: Bunny Who Made Money

    Chapter 194: Bunny Who Made Money


    The investors were shell shocked to see the man dressed up as a bunny, oozing confidence in that state. His subordinates tried to distance themselves from their crazy CEO but given that all of them were wearing ridiculous outfits, it was difficult to do so. The passersby stared at them openly, pointing andughing at the weird group.


    "Mom, look circus mascots!" One child squealed, pointing at the animal party.


    "We look like clowns!" Jonging mumbled in dismay.


    "Did you really think the Vesudas was going to let usugh at him allday?" Lia groaned. "Who knew that he would end up with this sort of crazy idea to divert the attention away from him!"


    "Why is he dressed like this?" Jongin wondered.


    As if answering his question again on that day, the doors to the mall slid open. Gayoon entered the ce, hoping to get a nce of Minho in his bunny costume. Driver Jang had secretly taken pictures of him which she already posted on her social media and within seconds, the photos went viral. Jina could not believe her father actually wore that but since she was in school, she was unable to apany her mother to see it on her own.


    Gayoon could not help butugh all morning at his state. The poor guy had tried to beg her not to make him wear that all day but she did not budge from her stance. She wanted to punish him for teasing her so much and this was the perfect revenge.


    "I wonder how much he is suffering?" she said gleefully. "Can''t wait to see his misery!"


    It did not take her long to spot them but to her surprise, Minho had made his whole staff wear animal costumes!


    "What the hell?" she frowned. "That''s unfair!"


    Meanwhile, Minho stood proudly in front of the investors. The men were simply staring at him, wondering if it was some kind of sick joke.


    "Mr. Hwang," an investor named Han began. "Is this some kind of joke? Why are you and your staff dressed like this?"


    "No, it''s not a joke," Minho imed. "This is part of our new strategy for children''s theme corner."


    "To dress up as freaks?" another investor named Shao frowned. "This is ridiculous! How are you going to attract children and their families to use your theme corner by dressed as this?"


    "Yes."


    The investors frowned even more but Minho did not care. "Follow me," he told them.


    What else was in store? Everyone present at the site wondered. Gayoon was watching everything from afar and quietly tailed the group as they walked towards the children''s corner.


    There were a few children running around the corner. It was a mini yground for them with a ball pit at one side while small rides were set up for the kids. There was also a wall where children could post their paintings to disy. An art station was installedplete with brushes, pencils, paint and other drawing equipment. Right outside it was a small vending machine for the kids in case if they were hungry. Next to the vending machine were a few bookshelves which had books ranging from drawing books to fantasy books for children.


    The children squealed as they threw the soft balls at each other while a babysitter was on standby, ready to take care of them if anything went awry. The ce was filled with theughter of children and emitted a warm feeling. The soft pastel walls were painted with colorful castles and cartoon characters yfully smiling at them. There was a coziness to it which was soothing and Gayoon decided to bring Jina there the next time they were at the mall.


    The staff of the mall immediately bowed at their CEO who silently acknowledged them. He pointed to one of the female employees and said, "You know what to do."


    The girl nodded and scurried to the back room and within seconds came out with a speaker and amplifier. Minho then pointed at Jongin and Lia.


    "Follow me!" he ordered.


    Jonging hurried over to his CEO''s side and whispered, "Please don''t make us do that again!"


    "What are you talking about?" Minho frowned. "You''ve done that before! You can do it again!"


    "I don''t want to die out of embarrassment!"


    "If we get this deal," Minho said. "I''ll double your pay."


    "I''d rather starve to death!"


    Lia also came scurrying forward. "Sir, I also think that we should not be doingthat in front of everyone!"


    She looked around, conscious of the eyes on her and wanted to hide her face. The CEO''s crazy idea was going to cost them their reputation as serious businessmen.


    "If that brings me money then I''m ready to do it for the rest of my life!" Minho snapped. "Now just follow my lead!"


    Jongin and Lia''s head hung in dismay. There was no escaping the money lover''s entricities. What did they do to deserve such a fate?


    Everyone watched, skeptical of whatever Minho had in mind. Gayoon furrowed her brows, trying to figure out what Minho was up to. He stood in the center with a highly embarrassed Jongin and Lia standing right behind him.


    The employee who brought out the sound system nodded at them. Minho pointed at her and began to count.


    "wothreehit it!"


    The music was on and Bigbang''s ''Bang Bang Bang'' began to y from the box. To everyone''s shock, Minho began to dance!


    Gayoon''s eyes almost fell out of her sockets when Minho began to breakdance. He slid easily on the floor, doing a little somersault while Lia spun around him like a ballerina. Jongin high fived him and jumped on the floor,nding on his hand while his lower body went in circles before he jumped again tond in a perfect 180 degree split.


    The crowd gathered around the three stooges who were dancing like professional idols. They were jeering happily, taking pictures. The children squealed in delight and soon, some of them joined them, dancing to G-Dragon''s raps. They wanted to sway with the bunny, who seemed to be totally enjoying himself as he jumped around with the kids.


    The investors, who were initially doubtful of the idea, looked interested at what the CEO was doing. His antics were strange but attractive enough for the children who were now climbing on the dancing mascotsps. The mascots circled around with them, making themugh in joy. Minho was so much into the dance that he forgot about his earlier embarrassment.


    Meanwhile, Gayoon was almost going to have a heart attack. Not only did the money lover turn the table on her, he was also enjoying his stint as a bunny and made money out of it?


    And top of that he actually looked cute doing it?


    "Kill me," she gritted. "If there''s a spirit around, please kill me now!"


    But her silly heart was beating even seeing him in that silly costume. What charm did the money lover possess?


    In the background, Minho was oblivious to everything else and simply enjoyed the dance which was going to make him millions of dors.

 Chapter 195: Angry Detective Lover

    Chapter 195: Angry Detective Lover


    The crowd was cheering loudly for the mascots who were dancing with the kids. The investors were impressed by Minho and his team''s performance while the kids enjoyed the dance. It turned out to be a hit and even the social media buzz was gaining momentum. The dancing bunny man video got over 100,000 views and people were passing it around.


    "I''m going there to see the bunny man!" one user wrote.


    "Look at his cute tushy!"


    "He''s so cute! Are you sure he''s the infamous volcanic tycoon?"


    "His girlfriend must be lucky."


    "Is he single?"


    Gayoon was hoping she would et augh out of Minho''s misery but the man had turned it into a money making scheme!


    "Isn''t he cute?" a girl near her giggled. "I wonder if he''s got a girlfriend."


    "I''d totally do him," her friend snickered. The girls were probably in college and they were eyeing Minho in a seductive way which was angering Gayoon.


    "He does!" she said loudly. "I''ve heard she''s got a nasty temper and is totally a jealous type. She carries a gun around and a few days ago, she shot a girl who dared to look at her boyfriend!"


    One of the girls threw a nasty re at her. "You sound as if you''re the jealous girlfriend," she sneered.


    "I am," Gayoon said proudly, heaving her chest and looking at the girl straight in the eye.


    "Liar," the girl imed but was a little uncertain. Even though Gayoon had a petite stature, there was no doubt her muscles carried the strength of a bull which could knock the other girl down and put her in the hospital for months. Gayoon flexed her fingers.


    "You wanna test me?" she challenged.


    The girl red at her for a while before turning around to tell her friend, "Let''s go from here. The guy is suddenly not so hot anymore."


    Gayoon stuck out her tongue at the girls as they walked away and turned her attention back to the money loving bunny. He had finally stopped dancing and was basking in his glory. People all around him pped hard and the investors were thoroughly amused by the response. They had not expected the CEO of Hwang Constructions to be so creative. It took a great deal of passion to pull something off and since the CEO himself was involved, they were assured that their money was being invested in the right ce.


    Shao came forward, pping at the performance.


    "Bravo Mr. Hwang!" heplimented.


    "That was excellent," Han agreed. "I think we''re investing in the right ce for this children''s theme corner!"


    "Our management employees have volunteered quite enthusiastically," Minho beamed. The employees behind him winced. They were threatened with overwork if they had not agreed but no one dared to say it out loud.


    "Every week, someone from the management wille here to spend time with the kids," he went on. "From being a mascot to taking up babysitting duties, we''ll make sure that our new project will provide a homely environment to the children. As a father myself, I can assure you that all the kids here will be in safe hands while their parents shop around."


    There was a murmur of agreement. "Furthermore," Minho added. "We will also have a celebrity guest who will pop by to be guest mascot every now and then."


    "Who?" Han asked, now even more interested in the project.


    "Ahn Jaewan," Minho dered. "He''s our brand ambassador and by default, he has to participate in ourpany''s activities."


    Shao and Han discussed among themselves. Minho could tell that they were interested in the idea and he smirked victoriously.


    "We''ll do it," Shao finally said. "We''ll invest the two hundred million dors as we agreed. This is quite an exciting project and we''re looking forward to it. How about we sit next week to discuss the contract terms?"


    "Jongin will give you the meeting''s time and date," Minho said with a smile. Jongin and Lia stared at the Vesudas. If there was one man who could turn a ridiculous bunny costume into a million dor business, it was him.


    Minho bid the investors goodbye and turned to face his employees. Only, he ended up meeting a pair of very angry eyes. Jeon Gayoon was ring at him, her nostrils ring in fury.


    "What happened?" he frowned. Did he do something wrong? Why was she angry again?


    She pointed at him. "You" She began. "You are not allowed to look this cute again!"


    Minho blinked in confusion while his employees were gaping at the angry little detective who was pointing finger at their CEO. Cute? Him? The Vesudas?


    "I did as you told me to!" Minho protested.


    "How was I supposed to know that your costume would be popr with the girls!" Gayoon eximed. "Do you know how hard it was to hold in my anger? I felt like shooting at those girls who were staring at you!"


    Minho looked around and realized that she was right. There were a few women who were winking at him and some others were throwing sexy nces which annoyed him as well. To everyone''s shock, Minho put his arm around Gayoon''s shoulder and pulled her closer.


    "I''ll be having lunch with my girlfriend," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. Gayoon turnedpletely red by his gesture and tried to break out of his embrace.


    "What are you doing?" she hissed.


    "Telling those women that they can''t stare at a taken man!" Minho scowled.


    He turned to his employees, who were shocked to their very core. Was the world ending? Or were they in a dream? Their CEO had his arms around a woman and imed her as his girlfriend. Was that even possible?


    Their CEO was dating.


    It was a news which they could not believe. There was a goddess on Earth who was able to tame the fiery volcanic demon and even made him kneel to her whims.Jongin knew that the CEO was dating the detective but seeing him being so serious about her and even indulging in PDA made them question everything he knew about the man.


    "Is that really our CEO?" Jongin asked as Minho led Gayoon away and headed towards the elevator to the restaurant.


    "Seems like he found someone he loves more than money," Lia said, feeling amused by the couple. They were a strange couple but even they could tell that those two shared a deep connection.


    "Hope she can tolerate him," Jongin prayed. "Then he''ll be busy with her and I can finally get a girlfriend."


    .


    "You can let go of me now!" Gayoon protested. He led her to a private dining room but he still would not let go of her. He made her sit right next to him on a sofa, unwilling to let her go.


    "No," he simply replied.


    "We have to order!"


    "You can order for both of us," he shrugged. Gayoon only sighed.


    "Change out of that costume now," she groaned.


    "I didn''t bring clothes," he pointed out. Gayoon shook her head and handed him a bag she had been carrying.


    "This has your clothes," she said crossly. "Go to the washroom and change!"


    "I thought I was supposed to wear this the whole day!" Minho protested. "And this thing fetched me good money."


    "Yes, and a few annoying admirers too!" Gayoon snapped. "Go and change! Now!"


    Minho grumbled and took the bag from her hands. Reluctantly removing his arm from her shoulders, he headed for the VIP washroom nearby. Heading into the changing room located in the washroom, he changed his clothes and put on a white shirt with ck pants. Putting away the bunny costume in the bag, he stood in front of the mirror, fixing his hair when he heard the washroom door open and close.


    Startled, he spun around to see a little boy, about Jina''s age, enter the washroom. The boy was wearing second hand clothes because the shirt was too big for his stature and his appearance was unkempt. There was dirt on his face and his eyes were baggy. The boy looked up at the tall man and was visibly scared.


    "Please don''t hurt me!" he begged, his eyes tearing up. "I''m just here to hide!"


    Minho was shocked by the boy''s words. Hurt him?


    "What''s your name?" he asked, trying to sound gentle. By the little boy''s appearance, Minho knew that he was not someone from the VIP ss but the kid looked absolutely terrified.


    "Kang Shinho," the boy whimpered, expecting the giant man to scold him for entering such avish washroom.


    "Shinho," Minho began. "Are you scared of something?"


    He waited for the boy''s response but there was a loud crash outside. Minho looked up for a moment but the boy was so scared that he quickly scurried out of the washroom.


    "Wait!" Minho called after the kid but he was already gone. Within seconds, the door opened again and a man in formal suit entered the washroom. He looked like he was Minho''s age and seemed very annoyed. Upon seeing Minho, the man''s expression changed.


    "I''m sorry," he said politely. Before Minho could say anything, the man left the room.


    "What the hell?" Minho muttered. There was something strange about the child and the man he had just seen. For some reason, the image of the kid''s terrified eyes would not leave his mind. There was something about that child that was disturbing him but he could not put his finger on it.


    "Kang Shinho," he echoed.

 Chapter 196: Unexpected Patient

    Chapter 196: Unexpected Patient


    "HE DID WHAT?" Mina sputtered over the phone. "MY BROTHER DANCED IN A BUNNY COSTUME IN THE MIDDLE OF A MALL?"


    "Yes!" Gayoon eximed. "It''s all over the inte! And he got millions of views too!"


    Gayoon had called up Mina that night to tell her what had happened. Minho''s video was circting on the inte and ording to him, it was so popr that there were endless amounts of bookings for the children'' corner. Children from all over the city were excited to see the dancing bunny man and Minho was even booked for several performances at the mall which greatly irritated Gayoon. How he managed to make millions of dors in a bunny costume astounded her.


    "Howe he managed to pull that off?" she frowned. "It looked like a well choreographed dance!"


    To her surprise, Mina snickered loudly from the other line. "When Jina was a toddler, she was a very stubborn kid. She would not eat unless her dad danced for her. My brother had to go through many videos in order to learn dance and even roped in some of his employees to help him in the act! Soon, he became a natural dancer."


    "What else am I gonna learn about him?" Gayoon asked sarcastically. "That he''s a secret idol?"


    "Nah," Mina shrugged. "My brother''s temper is not suited for an idol. He''d make a good TV actor though. Those typical cold CEO''s who fall for the female lead. Or the sexy viin who''s a greedy businessman. I''d say, he''d go for thetter because he wants money."


    Gayoon groaned. Was there anything the money lover could not do? She would have made him cook meals for everyone but they would end up in the hospital if they tasted his food so she had to think of other ways.


    "Why don''t you let him off the hook?" Mina suggested. "Let''s face it. Whatever you''re gonna punish him with, he''ll devise a way to find loopholes. That''s my brother, the great Hwang Minho! It''s almost impossible to punish him."


    "I''ll think about it," Gayoon said haughtily. "By the way, when are youing back home? It''s been two days and you''re still at the hospital. Aren''t you tired?"


    "I sleep in the break room in between my duties," Mina said, looking through some charts. "I just have a few surgeries lined up. Nothing major so I can handle them."


    There was a strange sadness in her tone which made Gayoon frown. For some reason, it felt as if Mina was avoidinging home which was strange. Kanji was staying with them sincest night, citing that his apartment was being renovated and his parents were out of town so he did not want to stay alone in their mansion. Minho tried to kick him out but the guy snuck in through the back door.


    Seeing how Mina''s favorite pasttime was to torment Kanji, she could not help but wonder if something was wrong. Kanji, too, looked a little lost even though he had his silly grin stered on his face. There were times when Gayoon caught him ncing at the front door, hoping that Mina woulde home.


    "Mina, is everything alright between you and Kanji?" she asked. "He looks a little distracted. And you haven''t even called him even though you used to pester him everyday for credit cards."


    "I''m just busy," Mina lied. "I''ll call himter."


    There was a short pause before she asked, "Where is he? Is he home right now?"


    "No," Gayoon replied. "He''s out. He said he won''t return tonight so we shouldn''t wait for him."


    Mina nced at the clock. It was 11 PM and if he was out thatte then he must be with some other woman. She gripped the cellphone hard, trying to control her swirl of emotions.


    "I see," she simply said. "Yeah, he stays outte a lot. Probably chasing some girl."


    "Chasing a girl?" Gayoon echoed. Kanji? But she had always assumed that he liked Mina. Then why would he chase other girls? That made no sense.


    "Yeah, he ims to love every woman," Mina stated. "The yboy probably slept with half the country."


    Really? Kanji? Gayoon wondered if she was wrong about her previous assumptions. Sure he was yful and flirtatious but was he really not into Mina? Was that why she did note home from the hospital for the past few days? She was upset at him?


    "Do you want me to talk to him?" Gayoon asked. "I can try to find out if he''s serious about you or-"


    "No need to do that," Mina cut her off. "I''m not into him either. He can sleep with anyone he wants. His words to me are fake and all of us know that! So chill, Gayoon. I''m fine. Besides, he''s just my personal bank ount and nothing more. We''re childhood friends! We''ll be fine."


    But Gayoon was not reassured by her ims. Mina was clearly hurt by Kanji''s actions and she was using his credit cards as a ploy to get closer to him. She was just unsure of what he felt. iming words of love were not enough; Mina wanted fullmitment, something which Kanji was denying her.


    "Take care of yourself, alright?" Gayoon told her. "I don''t want you to be hurt over his stupidity."


    "I''ll be fine," Mina sighed. "Good night."


    She hung up the phone and leaned against the chair in despair. No matter how much she tried to assure herself that she could get over her feelings for Kanji, it was a losing battle. Ever since she was a child, her eyes only saw him. His yfulness, his smile and his assurances whenever she was sad were her biggestfort after her brother''s care. Kanji''s mother, Soojung, had always dreamt of making Mina her daughter-inw, a sentiment Mina herself shared.


    Was that not how it was supposed to be? Mina and Kanji, being together. That was what they all wanted.


    Yet, whenever he imed to love her, he made the same statement to other women. As she began to grow up, she noticed that Kanji''s admiration was being divided among many. He was still the sweet and caring friend of hers but he was also distant from her. His promations of love confused her. Whenever she thought he was being sincere, he would begin to chase another woman.


    "What does he really feel about me?" she moaned. Her heart was troubled and there were no answers to the questions she wanted to ask. Sometimes, she felt like marching up to him and force him to reveal his true feelings for her. Did he have any at all?


    But for some reason, she was holding herself back. What if he really had nothing for her other than affections of a friend? If she confessed to him and he refused, they might never be able to go back to the way things were. And even if he did ept her feelings, it would be more out of duty rather than love. She hated thetter thought the most.


    She was waiting for him to speak up. But after seeing him with that blonde woman that day, her hopes were crumbled. Were they together at that very moment? Was he sleeping with her? What if he began to like her? Then what would happen to Mina?


    "Forget about all this!" she scolded herself. "Don''t think about him!"


    She pped her cheeks, trying not to picture the blonde and Kanji together in bed. It was only upsetting her more. No matter how much she tried to move on, her heart was just too damn stubborn. It just would not let her move on.


    How ironic, she mused. I cure other people''s hearts and yet, can''t heal my own one.


    Suddenly, the door to her office burst open and a nurse rushed in.


    "Doctor Hwang, Code Blue!" the nurse eximed. "A person has been shot in the heart and he''s in a critical condition!"


    Mina quickly grabbed her stethoscope and rushed outside.


    "Details!" Mina demanded.


    "Male," the nurse narrated. "In histe thirties. Around five feet six inches. The bullet grazed through his arteries and he''s bleeding."


    Mina ran towards the entrance where a group of men in ck clothing were crowding around a stretcher.


    "Out of the way!" she shouted at them. "Let me check the patient!"


    "Boss!" one of the men was shouting at the bleeding man. "Boss! Can you hear us?"


    The injured man grunted but that simple gesture was enough for the injury to bleed more.


    "Get out of my way!" Mina yelled at them ."How am I going to treat him if ya''ll crowd here?" The patient needs to breathe!"


    Suddenly, one of the men grabbed her by the throat and before she could react, held a gun to her temple.


    "Listen up doc!" the man whispered, throttling her neck. "If ya don'' heal our boss, I''ll blow your brains out! I don'' care how you do it but our boss better survive!"


    The other doctors tried to rush forward to help her but the men had their guns pointed at them too. People in the waiting area witnessed themotion and were visibly scared at the men who were holding firearms. Whoever the injured man was, he must be very powerful.


    Mina struggled to breathe but kept her eyes on the injured man. If she did not hurry, he would die and his followers might hurt the people inside the hospital.


    "If you want him to live," she wheezed. "Then let me go! Only I can save him now and if you dy, then he''ll die!"


    The man growled at her and finally let her go. Mina ushered the frightened nurses to help her push the stretcher to the operation theater. They were shaken by the dangerous men, who were probably from a mafia gang. Still, they came forward to push the wheels towards the surgery room.


    As Mina passed by, one of the men threatened her, "If our boss dies tonight, then consider it yorst night on Earth too, doc."


    Mina spun around and gritted, "Instead of ming me, why don''t you go and catch the man who did this to your boss? Or better yet, punish yourselves for failing to protect your boss."


    The mafia red at her audacity but stayed silent upon hearing their boss'' groans of pain. Mina resumed pushing the injured man to the operating room. The patient was probably a killer and a criminal who was wanted by the police. There was no doubt that the authorities must have put a bounty on him and judging by his state, he was shot by an enemy.


    However, to her, he was a patient and as long as he was her patient, she could not let him die. That was her duty.

 Chapter 197: Hidden Darkness

    Chapter 197: Hidden Darkness


    The sounds of footsteps broke the silence of the night. Each step was filled with intimidation, striking fear into the hearts of those who stood there. Even the guards were afraid to look around to see who was approaching their way. They did not dare to turn around and even acknowledge their boss and instead, their eyes were on something.


    The basement was shrouded by darkness save for a single bulb which shone right above the small group of people. The stink of blood and old cigarettes hit their nostrils, making the guards almost barf but they had to keep their cool. The boss hatted any sort of weakness and they were given a mission to look over the man in front of them. There was a sound of water dripping from somewhere. Perhaps there was a leaked pipe in the basement but the sound of water was making the silent atmosphere even more tense.


    The footsteps inched closer and closer and they dreaded what would happen when he would finally reach them. Sweat beaded from their forehead but the guards did not dare to wipe their faces. They had made a severe mistake and the boss was not going to be pleased.


    Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. Their boss had reached the cell and was staring down at the man whoy in front of them. The man was stripped off his clothes except for his underwear and was tied torge metal chains. Blood was gushing out of his mouth and his eyes were shut by a ck cloth. He was grunting in pain but could not speak.


    "Ahhahhh" he tried to mumble. Words would not form on his tongue anymore because he had no tongue. Their boss had it cut off.


    "You''ve let the leader escape," their boss'' cold voice echoed the dungeon. He was addressing his men who looked scared. They did not want to face him but there was little choice.


    If they did not speak up, then Jang Kanji would skin them alive.


    One of the guards stepped forward and tried to exin. "S-sir, we tried," he squeaked. "But their men assaulted us from nowhere! The leader of the Lin family, Lin Haejong, escaped but we shot his heart. He might not survive."


    "He escaped" Kanji''s voice was devoid of anypassion or his usual cheerfulness. Instead, he was cold and aloof, as if the sight of the bloodied man in front of him had no effect on him.


    "Our men are already looking for him in every hospital-" the guard began but the sudden punch came out of nowhere, knocking out his teeth. Kanji''s eyes were furiously ring at him as he saw the guard fall back, his mouth bleeding. He looked shocked at his boss'' actions and staggered backwards in pain.


    "How dare you send my men into hospitals?" Kanji asked in a menacing tone. "I thought I said that none of you are allowed to enter any hospitals."


    The guard yelped in pain but the others did not rush forward to aid him. Their boss'' anger was quite evident and they did not want to provoke him anymore. In the world of the ruthless mafia, it was best to stay silent and obey. And Jang Kanji was the worst one to cross.


    He usually hid behind a mask of happiness but that was outside that basement. Inside their world, Jang Kanji was a totally different person who had no empathy for others. Except for the selected few people he genuinely loved, Jang Kanji unleashed his darkness on those who would dare to hurt the people around him.


    Or worse, betray him.


    The man whose tongue was cut off was called Shin Jaewoon. There was a time when Shin Jaewoon was one of them, a fellow guard with whom they had shared bread and butter. But now, he was nothing more than a traitor who was going to be severely punished by the boss himself.


    Kanji leaned down to face Jaewoon who was whimpering in fear. He knew that his boss was looking down at him and would kill him any moment. The man was fearful for his life and wanted to beg his boss to let him go. He did it all for his family! The Lin''s offered him arge amount of money in order to sell the information on the Jang''s. For Jaewoon, it meant a way out of the country with his family and settle his daughter to a good college someday. He did it only for the family.


    But he was caught in the act and the boss found out about his betrayal. Jaewoon was unaware that his treachery was discovered and was meeting with Lin Haejong when Kanji''s men attacked them. In the fight, Haejong was shot but escaped with his life while Jaewoon was caught and tortured mercilessly. His tongue was cut off to ensure his eternal silence. They did not even put any medicines on it nor tend to it but instead let him bled in the cold and dark dungeons where his screams would never be heard.


    "Call off the search in the hospitals," Kanji ordered, his eyes not moving from the tongueless man.


    The guards did not question his orders but simply obeyed. One of them took out his phone and dialed the other teams to cancel the search. Another guard stepped forward, feeling hesitant to ask but he had to anyway.


    "S-sir, what shall we do with Jaewoon?" he stammered. "Should we keep him or-"


    The sound of the gunshot broke through the night''s silence. The guards tried to hide their shock as Jaewoon fell limp, shot point nk on the head. Kanji''s expression did not change even though his face and clothes were sttered with the blood and brains of the man he had just killed. His hand held a revolver which was still emitting smoke.


    Shin Jaewoony dead in front of them and Kanji did not care.


    "I''ll look for Lin Haejong myself," he dered. "But none of you will step in the hospitals. Understood?"


    The guards merely nodded. Kanji stood up to leave. He took out a handkerchief and simply wiped off the bit of brains which stuck on his face as if they were nothing more than small stains.


    As he left the dark silence of the dungeon behind, Mina''s face shed in front of his face. He cold not let her find out about his reality. It would break her if she did. And she would be more devastated if she found out that he joined this world for her sake.


    Which is why he would keep her away from this part of his world. He could never let her find out that the man she loved was a cold blooded killer.


    .


    The hospital was on its toes for the next 10 hours. The mafia men were pacing all around the ce, threatening any nurse or doctor who emerged out of the operation theater. The patients were also scared of the burly men who were roaming around and it was impossible to throw them out. They had threatened to open fire at them if anybody called the cops.


    "Where is that bitch of a doctor!" one of the men yelled. "If she failed today"


    He clenched his knuckles.


    "Sit down," another man ordered. "It''s a hospital. We can''t do anything here."


    "That Jang Kanji nearly got us today!" another man gritted. "If we could only get him"


    The door to the operation theater flew open. The men immediately stood up to see Mina emerging from it in her scrubs. She took off her goggles and hai, stopping in front of them.


    "The operation was a sess," she announced.

 Chapter 198: Back To School (1)

    Chapter 198: Back To School (1)


    Gayoon was staring at the e-card she had received in her inbox. She bit her lip, confused over what to do. She was sitting on the couch at the living room, going through her mail. Her health leave will be over in a week and she would have to catch up with a lot of work. The e-card she received was from her high school and even though she was not keen to run into those brats again, there were still a few good people in her school too.


    But the past still haunted her and she was dreading to go there. Every room, every hall only reminded her of the nightmare she experienced in that school. From the constant bullying to Park Seungjo''s terror, there were memories in that school which traumatized her to that day. But the worst of the lot was not the torment but rather the guilt.


    Yes. It was guilt which made her hesitant.


    "What are you looking at?"


    Minho''s voice broke her out from her reverie and she quickly shut theptop.


    "Just catching up on my mail," she said quickly. But Minho noticed that her face was paler than usual and she was lost in her own thoughts.


    "Spit it out," he demanded. "What''s bothering you?"


    "Nothing," she lied. "I swear! Nothing''s bothering me!"


    "Liar," Minho imed. "I can tell you''re lying. You''re not very good at it, Jeon Gayoon."


    Gayoon sighed. He was right. It was almost impossible to lie to him and even though she was not as bad a liar as he imed, Hwang Minho had an uncanny ability to spot when people were hiding something. ording to him, he acquired this skill by observing people because it helped him make a lot of money.


    "I was looking at the high school reunion invitation," she finally admitted. "Jaewan is apparently going and he wanted me to go as well."


    Minho controlled his jealousy with great difficulty. Even though he was sure that Gayoon had no feelings for that guy, Minho still could not help but feel irritated at the pretty boy. Even when he was not around, somehow, he managed to enter all of their conversations.


    "I had some good times there too," Gayoon went on. "But what happened thereeverything I went through because of the people in my ss is making me reluctant to go."


    Minho did not reply but was quietly thinking. Kanji had told him that Park Seungjo was killed there and that a patterned button was found with his body. Someone must have pushed him off that floor but who was it? Was it Minjung? Or was it Gayoon?


    He did not think thetter was possible. Jeon Gayoon would have turned herself in if she had identally killed someone. It was probable that Minjung was the one who killed Seungjo but the matter was somehow covered up. Furthermore, Minjung had disappeared around the time Seungjo died so she might have fled the scene.


    "Is it because of Park Seungjo?" he finally asked. Gayoon looked at him but was unable to answer his question. How could she exin it to him?


    "I wish it was," she said in a cryptic way. Minho waited for her to exin but she did not say anything more.


    "I''ll be going there, though," he revealed. Gayoon frowned at him.


    "Why?" She asked. "Why are you going there?"


    "Well, you already know that I own thatnd," Minho shrugged. "I bought it years ago but the project kept on being dyed. Butst month, we''ve started the construction work on some parts of the building. The school board requested to hold the reunion at the old hall so that the alumni could enjoy their beloved school onest time."


    "Oh!"


    Gayoon recalled that shortly after Seungjo''s death, the school was sold off to a construction firm but she did not know that it belonged to Minho for so long.


    "Beloved school my ass!" she cursed under her breath. "I just can''t stand them. Not a single day went by when I wasn''t fearing for my life there. The ghosts chased me, the bullies chased me and even the teachers looked down on me. And the memories I have of myst day there"


    She trailed off, shuddering at the memory of herst day in school. Seungjo''s coldughter was still ringing in her ears and his chilly hands had almost touched her. The guy might have died but his torment lived on in her nightmares.


    "Seungjo had almost caught me," she muttered. "If it wasn''t for that stranger, I would''ve died. That monster would have killed me. I knew it."


    "Stranger?" Minho echoed.


    "Yeah," Gayoon said. "It was thest day of our school but some kids locked me up in the ssroom as a prank. They did not know that Seungjo''s ghost was haunting me and even if they did, they still would not have cared. I didn''t have my protection charm that night either and Seungjo almost trapped me when"


    She could not recall the voice because she was so shocked and scared that she had passed out. But there was someone who had inadvertently helped her. The stranger who was like a messiah. If he had not broken down the door, she would have died.


    Minho was listening to her story intently. There was a strange expression on his face but Gayoon did not notice it.


    "Which ss were you trapped in?" he asked.


    "12 A," she stated. "Why are you asking?"


    "No reason," Minho shrugged. Before Gayoon could probe, he stood up and held out his hand.


    "Let''s go," he said. "I''m taking you to the mall."


    "Why?" Gayoon frowned. "I don''t nee dot buy anything."


    "Yes, you do," Minho said. "You''ve got a lot of stuff to buy."


    "Like what?"


    "A gown, make up and we might need to take you to the salon as well," Minho added, noting that her hair was beginning to get a little rough around the edges.


    "But why?"


    "You don''t expect to escort the reunion''s VIP guest looking like that, are you?" Minho said incredulously.


    "I am not going!" Gayoon said loudly. But Minho merely shrugged.


    "If you don''t go, then it''ll mean that you''ve let those bullies and your past knock you down," he pointed out. "But now, you''re a sessful detective who took down a serial killer and also dating the man who bought the school property. It''s your chance to show those bullies how far you''vee and how pathetic their lives are."


    "That sounds petty!" Gayoon said. Minho stepped closer and leaned over her. She stared at him, wide eyed and blushed when he pinched her cheek.


    "Sometimes, Jeon Gayoon," he whispered. "Being petty is the best way to p back at haters."

 Chapter 199: Back to School (2)

    Chapter 199: Back to School (2)


    The patient in the VIP ward was kept under strict scrutiny. His men were on standby 24x7, staring menacingly at anyone who would pass by. The doctors and nurses were too afraid to go anywhere near the ward because the men would threaten to kill them if they made mistakes. The hospital authorities were also wary of the mafia who had suddenly taken over the ce. Many patients were beginning to request for transfer of hospitals in order to get away from them.


    Lin Haejong was the heir to the Lin family and one of the most notorious gang lords in the country. His business was widespread and even though the Lin family had legal operations as well, it was a ruse to cover their underworld activities.


    As a mafia leader, he was known for having arge drug cartel along with funding many of the gueri activities abroad. They were involved in gang wars and they had an infamous rivalry with another mafia family but no one knew who thetter were. This mysterious family were able to stop the influence of the Lin''s and their secrecy only made them more fearsome. Their recent shes were making headlines and even the police were not able to get directly involved with it.


    So, when Lin Haejong was wheeled into the hospital, everyone was forced to be on their toes. The staff whispered behind closed doors about the strange situation. They had treated all kinds of citizens in the past but even the most vile criminals did not faze them. But the Lin family were using the hospital like their yground.


    Only Doctor Hwang Mina was brave enough to make her way through the VIP doors.


    Mina was on her regr rounds to check on the patient inside the VIP room. He had woken upst night and was beginning to regain his full consciousness. She was not fond of the mafia men but at that moment, the man inside the ward was her patient and even if she did not want to, she still had to save him.


    As she tried to step into the ward, she was stopped by one of the guards.


    "ID," the guard stated.


    "Do we have to do this every time I''m here to check up on him?" Mina asked warily. "You know I''m the doctor."


    "ID," the guard repeated. Mina scoffed and held up her ID card.


    "Mobile phone," he demanded.


    Mina scowled and handed him her cellphone. The guards outside the room were very annoying and even interfered with the treatment. They would not let the nurses touch the patient nor let them inject him because ording to them everyone was out to kill their boss.


    "Done?" she asked. "Can I go in now?"


    The guard''s nostrils red but he reluctantly stepped aside to let her in. Mina entered the ward only to find that the guy was trying to sit up.


    "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, rushing forward toy him back on the bed. But the guy pushed her back.


    "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" he roared. Mina was startled by his aggressiveness. Lin Haejong''s sharp grey eyes were zing with anger. If he was not a mafia don, many women might have found him attractive. He had a chiseled face and his dark hair was smooth and silky. He had a deep, gruff voice and the tanned skin made him look more like a model than a mafia lord.


    But beneath that face was a killer. Mina was well aware of his dangerous reputation and he had seduced many women from rival gangs in order to get to their leaders. He used his handsome looks to fool everyone. Mina felt disgusted by the man who was ring at her but she red back at him.


    "Fine," she said. "Go ahead. You can leave."


    Haejong frowned at the doctor who stood in front of him. She did not looked scared nor was she backing off from his re. He tried to get up again but the pain in his chest was unbearable. The heir of the Jang family had shot him fatally and he lost too much blood. If it was not for his men, that man would have killed him but Haejong was not going to let it slide.


    The pain in his chest was bing worse with every try and he groaned, falling back on the bed. He was panting heavily reluctantly looked at the doctor. She was not paying any attention to him but was scrolling through the extra phone she carried secretly.


    "You''re not supposed to have that!" Haejong eximed but Minapletely ignored his existence.


    "Jaewan oppa really outdid himself," she muttered, smiling to herself. She knew that the guy on the bed was staring at her, hoping to get her attention but she deliberately avoided him. This was a very useful trick. Whenever the patients tried to act smart, Mina let them have their way because she knew that they would eventually give up being stubborn ande back to her for help.


    Haejong scowled at the doctor who was ignoring him. The pain was bing too much to handle and he needed help but his pride stopped him.


    "Are you really gonna be that dumb?" Mina asked out loud. "If you''re in pain, then just ask for help. Idiot."


    Idiot?


    "What the hell did you jus-" he began but the rest of his words were interrupted by a series of painful coughs. Mina sighed and stepped forward. Haejong tried to wrest himself away from her grasp but Mina forced him toy back and pushed back his sleeve.


    "What are you doing?" he demanded in a hoarse voice.


    "Stay still or it''ll hurt worse than a gunshot," she said coolly. Haejong watched as she filled a syringe with a clear liquid and lightly tapped on the injection.


    "I am not going to let you inject me-" he loudly imed but Mina ignored his warnings and kept a tight grip on his arm.


    "Woman don''t you dare!"


    But she proceeded to disinfect his arm. Haejong tried to struggle but he was already weakened by the pain and had no strength to protest.


    "No!"


    Mina ignored his warnings and injected the needle into him. Haejong cursed her using various ngs but she ignored everything.


    "I''m not gonna spare you for that!" he growled.


    "Well, if you''re gonna keep that promise then you should heal first," Mina shot back. "Then again, the longer you stay, the more my pockets are filled. After all, VIP beds bring in a lot ofmission."


    Haejong stared at the doctor. "What are you?" he scoffed. "A gold digger?"


    "Yes," Mina replied with pride. "A very proud one too. So, I really hope that you''d stay here at least a month. Now I really regret not mixing up different chemicals in that liquid. Could have knocked you out for days and no one would have known."


    "You-"


    "I know I''m a genius," Mina imed, putting words into his mouth. Haejong could only gape at the woman who was openly challenging him.


    "Oh and if your men try to bother my staff again or interfere in our work, I''ll make sure that I squeeze out every bit of penny from you for upying this bed," she went on. "You see, I''m a hardcore bargainer. You might be able to kill people with guns but I can destroy them with my words."


    Haejong was stumped by the strange woman who was openly defying him.


    "And as long as you''re my patient, you''ll follow my orders otherwise I''ll keep on adding to that hospital bill," she added. "Bye!"


    Mina smiled and waved at him before turning on her heels to leave. Haejong could only stare at her back, unable to retort.


    He gritted his teeth in anger. Damn that doctor!

 Chapter 200: Back to School (3)

    Chapter 200: Back to School (3)


    The boatman was very nervous. He did not want to take up the request but his boss was paid an exorbitant amount of money by the passenger to go to the swamps. He stood on the boat, shaking with nervousness while he waited for the passenger.


    It was broad daylight and yet, the locals did not dare to go anywhere near the swamps. There was a belief among the vigers that the swamp was cursed by a demoness who loved to lure nearby travelers sing her enchanted voice. People said that her voice was hypnotic, putting anyone who heard it under a charm. Whether it was during night or day, no man would be spared from her enchantment. Yes, she only preyed on men but if she happened toe across a pregnant woman, she would kill her and take the baby away.


    Once the spirit lured a man, she would proceed to seduce him with her looks. The demoness would imnt his seed into her before killing him off. It was said that she had air of unhatched eggs which were hidden in theke. She protected her eggs, waiting for them to hatch one day and once they do, the entire vige would be destroyed.


    The sudden dropping of bags startled the boatman and he yelped in fright. Junho frowned at the guy''s reaction.


    "Take me to the swamps," he ordered.


    The boatman was hesitant. "Sir," he began. "You should not go there."


    "Why not?"


    "That ce is cursed!" the boatman imed. "The demonessshe will seduce and kill you! She took the lives of many men of this vige and I must stop you from going there!"


    "I''ll take the risk!" Junho snapped. "I need to go there. Now."


    The boatman gulped. He did not want to go there but his boss would fire him if he refused the passenger. Resorting to his fate, he began to row the boat, heading for the cursed swamps


    They rode in silence, wading through the river. The sun was beginning to dim as they floated through a forest. The trees were very tall and loomed over them. The leaves and branches blocked the sunlight, engulfing them into a mystical darkness. The ce was very quiet. In fact, it was too quiet.


    There was not a single sound, not even of insects. The absence of wildlife only made the atmosphere more eerie. The boatman was scared and he was afraid that his dder would burst. The air was getting heavier and thicker, almost suffocating him. He did not want to hear the monstrous melody because he knew that he would fall for her charms.


    Very few men of the vige had managed to resist her and lived to tell the tale. ording to them, the demoness was not able to charm them because they truly loved their wives or someone else. They had managed to stay faithful to their spouses and the woman''s voice had no effect on them.


    "Why are you so scared?" Junho asked curiously.


    "T-the d-demoness!" the boatman squeaked. "She''s lurking somewhere."


    They were close to the swamps. The water was bing denser and a chilly fog set in. Junho shivered and pulled his jacket closer to cover himself. A gentle breeze brushed his skin while the trees and branches arching over them prevented any light froming through. The path ahead was also bing darker and it was almost impossible to see anything.


    "S-sir, I don''t wanna go any further!" the boatman protested but Junho did not care.


    "Just do as you''re told!"


    The boatman winced and kept of rowing the boat towards the swamps. The trees there wererger and the blue water was slowly turning green due to the moss and seaweed. The boatman struggled to wade forward because the oar kept on getting stuck with the seaweeds. Junho''s gaze was fixed ahead and he was simply waiting.


    They ventured deeper into the dark swamps, unsure of their destination. A cold wind was beginning to forma round them, forcing the boat to slightly sway backwards. It was as if the wind was trying to stop them from going ahead, warning them of the dangers which lurked in front of them. Junho kept his eyes forward on the road.


    "Are you sure you want to keep going?" the boatman''s voice came from behind him.


    "I am."


    The boatman drew a sharp breath. People just never listened to him.


    "Tell me more about this demoness," Junho said.


    "They say that she lures men to their deaths," the boatman narrated. "Her voice is enough to charm anyone and she has the face of an angel is the soul of a devil. Whoever falls under her charm, will surely meet a terrible fate."


    The air swirled around them like white mist, slowly surrounding the swamp. Junho did not pay attention to the cold breeze but nced at the boatman from the corner of his eye.


    "What else do you know?" he asked quietly.


    "She can change her form," the boatman whispered. "They say that she can take the form of anyone and lure travelers."


    Junho sighed. The boat floated deeper into the forest, the fog thickening with every second. His eyes were fixated ahead, looking nowhere in particr. His hand was in his pocket and his senses were on high alert. He could feel that something wasing nearer. Narrowing his eyes, he gripped the insides of his pocket.


    He nced behind him. The boatman was gone.


    "As expected," he sighed. He raised his voice and added, "You still love to y tricks, Shen."


    Suddenly, the water beneath the boat began to bubble , rattling it. Junho held on to the handle, trying not to fall off as a figure emerged from the water. The boatman''s face was nowpletely green and his eyes were red. His long hair was a tangled mess while his nails were long and dirty. He looked at Junho with contempt and wanted nothing more than to kill that man.


    "I see you''re still trapped in this river," Junho noted.


    "Thanks to you!" Shen sneered. Years ago, Junho had trapped him in that river for his crimes. Shen was a water spirit who used to be a resident of the vige when he was alive. Due to his amorous looks, he was frequently mistaken as a woman and he used it to his advantage to seduce men and rob them. One day, while he tried to kill one of his lovers, the man ended up killing Shen in self defense. Terrified of what happened, he dumped Shen''s body in the river.


    Since then, Shen had been haunting the ce, posing as a woman''s ghost to lure the men. His spirit was vengeful and wanted nothing more than to kill as many men as possible. Finally, Junho managed to trick him and trapped him in the river.


    "So, you''re not the escaped ghost either," Junho sighed.


    "No," Shen smirked. "But if you let me go, I can tell you."


    Junho stared at him for a while before throwing a handful of salt at the spirit. Shen hissed in pain and red at the man. Since he was trapped, he could not harm Junho. He had hoped that he could trick Junho into releasing him but the man was too smart for such silly tricks.


    "Which ghost had escaped?" Junho demanded, throwing more salt at him. "Tell me!"


    Shen only screamed in agony. The salt was like poison to ghosts. It burnt their skins, and, in many cases, it could also make them immobile for days.


    "I don''t know!" Shen admitted. "All I know is that whoever has escaped is being protected by another powerful spirit. That''s why you can''t trace it. The big boss is keeping him safe."


    Junho raised his eyebrows. A powerful spirit?


    "Go on," he ordered.


    "The line between the living and dead is thinning," Shen stated. "Someone is trying to bring in an army of the dead to this world so that they can take over the bodies of human beings and get another chance to live. In order to do this, this spirit is targeting all those who might pose a problem to him."


    "What do you mean?"


    "There''s a rumor that this spirit is targeting two different bloodlines," Shen said reluctantly. "Because those bloodlines have a strange ability."


    Bloodlines? Junho frowned. "What abilities?" he asked out loud.


    "I''ve heard that one bloodline has the ability tomunicate with spirits," Shen replied. "Their powers have passed on to their descendants for ages. But the other bloodline is the problem. No one knows who they are. Their ability is very faint and hard to trace. It''s hard to tell if their bloodline even exists or not!"


    "Where is that spirit?" Junho asked.


    Shen''s lips curved into a malicious smile. "You can''t find him," he said cryptically. "He''ll find you."


    Before Junho could ask anymore questions, Shen disappeared back into the water. The spirit would not say anything more. Junho already figured out that one of the bloodlines was Gayoon''s family but where was the other bloodline? And what did this spirit want? Who was he?


    If the spirit knew about Gayoon and Jina''s abilities, then no doubt it was using the other escaped ghost to get to them. Both of them were in danger.


    "I have to protect them," Junho vowed. But how was he going to find the escaped ghost?

 Chapter 201: Back to School (4)

    Chapter 201: Back to School (4)


    "Can''t I just cancel?" Gayoonined. Minho had dragged her to the shopping mall despite her protests. ording to him, she must show off in front of her ex-ssmates in order to make them guilty for treating her like dirt. She did not want to go through the hassle but the money lover was adamant on making those people eat their words.


    "No, you can''t," he said sharply. "Why should you cancel? You''re acting as if you''re the guilty party here!"


    "But all those things happened in high school," she moaned. "I''m sure most people forgot about me or grew out of their attitude. People can change, you know."


    "No, they don''t," Minho stated. "They simply be better in hiding their true nature. They seem to be kinder and more polite, but they hide behind a mask. Trust me, they didn''t change."


    Gayoon could only shake her head in dismay. It was impossible to change his mind. Minho, on the other hand, wanted to teach those people a lesson. He was aware that Gayoon could handle herself but after hearing part of her story about how they tormented her even though she saved them on many asions, he could not help but feel that he should step in to show the bullies what the consequences were for hurting his girlfriend.


    "We''ll start with the gown," he dered. Before Gayoon could protest, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her across the mall. He was unusually energetic as they walked around the shops.


    "How about that one?" Gayoon pointed at a simple white dress. It looked affordable and she just wanted Minho to get off her back. But he shook his head.


    "No," he said firmly. "This won''t do."


    "But-"


    "No!"


    He kept on dragging her around the mall, rejecting every dress she chose. She might look good in any of those but Gayoon needed something more special for the party. Instead, he led her to an exclusive designer store.


    "I can''t afford anything in there!" she protested.


    "I''m buying," Minho said coolly. Gayoon stared at him in shock.


    "I can''t allow that!" she scolded him. "It''s not fair! Last time, you bought that ridiculously expensive suit and now you''re buying me a gown? No!"


    "You''ll take it and that''s final!" he argued back.


    "Why?"


    "Because I''m your boyfriend and this is what boyfriends do!"


    "Did you read this off a magazine?" she scoffed.


    "No," Minho replied. "At the party, you''ll be undoubtedly the most beautiful woman in the room no matter what you wear. So why not show off your beauty to those who looked down on you? I don''t see why you should be the one to run away from them. If they were bullies, then they should be the one regretting their actions!"


    Gayoon tried to think of an argument but her mind was nk. Once again, he captured her with his words.


    "Are you trying to woo me with your flirtations?" she mumbled.


    "Flirt?" Minho frowned. "I don''t do all that. I''m just saying whatever ising to my head."


    He waspletely unaware of the effect he was having on Gayoon. For him, it was the simple truth. Jeon Gayoon was beautiful and he would never shy away from saying that out loud. After all, a fact was a fact and nothing could change that.


    But Gayoon felt as if her heart was about to explode. She lowered her eyes, trying to hide her undeniable feelings for him. Hwang Minho may not be aware of what she felt for him but it was getting harder to control her emotions. Even though she did not want him to waste his hard earned money on her, there was a selfish part of her which enjoyed the attention he was showering on her.


    "Let''s go in," he said. Gayoon did not dare to say anything but simply looked down and nodded. She was hiding her red face from him, afraid that her expressions might give away her strong feelings for him and he would freak out.


    Several store attendees came to greet Minho.


    "Wee sir and madame," one attendee greeted. "How may I assist you?"


    "Show us your best evening gowns," he stated. "Do you have any in her size?"


    Gayoon felt slightly self conscious as the storekeeper studied her. "I''ll bring out some designs for madame," she sad before scurrying off to find gowns for her. Gayoon was still blushing hard, feeling very nervous around Minho. Thetter noticed her suddenly demure attitude and frowned.


    "Are you alright?" he asked. Was he pushing her too much into going?


    "I''m fine!" she assured him. "I was just wondering how long it could take. We have to pick up Jina from school as well."


    "Driver Jang already picked her up," Minho stated. "I told you, remember? That the chauffeur can pick her up."


    "Oh."


    Gayoon was so nervous around him that she lost track of everything else. Minho peered at her and opened his mouth to say something when the storekeeper came out, holding a few dresses.


    "Madame, would you like to check if these are of your liking?" the storekeeper asked. Gayoon was not sure which gown to choose so she turned to Minho.


    "Which one should I try on?" she asked. Since he was the one buying her the clothes, it would be best if he chose it for her. She had little idea about gowns and did not want to make a fool of herself at the party.


    Minho studied the gowns and was not very impressed. "These won''t do," he stated. "We need something even better."


    He scanned the store until his eyes fell on a particr gown. "That one" he began, pointing at it.


    Gayoon followed his gaze. It was a ck gunmetalce crop top with a matching long skirt which would reach till her ankles. It was an elegant dress with handcrafted embroidery and to Gayoon''s pleasant surprise, she loved it.


    "Try it on," Minho suggested. He turned to the storekeeper and said, "Bring us that one."


    The storekeeper obeyed and quickly brought the dress for Gayoon to try on. Thetter took the dress and hesitantly headed for the trial room. Minho sat on one of the benches, patiently waiting for her. He tapped his fingers impatiently as he was looking forward to see what she would look like in that gown.


    Minutes passed and finally, Gayoon''s voice came from behind the trial room''s door.


    "Uhcan youe in here for a minute?" she requested.


    "Why don''t you step out and show me how it looks on you?" he frowned.


    "No, I can''t!" she insisted. "Juste in here!"


    Minho sighed and headed for the trial room. He opened the door and stepped inside.


    "Tell me, what hap-"


    He froze mid-sentence as his eye fell on Gayoon. His heart skipped several beats and knocked his breath away.

 Chapter 202: Back to School (5)

    Chapter 202: Back to School (5)


    Gayoon was trying to read his expression. He was frozen to his spot, stumped by the view. Her pale skin glowed against the ck gown while her dark hair fell below her waist in long waves, perfectlyplimenting her natural beauty with the dress. Her midriff was showing, highlighting her curves while the rosy tint on her face only enhanced her delicate beauty.


    "A-am I not looking good?" she asked nervously. He was not speaking and it worried her. Was she looking hideous? Was the dress not good enough?


    "We can choose something else-" she began but her sentence was interrupted as he stepped forward to softly kiss her unable to hold in his urge. Gayoon was taken by surprise when she felt his lips lingering on and she closed her eyes, kissing him back.


    It was like they were back in the hotel''s garden where they had once kissed. He cupped her face, gently leaving butterfly pecks on her lips. He did not deepen the kiss but his tenderness was driving her crazy and she wanted more but was hesitant to demand for it.


    When he finally let her go, both were breathless. He pressed his forehead against hers, still cupping her face. The invisible tension between them was increasing and they had an undeniable chemistry that was growing deeper. They were still confused how much further they could go in this rtionship but the little moments they spent together were making them almost inseparable but none of them wanted to say it out loud in fear of ruining what they already had.


    "This is bad," he mumbled.


    "Huh?" Gayoon blinked.


    "It''s going to be hard to keep my eyes off you when you wear this gown at the party," he winked. Gayoon bit her lower lip, blushing hard. Even that little gesture of hers made him want to carry her away from there and lock themselves up in a hotel room for the whole night. It was taking him a lot of willpower to control his urges and he going to go nuts. And there were still two more days to go before his self-imposed punishment was over.


    Before he could act on his urges, he forced himself to let go of her. Gayoon quickly looked away from him, not trusting herself. What if she jumped on him without a care for the time and ce?


    "This one it is," she finally said. Minho simply nodded and scurried out of the trial room. Once outside, he tried to calm down his heart which was beating too fast. He was letting his defenses fall around her and to his surprise, he was doing it willingly. And he even liked it.


    Smiling a little, he wondered how his little pet was feeling inside the room. No doubt she would be hyperventting in there and the fact that he had the same effect on her as she had on him, made Minho very happy.


    Meanwhile, Gayoon leaned against the door, lost in the kiss they had just shared. Was it possible to like a person this much? She had read love stories and all about the kind of love which made butterflies flutter in the stomach. She read about how the heart would go crazy even thinking about that one special person but she had always assumed these things were fiction. Love like that did not exist in real life.


    But it did. And it was happening with her. She knew that she fell madly in love with this strange and entric man. Everything he said or did only made her fall harder for him. She knew that she would never feel the same way for another man ever again and what she shared with Hwang Minho was special.


    He may not be in love with her, but she had given away her heart to him and now it no longer belonged to her.


    "I''m an idiot," she sighed. Hwang Minho probably did not feel the same way about her. He fancied her but how deep were his feelings for her? She wished that he would tell her.


    Taking a deep breath, she began to change out of her clothes.


    After a while, she came out of the trial room, holding the gown. Minho was still waiting for her. They did not speak, each lost in their own world. He simply paid for the gown and they headed for their car, driving home in silence.


    Jina was doing her homework on the couch when she saw her parents walking in. Both of them were quiet but Jina did not sense any tension between them. In fact, they were both secretly smiling as if they shared a secret amongst themselves.


    "Why are you two smiling?" she asked suspiciously.


    Their daughter''s voice snapped them out of their thoughts. "Nothing!" Minho lied. "I just told your mom a funny joke."


    "Joke?" Jina frowned. Was the joke really that funny?


    "Yeah, Hwang Minho was just telling me a joke!" Gayoon imed. "I was justughing at that."


    Jina pouted a little. "Mom," she began. "Howe you''re so formal with my dad? You never called him by his first name but rather by his full name."


    Eh?


    Gayoon blinked while Minho registered what his daughter was saying.


    "My friend Sia''s mother calls her dad by name or by terms like ''honey'' or ''darling''," Jina went on. "They never called each other with their full names. But you two do! Why''s that?"


    "Yes, why is that?" Minho wondered out loud. Jina was correct. They never addressed each other properly and they had been dating for over two months already.


    "I-I" Gayoon stammered. She turned to Minho and said, "You never called me by my first name either!"


    "Alright, Gayoon," he shrugged. "I''ll call you by your first name."


    He said it so casually that Gayoon nearly fainted from the shock. She was used to calling him by his full name and yet, he switched so easily!


    "I-I-I"


    She looked from Minho to Jina, both of them scrutinizing her.


    "II''m just a little shy," she admitted. Jina stood on the couch with her hands on her hips.


    "That won''t do!" she eximed. "Now repeat after me. Min-ho. Min-ho. Call dad by his name!"


    Gayoon looked at Minho who was clearly amused by the turn of events. She was too embarrassed to do it but Jina was also right. What sort of message would they project to her if her parents were so formal around each other?


    She took a deep breath. "Okay," she began. "I''ll call you by your first name. M-M-M-M"


    Minho and Jina held their breaths, anticipating Gayoon''s next words. Would she be able to break that barrier?


    "M-Minho!" she squeaked.

 Chapter 203: Back to School (6)

    Chapter 203: Back to School (6)


    The next two days passed in rtive peace. Gayoon was still apprehensive to go to the party but since Minho was the guest of honor, he would not let her back off. Deep down, she was also a little curious to know what kind of lives her ssmates were living. She sincerely hoped that they had turned a new leaf but as Minho said, people never changed but merely mask their true nature.


    They would be attending the party that night and she was already at her edge. She sat on Jina''s bed, trying hard not to bite her newly manicured nails. She sensed that one of the ghosts, Yumi, was around her. The ghost felt a little pity for her.


    "Lady Cop, rx," Yumi''s voice resonated around the room. "You''ll be fine! Don''t worry about those bullies!"


    "What if they''re still the same?" Gayoon asked, worried about the party. "Tolerating them for so many years was bad enough but seeing them again is really getting to my nerves!"


    "Lady Cop, you''re going there with the richest man in town," Yumi said, fixing her arm. "Have some pride for god''s sake and show him off as your arm candy! The money lover is right. Be petty and show off your newfound happiness! That''s like the biggest p to their faces."


    But it just was not in Gayoon''s nature to act like that. She felt too shy around Minho and seeing how serious she was about him she became even more cautious around him. Even though he went out of his way to apologize to her and sometimes, she thought that maybe his feelings were getting stronger too but what if she was wrong? What if he was doing all because he was genuinely sorry?


    Yumi sighed. The more she observed the adults in the Hwang Mansion, the more she wondered who the real child was in that house. Even Jina had more sense than them!


    "Lady Cop, are you worried that the money lover is not actually as serious about this rtionship as you are?" she asked shrewdly.


    Gayoon bit her lip and nodded. Even though she could not see Yumi, the ghost''s presence was somewhatforting.


    "I think this party is taking ce at the perfect time then!" Yumi said in excitement. Gayoon felt the ghost sitting beside her.


    "Tonight, you''ll get to know what he really feels about you!" Yumi went on. "Talk to him after the party and ask him directly!"


    "I can''t do that!" Gayoon protested. "What if he freaks out? Or thinks I''m being clingy? I''m scared! I don''t want to ruin what we have!"


    "You can face a cannibal killer but not confront the man you love?" Yumi asked in dismay. "The guy with appetite for huma meat didn''t scare you but a money lover does? Woman, get a grip!"


    Yumi turned authoritative, schooling the detective in love. "When I was alive, I chased my oppas around the block!" she imed. "I once had a crush on a guy, so I went right up to him to confess."


    "Did he ept your confession?" Gayoon frowned. Yumi gulped, remembering how the poor guy ran away because he found her scary. Apparently, death did not change that particr fact about her.


    "That''s not the point!" she said irritably. "Point is that I took the initiative. So, if you are serious about the money loving CEO, then go and confront him tonight! Otherwise, a white lotus might jump in and steal him away like they do in those dramas!"


    "What''s a white lotus?" Gayoon asked curiously.


    "Gold digging skanks who chase the male leads and try to belittle the female leads," Yumi stated. "Like Mina does to Kanji and his girlfriends."


    Gayoon tried to make head and tail of what Yumi was saying but gave up. There was no point in listening to the nonsense of a teenage ghost. But she was right about asking Minho outright about what he felt for her.


    "Alright," she decided. "I''m gonna ask him about his true feelings!"


    "That''s my girl!" Yumi eximed, cheering her on. "Be direct and bold!"


    Gayoon made up her mind. Yumi was right. It was time to ask Minho outright about what he truly felt for her. No more shirking around their obvious attraction.


    I''ll ask him tonight, she decided. No matter what!


    Minho was working in his office. He was operating at a faster speed than usual because he wanted toplete all his tasks in time for the party. Putting away thest file, he stretched his limbs. He was so absorbed into finishing his work that he did not even yell at his staff that day, which was a huge relief to his employees.


    "Let''s look into the tenders," he decided and picked up another file when there was a knock on the door.


    "Come in," he said. The door opened and the project manager for the high school project entered the room. He bowed in front of the CEO.


    "Good afternoon, sir," he greeted.


    "Mr. Sung," Minho acknowledged. "How is the school projecting along? What''s the progress on the construction?"


    "The school has already been shifted elsewhere," Sung stated. "And after the party ends tonight, we''ll proceed to demolish the halls. We''ve dyed work on the halls due to the special request since the alumni association wanted to hold onest even there."


    "All the remaining materials belonging to the school have been handed over to them?" Minho asked.


    "Well, everything has been handed over except for one thing," Sung frowned. "A few days ago, the workers found a box buried in the ground. It had some strange items belonging to a student but when we tried to return it to the school, they imed that the student had passed away and his mother also moved out of town. So, they don''t know what to do with those things. We held on to it in case if they changed their mind but if they don''t take it then we''ll have to donate it."


    "What did you find? And what''s his name?" Minho asked, leaning forward. Dead student? Could it be


    "The student''s name was Park Seungjo as per the tag on the uniform we found," Sung revealed. "And there was a button with an unusual pattern in the box as well."


    Minho thought hard for a moment. For some reason, his gut feeling was acting up, urging him to keep those things. He was not sure why though.


    "Bring those things to me," he demanded. "Every single thing you found in the box, hand it over to me. Within an hour."


    Sung nodded and left the room to execute Minho''s orders. Minho leaned back against his chair, his mind on alert mode. He did not know much about ghosts but if they were once humans, then they must possess their human nature as well.


    And scariest ghosts were the ones who possessed their human nature even after death.

 Chapter 204: Back to School (7)

    Chapter 204: Back to School (7)


    "Why can''t I go?" Jina whined. "I wanna see your school too!"


    "No, Jina," Gayoon said firmly. "You can''te with us."


    "Buy you two left me behindst time as well!" she protested with teary eyes and hid her face in her hands. Gayoon''s heart was aching upon seeing Jina crying like that and she almost buckled in to the little girl''s demands.


    "She''s faking it!" Yumi''s voice told her. "I know that kid very well! She''s faking it!"


    Jina scowled at Yumi for selling her out. The ghost had spent so much time around Jina that she had learnt every trick the little girl used. Even Casper was frowning at her disapprovingly.


    "Jina!" Gayoon said sternly. "You can''t go there."


    "But why?"


    Gayoon sighed and sat down, pulling Jina on herp. The little girl pouted as Gayoon fixed her hair.


    "That ce is not for you," Gayoon said. "The ghosts there aren''t so friendly. If they see you, they''ll stalk you everywhere and make your life a hell."


    "I have Casper to protect me!" Jina imed. "He always saves me from the bad guys. He''ll do anything for me."


    Gayoon bit her lip in worry. Yes, Casper and Yumi were there for her. But they would not be around forever. Jina still did not know that once their unfinished businesses were taken care of, they would move on to the afterlife, leaving the little girl behind. She would be lonely and must learn to survive on her own.


    Jina was too young to understand that and Gayoon did not have the heart to tell her this. It would devastate the little girl who was deeply devoted to her friends.


    "You still can''t go," Gayoon said firmly. Jina was disheartened by her mother''s order and got off herp. Gayoon felt guilty for being so strict on her daughter but it was the question of her safety. She was already born with a cursed fate and Gayoon had to do everything she could to make Jina''s life more bearable.


    She watched helplessly as Jina left the room and shut the door behind her. Yumk and Casper felt a little bad for the detective. Casper made some gestures at Yumi to interpret his message to Gayoon.


    "UmmCasper is saying that children are very impressionable," Yumi stated. "They can be sweet but also stubborn. So you have to keep your heart strong when disciplining them. It''ll hurt but you''ll be able to stop them from being reckless and save their lives."


    Gayoon did not look up but was listening intently to the ghost who was trying to console her.


    "Thank you, Casper," she sniffed. She felt something cold touch her head as if patting her but the chilliness could not hide the warm affection behind that gesture.


    "He''s saying that everything will be alright," Yumi stated. "Just do what you have to."


    Gayoon smiled and felt the two cold presence leave the room. Her daughter was lucky to have such amazing friends looking after her. Her earlier apprehensions about these ghosts were going away but what would happen once they move on?


    The memories of those spirits in her school were etched in her head. Some were good but most were very dangerous. They would hurt people and Gayoon was gued by their presence.


    What if they realized that Jina had the same ability?


    "I can''t expose Jina to them," Gayoon muttered. Taking a deep breath, she headed for the bathroom to get ready.


    It was time to go back to school and face her fears.


    .


    Minho had left the office early to pick up Gayoon. He was already dressed for the party, wearing just a simple ck shirt and white pants. It was semi-formal so he ditched his zer.


    Sung had sent him the package containing Park Seungjo''s uniform and the button. He carefully put the button in his suit, nning to hand it to Kanji to probe into who it belonged to and repackaged the uniform.


    The moment he walked into the mansion, he noticed that Jina was sulking on the couch lying face down on the pillows.


    "What happened to you?" he frowned, putting the package aside.


    "Mom wouldn''t let me apany you to the party," she mumbled. She looked up to face her dad.


    "I want to go!" she insisted. "Take me with you!"


    Minho sighed. He had an inkling why Gayoon might have refused her and he, too, agreed that Jina should not apany them to the ghost hub. He pulled his daughter closer and tried to make her understand.


    "She''s worried about you," Minho said. "The ce where we''re going has some very bad memories for her. She''s not going to a party but will go to confront her fears."


    "Why?" Jina asked. "What happened there?"


    "Let''s just say that there were some bad people and ghosts there," Minho said. Jina was surprised to see the lines on her father''s face harden. "They made your mother''s life miserable."


    "Like that ck shadow?" Jina asked.


    "Kind of," Minho said. "There are probably very bad ghosts there. She''s afraid that if you go there, they''ll harm you."


    Jina thought for a moment. Her mother did seem worried.


    "I fought with her," Jina admitted. "Am I a bad person?"


    Minho ruffled her hair and smiled. "Apologize to her," he advised. "Otherwise, you''ll end up dancing in public wearing a bunny costume."


    Jina winced at the thought. Whenever someone asked her if that was her dad in the viral video, she pretended not to know him.


    "Daddy," she began. "Don''t ever mention that thing ever again. I''ll disown you!"


    Minho blinked in surprise but could only shake his head in dismay. Kids!


    "Oh, mom ising down!" Jina eximed, pointing at the top of the stairs. Minho followed her gaze and his heart skipped several beats.


    Gayoon stood on top of the stairs, wearing the ck gown. She wore light make up, highlighting her rosy cheeks. Her innocent look was reced with a mature one and her scarlet lips were slightly curved into a smile, making her look like an elegant seductress. Her long hair was tied in a bun with some strands hanging loose.


    "Woah, mom looks sexy!" Jina eximed.


    She did. Minho could not get his eyes off her and it was impossible not to admire her. His silly heart was acting like a child, thumping so loudly against his chest that he was afraid she would hear it.


    What was this feeling? It felt alien as if he was not himself anymore. But he did not hate it. Even all the money in the world could not make him feel the way Jeon Gayoon was making him feel.


    "I bet all the men in the room would go gaga over her!" Jina imed. "Especially Jaewan oppa!"


    Her statement broke Minho''s reverie into tiny pieces. Ahn Jaewan? He was going to the party as well!


    Gayoon descended the stairs and stopped in front of Minho, who also noticed that the gown was sleeveless. Ahn Jaewan was going to see her exposed arms!


    "H-how do I look?" she asked nervously.


    "Sexy!" Jina cheered while Minho did some quick thinking.


    "Wait here," he said. Gayoon frowned as he ran upstairs and within minutes, returned with a white zer. He put it around her shoulders, covering her up.


    "Better," he said. "This looks better."


    "What are you doing?" Jina asked.


    "Yeah, I''m not that cold," Gayoon said. "There''ll be a heater at the party."


    "No, it''s a fashion statement," Minho lied. "This is the trend. Keep the zer on you at all times."


    There is no way I''m gonna let that neat freak see her exposed skin! He gritted inwardly.


    With that, he headed out of the mansion to bring out the car.


    "I am never going to understand that man," Gayoon sighed.


    "He''s probably going through puberty," Jina said. Gayoon frowned at her.


    "Do you even know what that means?"


    "No, but ording to aunt Mina, whenever men act like that, they''re going through puberty."


    Gayoon wanted to facepalm herself. What the hell was this girl learning?


    "And mommy," Jina began in a small voice. She widened her eyes to purposefully make herself look cuter.


    "I''m sorry for hurting you," she apologized. "I promise to be good."


    Gayoon giggled and hugged her daughter. "It''s fine," she consoled Jina. "As long as you muster the courage to apologize, it''s alright."


    Jina hugged her back, relieved that her mother had forgiven her. Suddenly, there was a loud honking of horns.


    "This man!" Gayoon said crossly. "Such a child!"


    She let go of Jina and kissed her forehead.


    "Be good," she instructed. "Listen to Ms. Kim and go to bed early. Alright?"


    Jina nodded and watched her mom leaving the mansion. She was about to go to her room when she noticed the package on the table next to the couch. It was the same package her dad was carrying.


    Curious about the package, she bent to touch it. Immediately, a jolt of electricity coursed through her veins, making her yelp in shock.


    The image of a pale boy wearing sses shed through her eyes. He was leering at her, his perverted grin widening.


    Trembling, she picked up the package and tore it open. Inside it was an uniform with a name tag on it. Park Seungjo.


    "Gayoonie."


    The cold whisper echoed in her ears, scaring her. It was for a brief moment but the image of that boy was more menacing than the ck shadow they had encountered weeks ago.


    And this one wasing for her mother.

 Chapter 205: Back to School (8)

    Chapter 205: Back to School (8)


    They parked in front of the school''s entrance where a giant archway was ced. Some of the guests were entering the premises with their families, looking excited. Minho nced at Gayoon who was seeing the people in front of her for the first time in years. There was a hint of nostalgia in her eyes as she recalled some good moments she spent at school. Those were few and far between but nheless, still an integral part of her.


    "Are you alright?" he asked.


    "I''m fine," she assured him. "Just remembering some good people. I wonder if they''reing."


    "Let''s go in and find out," Minho said. He opened the door for her and held out his hand. She smiled and took it. They walked inside, arm in arm. Gayoon frowned a little, which was noticed by Minho.


    "What happened?" he asked.


    "Nothing much, but" she trailed off. Something was off. She had not been in that ce for years but she was sure that there should be some of the old ghosts nearby.


    There was arge field right next to the entrance gate and Gayoon recalled that it was haunted by the spirit of a girl who would sometimes resort to hurt the yers. She did not do it often but only at times when she felt like it. Gayoon was sure that she would sense her malevolence but to her slight surprise, she felt nothing.


    It was just a regr field. Did she leave?


    "I can''t sense any ghost here," she frowned. "There used to be one here on this field but she''s not here!"


    "Maybe she moved elsewhere," Minho shrugged. "I don''t know much about ghosts but surely they can move to other ces, right?"


    "I suppose so," Gayoon replied. Maybe she did move, she added in her thoughts.


    "Let''s just enjoy the party," Minho suggested. "After all, we''re here to teach some people a lesson."


    Gayoon sighed and shook her head. It seemed that Minho was strangely determined to put her old bullies in their ce but she was not so keen on it. What if they had changed and mended their ways?


    He led her into the party which was being held in the school''s indoor assembly hall. As soon as they entered, the current principal of the school, Han Changmin, came to greet Minho.


    "Mr. Hwang!" he greeted with a bow. "You made it! And who might this lovelydy be?"


    He turned his attention to Gayoon. "This is Jeon Gayoon," Minho said. "She''s an ex-student of this school."


    "Oh! An alumni!" Han realized. "And also a special guest of Mr. Hwang!"


    She must be from a filthy rich family, Han thought. The gown she wore was probably worth hundreds of thousands of dors and knowing Hwang Minho''s reputation as a person who values money above everything else, the man would surely choose a woman from a rich family.


    "Detective Jeon Gayoon, sir," Gayoon politely said. She saw Han''s smile falter a little when he heard the word ''detective''. He looked surprised for a second but quickly masked his disappointment with a stiff smile.


    "Enjoy the party," he said. His slight disdain was not missed by Minho and he frowned at the portal old man who was obviously not pleased by Gayoon''s profession. He did not say anything but kept the incident in mind.


    "Let''s go and say hi to your friends," he said. Gayoon nodded and they walked towards the crowd who were enjoying themselves. She recognized some of her old teachers who were chatting in a corner.


    "That''s teacher Kang!" she eximed. "I''ll go and say hi to him."


    "I''ll get us some drinks," Minho said. Gayoon nodded and went off to meet her old teacher. He headed for the open bar where the bartender greeted him.


    "One vodka on the rocks and a customizer," he ordered. The bartender nodded and began to prepare the drinks. Minho took out his phone to text Kanji about the package he had left at home when he heard Gayoon''s name.


    "Isn''t that Jeon Gayoon?" a man asked his friends. They were sitting a few seats away from Minho. He inched closer to them, trying to listen to their conversation while his eyes were still on the phone.


    "The cursed girl," another guy snickered. "Pretty face but she''s a nutcase! Always talked about ghosts and what not. Right Eun?"


    "I remember she once told one of my exes that she was going to get into an ident if she used the swing at the park," the man called Eun recalled. "And she did! My ex was using the swing while waiting for me and suddenly, the damn thing snapped when she was swinging really high! She fell on the ground and broke her jaw."


    "I have a feeling she used to curse people," his friend said. "All her talks about ghosts were rubbish. She was into voodoo and caused these idents. And even killed that poor bloke Seungjo."


    "Wait, wasn''t that Yoo who killed him?" Eun frowned.


    "Yoo and his friends were on the roof whereas Seungjo apparently fell through an open window on the fifth floor!"


    "That was just a rumor though, Shin," Eun pointed out. "No one knew where he really fell from since everyone was at the festival."


    "Yes, but Jeon Gayoon was seen running out of the building from where Seungjo fell and everyone knew how he was annoying her. And also, Minjung disappeared after that incident. No one knows where she went and even her parents left town. Isn''t it obvious? Jeon Gayoon was hurting the people who were irritating her in high school! And now, she turned out to be a detective. How ironic!"


    Both of themughed hard as if it was a funny joke. Minho was listening carefully at their words, trying not to snap at them with his poisonous tongue.


    "I''ve heard you got hired at Hwang Constructions!" Shin said. "Which department?"


    "Marketing," Eun said. "They''ve got a really strong team! And the CEO is brilliant. The job pays a lot and I can pay off the mortgage I took within a year!"


    Minho''s fingers were typing fast while his mind was devising some very sadistic ns.


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the city, Jongin was at a restaurant, sitting opposite Caroline. He was set up on the blind date by one of his university batchmates and given that he had excellent English, he was able tomunicate well with Caroline. She was a foreigner with bright blonde hair and blue eyes, something which he found exquisite. His friend also told him that she was quite promiscuous and Jongin was d to hear that. If he was lucky, they would be on that date for a long time that night.


    "Tell me about the ces you want to visit," he was saying. "I can show you around."


    "I would love to visit the-" she began but was the rest of her words were interrupted by Jongin''s phone. He froze upon hearing his phone ringing, dreading to pick it up.


    "Aren''t you going to answer that?" she frowned.


    "No!" Jongin said at once. "It''s probably a spam."


    "But it says, ''Boss'' on your phone," she said, pointing at the screen. Curse him! Curse him and his money! I hope he goes bald!


    Jongin was cursing his boss in his head. The man had an uncanny ability of ruining Jongin''s love life even without being physically present. How did he do it?


    "I''ll pick it up," he gritted. With shaky hands, he picked up the phone.


    "Yes, boss," he answered with a sigh.


    "I ''ve sent you a mail," Minho''s cool voice came from the other end. "Check it and make sure that it''s executed by tonight."


    With that, the Vesudas hung up. Jongin could only sigh in dismay as he opened his mail. In it was a long list of tasks he had to coordinate with the HR department about some new employee called Eun.


    "Let''s see"


    He read the list which included at least 101 tasks for the new recruits which were nearly impossible to do!


    "Will oversee the cleaning of all the washrooms of Hwang Constructions'' head office," he read. "Will visit construction sites to helpbor carry bricks. Will go to the hawkers'' market and sell all the leftover products from the mall at double the price"


    His eyes only widened in shock with every sentence. Was this guy really hired for marketing or as an errand boy? This was going to take all night for him to execute!


    Holding back his surge to throw the list on the money lover''s face, he started his work. He called the HR head, who gave him an earful for being a wuss and then they went through the hiring agreement, looking into every loophole to ensure that they would not face any legal repercussions for changing the job description.


    By the time they were done, Jongin''s date had already left with another man.


    "I''m gonna die a virgin," Jongin moaned.


    ....................


    MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR


    Dear Readers,


    With a heavy heart, I''m sad to say that I have been kicked out of the Win Win event by Webnovel. Apparently, a readerined because I put up fake chapter in my second privilege tier.


    Now, I''ll be frank here. Writers are humans too. We have a life too. Webnovel''s contract forces us to publish more than 1500 words everyday otherwise our books won''t get the due features and payment. It takes 3 minutes to read a chapter but it takes us at least 3 hours of our daily lives to write that very chapter. Imagine writing two or more chapters of that same length that too everyday.


    I was sick for the past two days and I couldn''t write so I uploaded two fake chapters (both which have been edited and reced so that no one loses out on the story). I needed rest and peace for my own sake.


    So when I found out that readersined about it and I have been kicked out of the win win event, I was terribly sad. All my hard work went down in the drain. I''m sorry if I sound harsh but it''s true.


    With this said, I''ve decided not to give out anymore mass releases for any of my books. I''ll update everyday 1 or 2 chapters but no more mass releases from now on. You can drop the book,in about slow updates but this is my final decision.


    I''m sorry for being so harsh but please try to realize that we''re humans and we need asional breaks too.


    I hope you guys can support the book further but Idk how long I can keep up with the updates if I keep getting demotivated like this.


    Love,


    A sad author.

 Chapter 206: Back to School (9)

    Chapter 206: Back to School (9)


    Gayoon thanked Teacher Kang and turned around to search for Minho. Was he still at the bar?


    She took out her phone to call him when someone called her name.


    "Gayoon? Jeon Gayoon?"


    Gayoon looked up and stiffened. It was Chun Dohee, one of Minjung''s friends and an ex-girlfriend of Woohyun, Gayoon''s old bully. She wanted to groan. Dohee was also among those people who loved to torment her even though Gayoon had save her and her friends from an evil spirit who was lurking behind the mall, shing down anyone who would dare to go near its area.


    "I knew it was you!" Dohee said with a smile and to Gayoon''s surprise, gave her a hug. Maybe she changed, Gayoon thought.


    "How''ve you been?" She asked once Dohee let her go.


    "The usual!" Doheeined. "My husband just started working for ANG Corporations. You''ve heard about it, right? It''s among the top fivepanies in the country and my husband, Lim Kangnim, is the General Manager there! We''ve recently moved to a new penthouse just in the city."


    She was bloating with pride as she went on and on about how her husband spoiled her with riches and luxuries.


    "He buys me something everyday," she boasted. "Justst night, he bought me a pair of emerald earrings. See?"


    She pulled her hair back to show Gayoon a pair of earrings. Gayoon simply nodded, not pointing out that the earrings were fake and probably bought from the hawker''s market. She nced around for Minho, but he was nowhere to be found.


    "What has been up with you?" Dohee asked. There was a hint of sneer in her tone which made Gayoon want to roll her eyes at her. "I''ve heard that you''ve be a detective."


    "Yeah," Gayoon said. "I am a detective."


    "So, what do you do on the job?" Dohee asked with a sneer. "Look for lost puppies?"


    Just then a couple of more women came over. "Dohee!" a sullen looking woman wearing a skin tight red dress hugged her. Another woman with narrow eyes and haughty demeanor also gave her a hug and then both of them turned their attention to Gayoon.


    "Aren''t you Jeon Gayoon?" the sullen looking woman named Minji asked.


    "Jeon Gayoon? The Ghost Girl?" The narrow eyed woman called Marie asked in astonishment. "Oh my! We''re seeing you after years."


    "She''s a detective now," Dohee supplied. "Tell us what your job entails, Gayoon. How much do you get paid?"


    "I think I should go and look for my partner," Gayoon said but Minji held her arm.


    "Why? Let him be! We''re meeting after such a long time," she said. "Don''t you wanna be around friends?"


    The word ''friends'' wanted to make Gayoonugh out loud but she controlled herself. "I''m in homicide," she stated. "We only deal with murders and violent crimes."


    "Ah, so you must see dead bodies everyday," Dohee winced. "I hope they''re paying you enough to see those rotten corpses. Do you have to touch them?"


    "asionally," Gayoon said. The three women winced at her words and looked clearly disgusted.


    "Of course, you''d choose a department like that," Marie said. "After all, you used to im you could see ghosts. You must have been attracted to those ''spirits''."


    She made quotation marks in the air with her hands at the word ''spirits'' and giggled at her own joke.


    "Do you still see them?" Minjiughed. "Is there any near us, right now?"


    "Guys, don''t be rude!" Dohee reprimanded them even though she, too, wasughing. "The job must be hard on you, Gayoon," she added to thetter. "Why don''t you just find someone and get married instead? You must meet a lot of rich men on the job. Just find one and marry him. Of course, you won''t be able to find someone as good and my Kangnim because he''s among the elites."


    "I''ve heard that Hwang Minho is going to be the guest of honor tonight," Minji said. "Maybe you can lure him."


    "That guy?" Dohee scoffed. "He''s only into money and nothing else. Besides, he''s untouchable. My husband and I are in his inner circle and I can guarantee you that Hwang Minho will go for someone who is from a rich family. A socialite or heiress who would bring him a lot of money."


    Gayoon could only blink at her words but she decided not to open her mouth. Instead, she nodded and said out loud, "Yes. People like him live in the skies. A mere detective can''t dream of dating him."


    "Honey, you can''t even dream of being in the same room as him!" Doheeughed. "But it''s a good thing that I''m here. Maybe you can try out a one night stand with someone else? I''ve heard Kim Baek is a top shot executive at one of Hwang Minho''s hotels. You want me to set you up with him?"


    Before Gayoon could open her mouth she felt an arm around her shoulder. Startled, she looked up to see Minho was holding her close to him while eyeing the rude women. Dohee was shocked to see him.


    "Hwang Minho?" she asked in surprise, as if not believing that the richest man in the country had his arm around Jeon Gayoon. That was not possible!


    "Where have you been?" Gayoon hissed.


    "I was just attending a call," he said loudly. "The waiter will bring us our drinks."


    "You two know each other?" Dohee asked in an using tone.


    "Who is he?" Miniji frowned. The man was devilishly handsome, easily standing out from the other men in the room. He possessed an elegance which distinguished him, making it obvious that he was not someone of their ss but higher. Much higher.


    "Hwang Minho!" Dohee replied, still not believing what was going on. Was he dating Jeon Gayoon? Impossible! He was probably just toying with her. They could not be that close.


    Hwang Minho? THE Hwang Minho?


    "How do you know each other?" Marie demanded. None of them would believe that someone like Jeon Gayoon would stand next to Hwang Minho. Men like him did not just fall from the sky and definitely did not end up with people like Jeon Gayoon.


    "We''re dating," Minho simply stated. Gayoon blushed a little but decided to take up his earlier advice. Screw being nice. Pettiness was better.


    "Yes," she confirmed. "And we''re living together. We also have a little daughter."


    She turned and stood on her tiptoes to ce a kiss on his cheek. The women gasped, still reeling from the shock. Minho was also taken aback by her sudden gesture but decided to y along.


    "Let''s go Gayoon," he said. "We''re to sit at the VVIP table at the front."


    Gayoon nodded and turned to the women to add to Dohee. "If your husband wants to switch his job, then do let us know. Hwang Corps pays a lot more than ANG. Perhaps, then he''ll be able to buy you real emerald earrings!"


    Dohee was stumped. How the hell did she figure it out?


    The trio gaped in shock as Gayoon walked away with Minho, hand in hand, looking very much in love.


    "Thanks for that," she muttered. "I was about to flip out back there."


    "Don''t thank me," he said. "You did pretty well on your own."


    She smiled before remembering that she was supposed to ask him about his true feelings. Dohee was right. Men like Minho would end up with rich heiresses or socialites. Then what id he feel for her? Was he serious or was he just casually dating her until the right person for him came along?


    Minho noted her hesitation. "What happened?" he asked. "What are you thinking about?"


    "I-"


    "Ahn Jaewan? Is that Ahn Jaewan?"


    Someone shouted and pointed at the entrance. Both Minho and Gayoon turned to see Ahn Jaewan was entering the party, surround by his security team. The people were buzzing in excitement upon seeing him and many tried to get closer only to be held back by the security. Jaewan had a sanitizer in his hand, ready to spray in case if someone touched him.


    He noticed Gayoon standing at a distance and smiled at her. Minho scowled at him while Gayoon waved back.


    "What''s he wearing?" he asked sarcastically. "A rug?"


    Jaewan wore a baggy brown shirt with three quartered pants. It was a little o toc the dress code but he was a celebrity so his presence was more important than what he wore.


    "Be nice," Gayoon hissed. "Don''t be condescending."


    Jaewan''s guards were warding off some of the people while he casually walked up to Gayoon and the money freak next to her.


    "Gayoon!" he eximed, hugging her. Minho clenched his fists, trying to control himself but the sight of the human sanitizer was testing his patience. Jaewan deliberately prolonged the hug to annoy him more before letting her go.


    "I didn''t think you''de," he said.


    "I''m more surprised to see you here!" Gayoonughed.


    "Yeah, don''t you spend your nights cleaning public toilets?" Minho asked out loud. Gayoon kicked his foot hard, causing him to almost yelp in pain.


    "Don''t you spend your nights alone ying Bingo to earn extra bucks?" Jaewan shot back. Minho scowled and the two men began to exchange petty insults which made Gayoon sigh.


    No one can beat these two when ites to pettiness, she thought, shaking her head in dismay.


    .....


    Author Message:


    *Campaign time*


    Want Minho-Gayoon snu snu? Then vote and help this novel reach top 100! I''ll give snu snu only when we reach top 100 ^^

 Chapter 207: Back to School (10)

    Chapter 207: Back to School (10)


    The principal went on stage to address the crowd.


    "Teachers and our dear alumni," he said. "Wee to this small reunion! All of you have many beautiful memories here with your friends-"


    "Yeah right!" Gayoon muttered. "When it wasn''t ghosts, bullies and the teachers chased me!"


    "I was on your side though," Jaewan pointed out.


    "And yet, you couldn''t keep her safe," Minho stated smugly.


    Before Jaewan could retort, Gayoon stepped in.


    "Stop it!" she said sharply. "One more word and I''ll throw both of you out of here!"


    "We''re the guests of honor!" Minho hissed. "You can''t do that!"


    "Try me."


    Both the men gaped at her and then at each other. She was serious. They would be thrown out if they kept on bickering.


    They listened to the Principal talking about the achievements of the school, which was not much, but he was exaggerating it a lot. Finally, he concluded the speech by telling everyone to settle for dinner.


    "Let''s go and sit at the front," Minho suggested. Gayoon nodded and he led her to the reserved table where they were ced with the school''s board members. To his annoyance, Jaewan was also following them.


    "Why are you sitting here?" Minho frowned when Jaewan was sitting on Gayoon''s other side.


    "I''m a special guest too," he mentioned, spraying his part of the table with a special cleaning chemical. He took out another spray to use on the tes and cutlery.


    "You missed a spot," Minho pointed out.


    "Which one?" Jaewan asked, turning the te upside down to check which spot he missed cleaning.


    "Your head," Minho replied. "It needs cleaning too."


    Gayoon stomped on his foot from under the table, making him almost cry in pain. Why was his woman so darn strong?


    "Mr. Hwang, I hope that you will benefit greatly from thisnd," the Principal said. "We''re very excited to move into the new premises but leaving this one is also saddening for us."


    "Ourpany will be building a hypermarket here," Minho stated. "It will be one of a kind! We''ve acquired the entire neighborhood and are looking forward to making the market a sess."


    There was a murmur of approval among the board members.


    "Where is the school moving to?" Gayoon asked.


    "In C-town," the principal replied. "A much better ce if you ask me! It''s got arger field, more space for lockers, cleaner washrooms and we managed to create ten extrab rooms for kids!"


    "Yeah, it sounds better than this hell hole," Jaewan muttered, ncing around their so-called school. It was not a bad ce but the school just did not feel right. There were too many idents there and if rumors were true, people had died before due to faulty construction or some other defect in the building.


    "Whoever made this building did not do a good job," Minho agreed. His sharp eyes had discerned the cheap cement used in some of the building''s construction and if he was not wrong, the rods used were not top quality either. Only the foundation was kept strong.


    "The architect who built this chose all the wrong materials for this building," the principal sighed.


    "You guys could have sued him for this negligence," Gayoon pointed out. "Why didn''t you?"


    "He died years ago after he fell from the roof of this school," the principal said. "He was leaning against the railing when it crumbled against his weight and broke off. And he fell."


    Talk about karma, Gayoon thought. Thank god he didn''t return as a ghost!


    Just then, the servers came into the hall, carrying tes of food. As they begun to serve everyone, Minho''s head lit up with an idea. He was not fond of it, but he had to do it.


    "Ahn Jaewan," he called. Jaewan and Gayoon both looked at him, frowning.


    "What?" Jaewan snapped.


    "I need to talk to you," Minho said. "In private."


    "You''re not gonna fight again, are you?" Gayoon hissed.


    "No!" Minho imed. "It''s business rted."


    But they did not believe him and continued to stare at him suspiciously. Minho could only sigh and say, "Follow me."


    Jaewan frowned as he followed Minho out of the hall. Minho led him to a long, secluded corridor away from the party. Finally, he stopped and turned.


    "What is it?" Jaewan asked.


    "Park Seungjo," Minho said. "How did he really die?"


    ..


    Jina was desperate as she tried to get hold of Junho. The old man had given her his number in case of an emergency and this was an emergency!


    She had been trying to call him but he was out of reach!


    "Ohe one, old man!" she begged, dialing his number for the umpteenth time. "Pick up!"


    "What happened?" Yumi demanded. Jina looked very scared and was eyeing an uniform which was ced on the coffee table. Even Casper was curious to know and gestured at Jina but she was preupied with trying to contact Junho.


    "I have to get hold of that old man we met at the hospital!" Jina eximed. "That thing"


    They followed her gaze to the uniform.


    "Those clothes?" Yumi asked.


    Jina nodded, her mind filled with the terrifying image of that boy calling out her mother''s name. He was somewhere near her, watching and stalking her. The boy was biding for his time to attack and Jina had a feeling that he would harm her mother that night.


    "That thing is cursed," she revealed. "I saw a vision! It belongs to a boy who''s gonna hurt mom!"


    She was still holding the phone to her ear. Suddenly, someone responded on the other end. Before a shocked Yumi could reply, Junho''s voice came through the speaker.


    "Hello?"


    "Old man!" Jina eximed.


    "Who the hell are you calling old?" Junho asked gruffly. He had just returned home from his long trip and was grumpy with tiredness.


    "Old man, mommy is in danger!" Jina revealed. "The boy who calls her ''Gayoonie'' is gonna harm her. Tonight!"


    Junho froze in shock. There was only one person who called her that. Park Seungjo.


    "How do you know this?" he demanded.


    "My dad brought home an uniform belonging to some guy named Park Seungjo," she revealed. "I touched it and saw him! He''s gonna harm her tonight at the school!"


    "School" Junho frowned before realization hit him.


    "Don''t tell me," he began slowly. "That Gayoon is at her school?"


    Jina bit her lip in worry before answering, "Yes. She''s there!"

 Chapter 208: Back to School (11)

    Chapter 208: Back to School (11)


    Gayoon stepped out of the hall to call Jina but to her surprise, the number was engaged. Frowning, she tried to call again but could not get through. What was going on?


    Just then, Ms. Kim called her.


    "Hello," Gayoon answered. "Where''s Jina?"


    "Ma''am!" Ms. Kim eximed. "I can''t find the little miss anywhere!"


    Gayoon froze in shock. "S-she must be there in the house!" Gayoon reasoned, trying to stay calm. "Probably in the garden-"


    "We''ve searched everywhere," Kim stated. "But we can''t find her anywhere! Jang has gone to her friend''s house but why would she go there sote at night?"


    "I''m returning home!" Gayoon said and hung up the phone. She tried to call Minho but to her shock, his phone was also busy! Damn it! She cursed and headed off to find him.


    She ran through therge field, looking for him. "Minho!" she shouted. "Minho where are you?"


    Gayoon was frantic. She tried to call his cell phone again but now it was out of reach. Trying Jina''s number again, she hoped that the little girl would pick up but the phone was busy. Who was Jina talking to? What if she was kidnapped? Or worse?


    She did not want to think of the possibilities. Her heart was panicking and even though she tried to stay calm, when it came to her daughter, she could not help but be mad with worry. She ran around, heading for the old school building to look for Minho. He had walked off with Jaewan and she was unsure where they went.


    Jaewan


    She was about to dial his number but to her horror, her phone battery died!


    "UGH!" she shouted. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"


    She ran into the empty building, looking for Minho. "Minho!" she called for him. "Minho!"


    Gayoon was so worried that she did not notice the air thickening around her. A cool breeze wasing from somewhere, brushing her skin but she was preupied with the thoughts of her daughter who was missing. She cursed her luck and needed to find Minho but where was he?


    "Minho!" she yelled, her voice echoing throughout the empty hallway.


    "How did he really die?" Minho asked. "How did Park Seungjo die?"


    Jaewan took a deep breath and sighed. He knew that Hwang Minho would probe into Gayoon''s past sooner orter but he did not expect him to find out about Park Seungjo.


    "No one really knows," he admitted. "We were told that Yoo and his friends had pushed Seungjo off the roof. There was a festival going on and all of us were busy with it until we heard the crash and saw Park Seungjo on the ground, dead. One of the students looked up and saw Yoo peering from the roof."


    "But did anyone actually see him fall from the roof?" Minho asked.


    "I...I don''t know," Jaewan frowned. "Why are you so curious about this?"


    "When did Gayoon tell you that she can see ghosts?" Minho asked.


    "She always imed it so," Jaewan shrugged. "I just never questioned her. But she was highly disturbed after Seungjo''s death. She couldn''t eat nor sleep. Everyone thought it was because she was dating Seungjo but that wasn''t true. She never dated him. On the contrary, he was stalking her. She told me about how someone attacked her house and she thinks it was Seungjo. There wasn''t any evidence because the CCTV was tampered with but Seungjo could have done that. He was good with cameras and knew how to disable them."


    Minho did not need to be told that. He knew exactly what that monster did with cameras.


    Just then, his phone rang up. It was Jina.


    "Jina?" he frowned, answering the phone. "What-"


    "Hwang Minho?" A familiar voice came from the other end. "I''m Shinjin. We met during CCK''s exorcism."


    "What are you doing with Jina''s phone? "Minho demanded. "Where is she?"


    "Dad, I''m alright!" Jina replied. She was in the car with Shinjin and Junho, thetter quietly listening, trying to hide his panic. For some reason, Junho told them not to take Yumi and Casper with them citing that he would exin everythingter.


    "But-"


    "Dad, listen to me," Jina said. "Whatever you do, don''t leave mom alone tonight! Get out of there, now!"


    Minho frowned at his daughter''s words. "Park Seungjo," Jina said. "That spirit''s name."


    "We had trapped him in the school''s ground eight years ago," Shinjin exined. "But your workers had opened the box with the uniform and the button in it! Now his spirit is in that school waiting for Gayoon to turn up!"


    "I saw him in my mind when I touched the uniform!" Jina added. "He''s gonna hurt her!"


    Minho was shocked to his very core. Park Seungjo was still existing as a ghost. Which meant


    "Gayoon," he whispered.


    "He''s lurking in the old school building," Shinjin said. "Around the fifth floor. That''s where he''s the strongest!"


    Minho did not waste another minute and ran off to find Gayoon. Jaewan frowned when Minho raised past him.


    "Hey!" he protested but Minho did not care. He was trying to call Gayoon but her number was switched off.


    "Find Gayoon!" he yelled at Jaewan. "Look for her in the party hall and I''ll look in the old school building. Now!"


    Jaewan did not ask anymore questions and ran off. Meanwhile, Shinjin, Jina and Junho stopped in front of the school. Junho turned to Jina.


    "Listen very carefully," he said. "Park Seungjo is a very powerful spirit and the years in captivity only made him stronger. You must not go too near him. We''ll have to trap him again."


    "Isn''t there any other way?" Jina asked. "Can''t we get rid of him for good?"


    "We can," Shinjin sighed. "But he''s too powerful. The obsession he carried towards Gayoon passed on to his spirit form, giving him a lot of strength. Moreover, his soul is trapped in two ces. One part is in the uniform he was wearing when he was dead. And the other one in the button found near his dead body."


    "We have enough powers to destroy one of them," Junho said bitterly. "But to destroy both the objects will need a lot more time and energy, which can kill us."


    Jina was about to open her mouth but she noticed her father was running past them. He did not see their way because his mind was on Gayoon. Jnho quickly hid behind a seat to avoid his son.


    "Go!" he urged them. "Go and help her!"


    They did not need to be told twice. Jina sprang out of the car and followed her dad to the old school building with Shinjin in tow.


    Meanwhile, Gayoon had reached the fifth floor, looking for Minho. The sight of the familiar ce temporarily froze her. She tried not to think of those memories but she could still hear the jeers and taunts of her ssmates as they made fun of her abilities. They saw her as a curse, an anomaly. The whole hallway was erupting withughter of those teenagers as they jabbed at her, calling her names.


    "Curse!"


    "Witch!"


    "Throw salt on her!"


    Seventeen year old Gayoon was on the verge of crying. Someone threw white powder at her, turning her hair white. A girl stepped forward and pushed her back, cousin her to fall back.


    "AH!" She yelled in pain. They crowded around her,ughing at her. Stop it! She begged inwardly, curling into a corner but their voices would not leave her. They were going to torment her until she vanished from the face of the earth.


    "Stop it!" she moaned. She had to find her daughter! She must find Jina!


    But her feet would not move, rooting her to one spot.


    "Gayoon!"


    Minho''s voice caused her to turn around. Behind him, Jina was running towards them, yelling something but Gayoon could not hear them. A loud static yed in her ears while the eerily familiar fear crept in her heart. The cold air was now sping her palm, pulling her backwards. She wanted to stop but it kept on dragging her somewhere.


    The door to 12A flung open. Minho watched as a portal began to open and Gayoon was being pulled right into it.


    Jina came to a stop while Shijin appeared on the stairs. The little girl was terrified at what she was seeing. An archway had formed there and the nerdy geek ghost was pulling her with him.


    "Where is he taking her?" she asked Shinjin. "What is that? Stop him?"


    "What is what?" Shinjin frowned. He saw nothing but Gayoon being pulled by an invisible hand.


    "You don''t see it?" Jina asked in horror. "That door! He''s-"


    Suddenly, Minho leapt forward to bring Gayoon back but the ghost was surprisingly strong. He gave a rough pull,pletely taking her into the portal.


    But to the shock of Jina, Minho also went through the archway as if he was able to see where it was.


    "Mom! Dad!" she yelled and ran forward but Shinjin pulled her back, finally realizing what was going on as he saw both Gayoon and Minho disappearing in thin air.


    "Let me go!" Jina yelled. "I have to bring them back!"


    She pped his hands but the shaman was too shocked to care. How was this possible? Hwang Minho and Jina were able to see those gates?


    "They went into the World of the Dead," he whispered.

 Chapter 209: World of the Dead (1)

    Chapter 209: World of the Dead (1)


    Minho slowly opened his eyes. His head throbbed a little and his muscles ached. He tried to sit up but for some reason, his body would not move. The air around him felt heavy, almost suffocating him. His chest felt as if somethingrge was pressing onto it.


    He looked around, trying to remember where he was. It was an unfamiliar ce yet, it felt as if he was meant to be there.


    "Mister"


    A voice came from somewhere. But he was too dazed to understand whether it was a girl or a boy. Where am I? He wondered.


    "Mister, are you alright?"


    He felt a gentle touch and a pair of hands tried to help him get up. Minho groaned as he leaned onto the stranger for support. His legs felt wobbly but the stranger managed to lift him up and sat him down on a chair nearby.


    "Mister, are you alright?"


    Minho''s focus began to return and he stared into a pair of dark eyes. It was a girl, hardly an adult. She had long, curly hair and was dressed in a casual t-shirt and dark pants. The girl was looking at him quizzically as if trying to understand how he got there.


    "Where am I?" he managed to whisper.


    "Y-you don''t know?" the girl asked. "You really don''t know?"


    Minho slowly shook his head. He looked around to take a good look around the ce. It looked like a ssroom. Lines of chairs and tables were neatly ced while arge board was hung up on the front wall. The lights were all turned off while the windows were locked shut. There were stacks of books on a shelf at one corner while the lockers were ced on the other end of the wall.


    There were paintings of students hung on the walls. Some drew scenery whilst others drew portraits of people. One of the portraits was of a heart shaped girl with long hair and dark doey eyes.


    Minho''s heart leapt at the sight of the painting. It was Gayoon!


    He sprung up, finally gaining control of his movements, and walked towards the painting. It had a signature.


    "Park Seungjo," he muttered.


    "Mister, do you know where you are?" the girl asked. She was curious about this stranger who popped up, eyeing him suspiciously. Who was he? He did not seem to be one of them.


    "I''m at Blooming Sun High School," Minho said, peering through the windows. The grounds outside werepletely empty and devoid of any signs of life. He felt it was quite strange because the party would have been over by then and people should be leaving for their homes.


    Yet, there were no people nor sounds of them bidding goodbye to each other. In fact, there were no sounds at all. He listened carefully, hoping that it was not a trick of his mind but the ce was...silent. Not even the scurrying of insects could be heard. Instead, it was cold and dark like an abyss which stretched on and on with no end in sight.


    "This... what is this ce?" Minho slowly asked. "This is Blooming Sun High School, right?"


    The girl stared at him with her dark eyes. For the first time, Minho took a good look at her. She was pale, too pale, to the point that she looked almost translucent. Her pupils wererger than average while she was expressionless and unfeeling. The girl stepped towards Minho, reaching out to touch him. For some reason, he did not flinch when her palm slightly brushed his cheek.


    Her hand was colder than ice and he could feel the goosebumps up his arms under her icy touch.


    "You''re alive," she stated in a matter-of-fact voice. "Yet, you''re here. Why?"


    Realization dawned on Minho as he realized the gravity of her words. "You''re dead," he whispered.


    For the first time in twenty years, Minho was scared. He was not scared of the ghost who stood in front of him watching him curiously. He was afraid that he had ventured into a world he had no idea about and would end up losing Gayoon in there.


    "What is this ce?" he demanded. "This isn''t our world!"


    He could not see ghosts and yet...yet this girl was standing in front of him as if she were a real person. Minho recalled that he had gone through some kind of portal which brought him here. Did he break into another dimension? But how? He never did that!


    "Humans who are alive don''te here," the girl noted. "Humans who are in a state between life and death can''t enter here. Only people who are fully dead can enter. Yet, you did. You''re not dead and somehow, broke into our world. How?"


    Now the girl was curious. She had not seen a living human in years and now that one had arrived, he would be attracting too much attention from the others.


    "This is the World of the Dead," she stated. "It is our reality. We are to live here for eternity."


    "The World of the Dead looks like a ssroom?" Minho frowned. "And why are you the only one here? Aren''t there supposed to be a ghostly army or something?"


    How could the dead live in a ssroom? He wondered.


    "The world resembles the ce where we died," the girl exined. "I must have died in this ce which is why I''m stuck here. There are others too. Like me, they''re also stuck here for eternity."


    "But there are ghosts in the real world as well," Minho said. If he had to find Gayoon, then he would have to learn more about this strange ce. He was sure that she was also there but the portal sent them to different parts of the school. Park Seungjo died on the fifth floor and Minho was thrown several floors below. He must get to Gayoon and rescue her but it was crucial to know about the ce they had inadvertently entered.


    "Those ghosts have many regrets and unfulfilled tasks," the girl said. "Once their unfulfilled wishes are met, they move on to the afterlife. Which is better than this ce, I hope."


    "Wait," Minho frowned in confusion. "This is the World of the Dead! Then those ghosts in the real world move here after their wishes arepleted, right?"


    The girl shook her head. "This is a special ce for people who havemitted sins," the girl whispered. There was a hint of immense grief and regret in her words as if she was recalling something painful. "If the ghosts in the real world are sinners like us, they''ll be thrown into this purgatory after their wishese true. If they have a pre soul, they''ll move on to the afterlife where they will be at peace."


    "Here, we are the nameless souls," she went on. "Cursed by our sins, living in agony. For us, time has stopped and we wallow in our regrets. We can''t move on unless we repent for our sins or our innocent victims forgive us. It''s a cold and shallow existence."


    Minho did not know what to say to that. He felt a little pity for the girl who was being punished with such a cruel fate. Living without existing, belonging neither here nor there was truly a terrible punishment. People in the real world remembered their deceased loved ones with love and fondness. He knew what loss was and never let his mother be forgotten from his memories.


    But now that he was face to face with a lost soul, he wondered what sin she may havemitted which made her stuck in this dreary world.


    "I''m looking for someone," he said. "A ghost brought her here by force! She didn''t die and yet, he managed to bring her here. How?"


    "I don''t know," the girl said sadly. "Only a very powerful person or ghost can open the portal and bring in a living human being here! And they would not survive for long here. The energy in this ce is too dark and negative. It will suck out the life out of her and if you don''t save her, her soul will be stuck here!"


    Minho was shocked by her revtion. "She has very little time," the girl said. "Where is she?"


    "She was taken by the spirit of Park Seungjo," he said, holding up the painting. "I saw herst outside of room 12A!"


    The mention of that room made the girl go paler. "12A?" she echoed. "Are you sure?"


    "Yes!" Minho eximed, turning around to head for the door. "We must hurry before-"


    Suddenly, the girl lunged at him, knocking him on the ground.


    "What are you-"


    "Shhh!" she shushed. She went very still and motioned him to listen. Minho frowned and listened very carefully. In the midst of the deafening silence, he could hear the nking of chains heading their way.


    "Follow me," she mouthed. "Stay down!"


    She quietly crawled towards a shelf. Minho followed her and they hid behind it. The girl was on high alert, her eyes on the closed door on the opposite end. The door had a mini square opening on it made of transparent ss.


    Minho wanted to ask what was going on but his instincts told him to stay quiet. The temperature around him fell and he was shivering in cold while the girl was unaffected. She pointed at the door''s ss square. Minho followed her gaze.


    The nking of the chains had stopped. From the cracks of the door, Minho could see a shadow lurking behind it from the outside. Through the ss, a silhouette appeared as if peering into the ssroom. Its breath chilly fogged up the ss but Minho caught the split second glimpse of a skeletal face.


    He rubbed his eyes and tried to see clearly but the figure disappeared. For a long time, he did not speak until he was sure that it was gone.


    "W-what was that?" he stammered. His heart was beating too fast and for the first time in years, he was scared. Genuinely scared.


    "A reaper," the girl revealed. "It protects this world from human beings."


    "How?" Minho asked, fully knowing the answer already.


    "By killing them," the girl shrugged.

 Chapter 210: World of the Dead (2)

    Chapter 210: World of the Dead (2)


    Junho ran up the stairs as soon as he got Shinjin''s call about Gayoon and Minho disappearing behind a portal. Shinjin mentioned that Jina had seen them disappearing behind the portal which leads to the World of the Dead. He saw Jina and Shinjin standing in front of 12A, shock written all over their faces.


    "What the hell happened?" he demanded.


    Shinjin took a deep breath before exining what they had witnessed, while Jina speechless. Her parents had disappeared in front of her very eyes and it was too much to fathom for her young mind. She was distressed but had no idea how to express her thoughts.


    "The World of the Dead?" Junho frowned. "I thought that was just a myth!"


    In his years as an exorcist, he had heard this term sporadically but never delved too deep into it. All he knew was that sometimes, after a person died, they were either sent to the final afterlife for reincarnation or into a realm called the World of the Dead to roam around as nameless spirits, guarded by creatures called the reapers. But he had never given it much thought and assumed that it was one of those ces they would never be able to explore since once dead, a person can nevere back.


    "But they''re not dead," Shinjin said. "Gayoon was taken in there but Minho...we don''t know how he entered the ce! Even I couldn''t see which portal Gayoon was being taken through, yet somehow, he saw the portal and so did Jina! How did Park Seungjo open that portal anyway?"


    Junho nced at his granddaughter who was still in shock. He recalled the words of the water spirit which told him that Park Seungjo was being controlled by another more powerful spirit. Was it possible that the mastermind was the mysterious entity which was manipting the events and had opened the portal?


    "Park Seungjo is being controlled by another spirit," Junho said thoughtfully. "It''s possible that he''s the one who opened the portal."


    "Even if he did, then howe Minho and Jina saw it?" Shinjin asked. "Minho doesn''t have any such powers! No one has ever seen the portal to that world much less enter it!"


    But Junho''s brian was working fast. The other spirit was searching for two bloodlines. One which couldmunicate with ghosts but the other one had vanished because their abilities were unknown. Is it possible that while one bloodlinemunicates with the dead, the other one acts as the gateway to different worlds?


    "Maybe" he began. "Maybe, Minho and Jin belong to the other bloodline. The one which had supposedly vanished."


    Shinjin mulled over those words. "That might also exin why Minho saw it," he nodded. "But that would mean that Minho must have inherited this ability as well! But why didn''t he use it all these years?"


    "He was unaware of it," Junho imed. "I''m sure of it! And, he did not get it from my side of the family but from Suna''s side! Gayoon''s mother Yeeun and Suna were friends as well. That would exin how they knew each other. But why didn''t Gayoon''s grandmother tell me of this?"


    "Maybe Suna herself didn''t know," Shinjin suggested. "Or she wanted to erase that part of herself like Gayoon did. It''s not a very good gift to have, dealing with spirits and the underworld. Unlike Gayoon, Suna had the option to never use her powers again and live a normal life. Even if she passed it on to her children, she simply chose not to tell them."


    But was it that easy to hide powers like that? Junho wondered.


    "We don''t have time," Junho said. "We''ll have to open the portal again! If we don''t get them back, they might die and get trapped in there!"


    "But how are we going to open the portal?" Shinjin asked. "We don''t even know how!"


    "Let''s ask a passing spirit!" Junho said. "They might know more than us."


    "Good idea," Shinjin agreed. "I''ll get ready for a seance."


    Junho was about to say something when a tiny voice asked, "Are they going to die?"


    The men looked at the little girl. Her emotions were a mess and her doey eyes were almost teary but she tried hard not to cry. Junho''s heart ached seeing her distraught state. He wanted to console his granddaughter but false promises would not work on her. He stooped down and patted her shoulder.


    "We''ll bring them back," he promised. "But for that, you need to stay strong. You can do that for them, right?"


    Jina silently nodded. Shinjin left the two alone and hurried to fetch the materials for a seance. Junho hugged his granddaughter, silently vowing to bring her parents back to her. Jina was somewhatforted by the warm hug from the old man.


    Just then, a pair of heavy footsteps ascended the stairs. Jaewan came rushing only to see a familiar face. Junho let go of his granddaughter and stood up to face Jaewan, who was giving him a cold stare.


    "You," Junho stated. "You''re still around."


    "I am," Jaewan said. "Where''s Gayoon?"


    "Park Seungjo took her and Minho to another dimension," Junho said.


    The mention of Seungjo''s name shocked Jaewan. "Park Seungjo?" he echoed. "He''s back-"


    "We don''t have time to exin!" Junho snapped. "We''ll have to find them before it''s toote!"


    The more they wasted time in talking, the more danger Gayoon and Minho were in. Junho was trying hard not to panic but with every passing second, those two were inching closer to death. Park Seungjo had allied himself with a very powerful enemy and if the portal was not re-opened, Jina would lose both her parents.


    Just be safe, he prayed.


    .


    The ground was cold beneath her while the air was bing heavier and heavier. She could not recall where she was but the ce looked familiar. Her muscles would not move and her energy was drained. The ce was too constricted and her breath was getting fainter. Her mind was too dazed and she was confused.


    Gayoon did not know where she was and she was scared. She wanted to move but something about the ce was weakening her. Her limbs were not tied up but the energy of that ce was enough to keep her rooted to her spot. The ce was hypnotizing her, slowly deteriorating her soul.


    "Gayooniee"


    It was a chilling voice. She was supposed to run away from it. The fear in her heart increased upon hearing that word, sickening her to the very core. But her body betrayed her as it refused to move. She could not control herself and even though she wanted to run, she did not know how to escape.


    "You betrayed me, Gayoonie," Seungjo whispered. He was hovering over her, watching her pain. He wanted to do nothing more than to touch her and be with her forever but as long as she was alive, it was impossible for them to be together. She must die so that he could have her for himself. Once she was dead and trapped in this world, he would have his way with her because she would be a mindless and nameless doll for him. They would be trapped in their own world and nothing could separate them.


    "Do you remember our amazing moments together, Gayoonie?" he asked. "Our love. Do you remember it at all?"


    Love


    Yes. She remembered. Her heart clenched in agony when the faces of a little girl and handsome man shed in front of her eyes. Even in that cold world, their imagesforted her and seeing their smiling faces made her temporarily forget her state.


    "We used to love each other so much," Seungjo imed. "You loved me and yet, you betrayed me! Why Gayoonie? Why?"


    Yes, she loved him. That man in her mind who was standing in front of her. For a moment, she was under a hibiscus tree. A flower bloomed happily above them when she felt his soft lips touching hers, making her feel alive again.


    "We were supposed to have so many babies together," Seungjo went on. "So many boys"


    The little girl''s smile was etched into her memory and even though her lips would not move, she smiled inwardly. The girl with the same eyes as her, running happily around the house. She recalled the first night at a mansion when the little girl was sandwiched on the bed between her parents as they slept. Gayoon wanted to reach out and touch her cheeks but her hands were paralyzed.


    "Remember our love, Gayoonie?" Seungjo asked in a menacing tone.


    Yes, she remembered this monster. She knew what he did and what he was. Her head was reying the horrors he had done and thus, began his mind game. It was hard to tell what he was going to do but she was about to face her worst fear.


    Minho...she called out weakly as her mind entered into a loop of her past once again.

 Chapter 211: World of the Dead (3)

    Chapter 211: World of the Dead (3)


    *shback*


    Gayoon had just finished narrating the whole story about what happened to Minjung to Jaewan. They were sitting at the school''s balcony, hiding from the rest of the school. Jaewan was visibly disgusted by what Sengjo did to her. She might have been a bully but no one deserved that kind of fate!


    "What is she going to do about it?" Jaewan asked.


    "I don''t know," Gayoon said. "She''s too scared to talk to anyone. Her mental state is in disarray and I tried to coax her intoining but she wouldn''t. She''s scared of her parents'' reputation."


    "But the police must know about this!" Jaewan argued. Gayoon did not retort, knowing fully well that he was correct. But the situation was not so simple. Once Minjung opens her mouth, she would be crucified first by the police and then by the society. Wherever she would go, people would point at her and whisper things behind her back. They would not let her forget the incident and the whole ordeal will put immense pressure on her, worsening her mental state.


    "We can''t do anything if she doesn''tin," Gayoon said bitterly. Why? Why was it the victim who was always at fault? Why wasn''t the perpetrator used? Minjung was not simply scared but traumatized.


    Even if Seungjo got his due punishment someday, it was Minjung who would suffer for the rest of her life. What was the worst punishment Seungjo could get? Jail time? A little bit ofbor work? He was still seventeen, so that would mean he would be tried under the minorws. He would be out within four years and continue his monstrosity.


    Jaewan let out a loud sigh. Gayoon was right. If Minjung did notin, then there was little they could do. It was a sick and twisted system which was at fault.


    Just then, they were called by a teacher to help out with the fair which was to be taking ce the next day. The two of them picked up their bags and headed towards their stall being set up at the field. Gayoon was instantly swept by the decoration team to help them out while Jaewan went off to help out the guys with the freezers carrying the food.


    They worked tillte night to finish up the stall. Their ss was doing a traditional cafe corner. The stall was built using bamboo sticks and a makeshift floor of mahogany wood. The canopy was made of hay, adding the much needed elegance to the cafe. Inside, there were no tables and chairs. Instead, the customers would be seated on soft pillows with a low table set for keeping the food.


    The ce was kept airy and the open space made it feelfortable and cozy. It was not much different from the outside traditional cafes but the ss worked hard on it and were proud. Everyone was so enthusiastic into making this project a sess, that Gayoon''s ssmates did not even bother her much. Other than Yoo and his friend''s asional jeers, everyone was too preupied to bully anyone else.


    "The walls need more artwork," Gayoon frowned. She was doing thest minute inspections to make sure that they did not miss out on anything.


    "I can bring some traditional paintings I have at home," one of her ssmates, Lia, stated. "Those should do it."


    Gayoon nodded and the ss began to clean up the remaining supplies and dust from the cafe. Finally, they were done setting up the ce.


    "Good work everyone!" Teacher Kang eximed. "Now remember, all of you must be here by 6 AM sharp! The fair might start at 10 AM but we still have a lot of work left to do before the visitors arrive!"


    The students yelled ,"Yes!" and dispersed. Gayoon stretched her limbs and picked up her bag. Jaewan had texted her to wait for him at the entrance because one of the teachers had summoned him to the teacher''s room for some work. She shrugged and walked towards the front gate. Many of the students had already left while others were finishing up thest minute work for the fair so she was standing at the secluded entrance all by herself.


    "Boss!"


    Startled, Gayoon looked around to see the pale faced ghost she had helped a few months back.


    "You''re still around?" Gayoon asked warily. After listening to Sooyeon''s ''singing'' for a few days, Gayoon decided that it was impossible for anyone to hear that torturous melody. The ghost was tone deaf and Gayoon could see why she was rejected from all sorts of auditions.


    "No one wants to hear my songs boss!" Sooyeon whined. "I tried out for the annual ghostly singingpetitionsst week but those idiots didn''t take me in! They thought I was too powerful and would outshine everyone."


    "There''s an annual ghostly singingpetition?" Gayoon gaped.


    "Yep!" Sooyeon dered. "It takes ce every year and is only for us ghosts! You wanna attend one? I can get you the tickets."


    And get chased by ghosts all over the country? "I''m good," Gayoon winced. "Howe you''re still around?"


    "I''m trying to hook up with the cute ghost in the toilet," Sooyeon confessed, her face turning palmers as if she was blushing. She giggled like a school girl and Gayoon could only shake her head.


    "He promised to take me out on a date to the haunted banyan tree at the park," Sooyeon said dreamily. "But he''s sadtely. People have been avoiding his toilet for a while. All he wants to do is hand them toilet paper! It''s not his fault that the papers drag them to hell or throttle them! His business is falling , ya know!"


    "He can just change his brand of toilet paper," Gayoon suggested, stifling herughter. Maybe he could use those toilet paper on those who''d listen to your singing, she added in her mind. They''d need it to kill themselves anyway.


    "I wish!" Sooyeon sighed. "But he''s obsessed with them. Says the colors red and blue are pretty."


    She then nced at something over Gayoon''s shoulder.


    "Boss, isn''t it that creepy kid who stalks you around?" she frowned.


    Gayoon turned around and instantly, her blood began to boil. Sooyeon was right. Seungjo was walking towards her. Gayoon did not want to talk to that sicko but if he had an inkling that she had one of his tapes, he might end up releasing the video he possessed on the inte. That wouldpletely ruin Minjung and throw her on another suicidal path.


    "Gayoonie!" he called her.


    "Don''t call me that!" she snapped. "What do you want?"


    Seungjo blushed and looked at his feet. "W-would you like to have dinner with me?" he stammered. "My mom is cooking shellfish for us! I told her that I''m gonna bring a friend."


    Gayoon red at him in disdain. Was this boy a psycho? What the hell was wrong with him?


    "Park Seungjo, how many times do I have to tell you?" she snarled. "I''m not interested in being your friend. You are a sick person! How can you even make a promise to your mother you can''t keep?"


    "I-I told her that you woulde!" he insisted. "She''s so happy! Gayoonie, juste with me!"


    He grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her but Gayoon did not budge.


    "Let me go," she said in a cool tone, trying not to lose her cool. The boy in front of her was dangerous and even though it was difficult, she must suppress her anger. Otherwise, he might end up doing something worse.


    "Why don''t you get it Gayoonie?" he begged. "I''m in love with you!"


    "You''re a sick bastard!" Gayoon cursed. "And I am not going anywhere with you!"


    She wrenched her hand away from his, feeling disgusted. The very thought of this monster even touching her was sickening her. He might look like a harmless nerd but he was a sadistic criminal who deserved nothing but only punishment.


    "Gayoonie!" he yelled and stepped forward to touch her again. She backed off and pped him with all her might.


    Jaewan had just arrived at the gate only to see a stunned Seungjo standing near Gayoon and thetter looked furious. He quickly ran towards them, realizing that something was wrong. The sound of the p also echoed loudly, causing a few more students to arrive to where themotion was taking ce.


    "What happened?" Jaewan demanded.


    Gayoon did not hesitate when she pointed at Seungjo and said, "He''s harassing me! And he''s a creep who''s been following me relentlessly."


    "Wait, he''s not your boyfriend?" one of the students asked. "I thought you two were dating?"


    "Yeah!" Lia frowned. "He told everyone that you''re his girlfriend! But is he actually stalking you?"


    There was a loud murmur of confusion. Gayoon was stumped by the rumors the asshole had spread about her.


    "No, he''s a stalker who keeps on following girls around!" she dered. "He followed me to my house and a few days back, someone threw a stone at my window, breaking the ss. I think it was him! And he spread these rumors too!"


    Seungjo gulped as the students looked at him in disgust. Jaewan grabbed him by the cor, ring at him.


    "Get outta here!" he warned. "Otherwise, it won''t end well for you."


    He threw Seungjo to the ground. The boy wheezed, rubbing his cor as he walked away. Giving onest re to Gayoon, who had rejected his love, he went away.


    But inwardly, he was biding his time. Gayoon had dared to reject his true love. Now, it was time for her to pay.

 Chapter 212: World of the Dead (4)

    Chapter 212: World of the Dead (4)


    *Present*


    "A reaper?" Minho echoed. "They kill humans?"


    "No," the girl replied. "They don''t actually kill humans. More specifically, they''ll get rid of anyone, who isn''t dead,e into this world. It''s not a ce for the living."


    She peered out through the door''s cracks to make sure that the skeletal creature was gone.


    "They''re not usually patrolling around," she murmured. "They rarely show up. It was probably because they''ve sensed something powerful."


    "Are there more of them?" Minho asked. His voice was almost a whisper.


    "Yes, but in this building, there''s just one," she exined. "It doesn''te out often unless there''s a troublemaker in the realm. There has been some sort of disturbancetely. It seems that someone had opened a portal to the real world and now that you''re here, I can see that they''ve seeded."


    "I need to get to Gayoon," he said. "She''s alive just like I am! I have to get to her!"


    He was about to open the door when the girl''s cold hand stopped him. "Do you know your way around this ce?" she asked in a cool tone.


    "We''re on the ground floor," Minho stated. "I have to get to the fifth floor-"


    "It''s not as easy as climbing the stairs," she sighed. "You really think I''m the only spirit around here? There are many other spirits here and not all of them are friendly."


    Minho thought about her words for a while. She was right. He had no idea about the dangers they might face while saving Gayoon. He did not even know how to go back to their world.


    "Salt," he muttered. "We''ll need salt. I''ve seen an exorcist use salt on a spirit once."


    He recalled how Shinjin had used salt to keep the CCK''s spirit at bay. But would it work on the spirits in this world?


    "It might work," the girl confirmed. "Other than that, there''s one more thing you''ll need."


    "What''s that?"


    "Peach blossom leaves," she stated. "The salt is in the kitchen across the hall. This world is built exactly like the school in the real world so you''ll find items here which have the same properties as the ones in the real world. If the salt works on spirits here, then so will the peach blossom leaves."


    "Why peach blossom leaves?"


    "Peach blossom are considered to be holy and pure," the girl exined, pressing her ears against the door. "It is used in traditional healing methods to calm the soul. It''s so pure that it can keep away spirits and cuts through reapers. It''s not much but effective enough to keep them away for a while. There''s one tree right outside the kitchen. You can gather some of the leaves."


    She tried to listen through the door. "I think the coast is clear," she said. "Let''s go."


    Quietly sneaking out, she peeked both ways to check the hallway before ushering him to follow her.


    "Try to be as quiet as possible," she warned. "The reapers are blind but they have excellent hearing. They don''t have a sense of direction but will destroy anything thates in their way. So be very careful."


    "Where''s the kitchen?" Minho whispered.


    "We''ll have to cross the reception area and head south until we see the cafeteria," she said. "That is if the ce remains still."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Sometimes, these halls change," she exined. "It''s a loop, you see. One minute you''re walking in the garden but within the next second, you''ll find yourself in a hallway. This ce keeps on shifting to confuse the spirits."


    Minho was mentally noting down everything he was learning about the strange world. They were walking down an empty hallway which was looming around them dangerously. Just like the ssroom they had left behind, the ce was too quiet. Minho never realized it before but the world he lived in was always lively, full of sounds. He was so absorbed into making money and raising his family, that he never appreciated his surroundings much.


    But now that he was in another world, he was beginning to realize how much he missed out on. The sounds of his family membersughing, the cries of the insects when he went camping with Gayoon or the trinkets of cutlery whenever they had dinner. He suddenly missed all of those things in that cold, dreary world. Even their footsteps were silent.


    They passed the long hallway and reached a reception area. It was exactly like the real one in Minho''s world. There was a receptionist''s lounge in the front with a notice board behind it. A sofa was ced at a corner for people who waited in queue while a water tap was ced next to it. The walls were painted in shades of purple and orange while the furry maroon rug looked spotlessly clean. It was the same as the lobby in the real school.


    Only difference was theck of people.


    "What''s your name?" he asked the girl in an attempt to make small conversation. He was sure the world was ying with his mind because the silence was making him ufortable by the minute.


    "I don''t know," the girl admitted. "I can''t remember my name. All I remember is that I woke up here and am dead."


    She said it in a matter of fact way as if it no longer bothered her.


    "This girl...Gayoon...why are you so adamant on saving her?" she wondered out loud. "Is she your girlfriend?"


    "She...she is," Minho replied. "And also the mother of my child."


    The girl looked at him for a while. "You must love her a lot," she stated. "To follow her all the way to this world...it takes a lot of courage to do what you did."


    Love? It was an alien word to him. Was it love that he felt for her? Could he even fall in love?


    As he repeated that word in his mind, Gayoon''s bright smile shed in front of his eyes. Even in his imagination, he was dazzled by her warmth. He was not sure of what love was, but for a moment there, he was sure that he would give up all his wealth if he could see her smile once more.


    Suddenly, the girl stopped in her steps and pulled Minho to the side. Both of them ducked under the receptionist''s table.


    "Is it another reaper?" he whispered.


    "No," she replied. "Look."


    She pointed at the door which led to another hallway. It flew open and a cold gush of wind came through it. Minho shivered but not in cold. He was shivering in fear.


    A group of people began to slowly walk out of the entrance. There were men, women, old and young people in the mix but something was off about them. They were staggering in a slow motion, their sullen faces devoid of all life and emotions. Some of them were grunting while others gaped stupidly around as if trying to remember where they were. Their eyes were sunk so deep into their pupils that it seemed that they had no eyeballs. Instead, their eyes werepletely ck. The people...no...those things were probably blind. Some of them sniffed the air but they could no longer breathe. Their back was hunched while their arms hung on their sides.


    "Those spirits are the mindless ones," the girl informed him. "They don''t remember their names but the eternity in this abyss has destroyed their minds. They no longer think nor do they know what they''re doing. In this ce, they''re just existing like an empty shell."


    "Then why are we hiding from them?" Minho asked.


    "They might be mindless, but that doesn''t make them any less dangerous," the girl sighed. "If they touch you, they''ll suck out your soul and make you like one of them. I told you, this ce has many facets of spirits. These are not the friendly ones."


    "What category do you fall into?" Minho asked curiously.


    "Nameless," she replied. For the first time that night, he noted a hint of sadness in her tone. "People are beginning to forget me, so my name has been erased. If theypletely put me out of their minds, then I, too, will be a mindless spirit."


    She was staring at the ghostly army which was walking towards the other end of the room with no sense of direction. Minho pitied the girl for her impending fate. Living an eternal existing without a name or sane mind was a punishment worse than hell. If monsters like CCK and Park Seungjo got the easy way out, then he shuddered to think what the spirits in the World of the Dead might have done to deserve such a fate.


    "Life is unfair," he muttered.


    "So is death," the girl added. The ghost army had disappeared but the girl made them sit for a little while longer in case if they came back.


    "I think they''re gone," she finally said. "Let''s go and get the materials."


    She motioned him to follow her and they set off towards the kitchen.


    Minho was feeling ominous. As he stepped into the kitchen corridor, he could not help but nce back at the Mindless who had disappeared on the other end. Did Gayoon really see these kinds of spirits all her life? Do the people really leave once they die?


    For the first time in life, he really had no answers.

 Chapter 213: World of the Dead (5)

    Chapter 213: World of the Dead (5)


    Shinjin drew a star and put candles on the points. He ced an ouija board in the middle containing alphabets and holy water on its side. Jaewan was on watchout for any guards or people who might stray that way but there were none. Since the school had been emptied already, there were no people around except for a few maintenance workers who were working on a building across the field. They had shut off every window with shutters and the lights were switched off. The whole ce was covered with darkness sans the lighting from the candles.


    Junho sat across Shinjin while Jina was seated next to him. She was surrounded by a circle of salt to protect her from any possible spirit which might try to harm her.


    "Remember Jina," Junho said. "Do not reveal that you can see ghosts even without a seance. Try not to look at its eyes. If we end up summoning a bad spirit, it might harm you and it''ll be difficult to get rid of it."


    Jina was terrified and wished that Casper or Yumi could be there with her. She did not want to face all this by herself and it was too overwhelming for the little girl. Her palms were sweating in fear and she was shaking.


    Junho grasped her shoulder. "Don''t be afraid," he assured her. "Just stay calm."


    "Will mommy and daddy be alright?" she asked again. Junho''s heart was breaking upon seeing her sad face and there was no way he could answer her question.


    "Shush!" Shinjin hissed. "I need to start concentrating."


    Junho closed his eyes while Jina looked from him to Shinjin. They were both chanting something under their breaths. A cold chill fell around them as the air became cooler. The darkness seemed to be growing and Jina was gripped by a strong fear as she tried to stay still. Everything was so quiet that she could hear her loud heartbeats. Shinjin and Junho kept on chanting in anguage she could not understand. Was it Latin? She could not tell.


    Suddenly, there was a noise of something crashing. Yelping, Jina shut her ears as the wind swooshed around her ferociously. If Junho had not stuck the salt with edible glue, it would have spread out and broken the circle around her but Jina felt very vulnerable. She wanted to scream and run away but the thought of her parents kept her rooted to the spot.


    "Old man!" she whimpered. "Make it stop!"


    She could hear strange whispers in her ears. Some were screaming, some were cursing and they were circling around her, trying to enter the salt buried but were kept away. Jina closed her eyes and lowered her head, trying not to see them. She knew that the spirits were staring at her, trying to catch her attention.


    "Don''t look at them," Junho stated. Shinjin kept on chanting, not breaking it. Junho stared at the ouija board. The pointer on it was spinning rapidly, as if being controlled on its own. It spun and spun until finally, it stopped at the number ''0''.


    Shinjin opened his eyes.


    "There is one here," he said. Jina opened her eyes and slowly looked up and almost screamed.


    The spirit standing in front of her was unlike anything she has ever seen. It was of a woman in her thirties. She had long curly hair which reached till her waist while she wore a id shirt and skirt. There was a dark stain on her shirt while her hands were also bleeding. But the most striking features were her eyes.


    Instead of eyes, she had empty sockets.


    The woman carried a brick with her which was also stained with the crimson blood as if she had used it many times. There was a nasty sneer on her lips as she faced Jina. The little girl looked away, trying not to stare at the thing''s eyes. The woman seemed to have noticed her but she was blind and had to rely on instincts.


    "I notice a little pet here," she said in a soft tone. "Do you want to y with me, little one?"


    Jina did not dare to reply. Her insides were warning her not to speak. The spirit in front of her was not friendly like Casper or Yumi but a dangerous one which would not hesitate to harm her. These were the type of spirits Gayoon had warned her of. So far, Jina took her mother''s advice very lightly but seeing this woman in front of her was making her regret her earlier assumptions.


    "There is no one else but me!" Shinjin imed. The woman turned towards him.


    "A shaman," she noted with contempt. "Why have you summoned me here you wretch?"


    "Park Seungjo," Shinjin said. "He has taken a human into the World of the Dead. How can we bring her back?"


    The woman let out a loudughter. "You cannot bring out a human from there!" she wheezed. "It''s impossible. The human is as good as dead!"


    Junho clenched his fists, trying not tosh out at the ghost who was clearly enjoying the misery of humans.


    "But how did he manage to open the portal?" Shinjin demanded. "You know it. Tell me!"


    He threw a handful of salt at the woman who screamed in pain. Jina did not look at her way but she could not shut out the agonizing screams of the ghost.


    "Why should I?" she scoffed. "You humans are nothing but trash! Even when I was alive, the brats in this school tormented me until one day, I was driven to suicide! And even after death, they mocked my resting site! Why should I help any of you?"


    "Because," Shinjin began. "I know you are the ghost which haunts the field. You know very well that there was a spirit seer here and she told me all about you. You''re Han Kira, aren''t you? The one who harms any yer who ys on that field because it was once your memorial site."


    "And since I know your name," he added. "I can exorcise you easily. The only reason we did not do it all these years is because we weren''t allowed inside the school property after Seungjo''s death."


    The ghost growled at the cursed shaman. If he exorcised her, she would be sent straight to the World of the Dead and live in that unending hell.


    "There have been whispers," she admitted reluctantly. "About someone else controlling Park Seungjo. The spirits around here call him Mr. A. Ever since he joined hands with Park Seungjo, most of the ghosts have been staying away from here in fear of being thrown into the portal. Those two conspired to bring in the seer into the World of the Dead once she stepped foot in this school for the reunion. This other spirit needs a seer to aplish some sort of grand n. Only a seer who can see ghosts can act as the key to his mysterious ns."


    Junho nced at Shinjin and then at Jina. Park Seungjo does not know that Gayoon had lost her ability to see ghosts and the powers were transferred to Jina. Which meant that even if Seungjo abducted his object of desire, the other spirit ended up taking the wrong person. Does that mean the other spirit still does not know about Jina''s existence? How was that possible?


    "How do we open the portal?" Shinjin asked. "We need to bring her back!"


    "Only someone with the transporting ability can open the portal!" the spirit scoffed. "Transporters can go in and out of the World of the Dead on their will. There was once a powerful family which dealt with the dead and they had built several portals around the country in order to control the ghosts while the seers helped them to throw those spirits into the World of the Dead. But that family has gone into hiding hundreds of years ago after they were being hunted down by locals! No one can track them down unless they reveal their powers. Although..."


    She sniffed the air and grinned.


    "Seems like someone has used his powers tonight!" she eximed in glee. "The Mr. A will be angry. Very angry."


    Junho and Shinjin were now even more confused. Seeing how Minho was able to go in through the portal so easily, they had a hunch that maybe he possessed this transporting ability. Which meant that Jina also inherited it.


    Both of them looked at the little girl who was visibly scared. She had no idea what to do and could only sit there helplessly while the terrifying ghost loomed above her, trying to sense the seer in the midst but for some reason, could not pinpoint her location.


    Shinjin noticed the spirit was trying to sniff out where Jina was and frowned.


    "There''s a spirit seer on your right," he lied. The spirit was excited and turned to her right where it was only an empty space.


    "Got you!" she tried to catch something in the air but to her shock, there was nothing.


    "You tricked me!" she yelled and tried to reach out for Shinjin but he threw more salt at her, causing her to yelp and stagger backwards.


    "I now end this session," he dered. "Ghost, go back to your ce!"


    The spirit lunged at him but an invisible force was pulling her away from him. She screamed as she was being dragged back to her field, screaming and cursing in anger. Jina tried not to whimper as she saw the woman being pulled by the hair until she finally vanished.


    Once she was gone, Junho turned to Shinjin. "How the hell are we going to bring them back?" he demanded.


    Shijin turned towards Jina. "It seems like Jina has inherited not only her mother''s ability to see ghosts but also her father''s powers to break through the dimensions," he stated. "But her powers are still not under control. Sometimes, the ghosts can find her but other times she''s invisible to them. Seeing how the transporters are still hidden from ghosts and other entities, it''s safe to assume that their abilities also include masking their powers. They''re discoverable only when they use their powers."


    "Tonight, Minho inadvertently used his powers," Shinjin went on. "So the spirits nearby know of his existence."


    "So if he can use his powers," Junho began. "Then-"


    "Then I can open the portal and bring my parents back."


    Both the men turned to look at Jina. "But Jina, your powers aren''t under control yet," Junho pointed out. "We don''t know how it''ll affect you."


    "In that case," Shijin said. "We can only open the portal a little so that we can pass a message to Minho! If he can go through the portal from this side, he might be able to open it from the other side and bring Gayoon back!"


    The little girl''s eyes red with determination.


    Let''s do this! She decided.

 Chapter 214: World of the Dead (6)

    Chapter 214: World of the Dead (6)


    Seungjo was looming over Gayoon''s unconscious body, biding his time until she would breathe herst. The world around her was already sucking out her energy and she was too weak to do anything. Unlike the real world, she was now in a limbo where there was no exit. The portal would never open and she was stuck there until her life was sapped out of her.


    He smirked, tracing one finger over her smooth skin. He could not feel her touch because he was a translucent being, not here nor there but rather stuck between the living and dead. Seungjo cursed under his breath as he yearned to touch and feel his beloved. But as long as she was alive, it was impossible.


    Even in that state, she looked as ethereal as ever. Many years had passed and even though she had matured a lot, her beauty was unparalleled. It was the first thing he had noticed about her in school. She hid herself behind long bangs and baggy clothes to ward away people but Seungjo was observant. He eyed that gown she wore. If he had been alive, he could have had his way with her while she was unconscious but he was patient. She was already within his grasp.


    "Why did you betray me, my love?" he whispered. "If only you could have epted my feelings for you."


    Gayoon did not respond, oblivious to the ghost who was looking at her with a menacing glee. Seungjo knew that she was now reying her old memories in her mind. Was he in them? Did she remember him at all?


    Suddenly, he felt a pang of pain in his head. Ghosts did not feel pain nor any warmth but Seungjo writhed as if his head was on fire.


    "I told you, I''ll bring her to you!" Seungjo lied to no one in particr. The ssroom was empty except for them but Seungjo was talking as if there was someone else with them. He closed his eyes in an attempt to shut out the pain but the entity in his mind was torturing him.


    "I"m not going to betray you!" he imed. "I brought her here for safekeeping! We still have two hours! You cane here at midnight and use her to aplish your goals!"


    That was another lie. Gayoon had at most one hour before she would be dead. Seungjo had brought her earlier than nned in order to kill her off quickly and have her join the World of the Dead as a Mindless ghost. As a Mindless, Seungjo can keep her as a ve and do whatever he wanted with her and no one could stop him.


    Not even...him.


    "I will not betray you," he gritted. "I swear!"


    The pain in his head stung more before it was gone. Seungjo had very little time. The other one, Mr. A, was going toe any moment. But he knew very well that Mr. A would not be able toe for him until midnight so he must quicken up Gayoon''s death.


    "I hope you''re having very good dreams in there," he hissed at her unconscious figure. "Coz soon, you''re not going to have any of those memories with you!"


    Somewhere in her unconscious mind, Gayoon felt an rm go off as if danger was lurking near her. But she was not able to fathom anything. She was being thrown into a ckhole where she could see nothing. It was pitch ck, with no end in sight. Her head was throbbing as she walked ahead, showing her memories which she could not recall or had suppressed long time ago.


    Who am I? She wondered. What are these images in my head?


    shes of peach blossom trees popped up in her head but she could not remember where she was. There were people around her and yet, she was not with them. She was in the ck tunnel. Then why were those people crowding near her? Who were those kids? What were they doing?


    She was not sure what was going on. Her mind was dazed and once again, she was thrown into a spiral of memories.


    .


    *shback*


    The fair was being held at the school''s field where the students had gathered. The stalls were lined neatly in uniform lines on all sides of the ground while the peach blossom trees hung over them. It was the beginning of spring and the whole ce was vibrant with colors from different flowers. The garden bed was decorated with pink lilies while the fountain was enclosed with blue roses which sparkled under the sun. If Gayoon was not allergic to them, she would have taken one for her grandma.


    The stalls were shaped like mini tents, decorated with brown and orange drapes while the fascias held the names of each ss and their presentation. The ss of 12A was doing a traditional cafe for their guests. Up untilst night, the ce was haphazard but thanks to Teacher Kang''s guidance, they had managed to make it cozy.


    The pillows were sewn with hand using traditional Asian designs consisting of dragons and spiritual beings while the table cloth were kept to a mixture of red and yellow colors. On onene, they decorated the shelves with different types of herbs which were used in teas. On the menu, they kept strictly traditional desserts like rice cakes, red bean dumplings, tea cookies and many more. For drinks, they chose an array of local tea vors like cinnamon tea, ginseng tea, macha drinks and lots more.


    The choice of their food was attracting many customers and soon, the students of 12A had their hands full. Gayoon was in charge of making the food since she had experience in preparing local cuisine thanks to her grandma''s cafe. She had a few helping hands as she taught them how to make the rice dough for the food.


    Jaewan and a few other boys were in charge of cleaning. The students wanted Jaewan to take up the role of a server due to his good looks but he refused and cited, "You guys are having your fun. Let me have mine."


    Gayoon wanted to throw the rice dough on his face upon hearing those words but it was useless. The guy was stubborn when it came to cleaning. To the dismay of the other students, he also brought Mona along to keep Gayoonpany. Or more specifically, guard her in case Park Seungjo came anywhere near her.


    The students were skeptical of having a dog near their cafe but seeing how well behaved she was, they let her stay. Gayoon did not see the point though. If she could protect herself from ghosts then Seungjo was just a small fry for her.


    Mona sat at a corner, watching Gayoon as she kneaded the dough for the cakes. She had been doing it for hours and she was already very tired. Her hands were aching and she needed rest.


    "This is so exhausting!" sheined. The other helpers were busy making their own dishes and she wondered whether she should take rest.


    "Are you tired?"


    She turned around to see Teacher Kang entering the tent. Gayoon bowed and replied, "Just a little sir. But I think I can go on for a while longer."


    "Nonsense!" Teacher Kang scoffed. "Go and take some rest in the ssroom, alright? I think Lia can watch over your station. She has already rested."


    He turned to call Lia who quickly came up to him. "Take over Gayoon''s station for a while," he instructed. "She can rest for twenty minutes and resume her work."


    "Yes sir," Lia said and quickly took over Gayoon''s work.


    "And as for this little cutie," Kang said, turning towards Mona. "You don''t mind if I borrow her for a while, do you? Those kids want to y with her."


    He pointed at a pair of children who were squealing at Mona. The dog also seemed to enjoy the attention and wagged her tail in excitement.


    "Not at all!" Gayoonughed. "She''s all yours!"


    Kang whistled at Mona who followed him towards the kids. Even though Mona was usually a picky puppy, she loved children and yed with them a lot. Jaewan was still trying to train her into obedience and even though heined about her, Gayoon knew that Jaewan really loved the dog. She waved Mona goodbye and went off towards the school building, away from the crowd.


    As she was walking into the building, her phone beeped. To her surprise, it was a missed call from Minjung.


    She quickly called Minjung. Thetter picked up within one ring.


    "Minjung!" Gayoon eximed. "How are you doing now?"


    "I don''t know," Minjung said. "I really don''t"


    Gayoon felt a pang of sympathy for the girl who had suffered so much. She had forgiven all of Minjung''s past endeavors and she truly wanted the girl to get the justice she deserved.


    "I''ve been thinking about what you said that night," Minjung admitted. "I don''t know whether I can do it on my own. I''m here at school right now. In our ssroom. Can we meet up?"


    "Sure!" Gayoon replied." I''ming up right now. Wait for me, okay?"


    Minjung nodded and hung up the phone. Her heart was beating fast and she was unsure if her decision to ce aint against Seungjo was the right thing to do or not. After all, her parents'' reputation was at stake. She did not even tell them about what happened to her.


    Meanwhile, Gayoon stepped into the building, intending to talk to Minjung. Unbeknownst to her, a lone figure was watching her from afar, tailing her every move.


    "Today, I''ll make you mine," Seungjo swore from the shadows of the trees he hid in. "Gayoonie."

 Chapter 215: World of the Dead (7)

    Chapter 215: World of the Dead (7)


    *Present*


    Minho followed the girl towards the kitchen. She was on the lookout for any possible spirits which may pass by but the route was empty so far.


    "How long have you been here?" Minho asked. He was not really curious about the girl but the silence was bothering him. It was hard to stay in a ce which had no sound and for the first time in his life, he was appreciating the noises he heard in his own world. The World of the Dead was a dreary and dreadful ce. He would not even wish for his worst enemies to end up there. Perhaps the CCK but no one else.


    "I don''t know," the girl stated in her monotone. "We lose track of time here."


    "Do you remember what sin you might havemitted?" he asked.


    "I do," she replied but did not borate. Minho was confused by her behavior. She was the only spirit which had her senses even though she could not recall her name. Yet, she knew how she died.


    "That''s the kitchen," she said pointing at a door across them. They were at a crossroad and must pass the intersecting corridors to reach it. She looked both ways.


    "There''s no one here," she said. "Strange. The reaper usually hangs around here. I wonder why it''s not in its usual ce."


    Something was not right. The nking of the reaper could not be heard. Was it elsewhere? Why?


    "Let''s go," she said. "But don''t make any noise. I''m not getting a very good feeling about this."


    Minho followed her with caution and they stealthily entered the kitchen. The girl motioned him to open one of the shelves which wasbeled as ''Supplies''. Minho quietly opened the shelf and to his relief, found a few jars of salt.


    "How do we find out if this salt has the same effect as the one in the real world?" he frowned. This was the World of the Dead, a dim copy of the living world. Would the products work the same way?


    "There''s only one way to find out," the girl muttered. She held out her palm and said, "Sprinkle some on my hand. If it burns through, this salt works the same way as the salt in the living world."


    Minho was unsure of her words. He did not want to end up hurting someone who was helping him. Suddenly, his mind was alert.


    "Why are you helping me?" he demanded, feeling suspicious. In all his years, he had learnt that nothing came for free, not even a good deed. If living people did not do favors without expectation, then why should the dead be any different?


    The girl raised her eyebrows. "Are you doubting me?" she asked coolly.


    "I''m merely taking precautions," Minho said. "What if you''re in cahoots with Park Seungjo? He might be the one who sent you so that you stop me from saving Gayoon. Or, what if you''re only trying to trap me in this world with you?"


    The girl stared at him for a while before sighing. "Firstly," she began. "I''m your best bet to tour the world because you know jackshit about this ce. Otherwise, you''d be reaper food by now."


    She held up two fingers and continued, "Secondly, if I really wanted to trap you in here, I''d have just left you in that ssroom."


    "Thirdly," she pressed holding up three fingers. "This is my world. Like it or not I''ll have to live here and by now, it''s like home to me. It''s the only ce where I can roam around freely, without any thought about the society or people. I don''t dwell on my regrets here but rather seek redemption in peace. So, when scums like Mr. A and Park Seungjo arrive to pollute it with their filthy deeds, I feel that I should clean out my home and get rid of those miscreants. If you''re here to get back your woman, then go ahead. I just want to get rid of Park Seungjo and his master in the process."


    Minho was still not convinced by her statements. There was something highly unusual about this girl because she was helping him without any reason. If she was that desperate to get rid of Park Seungjo , why did she not do it herself? Clearly, she knew much more about the world than Seungjo and could easily kick him out or get rid of him. Why was she helping Minho?


    He did not voice out his opinions anymore but was still doubtful of her motives.


    "Sprinkle it," she demanded. Minho opened the jar and took out a pinch of salt.


    "Are you sure about this?" he asked, in case the girl was having second thoughts.


    "I''m sure," she said curtly. Minho took a deep breath and sprinkled the salt on her palm.


    Instantly, there were small red sparks erupting from her skin and she hissed in pain. The salt had slightly burnt her translucent skin and leftrge scarlet marks on them as if bleeding. She tried to be strong but the wince on her face made it clear that she was suffering more than she let on to believe.


    "It''s working," she said, rubbing the burnt spot. The burns were not healing at all.


    "Seems like it," he noted. "Will it work on reapers too?"


    "No," the girl said. "Reapers are a different case. Only that will work on them."


    She pointed at a peach blossom tree right outside of the kitchen window. "I''ll go and get the flowers," she said. "Stay here. If a reaper or ghostes, hide. Reapers are blind and can''t sense you if you''re more than three feet away from them. But they can hear well and also, if you happen toe directly in their way as they pass by, they won''t hesitate to kill. Be it human or ghost."


    "They can kill ghosts?" Minho gaped.


    "More like sh at them and throw them in another hell, a second one which is worse than this," the girl stated. "As for humans, they''ll be dead and end up as a Mindless in this world. Get cut down again, then you can say hello to hell number 2."


    "How many hells are there?" Minho wondered.


    "Who knows?" the girl sighed. "There can be 1. There can be 2. There can be infinite. And then there can be none."


    Minho could not make head nor tails of what she had just said. The girl shed a rare smile and remarked, "If you didn''t understand that statement, then you''re too good of a person to go to hell. So, it''ll be a shame if you die here."


    With that, she turned around and walked towards the window, leaving a very confused Minho behind. He watched her easily climb through the window and head for the peach blossom tree. He waited, impatient as time passed by. Checking his watch, he could only groan in frustration. His watch was not working in that world.


    "A hundred thousand dor watch and it can''t even bloody work in another dimension!" he muttered in annoyance.


    He was not sure how much time had passed. 5 minutes? 10 minutes? An hour? The more time they wasted, the closer Gayoon was heading towards a fate worse than death. There was no way he would let her die and live in this cold world for the rest of eternity. They still had a long life to live together with their daughter.


    For a moment, his heart was beating fast as he thought of him, Gayoon and Jina together as a family. Thezy mornings when he and Gayoon would cuddle together while Jina climbed on their bed to give them a wake up kiss. The family dinners they would enjoy and the movie nights. He smiled as he could clearly imagine Gayoon crying over the sad romantic movies while Jina and he would be bored but watch it anyway for Gayoon''s sake.


    Those moments still had not arrived for them but he wanted them. He wanted them to experience it all. His heart was beating fast at the thought. It was as if he could see the happy family from afar, satisfied at the life they had ahead.


    As he smiled at the happy family in his mind, the air around him was bing colder. The faint nking of chains was getting louder and louder but Minho was trapped in his own thoughts, unaware of the being closing on him. He shrugged off the chill he felt, focusing only on the image in his head. Gayoon''s smile, her twinkling eyes and her pretty face was stuck in his heart and he was unable to look away as if he was hypnotized.


    The girl had just climbed back into the kitchen. She was about to open her mouth to tell him that she got the peach blossom flower when she froze on the spot.


    Therge, skeletal being had raised its scythe, ready to cut down the human in its way.

 Chapter 216: World of the Dead (8)

    Chapter 216: World of the Dead (8)


    "LOOK OUT!"


    The girl''s scream snapped him out of his reverie and on an instinct, Minho leapt forward. The scythe missed him by mere centimeters and he fell on the ground.


    The reaper towered over him, raising its scythe again but the girl jumped in between and shed the peach blossom stem at it. The reaper let out a shrill cry of agony and retreated outside.


    "We''ve got to get out of this room!" the girl eximed. "It''s gonna return any moment and it might bring reinforcements!"


    Minho did not need to be told twice. He scrambled to get up and together, they ran out of the kitchen. Behind them, they could hear the nking of several chains. Several skeletal reapers were on their tail, toppling over one another to reach the human within their grasp.


    The sight was far more gruesome than anything Minho had ever seen in his entire life. The reapers were running as if they were one entity, screeching and howling. They were fast yet clumsy in their movements.Some of them fell over during the chase but the others stepped on them, squishing the bones. Dry blood burst out of the skulls but the other reapers kept on chasing Minho and the girl, not giving up their pursuit. They tugged and pulled at each other, determined to get the human at any cost.


    "Don''t look back and just run!" the girl yelled at him. "Shit!"


    The reapers were fast and were getting closer. Minho gasped, running out of breath. He was usually a fast runner but he doubted he could outrun the things chasing them. The cold air was swirling around them, quickly catching up to the intended victims.


    "Don''t let your mind drift!" the girl ordered. "The moment you do that, you''ll get trapped in another memory loop!"


    "Huh?"


    "JUST RUN!"


    But he could not run much longer. One of the reapers almost caught him with its bony hand but the girl swooshed the branch at them, making them back off for a few seconds.


    "There''s an intersectioning up!" the girl yelled. "You know what to do!"


    Did he? He was not sure anymore but he must rely on his instincts. This was no math problem he could figure out with the help of logic. This was a matter of life and death. As soon as the intersection came up, he exchanged a brief nce with the girl and simultaneously, they jumped sideways. The reapers, who were blind, charged ahead without noticing that their intended victims had moved out of the way. Minho panted, trying to catch his breath but did not dare to make a noise. The reapers might change course if they heard noise and he did not have the energy to run.


    They waited until the howls disappeared and the deafening silence descended on them once more.


    "Are you alright?" the girl asked after a while.


    "No," he admitted.


    "Good," she said. "You know, it''s still not toote. You can return home if you want. Why are you risking your life in this miserable ce for a woman?"


    "I''m not going to leave her alone here," he said without hesitating. "Last time, she had to endure a lot of hardship because of me. Compared to what she had gone through, this is nothing really!"


    "Seeing mindless souls and blood hungry reapers is nothing?" the girl echoed. "Aren''t you scared?"


    "Living humans are scarier," Minho stated. "The reapers are programmed to kill so that they could protect this world. But humans, they''re the worst. At one moment you''ll get sympathy while the very next moment, the person you trusted would stab you in the back. And some dismember you for fun."


    As he said those words, Minho was surprised that he actually meant them. The reapers did not scare him at all. Even the bizarre sight he was was nothingpared to what Lee Shawn or CCK had done.


    "She''s too important to me," he finally confessed. "I can''t let her stay here. Not when she still had a lifetime left to spend with me and our daughter."


    "Is she your wife?" the girl asked curiously.


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "I don''t know."


    The girl did not understand human emotions at all. It had been so many years since she had any herself. The dead world did not do that to her. When she woke up there after her death, she was already an emotionless doll. She suspected that her feelings and willpower were killed in the real world. Death was an escape for her, something she epted dly. Perhaps, that was one of the reasons why she managed to keep her sanity.


    But seeing this strange man in front of her, the girl wondered what it felt like to feel those emotions again. Did she have friends who loved her? Dear ones who wanted to see her again? She doubted it and for the first time in years, she wished that she could find someone who would remember her.


    "I envy you," she confessed. "That you''re able to feel such things for someone. The woman you''re in love with is very lucky."


    "Love?" Minho repeated. The girl slightly frowned.


    "You still don''t get it, mister?" she asked. "It is very obvious from your expressions and actions. You''re not here out of duty. If that was the case, you wouldn''t have jumped into the portal without a thought. Yet, you did. You entered this world knowing nothing but only with a single determination to save that woman. If that''s not love, then I''m afraid, I don''t know what else it is."


    Minho was distracted by that word. Love? Him? Was it possible for him to fall in love?


    Then he recalled the moments he had imagined with Gayoon. Yes, he wanted all those. He wanted her to stay with him and Jina. He wanted to see her bright face every time he returned home. The month he had ignored her was a miserable one for him and he did not have the heart to go through another day without talking to her. Gayoon had be such an integral part of his life that it was almost impossible to imagine that he had a life before she came along.


    "Looks like humans are also unsure of their own feelings," the girl guessed. "If you don''t want to lose her, it''s best you figure out your feelings for her before you leave this world. Otherwise, it''ll be toote for you and you''ll be stuck in a hell worse than this."


    "Is there a hell worse than this?" he wondered.


    "Yes," the girl answered. "There is. And it''s in our own lonely minds."


    Minho did not ask her to borate because he knew what she meant. With that, she stood up and said, "Let''s go, mister. You need to save yourdy love."


    He gave her a little smile and followed her. She was right. He must save Gayoon.


    .


    "So we''ll need to open the portal long enough for Jina to pass the message to Minho," Junho stated. "That he can open the door from the other end. But how will he do it?"


    Shijin had arge book in front of him which he brought from the trunk of his car. It was a record he had made over the years about the different types of things he had learnt through the exorcisms. The World of the Dead was a phrase which had popped up many times and he had written down some of the testimonies from different spirits but never paid any attention to them.


    "There was one spirit which had some information on Transporters," he murmured. "It was an exorcism I did back in the year 2000. There was this spirit which was taking its host through different portals. The spirit was not dangerous but the person he had possessed was someone he had loved when he was alive. So, he took over his beloved person''s body after death in an attempt to take her to the World of the Dead with him."


    "Now that I think about it, this spirit might have gotten help from this same one we''re dealing with," he concluded. "The one helping Seungjo. Mister A. After the exorcism, the person who was possessed remembered the ordeal very clearly. She said that the spirit used to point at a random spot in the air and concentrated really hard until he could pierce the air with his nail to open a portal while repeatedly chanting the word ''Patentibus''. But it needed a lot of concentration."


    "Can Jina do it?" Junho asked.


    "I can!" Jina imed. "I can concentrate hard!"


    "But what''s the guarantee that the portal she''ll open will lead to Minho?" Junho frowned. "What if she ends up opening another doorway?"


    "We can try to make her concentrate on her father and with his image in mind," Shinjin replied. "And she can chant the phrase."


    "What does patentibus mean?" Junho queried.


    "It means ''open'' in Latin," Shijin stated. "The spirit wasmanding the portal to open."


    Just then Jaewan came in running.


    "The school''s party is over," he announced. "Everyone went home and I had my manager lock down this building for us. No one will disturb us."


    His eyes met Junho''s who nodded. Jina was quietly listening to the old men but her mind was already trying to concentrate on the image of her dad. She finally shut out all noise and began to rx her mind, free of all thoughts.


    It was time to unlock her remaining abilities. After all, the lives of her parents were on stake.

 Chapter 217: World of the Dead (9)

    Chapter 217: World of the Dead (9)


    *shback*


    Gayoon was walking along the empty corridor while the other children were downstairs enjoying the fair. Minjung had told her to meet at their ssroom. She was worried about the girl''s condition. Not only was she assaulted but Gayoon doubted that the girl got herself any medical assistance. In these cases, what if she got pregnant or worse, contracted an STD?


    "Minjung?" she called but there was no one.


    "BOO!"


    "AHHH!"


    Gayoon screamed and fell backwards. She heard Sooyeon''s cackle above her which irritated the girl a lot.


    "What''s the big idea?" Gayoon scowled.


    "Gotcha boss!" Sooyeon giggled. "I just wanted to scare someone! But no one else can hear me. Boss, wanna hear my songs?"


    "Not now, Sooyen," Gayoon groaned. "I have to find someone. Have you seen any girl walking by?"


    Sooyeon''s pale face turned paler. "You mean that girl who bullies you?" she grimaced. "Yeah, I saw her walking towards the washroom. I hope that toilet ghost attacks her."


    "Don''t say that!" Gayoon said sharply. "She has gone through enough! I''m gonna go and check on her!"


    "Rx," Sooyeon assured her. "The toilet ghost doesn''t turn up during the day. And he haunts the boy''s washroom."


    Gayoon shook her head in dismay. "I guess I''ll wait for her in the ssroom," she sighed.


    "Boss, why are you waiting for her?" Sooyeon asked curiously. "What if she tries to harm you?"


    "That girl is in no state to harm anyone," Gayoon said sadly. "Not after what happened to her a few days ago."


    "Wait" Sooyeon frowned. "Is she the one who was assaulted in the closet near the gym?"


    Gayoon froze in her steps. "What?" Gayoon asked. "How do you know about that?"


    "The ghosts around this school heard someone making moaning sounds inside the closet," Sooyeon stated. "A perverted peeper was looking through the cracks on the door and saw that guy, Seungjo. You know, your creepy stalker? He was doing the deed with a girl. But the peeper said that the girl was unconscious so all of us guessed what may have happened. We weren''t surprised though. That guy is shady. It''s not the first time he did something like that."


    "What do you mean?" Gayoon demanded.


    Sooyeon looked around as if trying to see if anyone was nearby.


    "Come in here," she said, motioning Gayoon to follow her into room number 12B. "I''ll tell you a secret."


    Gayoon followed her in and locked the door behind her. "Tell me what else do you know," she said.


    "You remember that teacher who used to insult you a lot?" Sooyeon asked. "The mean one who died?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, one of the ghosts told us that he was killed by a student who looked an awful lot like Seungjo," Sooyeon revealed. "I wasn''t there so I don''t know. But he had those nerdy specs and awkward demeanor. Except for the fact that he looked nuts. Well, that also goes with him. But yeah, the murderer looked a lot like him."


    Gayoon was shocked upon hearing that. Not only was Seungjo a rapist but also a murderer? But somehow, it all made sense.


    "Also," Sooyeon said. "I think he''s been doing all this for a while. He was transferred herest year, wasn''t he? I''ve heard rumors from other ghosts that in hisst school, he was obsessed with a young teacher. She was engaged so she didn''t pay much heed to him. So, one night, he drugged her and did something to her. The next morning, there was a video viral throughout the school where the teacher was shown to have gotten intimate with one of the school students. The student''s picture was blurred but the uniform was clear."


    "The teacher was med for having a rtionship with a minor," Sooyeon went on. "And kicked out. She pleaded that she had no idea of what happened that night but the school board wouldn''t listen. Her engagement was called off and one night, she was found dead by hanging. The police said that it was a suicide but there were marks on her body which showed she was beaten up. After that, Seungjo also transferred out and came here."


    It took a while for Gayoon to find her voice. She was so sickened by what she had heard that her stomach churned. Park Seungjo was not a monster. No. Monsters were tame and even likeable.


    Park Seungjo was a demon from hell.


    While Gayoon was listening to Sooyeon''s revtions, Minjung was staggering towards ssroom 12A. She was disheartened and disheveled. Her usually porcin skin was gaunt while her hair was a mess. The depression within her was eating her alive and she was broken from within. In her hand was a pregnancy stick.


    She looked at the two strips which had appeared on it. Tears fell from her eyes and she was at a loss about what to do. She took the test five times and every time the results were the same. That demon''s baby was in her and had be a part of her.


    Sobbing she went into the ssroom, in the hopes that she would be able to talk to the only person who would understand her pain. Even though Gayoon was not her close friend, over the past few weeks, she severely regretted the way she had treated her. Gayoon had been nothing but kind to her, texting her everyday to make sure that she was well and eating. Minjung avoided everyone and after a while, their texts and calls had stopped but Gayoon was the only one who tirelessly messaged her.


    This only made Minjung feel more guilty of what she had done to Gayoon in the past.


    I''m going to make everything right, she decided. It was time to punish Park Seungjo for what he had done to her and she was going to ask Gayoon for her support.


    She slowly pushed open the door. The ce was dark because all the windows were closed and the shutters were down. Their ssroom was always dark because it was situated on the back side of the school and even during daytime, they barely got much light. She went over to one of the windows and raised the shutter. Opening the window, she let some light enter. It was not much but the darkness was eating her soul.


    The door behind her opened and closed. Maybe it was Gayoon.


    "G-" she began to call but something grabbed her mouth from behind. Scared, Minjung struggled to be free but the hands were too strong.


    "Gayoonie"


    It was that voice! It was his voice! That demon who had destroyed her was back again!"


    "Gayoonie," Seungjo whispered into her ears. "Do you know how long I''ve been waiting for you?"


    Gayoon? He thought she was Gayoon? Why was he there? What did he want from her?


    "I''ve been waiting so long for this," he said, sniffing her neck. Minjung squirmed and tried to yell but her screams were muffled by his arm. She bit into it but Seungjo felt nothing. On the contrary, heughed harder.


    "Are you gonna hide from me Gayoonie?" he giggled in a menacing way. Hisughter was carved into her heart, increasing her fears. She wanted to get away from him but no matter where she went, his shadow followed her and there was no escape.


    Save me, she begged. She did not know whom she was begging to but whoever could hear her. Her silent struggles were being shut out in the darkness. She was being forced to lean over a desk but she did not give up. Minjung resisted with all her might, not letting the demon hurt her again but Seungjo was only enjoying his prey''s fight.


    His Gayoon was a fighter and even though he could have used sleeping agents on her, he decided that the struggle was much more fun.


    "Fight more, Gayoonie!" heughed. "I want you to fight! I want you to struggle. No one''s gonna hear you in here! After all, no one''s gonna listen to you! Why would they listen to a cursed one? That hate you, remember?"


    Minjung was crying but did not give up. She kept on hitting any ce she could find, kicking and pping but to no vain. Her strength was not enough and she was going to relive the nightmare again. They struggled, going in circles with Seungjo''s back facing the window.


    "Anyone who hurts you will die," he imed. "First it was that teacher!"


    Minjung was momentarily shocked. Teacher? The one who died recently? What was happening?


    Seungjo''s lips curved into an evil smile. "That''s right!" he said in glee. "I killed him for bullying you! I saw the life being snuffed out of him."


    "And then that Minjung," he went on. "That bitch! She bullied you! And when I tried to confess my love to you, she made fun of our love! We''re meant to be and yet...yet she...she destroyed our pure love. That white lotus bitch made you hate me!"


    "So I took away her pure image," Seungjo hissed. "Took it away in front of her own eyes! I tainted her with my seeds. I didn''t even use a condom that day! I figured, even if she got pregnant, who''s gonna believe her? They''re gonna think her as a slut and make fun of her! Her reputation will be ruined if she reveals anything! And her precious boyfriend, Yoo, will dump her!"


    "But I love you so much, Gayoonie! I swear, Minjung means nothing to me! I only ruined her reputation because of what she did to you! And yet...yet, you won''te to me."


    "But fear not," he continued. "Today, you''ll be mine. I''m gonna make you mine! After today, you''ll not look at anyone else but me! I''m gonna make sure that we''ll be together forever."


    In his lust, he did not realize that Minjung had gone still upon hearing his words. He was going to do it again. Even if she escaped his clutches, he would do it again. It was Minjung once. Today, it was almost Gayoon. And tomorrow, it''ll be someone else.


    "Just you and me, Gayoonie" he whispered. Suddenly, as if possessed by something Minjung hit his stomach with her elbow, using all of her remaining strength.


    Seungjo doubled over and taking her chance, Minjung turned around. Seungjo only got a glimpse of her face and grabbed on to her chest. A button tore from her shirt but before Seungjo could react, Minjung pushed him backwards through the window.


    "AHHHHHH!"


    Seungjo''s screams startled Gayoon and Sooyeon in the other room.


    "What the-"


    Gayoon ran towards 12A and burst into the room only to see Minjung standing near the window, looking down.


    "Boss, what did she do?" Sooyeon whispered. Gayoon did not reply but slowly walked towards Minjung.


    "I did it, Gayoon," the girl simply said. "I''ve killed the demon."


    Gayoon followed her gaze and to her shock, saw Seungjo''s mangled body on the ground. But that was not all.


    Standing next to his dead body, was a translucent being with the same outfit and appearance as him. His ghostly figure was looking down at his dead body. He looked up and met Gayoon''s dark eyes.


    Seungjo was dead. But he was not gone.

 Chapter 218: World of the Dead (10)

    Chapter 218: World of the Dead (10)


    Minjung was beginning to realize what she had done. She backed off against a wall, her eyes wide in fear as she stared at the open window.


    "I killed him," she whispered. "I killed a person!"


    She was trembling in fear as she tried to cope with what had just happened. Gayoon quickly shut the window and closed the shutters, making sure that it was locked tightly. The ghost was probably still trying toe to terms with its death and they must get out of there. Fast.


    Gayoon strode over to Minjung who was traumatized.


    "Shhh" Gayoon shushed her, hugging her in an attempt to console Minjung. "It was an ident. Nothing more! Don''t think about it"


    "I k-k-killed a person!" Minjung cried. "I killed"


    It was getting hard for her to breathe. She was panting and the fear in her heart was turning into guilt. She held on to Gayoon as if seeking a solution but what could they do? They were mere teenagers. If word got out, then Minjung would be convicted of manughter. Gayoon was well aware that even if they submitted evidence of what Seungjo did to her in court, the prosecutor will charge her with first degree murder because Minjung had a motive to kill Seungjo. In that case, she would be jailed for life.


    "We can''t tell this to anyone!" Gayoon warned her. "Minjung, we can''t-"


    "I KILLED SOMEONE!" Minjung yelled but Gayoon shut her mouth.


    "No!" Gayoon told her. "You didn''t kill anyone. You saved other girls from bing his prey! But if you confess to this, then the police are gonna charge you! It''s better to see a monster dead than let an innocent go to prison over a sillyw!"


    Minjung''s face was red and her sobs would not stop. Gayoon wiped her tears away and slowly helped her get up. She led the traumatized girl outside of the room where Sooyeon stood. The ghost had heard everything.


    "I won''t tell anyone," Sooyeon whispered as they passed by. Even though she was a ghost, Sooyeon empathized with Minjung who waspletely under a trance. The events of the past few weeks had already left her in shambles but the added guilt was going to destroy the rest of her sanity. Gayoon felt helpless in that state. How was she going to bring Minjung out of this?


    "Minjung, please," she begged. "Don''t go around telling this to anyone! Your parents are going to feel even worse seeing their only daughter going to jail! You know that you don''t deserve all this trauma."


    "I didn''t know what I was thinking," Minjung whispered, her tears not stopping. "He was talking about hurting you the way he hurted me. H-he thought I was you a-and g-grabbed me from behind. He s-said that he''ll make you his"


    Gayoon instantly understood. That day, his intended victim was her, not Minjung. Thetter was there by coincidence and was triggered by his actions once again.


    "All those memories wereing back!" she sobbed. "And I knew he would do it again! I had to do something but I-I never wanted to k-kill! I swear!"


    "You were not in your sane mind," Gayoon stated firmly. "But right now, you must put this behind you and move on! We both must hide this! That monster got what he deserved but I can''t let you go to jail!"


    All this went against Gayoon''s conscience as a future police officer. She was telling someone to hide a crime but she was unsure of whether Minjung could get away with the deed. The world was cruel to assault victims and this additional charge was enough to rob Minjung of the little life she had. Park Seungjo was a monster and Gayoon was sure that if she had been in Minjung''s shoes, she would have done the same.


    Suddenly, Gayoon could hear themotion outside. Someone must have found Seungjo''s body. She must sneak Minjung out of the building.


    "We must get you out of here!" Gayoon said in a hushed tone.


    "I know a way!" Sooyeon offered. "There''s a closet on the second floor which leads to a basement. If you follow the tunnel out of the basement, then it''ll take you straight to the cer under the field. Just sneak out of the entrance from there. There''s one ghost there during the night but he usually hangs around the kitchen during daytime so it should be clear."


    Gayoon nodded at the ghost and led Minjung out. Upon reaching the third floor, she followed Sooyeon''s instructions. Minjung had no idea where she was being taken to but quietly followed Gayoon, too shocked to say anything more. Seungjo''s death was a burden on her mind as it yed the scene in her head over and over again. Her heart was shaking and she tuned out everything else from her mind.


    "Minjung, I''ll take you home."


    Gayoon''s voice sounded very far away and Minjung was unable toprehend anything. Gayoon sighed as she led Minjung out of the tunnel. The rest of the school had huddled around the spot where Seungjo had fallen but she did not stop to check. Instead, she quietly walked Minjung out of the school and hailed a cab.


    "Promise me, you won''t do anything without telling me," Gayoon instructed. Minjung''s face was nk and she was unable to reply. Gayoon took her hand and sped it.


    "We''ll get through this," she promised. "But please, don''t me yourself for this. Don''t let him get to you! Not when he''s dead!"


    Minjung blinked and tried topose herself.


    "What I did...was it right?" she asked in a small tone.


    "I don''t know," Gayoon admitted. "All I know is that I can''t let you be punished for the death of a monster like that."


    A look of silent understanding passed between the women and Minjung got into the car. Gayoon watched her leave. As soon as the cab was out of sight, her own hands began to tremble. She could not save Minjung from Seungjo when he was alive. Could she save her when he was dead?


    A cold air brushed past her and she went still. The lone figure stood behind her, watching her.


    "I''ll always be with you," Seungjo''s cold voice reached her ears. "Gayoonie."


    Gayoon ignored the voice but her heart skipped several beats, fearing that he would notice her nervousness. She slowly turned to walk back into the school, trying to ignore the spirit which was stalking her. He would not let her go and was back for good.


    Moreover, Junho had also gone to exorcise another spirit and he was not back. How would she deal with this one?


    Save us, she prayed. Please.


    With that, she kept on walking ahead while the transparent ghost followed her, his face distorted into a sick perversion. Finally, he was going to be closer to Gayoon than he could have ever imagined.

 Chapter 219: World of the Dead (11)

    Chapter 219: World of the Dead (11)


    "Ugh! Not again!" Minho groaned.


    "This never happened before," the girl frowned. They had been trying to reach the staircase but to Minho''s shock, every time they tried to reach the staircase, they ended up in random ces of the school. The girl had mentioned that this world had many portals which could pop up in different times and send them through loops. They had ended up in such loops thrice around the stairway to the fifth floor and it was starting to annoy him.


    The first time they tried to climb the stairs, the loop engulfed them and sent them to the field. The second time they tried to reach the stairs, the loop reappeared and threw them back in the kitchen. As for the third time, they ended up in the music room.


    "We were trapped in the loop three times!" he eximed. "There must be some way to ovee it?"


    "This is weird," the girl muttered. "The loops usually move around but this one is stuck at the staircase. Someone must have tampered with it."


    "A reaper?" Minho suggested. "Or Park Seungjo?"


    "It''s way beyond the capabilities of a reaper or a spirit," the girl stated. "This world is set to function as our personal purgatory. You cannot tamper with it! No one can. It''s impossible unless there''s a more powerful entity in the y. A mastermind who can manipte this world."


    "Seungjo managed to open a portal," Minho pointed out. "With the help of Mister A. It could be him or Mister A."


    "Mister A is more likely," the girl said thoughtfully. "But is he that powerful? Then what does he want? Why mess with the dead?"


    She looked at Minho from head to toe. "You know, you surprised me more," she said outright.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Humans who enter this world would be trapped in a memory loop," she exined. "Your girlfriend is probably in one which is why she can''t scream nor escape. But you...you''re perfectly fine. You not only saw the portal but also jumped through it as if it was nothing. Also, it''s like this world isn''t affecting you at all. The energy should have kept you unconscious and your life would have been slowly sucked out. But you''re as energetic as ever. It makes me very curious."


    Minho was suddenly ufortable. He was not sure how he ended up in that world either. The whole experience was confusing but his heart was set on finding Gayoon. Where was she? Was she even alive?


    "Let''s try our luck again," the girl suggested. "I''m sure the loop is fixed so we can''t take the risk of going ahead unless we''re sure that we can avoid the loop."


    "Alright," Minho sighed. They traced their steps back to the staircase, avoiding any reaper or passing spirit. Thankfully, the corridors were empty. The girl still held the peach blossom branch while Minho carried the salt jars in his palms.


    "The loop is on the first step," the girl murmured. "There just isn''t any other way"


    "You''re a ghost, can''t you fly or apparate?" Minho asked.


    "Some can," the girl said. "But others can''t in this world. It keeps us trapped in different spots ording to its will. I can walk but I can''t apparate from one ce to another like the ghosts in the real world. They don''t follow the scientificws of the living world but if theye here, they''ll be trapped like me. They won''t be able to apparate or float. Like me, they''ll face an unending existence. Some might even turn into a mindless."


    "Howe you haven''t turned into one yet?"


    "I don''t know," the girl sighed. "Maybe there''s a kind soul who remembers me."


    Minho could not imagina such an existence. To live without memories or identity and be thrown into an abyss of unending existence. There was no end in sight, no goal, no feelings and no soul. The ghosts were nothing more than empty shells. It was their own hell. There was no redemption.


    "Don''t feel sorry for me, mister," the girl said in a sardonic tone. "This is my fate and I have chosen it. In a way, this long and lonely existence seems to be more rewarding than life was. If my life was that easy, then I wouldn''t have ended up here."


    "You know, all my life, I''ve only chased money," Minho reminisced. "Because to me, everything had a price tag. Without money, there isn''t any power. As long as I have money, people will not dare to mess with me and my family. I could buy back my family''s lost honor"


    As he said those words, a distant echo rang in his mind.


    "The gates of hell will open again"


    It was that phrase again. Was this hell? Or was it something even worse? Was he imagining that moment or was it real?


    "But now, I can see that money can buy me everything except a life," he mused. "It won''t bring back those whom we lost. And even if it did, they would be a hollow imitation without a soul."


    "But now...I think I''ve found someone I care more about. Even more than money. Isn''t that strange?"


    "No," the girl said. "A little stupid. But not strange. Humans or ghosts, we''re all stupid in the end. Stupid for love and affection."


    Minho smiled a little. "That we are," he agreed.


    Suddenly, red sparks began to appear in the air. Both of them were alert as the sparks grew wider to create a circle.


    "What the hell is that?" the girl demanded.


    "I don''t know!" Minho eximed. "But it looks simr to what Park Seungjo had created when he made the portal!"


    "What?" the girl yelled. "That means it''s another portal! What if it''s him? Or worse, Mister A?"


    Minho was now worried. Both of them held up the branch and salt in their hands, ready to attack but unsure if their weapons would work against this mysterious Mister A. The portal grew wider and wider, creating a mini circr window. A small face appeared on the other end of the portal.


    "Dad!" Jina squeaked as she struggled to keep the circle open for a little while. "I know how you can get to mom!"

 Chapter 220: World of the Dead (12)

    Chapter 220: World of the Dead (12)


    *shback*


    The sirens from the police cars were ringing loudly. Gayoon stood with the students who huddled together as Seungjo''s corpse was being investigated. The ce was sealed off and Seungjo''s body was being examined by a forensic doctor who was collecting samples from the corpse whichy in front of them.


    "There seems to be some scratches on his arms," the doctor stated to a nearby policeman. "He''s not badly beaten but was in a scuffle. His stomach seems to have a heavy blow. He was probably pushed from a high ce which led to his death."


    "What about skin residue?" the policeman asked.


    "There''s a lot of them but then again, it''s difficult to say if those are from a single person or different," the doctor sighed. "Since a fair was going on, he must have met people around the campus. Students, teachers, parents and other visitors. So I won''t bet on the skin residue as evidence."


    Everyone looked shocked and the teachers were trying to keep the students away from the site but no one was allowed to leave.


    Gayoon''s only constion was that the cameras starting from the third floor were turned off. She had a suspicion that Seungjo might have snuck into the security room and disabled the cameras so that no one could see what he was up to. He had thought that he could attack Gayoon without being seen on the cameras.


    Instead, it turned out to be his own demise.


    She looked around, searching for the ghost which might be somewhere nearby but to her astonishment, the spirit was nowhere in sight. Unlike other spirits which are confused and scared after death, Seungjo seemed to have a different approach. Was he not worried about bing a ghost at all?


    Something was not right, she frowned. But there was little time to dwell on it. The policemen were beginning to question them. Jaewan was also amongst the students with Mona in his arms. But his eyes were on Gayoon who looked distressed. He raised an eyebrow and quietly approached her.


    "What happened?" he asked in a low voice. "Why do you look so scared?"


    "Nothing," Gayoon lied. She knew that Jaewan did not buy her lie but she could not tell him the truth in front of so many people. What if someone overheard?


    Another police car arrived on the spot and Junwan got out of it. Seeing him, Gayoon''s heart almost fell out of her chest. What was the detective doing at her school? She was beginning to panic. What if he realized that she was hiding something?


    She tried to maintain a poker face as the policemen rounded up the students. Junwan walked towards the ce where Seungjo''s bodyy.


    "How long has he been dead?" Junwan asked the doctor.


    "I''d say around two hours," the doctor replied. "He fell from a very high point. Probably the roof."


    Junwan peered up, looking at the roof from below. Just then, a policeman approached him.


    "Sir, we found these on the roof," the policeman said. He handed over a small packet of white powder to Junwan. Thetter took it and sniffed the packet.


    "These are drugs!" he eximed. "And you found them on the roof?"


    "Yes sir," the police officer replied. "We also found signs of struggle on the roof. Someone was beaten up there. Some of the rooftop furniture was in a mess. The chair was overturned and a table was on its side."


    He took out the photograph he had taken of the roof and showed it to Junwan. The detective saw the picture and nodded in understanding.


    "The kid might have been pushed from the roof," he murmured. "Do we have on CCTV camera thest people to have gone on the roof?"


    "We''ll check," the police officer stated with a bow before scurrying off. Junwan then called one of the teachers towards him.


    "Where''s the Headmaster?" he asked. The teacher pointed at the portly Headmaster with a balding head. His name was Lim Namgoong and he was terrified at the prospect of the police investigation. Junwan motioned him toe closer. The portly man was nervous as he stepped towards Junwan.


    "Tell us about this kid," he demanded. "Which grade he studied, where he lived and what sort of student he was. Now."


    "I-I don''t know!" the headmaster imed. "I''m the headmaster! The ssroom teachers should know better!"


    Teacher Kang stepped forward and said, "I can give some info on the student. His name was Park Seungjo and he was a student of 12A. He was an average student but struggled to connect socially with the others and was a very quiet person."


    "Was he bullied by anyone?" Junwan asked.


    "Yes!"


    "No!"


    The headmaster and Teacher Kang looked at each other in surprise. Kang was shocked by how Namgoong was lying.


    "Sir, you know very well that he was being bullied," Kang said sharply. "Yoo and his friends were tormenting him everyday! Justst week, they poured juice over his head! His mother hadined to you but you didn''t pay any heed!"


    "Kang, what nonsense are you spouting?" Namgoong sneered. "Have you gone insane? Our school has strict rules against bullying! You can''t use a bright student like Yoo! He''s a very famous athlete and a model student! His parents had donated a lot to the school-"


    "Where is Yoo?" Junwan asked. "We have to question him by ourselves."


    Kang looked around to find Yoo and his friends but they were not there.


    "They''re not here," he informed the police. "Did anyone see them?"


    One of the students spoke up. "I think they''ve gone to the Moose!" he squeaked.


    "The Moose?" Junwan echoed.


    "Yeah, it''s a club!" the student replied. "Situated a few blocks away! It''s an underground club and only adults are allowed to go but Yoo and his friends have been going there for a long time. You can check!"


    Gayoon was now trembling. She was trying to give a testimony to one of the police officers but her ears were on the other side. They were suspecting Yoo of a crime he had notmitted! Even if the guy was a scumbag, she could not just watch as the police arrested an innocent person.


    But the thought of Minjung was holding her back. If it was not Yoo then it was her. If the police found out that Seungjo was pushed from the fifth floor and not the roof, then they would look into students who might have gone to that floor during the fair. This would ultimately lead them to Minjung.


    What to do? She moaned inwardly.


    Jaewan was worried for Gayoon. She looked terrified as if she was hiding something in her heart.


    "Gayoon, what is going on?" he hissed. "Do you know something about this Seungjo''s death?"


    "No!" she lied again, feeling immensely guilty. "I don''t! I swear! I''m just...scared of the dead body."


    Junwan was about to turn around when he noticed a familiar face. Gayoon was nervously fidgeting her fingers when she heard someone call out, "Jeon!"


    She looked up to see Junwan who was walking towards her. Jaewan narrowed his eyes at the man who was talking to Gayoon in a casual manner.


    "I see you''re getting a practical experience already," Junwan noted. "Your first murder scene."


    Gayoon drew a sharp breath. "It''s not funny!" she snapped. "Someone died here!"


    "Spend three decades in the police department and your sense of humor would also be like mine," he sighed. "So tell me what you know about this Park Seungjo. He was your ssmate, was he not?"


    "Yes," Gayoon replied. "He was a ssmate."


    She deliberately hid the fact that he was stalking her in order to protect Minjung.


    "But the other students said that he was stalking you," Junwan revealed. He had checked the notes made by his subordinates and given that Gayoon had previouslyined about her window being broken by an assant, he was suspecting that Seungjo might have been behind it.


    "Stalking?" Jaewan was rmed. "He was stalking you? You didn''t tell me that!"


    "I wasn''t sure if it was him," Gayoon lied through her teeth. She did not want to worry Jaewan with her problems and had hid this information from him. Even though Jaewan was aware that Seungjo followed her around, he was unaware of the extent.


    "There was an altercationst night when he tried to corner me," Gayoon admitted to Junwan. "But I don''t know what he was doing here today. Maybe he was here for the fair!"


    "Where were you during the fair?" Junwan asked.


    "I was at the stall," Gayoon said. "Then I went back to our ss to rest for a while. After that, I heard themotion and came downstairs to find that Seungjo was dead."


    Junwan studied her for a moment. Even though the girl tried to be brave, her eyes were betraying her nervousness. Was it a case of being interrogated by the police or was she hiding something? His past experience with Jeon Gayoon told him that she would not be the type of person to be scared of interrogation. So, was she hiding a secret rted to Seungjo?


    Jaewan was also doubting Gayoon''s testimony. She was hiding something and it pained him. Why was she lying? What was her motive to do so? The Jeon Gayoon he knew would never lie unless it was to protect someone. Whom was she trying to protect?


    Just then a policeman came over and said, "Sorry to interrupt sir. But we found the victim''s mobile phone. And thest number dialed was of a person named ''Yoo''."


    Junwan took the phone in his hand and checked thest dialed number. It was indeed a caller named Yoo.


    "Go to the Moose and find him," Junwan ordered. "Bring him and his friends to the station! And bring the body to the morgue"


    The officer bowed and quickly scurried off to execute the orders given to him. Junwan turned towards Gayoon and Jaewan.


    "Take her home," Junwan ordered Jaewan. Thetter nodded and together with Gayoon, watched as the police men began to carry Seungjo''s body away. They zipped it up in a body bag and hoisted it on a stretcher, wheeling it past them.


    As the body bag passed by her, Gayoon''s attention fell on the pale figure which stood right opposite to her. There was a sly smile on the ghost''s face and he leered at her, realizing that his new life was going to give him a lot more joy than he could have ever imagined.


    Their eyes met briefly. And that was the biggest mistake. The momentarypse made Seungjo realize the truth.


    Jeon Gayoon could see him.

 Chapter 221: World of the Dead (13)

    Chapter 221: World of the Dead (13)


    Minho stared at his daughter who was trying to keep the portal open as long as she could. Her face was distorted behind the red circle which Minho recognized as the same one that Park Seungjo had made when he had kidnapped Gayoon.


    "How did you-" he began but Jina cut him off.


    "All that is not important!" she eximed. "We don''t have time!"


    She looked in pain as if she was struggling hard. Her face was red and it had taken her all her strength to concentrate on making the portal. It was harder than she had thought because the circle she had created was unstable and would copse any moment. Her tired expression rmed Minho.


    "Jina, what''s going on? How did you make this?"


    "All thanks to you!" she supplied. "Or more like, thanks to your blood!"


    "What?" Minho frowned. Next to him, the girl was listening to the conversation. The little girl had created a portal which was strange. She had never seen such a phenomenon before.


    "This is weird," she muttered. Was it even possible? Can someone make portals like that and enter the realm of the dead?


    "Dad, you are a Transporter," Jinan said. "ording to the strange shaman here, you have the ability to move between the living and dead. We don''t know how, but only a transporter can enter the World of the Dead! A normal human can''t enter that ce!"


    Jina was repeating everything Shinjin had made her memorize so that she could exin it to Minho. Since the others could not see normunicate with him through the veil, it was up to her to make her dad understand.


    "You can not only enter but also leave as per your will!" she went on, parroting everything which was taught to her. "All you have to do is concentrate on something you''ve left behind in the world of the living, draw a circle in the air with your finger and say ''Patentibus''! The portal will open on its own and you can escape!"


    Shinjin, who was standing next to Jina, shouted, "Tell him that we''re going to destroy Park Seungjo''s uniform here. The only way to kill a ghost is to destroy the belongings which were with him when he died!"


    Jina turned to her dad to ry the message but thetter eximed, "I heard him! But what else does he know about this world?"


    "Nothing!" Shinjin replied loudly. "We know nothing! All we know is that Park Seungjo is not acting alone. Some guy called Mister A is helping him but we don''t know who he is or what''s in that world!"


    Minho had guessed that much. It seemed that even the shaman did not have much knowledge about the World of the Dead. This whole ce was not only messed up but was shrouded in a mystery which was nearly impossible to crack unless someone actually entered it at will.


    "Dad"


    Jina was now struggling to cope up with the portal''s energy. She was not strong enough to keep the flimsy portal open for long and was on the verge of copsing.


    "Jina, close it!" Minho yelled. "Close the thing! I can find my way back after I save Gayoon!"


    Hearing her father''s words, Jina finally loosened her grip and let go of the portal. It vanished in seconds and her dad''s face disappeared once again. She was huffing and puffing for breath, her face as red as a tomato. Her arms hurt from the massive energy she had to absorb and she slumped on the ground, trying to calm down.


    Junho, who had stepped out of Minho''s sight, instantly came and swooped her in his arms. The little girl was nearly unconscious and for a moment he panicked.


    "Will she be alright?" he asked Shinjin. "She looks terrible!"


    "It''s the burden of the portal," Shinjin exined. "Since she''s a minor, her body could not sustain the energy for long. She should be alright after resting a bit. Lay her on the table and let her sleep for a while."


    Junho gently ced his granddaughter on the teacher''s table and put a coat above her. Jaewan stepped into the room, carrying some food for everyone.


    "Figured ya''ll might be hungry," he said, throwing a bun at Junho, who caught it. "What''s up with the kid?" he added.


    "She''s tired," Junho exined. "Let her rest for a while."


    He sighed and turned to Shinjin who was putting Seungjo''s uniform into a mini pyre. Shinjin closed his eyes and chanted under his breath, trying to cleanse the object. Jaewan walked over to the ssroom''s electrical circuit and turned off the sprinklers.


    "How will we know if it worked?" Jaewan asked. "The guy is on the other side, right? The dead world or whatever."


    "He is," Junho confirmed in a grim tone. "We won''t know if the ritual worked from this side."


    "It''s not really a ritual," Shinjin countered. "I''m merely cleansing the air around the object. Simply burning this thing with fire would do."


    "Why didn''t you guys do it thest time?" Jaewan frowned. "Could have burnt his stuff and he wouldn''t have had the chance to take Gayoon away!"


    "We tried," Junho said bitterly. "But we only managed to burn the shoes and sses he wore. Before we could burn his uniform and the button, he attacked us. He almost killed Shinjin in the process so I had to use the lock spell on him. Trapped him in a box with the uniform and a button before burying him where he died. Since it was the spot where he was killed, it was his achilles'' heel. As long as he was kept there, he couldn''t escape."


    "Until he was unleashed," Jaewan finished for him. Junho nodded and turned to Shinjin who was examining the uniform with a worried expression.


    "Junho" he began.


    "What happened?" Junho demanded.


    "There''s something wrong here," Shinjin said. "Something terribly wrong!"


    "What?" Jaewan asked.


    Shinjin turned to them with a shocked expression. "The button," he said. "It''s missing!"


    Junho and Jaewan were frozen to their spots. The button was missing? How? Why? Where was it?


    "If we can''t find that button then we''re screwed!" Junho yelled in frustration. "Damn it!"


    "It could be anywhere," Jaewan stated. "The workers might have taken it or dropped it!"


    "We can''t exorcise him without it!" Shinjin groaned. How could they have missed it? The button was one of the objects which was found near Seungjo''s body!


    "Let''s burn the uniform first," Junho said. "And hope that Minho manages to get Gayoon out of there. We can worry about the buttonter."


    But all of them knew that it would be impossible to defeat Park Seungjo without the button. It was the only thing left to burn!


    At that moment, Junho felt more helpless than he had felt at his wife''s death. He had seen her suffer for days in front of him as she tried to fight the demon in her. Only the thought of their two children kept her sane enough to fight the monster which had possessed her but in the end, it managed to take over her body.


    Now that his son was trapped in that cold world with the girl Junho considered as a daughter, he felt as if all hope had been sucked out of him.


    Please keep them safe, Junho prayed. Please.


    .


    "That exins a lot," the girlmented. After hearing what the little girl from the other end had said, some things were beginning to clear up.


    "Exins what?" Minho frowned.


    "How you entered this ce," she replied. "And also why you''re not copsing like other humans would. The atmosphere of this ce should be suffocating to a human being and yet, you''re hale and hearty as a horse. Running around even."


    "We can worry about all thatter!" he snapped. "Right now, I need to try what Jina had told me."


    "But you''ve never tried it before," the girl pointed out. "Are you sure you can do it?"


    "It''ll take me several tries," he muttered. "But I have to. It''s the only way."


    The girl did notment but watched him close his eyes and contort his face as if concentrating hard. He raised his finger in the air and drew a circle.


    "Patentibus!" he eximed.


    Nothing happened.


    "Try it again," the girl suggested. "You''ve recently discovered this ability. You''re not gonna master it in one minute."


    "I don''t have time to practice," Minho muttered but she was right. He was not going to master it in seconds but they were also pressed for time. Gayoon barely had half an hour before her body sumbed to the effects of the dead world.


    "Concentrate on her," the girl suggested. "On her face. If you do that, maybe you can reach her?"


    Minho closed his eyes again and pictured Gayoon''s face in his mind. He imagined her inside that ssroom, probably lying on the floor like a sleeping beauty.


    "Patentibus," he murmured, drawing a circle. Red sparks erupted from the invisible circle and for a few seconds, he saw a familiar figure on the other end of the weak portal he had created before it vanished.


    "An improvement," the girlplimented. "Keep trying."


    "But we need a n," Minho said, putting his hands in his pocket. "Without a n, we can''t just walk in through the portal. That spirit will be near her and-"


    Suddenly, he froze.


    "What happened?" the girl asked. "Why did you stop?"


    Minho did not reply but slowly took out something from his pocket. It was a patterned button.


    "The shaman had said that one way to get rid of a ghost is to destroy the belongings he had when he died," Minho stated slowly.


    "So?"


    "Park Seungjo also had this button next to him when he died," Minho revealed.

 Chapter 222: World of the Dead (14)

    Chapter 222: World of the Dead (14)


    *shback*


    Minjung was writhing in her bed, her body sweating as she tried to fight off the nightmare she was seeing. Her breath wasing in shorts while she mumbled incoherently. Seungjo''s panicked face shed in front of her as she watched him fall to his death. He was falling and falling, deeper into the unending hole which was sucking him in.


    She woke up with a start, breathing heavily. The whole ce was pitch ck and for a few seconds, she felt scared of the darkness. Her room no longer felt like her own and she was feeling ustrophobic. Getting off the bed, she opened the door and flicked on the light. Everytime she slept, her mind kept on repeating Seungjo''s death in front of her.


    The guilt was eating her alive. Her mental state was in shambles and even though she wanted to go to the police, she was terrified that they would not believe her. After all, she had the biggest motive to kill him and there was no reason to believe that it was an idental death.


    But was it an ident? A nasty voice in her head sneered at her. Minjung gulped and sat on her bed, lost in thought.


    No. It was not an ident. She had truly pushed him because she wanted him dead. She wanted to kill that monster with her own hands and there was a part of her which relished in his demise. But she was afraid of that part. Minjung may be arrogant and a bully but even she had a conscience.


    That monster wanted to hurt Gayoon as well. Even if she was not on good terms with Gayoon, after what Seungjo did to her, Minjung would never want him to hurt another girl. Something in her snapped the moment she realized that he would not stop assaulting others. His terror had only just begun.


    Shey back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes were dry and nk as she tried to cope with her thoughts. Her parents had been worried about hertely because she spoke so little and had shut herself away. No matter how many times they asked, Minjung refused to speak. What will happen when they find out that not only their daughter was molested but also killed someone? Would they be able to withstand the shock?


    "Please, end this," she begged to herself. "Just end this."


    Rolling over on her side, she closed her eyes, trying to shut away the pain. A cold air was brushing her skin and she was shivering but did not care. All she knew was that she was a murderer who would be punished if she was caught.


    I''m a murderer, her conscience told her. I''m a murderer. A murderer.


    As her inner voice kept on chanting the phrase, a lone figure stood next to her bed, watching her. Park Seungjo was observing the girl, no, the murderer. She had the galls to kill him and separate him from his Gayoon. This Minjung had been a nuisance in his path to love and now, she was going to pay.


    But he was patient. Torturing her was going to be a slow yet, satisfying process for him. What she did to him was unforgivable and he would make sure that she would pay.


    Now, his Gayoon needed him.


    Gayoon was pacing in her room, deep in thought. Minjung had not called nor texted her and she was getting worried. What if Seungjo had hurt her? Or worse, what if she hurt herself? How did all this be soplicated?


    "Damn it!" she cursed. "Even ahjusshi had to be out of town in such a critical moment!"


    She cursed the stupid spirit who was haunting the river in some remote vige, sincerely hoping the pretty boy''s looks rot off. It was hard enough to deal with Park Seungjo when he was alive and now that he was a spirit, the guy was going to be a damn nightmare!


    "Gayoon?"


    Shujin walked into the room.


    "Yes grams?" Gayoon asked.


    "I''ll be going over to the neighbor''s house to help arrange some food boxes for the deceased boy''s mother," Shujin said. "She''ll need all the support we can provide for the funeral so a few of us decided to cater for her free of cost. Dinner is in the fridge. And make sure all the charms are intact."


    "Yes grams," Gayoon said. She had not told her grandmother about what happened in school with Minjung and Shujin only thought of the incident as an unfortunate ident and Gayoon had no intention of telling her otherwise. The less people knew about Minjung, the better it was.


    She escorted her grandmother out of the house and locked it firmly behind her. Adjusting the charms at all the doors and windows, she was fairly sure that no spirit could enter her house.


    "This should do it," she murmured and headed back upstairs. She took out her phone and dialed Minjung''s number again. She had little hope of receiving a reply but she wanted to know how the girl was doing.


    The dial tone rang for several seconds before cutting the call off. Minjung was still not receiving any calls and Gayoon was debating whether to head over to her house or not.


    Suddenly, her phone''s notification rang up. Could it be Minjung? She wondered and quickly opened the message.


    To her slight surpirse, it was a video clip. In it was Minjung''s sleeping figure, lying in her bed. There was no one else in the room but Gayoon was frowning. Who was taping her?


    Suddenly, there was a shuffle of footsteps and the screen went ck.


    "What the hell?" Gayoon muttered. The timer on the video was still ying and she could hear Minjung''s faint breath as well but why was the screen ck?


    "HA HAH!"


    The pale figure jumped in front of the screen, making her yelp in shock. Park Seungjo''s sinister face reflected in front of her as he smiled sadistically at the screen, relishing the fear he had created in her heart.


    "Gayoonie," he said in a gleeful tone. "You can see me? I know you can see me! I know everything about you, Gayoonie"


    Gayoon was staring at the screen, shocked by his appearance. How did he find out? Was it when they momentarily exchanged a nce? But would he be able to figure it out just by that?


    "The rumors are true then," he cackled. "You can see me! Even in death, my love can''t escape you, my dear Gayoonie"


    "You must be wondering what I want," he said in a yful tone. "The answer is simple. I want you, Gayoonie. Only you. I might be dead, but that doesn''t mean we have to be apart, right? We can be together. All you gotta do is"


    He leaned closer to the screen. Gayoon was petrified by his evil smile which was making the hair on her skin stand.


    "Kill yourself," he revealed. "Kill yourself, Gayoonie. Join me in death so that we can be reunited! Join me, my love. Come to me!"


    "Never," Gayoon whispered. "Never."


    "I know you''re saying you won''t do it," Seungjo sighed. "Have it your way then. I won''t force you to kill yourself. You''ll do it on your own. I know it."


    Why is he saying that? Gayoon thought in rm. What is he nning?


    Seungjo nced at Minjung''s sleeping figure and then back at the screen. "I''ll just torment everyone else around you," he snickered. "Until you give in."


    Before Gayoon could curse at him, the recording ended. Panicking, she dialed Minjung''s number. Please pick up, she prayed. Please


    "Hello?" Minjung''s gloomy voice came from the other end.


    "Minjung!" Gayoon eximed. "Are you home? Are you safe?"


    "I-I am," Minjung stammered.


    "Minjung, sleep in your parents'' room tonight!" Gayoon begged. "Don''t sleep alone! Please, just listen to me!"


    "Is it because you''re afraid that I''ll go to the police and tell everything? Or that I''ll harm myself?"


    Minjung sounded almost hurt. Did Gayoon think that she would do something like that?


    "I just want you to be safe," Gayoon said. "I don''t know why, but I feel that you should not be alone until all this is over. Please, Minjung. Go and sleep in your parents'' room tonight. Talk to them andmunicate with them more. I''ll stop by in the morning to check on you."


    "Fine," Minjung agreed. "I''ll go and sleep with mom. Dad is out of town so it''s just us in the house for a while."


    Gayoon nodded and hung up the phone. She stared at her phone for a long time. Park Seungjo was not gone at all and worst is that he hadpletely embraced his new life as a spirit.


    Normally, spirits would be angry at their deaths and refuse to believe that they had died for a long time. After a while, this denial turned to resentment and then to a vengeance. A lot of spirits were good and chose to ept their fates but others were malevolent. It took a while for their wrath to manifest into abilities which could harm humans.


    But Park Seungjo had not only epted his death but was taking advantage of his newfound powers. He had learnt a lot of things in a matter of hours which greatly worried her. He was enjoying his death and yet, held an intense desire for revenge.


    What the hell will he do now? Gayoon thought. Inwardly, she knew that whatever he was nning was going to end in bloodshed.

 Chapter 223: World of the Dead (15)

    Chapter 223: World of the Dead (15)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: I NEED ONLY 150 PRIVILEGE MORE TO REACH 500 PRIVILEGE READERS AND GET THE WIN WIN FEATURES! PLEASE BUY PRIVILEGE AND SUPPORT ME SO THAT THIS BOOK GETS A WIDER RECOGNITION ON WEBNOVEL


    I''LL GIVE SNU SNU IF WE MAKE IT TO 500 PRIVILEGE READERS BY 30TH JAN


    ..........


    At the police station, Junwan was inspecting the things found near the kid''s dead body. His partner, Lee, was standing next to him, waiting to give him updates on the case.


    "All they found was this button," Junwan sighed. He pointed at a patterned button which was kept in a stic bag. "But it doesn''t match the uniform he was wearing."


    "It could be from his attacker," Lee suggested. "Or it had fallen out of some student''s shirt."


    "Could be, but it was found in Seungjo''s palm," Junwan countered. "Whoever is the owner of this button, was thest one to see him alive. Where''s his body now?"


    "With the coroner," Lee said. "They''re examining his body. The coroner had unofficially told me that the kid died due to the fall. The bruises might be from the bullies who were up on the roof."


    "What about CCTV footage?"


    "Someone tampered with them," Lee replied. "We saw several students heading upstairs and Seungjo was thest one spotted on the third floor. After that, the camera was tampered with."


    Junwan cursed out loud. The school authorities were pressing them to find the culprit as they were scared that the parents would grab them by the neck. The headmaster had stated that the death of Park Seungjo had rattled many of the parents. Some want the abusers to be punished but the suspects belonged to very influential families. The school authorities received massive amounts of donations from them and they were being bombarded by both sides. Hence, the authorities handed the headache to the police.


    "We can''t just sit around!" Junwan eximed. "The school has been sealed off until we catch the culprit. They were already reeling from the death of a teacher and now this! This is gonna go to themissioner and we''ll be screwed."


    "I''ve already dispatched the police team to bring the suspects here," Lee informed him. "Thankfully, they''re adults and hence, the parents cannot do much if they''re found guilty."


    "Good," Junwan said. "Let''s just hope we can find them."


    Just then his phone rang up. He nced at the caller ID and groaned. Not him again, he thought warily.


    "Hello," he greeted in a sullen tone. "What do you want?"


    He listened carefully to the speaker on the other end and facepalmed himself.


    "Kid, I told you that he''s been spotted in this town!" he eximed. "And we have our teams ready to apprehend him. I know the statute of limitations is gonna end in three years but we still have time!"


    Lee frowned as he watched his partner lose his color with every word he spoke with the mysterious caller.


    "You''re going to stay in this locality for a while?" Junwan gaped. "Why?"


    The speaker said something which made Junwan feel like throwing a chair at him.


    "Seriously? That''s your excuse? To earn money off a murder? ARE YOU INSANE?"


    Make money out of a murder? Who was this guy? Lee wondered.


    "What do you mean that properties with murders are cheap? Do you think human lives have a price?"


    There was a short pause before Junwan yelled, "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING YES? AND NO! I''M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU A LIST OF PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WERE KILLED OR COMMITTED SUICIDE JUST SO YOU CAN BUY THEM AT A CHEAPER RATE!"


    "Junwan, what are you-" Lee began but Junwan was not listening.


    "You wanna meet up?" Junwan echoed. "Now? Why? I don''t wanna see you! You won''t even pay for dinner!"


    There was another short pause.


    "You''lle to the station instead?" Junwan asked in frustration. "Coz it won''t cost you food money? You ungrateful little-"


    But the caller hung up on him. Junwan muttered a string of curses, wishing that murder was not illegal.


    "Who was that?" Lee asked.


    "Damn that bloodsucking money lover!" Junwan growled. "One day, I''ll wind up all his cash and burn them to the ground. But he''s probably gonna end up making a thousand times more."


    "Whom are you talking about?"


    "You''ll see soon," Junwan prophesied. "But once you see him, you will either admire him for his passion or throw him into a pit of fire."


    Before Lee could ask further, a rookie officer approached them.


    "Sir!" the rookie said. "We''ve caught Yoo, Seohyun and Woohyun. The three students who were at the roof of the building from where Seungjo had fallen. We also found a few packets containing cocaine."


    "Great!" Junwan eximed. "Bring them in. Let''s see what they have to say."


    Soon, the three students were led into the precinct. They looked scared and ash faced upon finding themselves in the middle of a murder investigation.


    "Sit," Junwan ordered. But Yoo was adamant on proving his innocence.


    "It wasn''t us!" he imed. "We didn''t even meet him at the fair! We weren''t there!"


    "The students imed that they saw you and your pals climbing the back stairs to the roof, avoiding CCTV''s," Junwan stated. "And your usage of drugs is also an open secret. Your teachers had caught you several times but thanks to your parents, you weren''t expelled and were even kept on the football team."


    "But that doesn''t mean we''re killers!" Seohyun said hotly. "We were on the roof but we didn''t kill anyone!"


    "You have bullied this student in the past," Junwan went on. "Last month, he had arge bruise on his face because and I quote ''Yoo had punched Seungjo''s jaw for bringing the wrong vor of ice cream.''"


    He ced the testimony of a witness in front of Yoo and also a picture of him hitting Seungjo at the cafeteria. Yoo was perplexed and visibly scared at his actions being exposed right in front of him. Sweat rolled from his forehead and Junwan leaned back, carefully studying the young men.


    It was a ssic trope. Bullies often harmed their victims to the point where the whole situation spiraled out of control. Things which seem like harmless fun for one person was painful for another, oftentimes leading to bloody consequences. He had seen countless cases where the bullies hit the victims so bad that they ended up dying.


    This case was no different. Thenky and weak nerd, Park Seungjo was killed by his bullies when he caught them consuming drugs. Junwan did not have to investigate much but he stillcked the necessary evidence. All he had to do was trick Yoo and his friends into confessing.


    "We may have hit him a few times," Yoo gritted. "But we''re not killers! We would never do that!"


    "That''s what every criminal says," Junwan countered. "People saw you going to the roof. Park Seungjo was pushed from the roof as well."


    "He could have been pushed from any of the ssrooms!" Woohyun argued. "Maybe the fifth floor-"


    "All the ssrooms of the fifth floor were locked from the inside," Junwan stated. They had checked the doors and they found the doors were all locked. The janitor had confirmed that he had locked the doorsst night and no one had opened them since. Even the rooms looked squeaky clean.


    While the other officers had epted his testimony, Junwan found it odd that the janitor looked a little lost and out of focus. It felt as if he was being controlled by something and was simply parroting the words taught to him. But there was no other reason to overlook his statement so they recorded it for the time being.


    "But we didn''t hurt him!" Yoo yelled, hitting his hands on the table. "Believe us! We weren''t even there when he died or wherever he died from! We were on the roof but he wasn''t with us!"


    "That''s a nice sweater you have there," Junwan said coolly. He pointed at Yoo''s sweater. Or more specifically, at the patterned buttons on his sweater.


    "What does this have to do with the case?" Yoo asked shrewdly.


    Junwan picked up the stic bag holding the patterned button. "This was found right next to Seungjo''s body. He was holding this button when he died. And I''m seeing that you''re missing a button."


    Yoo froze on the spot. The sweater was indeed missing a button. But it was


    Seohyun was about to open his mouth but Yoo held up his hand. "This is a verymon sweater," Yoo said coolly. "Many students have it and it''s nothing special. Why not round up every one of the students who were present that day? I''m sure you''ll find dozens of them."


    Junwan squinted his eyes. The earlier hot headed youth had changed his tonepletely as if calcting his words.


    "You''re saying this isn''t your button?" Junwan pressed.


    "It''s not," Yoo said firmly. "One button doesn''t prove that I''m the culprit. Besides, you can check this sweater for evidence. I know how you people work. You collect skin samples from stuff right? If the button is from my sweater and Park ripped it off, then shouldn''t his skin particles be left on my sweater? I saw it on crimson shows!"


    The kid is not gonna confess, Junwan sighed. He was sure that the skin particles were probably cleaned off but he would still take the sweater for inspection.


    "Don''t leave town," he ordered. "And we''ll bring you in for questioning again. Leave the sweater with the officer at the corner."


    Yoo nodded. He took off the sweater and handed it to the officer Junwan had pointed out.


    "Let''s go guys," he murmured and left. Junwan watched them leave. His mind was saying that these kids were the culprits and all the fingers were pointing at them too. But his gut instincts were telling him that something was amiss.


    What is it? He wondered.


    .


    Once they were outside, Seohyun rounded on Yoo.


    "Why didn''t you tell him that you gave one of your buttons to Minjung?" he used. "It could have saved us a lot of trouble!"


    Truth was that Yoo had given one of his buttons from the sweater to Minjung as a token of their rtionship. She had sewn it on her favorite shirt and wore it quite frequently.


    Yoo was silent while Woohyun also frowned at him.


    "Do you think that Minjung might have" he began


    "Don''t think that!" Yoo scowled at him.


    "Then what are we going to do? Go to jail?" Seohyun argued with him. "We must turn her in!"


    "It could have been an ident!" Yoo gritted. "I''ll talk to her first."


    "But-"


    "I said, I''ll talk to her!" Yoo growled. "Until then, you guys better keep your mouths shut otherwise I''ll tell the authorities about your drug dealing businesses!"


    Thest part had shut Seohyun up and he was terrified. The punishment for drug dealers in the country was up to 30 years in jail and he had no intention of spending his life there.


    "I''ll talk to her," Yoo affirmed. "And find out the truth. So back off!"


    With that, he stared menacingly at his friends and walked away. Minjung had some serious exining to do and he wanted the truth from her.

 Chapter 224: World of the Dead (16)

    Chapter 224: World of the Dead (16)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: I NEED ONLY 150 PRIVILEGE MORE TO REACH 500 PRIVILEGE READERS AND GET THE WIN WIN FEATURES! PLEASE BUY PRIVILEGE AND SUPPORT ME SO THAT THIS BOOK GETS A WIDER RECOGNITION ON WEBNOVEL


    I''LL GIVE SNU SNU IF WE MAKE IT TO 500 PRIVILEGE READERS BY 30TH JAN


    ..........


    The light flickered on the ceiling, giving off a feeble brightness in the midst of that dark corridor whichy ahead of her. She was confused and dazed as she tried to recall where she was. Everything was a haze and her vision was blurry.


    "Hello?" Gayoon called out. The ce looked familiar to her but her head could not recall where she was. The doors lined up on both her sides. She tried to open one but it was locked. So was the next. And the next one. And the one beside it.


    One by one, she tried to open all the doors but all of them were locked. She was panicking. The light was almost off and darkness was creeping in. Her heart thumped loudly against her chest as she tried to find a way out.


    "Anyone here?" she called out again only to be met by an ominous silence. The corridor was quiet and yet, she felt as if someone was watching her every move. How did she end up there? Why was she there? What was going on?


    She slowly walked ahead, touching the walls as she went in order to support herself in the darkness. The air around her was turning colder to the point that her breath was bing frosty, creating small puffs of fog as she exhaled.


    I have to get out of here! She thought. I have to!


    Quickly gaining pace, Gayoon was half walking and half running as the fear within her gained prominence. The ce was scaring her and she did not want to stay there for a minute longer. There was no sense of time nor space in that corridor and she just wanted to find the exit as soon as possible.


    She ran until there was another room in front of her. Was it locked?


    Grabbing the knob, she slowly turned it around


    "What are you doing?"


    She suddenly found herself in the school''s garden. Startled by the rapid change in scene, Gayoon saw Jaewan was sitting right next to her.


    "H-how did I get here?" she stammered. She was in a corridor. How did she reach the school grounds?


    "What are you talking about?" Jaewan frowned. "You''ve been with me the whole time! We''re preparing for exams, remember?"


    Did I doze off? Gayoon wondered. But she felt awake. Then how did she change ces so quickly?


    She looked around and sure enough, the other students were cramming for the exams. They either had their noses in their books or chatted with friends. It was a sunny day and they were enjoying the bright sunlight while trying toplete their studies.


    Gayoon was bewildered by the change in scene. Was she really in the corridor or at the garden? She had no idea.


    "What are you thinking of?" Jaewan asked again. "Why are you looking so lost?"


    "I''m just feeling a little under the weather," Gayoon lied and quickly took out a book to pretend to study.


    "Are you alright?" Jaewan asked, his voice full of concern.


    "Of course I am!" Gayoon imed. "I''m fine, really! Let''s focus on exams."


    "Alright, Gayoonie."


    "Yeah and-"


    Gayoon froze mid sentence. Gayoonie?


    "What did you just call me, Jaewan?" she demanded. There was a rising panic in her voice as if she was unable to believe what she had just heard.


    "Gayoonie," Jaewan said quietly, his lips curving into a smile. Gayoon began to back off against the bench they were sitting on. She nced around again.


    The students were now watching her with dark eyes. Their stares pored into her, judging her every move as she backed away. She felt like a zoo animal being put on disy as they kept their gazes on her, silently tormenting her. Jaewan''s pupils began to cken as he leaned closer to her. His face was beginning to distort and change into a familiar, nerdy figure.


    "Stay away from me!" Gayoon yelled but Jaewan''s appearance had changedpletely. In his stead was Seungjo, leering at her. Gayoon yelped and fell off the bench. Several hands grabbed her wrists and legs, stopping her movements. She struggled and screamed but no one was letting her go. No one was going to help her and no matter how much she tried, they would not spare her.


    Seungjo was towering above her. His cold hand touched her face. Gayoon spat at him and tried to kick away her captors but they held her in ce. The cool hand would not leave her and it was now tracing her neck.


    "We''re meant to be together, Gayoonie," Seungjo said. "We belong with each other."


    Gayoon writhed in disgust as his hand began to go lower towards her shirt. She knew what he intended to do and she must stop him with all her might. But at that moment, she felt powerless against the silent people who held her down for him.


    "Now you''ll be mine," Seungjo whispered and leaned closer.


    No! She thought. But the monster wasing nearer and nearer to the point that she could smell his onion like breath on her face


    "NOOOOOOOO!"


    Gayoon woke up screaming loudly. She was sweating profusely and for a moment, she thought she was back in the corridor. The room was dark and it took her several minutes to realize that she was in her own room. Breathing heavily, Gayoon tried to fight off the fear but it just would not go away.


    It was all a dream, she told herseld. A dream and nothing more!


    Slowly, her breathing evened out and her head began to clear up. If an alive Park Seungjo was a monster, then a dead Seungjo was the incarnation of the devil himself.


    Why would he not leave them even in death? What did any of them do to deserve such a rotten fate?


    Gayoon buried her head in her hands, trying to fight off the images of the disgusting dream she had. Her ability to see ghosts was always a pain but with Seungjoing back from the dead, she wanted to truly get rid of it.


    The ghost was nning to do something dangerous and she knew that he was not going to back off. Even though her own house was protected with charms, what about other ces? What would happen at school? Or some other ce she visited? There was no doubt that Park Seungjo was going to tail her everywhere.


    No, there was no doubt about it. Park Seungjo was not going to let her live in peace. It was not fun for him because he was a predator who wanted to enjoy his prey. Just like he was enjoying his object of desire at that very moment.


    As if in a trance, Gayoon looked at her window. Behind the curtained window pane, was the silhouette of a pale figure. He could not see her face but he was watching her from there, waiting for the moment he could enter her home. He had been there for the past few nights, watching her sleep. No matter how many times Gayoon threw salt at him, Seungjo always came back. If it was not her bedroom window, then he would see her through some other hole or window.


    Gayoon had painted all the windows of the house ck but he would still tail her as if he knew her movements like the back of his hand. She could feel him hovering all around the house, following her from window to window. She was too scared to even take baths in fear of being watched by him. It sickened her to even think that a demon like that was stalking her.


    "Gayoonie"


    Shey back on her bed, pulling the nket over her in the hopes that the wretched voice would stop calling her.


    "Gayoonie"


    Gayoon shut her ears and tried to block the sound away. But it was not going to leave her. Seungjo was cackling from outside, enjoying the effect he had on her. All love stories started with hatred. He knew that his Gayoon was only being shy. She loved him and he loved her. There was no one who would separate them.


    No one.


    .


    Junwan was watching the man who sat in front of him, wary of his antics. His biggest headache had strutted into the police station in a dapper suit, looking sleek and elegant. Minho put his sunsses into his pocket and crossed his legs seeming like a king sitting on his throne.


    "What''s the update?" Minho demanded.


    "Hwang Minho, I told you that I''m trying to find him," Junwan reasoned. "Why are you not believing me?"


    Minho sat back and studied the police officer with his chocte brown eyes. Even though Minho was in histe twenties, he had established himself as the richest man in the country. With a worth of over ten billion dors, Hwang Minho was ruthless when it came to business and his shrewd mind knew how to make money even in the unlikeliest situations.


    "Coz you failed to catch Hwang Junho for the past eighteen years," Minho countered in a smooth tone. "And here I thought that the police department is there to help the citizens of a country."


    "We have other jobs to do!"


    "Clearly," Minho scoffed. His eyes fell on the teful of donuts andtte cup in front of Junwan. "I can see how busy you are with those donuts."


    "We''ve been up all night trying to find a killer," Junwan gritted. "A high school kid was murdered and the parents are charging at us!"


    "You couldn''t find the killer of an open and shut case for eighteen years and you expect to find the killer of a kid. I pity the parents for believing that you can catch the murderer."


    Junwan tried to keep his cool but Hwang Minho had always infuriated him through those belittling remarks. They had aplicated rtionship from the start and the only reason Minho kept on pressing him to catch Hwang Junho was due to the fact that Junwan was the leading officer in Kim Suna''s murder case and hence, was legally barred from charging Minho any money for his services.


    "Find him," Minho ordered as he got up to leave. "No more excuses, Junwan."


    Junwan scowled as he watched Minho leave, silently cursing the money lover for being a pain in the neck.


    "Greedy bastard!" he gritted.


    Minho walked out of the station and got into his car''s driver''s seat. Gripping the wheel with his fingers, he was fuming with a cold vengeance.


    "I will find you," he swore. "Hwang Junho."

 Chapter 225: World of the Dead (17)

    Chapter 225: World of the Dead (17)


    "Why are you acting like that?" Jaewan frowned. It was early in the morning and Gayoon had called him to escort her to school. He was perplexed by her request because she had been making up some excuse to have him apany her to school almost everyday. And on the days he could not make it, her grandmother dropped her off. For some reason, she looked scared and demure.


    "I''mpletely fine!" Gayoon imed but she was ncing around to see if the ghost was stalking her. Thankfully, it was not there and she could breath a momentary sigh of relief.


    "No, you''re not!" Jaewan used. "You''ve been acting really weirdtely and it''s worrying me! What is going on, Gayoon?"


    "Would you believe me if I tell you?" Gayoon asked warily.


    "Try me."


    "Park Seungjo''s ghost is following me around," she stated. Jaewan blinked a few times in surprise.


    "Seriously, just tell the truth," he said.


    "See, I told you that you wouldn''t believe me," Gayoon shrugged.


    "Ghost girl," he muttered but he did not press the subject any further. They were walking on the road leading to their school. The weather was gloomy and it looked as if it was going to rain. Gayoon really hated cloudy days because ghosts were rampant during rain since it was the perfect time to scare people. Moreover, evil spirits took advantage of the rain to even harm others. Water spirits also used the current caused by rain to lure in anyone unfortunate enough to be near a water body and drowned them.


    More rain equaled more deaths and it meant more ghost troubles for Gayoon.


    Entering the school premises, they headed for their ssroom. Inside, the students were gossiping loudly.


    "Two deaths in this school," one of the students was saying. "A teacher and a student."


    "I heard the school authorities are covering it up," another student imed. "It hasn''t been on the news at all!"


    "I''ve heard Yoo and his friends had pushed Seungjo off the roof," a burly student stated. "They hated him anyway but this is so cruel!"


    "They''re drug addicts," Lia said. "Seungjo was their favorite victim anyway. Their parents had managed to make the police back off from investigating them and the cops were forced by the higher authorities to close the case as an ident."


    The students gasped at the revtion. It had been over a week since Seungjo''s death and they were still talking about it. Yoo and his friends had not turned up at school since that day but the students received many rumors about the case.


    Lia''s eyes fell on Gayoon who had just put her bag on her table.


    "Gayoon, wasn''t Seungjo harassing you?" she inquired. "Were the police asking you about it? I heard my mom saying that apparently he attacked your house!"


    "It wasn''t confirmed," Gayoon muttered.


    "But that''s just terrible," Lia said. "In a way, you were rid of a persistent stalker!"


    I hope that was true, Gayoon added bitterly in her thoughts Aloud she said, "He died. I was annoyed at him but I didn''t want him dead."


    Lia was a little abashed and quickly added, "I didn''t mean it that way! I just meant that he won''t be bothering you anymore."


    "Unless she sees his ghost," one of the other students snickered. The rest joined in theughter except Lia who reproached them. Gayoon did not care. It was true anyway.


    "Piss off," Jaewan told them. "Leave her alone otherwise I''ll use my chlorine spray on all of ya!"


    He red at them, annoyed at their intrusion. Just then Yoo, Seohyun and Woohyun walked in. The students immediately stopped chattering and stared at them in fear. Yoo was aware of the stares he was getting, everyone judging him and his friends as they passed by.


    "Murderer," one of the students whispered. Something in Yoo snapped and he turned around to grab the guy by his cor and shook him violently.


    "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" he yelled. Gayoon, Jaewan and some other students stood up to help the boy Yoo was grabbing.


    "Yoo, let him go!" Gayoon ordered but Yoo did not care.


    "Murderer!" the student imed. "You''re a bully and a murderer! You killed Seungjo! And you''re gonna kill a lot more! You bully!"


    Yoo was about to punch the student but his friends held him back while Gayoon and the other students managed to extract the student away from him.


    "Have you gone nuts?" Gayoon yelled at them. "Why are you taking out your anger on others?"


    "DON''T YOU CALL US A MURDERER!" Yoo shouted. "WE DIDN''T KILL ANYONE!"


    He half wanted to reveal that the button was with Minjung but he stopped himself from doing so. Ever since that day, everyone had been using him of a crime he did notmit. He might be a bully and an addict but he was not a killer. Yet, no one believed him.


    "You''re a killer!" Lia retorted. "You killed a student and expect that people will believe you? All of us know how you bullied him!"


    "And you guys were in on it too!" Seohyun used. "How do we know that none of you are the killer?"


    "All of us were at the fair whereas you guys were on the roof!" another student piped in.


    "He didn''t fall from the roof-"


    Everyone joined in on a screaming match. Jaewan could only watch themotion in dismay, while Gayoon was feeling a heavy guilt in her heart which was eating her conscience. Yoo was being used of a crime he did notmit and yet, no one would believe him. She knew the feeling very well. After all, no one would listen to her ims whenever she tried to warn them of ghosts. Everyone branded her as a liar and a curse, which had tormented her for years.


    And today, Yoo was also in the same situation as her. They were not going to believe him.


    Gayoon pitied the guy but she was helpless. She could sense Yoo''s dilemma and she wanted to help him but that would also put Minjung in a precarious position. The police would go on to arrest her and throw her in prison for something which was not even her fault.


    "Yoo," she said, standing up. "Calm down-"


    But Yoo was not listening. He shoved everyone away and left the ssroom, mming the door behind him.


    I must talk to Minjung, he decided as he stomped away. Gayoon was about to follow him but just then, the teacher entered the ssroom. She exchanged a nce with Jaewan who only shook his head and motioned her to concentrate in ss.


    Gayoon felt helpless but just then, she noticed Seungjo''s sneering face looking at her through the window.


    "First strike," he mouthed to her.

 Chapter 226: World of the Dead (18)

    Chapter 226: World of the Dead (18)


    Yoo walked up to Minjung''s house and banged on her door.


    "Minjung!" he yelled. "Open the door!"


    But there was no response from within. He dialed her number several times but she did not pick up his calls. The messages he went were unseen by her and no matter how many times he tried to contact her, she would not reply back.


    What the hell was going on?


    "Minjung!" he yelled again, banging on the door. "Minjung!"


    He banged on her door for several minutes but there was no response. Unbeknownst to him, Minjung had lied to her parents about going to school but had wandered off elsewhere. There was no one else in the house.


    Yoo finally gave up and turned around to leave. As soon as he reached the driveway, something shed at him. He looked up to see a silhouette standing in Minjung''s window.


    "Minjung?" he murmured. The silhouette vanished. There was someone in the house!


    He looked around and saw that there was no one else in sight. Taking advantage of this, he walked towards the pipeline and began to climb. It was a method he had often used in order to sneak into her roomte at nights to enjoy some private time with her. He stepped on her balcony and slowly entered through her window.


    "Minjung?" he called out for her in a low voice. Her parents were probably not home but where was Minjung?


    "Minjung?" he called again but no response. Her bed was unkempt, implying that she was in town but the rest of her room was untouched. He looked up and noticed that the ceiling fan''s screws were loose and it was hanging dangerously. The sight rmed him. Why would she not have that fixed?


    He tried her phone again but no response. Thinking quickly, he decided to check her closet for the sweater which had the patterned button sewn on it. Minjung had sewn that sweater herself and had deliberately kept one of the patterned buttons for her while she gave the rest to him as a token of their love for each other.


    Opening her closet, he nced through it and found the sweater. His suspicions were right. The button was missing from it.


    "What did you do, Minjung?" he wondered. Did she kill Park Seungjo? But why would she do that?


    There was no way Minjung would kill someone. She was very ambitious about going to the National University and worked hard for it. In all their years as a couple, Yoo knew that Minjung was working hard to be a financial analyst and was driven by ambition. National University was a step towards her goal and she would never risk having a criminal record on her application.


    Then why did she kill Seungjo?


    "I must find out," he murmured. Suddenly, the closet began to rattle violently in front of him as if it came alive.


    "What the hell?" Yoo eximed in panic as the closet shook hard. He was backing out but the closet wasing closer and closer, trapping him between the bed and itself.


    "What is happening?" he yelled but a pair of white hands emerged out of the closet and pulled him inside before shutting the doors.


    Yoo yelled and banged on the closet from within, trying to get out but the clothes wrapped around his body, entangling him in a web.


    "HELP!" he yelled. "GET ME OUT OF HERE!"


    But his screamsnded on deaf ears. He kept on pleading with the invisible force which had trapped him but the evilughter echoed in his ears. The closet shook for onest time before the screams in it went silent.


    Gayoon was in ss when her phone vibrated. Making sure that the teacher had his back to them, she took out the phone to see a message from Minjung.


    "Can we meet up?" it said. "At the park near school."


    Gayoon bit her lip. Was it a trap by Seungjo? What if he had hurt Minjung and was using her phone to lure her in as well?


    But then what if it really was Minjung and she needed help? Gayoon could not ignore that. Putting her cellphone, wallet and a pouch of salt in her pocket, she raised her hand.


    "Sir, I need to use the washroom," she lied.


    "Go ahead, Jeon," the teacher said before resuming the lecture. Gayoon exited the ssroom. Seeing that the coast was clear, she quickly snuck out of the route which Sooyhun had shown her when aiding Minjung out of the school undetected. She managed to leave the school grounds and hurried off to find Minjung.


    To her relief, Minjung was sitting on one of the swings, staring into space.


    "Minjung!"


    She looked up to see Gayoon approaching her. Gayoon sat on the swing next to her.


    "You''re wearing your school uniform!" Gayoon remarked. "Why didn''t youe to school?"


    "I tried," Minjung admitted. "But as soon as I entered, I remembered...him."


    Her voice cracked. She did not look good at all. Her skin was sullen and paler than thest time Gayoon had seen her and her eyelids were heavy as if she was sleep deprived. There wererge dark circles underneath her eyelids while her hair was unkempt and dry as if she had not shampooed in weeks.


    But worst of all, it seemed as if she had given up on living. The arrogant and prideful Minjung had been reduced to an empty shell who was simply breathing but not living.


    "Minjung, you have to take care of yourself," Gayoon urged. "Staying like this isn''t going to help your mental health at all!"


    "I don''t want to Gayoon," she admitted in a sad tone. "I can''t go back to being that girl who once wanted to live. I can''t forget what happened."


    "You can never forget," Gayoon said in a grim voice. "No one can forget their traumas. If I tell you to forget all that, then I''m just being a terrible human being. No, Minjung. You can''t forget. But you still have to live. Because if you don''t, then you''re letting that monster win."


    Minjung noted a bitterness in Gayoon''s tone. Thetter was remembering the torment Seungjo was putting her through every night as the evil entity stalked her dreams and also hovering at her window, making it impossible for her to forget him. Seungjo was going to keep on reminding Gayoon that he would be around her, ready to harm those closest to her.


    But her trauma was nothingpared to what Minjung was going through. And the only person who could truly defeat Seungjo, was Minjung herself.


    "Even in death, he''s tormenting us," Minjung mused. Gayoon looked up in astonishment but Mijung went on.


    "I know he''s also torturing you in some twisted way," Minjung stated. "After all, he harmed me because I was a bully to you. So he must be torturing you in some way as well. You dream of him too, right?"


    Gayoon was silent for a while before nodding. Minjung stared at her with whimsical eyes.


    "I''m sorry," she finally said. "For being so mean to you all these years. You didn''t deserve any of it and yet, I made your life a living hell."


    Gayoon was surprised by Minjung''s gesture and before she could respond, Minjung''s phone rang up. But thetter was ignoring it.


    "Aren''t you going to answer that?" Gayoon asked.


    "It''s probably Yoo," Minjung sniffed. "I haven''t talked to him after my"


    She did not go on but shook her head. But the mention of Yoo clicked something in Gayoon''s head.


    "Yoo had stormed out of the school this morning!" Gayoon eximed. "He''s being used as Seungjo''s murderer!"


    "WHAT?" Minjung eximed. "He''s being used?"


    "You should talk to him!" Gayoon said. "His parents already managed to get him out! You must talk to him and tell him the truth!"


    Minjung took out her phone but to her surprise, it was a call from Seohyun.


    "It''s Seohyun," she said. She put the phone on speaker for Gayoon to hear as well.


    "Seohyun! What happened?"


    "Minjung," Seohyun''s worried voice came from the other end. "It''s Yoo!"


    "What happened to Yoo?" Minjung demanded.


    "He''s been in a hit and run!" Seohyun revealed. "He took his father''s car and hit an old woman near the intersection, killing her!"


    Minjung looked up at Gayoon in horror. "H-hit and run?" Minjung stammered. "But Seohyun, Yoo can''t even drive!"

 Chapter 227: World of the Dead (19)

    Chapter 227: World of the Dead (19)


    "It wasn''t me!" Yoo was screaming on the top of his lungs. The police had arrested him and put him behind bars for killing the old woman. Junwan, who was at the police station, got annoyed at the yelling.


    "SHUT UP!" he roared. "Wasn''t it bad enough that you were involved in one murder and now you''re involved in another?"


    "But it wasn''t me!" Yoo yelled. "I don''t even know how to drive!"


    "We didn''t find any driver''s license and yet, your fingerprints were all over the wheel," Junwan said, leaning back against his chair, looking directly at the cell in front of him. Yoo looked scared and confused.


    "I was at my girlfriend Minjung''s ce!" he imed.


    "Can she vouch for you?"


    "She...she wasn''t home," Yoo admitted. "I went to see her when something pulled me inside the closet and thest thing I remember was that I passed out. Then I woke up in my dad''s car-"


    "Your home''s CCTV footage showed that you stole the car from his garage at around 10:30 AM," Junwan said, reading off the file the on spot officer from the ident had just sent him. "Then you were spotted driving around the town until you reached the supermarket behind the intersection. The olddy was crossing the road around 11 AM and instead of braking, you hit her. The woman fell and hurt her head, resulting in excess bleeding and she died immediately. You drove away until you were caught at the next police checkpoint."


    "I swear, I have no idea about any of this!" Yoo said hotly. "I only remember waking when the police was taking me away!"


    "Lies!" Junwan spat. "You were lying about your involvement in Seungjo''s death and you''re lying now as well. Yoo, you''re a killer."


    "I''m not"


    But Yoo was not sure anymore. He was at the driver''s seat and even drove the vehicle. No matter how he saw it, it was the same bloody result. Except that he could not drive.


    "Yoo!"


    Minjung''s voice came from the entrance. She looked distraught and was beside herself.


    "Minjung!" he eximed. She ran towards him, her cheeks stained with tears. Behind her, Gayoon also entered the precinct. Junwan was surprised to see her.


    "What are you doing here?" he asked sharply.


    "Minjung is a friend of mine," Gayoon said. "I was with her when she got the news about Yoo."


    Yoo heard that and frowned at Minjung. "When did you two be friends?" he asked suspiciously.


    Minjung was silent, unable to say anything but Gayoon saved her. "We bonded over our love for music," she lied. "We happened to run into the same fanclub and realized that we had the same interest."


    "Where was your friend during Seungjo''s murder?" Junwan asked. "I noticed that her name is not on the witness list. Was she not in school that day?"


    "I-I''ve been sick for weeks," Minjung croaked. Yoo noticed that she was pale and demure which was totally not like the Minjung he used to know. Was it because she was worried for him?


    "She wasn''t at school," Gayoon added. "I''ve been bringing her homework everyday. Even on the day of the fair, she wasn''t there."


    Thankfully, since Seungjo had tampered with the CCTV cameras on the day of the fair, Minjung''s presence went unnoticed. No one had seen her on the grounds either so she was safe. It was easier for Gayoon to lie for her and as much as she hated to do it, she must keep Minjung away from any sort of situation which might deteriorate her health more. It was thest thing the girl needed.


    Minjung sniffed and looked at Yoo. She wanted to tell him many things but words would note out of her mouth. If he found out what she was going through, he would probably leave her. And even if he did not leave her, he would go on a rampage against Park Seungjo. The guy might be dead but Yoo would probably desecrate his grave or make things harder for Seungjo''s mother.


    It was thest thing she wanted.


    "How did you get into this mess?" she asked. "You can''t even drive!"


    "They won''t believe me!" Yoo imed. "I tried to tell them that I can''t drive but the police found my fingerprints on the steering wheel! And I don''t remember hitting anyone with the car. I really don''t!"


    Junwan scoffed from behind. "Your blood reports clearly state that you were under the influence of drugs," he said, waving the file at them. "And you''re saying that you were innocent?"


    "I only smoked a joint in the morning!" Yoo shouted.


    "And killed another person!" Junwan spat.


    "Officer, he might be innocent!" Gayoon imed. After hearing Yoo''s words, she suddenly realized the truth. Yoo must have been possessed by Seungjo''s spirit at Minjung''s house! The ghost had warned her of dire consequences. Was this his n? To target everyone around her?


    "Jeon Gayoon, if you wanna be a police officer in the future, then you''ll have to forget about all rtionships and focus on evidence!" Junwan scolded her. "All evidence points against him and it''s obvious that he''s the one who killed that woman! He might have gotten away with Seungjo''s murder but not this one."


    "But-"


    "It''s final," Junwan said sternly. "This case is going to the court. The family of the victim filed a case and Yoo will be sent to be convicted."


    "He didn''t do it!" Minjung shrieked but it was in vain. There was nothing they could do for Yoo.


    Yoo leaned against the cold wall and slumped down. There was nothing else to do. Within days, his life was over and soon, he would be a convict. His life was over.


    Minjung cried in Gayoon''s arms, helpless to save her boyfriend.Gayoon was also in tears, cursing herself for not being able to save someone who really needed her help. She regretted having that cursed ability which was endangering everyone around her. If Park Seungjo was alive, she would have probably killed him with her own hands for all the trouble he was causing.


    Unfortunately, she had missed that chance and now, he was back to create a bigger havoc in their lives.


    Damn this sight! She thought as tears fell from her eyes. Damn it!

 Chapter 228: World of the Dead (20)

    Chapter 228: World of the Dead (20)


    UPDATE: WE DID IT GUYS! WE REACHED 500 PRIVILEGE [3


    BE READY FOR MINYOON SNU SNU AT THE END OF THIS ARC! HINT: IT''LL BE SNOWY~


    .....................


    *Present*


    Junho and Shinjin were pouring kerosene on the uniform while Jaewan watched. Shinjin lit a matchstick and threw it on the uniform, setting it aze. They watched as the clothes burnt to ashes, the fire dancing in front of their eyes.


    "We still don''t have the button," Shinjin sighed. "How are we gonna get rid of the spirit without it?"


    "I don''t know, " Junho said bitterly. "But Park Seungjo had grown incredibly powerful over the past few years. He was a nuisance from the start but this is another level. It''s the parallel dimensions we''re talking about!"


    "We don''t know if the World of the Dead is a parallel dimension," Shinjin said warily. "It''s a ce where people go for redemption after their deaths."


    Junho was going to retort but Jaewan said in a sharp tone, "Drop it! We can figure out whether it''s the dead world or parallel dimensionster! Let''s focus on getting them back first."


    Behind them, Jina stirred in her sleep but did not wake up. She was still exhausted by the portal she had made and her energy was low.


    "Are you sure she''ll be alright?" Jaewan asked in a worried tone.


    "She''ll be fine," Junho said grimly. "But I''m afraid of what would happen if she wakes up and doesn''t find her parents in front of her. She''s so young and yet, has seen so many things."


    "The child deserves a good life," Shinjin remarked. "A normal childhood free from spirits and ghosts. But look at her! Eight years old and she''s not only seeing ghosts but also making portals to another world! Who would want a childhood like that?"


    "No wonder Gayoon med herself a lot for what''s going on in Jina''s life," Junho said. "There wasn''t a single day when she did not miss her child but the guilt of what she did only kept her away from Jina. Until fate yed this weird game and brought everyone together."


    Jaewan nced at Jina before turning towards Junho.


    "This ability to travel through different worlds," he began. "You said that your wife might have had it."


    "Possibly," Junho said curtly. "We can''t tell if she knew about it or not but she was friends with Gayoon''s mother, Yeeun. I think she might have had an inkling of her powers."


    "Why didn''t she ever tell you about it?" Jaewan asked. "You guys were married for so long and yet, you didn''t know about your wife''s abilities. Strange."


    Junho gritted his teeth in anger but did not say anything. Jaewan was right. He did not know anything about his wife''s side of the family and for the first time, he wondered if he knew her at all. Why did she hide such a big thing from him? Was it because she thought that he would not believe her?


    "Let''s not worry about all that now," Shinjin said hastily, trying to break the tension between the two men. "For now, we need to focus on bringing back Minho and Gayoon."


    Junho red at Jaewan before returning his attention to Shinjin. The uniform had turned into ashes. Junho stooped down to put the ashes into a jar of holy water. Once he collected it all, he shut the jar and sealed it with a sacred cloth which was blessed by Shinjin.


    "I''ll pour it into the sea," Junho said.


    "We still need the button," Shinjin sighed.


    "But what happenedst time?" Jaewan asked. "Why did you guys fail in destroying his possessions before? If you had been sessful in doing that, the spirit wouldn''t have escaped!"


    "It''s not easy," Junho grimaced. "Different spirits have varying levels of powers. Some are weak while others are really strong. The powerful ones have a very deep connection with their unfulfilled wishes to the point of obsession. Park Seungjo was obsessed with Gayoon. His feelings for her were so strong that he woke up as a very powerful ghost when he died. He was able to gain quick control over his powers and even possessed a kid to make him kill an old woman."


    "You mean the kid who used to bully him?" Jaewan realized. "Yoo?"


    "Yes," Junho replied. "Just a few days after Yoo was acquitted of Seungjo''s death, he was dragged into a hit and run. I was out of town that time and didn''t return until muchter. But Seungjo''s ghost framed Yoo and had him locked up."


    "What happened afterwards?" Jaewan demanded. "Gayoon refused to tell me anything that time but I want to know! Why did Gayoon take up surrogacy? What was the reason?"


    Junho exhaled deeply and began to narrate the tale. "After Yoo was arrested," he began. "He was convicted within a few days"


    .


    *shback*


    The week seemed to have passed by in a blur. Gayoon had little recollection of what she did during the week but all she remembered was that she was with Minjung almost everyday. They were both trying to support Yoo as much as possible but there was little they could do.


    His case was transferred to the court and the judge found him guilty. The old woman''s family demanded the highest punishment for him and the media caught hold of the story as well. They sensationalized it, tagging Yoo as the addict and bully, who was a threat to the society.


    His parents were also dragged through the mud for using their power to save their son which further infuriated the public. Several organizations called for the judge to punish him and under the pressure, the judge sentenced him to life sentence.


    All through this, Minjung''s health only deteriorated. Watching her boyfriend go to jail for a crime he did not evenmit devastated her and she was beginning to throw up her food a lot. Gayoon was worried for her health and it seemed that Minjung was growing thinner day by day.


    "Minjung, you''ve got to eat," Gayoon coaxed her one day. They were sitting outside the police station where Yoo was kept in remand as he awaited his transfer to central jail. But Minjung would not budge.


    "I don''t want to," she said in a bitter tone. "I want my body to be frail and weak. I don''t want to eat. Let my body suffer."


    "But you''re going to fall sick!" Gayoon scolded her. "You can''t help Yoo this way!"


    "No, it''s not for Yoo," Minjung gritted. "I want this body to fail and die! I want my body to perish! I don''t want it!"


    "What are you talking about?" Gayoon frowned. Minjung turned towards her.


    "This body" she began. "This body is carrying the curse of that monster. I want it gone, Gayoon. I want the baby in me to die."

 Chapter 229: World of the Dead (21)

    Chapter 229: World of the Dead (21)


    Gayoon was shocked at the revtion. Minjung broke into tears, hiding her face as she cried. The past few weeks were an unending nightmare for her and she did not know how to get out of this. Her parents forbade her from meeting Yoo but they did not know of her state yet. But she would not be able to hide it from them for long.


    "You must tell your parents," Gayoon asserted but Minjung shook her head.


    "No!" she said. "My parents can''t know! My dad just had surgery on his heartst year. If he finds out and gets a heart attack, he''ll die! I can''t let this happen!"


    Gayoon bit her lip, worried about what to do. She had no idea on this matter and waspletely unsure of what to do. Minjung might be an adult but most doctors in the country were reluctant to perform abortions on young mothers due to the risks associated with it. Moreover, the procedure might worsen her state.


    "We''ll have to do something!" Gayoon said. "Tell an adult! Otherwise, we won''t be able to do anything-"


    "I''m not telling anyone else!" Minjung cried. "And you better not tell others!"


    Thest part was a threat. She was unhinged and paranoid to the point that she found it impossible to trust anyone.


    "Minjung, I''m only trying to help you," Gayoon said calmly.


    "You can''t," Minjung said in a sad tone. "No one can. Just don''t tell anyone. I''ll try to figure out what to do with it. But until then, do not talk about this."


    Gayoon nodded her head. "But you need to make a decision soon," she warned. "Because the more you dy making a decision, the riskier your health will be. Until then, try to follow all the health precautions for pregnancy."


    Minjung scoffed. She would rather do the opposite only to get rid of the satanic spawn in her. Getting to her feet, she added, "I''m not returning to school for a while. But I''ll stay in touch with you."


    She shed a rare and sincere smile at Gayoon. Thetter smiled back and watched Minjung leave. She was about to wave her goodbye but her hand froze midway. Her eyes fell on the pale figure which had appeared next to Minjung. It smiled at Gayoon, the nerdy face hiding the twisted mind beneath.


    Did he hear everything? Gayoon was now panicking. What if he tried to harm Minjung?


    Seungjo was creepily smiling at her and then nced at Minjung who was only a few meters away. She was standing on the pavement, ready to cross the road towards her car. The traffic light shes green and cars were passing by at full speed.


    Arge red truck wasing nearer. Minjung was busy checking her phone and nced up. The light was still red so she did not cross. Gayoon watched from her to the pale ghost which was going towards Minjung.


    Seungjo mocked Gayoon as he stood behind Minjung. She shivered a little at the sudden coldness which crept in and hugged her jacket closer. Seungjo looked from her to the truck which was now heading their way. Raising his hand, he was almost touching her back


    Minjung felt a sudden jerk and yelped. The truck sped past her.


    "What the-"


    She looked around to see that Gayoon was panting heavily beside her. Thetter had pulled her backwards.


    "What happened?" Minjung asked in shock. "Why did you pull me like that?"


    "I" Gayoon began, trying to think of a lie. Behind her, Seungjo cackled and made a face at her. He was enjoying the torment he inflicted on both the girls and his menacing smile was shing in front of her eyes. Gayoon tried to ignore him.


    "I just wanted to say that you shouldn''t leave school," she hastily said. "The more you stay away from people, the more depressed you''ll be! I think you should return to school."


    "I can''t," Minjung said. "Not where I was assaulted and killed a person. The school is gonna give me terrifying nightmares and I don''t think I can take it anymore."


    She touched Gayoon''s cheek and said, "I really can''t go back, Gayoon. My parents will be furious at me but I''m gonna transfer out. I can''t stay there."


    Gayoon did not argue further but thankfully, Seungjo had disappeared from sight. She did not know where he went but as long as he was far away from Minjung, it was fine with her. Minjung merely frowned and hailed a cab to go home. Gayoon sent her off, waving at her until the cab was out of sight.


    Seungjo had heard their conversation and was no more vengeful than ever. What he did so far was only a teaser. There was more toe.


    Gayoon took a deep breath and began to walk towards her house. The clouds were gloomily hovering above her as she headed up the hill, lost in her thoughts.


    Minjung''s revtion was ringing in her ears. She did not know much about being a mother but was it alright for Minjung to get rid of that child? Gayoon never had a mother and her father was absent so she did not know what parental love was like. The closest people to her were her grandma and her ahjusshi who tried their best to make sure that she nevercked anything.


    So at that moment, she had no idea what was right or wrong. Should Minjung abort the baby which was the result of a demon''s evil deed? Or should she stop ming the unborn baby for a sin it had no idea about.


    Rain began to pour down heavily, drenching her. Gayoon did not care but let herself get wet as she kept on repeating what Minjung had told her. For the first time, she was confused about what to do. Minjung needed help and guidance from an adult but if Gayoon revealed the truth, then it would ruin the former''s life. The dilemma was beginning to irritate Gayoon and she was frustrated at what to do.


    And the bloody ghost was making it even worse.


    "Gayoonie"


    The whisper in her ears startled her and she jumped back on the road. Headlights shed at her and Gayoon barely had any time to leap away from the car which sped towards her. She raised her hands in reflex, ready for the impact.


    The car screeched and halted in front of her. The lights were too bright for her to see anything clearly but there were shadows of two people in the car.


    .


    Minho was texting an important client, Shin Hyunmin while traveling to his hotel. He had gone through a proposal regarding and in Town C which he was interested to buy.


    Thend was situated right next to an intersection which led to the main business hub while the other road led to the port. It was the perfectnd for him to build his new office on and there were other bidders who were eyeing it. Minho hated to lose and he was trying to draft a long message, detailing why hispany deserved thend.


    "Jang, how much further?" he asked the chauffeur who was driving the car. "We need to head out for that stupid Kanji''s party tonight."


    "The traffic is heavy, sir," Jang stated. "Once I make it to the corner, I can turn right and speed up. The GPS says the road there is clear."


    "Step on it," Minho said, still drafting the mail. Jang nodded and as soon as the traffic cleared, he took the right turn. The speed of the car increased but Minho was absorbed in his text without any sense of what was going on.


    Jang did not want to drive so fast in the heavy rain. He turned on the wipers to clear off the water on the wind shield but the rain was pouring continuously, making it hard for him to see ahead.


    "Speed it up, Jang!" Minho ordered, not taking his eye off the phone.


    "Yes sir," Jang squeaked and stepped on the pedal. The car was driving faster than usual, hurrying towards its destination. Jang tried to be as careful as possible but the darn rain was making it difficult.


    Suddenly, a figure jumped in front of the car. Jang yelled and hit the brake hard.


    Thankfully, the car had an auto sensor which stopped as soon as it sensed the person who jumped in front of the car. Minho almost fell forward due to the impact. The mail he had drafted got deleted and instead, his phone''s autocorrect option wrote the word ''No'' on the email body and sent the mail.


    "Shit!" Minho cursed as he desperately tried to stop the message from being sent. But it was toote. The mail was sent.


    "WHO THE BLOODY HELL FELL IN FRONT OF MY CAR?" he yelled. Jang was scared of Vesudas'' temper and only god could save the person who had dared to jump in front of Hwang Minho''s car.


    "It looks like a high school student, sir," Jang said. It was raining a lot so the face was not clear but it was definitely a girl.


    Gayoon was terrified and she sprinted off as fast as she could away from the ghost which was stalking her. As she passed by the car, Minho''s annoyed eyes momentarily fell on her. He caught a brief glimpse of that petrified girl and before he could yell at her, she disappeared.


    Just then, his phone rang up. It was his client, Hyunmin.


    "Mr. Shin," he greeted, answering the phone. "That mail-"


    "You''re lucky, Mr. Hwang," Shin said from the other end. "For rejecting thatnd!"


    Minho frowned. "Why?" he asked. "What happened?"


    "The broker who sold us thend is a conman!" Shin revealed. "It belongs to a man named Min Chang who''s currently in Country A. The original owner has no idea about hisnd being sold to us and has filed awsuit against us! We''re trying to track down the conman to prove our innocence but we can''t find him. It''s a good thing you refused. Otherwise, you''d have fallen into this mess as well."


    Minho did a calction in his head. The strange high schooler had saved him at least fifty million dors which included thend cost and the subsequentwsuit.


    "My money was saved," he mused. "Guess my luck is always in my favor."


    Smiling a little, he briefly nced back at the alley where the girl had disappeared.


    "Shall we go to the hotel, sir?" Jang asked.


    "Yeah," Minho said, tearing his eyes away from the alley. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 230: World of the Dead (22)

    Chapter 230: World of the Dead (22)


    "DAMN IT!"


    Seohyun threw his ss angrily on the floor, smashing it while Woohyun looked grim. The club around them was alive with music as the patrons danced their hearts out. A disco light was rotating above them, reflecting colorful lights while the circr dance floor was sparkling. There was a DJ''s podium in the middle where the DJ was ying thetest tracks.


    Seohyun and Woohyun were at The Moose, a bar which was popr among the young adults in the vicinity. Even though they were adults, they were still under the age of the legal age of drinking so they used fake ID cards to enter the ce. Since they were regr customers, the staff did not question them, assuming that they were college freshmen. They were at the bar, fuming at the events which had transpired.


    "They took Yoo away!" Seohyun growled, clenching his fists together. "That too for hit and run! He couldn''t even drive!"


    "The police found his fingerprints on the wheel and his DNA inside the car," Woohyun pointed out. "He was caught a few meters from the scene."


    "But How did he learn to drive in one night?" Seohyun asked hotly. Woohyun had no answer to that.


    They had watched helplessly as their friend was carried away by the police. Yoo tried to fight off his captors but they hit him and threw him into jail. Even his parents had disowned him. They had just gotten him out of the Seungjo murder case and he got himself tangled up in another crime. Hence, he was cut out from the family.


    "Someone is plotting this," Seohyun stated. "There''s no other exnation."


    "Are you saying that...Minjung nned it all?"


    "Who else could have done it?" Seohyun imed. "That button found with Seungjo was Minjung''s! Both of us know that! If it wasn''t for Yoo, we would have told the truth a long time ago! But he stopped us."


    Then it suddenly hit him. "Yoo went to Minjung''s house that day!" Seohyun realized. "Didn''t he?"


    "Yeah" Woohyun said slowly. "Are you saying that something happened there and Yoo went off to drive on his own? That Minjung was rted to his inexplicable actions?"


    "I''m saying that Minjung knows more than she''s letting us believe," Seohyun said. "She''s the key to everything."


    "Then we should head there," Woohyun said. "Force her to talk. She can''t get away with this!"


    "Let''s go," Seohyun agreed, standing up. They paid the bills for their drinks and headed off. Getting into Seohyun''s car, he revved up the engine.


    The rain had stopped but the road was still wet. Darkness had set in and it was probably past 10 PM at night. They did not know how long they had been at the bar since they lost track of time but now, they were in a hurry.


    "Will she answer the door?" Woohyun wondered.


    "Her parents aren''t home," Seohyun said. "She''ll be alone. If needed, we''ll break in. She must answer us. Why was she absent all this time and why did she let Yoo get the me? Her actions have been very suspicioustely."


    Woohyun nodded and looked ahead. The road was too dark and strangely secluded which made him frown. Usually there was a decent amount of traffic on that particr road so it was strange to see it so empty.


    "Seohyun, don''t you think this road is a bit too quiet tonight?" Woohyun opined.


    "Who cares?" Seohyun scoffed, stepping on the elerator. "We have bigger things to worry about."


    Woohyun pursed his lips and sat back but he felt a little nervous. It was unlike him to feel that way and he was not even much of an intuitive person. But at that moment, his gut instincts were acting up, urging him to turn back. It was pitch ck around them and he doubted that Seohyun could even see the route they were on.


    "Soehyun, I don''t think we''re on the right track," he murmured as Seohyun took a right turn.


    "Nonsense!" Seohyun scoffed. "We used this route just a few hours ago! And now you''re saying we''re on the wrong track?"


    "I really think we shouldn''t go through this road," Woohyun said, an inexplicable dread rising in his heart. Something was wrong and he could feel it. The whole atmosphere was too eerie and he felt as if someone was watching them. He nced behind them but there was no one. There were no cars around and the increasing silence only bothered him more.


    "Woohyun, rx," Seohyun told him. "We have bigger things to worry about. Minjung is getting away with murder! We must expose her."


    "Yes, but can''t we do it in the morning?"


    "No! The more we dy, the higher the chances are that she would run away. We can''t let that happen."


    Woohyun sighed and decided to give up persuading Seohyun. There was a glimmer in his eyes and it was obvious that he was obsessed with punishing Minjung for her alleged role in Yoo''s imprisonment. They drove on in silence, amidst the darkness which was only deepening.


    "I can''t see anything!" Seohyunined after a while. He was sure that the path was correct and yet, he could not see a single soul. The whole road seemed to be stretching further and further without any end. They should have reached Minjung''s house over an hour ago and yet, it feels as if they had not moved from their spot at all.


    "I''m telling you, we''re lost!" Woohyun argued.


    "We''re not los-AHHHHHHH!"


    Seohyun suddenly swerved the car around, causing it to spin out of control. Both of them yelled as the car spun and spun before Seohyun managed to hit the brakes. The car stopped and its riders were panting hard.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Woohyun yelled at him but Seohyun was as white as a sheet.


    "I-I" he stammered but words would note out of his mouth. He was staring at the rearview mirror in fear as if he had seen something at it.


    "What happened?"


    "I saw someone!" Seohyun whimpered, pointing at the back. "I saw him! I saw his face!"


    Woohyun turned around but there was no one there. Seohyun was terrified at what he saw. Was he imagining things? He was sure that he saw Seungjo in the mirror, staring right at him. There was no way Seohyun would be mistaken about that nerdy and specky guy with weird obsessions.


    "There''s no one there," Woohyun said sharply but Seohyun was still shaking and pointing at the mirror. Woohyun nced at it and still found no one in it.


    "I told you there''s no one else but us-"


    His words froze midway as his eyes fell on something in front of the car. Seohyun followed his gaze and shrieked like a coward.


    Standing in front of the car was Park Seungjo. He was shing a creepy smile at them as he slowly climbed the bo of the car.


    "WHAT IS THIS?" Seohyun screamed in panic. He tried to open the car''s door but to his horror, the door would not open. Woohyun was kicking at the window but it would not break. Seungjo or whatever it was, gradually came towards them with that manic smile still etched on its lips. He looked like a predator on the hunt for prey and the two sitting in the car were his perfect meal.


    "We need to get outta here!" Woohyun shouted. "Start the engine and shake him off!"


    Seohyun yelped and tried to start the engine but it was dead.


    "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" he cursed. "This thing is dead!"


    "Use something to break the window!" Woohyun shouted. Seohyun threw his mobile phone at the window in an attempt to break it but the phone bounced back. It was as if the car was immune to any such attack and had a protection casing over it. They were unable to open the doors nor smash the windows open.


    The strange pale creature which looked like Seungjo was now staring at them through the front window, enjoying their reactions. The glee on his face was apparent as he tortured his victims just like the way they had tormented him.


    He watched as the two bullies screamed for help, banging on the doors and windows for help. They were wrecked by the appearance of the ghost, trying to remember every prayer they could to get rid of him. Their past mistakes were about to catch up with them and the consequences would be deadly.


    "Tsk tsk!" Seungjo scoffed. "I thought you two would be happy to see me."


    Seohyun held on to Woohyun''s shirt as they stared at the creature which was feeding off their fear.


    "What are we going to do?" Seohyun whimpered. But Woohyun was unable to speak, the creature holding his gaze.


    Before any of them could scream again, the car came to life. The engine started on its own and the headlights lit up as if being controlled by an unseen force.


    "What''s happening-" Seohyun began but was never able to finish the sentence. The car began to spin around in speed, the two riders in it screaming and shrieking for help. Seungjoughed gleefully as he steered the car, possessing its controls before overturning it.


    The car fell sideways, rolling on the ground as it slid on the slippery road. The screams of the two boys died out and they fell unconscious, their bloodied bodies buried under the wrecked car.


    "Strike two!" Seungjo eximed, his voice brimming with happiness. "Time for strike three and then, Gayoon wille to me! Forever!"

 Chapter 231: World of the Dead (23)

    Chapter 231: World of the Dead (23)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE BUY THE PRIVILEGE TIER FOR WIN WIN! I ONLY NEED 63 MORE PRIVILEGE TO REACH 500! IT''S ONLY 1 COIN


    I''LL GIVE SNU SNU IF WE MAKE IT TO 500 BY 31ST JAN!


    .....


    *Present*


    Seungjo was still staring at the unconscious Gayoon who was trapped in her mind. He had manipted her into a memory loop which was undoubtedly reminding her of their love. The love he still had for her and the moments they had shared. If it was not for those bullies and Ahn Jaewan, he could have been with Gayoon forever. The others had made her hate him and he wanted her to love him again.


    He still recalled the first time he hadid his eyes on her. It was his first day at Blooming Sun High School. After his previous teacher had rejected his love, he made sure that she would never forget him. He reminded her that he loved her and her only but she chose to kill herself. After that, he transferred out, thinking that he would never love again.


    That was until he saw the beautiful girl at the school gate, quietly walking into the school. Her slender figure was slowly heading his way and he was awed by her beauty that he had no sense of anything else around him. He never thought that he would fall head over heels for her and since then, had been tailing her every movement. She used to sleep at the library a lot. Unbeknownst to her, he used to sit next to her and stare at her sleeping face.


    Just like he was doing now.


    Seungjo let out a sigh. They could have had such a beautiful life together. She would have been at home, managing their home while he went out to work. He would have hadplete control over his beautiful wife, not letting any man look her way. In fact, she would not have stepped outside at all. It would have been them only, without the interference of anyone else. He would not have any children either because he wanted Gayoon''s love to be solely for him and would not share it with others. She would look at him and him only.


    "Curse that Minjung!" he muttered under his breath. That darn bitch had destroyed his ns to have Gayoon all to himself. If she had not killed him, Gayoon would have been his. As a ghost, he could not even feel her as long as she was alive. But once she was dead and her soul was sessfully trapped in this world, they would live there together.


    Forever.


    "Just die, Gayoonie," he whispered. He stroked her cheek, trying to feel her warmth but it was as if he was touching air. He could manipte objects as a ghost but he could not feel humans at all. And he wanted to feel his Gayoonie so much..


    "We''ll be together soon," he vowed.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his head. Seungjo staggered backwards, clutching his head as the pain increased. How was that possible? Ghosts did not feel pain!


    Yet, he did. There was a pain in his head which would have killed a normal human being but he could not die again. The torture was worse as his head throbbed. Images of his past acquaintances began to sh in his mind. Yoo, Minjung, Jaewan, Seohyun and Woohyun''s faces were shing in front of his eyes but to his shock, he could not recognize any of them.


    "W-who are these people?" he wheezed, still clutching his head. He could only remember Gayoon''s name but the others were a blur. Who were these other people? What did they want?


    "AHHHHH!" He screamed in agony as the pain deepened and he began to lose some memories. They were ying like a film in front of him and other than Gayoon, he could not fathom the rest.


    Then the pain stopped. Seungjo blinked and opened his eyes. Gayoon was still unconscious but Seungjo was rattled by what had happened. He tried to recall his past life.


    Yes, he remembered many of the events. He loved Gayoon and he was pushed through the window to his death. But who was the girl? And who were those boys who were making fun of him?


    "Doesn''t matter!" he told himself. "Gayoon is going to be mine in half an hour! She''ll be dead and we can be together!"


    Yes. His past did not matter. Gayoon was so near and yet, so far. But not for long. He would make sure that they would be together.


    Meanwhile, Gayoon''s mind was still shing her the events of her past. She could see a ssroom where the students were chattering. They were saying mindless things which she could not fathom but she saw herself, sitting on a chair in a high school uniform. Her younger self was reading a mystery book and a tall, handsome boy approached her. He sat beside her and she was smiling at him.


    She used to smile? It felt as if years had passed since shest smiled. As she saw her younger self''s smile, she was once again sucked into the memories of the past.


    .


    "How are your training sessions going?" Gayoon asked when Jaewan came to sit beside her. All around them, the ss was abuzz with the usual gossip. Seungjo''s death was beginning to fade away and Gayoon was d that people were no longer obsessing over it. Seeing the ghost pop up sporadically was bad enough but hearing about him all the time was even worse. To her slight surprise, the ghost had not tormented herst night and she was worried that he would bother Minjung.


    But Minjung was away with her parents to seek therapy. They still did not know what happened to her but she wanted to seek professional help after Yoo''s arrest. Gayoon was d that Minjung was taking steps to heal herself but the ghost would not let her forget. All she could hope for was Junho to return soon so that he could get rid of the demon.


    "Training is going well," Jaewan remarked. "If everything goes right, I might debut this year."


    "Woah!" Gayoon eximed. "I''m gonna be the friend of an idol? Cool!"


    "There''s nothing cool about being an idol," Jaewan said warily as he wiped his desk with disinfectant. "It''s tough, tiring and I get sweaty by the end of it. And if I debut, I might have to share a dorm with other trainees."


    "Yikes, that will kill you," Gayoon joked. Jaewan grimaced and wiped his table further with a desk cleaner. Gayoon groaned at his actions.


    "I''m sure that table will stay squeaky clean for at least five centuries!" she snapped. "What is it with you and cleaning?"


    "I can''t clean people''s souls so I clean tables," Jaewan said in a serious manner. Gayoon could only facepalm herself after hearing that.


    Just then, the teacher entered the ss. Everyone stood up to greet him before taking their seats.


    "Is it me or does Teacher Min look tense?" Jaewan frowned, putting his cleaning equipment away.


    "She does," Gayoonmented. "What happened?"


    "ss, I have some grim news for you all," Teacher Min began. "Seohyun and Woohyun have been in a serious car crash."


    There were loud gasps at the news. Everyone was shocked to hear that especially after witnessing so many urrences. First Minjung had disappeared. Then Seungjo died and Yoo was imprisoned. And now this? What was going on?


    "Almost feels like we''re cursed," Lia muttered.


    "I know a lot of you were close friends with them," Teacher Min said. "And this is shocking to hear especially after we lost one student and saw another student going to jail. But we have to make sure that we do not discuss too much about this with outsiders. The school has already faced a nosedive in its reputation and the parents are beginning to rile up against us. Thankfully, Seohyun and Woohyun''s ident urred far away from the school so we won''t be dragged into the mess. But the papers still mentioned our names along with the previous events regarding Seungjo''s death. So, all students are requested to keep silent on this matter. Anyone talking about it will be suspended."


    He red at everyone who shifted ufortably in their seats. The school authorities took the reputation of the institution very seriously and the students knew very well that the threat would be carried out as well.


    Gayoon, however, was shaking in fear. Her instincts immediately told her that it was Seungjo''s work and the ghost must have caused the ident. He had promised her that he would make her yield to his demands. This was his way of doing things. He was not going to stop until he got what he wanted.


    "Gayoon?"


    She did not respond, still engrossed in her thoughts. Seungjo was going to attack. He was going to hurt those around her. He was seeking revenge against all those who wronged him and soon, he woulde for her as well.


    "Gayoon!"


    Startled, she stood up. The teacher was ring at her in anger.


    "Where''s your attention?" he asked sharply. "I told you to get a marker from the supply closet!"


    "Y-yes sir!" she squeaked and scurried off. Jaewan watched her exit the room. He noted that she looked very scared and unusually timid as if she had seen a ghost.


    Knowing Jeon Gayoon, she might as well have.

 Chapter 232: World of the Dead (24)

    Chapter 232: World of the Dead (24)


    Gayoon made her way towards the supply cab on the fourth floor. Since sses were going on, everyone were attending their lectures, making the corridor rtively empty. She opened the door to the closet and entered.


    The room was stacked with neatly lined shelves which carried different supplies for the teachers. There were chalks, markers, pens, notebooks etc., all kept in categorized boxes.


    "Markers"


    She nced through the boxes, looking for the ck markers but could not find any in the box in front of her. The light above her flickered and she was so engrossed in searching for markers that she did not notice that the door behind her was slowly closing. Her eyes went to the top shelf where there was another boxbeled ''markers''. The box was out of her reach so she stood on tiptoes. But she still could not reach it.


    "Ugh!" she eximed. "I hate being so short!"


    Gayoon looked around and spotted a stool. She ced it near the shelf and stood on it, finally being able to get the marker box.


    "Got one!" she dered and was about to get off the stool when the light went off. Startled, Gayoon scanned the room but it was pitch dark in there. She did not bring her phone either and there was not an iota of light inside the dingy room.


    Her heart was racing and she slowly climbed down the stool, trying to make her way towards the door. She held out her hands to hold on to the shelves so that she could guide her way towards the door.


    "Can anyone hear me?" she yelled. "The lights went out! Please open the door!"


    Her palms touched the rough wooden shelves, trying to find the way. Her leg suddenly caught on something and she tripped.


    "AHH!" she screamed as she crashed on the ground. Gayoon staggered to stand up but her knee was bruised and it was paining.


    "Ugh!" she groaned as she clutched her knee. She felt warm liquid oozing out of it; it was bleeding. Gayoon tried to find a cloth in the darkness which would stop the bleeding but to no avail. She tried to stand up again but the pain in her knee was worsening with every movement.


    "Help!" she shouted. It was a little odd that no one wasing to her rescue. There were ssrooms in that corridor so she was sure that someone must have heard her.


    "Help, I''m stuck in here!" she yelled but no one wasing to answer her pleas. She was now starting to panic. Fear began to form in her heart as she tried to crawl towards the door but there was nothing but it was like her eyes were veiled by a ck cloth. It was nearly impossible to see anything and she was not even sure if she was heading for the door.


    Using her hands to lead the way, she was crawling on the floor. She touched the floor, trying to figure out which direction she was going towards when suddenly, her right palmnded on what felt like a shoe. There was someone inside the room with her!


    "Who''s there?" she asked in a shrill voice. "Who are you? When did youe in here?"


    The person did not speak and Gayoon was gripped by a paranoia. She went very still, trying to assess her situation. The person moved as if stooping down.


    A cold hand touched her face, making her squirm in disgust. She tried to flinch away but the hand held her cheek tightly, making her face him.


    "Gayoonie" Seungjo whispered in her ears. She felt disgusted as his breath touched her skin, making her feel nauseous.


    "You still have time, Gayoonie," he warned. "Come to me and no one else will be hurt."


    Gayoon''s face was contorting in disgust and she felt sick to her stomach. Her hunch was right. Seungjo was behind Yoo''s imprisonment and also caused the idents of his friends. The ghost was harming everyone around her in order to get to her.


    "Kill yourself, Gayoonie," he begged in a low tone. "Come to me. We can be together in death. For eternity."


    "I''d rather spend a million years in hell than with you," she spat. His whole existence was a sphemy. Even when he was alive he was unbearable and in death, he was worse than a demon. She never thought that someone could be so crass and vindictive.


    "You''re testing my patience!" he growled. "I know you love me! I know that you''re only mine! We''re meant to be together! This is why you can see me even after my death! We''re soulmates, Gayoonie!"


    "You''re nothing but a disgusting pig!" she shouted and flinched away from him. She used her strength to run forward and luckily,nded in front of the door. She banged on it, crying loudly.


    "Help!" She shouted. "Let me out of here!"


    Seungjo grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground. Gayoon crashed into a shelf but thankfully, it did not fall on her. Spitting out blood from her mouth, she was panting heavily. Seungjo''s cold hands, grabbed her neck and before she knew it, she was pushed against the wall He was throttling her, making her wheeze.


    Gayoon struggled, trying to gnaw at his dead hands but it was of no use. He was a ghost who did not feel pain from her feeble scratches. On the contrary, he wasughing at her useless attempts.


    "You can''t win against me, Gayoonie," he cackled. "Don''t you know that I''m a ghost? I can''t get hurt! I''m invincible now!"


    "You''re a weakling and an asshole!" she cursed. In her panic, she had forgotten that she had one thing which he was weak against. She had some salt in her pocket!


    "I''m yours and you are mine," he imed. "We''re meant to be together! All you have to do is die, Gayoonie! Why don''t you get it? We are destined-"


    Suddenly, Gayoon threw a handful of salt at him. Seungjo screamed in agony as the salt burned through his pale skin, causing him to let go of Gayoon and fall on the ground. He was writhing, holding his face as he rolled on the floor. Seizing her chance, Gayoon managed to find the door and sprinted out of it.


    The ghost''s screams were echoing through the corridor, unheard by everyone else but her. She did not stop to check if he was still following her but ran on and on until she reached the library.


    "Gayoon!" the librarian eximed as she barged in. "What happened?"


    But Gayoon could not speak. She did not want to recount her encounter with the demon and had no intention to do so.


    All she wanted was to get rid of him for once and for all.

 Chapter 233: World of the Dead (26)

    Chapter 233: World of the Dead (26)


    Junwan was irritated. It was one of those days during which nothing was going right for him. Firstly, he was forced to close Park Seungjo''s case since all the used were either in prison for other crimes or paralyzed. One kid even slipped into ae.


    Secondly, he was going to be transferred uptown as the new Chief of the Homicide department. Even though it was a promotion, the transfer was going to be hellish for him because he would have to travel two hours but bus from his home in order to get there.


    But the third and the worst reason was sitting in front of him, wearing a long jacket and turtleneck sweater beneath it, looking like a male supermodel than a power hungry money machine.


    "Minho, I told you! Already!" Junwan gritted. "We''re trying to find him."


    "You''ve been telling me this for eighteen years," Minho remarked. "Where''s the progress, Junwan?"


    "Kid, I''m older than you!" Junwan snapped. "Call me either Detective or uncle!"


    "You gotta earn respect, Junwan," Minhomented. "If you were meant to be respected, you wouldn''t have been a police officer. An ipetent one at that."


    His words were like a p to Junwan''s face. The detective was fuming in anger for being told off by a kid who was decades younger than him.


    But Hwang Minho was no ordinary man. Not only was he the richest man in the country, but he wielded a considerable amount of power. Even the current President of the country was indebted to him for endorsing their party''s campaign. Moreover, Hwang Minho owned shares in almost all kinds of sectors starting from real estate to retail and lifestyle. His influence was no joke and no one would dare to mess with him.


    So, what else could a poor detective like Junwan do?


    "You''re getting too cocky!" Junwan grumbled. Minho merely shrugged, causing the detective to sigh.


    "Junho had been spotted in many ces," he reported. "Last month, he was seen in City B at a shop near the river. We tried to find him and asked around the ce. The shop he was at said that he was buying salt and candles. At first we assumed that he probably lived there but the locals did not recognize him."


    He took out a file and handed it to Minho. Thetter frowned and read the documents in it. There were also a few pictures of Hwang Junho. His father had put on some weight and was older but there was no mistaking hismanding aura. After all, it mirrored Minho''s own domineering presence.


    "A few months ago, he was spotted around an apartmentplex," Junwan went on. "He seemed to have exited that ce and we even asked the residents there. None of them saw him there before. There was one family which seemed suspicious though."


    "And you''re telling me this now?" Minho asked, raising his eyebrows.


    "The main head of the family firmly stated that he did not know who Junho was," Junwan stated. "We tried to question them many times but all the family members refused to acknowledge that they knew him. It was strange but all of their stories were same. It was impossible to make them reveal anything and legally, we couldn''t charged them either because there was no proof."


    "Where''s that family now?" Minho demanded.


    "Unfortunately, they moved abroad," Junwan sighed. "To Country U."


    Minho tried to control his anger with great difficulty but it was bing increasingly impossible. The moment he closed in on Junho, the old man mysteriously escapes. It was getting on his nerves and he must find that man before the statue of limitation was over in three years.


    "You have been of no use," Minho said in a quiet tone.


    Junwan angrily banged his table. "I''ve been working on this case for eighteen fucking years!"he yelled. "Who else would work on a case this long? No one! I still supported you and did everything I could. And yet, you don''t even acknowledge me-"


    "Did you see your mother being murdered in front of you, detective?" Minho asked coolly. Junwan gaped at his question.


    "No," he replied.


    "Did you raise a newborn sister all on your own while your father had abandoned you?" Minho asked.


    "No, but I''ve seen-"


    "You''ve seen way more dead bodies than I even have," Minho finished for him. But have you been the one who lost a loved one? For you, deaths are everyday case. You find a dead body, investigate, catch the criminal if you can and then go back home to your family. But the people who lost their loved onesit''s not a case to them. We return to our empty homes, with no hope for seeing our beloved one ever again."


    Junwan was rendered speechless by Minho once again. There was no winning against this stubborn man.


    "I earned money, so that I could recover my family''s reputation," Minho went on. "I earned more than what my father had so that I could get enough power to find him and ask him why he killed my mother. Why did he leave his children behind instead of epting his punishment? Why were we abandoned by someone who was supposed to love us?"


    The usually stoic Hwang Minho was now sounding bitter and probably even heartbroken. The sadness in his tone was there for a brief second but before Junwan could bepletely sure, it was gone.


    "Do you hate him, Minho?" Junwan asked out of curiosity. He could not help but ask that question. The initial Hwang Minho he used to know had thoroughly despised his father to the point that Junwan was afraid that one day, Minho would kill Junho with his bare hands. He had seen so many criminals in his life that sometimes, he thought there was killer hidden within Minho. But slowly, over the years, Minho seemed to have either gotten a hold over his emotions or hadpletely let go of hatred and was searching for his father merely for answers.


    "I don''t hate him," Minho admitted. It was true. Remembering his encounter twelve years ago with the cannibalistic killer, he hade to terms with his strong hatred. After seeing the monster CCK had be, Minho was afraid of bing one himself. If he also asked an eye for an eye, then what was the difference between him and the CCK?


    "I don''t hate him enough to want to kill him anymore," he said. "I simply pity him for the choices he made. The day I find him, I want to look at him in the eye and announce to him that his actions may have nearly destroyed us, but we survived. Our mother might have left this world, but we''re still her children and no matter what Junho had done, we still made it on our own without his help. I just want to tell him that he couldn''t knock us down."


    Junwan was astonished and admittedly, a little impressed. Minho stood up and left the station. The detective watched him leave and could not help but admire the money lover.


    "Looks like Hwang Minho is growing up," he sighed. "Finally."

 Chapter 234: World of the Dead (27)

    Chapter 234: World of the Dead (27)


    "Grams, when will ahjusshi return?" Gayoon asked while peeling the potatoes. She was at home with her grandmother, helping the old woman to prepare dinner.


    "No idea," Shujin sighed. "The guy did not call for weeks! I tried calling that good for nothing shaman, Shinjin as well but he''s out of town too. Those two men are so useless! Leaving like that, making us worried."


    Gayoon did not reply but lowered her head and kept on peeling the potatoes. She did not tell Shujin about the ghost stalker. Even though Shujin had been a seer once, she had lost her ability decades ago after giving birth to Gayoon''s mother.Moreover, she was merely a medium and not an exorcist like Junho. She saw passing spirits but never attracted them on a dangerous level like Gayoon did.


    For some odd reason, Gayoon''s powers were stronger than the other females in her family. She did not have many maternal cousins but the ones who had this powers only saw a few ghosts. Those spirits did not even sense them and most of the women could live a normal life without much worry.


    But Gayoon attracted the ghosts like moths to a me. They found her, told her things and even tried to possess her many times. Junho had trained her in some defense and mind tricks to make her mentally stronger. Ghosts found it difficult to possess people with a strong mentality and it was a good way to protect one''s sanity.


    However, her powers seemed to be growing more and more at an rming rate. Seungjo was already tailing her 24x7. On top of that, other ghosts were also beginning to wander around their neighborhood, trying to find the Seer. For the past few days, Gayoon had been seeing a lot of spirits who were bombarding her.


    Every time she headed out, there were ghosts of recently deceased spirits waiting for her. While peeling the potatoes, she dared to sneak a nce at the window. There were pale white figures standing outside, watching her. They knew she could see them and were waiting for her toe out.


    There were ghosts of all ages. Some were old, some young. But all of them were determined to fulfill theirst wishes.


    The figures were standing there, unable to break the barriers ced around the house. They were getting increasingly impatient and would not budge. Even Seungjo stood with them, smirking at her. They were there, waiting and waiting. It was all they could do.


    "What happened?" Shujin asked. She was worried for her granddaughter who was beginning to look weak. She noticed that Gayoon did not wat much over the past few days and spent an awful lot of time indoors. She rarely went out unless it was to go to school or to her new friend, Minjung''s house.


    "Nothing!" Gayoon lied. Shujin stared at her granddaughter for a while before boxing her ears.


    "OW!" Gayoon yelled in pain. "What the hell are you doing, you old woman?"


    "Stop lying to me!" Shujin scolded her. "Something is worrying you and it''s written all over your face!"


    "I-I failed an exam!" Gayoon lied. That earned her another painful pull in the ear.


    "Don''t lie!" Shujin eximed. "You got the highest score! Your teacher, Kang, called me to share the good news."


    As much as Gayoon respected Teacher Kang, for the first time in her life, she wanted to whack the old man for being a bbermouth. Who told him to call her grandma about her results?


    "I''m fine!" she said, feeling irritated. "Stop nagging!"


    Shujin whacked her head before dropping the subject. Gayoon had an inkling that it would be brought up again and she sincerely hoped that Junho would return before the old woman could interrogate her again.


    Seungjo was tapping on the window, trying to get her attention but Gayoon ignored him. After encountering him in the supply closet that day, she had tried not to be alone. She had been sleeping in her grandma''s room, citing that the sound of leaking water from the pipe was annoying her. Shujin was suspicious but allowed her granddaughter to stay in her room with her.


    As for going outside, she forced Jaewan to apany her almost everywhere. On the days he had training, she would follow him to his training sessions and wait until he was done before making him escort her to her house. He did notin but was a little hurt by her secrecy. Gayoon refused to tell him what was going on because she knew that he would not believe her. Yet, she was grateful that he was helping her so much.


    But the person she was worried about was Minjung. Even though the girl was going to therapy, she was still haunted by what Seungjo did to her. She still did not tell the therapist about what happened to her nor about the fact that she killed him. These things were eating her from within, and she was bing thinner day by day. Gayoon sometimes, cooked food for her and Minjung''s parents were also d to see that their daughter had at least one friend who cared about her.


    Putting the peeled potatoes in a bowl, she picked up her phone to call Minjung.


    "Hello Gayoon," Minjung greeted in her croaked voice. The past few weeks had taken a huge toll on her and she was beginning to sound husky.


    "Minjung, how was the therapy session?" Gayoon asked. "Did you guys make any progress?"


    "The therapist said that it''ll take time for me to fully open up about what happened to me," Minjung said from the other end of the line. "She also said that my condition might be due to hormones. Girls my age apparently go through some kind of hormone change which makes us moody."


    Gayoon scoffed at those words. The therapist was probably a novice who had no idea about mental health issues.


    "If you wanna talk, just let me know," she told her. "You know I''m always ready to help you, right?"


    It was all Gayoon could provide her with. Minjung needed emotional support and given that she was no longer going to school, everyone was beginning to care less about her. Even the people she had once considered friends, did not visit her. They were busy with their own lives, uncaring of what happened to her. Most of them were with her for her poprity but when it came to being her source offort, none of them stepped up.


    "Take care, alright?" Gayoon said. "Don''t'' stress yourself."


    "Yeah"


    Gayoon bid her goodbye and hung up the phone. Minjung was still holding the phone to her ear, feeling numb. She was sitting in a corner with all the lights turned off. The room was shrouded in darkness and strangely, she feltfortable in it. She was afraid to turn the lights back on, afraid of what would happen if she did.


    The cold air was sweeping into the room through the window. Minjung was very still, unable to move from her spot. She was curled up, clutching her thighs as the cold breeze touched her skin. It whispered in her ears as if trying to tell her something. She shut her ears, trying to block out those whispers which were tormenting here.


    "Murderer"


    Tears rolled from her eyes and she was unable to stop those words from reaching her ears. She whimpered, guilt and shame taking over her heart.


    "Youkilledme"


    "Stop," she moaned, crying into her palms. "Please stop"


    The invisible being was taunting her, feeding on her fear. It was gleeful and seeing her being tormented only encouraged it to torture her more. Seeing her in pain excited the ghost which was hovering around her. Seungjo was eyeing his prey, excited to see her so broken.


    "You''re unworthy to live," he said in her ears. "You killed him. You killed a person!"


    "NO!" Minjung screamed in agony. "I DIDN''T!"


    I didn''t! she thought wildly. I didn''t mean to!


    "But you did," Seungjo said in a soft tone, enjoying every bit of her misery. Seeing her alive and well was painful for him to watch. Why was she living so freely after killing him in cold blood? Even though she imed it was an ident, Seungjo knew that she did it on purpose. The girl wanted to kill him because he had taught her a lesson. She bullied his Gayoon and made fun of his feelings for her, turning him into aughing stock.


    In his mind, she got what she deserved and now, he was going to make it ever worse.


    "You wanted to kill him" he whispered in her ears. "He died while you survived and now, that thing will be a part of you!"


    That thingthe baby in her. His baby was in her. The very thought disgusted him. She was not fit to carry his baby. He never wanted children with Gayoon either!


    "Kill it" he whispered, gaslighting her thoughts. "You can kill it and end your own misery too."


    He leaned closer to her ear. Minjung shivered as the frosty breath touched her ear.


    "You know what to do," he said menacingly. Minjung was in a trance upon hearing those words.


    Yes, she knew what to do. It was such an easy choice and yet, she never thought about it before.


    "Yes," she finally replied. "I do."

 Chapter 235: World of the Dead (28)

    Chapter 235: World of the Dead (28)


    UPDATE: WE DID IT GUYS! WE REACHED 500 PRIVILEGE [3


    BE READY FOR MINYOON SNU SNU AT THE END OF THIS ARC! HINT: IT''LL BE SNOWY~


    ..........


    She clutched the sheets, writhing on the bed. She wanted to cry out but to her shock, she was unable to make even a single noise. The figures were appearing in and out of sight, lingering over her as she tried to sleep. But sleep evaded her.


    Instead, she was being pulled deeper and deeper into the unending darkness with no way out. Her limbs werepletely frozen and even though she was conscious, she could not make a sound.


    Help me!" Gayoon screamed internally but no one was there to help. The figures hovered over her, watching her carefully. They knew she could see them. She could hear them whispering in her ears but what were they saying? It was hard to decipher.


    One of the figures was curious. It bent down, only inches away from her face. It observed her. Then a white smile appeared on its face. The girl could see them. She was able to sense them!


    The figure leaned in closer, whispering something in her ears but Gayoon was not able to understand anything. The ce looked like her own bedroom but it did not feel like her home. Spirits were not supposed to enter her room, right? There were protection charms around her room so howe there were ghostly figures in there?


    Moreover, she could not see their faces clearly. They were faceless and blurry, making it impossible to understand if they were ghosts or people. One was poking her cheek as if trying to see if she was real. The cold finger touched her skin, making her shiver and yet, her body refused to move.


    As her body slept, her mind was wide awake, scared of the beings which were haunting her. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before and she just wanted to get out of there! Her heart was racing so fast that she was afraid that she would suffer from a heart attack.


    Wake up! She told herself. Wake up, now!


    But her wretched body betrayed her. She tried to grunt in her sleep only to no avail. She waspletely paralyzed and helpless as the figures touched her. They wanted her to hear them, free them from their misery. For them, she was their escape and they wanted to get out of that cold ce they had been damned to.


    Shujin walked into the room only to see Gayoon lying on the bed with her eyes wide open. Gayoon was struggling to move and grunting softly. She was staring into space with a scared face as if she was seeing something deadly.


    "Gayoon!" Shujin yelped and carefully approached her granddaughter''s bed. There was no doubt that Gayoon was suffering from sleep paralysis. Careful not to startle Gayoon and cause any damage to her, Shujin slowly turned her on her side and leaned over her.


    "Gayoon, wake up," she cooed. She gently shook her granddaughter and said, "Wake up. It'' s just a temporary paralysis. Wake up."


    She shook Gayoon gently until thetter''s body began to move. Gayoon finger flinched and she slowly gained consciousness. She quickly got up and hugged her grandmother, panting heavily.


    "It was just a sleep paralysis," Shujin said in a gentle tone, trying to calm down her erratic granddaughter. "Don''t be scared!"


    "I see them," Gayoon whispered. "I see them in my dreams! The ghosts! They''re now haunting my dreams. I see them all the time!"


    "It happens," Shujin sighed. "Sometimes, we end up dreaming about things which are outside of our control. But the ghosts can''t harm you in here. The room is protected with spells."


    Gayoon knew that and yet, she could not help but be scared. With Seungjo stalking her everywhere and hiding Minjung''s secrets, Gayoon was beginning to lose her mind. Her encounter with the malevolent spirit had rattled her and she was desperately waiting for Junho to return home. He might take months to return but it was an emergency. It was hard to track him down whenever he was on an exorcism mission and the more he dyed to return, the closer Gayoon was inching towards danger.


    "I''ll bring you some warm milk," Shujin said once Gayoon had calmed down. "Stay here."


    Gayoon wanted to stop her from leaving but her grandmother had already left the room. She was all alone and her fear was only rising with every second.


    "Scared, Gayoonie?"


    Seungjo''s ugly spirit was floating outside her window, staring at her in glee. He had seen her in agony while she slept which only fueled his fun. Seeing her in pain was giving him satisfaction and he wanted to see her in more pain until she epted that they were meant to be together. It was a turn on for him to see herpletely helpless and if he was alive, he would have probably taken advantage of the situation as well.


    Gayoon stormed off the bed and pulled the curtains on the window, shutting him out of sight before going back to her bed. The ghost outside was persistent, rattling on the window to scare her more.


    "I''m always gonna be here, Gayoonie," heughed. "You can''t hide from me! I''m a part of you"


    Gayoon pulled the quilt over her andy back on the pillows, trying to shut out his disgusting voice. But it was of no use. His sneering voice echoed in her ears, rendering her unable to sleep or even think. He had not only invaded her home but also her thoughts. The very existence of Park Seungjo was torturing her and even in death, he took pleasure in making his victims suffer.


    "Gayoonie!" he yelled from outside. "Gayoonie! Don''t you wannae out and y? Don''t you wanna see the portraits of yours which I have painted? Gayoone! Gayoonie!"


    "Shut up," she moaned, feeling weak. She covered her ears with her hands to keep him out but nothing was working. He wanted to make sure that she would suffer and agree to his demands.


    Only death was his endgame now.


    ...


    In another part of the city, a tall, handsome man stood in his luxurious suite room, staring outside the window. He was sipping wine as he looked at therge city ahead of him. The buildings were lit up like Christmas lights, sparkling against the dark sky. The traffic below was heavy and even though the suite room was supposed to be soundproof, Minho could still hear the honking of the cars.


    "Soundproof my foot," he murmured. "The hotel management should be sued for making such false ims."


    Wearing a simple white shirt and grey pants, he looked no less than a male model. His sharp brown eyes were peering at the building right opposite to the hotel. It was the ce he had been eyeing for a long time for his new office premises. The building was not only big enough to house all the employees of his main office but also came at a cheap price. He had run inspections and the construction was well done too.


    Moreover, his rival, Jang Kanji, was also setting camp somewhere in that city, so it was only fitting for Minho to buy thergest office space in town.


    His phone rang up. He took it out and groaned.


    "Kanji?" he asked. "What do you want?"


    "Hi hi!" Kanji''s annoyingly cheerful voice came from the other end. "Have you found a surrogate yet?"


    "No," Minho said and hung up the phone. As soon as he hung up, the doorbell rang. Minho sighed and headed over to open the door. He was met with Kanji''s equally annoying face, beaming at him.


    "How rude of you to hang up on your best friend!" Kanjiined.


    "What do you want?" Minho asked, feeling irritated.


    "I just want to know what is going on with my best friend," Kanji replied. He unashamedly sat on the couch, putting his feet on the ottoman and leaned back to rx.


    "So, did you find a surrogate?" he asked.


    "I told you already. No."


    Minho sat across him, pouring more wine for himself.


    "Why don''t you just take the traditional way and knock someone up?" Kanji asked. "There are so many women who want to bed Hwang Minho and be the next Mrs. Hwang."


    Minho scoffed at him. "And pay the bills for a rich heiress for the rest of my life?" he sneered. "No thanks! I''m fine without one."


    "You never know," Kanji said. "You might actually fall in love with someone! I know you don''t wanna get married coz of the expenses and all but you''re still willing to get a baby from a surrogate?"


    Minho merely shrugged. He did not want to go on to exin why he wanted a child so badly. Kanji and Lawyer Lee thought it was for an heir to the Hwang Corporations but the truth was, he simply did not want to be alone.


    "I just want a child," he insisted in a quiet but firm tone.


    "Why?" Kanji asked. "I know you want an heir to yourpany but just get married! Date, marry and have a kid like a normal person! Why go through all the trouble of a surrogate?"


    Minho was quiet for a while, contemting his next words.


    "I guess, I simply want to get rid of the silence in my life," he said in a cryptic way. "After raising Mina for so many years and now that she''s gone to study, I feel as if everything had gone silent. I guess, I want a child to lessen that silence."


    "They why not get married first?" Kanji repeated warily.


    Minho looked up at him. "Would you ever confess to my sister that you love her?" he asked.


    Kanji went still before replying, "No. I can''t let her into my dark world."


    "And yet you''ll keep loving her," Minho mused. "I don''t know how that feels. I don''t know what this ''love'' is. If I don''t know what love is, then why should I get married?"


    Kanji was dumbfounded at his friend''s words. The Hwang Minho who only knew about earning money, was talking about not knowing love. And yet, it felt as if he knew how to love someone deeply more than anyone else.


    "What if you do find someone you''d fall in love with?" Kanji asked, narrowing his eyes. "Then what?"


    Minho did not reply but his lips were curled into a mysterious smile. He doubted he would ever find someone to love. It was something he was not betting would happen in his life.


    But at that moment, he did wonder on that question. What would happen if he ever fell in love?


    He really had no answer to that.

 Chapter 236: World of the Dead (29)

    Chapter 236: World of the Dead (29)


    The next morning, Gayoon made her way to Minjung''s house. She looked around nervously to keep out an eye for Seungjo''s ghost. He was nowhere in sight but that was more troubling to her. She knew very well that the ghost was targeting Minjung and it baffled her that he did not hurt her yet. Seungjo''s tricks were unpredictable which made him more dangerous than any other ghost she had ever encountered.


    Gayoon took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A tall, slim woman in her early forties opened the door.


    "Gayoon!" Minjung''s mother, Hyomin, eximed. "You''re here so early in the morning!"


    "Good morning, aunty," Gayoon greeted. "It''s Saturday so I thought I''d bring Minjung her homework and some breakfast as well."


    "That''s so kid of you," Hyomin said, feeling overwhelmed. "Come in!"


    She stepped aside to let Gayoon enter the house. "I''m afraid, Minjung is still not doing so well," Hyomin sighed, feeling worried for her daughter. "She still won''t tell us what happened and why is she so depressed all the time. Her father and I had been trying to help but"


    Her tone was full of anguish and disappointment. Gayoon could tell that she was helpless seeing her once lively and somewhat arrogant daughter wither away. Gayoonw ished she could tell her what happened but thinking of Minjung, she did not have the guts to.


    Sexual assault was not something their society was considerate about especially when it came to victims. People jeered and taunted the victim''s family to the point that some people even med the victim for it. As an aspirant police officer, Gayoon was shocked to learn that thews were not favorable to the victims either. She had been reading up a lot on thosews and it appalled her to see the state of affairs when it came to a lot of the cases which were being handled. No wonder Minjung opted to stay quiet. It was not the ideal solution but for victims like her, it was the only way to protect their families.


    "Is she awake?" Gayoon asked.


    "She didn''t sleep all night," Hyomin grimaced. Gayoon gave her a small smile and patted her arm, trying tofort the older woman. She might not have been fond of Minjung before but in the recent weeks, they had begun to see each other in different lights. Minjung even took steps to apologize to her for the past, which was made Gayoon feel grateful as well.


    "I''ll go and talk to her," Gayoon said. "And see if she tells anything."


    She was about to go upstairs when Hyomin had an idea and held her wrist.


    "Gayoon, why don''t you do one thing?" Hyomin asked. "Can you take her out today? You guys can go shopping or to the mall? Go have a nice lunch? I''ll pay for it if you want! But please, could you take her out? She''s been cooped up in that roomtely and I''m afraid she''ll go insane if she stays there any longer."


    "I" Gayoon fumbled but then thought about the suggestion. Maybe a change of scenario will help Minjung''s state. After all, the more she dawdled on the past, the more she would hurt herself.


    "Alright," Gayoon nodded. "I can take her out. We''ll go to the mall and have some fun!"


    She gave Hyomin a wide smile and headed upstairs towards Minjung''s room. Thetter was sitting on an Ottoman near the window, staring outside as if in a trance.


    "Minjung!" Gayoon eximed. "I brought you breakfast!"


    Minjung looked up to see Gayoon holding a basket full of muffins and pancakes.


    "I''m not hungry," she mumbled but Gayoon was not going to hear any of it.


    "Your mom gave me the mission to take you out today!" she dered in an attempt to be cheerful. "And I agree! You need to go out and live! You can''t stay here forever."


    "I don''t feel like it," Minjung said. "I''m fine in here-"


    "Come on!" Gayoon said. "You can''t stay in here because of"


    She looked around to make sure that no one was overhearing their conversation before lowering her voice.


    "You can''t stay here like this because of that monster!" she said in a hushed tone. "Why are you letting him haunt you like this? What wrong did you do? That guy would have assaulted you or someone else if you hadn''t stopped him. Whatever happened was out of self-defense. He is to me for his own fate."


    "Gayoon," Minjung began. "It wasn''t self-defense. I had the choice to punch him and run but I didn''t! Something snapped in me when he was talking about what he did to me and how he was going to do it with you as well! I don''t know why but at that moment, I had to push him to his death! I wanted to push him to his death!"


    She red at Gayoon, a mix of anger and sadness shing in her eyes. Gayoon sighed and held her hand.


    "You did not do anything wrong," she said in a firm tone. "If it wasn''t you, it would have been me. And tomorrow, he would have done this to someone else. So, stop worrying too much and starting out of your shell. Let me help you in this! I''ll listen to all your sorrows and try to help you in any way I can. Just trust me, alright?"


    Minjung merely nodded and sighed. She had learnt one thing over the past few weeks that there was no way to get rid of Gayoon when she was determined.


    "I''m kinda jealous of you," she admitted. Gayoon blinked in surprise.


    "Jealous? Of me? Why?"


    "Now that I think about it," Minjung began. "You never let bad things bring you down. Even when I was bullying you, you used to hit back with your wits. People made fun of you, tormented you. I was one of those people. And yet, you came back to school the next day as if nothing was wrong. You just brushed it off. I''m jealous that you have that ability."


    It was one of the rare times when Minjung opened up to her. Gayoon was silent for a while before replying, "I get affected too. I was afraid too. It would be a lie if I said none of it affected me."


    "Then how did you deal with it?" Minjung asked.


    "I don''t know," Gayoon admitted. "I guess I always thought that people could be worse. Things could have been worse. And then I told myself that as least I''m still alive. I can eat, breathe and live a life without regrets."


    I also don''t want to end up like the ghosts who stay back in this world, looking to fulfill the wishes they couldn''t when they were alive, she added in her head.


    "So, I learnt to forget the bad things and only wee the good things," Gayoon said. "It''s just that, everyone has a different approach to life. Some want to live with regrets. Others don''t. It''s perception, really. You just gotta choose yours."


    Minjung contemted her words for a while. Gayoon was startled when she suddenly stood up and walked towards her closet.


    "Where are you going?" Gayoon frowned.


    "Didn''t you want to take me to the mall?" Minjung shrugged. Gayoon was surprised and smiled widely.


    "You''lle with me?" she eximed. "Really?"


    "Yeah," Minjung shrugged. "It wouldn''t be too bad, I guess. But I''ll warn you. I don''t buy cheap stuff so you better have your wallet ready."


    Gayoonughed at her dry joke and nodded. "Sure!" she said. "Feel free to empty my already empty wallet!"


    "You are a useless friend then," Minjung sighed, making Gayoon pout. Unbeknownst to her, Mimjung was smiling as she took out fresh clothes to change into.


    .


    The headmaster was nervously checking out the well dressed man sitting across him. He was at school even on a weekend and under normal circumstances, he would not have agreed to a meeting during a holiday. But the circumstances were not normal because sitting right across him was the country''s most powerful man, Hwang Minho.


    Minho was studying the cowardly headmaster. He had been trying to get his hands on and in the downtown for a long time so when the local school property was on sale, he looked into it. The property value was very high because it was at the intersection which connected the uptown area, marketce, the business center and the other road led to the airport highway. It was the perfect spot for him but Minho held back from buying it right away.


    Instead, he waited for the price of thent to fall. Other businesses were not ready to pay such exorbitant amounts either but once the price fell, Minho was the first one to buy it. Apparently, the death of some kid had deterred other firms from buying it.


    "Is the case closed, Headmaster?" he asked in a cool tone. "I hope the student''s family found some closure from your end."


    "Yes!" the headmaster eximed. "They did! The student''s death was an ident and nothing more! We''ve taken care of it."


    Minho raised his eyebrows. He was skeptical of how the headmaster ''took care of it'' but did not ask any more questions. As long as his money was not being wasted, he did not care much.


    "I''ll stop by tomorrow night at this property to inspect the conditions," Minho said. "I''d have done it tonight but I have a meeting to attend with some delegates from Shanghai."


    "Why at night, sir?" the headmaster asked. "Why not check out the property now?"


    "Because the true condition of a property can only be assessed during the night," Minho exined. "The soil quality in the dark, nearby wilderness and the traffic during night time are also important factors. During the day, it''s crowded so it''s hard to determine the quality of the property. Nighttime is ideal for inspection. At least in my experience it is."


    "I-I''ll assign a guard to help you out then," the headmaster offered.


    "Alright," Minho said. "I''ll return tomorrow."


    He stood up to leave and was almost at the doorstep before pausing to turn around.


    "One more thing," he added. "I bought this property despite the controversy attached to it. I hope there won''t be any such mishaps from now on."


    There was an underlying threat in his words which made the headmaster nervous. Hwang Minho''s money was important for the school because they needed funds to build a new school. If another mishap urred, they might lose Minho''s money and the school would go bankrupt in bearing the expenses.


    "Yes sir!" the headmaster stated. "We won''t let another ident happen here!"


    Minho eyed him warily before exiting the room, leaving the headmaster feel scared and intimidated.


    I can''t let this chance go, the headmaster thought. His mind was itching to get the money from Hwang Corporations and let the deal go smoothly. He was not going to let it fail. Never.

 Chapter 237: World of the Dead (30)

    Chapter 237: World of the Dead (30)


    "That looks good!" Gayoon eximed, pulling Minjung towards a window where a mannequin was disyed wearing a pink nnel shirt and white leggings. "It''s so cute!"


    "It''s pink," Minjung groaned.


    "It''s a pretty color!" Gayoon imed. Minjung grimaced at the color and then nced at Gayoon.


    "You like pink?" she asked in a sullen tone. "I thought a ghost girl like you would prefer to like ck or darker colors."


    "I like all cute stuff!" Gayoon said, feeling affronted. "And what''s with the dry humor?"


    "I was being dead serious."


    Gayoon shook her head, not sure if Minjung was serious or not. She pouted and pulled Minjung away to another window disy. Minjung was simply following her around, uninterested in any of the things. It seemed a lifetime ago when she used to be excited by these things but now it felt as if she was no longer that person. She did not seem to find any joy in anything at the mall.


    Gayoon sensed her disinterest but was determined to make it a fun day for Minjung. She was going to make her re-visit the ces she used to frequent before so that at least some of her zeal could return. The mall was quite crowded during the weekends and there were a lot of products on sale for them to check out. Minjung did not show any enthusiasm and simply let Gayoon lead her.


    "We have to try these out!" Gayoon told her, pointing at a pair of chic striped dresses. One was red and ck while the other one was green and orange.


    "I don''t feel like it," Minjung mumbled but Gayoon was not having any of it.


    She gripped Minjung''s shoulders and said, "I proised your mom that I''ll make you have some fun. We''ll not let anything dampen our moods today! I''ll not tell you to cheer up but at least try toe out of that shell for the sake of your parents. Come on!"


    Minhjung sighed at Gayoon''s fierce determination. "Why are you doing this?" Minjung asked warily. "We weren''t even friends before."


    "You said ''weren''t''," Gayoon pointed out. "Which means we''re friends now! And friends help each other out during distress. I''m helping my friend by trying to make her smile. You should help your friend in making her endeavor a sess!"


    Gayoon was being shameless and for once, it did not matter to her. She was d to find out that Minjung was starting to think of her as a friend and in spite of her current mood, Minjung gave her a small smile.


    "Alright," she conceded. Gayoon yelped in joy and pulled her towards the shop. The storekeeper weed them upon arrival.


    "Which dress would you like to check?" the smartly dressed shopkeeper asked.


    "Those!" Gayoon said, pointing at the pair. The shopkeeper excused herself for a moment and went to the back office. After a few minutes, she brought the pair and handed them the dresses. Minjung simply stared at her one while Gayoon egged her.


    "Try it on!" She said, handing her the ck and red one. "Come on!"


    "But-"


    "Just go!"


    Gayoon put her hands on her hip, looking like a strict teacher. Minjung shook her head in dismay and went into the trial room. Anything to get Gayoon to stop nagging.


    After a while, she came out of the trial room. Gayoon was already dressed in the green and orange one, checking herself in the mirror. She put on a pair of oversized sunsses from one of the disys and a ridiculouslyrge hat.


    "Don''t I look great?" She eximed upon seeing Minjung. Thetter looked at her from head to toe.


    "No," she said tly. "Those look ridiculous."


    "Huh?" Gayoon frowned. "This is thetest style! I saw it in magazines!"


    "Well, your sense of style is awful," Minjung said in a t tone. She stepped forward and took off the hat and sunsses. Gayoon winced as Minjung pulled off the rubber band from her hair, letting it loose. Minjung was surprised by how soft Gayoon''s hair was and immediately, her innate style instincts kicked in.


    She parted Gayoon''s hair with her hands, bringing it to one side. She looked around and spotted a pearl ne on one of the jewelry stands. Picking it up, she put it around Gayoon''s neck. She then picked arge green bag from another stand, handing it to Gayoon and turned thetter around to face the mirror.


    "Woah!" Gayoon''s mouth fell in shock. "You''ve got a killer sense of style!"


    "I wasn''t a cheerleader for my pretty face, ya know," Minjung said in a smug tone. "I do have a good control over style. I was the stylist for the cheerleading team after all."


    "Let''s try on different essories then!" Gayoon dered. "All hail the great stylist!"


    She bowed in front of Minjung, who could not help but snicker. Gayoon was d to see her smile a little and finally found a way to cheer her up. If only she could keep her mind off the bad things, then Minjung could finally begin to move on.


    "Let''s use that ring!" Gayoon eximed. Before Minjung could say no, Gayoon put it on her finger. Before she knew it, she became Gayoon''s guinea pig as thetter made her wear all sorts of dress and jewelry.


    "Too bright," Gayoonmented after making Minjung wear a bright orange dress.


    "It''ll look better with a yellow cover up," Minjung nodded. "Wait, let me try on this one!"


    She took a purple crop top from one of the stands and changed into it. Gayoon catcalled upon seeing her. The shopkeeper watched from a distance as the two girls enjoyed themselves. Seeing the two girls enjoy so much was making her smile as well. Even though she knew that they would probably not buy the items but seeing such friendships was rare so she let them y around in the shop.


    Suddenly, she got an idea.


    "Let''s go," Gayoon finally said after they had tried on almost every item in the shop. "We can''t buy all this anyway."


    "We can grab something to eat," Minjung suggested. She was suddenly starving which was a surprise to her. For the past few weeks, she had barely eaten much and had lost much of her appetite. But one day out with Jeon Gayoon made her ravenous.


    "Let''s go," Gayoon agreed. They put back everything in their ce and changed back into their shirts and pants. As soon as they came out, the shopkeeper spoke up.


    "Girls,e here for a moment," she said. The two looked at each other before approaching the counter.


    "Bring out your palms," the shopkeeper said. The girls were hesitant before taking out their palms. The shopkeeper handed them a pair of matching chains which had dove shaped lockets attached to them.


    "This is a small token from me," she said. "I''ve already paid for it."


    She showed them the receipt to confirm her im.


    "Why are you giving us these?" Gayoon frowned.


    "Yeah, why will you just hand these away to strangers?" Minjung asked.


    "You two reminded me of a friend," the shopkeeper sighed. "I used to be very close to her too but over the years, we''ve lost touch. Seeing you two, reminded me of her. This dove"


    She pointed at the lockets. "It symbolizes friendship," she exined. "No matter where you are, if you keep the locket with you, you''ll remember your friend."


    The two girls nced at each other and smiled. They thanked the shopkeeper and went off, feeling a renewed sense of camaraderie between them. Gayoon was happy that Minjung was finallying out of her shell. Minjung was happy to find someone to trust.


    But as Gayoon walked ahead, Minjung''s smile was beginning to falter at the prospect of what was going to happen. Her hand unconsciously went to her stomach which was still reminding her that the happiness she felt was short lived.


    "Minjung?"


    Gayoon''s voice broke through her reverie. "Let''s go?" Gayoon suggested.


    "Yeah!" Minjung eximed, following her to the restaurant.

 Chapter 238: World of the Dead (31)

    Chapter 238: World of the Dead (31)


    "I am so tired!" Gayoon panted as she put down the bags on a bench. It was almost sunset and they had shopped a lot all day. She was shocked to see that Minjung was a damn good bargainer and has managed to get almost everything at one third of the original price.


    Upon asking, she just shrugged and said, "I''m just a miser."


    "The way you ran around the ce, I''m surprised your feet didn''t turn to jelly," Minjung said, calmly slurping on a cold shake. "How does a tiny person like you have so much energy?"


    "I have to keep up with my stamina if I''m to chase criminals," Gayoon imed with pride.


    "Ah, I do know that you can throw a mean punch," Minjung recalled. "Yoo had to put on ice on his face for two hours before the swelling stopped from the punch younded on him."


    "It was his fault!"


    "I know," Minjung admitted. "Sorry for that, by the way."


    "It''s fine," Gayoon shrugged. "It''s water under the bridge. At least I know that I can punch hard!"


    Minjung observed her for a while. "Are you serious about bing a police officer?"


    Gayoon had mentioned her in passing about her future ns and Minjung could tell that she was quite serious about it. But it never urred to her that Gayoon would be this serious about her ambitions. Frankly, she thought of Gayoon as a high scorer butid back and kind of a pushover. Even though she snapped back at Minjung and her friends many times, Minjung still felt that Gayoon was weak for notining to the teachers about them.


    Moreover, some of Gayoon''s antics like talking about ghosts and curses had scared many people to the point that they thought of her as sorceress or a cursed person. That had also rattled Minjung''s clique and they had bullied her a lot. Now, she was ashamed that she had put Gayoon through so much torment and even admired her guts to take on such a difficult job.


    "I''m very serious," Gayoon stated. "It''s what I want to do. I have to be one."


    "Why?"


    Gayoon hesitated before exining, "The ahjusshi who raised me. I want to reunite him with his family. They are misunderstanding him for a crime he did notmit but they won''t listen to him. So I want to clear his name."


    "Raised you?" Minjung echoed. She knew vaguely that Gayoon''s mother was dead and her father had abandoned her. "What happened to your dad? Why isn''t he with you?"


    "Hehe''s away on business," Gayoon lied. Minjung could see that she was lying but did not press her. They drank their shakes in silence.


    "Thank you," Minjung said. "For today."


    Gayoon smiled at her. She wanted to ask her many things especially about what she wanted to do about the baby in her womb. But Gayoon refrained from asking anything, afraid that it might worsen Minjung''s mood.


    "Wanna take a picture?" Minjung suddenly asked, pointing at a small photo studio which was standing at a corner of the restaurant they were sitting at.


    "Sure!" Gayoon replied. They picked up their bags and headed for the studio which was enclosed with curtains. Once inside, they put their bags down and faced the cameras.


    "Should we pose with those bunny ears?" Gayoon asked, excitedly pointing at some of the photo props. Before Minjung could refuse, Gayoon forcefully put the bunny ears on her.


    "Why do I have to wear the pink ones?" Minjung grimaced.


    "Coz they''re cute!"


    "I hate pink," Minjung muttered but Gayoon smiled at the camera which shed at them. Gayoon then poked Minjung''s cheek, making her almost giggle. The camera captured their shenanigans as they made different poses. For a while, Minjungpletely forgot about her worries and felt as if she was once again the girl who used to worry about grades and boys. Theirughter echoed through the booth, renewing Gayoon''s optimism.


    Everything would be okay.


    .


    "I had fun today, Gayoon," Minjung said in a soft tone. They were at her doorstep. It waste in the evening and they had wandered around the mall all day, enjoying some rare moments of happiness.


    But now, reality had sunk in and they were back to their personal purgatories. Gayoon bit her lip, unsure of how to ask.


    "What are you going to do about the baby?" she finally asked. "Have you decided?"


    Minjung gave her a strange look before replying, "I''ll tell my parents what happened. Tonight. I''ll tell them everything and they can help me."


    She held her breath as Gayoon''s face broke into a look of relief.


    "That''s a wise decision," Gayoon said. "Talk to them. They might be shocked but it''s best to let the adults decide. Otherwise, it''ll be toote. You only have a few weeks before the bump begins to show."


    And Seungjo might hurt the baby any moment, she added in her thoughts. The ghost had been strangely AWOL all day which only increased her anxiety. Not seeing him was more worrisome than seeing him. His unpredictability made him a dangerous spirit and he could strike Minjung anyday.


    But why didn''t he? She wondered. Why was he not harming Minjung? Or was her already harming her but she just did not know?


    "I''ll head inside," Minjung said. She smiled at Gayoon and added, "Thank you for everything."


    To Gayoon''s surprise, she bent down and hugged her. It was a warm embrace and she could feel that it had taken Minjung a lot of guts to hug her like that. She was touched by the gesture and patted her back.


    "Good night," Minjung said, letting her go and headed back inside. Gayoon waved at her and waited until the door was locked. Unbeknownst to Minjung, Gayoon had tucked a protection charm in one of the curtain racks. Seungjo would not be able to enter her room for a while and hence, Minjung might be able to sleep peacefully until Junho was back in town. Gayoon was desperately trying to reach him but to no avail. The guy was out of reach.


    "Juste back, old man," she muttered. Turning away from the house, she went home, hoping to get a good night''s sleep.


    .


    Minjung slowly climbed down the stairs, not making any noise. Her heart thumped loudly and she was afraid her parents would hear her. She was still in her pajamas, clutching only a few bucks in her palm. Her feet were also bare, not bothering to wear any sandals in case if she made any noise and woke up her parents.


    But either fate was on her side or it was ying another twisted game with her because her parents kept on sleeping, oblivious to their daughter''s actions. She put a letter and the dove ne on a table nearby for her parents to find once they woke up.


    Seeing the dove ne almost made her want to retreat but there was no going back. She nced at her parents'' bedroom where they were sleeping peacefully.


    For a moment, she wanted them to wake up and stop her, but she knew that this time, no one would stop her. It was her choice. It was her only choice.


    She quietly made her way towards the front door and gently shut it behind her as she left the house. Hailing a cab, she got into it.


    "Where to miss?" the cab driver asked. She looked at him.


    "Blooming Sun High School," she stated. A sudden chill made her shiver. The driver revved up the engine and they drove off.


    Please forgive me, mom and dad, she thought. Tears would not flow anymore; they had dried up long time ago.


    "That''s right," Seungjo whispered in her ear. "You have nothing to live for. Why are you resisting your fate?"


    Yes. That was her fate. She was not supposed to live. If she lived, then she would have to live with the stigma and reminder of what had happened to her. All she wanted, was to end her misery. Sadness was gone and there was no hint of happiness anymore. All what was left, was an unending emptiness.


    And she was going to embrace that emptiness in her heart, entangling herself with it. Forever.

 Chapter 239: World of the Deas (32)

    Chapter 239: World of the Deas (32)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: I HAVE ENTERED WFP 31 WITH MY BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN''. PLEASE SEND SOME POWER STONES TO IT! AND ALSO REVIEW IT. HELP ME WIN PLEASE


    .....


    The school glimmered in the darkness, overlooking the area like a giant castle which hid many secrets. It was quiet during the night; too quiet. Minjung stared at the building with a nk look, unsure of what she was doing. She had no idea of whaty in front of her and all she saw was an unending darkness.


    The echoes of the distant past shed through her mind as she walked towards one of the walls where the hidden passage was situated at. She moved the bushes and came across the cer which led to the kitchen route she had used a few weeks ago to escape from the crime scene.


    Her heart was not racing. In fact, it felt dead. Her soul had already left her body and what was left behind was nothing more than a living corpse, looking for an escape. She had left her phone at home. There was no doubt in her mind that Gayoon would call her in the morning.


    Gayoon


    Minjung envied her a little but she also had many regrets. She had never expected Gayoon to turn out to be her biggest support. That girl''s encouragement had kept her alive the past few weeks and if Minjung had not messed up the whole situation by killing Seungjo, Gayoon would have probably brought her out of her depression. There was nothing else to be done and Minjung was tired of dragging everyone down with her.


    "You want to be free"


    The cold whisper of her sub-conscious mind was telling her. Was it her own heart? She doubted it but did not care either. Whoever''s voice it was, it told the truth.


    She wanted to be free.


    Stepping out of the cer, she quietly made her way towards the fifth floor. There were no guards in that area but she dimly noted that someone was walking around on the grounds below with a torch light. If it was not for the secret tunnel, then she would have been caught.


    As she walked towards 12A, there was another figure following her. Seungjo kept an eye on his prey, smiling in a sinister way. His killer was going to get hereuppance and she had no idea that he was controlling her even in death.


    Seeing that hateful woman in front of him made his temper re. Not only did she torment his Gayoonie but also had the audacity to kill him! Even his assault on her was not enough for her. She dared to kill him and now, she was going to pay.


    Minjung looked straight ahead as 12A loomed in front of her. Her hand trembled as she slowly opened the door.


    The ssroom somehow looked bigger. The empty room was deafeningly silent, making her shiver in fear. She had spent a year in that ss but never realized how intimidating the ce was. The chairs and tables were neatly lined up but she felt as if there were shadows sitting on it, staring at her and even judging her. Her whole body was trembling and suddenly, she thought that she was being grabbed by cold hands.


    Unbeknownst to her, there were invisible hands grabbing her. Sooyeon was trying to pull her back to stop her.


    "Don''t!" Sooyeon begged. "Don''t do it!"


    She knew too well what the girl was going to do because she had seen countless students trying to attempt it. And seeing Seungjo following the girl made it all very clear that he was controlling Minjung.


    But Seungjo grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back.


    "LET ME GO YOU PERVERTE MONSTER!" Sooyeon shrieked but Seungjo onlyughed. He was too strong for her and no matter how much the ghost tried to break free, Seungjo was several levels above her. He had already gained a good control over his powers and was able to manipte other ghosts.


    "I''ll tell Gayoon what you''re doing!" Sooyeon shouted. "I''ll tell her! I-"


    Suddenly, a cold wind gushed in through the door and another ghost stood there. The ghost was wearing a bloodied pink suit while her face was smashed in and she grunted upon seeing Sooyeon. Thetter stopped struggling and stared at the ghost in disgust.


    "The field teacher''s ghost?" she frowned. What was it doing there?


    "Teacher," Seungjo said quietly. "Didn''t you once mention about the portal which opens up in this school for spirits to pass through?"


    Sooyeon stared at the field ghost which looked as if she was in a trance. Was she


    "You are controlling her!" she realized. "But how is this possible?"


    "There are many things a ghost can do," Seungjo smirked. "You''re just too green."


    He turned to the field ghost and said, "Take her with you."


    Suddenly, he pushed Sooyeon towards the field ghost who grabbed the girl by the throat. Sooyeon tried to break away but the field ghost was much stronger and began to drag her away.


    "LET ME GO!" Sooyeon shrieked. "GAYOON! GAYOON!"


    But it was of no use. No one was going to save her. The field ghost pulled her away from 12A, away from Minjung who was unaware of the ghostly figures around her. She did not hear Sooyeon''s cries but for some reason, her heart was feeling uneasy as if someone was asking for help.


    "Whom can you help?" Seungjo''s voice echoed in her ears. "You can''t even save yourself. You''re just a burden for everyone. Just die."


    DieYes. I should just die, she thought. Everyone was better off without her. They would forget about her and she would be free.


    Stepping on the ledge of the window, she took ast nce at the ssroom. She had spent countless moments here with her friends. They had once adored her. Yoo, Seohyun and Woohyun''s smiling faces were staring at her. Behind them, she saw a glimpse of Gayoon who was shing her a cheery smile.


    She smiled back at them and gave a small wave. Seeing them so happy for onest time eased her heart.


    Putting one foot ahead in the air, she whispered, "Goodbye."


    And then everything was plunged into darkness.


    .


    The headmaster was staring at the sight in shock while a guard looked nervous. The student''s mangled bodyy in front of them, bloodied. She was dead.


    "Did you tell anyone else?" the headmaster asked.


    He was woken up at 3 AM in the morning by the guard''s call who told him that a studentmitted suicide at school. The headmaster warned the guard not to tell anyone else about it and forbade to call the police or paramedics.


    "No sir!" the guard said at once.


    "Disable all the cameras," the headmaster instructed. "And remove all footage of tonight. Cite that the CCTV system is broken so all cameras were sent for repair. We''re not telling this to anybody. No one should know that another student died here."


    If Hwang Minho found out, then he would back out of the deal and the school would go bankrupt. They had already spent millions on the new building uptown and it would be disastrous if they did not manage to sell off thisnd to finance the increasing expenses.


    "What about the body, sir?" the guard asked.


    "Let''s put her in my car''s trunk and take her to the forest nearby," the headmaster said in a cold tone. "We''ll bury her there. And if her parents ask, we''ll say she never came here and probably ran away. This girlMinjung. She was absent from school anyway. Moreover, her boyfriend went to jail. People won''t ask much and assume she was a delinquent like him and ran away. And clean up the blood with chemicals. Make sure not a single drop is left behind!"


    "Alright sir," the guard nodded and set off to work.


    The headmaster stared at the dead girl''s face. She had to be a nuisance to him!


    "Fucking brats!" he muttered. "You couldn''t have died elsewhere?"


    He made a face and proceeded to wrap Minjung''s body with a cloth and carried her to his car''s trunk.


    "This secret must not be leaked," he murmured and closed the trunk, fully intending to hide it away.


    From a distance, Seungjo was staring at the whole scene, his face breaking into a gleeful smile. Finally, the thorn in his way was gone. And Gayoon would be finally his.


    "Come to me now, Gayoonie," he whispered. The car in sight was now driving away. And with it, his biggest hindrance was also going to be buried in a cold, empty grave.


    For eternity.

 Chapter 240: World of the Dead (33)

    Chapter 240: World of the Dead (33)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE ADD MY NEW BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' TO YOUR LIBRARY AND LEAVE REVIEWS + POWER STONES! IT''S MY ENTRY FOR WFP 31!


    DO SUPPORT ME SO THAT I CAN WIN!


    .....


    Gayoon was running through the streets in a disheveled state. It was the wee hours of morning and the sun had only risen but the call she received from Minjung''s mother had made her forget all about sleep. She did not even bother to dress up and only hastily brushed her teeth before taking off.


    She headed straight for the police station where Minjung''s mother Hyomin and her father Josef were present. With them was one of the officers who was listening to them.


    "Our daughter is missing!" Hyomin was insisting. Gayoon had just entered the precinct in her t-shirt and pajamas. She did not care what she looked like but was worried about Minjung. Hyomin had called her in the morning to tell her that Minjung was missing. Upon hearing those words, Gayoon knew that Seungjo must have hurt her somehow but the ghost was nowhere in sight.


    "I understand your feelings but this letter clearly says that she ran away!" the police officer said, brandishing the letter in front of them.


    "Ran away?" Josef echoed angrily. "Our daughter would never do that!"


    "This is written by her, is it not?" the officer questioned. He then read from the letter.


    "Dear Mom and Dad,


    I''m sorry but I can''t stay here anymore. I need to leave. Don''t ask me where I''m going and don''t look for me. I''m going far away and will never return. Please forgive me.


    Love,


    Minjung."


    "She would never do that!" Gayoon retorted. "I''m sure she''s in trouble!"


    "The girl is an adult," the officer pointed out. "It''smon for people her age to run away from homes. We''ve asked around and since it waste at night, no one saw her leaving. A taxi cab was seen in the area but its trace disappeared around the corner at the market-"


    "Our school is there!" Gayoon eximed. "She might have gone there!"


    "The school guard said they didn''t see her," the officer said. "Our patrolmen went there and they saw no one. The cameras are broken but the school grounds were empty and there was no sing of Minjung."


    Gayoon was now troubled. Did Seungjo possess her like he did with Yoo?


    "You wille to me, Gayoonie"


    His words were resonating in her mind, trapping her within. He had promised that he would make her go to him. Was this why he used Minjung? He knew that Gayoon would go to find her and he was probably holding her captive at that very moment.


    "Our daughter would never run away!" Josef whispered.


    "You said your daughter has been depressed," the officer stated. "Is she being abused in any way at home? Many times, the children run away due to the trauma they suffer in the hands of their parents-"


    "ARE YOU ACCUSING US OF TORTURING OUR DAUGHTER?" Josef yelled. All the other police officers paused their work to see themotion.


    "We raised her with a lot of love and care!" Hyomin piped in, feeling infuriated. "And you''re making such baseless usations!"


    "I''m speaking from experience," the officer argued back. "Your daughter ran away and you don''t know why she might have done that. Didn''t you tell me that she was depressed? Do you know the reason?"


    "She won''t tell us!" Hyomin shouted.


    "What about her?" the officer pointed at Gayoon. "Does she know where Minjung is? Or why she''s been depressed?"


    Hyomin and Josef turned to look at Gayoon, who tried to hide her fear.


    "She was depressed because of her boyfriend who was sent to jail on false charges," Gayoon gritted. "That is all I know."


    "But she''s been depressed way before that!" Hyomin said. "Gayoon, is there anything you know?"


    That your daughter was raped by a psycho and also killed him in self-defense, she added in her mind. And now that psycho has turned into a ghost who is haunting the two of us.


    Aloud she said, "No. I don''t."


    With Minjung not around, she did not want to be the one to tell everyone about what happened to her. What if she returned and had to face the brunt of the questioning? Gayoon had no idea what state she was in and her heart was uneasy. She did not want to think the worst and until there was a clue of Minjung''s whereabouts,


    "Please, find my daughter!" Josef begged. The officer sighed. He knew these sorts of cases very well where the children ran away from homes after facing severe depression and heartbreak. From the testimony of the parents and the letter, Minjung seemed to be on the path of self-destructive behavior.


    "Alright," he shrugged. He was not going to waste too much time on the case but as a public servant, he would have to give the minimum efforts. "I''ll see what I can do."


    The parents were not satisfied with the answer but they had no choice. They stood up and bowed curtly before leaving. Gayoon silently followed them, unable to say anything. She never hated herself so much before and she wanted to tell the truth to the police. But Seungjo was dead and they would never believe her ims that a ghost was behind Minjung''s disappearance.


    Once outside, Hyominpletely copsed on the ground, looking distraught while Josef consoled her.


    "My daughter" she sobbed. "Bring her back! Where is she? What is she doing? I"


    She cried hard against her husband''s chest while Gayoon could only watch helplessly. She was fighting hard to fight back her own tears. Clenching her fists, she decided that enough was enough.


    It was time to face Seungjo. Head on.


    Minho was in his hotel room, looking over some files. He made over three million dors in investment that day but it was not enough. All through the week, he had been working almost non-stop, living on coffee and instant noodles. He did not care much for cooking and ate the bare minimum while churning out millions of dors. If only he could make an extra seven million


    His phone rang up. It was his assistant, Jongin.


    "Yes, Jongin," Minho said on the mouthpiece.


    "Sir, tonight you have to visit the school property," Jongin informed him.


    Minho racked his brain to remember whether he made any suchmitment and recalled that he did promise the school''s principal that he would check out the property that night.


    "Alright," Minho shrugged. "Get the car ready. I''ll visit it on my way back from the dinner meeting with the Japanese delegates."


    "Alright sir."


    Minho hung up the phone and continued to work on the files. He checked the time. It was only 12 PM and he had exactly six hours left for the dinner meeting.


    I must make the extra seven million within this time, he decided.

 Chapter 241: World of the Dead (34)

    Chapter 241: World of the Dead (34)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE VOTE FOR MY NOVEL ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' FOR WFP 31!


    ALSO, ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION AND LEAVE REVIEWS TO HELP ME WIN!


    ....


    Gayoon took a deep breath as she stood in front of the school. She had snuck out of her house while her grandmother slept. The police had not found any trace of Minjung but Gayoon knew that they were treating her as a runaway teen. They were not interested in finding her at all.


    But she had an inkling that the school had something to do with Minjung''s disappearance. The cab she was in had passed this area and if Gayoon''s instincts were correct, Minjung must have used the secret passageway.


    She climbed into the tunnel and made her way towards the building, stealthily avoiding the guards who were on the grounds above. For some reason, the security had been tightened because Gayoon had noticed quite a few guards were roaming around. They had no idea about the tunnel connecting the school and hence, it was easy for her to maneuver the ce without much worry. Turning on the torch in her hand, she kept an eye out for ghosts.


    For some reason, there were no ghosts in sight which struck her as odd. What''s going on? She wondered. It was strange not to see any of the ghosts popping up in front of her. Even Sooyeon was not there. Gayoon clutched the torch above her head as she walked on.


    Suddenly, she noticed something sparkling on the ground. Bending over to pick it up, she immediately recognized the thing. It was a simrly patterned button which Minjung wore!


    "She came here," Gayoon realized. Quickly running forward, she made her way towards the end of the tunnel. Climbing up the shaft, she sneaked her way towards the deste building, avoiding the guards who were on the lookout.


    Gayoon stepped on the fifth floor and almost immediately hid behind a wall. One of the guards was guarding ssroom 12A with a stern expression on his face. He was not going to move easily and Gayoon cursed her luck. How was she going to find Minjung amidst such security?


    If the button was in the tunnel, that meant Minjung was somewhere in the school. Seungjo must have trapped her to lure in Gayoon. It was a trap but only Seungjo knew where Minjung was and without Junho in town, Gayoon would have to somehow figure out how to confront the ghost.


    She was thinking hard, trying to figure out how to distract the guard when suddenly, there was a loud crash on the floor below. The guard, startled by the noise, took out a taser and headed downstairs. Seizing her opportunity, Gayoon ran into the ssroom and used her hairpin to unlock the door. It took her a few tries and she was afraid that the guard would return but there was a click in the doorknob. She opened the door and entered the room.


    As soon as she entered the room, the door shut behind her and a cold air gushed into the room, throwing her backwards.


    "AHH!" she screamed as herback hit the wall. Gayoon fell on the ground, the bone in her hand cracking when shended on it.


    "OW!" she yelled, writhing in pain. She looked around but there was no ghost in sight.


    "What the-" she began to murmur but she was thrown sideways like a ragdoll. What was going on? Why could she not see the ghost?


    "Hu hu hu"


    Seungjo''s coldughter echoed the empty ssroom. He was somewhere nearby, watching her. He was toying with her and seeing her at his mercy was his greatest joy. Gayoon tried to stand up but he pushed her backwards again. This time, she stumbled on her foot, breaking another bone.


    Her limbs were in agony but she tried not to scream anymore. He wanted her to beg but she was there to know what he did with Minjung. She must find her!


    "Where is Minjung?" she demanded, wincing at the pain in her hand and foot. "What did you do with her?"


    "Me?" Seungjo''s voice reached her ears. "I didn''t do anything. I merely gave her a push. She was the one who wanted it."


    "Where is she?" Gayoon gritted.


    "She''s where she should be," Seungjo''s gleeful voice said.


    Fear began to rise within Gayoon. She was not afraid of the ghost but of what he may have done to Minjung. The girl was already at a fragile state and one more trauma would destroy her. Seungjo was feeding on her trauma and Minjung had no idea. If she ever found out that the person who wronged her was tormenting her from the grave, she would be-


    "Suicidal?" Seungjo wheezed, guessing her thoughts. He then let out a loudughter, cackling in happiness. Gayoon was now panicking, her breathing in shorts as she dreaded what he was going to do next.


    "What did you do with her?" she screamed but then felt an invisible hand grab her throat. She choked as it pulled her in the air, strangling her. A fog began to appear around her, feeding on her fear as she held on to life, trying not to be unconscious. Seungjo had gotten more powerful than she could have ever imagined, scaring her very soul.


    His pale face came into view, coldly staring at her.


    "She''s gone," he whispered. "And unlike me, she''ll nevere back. Never."


    He snapped his fingers and Gayoon fell on the ground. Using all her energy, she backed off, trying to get away from the monster who was hovering above her. She was now fearful of her life and the pride she held on to was slipping away. Minjung was gone. Was she dead or alive, Gayoon did not know.


    Gayoon now hated her abilities more than ever. She hated to see ghosts. She hated their very existence. And most of all, she hated seeing the monster who was making her life a living hell.


    Curling into a corner, she began to sob. This was not supposed to happen. She wanted to live a normal life. Why was she chosen to face such malevolent spirits? Why?


    "Let me live," she begged. "Just let me go. Let Minjung go. Leave us alone!"


    Someone help, she prayed. The cold hands were reaching out towards her and she squirmed in disgust, feelingpletely helpless. He was going to kill her. Was this the end?


    "Sir, this is our recreational area," the school''s supervisor was telling Minho. Thetter was inspecting the school as per schedule and they were on building number two where the gymnasium was located on the fifth floor.


    "And that, sir," the supervisor said, pointing at the building opposite to the gym. "That building has the ssrooms."


    "How long will it take for the school to bepletely transferred?" Minho asked.


    "Probably two or three years more," the supervisor sighed. "The administration does not want to move until the current ninth graders are done with their national exams."


    "Well, the nning for the mall would take a while as well," Minho frowned. "I guess we can negotiate on this."


    "Sir, then-"


    The supervisor''s phone rang up and he excused himself. Minho nodded as the supervisor went off to answer the call. He was staring out of the gym''s window when he noticed something odd at the opposite building.


    A light was flickering on and off at the ssroom building. But that was not the only strange part.


    The light was falling on a silhouette of a girl who seemed to be staring at him. He was not sure if it was a real person but the shadow seemed to be facing his way, looking at him. The light kept on flickering, making Minho curious. There was someone on the other building!


    He did not wait for the supervisor but went on to investigate himself. The two buildings were connected by a bridge. He crossed it to get to the other side and stepped on to the fifth floor. The light was flickering at the hallway but to his surprise, there was no one in sight.


    "Faulty line," he muttered. He was about to turn around when he thought he heard someone crying. It sounded like a girl''s voice.


    "Is anyone there?" he asked out loud but there was no response. But he was sure that there was a faint sound of someone crying. Following the noise, he stopped in front of a ssroom. It was 12A.


    Minho pressed his ears against the door. Someone was in there and was crying! He was nowpletely sure.


    "Must be a student," he realized. Was she trapped inside? He turned the knob. It was locked. The student must have gotten trapped inside!


    He looked around for someone but there were no guards and the stupid supervisor was too busy attending a call.


    "I''m gonna get you out of there," he said through the door. Whether the person heard him or not, he did not know but he took a few steps back before charging at the door with all his strength.


    It broke open and he was met with a strange fog. Seungjo, who was almost about to strangle Gayoon, was startled and disappeared in thin air.


    Minho fanned the fog away and noticed a small figure lying on the floor. The girl''s face was covered by her hair and she was losing consciousness.


    "Hey!" he said, softly pping her cheek to wake her up. "Are you alright?"


    But the girl''s skin was feverish and she had passed out. He checked her pulse and it was dangerously weak.


    "Help me" she mumbled in a daze. She could only make out a tall figure in front of her. She did not know who he was but she clutched his hand. The person''s touch was warm and soothing.


    "Help me" she murmured.


    Thest thing she remembered was a pair of strong hands picking her up and a gentle voice trying to calm her down.


    "You''ll be okay," he had whispered to her. "Think of the people you love and live."


    That''s right. She had to live. She must live.


    As he carried her away, Gayoon''s dazed eyes fell on a pale figure with curly hair which was waving at her.


    "Sorry and goodbye, Gayoon."


    With that, Gayoon wentpletely still, falling into a dark abyss.

 Chapter 242: World of the Dead (35)

    Chapter 242: World of the Dead (35)


    PLEASE SUPPORT MY NEW BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' BY VOTING FOR IT! I NEED MORE VOTES TO WIN WFP 31!


    ...


    *Present*


    She had lost all sense of time and space. There was nothing ahead except for a pitch ck tunnel, clouding her eyesight. She tried to move her body but it felt as if someone had sucked out all her energy, rendering her useless.


    But in the darkness, a face popped up in front of her. He had a handsome face with beautiful brown eyes. Despite the stoic look, he had a warmth in his eyes whichforted her. Even in the darkness, he shone like the sun which brightened up the ce.


    As if gaining a newfound strength, she held up her hand to reach out towards him. He was saying something but she could not make out what he was saying.


    "Gayoon"


    The deep voice echoed in her ears. He was calling her and she must reach him.


    "Don''t go"


    He was begging her, calling for her. Gayoon''s mind was muddled but she knew that she must wake up.


    Something was not right. This was not their ce. She did not belong there. Someone was waiting for her and she wanted to go to him. This was not where she should be.


    "Wake up for Jina''s sake. Wake up."


    Jina? Why was that name familiar?


    Her heart suddenly ached and she was in tremendous pain as life was slipping away from her. She could not die but the willpower was leaving her. She no longer had the strength to carry on.


    Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm hands holding hers. The deep voice spoke again, this time bending closer.


    "Jeon Gayoon, if there is someone I''ve loved more than life, it''s you and Jina. So I forbid you from leaving. You can''t leave. Not again. I won''t let you."


    Love love


    The pain in her heart lessened upon hearing that word. She did not know why but it felt as if she had been waiting to hear those words. The magic of that one word was beginning to make the darkness fade. She could not leave. He would not let her.


    .


    "Is she alive?" Minho asked. He tried to hide his desperation but there was no use. His cool demeanor was breaking and the vulnerability within was beginning to seep through the cracks.


    The girl stooped down, studying the unconscious woman.


    "She''s barely alive," she muttered. "We''ll have to get her out of here. Quickly!"


    They had finally managed to create a portal which led them to 12A. It took Minho a few tries but he had sessfully opened the portal and to their horror, Gayoon was lying on the ground, barely alive.


    "She''s in a memory loop," the girl informed him. "It''s Seungjo''s twisted way of torturing her before she dies. Hisst torture on her before trapping her here with him."


    She looked around and frowned. The ghost was nowhere around which struck her as odd.


    "This is our chance to get her out of here-"


    But Minho cut through her.


    "I will get her out of here," he said. "But there''s something I need to do first."


    "Do it after getting out of here!"


    She was confused by his words but he was determined. Minho knew that there was only one way to get rid of Park Seungjo and if he did not do it then, the ghost woulde after Gayoon again.


    The girl was about to argue when the door to the ssroom flew open. A fog was beginning to set in, impairing their vision. Minho put Gayoon in the girl''s care.


    "Stay with her!" he yelled.


    "Wait!" the girl shouted but he had darted forward. She bit her lip and stayed near the unconscious detective who was stirring.


    "Are you alright?" she asked but her question was replied with a grunt. Gayoon was still under the effects of the memory loop but it seemed she was fighting hard.


    "Fight it," the girl coaxed. "You have someone who loves you. Fight for him"


    The girl was surprised when she heard Minho utter those words. She recalled how white his face had be when he saw Gayoon in that condition and without thinking, he leapt forward to talk to her.


    The guy had finally figured out that he was in love.


    The girl did not know much about human emotions but she knew that at that moment, Minho must have felt his heart being ripped out of his chest.


    "You''re lucky, detective," the girl murmured, stroking Gayoon''s hair. "He loves you."


    She nced at Minho who was still standing a few feet away, staring at the door from where the fog was entering. It was as if he was waiting for something to happen.


    She followed his gaze. In the midst of the cold silence, they heard the soft thumping of footsteps approaching towards 12A. It was faint but every step held a menace which was undeniable. Whoever was heading their way held a heart full of rage and obsession. The girl could not help but feel fearful.


    Something was about to happen.


    "Come out of hiding," Minho said in a calm tone. He might have regained hisposure, but the girl sensedva bubbling beneath his calmness which was about to explode and devour the poor being which would be in his way.


    "You must be him."


    Seungjo''s cold voice came from the door. He had finallye into sight, ring at Minho with pure contempt.


    "You''re the baby daddy,"Seungjo said with contempt. Some other guy had touched his Gayoonie and it was uneptable to him.


    "I''m her boyfriend," Minho corrected him. "And we do have a child together."


    He deliberately provoked Seungjo to make him react. Minho wanted to torment that ghost as much as possible before he used his trump card. There was no fire in that world but he knew where he could get some.


    All he had to do was concentrate while keep the ghost busy.


    "You''re not affected by this world!" Seungjo eximed. "That''s not possible!"


    "Well, if I can waste a few seconds of my life talking to you instead of earning a million dors, then I''d say anything is possible in this world," Minho shrugged.


    Both Seungjo and the girl stared at him. What?


    "I love Gayoon!" Seungjo spat. "You can''t take her."


    "Love?" Minho scoffed. "Define love."


    "Love is to be always together!" Seungjo imed. "I loved her like no other man! I''ve killed for her! I had so many ns-"


    "Gayoon earns exactly twelve thousand dors per month," Minho cut through. "Her personal shopping cost is arounda thousand dors and she spends at least three thousand on food. She keeps five thousand away for Jina''s college fund and pays utility bills for her granny. The other two thousand, she saves for emergencies. That''s how much you''ll need to earn in order to sustain her lifestyle."


    Seungjo was speechless. What was this strange man talking about?


    "And how much did you earn when you were alive?" Minho wondered. "Your mother gave you a generous amount of two hundred dors per month. I spend that much on my hourly gas bill. And you really thought you could support Detective Jeon Gayoon?"


    Minho stared at him in disgust. Not only was he a perverted demon but a dumb one too. He had expected Gayoon''s stalker to have at least some brains but this guy was dumber than a rock.


    "What do you know of love?" Seungjo imed. "You''re only seeing the money! It''s all about the-"


    "Heart?" Minho asked, raising an eyebrow. "What use is the heart if you can''t even share the costs to build a home? Space in your heart might be free but if you can''t pay for the roof above her head then you''re worthless."


    He scoffed at the idiot''s obsession. The guy really expected that Gayoon would remain a trophy for him to use? Keep her from working and having a life of her own? Was he seriously that dumb?


    No one could put Jeon Gayoon in a cage!


    Behind them, the girl was impressed by Minho''s dissection of Seungjo''s pride. He was not showing off his own wealth.


    He was showing Seungjo''sck of it.


    "Doesn''t matter!" Seungjo yelled. "I''m dead and soon, she''ll be dead too!"


    "Too bad this building belongs to me and I won''t let you stay here rent free," Minho stated.


    Seungjo was angered by the money lover who was boasting about his wealth.


    "I guess I''ll just kill you first!" Seungjo yelled and leapt forward.


    Minho was calm as the stupid ghost jumped forward. He put his hand in his pocket and brought out the button.


    Upon seeing it, Seungjo was shocked and before he could reach out, Minho flipped the button in the air and drew a circle in the air.


    Red sparks erupted and a skeletal figure emerged out of the circle, facing Seungjo''s petrified self. The button was now falling back and the skeletal figure shed its scythe in the air.


    There was a loud scream of agony as the button was sliced into half, the scythe burning both the parts. Seungjo screamed as his body began to burn. The reaper, hearing his screams, leapt forward and shed at the ghost mercilessly.


    Minho and the girl were still, thetter holding Gayoon''s mouth, as they witnessed the reaper destroying Seungjo. The sight was horrific and gruesome but they did not dare to move.


    Finally, the reaper stopped shing. Picking up its scythe, it looked ahead, blindly moving in a straight line until it left the room.


    Minho and the girl waited until the sound of the reaper''s shackles was gone. Once the silence fell on them, Minho dared to step towards the annihted ghost.


    Seungjo could not die again but he waspletely sliced into pieces. His limbs were cut apart and his eyes stared into space. His half cut lips were moving but no sound came out of them.


    "He''s a Mindless now," the girl whispered. "It''s over."

 Chapter 243: World of the Dead-Conclusion

    Chapter 243: World of the Dead-Conclusion


    PLEASE SUPPORT MY NEW BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' FOR WFP 31!


    VOTE AND HELP ME WIN!


    ....


    Minho stooped to check Gayoon''s state. She was losing her color and needed medical attention.


    "You should go," The girl suggested. "Mr. A might appear any moment and create another hurdle."


    Minho nodded and closed his eyes, putting Jina''s image in his mind. He then drew another circle, opening a portal. He could vaguely make out four figures on the other side.


    "Come with us," Minho offered the girl. "You can find your parents and friends in the real world. I''ll help you."


    He hated to be indebted to someone. The girl had aided him throughout this unknown world simply to protect her own home but he did not want to leave her alone in that cold and dark world.


    "This is my home, mister," she said. "I won''t leave my home. There might be dangerous creatures here but I like it here. It''s quiet and mostly peaceful. Most might think this ce as purgatory. For me, it''sfortable."


    A soft smile appeared on her face and she felt a little alive again.


    "I''d hate it if I can''t do anything for you," Minho murmured. Their time was short but he had made a good friend in that strange world. It would eat his conscience if he did not help her in any form. It was much easier to repay people back with money but what do you do for a person who was dead?


    "Remember me," the girl simply said. "If you really wanna help me and repay me then just remember me for as long as you can. That''ll be enough."


    Minho sighed but he knew the significance of such a request. For her, something as small as being remembered was a big thing. She did not want to be a Mindless and was holding on to the little amount of sanity she had left. By remembering her, Minho would give her some hope of keeping her mind and sanity.


    "I will," he promised. Gently picking up the unconscious Gayoon, he stepped towards the portal. ncing back at the girl, he smiled.


    "Thanks," he said. The girl smiled back and waved at them.


    "Good luck, money lover," she said as Minho and Gayoon began to disappear behind the portal. She kept on waving until they were gone and she was left alone once again.


    Only this time, there was a tiny hope renewed within her and she turned around to leave 12A.


    Behind her, Seungjo''s torn limbs were moving but he was mumbling incoherently like a madman, trapped in his own insanity. Forever.


    ....


    Red sparks were appearing in front of them. Junho immediately hid behind the curtains to move away from sight as Minho returned, carrying an unconscious Gayoon in his arms. He put her down as Jaewan and Shinjin came forward to help.


    "What happened to her?" Jaewan demanded.


    "The world of the dead affected her," Shinjin stated. "She''ll be fine if you give her some saline and sweet stuff to eat. Just let her rest."


    "Where''s Jina?"Minho asked. His eyes fell on his daughter who was stirring awake. Upon opening her eyes, she saw her dad and mom.


    "Dad!"


    Seeing them made her so excited that she sat up straight and immediately fell back due to her still weakened state.


    "She''s just exhausted from the portal opening," Shinjin assured an rmed Minho. "She''ll be fine as well."


    Minho wanted to ask a lot of things but his girlfriend and his daughter were both in weak conditions.


    "I''ll take them home," he dered. "But I have a lot of things to settle with you."


    He nodded at Shinjin. The shaman had a lot of things to exin. Shinjin sighed and nodded back.


    "What happened to Seungjo?"Jaewan asked. "What if hees back?"


    "He won''t," Minho stated. That ghost was in no condition to even remember himself forget about being obsessed with Gayoon.


    "But-" Jaewan began to argue but Shinjin held his arm.


    "Later," he suggested as he picked up Jina while Minho took Gayoon in his arms again. They took the girls towards Minho''s car. Gayoon was stirring and her eyes fluttered open when Minho was buckling her seat belt.


    "M-Minho?" she stammered. "Am I dreaming?"


    She was no longer sure about anything. Her heart was beating fast because he was really close and she wanted to believe that it was not a dream. Thest thing she remembered was Seungjo pulling her into a strange and cold world. After that, she felt as if she was recalling all the guilt and regrets she had in the past.


    "It''s alright," Minho reassured her. "We''re going home."


    He motioned to the passenger seat where Jina slept. Seeing her, made Gayoon jerk awake. Jina! Her daughter Jina!


    How did I forget about my own daughter? She wondered, feeling guilty. But her own head was spinning like crazy and she wanted to go home with her family.


    Junho watched from the window as his son put Gayoon into the car in a gentle way as if she was as fragile as china. Seeing him care for her so much made Junho proud of the man Minho had be. His son was undoubtedly a good person and that was all Junho wanted.


    "Are you seeing this, Suna?" he whispered. He hoped his wife was observing their children from heaven, beaming with joy. It was as if fate had brought Minho and Gayoon together so that they could bring out the best in each other.


    Jaewan was also watching them. He took out a sanitizer and sprayed it on his hands.


    "What happened after Gayoon was rescued that day?" he asked quietly. "Why did she take up surrogacy?"


    Junho was silent for a while.


    "That night, I returned home to find Gayoon had been hospitalized," he began.


    ....


    *shback*


    Junho ran through the corridors of the hospital like a madman. He had just returned from his exorcism trip to find out everything that had happened with Gayoon over the past few weeks. Before leaving for the school, she had left a letter for him in his house, detailing the horrors Seungjo had inflicted.


    He burst into Gayoon''s ward to find her unconscious. The doctors imed she was merely in shock but Junho knew that Seungjo''s mental torture had traumatized her.


    Gayoon''s eyes flickered open when she felt a warm hand on her forehead.


    "Ahjusshi..."


    Seeing him, she began to cry hard. She got up and hugged his waist, seekingfort from the old man who was patting her in a fatherly manner.


    "Ahjusshi, he harmed Minjung!" she sobbed. "And I couldn''t help her! I don''t know where she is! I..."


    She hated herself. This ability of hers brought her nothing but a cursed life. The ghost had used it to torture her and the people around her. If she did not have this darn power to see ghosts, she could have lived a blissful life without worrying. The ghost could not have harmed her and she could have been a normal person. Maybe she and Minjung could have been friends from earlier. No one would have called her cursed.


    "I''ll get rid of him for you," Junho promised. He had already talked to Shinjin who was going to use his contacts in the police to sneak out Seungjo''s possessions. All they had to do was lure the ghost somewhere and exorcise him.


    "You''ll be alright," he said firmly. "Don''t worry. I''m here. I''ll get rid of him."


    "Minjung...ask him where she is!" Gayoon pleaded. "Please..."


    She would not be able to face herself if she did not find out where Minjung was. Her parents were worried for her and Seungjo must have done something awful to her. Gayoon was afraid what if she...


    No! She told herself. Minjung was fine. She''ll return.


    Junho patted her head and helped her toy back. Gayoon was still sobbing and with tears in her eyes, she fell into an uneasy sleep. Junho patted her until she waspletely asleep.


    A cold fury brimmed within him as he thought of all the things that demon did. Ghosts like him were powerful and they way Seungjo had gained his powers, he was undoubtedly going to be a challenge.


    But no matter how powerful the ghost was, when it came to the people he loved, no one could dare to hurt them. Hwang Junho would not hesitate to kill if came down to that.


    He left Gayoon''s room and called Shinjin. Thetter picked up after one dial.


    "Hello," he answered.


    "We''re doing it tonight," Junho said.


    There was a long pause. "This ghost is not an easy one," Shinjin warned.


    "Doesn''t matter," Junho scowled. "We''ll do it tonight. The sooner we get rid of him, the better."


    Shinjin sighed and said "Alright. Tonight then."


    Junho nodded and hung up. He went out of the hospital, determined to finish off that spirit.


    After a while, Gayoon woke up in the hospital room. Her grandmother was there, sleeping on the couch. Gayoon went over to put a nket over her and kissed her forehead.


    She then headed towards a clothing stand to take out her phone from her pants to check on Minjung''s parents when something fell out of it.


    Picking up the card, she saw that it belonged to awyer named Lee. She vaguely recalled the oldwyer who was looking for a surrogate.


    She stared at the card for a while, debating with herself. The only way to get rid of her powers, was to give birth to a baby. It was a simple method and Gayoon would surely lose her abilities that way.


    Recalling the horrors and trauma of the past few weeks, she could not help but contemte this method. She was not going to sleep with anyone. Just go through a procedure and impregnate herself. The baby would go to the mysterious father anyway.


    ncing at her sleeping grandmother, she quietly picked up her phone and dialed Lee''s number.


    ....


    Minho was in his hotel room, reading the newspaper when Lawyer Lee entered the room.


    "Sir here''s a list of the surrogates I''ve received applications from," he said, handing Minho the file.


    Minho flicked through the amount each surrogate was charging and their background when his eyes fell on a particr one.


    "Zero?" he frowned. "This one wrote zero. Jeon Gayoon. 18 years old and is about to enter the police academy. Her family isn''t poor and she''s a star student. Yet, she''s taking up the surrogacy for free. Why?"


    "I''ve asked her and she said that she simply wants to help out," Lee stated. "I''ll reject her application-"


    "I want her," Minho said, rejecting all other candidates. "Hard working and earns her own money. Wants to help people by bing a police officer and she''s not asking for anything. Make an irond agreement but if she wants to meet her child after giving birth, then she''s wee to do so."


    Lee was a little surprised but did not question Minho much. Minho had a knack for understanding people just by seeing their profile. Which is why he had efficient employees at his workce and made sound decisions.


    "Alright, sir," Lee stated. "I''ll call her in tomorrow to do the exams and if everything is fine, we can start the IVF process."


    Minho nodded and returned to his newspaper. While he tried to remain indifferent, he was still wondering why that girl was opting for such a difficult decision.


    Oh well, he thought. This is going to be interesting.


    ....


    *Present*


    "It took us three days to trap Seungjo," Junho recalled. "The school was shut supposedly for some maintenance work but the head of the security was one of Shinjin''s acquaintances. He knew about our exorcisms and since he had witnessed some hauntings in the school, he allowed us to trespass. The head guard even sealed off the fifth floor to keep people away. Seungjo nearly killed Shinjin but I managed to lock him in a box with his uniform and button. Then I buried him in the school ground."


    "By the time I had returned, Gayoon had secretly gone through the procedure," he sighed. "She hid it for a few months so I didn''t know. When I returned from another trip, she was well into her pregnancy and hid herself in the house. I was angry at her but ultimately, I realized why she did it."


    He broke off after that, unable to say anything more. Jaewan did not press any further and simply watched as Minho drove away.

 Chapter 244: Winter Camp (1)

    Chapter 244: Winter Camp (1)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE VOTE FOR MY NEW BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS LOVER'' USING POWER STONES! PLEASE HELP ME WIN WFP 31!


    .................


    "Her vitals are fine," Mina stated, shing the torchlight on Gayoon''s eyes. Thetter had regained consciousness and despite her protests, Minho had brought her straight to the hospital where Mina was checking her health. Jina was also awake and she was nibbling on the chocte Mina had given her to regain some of her sugar levels.


    "Are you sure?" Minho pressed. He had told Mina everything and the state he found Gayoon in at the World of the Dead. Mina was not sure what to believe anymore since she had little knowledge of the supernatural. But hearing Minho''s story had intrigued her.


    "I''m fine!" Gayoon insisted. "It''s nothing really."


    But her weak tone gave her away. The time she spent in the other world had weakened her and she still could not move her muscles properly. She did not know that such a world existed and the more she remembered the cold, dark ce, the more scared she felt. Park Seungjo was finally gone but her heart was still in disarray due to the trauma he had put her through. The things he had shown her in that memory loop was etched in her mind and she was sure that it was going to haunt her worse than thest time. She was not worried about the things he did to her but was concerned with what he did to Minjung.


    Minjung


    The very thought of her old friend made her almost cry. She did not know what had happened to her all those years ago and now that Seungjo showed her the missing piece, guilt was creeping up in her heart. This was not supposed to happen! Minjung was supposed to go to college, put behind her harrowing experiences and move on. Perhaps have her own family someday and a daughter of her own who would have been friends with Jina.


    Instead, shey in an unknown grave, far away from her loved ones. Park Seungjo had not only snatched her mental peace but was torturing her in the afterlife as well.


    "You need rest," Minho said sharply when Gayoon struggled to get up. He held her shoulders and pushed her back. Gayoon was too weak to fight back and Minho was more like a stern teacher than her boyfriend at that moment.


    "Dad is right," Jina piped up. "You need rest."


    "You need it too!" Minho added to her in a sharp tone. "You copsed when making a portal. Didn''t Mina tell you to sleep?"


    "I''m not sleepy," Jina mumbled but Gayoon reached out her hand.


    "Come here," she said in a gentle tone. "Sleep next to mommy."


    Upon hearing that, Jina sprang off the couch she was sitting on and climbed on the bed to lie beside Gayoon. Minho stared at them incredulously before shaking his head. Jina would only listen to Gayoon nowadays.


    "Brother, rx!" Mina snickered. "Gayoon is fine. She''s just a little weak due to the overwhelming energy of that dead world or whatever it''s called. We don''t know much about it but if Gayoon had stayed there a bit more, she could have died. It was as if something was sucking out the strength from her until she died. Fortunately, you saved her on time. For now, she can get some vitamin shots and a saline transfer before we discharge her. Make sure you include red meat and vitamins in her diet. She''ll be fine after a good night''s rest."


    "When can I take her home?" he asked.


    "I guess after the salinity in her blood is stabilized," Mina said. "It shouldn''t take long. Just a couple of hours and she''ll be fit to go home."


    She nodded and bent down to kiss Jina who was already fast asleep. "Take care," she added to Gayoon before leaving. They watched her leave and as soon as the door shut, Minho turned to Gayoon.


    "Sleep," he said. He was about to leave when Gayoon held his hand and ushered him to sit beside her.


    "What is it?" he frowned.


    "II want to finish the story about my past," she said in a sad tone. "Seungjo showed me many things in that memory loop and now that I know the whole story, I want to narrate it to you as well."


    Slowly, she told him about how Minjung had identally killed Seungjo and the consequent events. She also told him about what he did to Minjung and how the school''s former headmaster had hidden her body in an unnamed grave.


    By the time she was done, she could not bear to face Minho. What if he got angry or upset at her again for such a selfish choice? Her decision had put Jina''s life in danger by exposing her to dangerous spirits. What if a ghost like Seungjo tormented her someday? What would they do? What if she falls into a worse danger?


    To her surprise, Minho patted her forehead. He gave her a rare yet warm smile which made her blush hard. Seeing him smile like that also reminded her of his confession in the cold ssroom from where he had rescued her not once but twice.


    "You don''t have to feel guilty," he assured her. "Now that I''ve seen a glimpse of the world you''re attached to, I think I understand why you took such a drastic step. I won''t say I like our daughter having such dangerous abilities but I can understand why you chose to give up your powers. So don''t feel bad."


    Gayoon looked at her fingers, fidgeting with them nervously. "There''s one more thing," she said. Her cheeks had turned as red as a tomato and she was unsure of whether to ask him or not. What if it was just a heat of the moment confession and that he did not mean anything by it? Or what if he was just trying to bait Seungjo?


    "What is it?"


    "Do you" Gayoon bit her lip, trying to find the correct words. Ask it! She told herself. Ask!


    "Are you wondering if I meant what I said at the World of the Dead?" Minho guessed. "You heard my confession, didn''t you?"


    Gayoon was fearful of his answer but nodded. "You saved me twice in that ssroom," she went on. "I didn''t know you were my savior. I''ve always thought that an angel saved me. Turns out, it was a money loving devil."


    Minho scowled while Gayoonughed. But seeing herugh made his scowl go away and he was momentarily distracted by her smile.


    Unable to stop himself, he leaned forward to ce a surprise kiss on her lips. Gayoon stoppedughing and her eyes widened when his lips touched hers. Before she could speak, he ced more butterfly kisses on her lips, rendering her speechless. He was not deepening the kisses but kept on puckering her repeatedly in short motions, making her toes curl.


    "I am in love with you, Ms. Detective," he whispered against her lips. "Why else would I jump into an unknown world to bring you back?"


    Upon hearing those words, Gayoon blushed harder and seeing her cheeks turn into a cute rosy pink, Minho was about to scoop in for another kiss when someone cleared her throat.


    "Ahem!" Jina frowned. "You know, for a kid, I''m seeing way too much of R-rated stuff from you guys. Get a room already!"


    Both of them pulled back, their faced flushed with embarrassment. They nced at each other and suddenly began tough, annoying Jina.


    "I''m trying to sleep!" she snapped at her childish parents. I swear sometimes I feel like the adult here, she thought warily.


    "Sleep," Gayoon snickered, patting her daughter''s head. Minho joined in to help Jina fall asleep. The little girl mumbled something and finally fell asleep. They watched her sleep peacefully, both of them feeling content.


    "You know, Jina is going to winter camp tomorrow," Minho realized. "She''s been attending the camp ever since she turned five and stays there for two night. I usually leave her at the camp while I stay at my private vi nearby in order to keep tabs on her. They don''t allow parents to stay at the camp so I bought the property. You wanna join us?"


    Gayoon blinked in surprise. Jina would be away for two nights. That would mean she would stay two nights alone with Minho.


    Uh oh, she thought. Do IDO I HAVE TO SEDUCE HIM? She screamed internally.

 Chapter 245: Winter Camp (2)

    Chapter 245: Winter Camp (2)


    PLEASE VOTE FOR MY BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' AND HELP ME OUT IN WFP 31! HELP ME WIN!


    .........


    The next morning, Jina woke up to find herself in her own bed. She groggily wiped her eyes and saw her mother was sleeping on her right while her dad was on her left, fast asleep. She could not recall when they had arrived home from the hospital but it was probably some time during the night when she was sleeping.


    "I should go and say hi to Casper and Yumi," she mumbled, getting off the bed, leaving her parents sleeping. She shut the door behind her, the slight click of the lock woke up Minho. He blinked several times as he saw Gayoon sleeping right next to him. It took him a while to remember that after Gayoon was discharged, they had returned home. They ced Jina on the bed but they were so tired after their stint with Seungjo that both of them crashed next to their daughter.


    Gayoon was sleeping so soundly that for a minute, Minho panicked that she was unconscious again just like she was in the World of the Dead. It was only when she stirred and rolled over to his side, he sighed in relief. Gayoon had rolled close to him and as usual, threw her arms and legs around him to use him as a bolster. He did notin but let her snuggle into his arms with a soft smile on his face.


    It felt ages since he had held her like this and after their shared experience in the unknown realm, he felt the urge to keep her close to him at all times. She was in constant danger and even though she could handle herself, he still could not get Seungjo''s words out of his mind. He could not even imagine the trauma Seungjo had put Gayoon and her friend through. For the hundredth time, he wanted to curse himself for being so irrationally angry at her before. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt.


    Gayoon stirred and held him even closer. "Stopyouthief" she mumbled, moving her legs as if trying to run. Her knee was inadvertently rubbing between Minho''s legs and to thetter''s embarrassment, his crotch was beginning to harden at the silly detective''s actions. He quickly stopped her leg with his foot, pinning it on the bed.


    "Jeon Gayoon will be the end of me," he muttered.


    "You''re underarrest" Gayoon mumbled, still in her ownnd. "Youhave theright toremainsilent"


    Minho groaned at her antics. Even in her dreams, she was either thinking of food or catching criminals.


    "Heyyou look like Hwang Minho" she mumbled, making Minho scowl. Was she imagining the thief to be him?


    "Hwang Minhodon''t lootbanks"


    "What the hell are you dreaming about?" he asked sharply. His voice made Gayoon''s eyes fly open and to her shock, she was drooling on his shoulder. Quickly letting go of him, she sat up, feeling embarrassed.


    "I was just dreaming!" she squeaked, hiding her face in her palms but Minho pulled her ear like a stern teacher.


    "Ouch!" she whined. "Are you really gonna box my ears?"


    "Yes," he said, boxing her ears more.


    "How can you hurt your cute little girlfriend?" She pouted at him, trying to use her cute eyes to her advantage. Minho''s scowl momentarily fell and gaped at her. Taking advantage of his distraction she freed herself from him and was about to get off the bed but he pulled her wrist. Before she could react, she was pinned underneath him.


    "Hey!" she weakly protested but Minho was staring at her with his intense brown eyes. There was a rare mischievous twinkle in them which made Gayoon blush. Her heart raced, their eyes locked.


    "We should be getting ready for the trip," she mumbled. Minho was now ying with a strand of her hair, making her gopletely red. She could not think of any excuses to push him off her and in all honesty, she did not want to.


    "We have time," he whispered. It was a rare moment to have her alone to himself. After their camp date, they had barely been together and thanks to the demonic stalker, their time at the party was also cut short. So, at that moment, he had her all to himself and he was not going to let go of such a moment.


    Before Gayoon could protest, he leaned forward. She closed her eyes, anticipating a kiss but she felt his lips on her neck. Gayoon drew a sharp breath when he nibbled her skin, kissing her all the way till her earlobe. He softly licked it and Gayoon stifled a moan.


    His musky scent filled her nostrils, driving her to a daze while his lips caressed her neck. She felt his hand tracing her curves, sending jolts of electricity down her body. His little bites left red hickeys on her neck but he kept on with his sweet torture. Gayoon was squirming underneath him, her fingers clutching his hair. She wanted him to continue but to her disappointment, he pulled back. Hovering over her, he grinned a sly smile.


    "We can''t have Jina walk in to another R-rated scene," he whispered. Gayoon pouted a little but sighed. He was right. Their daughter was witnessing too much of their PDA.


    "Pack your bags," Minho said, getting off the bed. "We''re gonna head out after breakfast. It''s a daylong drive there. After dropping off Jina, we''ll settle in my winter lodge for the night and return home tomorrow."


    "Alright," Gayoon smiled. Minho nodded and left the room. As soon as he left, Gayoon quickly reached for the bedside drawer and took out a magazine. Thankfully, Kanji had given her this magazine after the camp date.


    "This thing will teach you how to seduce the hard core money lover!" he imed. "It has all the rules of love!"


    Rules of loveIt was what she needed. Quickly ncing through the pages, she came across an article which stated the art of seduction.


    "First rule," she read. "The way to reach a man''s heart is through his stomach. Cook him a delicious dinner."


    "I can do that," Gayoon nodded. "Next one isDress as skimpily as possible. If possible, wear one of his shirts with a pair of really short pants."


    "Third rule, get touchy touchy."


    Gayoon blushed hard at that rule and went on to the next one. "Turn on the music and dance seductively."


    I think I can do that, she thought. I hope.


    "If he has a deep voice, then make him read to you," she went on. "Once the mood is set, move closer to him and kiss him tenderly with the softest tongue touches before going dee-"


    Gayoon shut the magazine, unable to read it any further out of embarrassment. Were magazine writers always this bold? They must have had a lot of experience.


    "You can''t give up, Jeon Gayoon," she told herself. "Remember, you''re Kwak Shujin''s granddaughter! She''ll throw more sandals at you if you can''t even seduce your own boyfriend!"


    She strengthened her resolve. The money lover might be hard to seduce but she was going to do it. She would make him forget about money for that night using these tricks!


    "I should thank Kanji for the rules once I return," she added as an afterthought. "For now, let''s seduce the money loving CEO! You can do it, Jeon Gayoon! Fighting!"

 Chapter 246: VIP Ward 7

    Chapter 246: VIP Ward 7


    PLEASE VOTE FOR MY NEW BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' AND HELP ME WIN WFP 31!


    ALSO, SEDUCTION PART STARTS FROM NEXT CHAPTER (AND THE LONG AWAITED SNU SNU WILL ALSO TAKE PLACE~)


    KEEP VOTING!


    ....


    Kanji was carrying a bag of bagels and two cups of americanos, making his way towards Mina''s room. She was entangled in an all night surgery and would be out any minute.


    Ever since she had seen him with that woman at Ahn Jaewan''s fan event, she was maintaining a distance from him. From the outside, she was behaving normally and continued their yful banter. But she had stopped hijacking his credit cards and did not even go shopping for days. He knew that because whenever she went shopping, she would drag him along. Plus, Gayoon had also mentioned it to him when she borrowed his magazine.


    He paused outside her room and sighed. It wasplicated to exin to her of his real work and the dangers which were associated with it. Ever since they rescued Mina from the CCK twenty years ago, Kanji could not help but feel as if he was weak. What if she was hurt that night? Or worse? What if they had failed to save her?


    Bing the head of his mafia gang was something he wanted to avoid. His father, Jung Jason, had pointed out several times that one he was involved, it would be impossible to get out of it because all the other gangs would hunt him and his family members down.


    "You can''t live a single day of peace, Kanji," his father had warned him. But Kanji had taken up that position after careful deliberation. Seeing his best friend and Mina in danger, he knew that he would have to be more ruthless so that he could eliminate any CCK which came their way. He had knocked off the gun from Minho''s hands and instead, took it up himself in order to prevent his friend from dirtying his hands.


    What he did not expect, was to fall in love with Mina. Their friendly banter had one day turned into real feelings. The little girl had grown up and she was ady who would pull him around. But he realized his feeling for her the day he saw her with a patient for the first time. The rude and spoilt princess who always used him as a human credit card, was trulypassionate towards her patients. The smile she had shed at the old woman she had treated was genuine and full of sincerity, something which he thought was not possible with Hwang Mina.


    And yet, there she was, caring for the patients without thinking of money or payment. She was helping them because she genuinely wanted to. She was determined to save the lives of her patients no matter what they did. It was not merely her job but her passion.


    So how could he, a killer, taint her with his darkness?


    "Oi!"


    Mina''s voice came from behind, startling him. She had changed into a fresh pair of scrubs and looked tired from the all night long surgery. There were dark circles beneath her eyes and she looked pale as a ghost.


    "You look terrible," hemented. Mina scowled and punched his arm hard. Kanji pretended to yelp in pain but in reality her punches barely hurt him.


    "Idiot," she muttered. Without another word, she took the bag of bagels from his hand and took one out before chewing on it.


    "Why are you here?" she asked, entering her office with the bagel bag.


    "To bring you breakfast, of course!" he imed. "I haven''t seen your pretty face in a while!"


    Mina saw a glimmer in his eyes as he said those words. Did he mean what he said? She wondered. But the glimmer was gone and his usualyfulness was back. She looked away, still chewing her bagel but her heart was thumping loudly.


    Should I ask him about that woman? She questioned herself.


    "Of course, I had a pretty date with me," he went on. Mina stopped chewing. She went still, her heart overwhelmed by sadness upon hearing his words.


    "She was quite a beauty," Kanji shrugged. "Nothingpared to you, of course. But still. She was totally my type."


    He took out one of the coffee cups and began to sip on it, pretending not to notice Mina''s troubled expression. Thetter quicklyposed herself. Control yourself, she scolded herself. He''s not your boyfriend so he has the right to go out with anyone he wants!


    "I really should ask her out on another date-"


    The rest of his words were blocked out as Mina forced a bagel into his mouth to shut him up.


    "Which girl would have an annoying person like you as a boyfriend?" she sneered.


    "Loads of them!" Kanji smiled. "Of course, my credit cards are always for you and you only."


    He poked her on the forehead but Mina was not pleased. The very thought of Kanji being with that dumb blonde was making her sick. She fought the urge to snatch the coffee cup from his hand and spill it all over his stupid head. Before she could work on her instincts, she inadvertently yawned which made Kanji frown.


    "Aren''t you going home?" Kanji asked.


    "I don''t want to go home today," she mumbled. "Brother and Gayoon are gonna drop off Jina at her winter camp while they take a little detour at his lodge."


    "Ahhso that''s why Gayoon borrowed my magazine," Kanji realized. It was the same magazine he had gotten those rules of love from for Minho.


    "Magazine?" Mina asked. Before Kanji could exin, Mina''s pager lit up.


    "Ugh!" she scowled. "It''s him again."


    "Him?" Kanji echoed.


    "Yeah, the guy in the VIP ward 7," she sighed. "I swear he was born to annoy me. No matter how many times I tell him not to worry, he keeps on paging me to check up on him. I tried to get another cardiologist to handle him but he insists on having me as his primary doctor. It''s a pain!"


    "Who is this mysterious patient?" Kanji asked. For some reason, he could not help but feel a little envious of this patient who had Mina''s attention.


    "A guy," she shrugged. There was no need to tell Kanji about the mafia lord in the VIP room. It would only worry him and that was thest thing she wanted.


    "I''ll go and check up on him," she said. "Stay here."


    With that, she rushed off towards the VIP ward. Kanji stayed back for a few seconds before leaving the room to walk towards a nurse in the nearby counter.


    "Hey sweetheart," he winked. The nurse looked up and blushed at the handsome tycoon who was clearly flirting with her.


    "S-sir!" she squeaked. "H-how may I h-help you?"


    "I seemed to have dropped my cell phone," he sighed. "I swear I had passed the VIP section and dropped it around there. Can I get assistance from the security team to look for it?"


    The nurse looked rmed at the mention of VIP room 7. She looked around before lowering her voice to say, "Sir, I''d suggest you not to go back there. The ce is not safe for us."


    "What do you meant?" Kanji asked, suddenly rmed. Not safe? But Mina had gone there!


    "The current upant of that ward if Lim Haejong," the nurse revealed. "The mafia leader of the Lim family. They have guards around the ce who will shoot anyone without the hospital''s badge. Currently, only Dr. Hwang can go near it and no one else is permitted to enter."


    Kanji''s face was white as a sheet. He was shocked upon hearing the revtion. Lim Haejong, his worst enemy, was being treated by the woman he loved.


    Could it get any more twisted? He thought bitterly.

 Chapter 247: Winter Camp (3)

    Chapter 247: Winter Camp (3)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST:


    PLEASE VOTE FOR MY NOVEL ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' AND HELP ME WIN WFP 31!


    ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR GAYOON''S SEDUCTION NEXT CHAPTER Xd


    ......


    "How much further?" Gayoon asked. They had set off for Jina''s camp after breakfast and had been driving for almost three hours. The camp was in City H and it was quite far into the countryside. The areas around them were covered with white snow. Leaves on the trees had dried up and the roads were icy so Minho was driving slower than usual. The air was so chilly that Gayoon made Jina wear at least fouryer of clothes and a beanie hat which covered the little girl''s eyes.


    "Mommy, can I take off the beanie?" Jina asked. "I can''t see anything."


    "Absolutely not!" Gayoon said sharply. "Your ears will get cold if you do! Just lift it a little."


    Jina sat at the back with Casper and Yumi, who had tagged along.


    "It''s been so long since I went camping!" Yumi sighed. "Being dead sucks!"


    Casper did not reply but was staring outside, awed by the sight. It was as if he had never seen snow before and was marveling at it in wonder. He motioned at Jina to see the whiteness around them and was gesturing something.


    "You want to go outside and make a snowman?" Jina frowned at Casper. "We can do that once we get to the camp!"


    "So many activities and this damn ghost wants to make a snowman?" Yumi scowled, rolling her eyes.


    "It''s fun!" Jina imed. She then added to her dad, "How much further is it, dad?"


    Minho checked the GPS and so far, the road ahead was clear. But the weather forecast said it would snow that night so he and Gayoon would have to stay back at his lodge.


    "It''s right around the curve," Minho said.


    "Does she have to attend this camp?" Gayoon asked, feeling a little worried. "It''s really cold. What if she gets sick?"


    "Don''t worry," Minho assure her. "It''s aprehensive camp for children. They have sports, game sessions, tasks and chores for the children. Most of the activities take ce indoors except for the bonfire. They have everything which are needed to keep the kidsfortable. Besides, Jina has been attending this camp since she was six and she enjoys being there."


    "I do!" Jina piped up. "It love it there! I have so many friends who attend camp. Seojun, Hyomin, Sana and Mio are my best friends at camp!"


    "Still" Gayoon trailed off. She did not want to stay three nights apart from Jina. What if h er daughter was in danger? Or worse? What if she met more ghosts there? The presence of Casper and Yumi was a little reassuring but how long could they protect her?


    "Rx detective," Yumi snickered. "Your daughter would probably end up making an army of ghostly minions at camp. She''ll be fine."


    "I do have ghost friends there," Jina stated. "There''s the Lady of the Lake. People assume she''s a scary spirit who''ll drown them but in reality, she just tries to make friends with the swimmers. They just see her face and end up fainting in the middle of theke which gave her a bad rep. Then there''s the tree man who wanders around the camp at night, looking for coins. Poor guy loves to collect them but somehow ended up colliding with several passerby. One time, he was so engrossed into finding a fifty cent, he bumped into a camp guard, causing him to tumble down the hill. He wasn''t injured but that caused the tree man''s image to fall and people began to im he''s a serial killer."


    She leaned back and sighed while her parents were mortified.


    "What happened to the guard?" Gayoon asked


    "What happened to the coins the ghost collected?" Minho asked. His question earned him a scowl from Gayoon.


    "The guard was just injured but recovered," Jina replied. "And the money is hidden in the Tree Man''s fir tree. He collected very rare ones too. Even showed them to mest year."


    She shed a smug smile while Gayoon was wondering how her daughter ended up having so many minions at such a young age. Must have gotten that from her father, she thought.


    "We''re here," Minho said. Sure enough, they entered the camp''s archway where many of the students were waiting near a series of buses.They got out of the car. Minho took out Jina''s bags and motioned them to follow him towards the buses.


    The camp instructors were talking to some of the parents. One of them, a pretty blonde girl in herte twenties nced at Minho and smiled. She headed towards them and Gayoon could not help but stare at the woman''s voluptuous figure. Even though she was in camp uniform, her fit body was visible and her curvy figure was eye catching.


    Seeing her made Gayoon feel suddenly inadequate and she pulled her sweater even closer.


    "Mr. Hwang!" the woman said in a slightly sing song voice, blushing at his sight. Gayoon did not miss how she was tucking her hair behind her ears like a shy school girl. The woman''s badge showed her name: Chun Namjoo.


    "Jina!" Namjoo squealed at the little girl. Jina only nodded in acknowledgement.


    "I was wondering when the two of you would reach here," Namjoo smiled. Her eyes then fell on the woman next to Minho. She narrowed her eyes at Gayoon who stared back at her.


    "And who is this?" Namjoo asked.


    "That''s my mom!" Jina eximed. Namjoo blinked in surprise.


    "I didn''t realize you were married, Mr. Hwang," shemented, hiding her disdain.


    "We''re not," Minho said. He pointed at Gayoon and added, "She''s my girlfriend."


    Namjoo tried hard not to show her dislike of the little woman who was standing right next to Hwang Minho. She had been crushing on Minho ever since she saw him dropping off Jinast year and had tried to get closer to him. As far as she knew, Hwang Minho was not dating anyone.


    And now he suddenly got a baby momma?


    Gayoon knew what the camp instructor was thinking. Giving her a sweet smile, she put her arm around Minho''s, surprising thetter. They were never into public disy of affection and Gayoon was too shy to do anything like that. Minho was not averse to the thought of PDA but the way Gayoon held on to him made his frown.


    "Minho, I''m really hungry," Gayoon pouted in an attempt to be cute. Jina and the ghosts were also taken aback but seeing Namjoo''s jealous expression, they could not help but stifle theirughter.


    "We''ll have lunch in the lodge," Minho said, still suspicious of what Gayoon was trying to do.


    "Will you cook me beef stew?" Gayoon asked, trying to annoy Namjoo more. Then she added, "Oppa."


    Oppa? Eh?


    Minho blinked in surprise, his mind too dazed at what he had just heard. Oppa? Did Gayoon just call him oppa?


    "I''m gonna go," Jina said, trying to keep a distance from the lovestruck adults. She did not want to get entangled in the middle of their PDA and would rather pretend not to know the lovey dovey couple.


    "Don''t forget to dress up well," Gayoon said, fixing her beanie. "And call me every hour. Also, note night gossips! Go to sleep at sharp 10 PM!"


    "Yes mommy!" Jina agreed. With that, she grabbed her backpack and ran towards the bus which would take them to the camp situated around the forest. Namjoo red at Gayoon, who was still clutching on to Minho. On the other hand, Minho was still hung on what Gayoon just said.


    Oppa, she called me oppa, his mind chanted. He looked as if he won a billion dor lottery.


    Namjoo threw them a nasty look before boarding a nearby bus. As soon as she was gone, Gayoon stuck out her tongue at the rude woman who was eyeing her man.


    "Let''s go," she told Minho, tugging his arm but he would not budge.


    "Call me oppa again," he said in a serious tone.


    "No," she said, heading towards the car.


    "Only once more."


    He was sprinting behind her as they entered the car. Gayoon blushed, shaking her head. She had called him oppa out of whim but now she was too embarrassed. Minho grumbled a little before starting the engine.


    "So are we gonna stay at your lodge?" Gayoon asked. She had never been to lodges but assume d it would be a made of wood with minimal rooms and kitchen.


    "Yeah," Minho shrugged. "It''s just a five minute drive from here."


    Gayoon nodded, feeling nervous. They were going to bepletely alone that night and the very thought made her blush harder. Now that all herapprehensions about their rtionship was gone, she was ready for the next level. But how was she going to convey that to him?


    The magazine better work, she thought. Otherwise, Kanji was going to have to book an appointment. With Hades.

 Chapter 248: Winter Camp (4)

    Chapter 248: Winter Camp (4)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE VOTE FOR MY NEW BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' AND HELP ME WIN WFP 31!


    ......


    Gayoon was gaping at the ''lodge'' in front of her while Minho took out their bags from the car. He noticed that Gayoon''s mouth was wide open in shock upon seeing the ce they were about to stay for the night.


    "This is a ''lodge''?" she questioned. "From which angle?"


    "Why?" Minho frowned. "What''s wrong with it?"


    Gayoon was still staring at the so-called lodge. She had imagined it to be a small wooden shelter with a cozy setting inside. What she did not expect was a frigging pce!


    Calling it a pce was an exaggeration but there was no other wording to her mind. The front part of the house was made of ss while the roof was nted like a cottage and made of white thatch. It probably scrawled over 10 acres and Gayoon could see the different rooms of the house from outside. Snow had fallen on the roof and all around the ce, making it look like a small winter wondend.


    They were on one of Minho''s privatends which was protected by high voltage electric gates and the ce was devoid of any people except for a few guards who were guarding the ce. But there was a difference of at least a mile between the gates and the house so it was just the two of them in the core part of the property.


    "Let''s go in?" Minho asked.


    Inside? Gayoon gulped. They were going to bepletely alone in there and she was suddenly nervous. What if nothing happened? Or what if something did happen? She clutched her handbag which carried the magazine. Even though she had memorized everything in the article, she was still feeling giddy. She had never tried to be intimate with a guy before and seducing someone was not her cup of tea.


    "Jeon Gayoon?" Minho poked her head, bringing her out of her reverie. "What are you thinking about?"


    "II was just thinking if Jina is alright in the camp," she lied.


    "She''ll be fine," Minho assured her. "Let''s go inside now. It''ll snow any moment and we have to go back home early tomorrow morning."


    "O-Okay!" she squeaked. Minho unlocked the door with the passcode and before he could lead her in, she scurried inside and ran towards the staircase leading to the bedroom upstairs. Something fell out of her bag but was too nervous to notice. Minho picked it up and was about to tell her to take it but she had already locked herself inside the bedroom.


    "What is going on in her head?" he frowned. He looked at the magazine she had dropped and was about to put it aside when he noticed the name of the magazine.


    "Love Column," he muttered. There was only one person in the entire country who would subscribe to this. He also noticed that a page was bookmarked. Flipping it, he came across an article.


    "How to seduce a guy for beginners," he read. His eyebrows raised higher and higher with every word. After he was done reading, he quietly put it inside a drawer and took out his cell phone to type a text.


    Meanwhile in the city, Jongin was in a caf, wearing a formal suit. His friend had set him up on a blind date with a pretty model and he was looking forward to meeting her. Hwang Minho was out of town and he could finally secure another date.


    The model was named Eunjoo and she had arrived, wearing a pretty floral dress with her hair tied up into a neat bun.


    "Hello," she greeted with a smile. "I''m Eunjoo. Your friend, Heo Taemin, told me a lot about you."


    She sat across him. Jongin was too stunned by her beauty to talk. He merely nodded, feeling shy.


    "I''ve never been on a blind date before," she confessed. "But when Taemin told me about you, I had toe."


    "Same here," Jongin said quickly. "I''ve never been on a blind date either. I''m usually too busy to date but I''m d we''re here."


    "You know, this ce is kinda stuffy," Eunjoomented. "Why don''t we take a walk in the park while having some coffee?"


    Jongin was about to say ''Yes'' when his phone beeped. No, he told himself. Don''t pick it up.


    But the phone kept on beeping, making Eunjoo say, "I think someone is testing you on an urgent basis. Why don''t you attend them?"


    Jongin merely whimpered. He took out his phone and cursed his luck. It was the Vesudas.


    "Look up on all the tenders Kanji''spany is trying to acquire and make sure we get them," Minho wrote. "If he wins even a single tender, I''ll book your trip to River Styx."


    "What is it?" Eunjoo asked.


    "II have to finish some office work," Jongin said in a sad tone.


    "I can wait," Eunjoo offered. Would you? Jongin wondered.


    Taking out hisptop, he began to sniff out all the information on Jang Kanji''stest tenders. There were over a hundred tenders and he had to painfully make proposals for each tender, while cursing the money lover in his head. The guy was miles away and still managed to ruin Jongin''s date. It was as if the gods were ying some kind of joke on him. Every time he was on a date, Minho inadvertently drove away his potential girlfriends.


    The work took him over six hours toplete and by the time he was done, Eunjoo had left. She also left behind a note saying, "Spotted my ex sipping coffee right across us. He came over and talked to me while you were working. He wants to try again and I agreed. Bye!"


    Jongin crumpled up the note and banged his head against the table in dismay.


    "Curse that money lover!" he moaned.


    .


    Minho had changed into a bottle green sweater and grey pants. He came out of the spare bedroom and frowned. Gayoon was still locked in the bedroom upstairs. He knocked on the door.


    "Gayoon, what''s going on?" he asked, feigning ignorance. He did not mention the magazine but was curious to see what she going to do, nning to tease her while she tried out Kanji''s silly antics.


    "I''m freshening up!" she imed. Gayoon stood in front of the mirror. She had secretly packed one of Minho''s shirts just like the magazine had instructed and also wore a very short pant which barely covered her butt, exposing her smooth legs. She did not put on any make up but instead sprayed a little bit of fruity fragrance on herself while her hair was dripping wet.


    "Ugh," she scowled. "I look too skinny!"


    Remembering that damn sexy camp counselor, she felt very inadequate. Why couldn''t I have that figure? She moaned.


    "Gayoon, why''re you taking so long?" Minho asked from outside. "We''ll have to head out early tomorrow morning. You need to eat dinner and then rest!"


    "I''ll take a while to go down!" her shrill voice came through the door. "You can finish your pending work in the meantime!"


    "What pending work?"


    "I don''t know!" she eximed. "Go earn money or look for treasure! I''ll take a while!"


    "Earn money," he muttered. "That sounds about right."


    "Fine," he added to Gayoon. "The guards had brought us takeaway food so it''s downstairs. I''ll wait for you and we can have dinner together."


    "Okay!"


    Minho shook his head and let her have her way. Two can y at this game, he smirked.


    Whistling to himself, he headed downstairs. Picking up hisptop, he put on his reading sses to go through the files Jongin had sent him. There were many tenders and he could have put them off for next week but he decided to finish some of it. He quickly typed in the numbers on the proposals and calcted the estimated ie he would be making from the projects.


    "Umm"


    Gayoon''s soft voice made him look up and he nearly fell off the couch in shock. She was wearing a shirt shirt which was too big for her and her thighs werepletely exposed. Gayoon bit her lip and deliberately rubbed her foot over her right thigh like the magazine had said.


    "I''m hungry," she said, trying to imitate a suggestive tone. "Let''s go and eat."


    Minho stared at her for a while before putting away hisptop. Gayoon''s heart thumped when he stood up and approached her. He was getting closer and closer. She closed her eyes anticipated him to kiss her


    "Aren''t you feeling cold?" he asked. "I know there''s a heater in the house but the night can get quite chilly. You sure you wanna stay in that? Maybe get some pants"


    Eh?


    "I''m fine like this," she gritted. The damn money lover didn''t get the clue! She yelled in her head.


    "Okay," Minho shrugged. "The table is already set. Let''s go and eat."


    He turned away, hiding his smirk. Gayoon''s first attack had nearly worked and it took him a great deal of willpower to stop himself but the game was fun. Seeing his little pet wag around him was amusing him.


    Gayoon fumed. The first attack may have failed but she was prepared for more attacks. The money lover is going down! She swore.

 Chapter 249: Winter Camp (5)

    Chapter 249: Winter Camp (5)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT ME FOR WFP 31 BY VOTING FOR MY BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN''


    LEAVE REVIEWS TOO!


    ....


    Minho felt Gayoon''s gaze on him but he tried to ignore it and pretended to concentrate on the food. Gayoon was pouting and yed around with her food, trying toe up with more tactics to seduce Hwang Minho.


    Was he really that dumb? How could he not get seduced? Or make any moves on her? He did not shy away during the kissless date. So why was he being aloof now?


    "Why aren''t you eating?" he asked. She had barely touched her food and looked sullen. Am I pushing it too far? He wondered.


    Gayoon suddenly had an idea. The magazine said that the way to a man''s heart was through his stomach. She could not cook the food but she could try to feed him and get closer. That will work! She thought.


    "Oppa," she said in a cute voice. "This meat tastes so good!"


    She picked up a piece of beef with her spoon to feed him. Minho, who was about to put in more rice into his mouth, was startled by her sudden ''oppa'' attack and abruptly moved, causing Gayoon to hit his nose with the spoon. The meat fell on the table while Minho yelped.


    "What are you doing?" he asked in annoyance.


    "I''m sorry!" Gayoon squeaked as he rubbed his nose. "Are you hurt?"


    "No," he sighed. "Seriously, just finish your dinner!"


    Gayoon''s shoulders fell in disappointment and she gulped in her food in a few bites, not bothering to chew properly. She was miserable as her methods were failing. Unbeknownst to her, Minho was smiling and shook his head as he sipped water from his ss. Gayoon pouted a little which made Minho''s resolve to tease her almost break. The woman had no idea that she did not need a silly magazine to seduce him.


    Her smile was enough.


    "I''ll put the dishesaway," she said once they were done with dinner. Minho helped her put the dishes in the sink and together, they headed for the living room.


    "I''ll be finishing some work," he imed. "You can go upstairs to rest."


    But Gayoon was not going to give up that easily. Work? She recalled the other rule. Make him read to her and try to get closer to his body.


    "I''ll stay," she chimed. "I want to see you work!"


    "Why?"


    "II want to hear about the things you do," she lied. "Why don''t you read out your documents to me? Maybe I can help. I did help youst time with that Japanese investor."


    She expected Minho to refuse but to her surprise he said, "Okay. I''ll read it out loud."


    Finally, some hope! She thought in glee.Unfortunately, her happiness was short lived.


    "As per use 2 of article number 30, party A will not be paying the taxes for the project and the cost is to be borne by party B, with the condition that party B will provide all receipts and audit of the expenses incurred to party A," Minho was reading to her.


    They were sitting on the couch and Minho was reading the tender to Gayoon, who could not make head nor tail of it. Even his deep, sexy voice was not helping her concentration and her eyes were beginning to get droopy. Minho nced at her from the corner of his eye and snapped his fingers to wake her up.


    "You''re bored," hemented.


    "I''m not!" she imed, pping her own cheeks to get rid of the sleepiness. She had not expected the reading session to be boring. The files he was reading were long legal documents which bored her to death and she was now getting more dejected.


    I''m just not good enough, she sighed. I should just give up.


    "Where are you going?" Minho frowned when she got off the couch.


    "II''m just tired," she said. "I''ll go to bed."


    Minho took a deep breath and was about to speak when Gayoon''s eyes fell on the ss window.


    "WOAH!" she eximed, her sleepiness vanishing within seconds and was reced by immense excitement. "Snow!"


    She pointed outside. White snowkes were falling from the sky, shrouding the whole garden like a white nket. Gayoon excitedly ran towards the window and put her hands on the ss as she witnessed the magic. Her eyes were widened in awe and she felt like a little girl who just had the first taste of chocte.


    The view in front of her was stunning. The snowkes were of different shapes and sizes, the color contrasting the dark night. It was as if millions of stars were falling on the ground, adding a mystique to the gardens as they sparkled under the starry night.


    Minho quietly stood beside her. His eyes was on his girlfriend who was smiling widely, looking like a pure fairy. His heart skipped several beats upon seeing her look of sheer joy and his resolve broke.


    Gayoon felt a pair of strong arms embracing her from the back. She did not move but felt his lips near her earlobe, cing short kisses on it. His hands were going down from her waist to all the way towards her calves. She closed her eyes, inhaling his musky scent.


    "What was the next rule in that magazine?" he whispered into her ears. Gayoon''s eyes flew open.


    "You knew?" she gasped. His left hand was fiddling with her pant while the right one was sliding through her shirt until he felt her bra.


    "I did," he whispered. Before Gayoon could scold him, she felt his finger slip into her pants. She blushed when he realized that she was not wearing any lingerie inside. Minhotched his lips onto her neck, making her feel ticklish while his left hand was slowly rubbing her clit.


    "Holy shi-" Gayoon almost cursed in pleasure. She leaned against his chest, feeling the magic of his fingers which were massaging her womanhood. Minho was enticed by her and rubbed her folds. He tasted the skin on her neck, leaving tiny red marks along her nape.


    "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. He wanted her to be absolutely certain that she wanted to take their rtionship to the next level. If he had his way, he would have made love to her ages ago but he wanted to hear her say yes first.


    He turned sideways to look at her. Her eyes were full of longing and need, carrying a strange yet, pleasant intensity.


    "Yes," she breathed back. "Let''s go upstairs."


    Smiling, he turned her around and to her slight surprise, picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, clutching onto him while hiding her face in his neck.


    "Let''s go," he said, seducing her with his deep voice. She blushed and gave her shy approval as he carried her to the bedroom.

 Chapter 250: Winter Camp (6)**

    Chapter 250: Winter Camp (6)**


    They barely got into the bedroom when Minho''s lips came crashing down on hers. A moan escaped her mouth as he pushed her against the ss window, their tongues entangled in a ferocious battle. She pulled him closer, his scent intoxicating her senses. His tongue pried into hers, tasting her while her legs were still wrapped around his waist.


    Gayoon was breathless, his kisses leaving her panting yet begging for more. Their private parts were unconsciously grinding against each other beneath theyer of clothes, his hardness poking at her, making her blush. But she barely had any time to be embarrassed as his lips explored hers, their kisses turning rougher and more demanding.


    She did not know when he moved her to the bed but hey her down on it, breaking their kiss. Gayoony there, feeling hot while her cheeks flushed red. Minho was looking at her with a tenderness in his eyes, making her turn even redder.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked in a hoarse voice.


    "Just can''t help but wonder how beautiful you are," he sighed.


    "Eh?"


    Me? Beautiful? She wondered. Minho chuckled at her confused expression. Before she could think any further, he bent down to kiss her again, this time softly pecking her lips. Gayoon''s lips parted and soon, the kiss turned harder. His hand moved to her panties and in between their kisses, she felt his fingers clip into them, moving to her clit.


    "Mmpf!" she groaned when his finger touched her bud, gently caressing it. Her core was beginning to get wet under his soft touches and she moaned against their lips when his fingers rubbed her hole. Minho parted her thighs with his, still massaging her softness. She moaned harder when he slipped his finger into her hole.


    His lips lefts hers and moved to kiss her earlobe. Gayoon closed her eyes, trying to keep up with his double attack. She parted her legs more to give him ess to her deeper parts and yelped when he slipped another finger into her.


    "Rx," he whispered in her ears. "Just rx."


    Gayoon was about to say something but he licked her sensitive earlobe, finding a ticklish spot. She giggled a little as his lips tasted her skin, moving down to her neck while his fingers moved inside her and she was thrown into another daze.


    Her mind was on his silky fingers touching her, entering her warmth. He rubbed her insides softly, bending his fingers to touch a sensitive spot.


    "Ahh!" she groaned when she felt his fingers on her erotic point. Her clit was wetting up more and more as he continued to rub her. Minho, turned on by her cries, kept on attacking her sore spot. Her waist moved with his movements, and he left her ears to hover over her.


    Their eyes met, their bodies still moving with each other. Gayoon traced a finger over his flushed cheek, both of them drowning in their need for each other. She did not dare to voice it out loud but he seemed to have understood. Slowly, he took out his fingers from her insides and Gayoon slipped her panties off her. She sat up, pulling at the helm of his t-shirt. Minho took off his shirt in a second and Gayoon could not help but admire him.


    Unconsciously, she ran her fingers down his sturdy abs. Her soft fingers traced down to the bulge on his pants and she gulped. Minho smirked and pulled her closer. His hands were trailing her petite body. She groaned when his palms fell on her breasts, squeezing them lightly through her shirt. Gayoon bit her lip and slowly began to unbutton her shirt.


    Minho drew a sharp breath when she began to unbutton her buttons one by one in a slow, deliberate process. Gayoon was aware of the effect she had on him and she blushed harder when she took off her shirt, sitting in front of him with only her bra on. She subconsciously grinded her legs together to get some friction but his eyes were staring at her. She felt embarrassed because she had never been this intimate with a man and thinking of what they were about to do made her feel even more nervous.


    He read her nervousness and slowly pulled her into an embrace.


    "Are you really alright?" he asked, feeling a little worried.


    "I''m fine," she assured him in a small tone. "Just nervous."


    Minho sighed and gentlyid her back on the bed. Gayoon watched as he took off his pants and she nearly yelped when she saw him stark naked in front of her. Her eyes widened at the size of his bulge and for a moment, panicked at the thought of that entering her. Would it even fit? It was too big!


    She mumbled something incoherently which sounded like ''too big'' making Minhough. He moved his lips to her ears and said, "Rx. Don''t panic."


    "Begentle" she breathed. Minho ced a kiss on her lips and smiled at her. Gayoon was a little scared but her nervousness took a back seat when hetched on to her neck, sucking it. He teeth grazed her skin, leaving red marks. Gayoon clutched the white sheets beneath her as he licked her skin, going downwards until he reached her twin mounds. He did not stop but sucked on her tattoo, making her gasp.


    His tongue explored her left breast while his left hand massaged her other breast. Her scent was engulfing him and he wanted to pleasure her all night. He worshipped her bun, licking it thoroughly. Gayoon moaned in pleasure, her insides on fire while her clit was getting wetter and wetter. His right hand reached in between her legs, continuing to stroke her. His fingers entered her once again, this time more demanding. Her core was dripping and she grabbed his hair to pull his closer to her breast, heaving her chest.


    Minho licked her nipple raw, his love bites covering her soft pale skin. He moved to her other breast, mimicking his actions. Gayoon nearly yelped in ecstasy when he bit a little harder. Her body was moving to his rhythm, throwing her into a frenzy while his fingers attacked her erotic spot. Her core was notpletely wet and she was a mess underneath him. Minho''s lips left her breast and he trailed his kisses downwards, moving from her navel to her waist until her reached in between her legs.


    Gayoon felt shy and wanted to hide her womanhood but he held her legs apart. She bit her lip, wondering what he was going to do. Minho merely smiled, seeing how her body was giving away her need for him.


    In her moment of sanity, Gayoon noticed that the ceiling above was also made of ss. Snowkes were sprinkled on it, making it look like a ss globe. Her eyes were busy marveling at the snow fall and she smiled, feeling a sense of pure happiness.


    She was so engrossed in seeing the snow fall that when Minho''s tongue delved into her core, she let out a loud moan.

 Chapter 251: Winter Camp (7)**

    Chapter 251: Winter Camp (7)**


    "Ahh"


    She let out a loud moan when she felt his tongue swipe a lick at her core, taking her by surprise. Minho kissed her calves, nibbling into her skin to leave his marks on it. Gayoon was gasping for breath, taken aback by his attack but enjoying the feel of his lips on her as his kisses came closer and closer to her clitoris. He licked a soft spot on her thigh, making her giggle in pleasure.


    "Minho"


    She could not help but whisper his name out loud. Despite her shyness, she could not help but want more. She was not afraid anymore and wanted to let him know that. Minho read her silent plea and moved his mouth to her core.


    Gayoon gasped when his tongue touched her softness, tasting her essence. Minho sucked on to her sweetness, licking her wet folds. Gayoon felt the tension within her going higher and while her eyes were on the snow fall above her, her mind was on the things that man was doing to her body. She had never wanted anyone this much and by the tenacity of his movements, Minho wanted her to but was holding himself back for herfort.


    Minho slightly bit into her bud, making her gasp in pleasure. Gayoon clutched his hair, pulling him even closer, parting her legs further to let him in more. His tongue slipped inside her hole and she moaned loudly as she felt it slurp her juices. He found another erotic spot in her when she had gasped and repeatedly attacked it with his tongue.


    Gayoon moaned and panted, her mind on his soft tongue doing unspeakable things to her clit. She enjoyed his sweet assault, her body moving with his mouth. Her walls were beginning to rx and her wetness was increasing. Minho continued to slurp her entrance, leaving her breathless. Her moans were only encouraging him to go on and not stop. Now that he had tasted her honeypot, he did not want to stop either.


    Their movements were slowly starting to sync while the sounds of their pleasure echoed throughout the snowy night. Gayoon held on to the bed post as her orgasm was reaching its maximum point. She was not sure what was happening to her. No amount of romantic novels had prepared her for this and her body was not listening to her anymore but was at the mercy of the devilish money lover who was now pleasuring her.


    "Ohh"


    Gayoon arched her waist when her first orgasm exploded and her clit got wetter with the juices which were flowing out. Minho did not stop but hungrilypped up her juices, making her even more embarrassed. Gayoon hid her face with her hands, feeling too shy. She was timid from their intimate session and moved her head sideways, her long hair covering her face.


    Minho left her clit and towered over her. His little detective was blushing like a new bride and he felt like a big bad wolf about to devour this maiden.


    "Look at me," he said in his silky deep voice. Gayoon did not dare to and shook her head. She was still wet for him but the level of intimacy was too new for her. Minho snickered and left a chaste kiss on her neck. His palm reached for her and he slowly made her face him.


    Their eyes met and were locked into each other. Gayoon wanted to hide but she also wanted him to continue. Her mind was full of conflicted thoughts but she was not hating anything they were doing. She was just nervous.


    "Are you alright?" he asked again. "Do you want me to stop?"


    Stop? She immediately shook her head, surprising even herself.


    "II just never did this before," she squeaked. "What if I''m bad at it?"


    Minho could not help butugh. Gayoon waspletely red and she was too afraid of admitting that she wanted more.


    "Don''t worry about that," he whispered. "Just don''t be scared."


    He kissed her lips while positioning his hardness in between her legs but not entering her yet. Gayoon vaguely felt his mushroom tip poking her entrance, spooning her. She was flushed at the thought of the long and thick rod entering her but his kisses left her mind incoherent.


    He did not break the kiss, letting her taste her own essence on his. Gayoon wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on to him for support while his member kept on stroking her folds.


    Finally, in between the kisses, Minho gasped to her, "Are youready?"


    They looked at each other, the sounds of their thumping hearts filling their ears. Gayoon traced his cheeks to his lips. She closed her eyes shut and hid her face in his neck. Minho felt her slow nod and that was all he needed. He parted her legs more to leave her bare to him.


    Gayoon was nervously waiting when she felt his member slowly entering her.


    "Ahh!" she yelped in pain. Her walls were tight around his member and she felt a little bit of pain as her insides were getting adjusted to his length. She let out urgent breaths as Minho kissed her earlobe.


    "Rx," he cooed. "The pain will go away. Just rx."


    Rx? How could she when he was so close to her?


    "Follow my lead," he said in a gentle tone. Gayoon bit her lip and whispered back, "Okay."


    Slowly he began to move inside her. Gayoon let out a gasp while the pain began to subside with his gentle humps and soon, her walls rxed around him and a pleasurable sensation was building up in her. Her legs were wide apart, allowing him to enter deep into her molds and her groin was grinding with his.


    The pain was gone and instead, Gayoon was moaning in pleasure. Minho groaned in ecstasy as his movements became rougher, mming into her. He pinned her hands to her side, looking down at her face which was filled with pure lust. Gayoon''s eyes were closed but her moans escaped her lips as Minho hit her g-spot.


    He groaned, kissing her ears to her neck. Gayoon wanted to touch him but his hands were tightly holding hers and she could only let out cries of her pleasure while he hammered into her. His movements were faster, pulling in and out of her.


    Their bodies moved in sync while her walls pulled him in deeper into her womb. Gayoon''s shyness was beginning to leave and she was rxing against him, her body enjoying the pleasure he gave while Minho was enticed by the woman who was nowpletely his. He could not get enough of her. Their intimate parts were interlinked together but it was their souls which were connecting.


    He swooped down to kiss her while stroking her insides with his rod, making her moan against his lips. Their orgasms were about to explode but Minho held his back. He almost pulled outpletely and then rammed into her again, this time entering even deeper into her.


    Tears fell from Gayoon''s eyes and she moaned his name incoherently as he made love to her. Her insides were on fire and she wanted more. Soon, she arched her waist for the second time as she climaxed, her juiced coating his member but he was not done.


    He kept on hitting her g-spot, moving inside her. Gayoon was now mewling freely, the silence of the night broken by their act of love and lust. Minho moaned as her walls greedily pulled him in and soon, he also climaxed. Gayoon felt his warm seeds pouring into her and he copsed on top of her.


    They were both sweating and panting heavily, their thoughts a mess. He pulled out of her and rested his head on her buns while Gayoon stroked his hair.


    "Are you okay?" Minho finally asked. He seemed to be asking that question a lot that night.


    "I am," she whispered back. They were both taken aback by the sheer intensity of their act and none of them spoke for a while.


    "Thank you," Minho finally said.


    "For what?"


    He shifted himself up to put his arms around her and let her settle into his embrace.


    "For everything," he whispered. Gayoon smiled and kissed him. Their kiss turned deeper and their urgency began to return. He flipped her over and soon, they began to make love again, letting go of all apprehensions in each other''s arms.

 Chapter 252: Winter Camp-Conclusion

    Chapter 252: Winter Camp-Conclusion


    The snow was falling faster, shrouding the whole ce with a nket of whiteness. It contrasted with the dark night, ominously glittering in the night as if to entice passerby into a beautiful hallucination. A cold wind was gushing by almost freezing everything in its way while the roads were like icy ss. The deafeningsilence pierced through the night. Not even the sounds of insects could be heard and it felt as if the world had suddenly be quiet.


    Breaking the night''s silence was the screeching of a car''s tires. The car was driving solely but the tires were scratching the icy roads, creating rough sounds. A lone man drove the vehicle with the lights off as if he was trying to hide his presence. He was careful not to drive too fast because he could not risk an ident urring. The man was wearing a long ck trench coat with arge hat almost covering his face. He was on the lookout for anyone who might pass by but the road was quiet.


    No one was in sight.


    The man stopped the car in front of arge forest. The trees were dried up and the remaining branches covered with snow. There was a long path in the middle of the trees, heading straight for the forest. Stepping out of the car, the man looked around before heading towards the back of the vehicle. Opening the trunk, he stared at the sack inside it.


    The brown sack was tied up as if something was inside. Red stains were seeping through it and the man was visibly nervous. His long, dark hair was tied into a ponytail while his sharp, smooth skin was bing paler by the minute. Even though he was well dressed, he would attract attention in his attire if anyone came along. The ce he was at rarely had any visitors. He owned a property nearby so he knew the ce well. But if anyone saw him or worse, recognized him, then it would be a disaster.


    "This brat is a curse to me even in death," he muttered. The sack contained his dirty secret, something which he wished he could have covered up long time ago. But what he thought of as a past had came back to haunt him yearster and the revtion of this secret could destroy his whole life.


    "I must get rid of him," he decided. Looking at the sack with contempt, he picked up a shovel and hit the bag a few times. More blood wasing out of the sack and he thought that he had heard a painful whimper. But the man did not care. He would bury his secret alive if he had to but he wanted this chapter closed. He wanted the brat to be gone. Forever.


    Picking up the sack, he slowly headed deep into the forest. He knew the ce well because he came to that area every year for a family outing. So, he was not worried about being lost. After an hour, he put the sack down and looked around him.


    The forest was deep and ominous. Therge trees loomed over him dangerously, their shadows hovering around the ce he was at. They were witnessing his deed, judging him for what he had done. The man felt a little nervous. It felt as if the trees were watching him.


    "We know what you have done"


    That phrase was echoing in his ears and he stood up in rm. These trees can''t talk can they? He wondered for a wild moment.


    But he shook the thought from his mind. That was impossible. Treescould not speak. They would not be able to reveal his secrets.


    "I''m being paranoid," he muttered. Taking the shovel in his hand, he began to dig. It took him a few hours but he had finally managed to dig a proper hole in the ground. Huffing and panting, he stood up and kicked the sack into the ground.


    "Finally, he''s gone," he said, feeling triumphant. He began to fill the hole with the soil to bury his secret for once and for all.


    "Daddy"


    The soft whisper wasing from the sack and for a moment, the man paused in his deed. But he clutched the shovel firmly and kept on digging until the ground was covered once again. He used the shovel to cover the grave with snow to further hide his crime.


    The boy was gone. The curse which had gued his family was finally over! He could live in peace now.


    "Serves you right for being so nosy," he said scathingly. He spat on the grave in disgust and began to walk away. A cruel smile smeared his elegant looks as he walked back towards his car.


    A chilly wind brushed by him and he pulled his trench coat closer to warm himself up. He did not mind the little cold. His dirty secret was gone and he was happy. That was all that mattered.


    "Daddy"


    The pale boy watched his father leave without him. Tears streamed down his face as he looked at the grave his father had buried him in. It was cold and scary down there. The boy was scared of the dark and the grave was hellish for him. The innocent looking boy was silently crying in the cold and deste ce, trying to call his father who was not even looking back.


    "Was I a bad boy, daddy?" he sobbed. "I''ll be a good boy. I''ll neverin! I''ll always stay away from you! I ''ll not even tell anyone that you''re my dad! But please don''t go! I''ll be good! I promise!"


    The boy''s cries fell on deaf ears. The man could not hear him because he was satisfied that his work was done. The boy he had loathed a was gone.


    "Dad!" the boy cried. He ran after his father, trying to catch his wrist but to his horror, his hand went right through his father''s palm. The man felt a slight shiver in his hand but did not pay any heed to it. He got into his car and revved up the engine.


    The little boy ran and ran but his father had driven away.


    "Dad!" he cried. "Dad!"


    He could only watch the car slide away, going farther and farther away from him. He reached out his hand but his father would not return.


    His father was gone, leaving him all alone in the cold.

 Chapter 253: Whipped

    Chapter 253: Whipped


    Gayoonzily stretched her limbs, her eyes fluttering open. The first thing her eyes saw was the snow covered ss ceiling. She blinked several times as the events ofst night came rushing back into her mind and she blushed hard. Did we reallydo it? She thought.


    She nced to her side. Minho was sound asleep, lying on his stomach while his face was turned her way. His one hand was wrapped around her waist while the other one hung towards the ground. Seeing him sleeping so peacefully made her heart flutter. Last night felt like a dream and yet, she knew it was real thanks to the red marks covering his body. She looked down and to her surprise, she was wearing his shirt and both of them were wrapped tightly in one nket. He must have dressed her up after she dozed off to protect her from the cold.


    Making sure that he waspletely asleep, Gayoon pecked him on the lips. He stirred a little but kept on sleeping. Loosening herself from his grip, she tried to get up but her body was quite sore. It was a little painful but bearable. Gayoon sighed, cursing herself for not being able to control their activitiesst night. She knew she would be in pain the next morning and yet, she continued to let him make love to her almost all night.


    Somehow dragging herself up, she reached over to the bedside desk where her pursey. Taking out some morning pills, she popped them in her mouth and pushed the nket off her when she noticed something on Minho''s back.


    "What''s this?" she muttered. She had only seen his front part whenever he was shirtless so she never noticed the faint white marks on his backside. The lines looked like old scars which were fading but were still there. To her shock, there were not one or two but quite a few white scars on his back as if someone had once whipped his repeatedly.


    Before she could examine them any further, he shifted and rolled over on his back. Gayoon bit her lip, wondering whether to ask him or not but he was sleeping so soundly that she decided to question himter on this. She slowly got off the bed and headed for the bathroom to freshen up. By the time she was done, he was still sleeping so Gayoon went downstairs to prepare breakfast.


    As soon as she was gone, Minho was frowning in his sleep.


    "No" he mumbled. He was lost in a distressing nightmare which was guing his mind. The sound of the whips echoed in his ears. A couple of men stood above the ten year old boy who was cowering in fear at their sight. The two men wore matching uniform with ck coat and held the whips in their hands.


    "Bad children need to be punished," one of the men chanted. He raised his whip and struck the boy whose bare back was exposed to them. The boy screamed, his lungs felt like they were about to explode but no one was listening.


    "Please" he whimpered. "I only wanted to hear my sister''s voice! I only made one phone call!"


    SWOOSH!


    The whip hit him again, making him scream in agony.


    "Making phone calls is prohibited in this school," one of the men spoke. His cold voice made the boy shudder in fear. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he could only pray for the nightmare to end. His cries were falling on deaf ears and no one was going to save him. He was all alone in that ce.


    "No" Minho murmurer in his sleep, tossing and turning. "NO!"


    He woke up with a start, panting for breath. The memories he had long forgotten were beginning toe back. Ever since he came back from the World of the Dead, some of his past trauma were beginning to pop up in his mind. He thought that he had left behind that chapter in his life for good but he was wrong. It was something he could never erase.


    "Minho?" Gayoon came rushing into the room upon hearing Minho''s scream. She looked worried at his state.


    "What happened?" she asked softly. Minho was trying to catch his breath unsure of what had happened. Gayoon gently stroked his cheek and made him face her.


    "Did you see a nightmare?" she asked. "What did you see?"


    "Something I thought I''d have forgotten," he admitted. He ran a finger through his hair.


    "Tell me about it," she coaxed. She inched closer to him hug his torso. He weed her embrace and let her settle in his arms beforeying with her on the bed. His eyes were on the snow covered ceiling as he opened up another facet of his past.


    "After my mom''s murder, Mina was sent to live with Kanji''s family while I was sent to boarding school," he said. "The school I went to was supposedly the best private school in the country. But inside the luxurious walls was a cage. Everyone there had to abide by strict rules and breaking any of them would result in corporal punishment."


    "What?" Gayoon eximed, slightly lifting her head to stare at him. "That''s illegal!"


    "They hid their activities well," Minho said. "I was their prime target. The son of a murderer. In their eyes, I was the sinful one and most of their punishments were inflicted on me. Every night, I was thrown into the dark cer after being whipped by the head teachers for defying their orders. One night, I had dared to call the Jang residence in order to hear Mina''s voice. But I was caught and whipped so badly, that I had to be hospitalized."


    "Those scars," Gayoon realized. "The ones on your backthose are from the abuse!"


    Minho merely nodded. "Once I was hospitalized, the doctors tipped off the Jang''s. They were horrified to see the treatment I received. Since the school had a no phone policy, they had no idea what was happening inside the walls. Kanji''s father, Uncle Jason, had the whole school shut down and Lawyer Lee took us in. I was freed from that ce but the memories remained."


    Gayoon hugged him even tighter, unwilling to leave him. Minho spoke of that in a nonchnt way but she knew that he was still affected by it. She wanted to let him know that she was there for him and that he had people who loved him.


    "You''re much braver than I thought, Mr. Money Lover," Gayoon said in an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere.


    "I don''t think about all that," Minho sighed. "I just want to earn lots of money and live peacefully with my family.Things like that is in the past. If there''s one thing I learnt at the World of the Dead is that life is too valuable to fret over regrets. All we can do is be true to ourselves and remember all the people who love us whether they''re with us or not."


    Gayoon smiled and got up. "Come on now," she said. "Freshen up ande down for breakfast."

 Chapter 254: Breakfast**

    Chapter 254: Breakfast**


    Minho smiled back and nodded. He got up and headed straight for the bathroom. After half an hour, he headed downstairs to find Gayoon in the kitchen, busily putting fried eggs on a te along with toast, butter and sausages. He leaned against the wall, observing her every move.


    Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, exposing her smooth neck which was tainted with the hickeys he ced on herst night. She was still wearing his shirt and her rosy scent was very intoxicating. Seduced by her aroma, he moved towards her.


    Gayoon put away the pan and was about to call Minho when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, possessively iming her.


    "H-hey!" she weakly protested when he pulled her back and buried himself into her neck. She blushed when she felt his hand unbuttoning her shirt.


    "W-what" she began but his hand slipped into her shirt, caressing her soft breast. His other hand moved into her panties and began to toy with her clit, making her moan.


    "B-b-breakfastis g-g-etting cold" she moaned. Minho was simultaneously rubbing her bud and nub, making her almost melt. Her already sensitive core was getting wet again and she lost track of what she was about to say.


    "I''m already having a delicious meal right now," Minho whispered flirtatiously, making Gayoon blush harder. He moved her towards the dining table before turning her around. She yelped when he lifted her up and made her sit on it, looking directly into her eyes with a raw hunger.


    She bit her lip coyly.


    "Only one round," she conceded with a giggle. As soon as those words escaped her lips, Minho yanked her shirt open andtched on to her left breast. Shey back on the table as he licked on his favorite spot. Her nipples were hardening up as his tongue licked her raw while his fingers moved inside her core.


    Gayoon impatiently took off her pants and she heard Minho take off his trousers as well. His fingers yed with her insides while his mouth tasted her twin buns like a wild animal. She mewled, her hands trying to hold on to him for support.


    She clutched his hair, and yanked him up before hungrily kissing his lips. Their tongues meshed together in a hot frenzy, leaving them senseless in their erotic tryst. His mushroom tip was at her entrance, entering it in one swoop motion.


    Gayoon gasped loudly, feeling his warm rod moving in and out of her in an urgency. They were no longer being gentle but embraced their inner desires for each other. She moaned loudly as he kept on hitting her sensitive spot while his lips moved away from hers and once againtched on to her buns. His teeth grazed on her delicate skin, tainting her with his sinful bites.


    Minho lifted her one leg and kept on humping into her, reaching even deeper into her womb. She wrapped her feet around his waist, letting him in further. Her body was half on the table and the other half was being held up by him and she dangerously hung there as he gyrated into her. Her legs were turning into jelly and if he did not have a firm grip on her, she would have fallen down.


    Minho groaned, unable to stop himself from grinding into her. Their orgasms were reaching heights while their naked skins pped against each other, hungry for more.


    "Ahhh" Gayoon arched her back when she climaxed. Minho grunted and climaxed at the same time, releasing his seeds into her. His movements began to slow down and he copsed on her, still holding her in ce as they tried to catch their breaths. Their sweaty bodiesy like that for a while and after a while, Gayoon''s stomach growled.


    "Breakfast time, Ms. Detective Lover," Minhoughed. "You sure are hungry."


    "And whose fault is it for all theexercise?" Gayoon scolded him. Minho winkedand pulled himself out of her. He helped Gayoon sit up on the table to properly bnce herself. The shirt she was wearing had been ripped apart so Minho took off his shirt and gave it to her. Gayoon gulped once again seeing his chiseled body but controlled herself. Thanks to their pre-breakfast lovemaking, her soreness had returned and she would have to take more contraceptives.


    "I''ll serve the dishes in the living room instead," Minho said. "We can have breakfast there and then head out for the mansion."


    "Okay," Gayoon replied in a hoarse tone. She slid off the table and picked up her pants to wear them. Picking up some tissue, she wiped off the juices dripping down her calves. How did I turns this bold? She wondered, blushing hard at everything that was happening. The tension built up between them for months had finally exploded but she did not expect it to be this intense.


    Once she tidied herself up, she shyly went to the living room where Minho hadid out the tes on the floor. He ced a couple of cushions for them to sit on. She scowled a little upon noting how neat and proper he looked despite screwing her on the dining table while she waspletely flushed and sweaty.


    She saw opposite him. "When are we going to pick up Jina?" she inquired, putting a piece of toast in her mouth.


    "The camp bus will drop her off on thest day," Minho stated as he took a bite from the egg. "When are you joining work?"


    "From tomorrow," Gayoon sighed. "The Chief wasn''t happy when I took an extended leave due to the effects of that world Seungjo trapped me in. So I''ll start from tomorrow itself."


    "Will you be alright?" Minhoasked.


    "I''ll be fine," she shrugged. "Besides I-"


    A sudden cold air burst in from somewhere, making Gayoon freeze mid-sentence. She looked up, alert.


    "What happened?" Minho asked.


    "Minho, I think there''s someone in the house," Gayoon said. "Someone not alive."


    Minho was also alert now. A ghost had entered the mansion?


    "Stay here," he said in a firm tone. "I''ll go and get salt."


    To his surprise, Gayoon shook her head. "No," she murmured. "This ghost doesn''t feel dangerous. In fact, it seems to be"


    She hesitated.


    "Seems to be what?" Minho pressed.


    "ItIt''s the ghost of a little child!" she revealed.

 Chapter 255: Kang Shinho

    Chapter 255: Kang Shinho


    "Are you sure this will work?" Minho asked. Gayoon cleaned her hands and looked around. She had thrown flour all over the kitchen floor and ced a chocte right in front of the fridge.


    "I think so," she said, feeling unsure. "A child ghost is usually harmless. Contrary to most beliefs, they''re actually pure souls. They don''t know anger or rage. Unless they''re provoked, they won''t attack. You just gotta be gentle with them."


    "The flour will help us determine his location," she went on. "Once he steps on the flour, his footprints will show on the floor. The chocte can lure him here. Once hees here, all we gotta do is talk to him and convince him to move on."


    For some reason, Minho felt uneasy at the thought of a child ghost. For someone so young to lose his life and be all alone in the cold was something which bothered him.


    Ever since his time in the other world, he could not help but be a little more sympathetic to the lost souls. The girl''s words still resonated in his mind.


    Unbeknownst to Gayoon, he had a small shrine built for her in the school ground and was going to turn it into a building for a women''s ngo instead in her memory. That way, even after Minho was long gone, the girl would be remembered by all those who would be beneficiaries of the ngo.


    He did not bother to find out the identity of the girl either. She seemed pretty content with her state as if it had given her a sense of peace. Finding out about her identity might disturb that peace and that was thest thing she wanted. All she desired was to keep her sanity in that dreary ce she had made her home. Which is why some things were best left unknown.


    "Let''s hide," Gayoon said once she had finished. Minho led her towards a cer on the floor. Both of them hid there, peeking through the door to keep an eye out. Gayoon kept her ears open for the sounds of footsteps.


    "I hear something!" she whispered. Minho followed her gaze and saw that the flour on the floor was moving as if someone stepped on it. Sure enough, tiny footprints began to appear.


    The child seemed to be walking slowly. The footprints stopped in front of the chocte but the ghost was not touching it.


    "I think he''s hesitating," Gayoon guessed. The ghost was hovering around the chocte but he did not pick it up.


    Suddenly, Gayoon heard the sounds of ps. Her eyes widened in horror and Minho, too, saw the flour being blown in the air in a rapid motion as if the child was running around in panic.


    "He''s harming himself!" Gayoon eximed, running towards the ce where the child was. Minho watched her as she grabbed into apparent air but he knew that she was clinging on to the ghost.


    Gayoon was struggling to keep the kid from hitting himself but he was very ferocious. The kid also ended up scratching her but he was not harming her. He was trying to beat himself as if trying to punish himself.


    "Stop!" Gayoon yelled but the child was screaming now. Meanwhile, Minho scrambled to find his phone. There was only one solid way he knew to calm a child down.


    "Don''t harm yourself!" Gayoon begged the distraught child but he was adamant.


    "I''m a bad boy!" he kept chanting. "I hurt my dad! Bad boys deserve punishment!"


    What the hell? Gayoon realized. This child


    "Bang bang bang!"


    Bigbang''s voices emerged from somewhere and Minho appeared in front of them. The child temporarily stopped, staring at the man in front of him. Minho began to dance to Bigbang''s Bang Bang, making funny faces at the child as he danced.


    Gayoon was also wincing at the grown up manchild''s antics. Did he really think that was going to work?


    So her shock, the ghost giggled and pped as Minho danced in a funny manner. He stopped hurting himself and was watching the strange man dance. Minho slid across the floor, finishing the dance with what he thought was a good performance.


    "Ask him if he wants more," Minho huffed.


    "Once more!" the boy chimed.


    "He does," Gayoon sighed. Somehow, the ridiculous dance routine entertained children. How the money lover came up with such a ridiculous yet useful method was beyond her.


    Minho smirked and repeated the dance for the boy who wasughing hard.


    He had calmed down a lot and was giggling like a normal child. Once Minho was done, he stooped down and held out his hand in the air.


    "Hi-five?" he asked. He felt something icy touching his palm; the kid had hi-fived him.


    "How did that silly routine work on him?" Gayoon wondered out loud.


    "I used to dance for Jina when she was a toddler," Minho shrugged. "And she wasn''t an easy kid to calm down. So me, Jongin and Lia developed this dance to calm her down. If this worked on her, it would work on any kid in the world."


    Gayoon did not know what to reply to that and she could only gape. Shaking off her dismay, she turned to the ghost who had finally calmed down.


    "What''s your name?" she asked in a gentle tone. If anyone else had seen them, they would have thought the couple was insane for talking to air.


    But the ghost was looking at Minho. Thetter felt as if the ghost was studying him even if he himself could not see the child.


    "Bunny uncle!" the kid said.


    "Bunny uncle?" Gayoon echoed. "Are you talking about him?"


    She pointed at Minho. "What''s he saying?" he asked.


    "I think he knows you!" Gayoon gasped. "He''s calling you Bunny uncle. Maybe he saw you at the mall that day."


    Mall? Minho frowned.


    "He was in the washroom," the child said.


    "He says you were in the washroom," Gayoon interpreted.


    It finally hit him. The washroom. It was that kid!


    Gayoon was confused seeing Minho''s lips quiver as if he was suddenly very Angry?


    She could not fathom the change in his mood. Why was he acting as such?


    The faint memory of that scared child popped up in his head. He looked malnourished and scared, as if someone was hurting him that day. Minho met him only once but he could never forget the look of pure fear in that child''s eyes.


    "You" he began. "Is your name, Kang Shinho?"


    The ghost went silent before finally saying, "Yes. My name is Kang Shinho."

 Chapter 256: A Fight

    Chapter 256: A Fight


    "Gather up children!" the camp counselor, Yang, shouted. It was the first day of the camp and they had a list of activities lined up for the children. Every year, their camp was held in the bottom of the hills outside the capital in order to give children a first hand experience on survival skills. The children were categorized into different groups based on their skill set after carefully being evaluated by the experts.


    The children had gathered around a makeshift skiing slope. It was early in the morning andst night''s snow had still not cleared up. Thankfully, the sun was somewhat shining in the sky so the snow would be melting soon.


    Jina stretched her limbs. She was in her full ski gear and was quite excited. The campers would get to have their first skiing lessons that day and it was one of the activities she was looking forward to the most. Her friends,Seojun and Hyomin, were also attending camp that year with her.


    All of them were the same age and were sharing the same tent as well. Hyomin came from a school in City C while Seojun was from City F. Unlike Jina, they were not very rich but all three of them became fast friends at the camp. Hyomin had long, beautiful ck hair with a cute face while Seojun looked icy because of her unmiling face and bob cut but was really a shy introvert.


    "Jinjin, that slope looks very scary!" Hyomin cowered as she looked at the ce where they would be practicing. The counselors had prepared a makeshift slope for children below 10 years old to practice on. It was not very high but Hyomin was still scared.


    "Rx!" Jina assured her. "It''s for practice. You''ll have your safety gear with you as well. Just let go of all worries!"


    Hyomin winced. She did not like heights and was still nervous at the thought of skiing on that slope.


    "Just don''t think about it," Seojun advised. "Follow Counselor Yang''s instructions."


    When Hyomin still looked scared, Jina sighed. "I''ll go and get us some soda from," she said. "Maybe that will help you calm down! Seojun, stay with her."


    Seojun nodded as Jina walked off towards the spot where the counselors kept a crate full of soda cans and juices. Jina hummed to herself as she picked out a guava soda for Hyomin, an apple fizz for Seojun and a peach soda for herself.


    There was a groups of boys ying catch nearby. Jina, not noticing them, stepped away from the crater while holding the drinks in her hand. I think I''ll have my one now, she thought.


    Opening her can, Jina began to head back towards her friends when someone came crashing at her.


    "AHHHH!" she yelled and fell down. The juice in her hand spilled all over her shirt while the boy rolled over. Both of them were grunting on the ground in pain. Jina pulled herself up while the boy, too, stood straight, ring at each other.


    "Why did you push me?" Jina demanded. The boy was a little older than her. He was probably 9 or 10 years old with jet ck hair and sharp eyes. He had a cold expression on his face as he stared at the brat who came in his way.


    "You came in my way," he said icily. He was about to turn away but Jina grabbed his arm.


    "Say sorry to me!" she demanded. The boy raised an eyebrow at the tiny kid who dared to touch him.


    "You''re the one who was in the way," he stated. "Let me go."


    "Apologize! You should apologize when you make a mistake!"


    "No."


    Jina was about to scold him when he roughly pushed her. The little girl fell on the snow. But she red at him, unwilling to let him go. The boy turned his back to her and was walking away when Jina kicked his foot.


    "AGH!" the boy yelled as he came tumbling down. Before he could react, Jina grabbed his hair and sat on his back.


    "Apologize, right now!" she ordered. "Otherwise, I''ll pull all your hair off!"


    "Never!"


    Their bickering attracted a crowd. The other children watched as Jina and the boy wrestled in the snow, trying to beat each other into submission. The boy tried to kick her away but Jinanded a punch to his stomach, rendering him breathless for a while.


    "You two!"


    Counselors Yang and Namjoo came forward to stop the kids from fighting. With great difficulty, they managed to separate the two but the kids were still trying to tear at each other.


    "Let me at him!" Jina barked. "Apologize to me, right now!"


    "You uncivilized brat!" the boy spat at her. "Don''t you know how to respect your seniors?"


    "Mommy taught me that respect should be given to people based on their work not age!" Jina imed, still trying to w at him.


    "ENOUGH!" Yang bellowed. Both the children became silent but were still ring at each other.


    "You two go back to your tents!" Namjoo ordered. "As punishment, you''ll have to clean the kitchen floors today!"


    The camp rules were very strict about fighting and any child found to have broken a rule would be punished with chores.


    "But he started it!" Jina imed.


    "Liar!" the boy shot back.


    "I don''t care who started it but no fighting!" Yang scolded them. "You can''t fight with each other in this camp! We''re here to gather new friends and experiences. Not fight like cats and dogs!"


    Hyomin and Seojun came forward to hold Jina.


    "We''ll take her back to the practice," Seojun said to the Counselor. Yang nodded and Jina''s friends began to tug at her.The boy was still fuming in anger. His friends had also arrived to take him away but his mind lingered on the brat who had dared to humiliate him.


    "Let me go!" Jina eximed once they were out of earshot. "I wanna punch him so badly!"


    "Jina, don''t mess with him," Hyomin hissed. "He''s dangerous."


    "Dangerous?" Jina scoffed. "I can take him out with one punch!"


    She held out her fist, looking like an angry kitten rather than the fierce tigress she was hoping for.


    "No silly!" Seojun snapped. "Don''t you know who he is? He''s Kang Siwan, the son of Kang Danny!"


    "Kang Danny?" Jina echoed. The name sounded familiar to her.


    "The famous surgeon!" Hyomin whispered. "The man owns numerous hospitals and NGO''s across the world! He''s only the second or third richest man in the country but his family is also very influential! They''re almost royalty."


    "Who the hell cares about third ce?" Jina scoffed. "My dad is still richer than that moron''s dad! Royalty? Puhleez! He''s worse than scum!"


    "Well, he is the only heir to their business," Seojun said. "They''re already prepping him to be a surgeon. Once he''s ready, he''ll take over the business. Anyway, he''s dangerous. Last time, another boy had offended him. Siwan told his dad and his father used his connections to make sure that the boy and his family will not be able to live in this country anymore."


    "What did they do?" Jina asked curiously.


    "I don''t know but one day, that family just packed everything and left!"


    Jina only made a face. The boy might be good looking but was a straight out bully who needed to be straightened out by his parents.


    "We''ll just stay far away from people like him!" Jina stated. "Now let''s go and ski!"


    .


    Meanwhile, Siwan was in his tent. One of his servants was tending to his injuries. As the son of a powerful man, he was allowed to bring his own servants from the mansion. The camp counselors were coerced into submitting to his demands by his father and they could not argue.


    His icy expressions were hardening as he thought of the humiliation that girl had put him through. One of his friends had told him that her name was Hwang Jina and she was the daughter of Hwang Minho, the most powerful man in the country. But that did not deter his desire to exact revenge from that kid.


    "I''ll make her suffer," he swore. "That brat dared to mess with me, eh?"


    An evil smirk curved up his lips. His handsome features were marred by a mania.


    "Now she''ll know real pain," he snickered.

 Chapter 257: Scars of the Dead (1)

    Chapter 257: Scars of the Dead (1)


    Mina blinked at the odd couple who had just waltzed into her chamber. Minho was staring back at her while Gayoon seemed nervous. Shinho saw on a chair opposite to Mina''s desk, ncing at the grown ups.


    "Soyou''re saying that there''s a ghost sitting here?" Mina asked, pointing at an empty chair right across her. Minho and Gayoon hade to her with a bizarre case about a little boy''s ghost who broke into their winter mansion and was looking for his father.


    "Is the pretty doctor gonna use an injection on me?" Shinho asked.


    "No, my dear," Gayoon said gently. "She''ll only ask you a few questions."


    "I don''t mind a shot from a pretty doctor like her!" Shinho piped up.


    "What''s he saying?" Mina asked, feeling rmed.


    "He''s calling you pretty," Gayoon stated.


    "That I am," Mina boasted. "But what''s the deal with him?"


    "We think he might have gone through some abuse," Gayoon exined. "He was hitting himself when he was about to pick up the chocte weid out for him. Also, Minho saw him a few days ago and he had some bruises on his skin."


    "So why did you bring him to me?" Mina frowned. "You''re the ghost interpreter!"


    "You''re a doctor," Minho shrugged. "Maybe you''ll be able to fish something out."


    "I treat humans not ghosts!"


    "So what if he doesn''t have a beating heart?" Minho scoffed. "Gayoon can interpret his words for you. Maybe you''ll be able to know more about his abuse once you hear it."


    "Ugh!" Mina scowled. "This is so bizarre! We don''t even have a body for me to examine!"


    "He said he doesn''t know where his body was buried," Gayoon sighed. "The whole area was new to him but I have a feeling his grave is somewhere nearby. It seems to me that he''s a new ghost. His body must have been recently buried too!"


    "Can''t you use your police force to find it?" Mina asked.


    "WellI''ll need someone to file an officialint about the kid going missing," Gayoon said, ncing at Minho. "And since we don''t know his parents, wecan''t issue a search warrant."


    Mina did some quick thinking. "So you can''t officially check for bodies"


    She nced at the ce where the ghost sat. Only eight years old and already dead. He was the same age as Jina too. Even a selfish person like Mina could not help but sympathize with the child. She had many patients who went through severe abuse in their lives, with a lot of them dying in obscurity or killing themselves. But knowing that a ghost came to her for help and that too a child was making her sad. No one deserved such a fate.


    Suddenly, she pped her hands together. "Leave that to me. I can convince someone to dig that area. There''s a forest nearby, right? I think I can hook a fish to do the job."


    "Who?" Minho frowned. "Kanji?"


    "That idiot is out of town," Mina waved. "He ran away after giving Gayoon that useless magazine."


    Gayoon shifted in her chair while Minho looked away.


    "Anyways," Mina went on. "I''d like to ask some questions to Shinho."


    She turned towards the chair where Shinho sat. Taking out a pen and paper, she ced it on the table and scribbled down the alphabets in a circr shape while writing Yes and No in the middle.


    "I don''t know how this works," Mina said. "But this is a makeshift nchet. Even though these are used in seances, since we have a ghost amongst us, we can use this to help him answer our questions. Brother, from what Gayoon had said earlier, he seems to respond to you the most. I think you should be the one to put your hand on the paper so that he can guide you."


    "This might work," Gayoon said. Minho nodded and put a finger on the paper.


    Mina then addressed to Shinho, adopting an unusually gentle tone. "Shinho," she said. "This pretty doctor will ask you a few questions. All you have to do is put your hand on the bunny uncle''s finger and guide him to make the words which will answer our questions. For example"


    She took Minho''s hand and guided it across the board to form a word.


    "A-P-P-L-E," Mina exined to him. "I created the word apple. That''s how you can answer our questions. Got it?"


    "I did!" Shinho said.


    "He understood," Gayoon interpreted. Minho felt something cold touching his hand.


    "Ask away," Minho said.


    "Shinho, where is your mother?" Mina asked.


    Shinho moved Minho''shand to form the word ''Dead''. Mina scribbled the answer on her notes.


    "Where''s your father?" she queried.


    Minho''s hand began to move to form ''Big House''. "Maybe he used to live in a mansion?" Minho frowned. "What is your father''s name?"


    To their surprise, Shinho replied with ''I don''t know''.


    "Why?" Gayoon asked.


    "Father came after mother''s death," Shinho said through the nchet. "Took me away and locked me in a dark room inside the big house."


    Mina tapped her pencil on the notepad. "Shinho, were your father and mother married?" she asked.


    As she had suspected, Shinho moved Minho''s hand towards ''No''.


    "Where did your father hurt you the most?" Mina asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Shino was silent for a while before moving Minho''s hand across the board to formte multiple words.


    "Chest," Mina read. "Legs, head, stomach, lungs, feet"


    But the words would not stop. He kept on revealing the ces where his father had hit him over the years. Minho did not say anything but stared in shock as his hand was being sprawled on the paper to narrate the sufferings of the child. There was not a single ce on his body which had not been abused and it sickened him that such monsters could be parents.


    Gayoon was also wincing at the little boy''s revtions. She had seen so many abused children and yet, she was disgusted at the audacity of some people. For once, she wholeheartedly wished that the CCK had eaten out Shinho''s father''s heart. But then again, did demons like them have any heart to begin with?


    "That''s enough," Mina said, trying to stay calm. Even though they could not see the ghost, the room''s temperature had dropped significantly due to Shinho''s increasing sadness. Even after death, the boy wants to return to his father out of love.


    The trio were silent for a while. Shinho was unsure of what he did to have offended the adults who looked upset. He then moved Minho''s hand on the paper again.


    "Am I a bad boy?" he asked. "Will I be punished?"


    "He''s been wired to think that if something is wrong, then it''s his fault," Mina said in a grim tone.


    "Abusers do that," Minho gritted. "They me others for their own mistakes."


    It did not take them long to figure out why Shinho''s father had abused him. The little boy was illegitimate and Shinho''s father saw him as a burden he never wanted. Instead of owning up to his own mistake, the man took it out on the innocent boy whose only crime was to have been born in this world.


    "You''re not a bad boy," he said, reaching his hand out in an attempt to pat the invisible Shinho. "Whatever your father did was not your fault. So don''t ever think you''re a bad boy."


    Shinho was staring at the bunny uncle whose hand felt warm. He never felt someone patting him when he was alive so this was very new to him.


    "Excuse me for a minute," Mina requested. The others nodded as she stood up to leave the room. ncing behind her to make sure they were not following her out, she quickly made her way towards the VIP ward.


    Haejong was dressed up in a light shirt and pants, ready to be discharged. The wound was bandaged and needed changing everyday so he would have his private physician attend to him once he was back in his mansion. His men were about to escort him secretly in a highly secured car and he was fiddling with his phone while he waited for them.


    But for some reason, he was feeling restless. He was reluctant to leave the hospital. It felt as if he was leaving something behind.


    Mina''s image shed in his mind and he cursed himself.


    "Fucking hell!" he muttered. "Why can''t I get that woman out of my head?"


    Did she put any enchantment on me? He wondered. He had slept with better and much more beautiful women than her without feeling anything for them. Then why was his mind lingering on the puny doctor?


    "Oi!"


    Mina''s shrill voice startled him. He looked up to see Mina fidgeting a little.


    "What?" he sneered.


    "Do something for me," she ordered. Haejong leaned back, studying her. The woman had the audacity to order him around without a care in the world.


    "I don''t take orders," he said coolly.


    "Oh, save your ego for another time!" she snapped. "We both know that mafia people have this thing about repaying debts and what not."


    "What debt do I owe you?" Haejong asked warily.


    "The fact that I didn''t ''identally'' cut off one of your artilleries during surgery is a huge debt to repay," Mina said sweetly. "You owe me your life, chum."


    "You''ve been watching too many movies," Haejong said. "But if fulfilling your wish keeps you away from me, then I might do it. Whom do you want dead?"


    "I don''t want anyone dead," Mina said. "I want to find someone who is dead."


    When Haejong frowned in confusion, Mina said, "I want you to dig up a dead body."

 Chapter 258: Scars of the Dead (2)

    Chapter 258: Scars of the Dead (2)


    "this ce is so cool!" Yumi said in awe, marveled by the white snow all around her. "Youe here every year?"


    "Yeah!" Jina eximed. "Isn''t it Casper?"


    The ghost simply nodded and shed a thumbs up. It was nighttime and the counselors were leading the children towards the campfire which was set up for them deep into the woods. All the children were lined up in a serial with the counselors overseeing them. Jina deliberately stayed at the back of the line in order to show off the ce to Casper and Yumi.


    Snow covered the entire forest while the trees were dry and devoid of leaves. The branches loomed above their heads as they entered deeper, the darkness increasing with every step. Jina pulled up her jacket as the cold wind gushed by. The ghosts behind her left no footprints behind. They were awed by the forest''s mystic nature. A sense of calmnessy around them as if the forest his many secrets.


    Twigs crunched under their feet as they kept on walking ahead. There were no wild animals that time which only increased the istion and mystique of the woods. A few insects cried in the background but those were faint. Somewhere in afar, a wolf''s howl startled Yumi. She yelped and her head hung from her neck.


    "W-what was that?" she squeaked.


    "That''s probably Juno," Jina replied. "He''s the wolf like spirit which runs around the forest at night."


    "Eh?"


    Yumi nced at the other children who had not heard the howl. They remained oblivious, chattering away as they walked.


    "A-a wolf''s spirit?" she echoed.


    "Probably," Jina said. "He''s quite unpredictable. One minute he''s sweet and yful but in another minute he''ll be angry and start attacking people. He doesn''t attack me coz he doesn''t attack little children. Plus, I feed him chicken wings so he likes me."


    "What sort of army is this girl building?" Yumi asked in dismay. "I''m more scared of her than I am of the other ghosts!"


    Casper too gave Jina a reproachful look.


    "Gather around here kids!" Namjoo yelled from ahead. They had finally reached the camping spot. Arge bonfire was already lit there and the children began to put down their bags and tents on the ground.


    "We''ll be setting up our tents here tonight," Namjoo stated. "And we''ll bepleting our next activity too! It''ste at night but that doesn''t mean we won''t be having fun!"


    The children shouted in joy. They loved thete night activities which usually included story telling sessions and treasure hunts. The camp''s route was nned carefully so that children would not get hurt or lost in the process. There were markers on the trail so that the children could learn to find their way back to the camp and also gain some real life surviving skills in the process.


    "The task today is simple," Namjoo went on. "All of you will be divided into pairs. Each pair will be taking a different route into the woods. The routes have direction marks up till route 10. All you have to do is, collect as many winter berries as you could from route 1 to 10 within ten minutes. Remember, you must not go beyond route 10. The pair which will collect the most number of berries will win the annual Winter Trophy! Understood?"


    "Yes!" the children shouted.


    "Should they really be sending children alone like this?" Yumi frowned.


    "Rx," Jian assured her. "I''ve been winning thispetition for the past two years. I''ve got this!"


    A ss jar was being passed around for the children to pick up a random number from. Each number were written in pairs and the kids with the matching numbers were paired up. Jina took out one number.


    "Seven," she read. She looked around. Seojun seemed to have found her partner. Hyomin did note because she was too scared of the dark and always stayed behind.


    "Seven" she muttered.


    "Looks like it''s us."


    The familiar yet annoyingly cold tone made her spin around. To her shock, it was Siwan.


    "You?" she sneered. "I don''t wanna be your partner!"


    "Nor do I but we don''t have a choice," he said, raising his eyebrow. "Everyone else already have their partners."


    Jina looked around and sure enough, everyone had paired up. Yumi and Casper were ring at the puny brat who was giving Jina deathly stares.


    "Isn''t it the same brat who was messing with you in the morning?" Yumi asked. "Lemme punch him!"


    Jina shot her a ''don''t-you-dare-do-it'' look. Turning to Siwan, she said out loud, "Fine. Just don''t get in my way."


    Siwan did not reply simply turned away to head for the route they were assigned to. There were five routes and each pair was assigned to one route. Jina and Siwan took their positions. She nced at Seojun who nodded at her.


    "One" Namjoo counted. "Twothreego!"


    The children set off on their trails. Jina did not waste a second and began to collect the berries off the bushes with Yumi and Casper guiding her while Siwan dallied behind. He was pretending to pick up the berries and looked behind at Jina who was preupied with the task. Slowly heading towards the signage, he looked around. The direction arrow was pointing left. Making sure that no one was looking, he pointed the arrow right.


    "I''m going up ahead!" he eximed at her. "Come to route 2 when you''re done!"


    Jina heard him but did not bother to reply. Smirking in satisfaction, he went ahead, leaving her apparently alone.


    "Let''s move on," Yumi suggested once Jina was done collecting a handful of berries in her basket.


    "Yeah," Jina agreed and the trio set off towards route 2. They turned right and ventured off in search of more berries.


    .


    Minho, Gayoon and Mina were following the mysterious men who Mina had managed to recruit to find Shinho''s body. Haejong was up ahead, leading his men towards the ce Mina had mentioned to him. The little boy''s ghost did not remember where he was buried but he had informed them that it was not far from Minho''s winter lodge since it was the first house the boy had seen once he became a ghost. They had requested the ghost to stay back in their mansion at the city because it might be too much for the child to see his own dead body in front of him.


    "He said that he entered from the backdoor," Gayoon whispered. "It faces the north. Maybe his body is buried somewhere there?"


    "Probably," Minho sighed.


    "But who are these men?" Gayoon asked nervously.


    His question was directed at Mina who winced a little. The men who were helping them did not seem like the type who would readily volunteer for a noble deed. They looked like they would be doing the opposite. The men were dressed in heavy ck jackets and had a mean look on their faces which creeped out Gayoon. They were holding the leashes of vicious hounds which were sniffing the grounds. The hounds looked well trained in finding things but there was a bloodlust in them which Gayoon could only associate with police hounds. She nced at Mina who looked a little nervous and conflicted with her decision to involve Haejong.


    She did not tell them that the men who were helping them were from the mafia. Gayoon would not approve since they were criminals and Minho would also object taking help from them.


    "Theythey are one of my patient''s men," she replied, choosing her words carefully. "He''s a VIP and knows this area. He can help."


    Before Minho and Gayoon could question her more, she quickly darted towards Haejong who was holding a torch in his hands.


    "I can''t believe a day had arrives when I''m digging out bodies instead of burying them," he muttered.


    "And I can''t believe I''m taking help from a person who is possibly responsible for half the deaths in my hospital," Mina retorted. "But desperate times call for desperate measures."


    "Why are you so interested in finding this dead body?" Haejong asked. Mina had not told him whose body she was looking for any why but was simply ordering him around.


    "It''sI suspect it''s a patient of mine who was being abused," she lied. "He didn''t turn up for his appointments and when I called his home, his father was behaving strangely. The father had been abusing the child for years. I happened to know that the father has a secret property here and I wanted to check out if my suspicions are correct."


    She did not look at him while saying all that but Haejong did not question her any further. The hounds were sniffing the ground, their senses alert. Suddenly, they began to growl and bark.


    "Boss, they''ve sensed something!" one of the men spoke up.


    "Follow them!" Haejong ordered. Gayoon and Minho ran after the group which was being led by the dogs which sped up towards the woods. Finally, the dogs stopped at a spot and barked loudly.


    "That spot" Minho frowned upon seeing it. "The ground is a little higher and looks freshly dug."


    "My men will dig it," Haejong told him. Gayoon caught up and also frowned at the spot. Haejong''s men began to dig the ground while Gayoon, Minho and Mina watched on, dreading the worst.


    After a while, one of the diggers yelled, "I found something!"


    They scrambled to unearth it. Instantly, a pungent smell hit their noses but none of them flinched. Minho stepped forward as the men brought out arge sack. One of them opened it to reveal the cold, pale body of a little boy. The body was still preserved since it was winter and not much time had passed since his death.


    There was frozen blood on his head along with arge wound. Everyone stared at the body with mixed feelings. Minho clenched his fists while Gayoon held on to his arm, saddened by the sight. Mina gazed at the innocent boy''s face, trying to fight off tears. Haejong noticed her struggle not to cry and he subconsciously reached out his hand to console her but she turned away, not being able to see the sight any longer. Seeing the dead bodies of children was something she was still not used to and after hearing how Shinho was abused, she could not help but cry.


    They were silent for a while before Haejong spoke up.


    "Since we dug this body up without a warrant, my men will go and anonymously leave him in front of the nearest police station," he stated. "Let them handle it from then on."


    "No," Gayoon said. "Leave him in front of the capital''s police station. At city A''s precinct."


    "Why?" Haejong frowned.


    "Because, I''m a detective of that station and I can take up this case if it''s filed there," she revealed.

 Chapter 259: Scars of the Dead (3)

    Chapter 259: Scars of the Dead (3)


    "I think we''re lost," Jina concluded. They had been wandering the woods for an hour without seeing any signs for route 2. They were to finish the task within ten minutes. Surely, the counselors would not make such a grave mistake, right?


    "I bet it was that brat!" Yumi said angrily. "He was lingering behind while we were picking the berries. He must have changed the direction arrow!"


    Casper also nodded in agreement and made some gestures which Jina interpreted as a lot of curse words. Even the normally affable Jina was irritated at the boy but Casper''s choice of words surprised her.


    "Boy, even Casper is angry," Jina noted. "He used the F-word in front of me!"


    "Those wille in handy when you''re a grown up," Yumi stated. "Stupid brat just ruined our night! Now, how do we get out of here?"


    They had ventured very deep into the forest and there was not a soul in sight. Even if most of the wild animals were hibernating, they did not want to stumble upon a sleeping bear and wake it up. The trees were getting bigger and wider while the path ahead was curtained in darkness. Casper and Yumi were new to the area so they had no idea what was in store for them. Moreover, the spirits of the forests were not always kind. What if they ran into a vicious ghost? Or worse?


    "Well, we''ll have to find a way," Jina said, feeling determined. "The counselors won''t realize we''re missing until it''s rollcall time tomorrow morning. That''ll be toote."


    "Maybe we can find the highway?" Yumi suggested but Jina shook her head.


    "We don''t know which way the highway is at!" she pointed out. "The first rule when you''re lost is to stay where you are."


    "You''ll freeze to death here!" Yumi snapped. Casper also agreed with her. The night was getting colder by the minute and if they did not get Jina to a warmer ce, she could catch a frostbite. Even though she had threeyers of clothes on her, the winter was harsh. She needed warmth.


    "Rx," Jina assured them. "I know a way to get back. Just watch."


    The ghosts frowned as Jina put two fingers in her mouth and whistled. For a minute, nothing happened which only confused the ghosts.


    "What was that?" Yumi asked. "Nothing happened-"


    Suddenly, theyheard a low growling from somewhere. Something was approaching their way. The sounds of paws crawling on the snow reached their ears and the snarling of a hound made Casper take a defensive stance. They were looking at the dark bushes in front of them.


    Slowly, arge ck wolf-like creature emerged from the bushes. It was not fully a wolf. The body was of a wolf but it was standing on its hind legs, straight and savage. The creature had blood red eyes and sharp canines. It red at them as if waiting to attack.


    Yumi and Casper did not dare to make a noise. "W-w-what is that?" Yumi squeaked.


    But Jina was not paying attention. She was searching her inside her bag and finally took out a box full of fried chicken wings.


    "Here Bobo!" she yelled, throwing a chicken wing in the air. The creature jumped and caught it with its teeth, tearing into the meat. Yumi screamed in fear, her limbs almost falling off and she hid behind Casper who was also trying to shield Jina but the little girl onlyughed.


    "Rx!" she said. "He''s harmless."


    "What the hell is that thing?" Yumi yelled. "A werewolf?"


    "What''s that?" Jina asked innocently. "He''s the forest''s guardian. He probably died many years ago and somehow ended up protecting this forest. You heard him howling when we entered the forest."


    The creature was done eating the chicken wing and howled again as if asking for more. Jina threw another chicken wing at it and he chowed on that one as well. She reached out her hand, ushering it toe closer. Yumi only cowered more as it responded to Jina''s call and let her pat its fur. But the creature was still growling at the ghosts.


    "He''s wary of you," Jina exined. "He doesn''t trust ghosts. But since you''re with me, he won''t harm you."


    "How the hell did you end up taming this thing?" Yumi shivered. Casper was also visibly shocked at how the creature was listening to Jina.


    "Last year, I was lost in the forest," Jina exined. "And ran into him. He wanted to attack but he was really hungry so he was too weak. So I gave him some of the chicken wings I carried around and since then, he sorta likes me. He also promised me that he''ll help me whenever I''lle to this forest and whistle. People might be scared of him but he''s really a good dog. Aren''t you?"


    The creature did not respond but purred a little indicating that it liked the little kid. The ghosts were dumbfounded at Jina''swork.


    "Bobo, can you help me get back to my camp?" Jina asked. "I''m lost."


    As if understanding her, the creature''s ears perked up. He fell on his four legs and began to sniff the ground before letting out another howl.


    "He''s telling us to follow him!" Jina said excitedly.


    "Is he going to lead us to hisir of monsters?" Yumi asked fearfully. But Casper, sensing that the little doggy was trying to help Jina, followed it. Yumi, not wanting to fall behind, also tailed them albeit in fear.


    After a while, Bobo stopped in front of some familiar looking trees. They had reached a small opening and could hear the children chattering on the other end.


    "Here''s a direction arrow!" Yumi pointed out at a signage. "This is route 1! The one we were on. The dog brought us to the right ce!"


    Jina peeked through the trees and saw that the counselors were telling stories to the other kids.


    "We''re here," Yumi was saying. "Let''s just go back to the camp!"


    "No," Jina said, shaking her head. "Not yet."


    Bobo was sitting next to her while the other two ghosts stared at her. "What are you talking about?" Yumi snapped. "We should head back!"


    "We will," Jina said calmly. "But not without punishing that bully."


    A sly smirk appeared on her innocent looking face while Bobo licked his paws next to her like a loyal minion.


    "Let''s teach that brat a lesson he''ll never forget and send him running to his mommy," Jina swore, her eyes twinkling with an evil glint.

 Chapter 260: Scars of the Dead (4)

    Chapter 260: Scars of the Dead (4)


    "Alright kids, off to bed!" the counselor announced. The children were getting sleepier and after thepetition, they were ready for a good night''s rest. Seojun nced around to keep an eye out for Jina and frowned. She had not seen her for a while.


    "Is she sleeping in another tent?" she wondered. But she had little time to think as the counselors began to usher the kids towards the tents. She shrugged and entered her own tent to sleep.


    Siwan was also heading towards his own tent with his friends. There was an arrogant smile on his face.


    "What happened, Siwan?" one of his friends asked. "You look happy."


    "Nothing," Siwan mused. Inwardly, he was ecstatic that the wench had not returned. No one noticed her absence since he told the counselors that she went back to the campsite since she was not feeling well. Since the camp route was marked and Hwang Jina knew the way well, they did not question him much. Siwan was gleeful that while everyone was having fun, she was probably out in the cold, crying for help.


    Serves her right, he thought. He bid his friends goodbye and went into his tent. As the son of a very influential man, his father had coerced the camp counselors into giving Siwan his own tent. He hated sharing his room with anyone else and preferred to sleep alone.


    Changing into his pajamas, hey on the bed. He was still smiling at the thought of Jina begging for help in the forest. She did not know whom she was messing around with and it gave him immense pleasure to punish her for her insolence.


    "Let''s see how you get yourself out of that forest," he grinned and closed his eyes before drifting into a deep sleep.


    The camp fell into a pitch darkness. The chattering of children had died away and the fires were out. Inhabitants of the tents were peacefully sleeping inside their tents, unaware of the world around them. The snow was pale and white, contrasting against the dark, starless sky. An eerie silence fell all around the camp, like a grave like quietness.


    A distant howling was heard which broke Siwan''s sleep. He groggily rubbed his eyes and pulled the nket over him. As he was falling into the depths of slumber again, the nket was being pulled from his body.


    "Whatyoudoing!" he said in coherently, trying to pull it back up. There was a momentary pause before the nket was suddenly yanked away from him.


    "AH!" he jerked awake and to his horror, the nket was being thrown in the air before it was flung at him.


    "W-w-w-who''s there?" he squeaked. A dark shadow lingered outside his tent. The silhouette seemed familiar of a girl of short height and twin pigtails.


    "Who''s there?" he yelled again but the silhouette disappeared. Suddenly, the tent was beginning to shake violently, pping all around him as he was driven to a corner in fear.


    "Help!" he screamed. "Help me!"


    But the tent kept on shaking, scaring the wits out of him. The bed was being upturned by unseen forces and Siwan cowered in fear as his clothes were being strewn all over the ground.


    "AHHH!" he yelled, closing his eyes and ears. But the shaking stopped and there was pin drop silence once again. He was panting for breath and slowly looked up. The tent was calm again and there was no sign of anyone in there. He quickly darted for the tent''s opening.


    Trembling, he unzipped the tent and nced outside. Everyone else was asleep and no one seemed to hear his screams. I should head for the counselor''s tent, he thought.


    He slowly got out of the tent and began to make a run for the counselor''s tent. But he tripped on the ground and before he could get up, something began to drag him towards the forest. He tried to scream but an invisible hand sped his mouth shut.


    "Mpfh!" he struggled to be free but the invisible force was pulling him to the forest before letting him go. He struggled to get up and screamed really loudly.


    "HELP!" he wailed. "HEEEEEELP!"


    Out of nowhere, a nket appeared and began to wrap him in it like a mummy. Siwan yelped, screaming for help, struggling to be free from the nket.


    "Help! Mommyyyy!" he cried. "Help meeee!"


    His cries woke up the other campers and they emerged from the tents.


    "What''s going on?" Namjoo demanded as she came rushing towards Siwan who was at the edge of the forest, wrapped in a nket. She took the nket off him and he was crazily waving his hands in fear.


    "G-ghosts!" he yelled. "T-t-t-t-there are ghosts here!"


    The other children had also arrived, all of them annoyed by the noise.


    "What''s going on?" one childined. "I wanna sleep!"


    "Why is he shouting?" another one sneered. "Ruining our sleep!"


    They were all ring at him, feeling angry for his silly joke. Namjoo was also not impressed with Siwan''s antics.


    "You only had a nightmare," she told him. "There''s no such thing as ghosts!"


    "I saw a ghost!" he insisted. "I saw that girlHwang Jina! Her ghost is haunting me-"


    "I''m right here."


    Jina emerged from the crowd of kids, wearing her night dress. She was yawning widely and frowned at him.


    "Y-y-you!" he sputtered. How was this possible? She was supposed to be lost in the forest! They would not have found her that easily! Did she find her way back? But how?


    "Were you having a nightmare?" Jina asked, feigning an innocent tone.


    "She was the one who tried to scare me!" Siwan used. Namjoo looked from him to Jina who looked bbergasted. Seojun stepped forward.


    "Jina was sleeping with me in my tent," Seojun revealed. "She said she was feeling fine so she came back to the camp. Since she missed the sessions, she came to my tent to sleep. She was there the whole time."


    Siwan gaped at the counselor. "You were having a nightmare," Namjoo went on. "And ended up sleepwalking. You''re lucky you didn''t go too far otherwise you could have been lost in the forest!"


    The other kids murmured, feeling annoyed at being awakened by some silly boy''s nightmare.


    "Rich boy thinks he''s too privileged," one child said loudly. "Since he can''t sleep, he won''t let others sleep. Just send him to his mommy!"


    Everyone agreed in silence. Namjoo turned to them and said, "Enough talking! Go back to your tents!"


    The children muttered in irritation and slowly headed back towards their tent. Jina also turned around to leave but unseen by everyone, she was stifling a smile. Siwan red at her retreating back.


    "Go back to your tent, Siwan," Namjoo said. "Or share with a friend."


    Siwan did not reply but strode off towards a tent which belonged to his friend. He was not going back to his old ten in case the ghosts came back.


    It was not a nightmare, he concluded. He knew that Jina was the one who tormented him. I''m going to find out, he swore. I''ll find out your secret, Hwang Jina!


    .


    Casper, Yumi and Bobo were watching everything from afar. Bobo was licking his paws while Yumi was beaming and Casper was also flushed at their sess. Even if humans could not see them all the time, ghosts were able to scare them easily.


    "Jina''s n was ingenious!"Yumiughed. "The kid really did cry for his mommy! That''ll teach him not to bully other people!"


    Casper nodded in agreement. They tried not to harm the kid during the prank. All they wanted to do was teach him a good lesson that bad deeds do not go unpunished.


    "Let''s explore this area," Yumi suggested. "So that we don''t get lost again."


    Casper nodded and they disappeared in the darkness. Bobo did not go with them but headed towards the tent where Jina was sleeping. He let out a loud yawn and stretched his limbs before falling asleep in front of her tent.

 Chapter 261: Scars of the Dead (5)

    Chapter 261: Scars of the Dead (5)


    Junwan was having a headache. With Jeon Gayoon on extended leave, the workload in his precinct had increased a lot. Taejoon was trying to handle the cases on his own but he was not nearly as experienced as Gayoon when it came to catching criminals quickly. Hence, Junwan had to take up a lot of the load. Hell, he was even going around the neighborhood to look for petty criminals.


    "That guy is still not confessing?" Junwan barked. They had recently caught a well known drug dealer who was selling drugs to teenagers at school. It took them weeks to catch the guy whereas Gayoon could have caught him within days had she not been on leave. And the dealer was still not confessing because instead of catching him red handed, Taejoon had hit him with his car right before the dealer was about to make a deal with their informer. It was an ident but the damage was done. Now the dealer was threatening to sue.


    "He''s not," Taejoon admitted. "I tried to make him confess but he''s adamant that he''s innocent."


    "IS THIS HOW INCOMEPENT MY OFFICERS HAVE BECOME?" Junwan shouted and threw the files aside. "You guys were useless in catching the CCK which resulted in my finest detective to get injured! And now you''re telling me that you can''t even catch a petty druggie?"


    Taejoon was looking down at his feet, unable to answer anything. Junwan was frustrated at theck of discipline in his station. Truthfully, he had relied on Gayoon so much that now it felt as if the other officers had be too rxed. They were not doing their duties properly.


    "Gayoon is returning to work tomorrow," he said. "I want you all to report to her about your failures. And I''ll tell her that she must give you all deadlines toplete them. If any of you fails, then she''ll report to me and I''ll suspend you guys one by one! I don''t want a bunch of useless morons serving my precinct! Either increase your efficiency or I''ll have you transferred to a vige station! You guys can catch cycle thieves for the res t of your lives!"


    He was damn serious. The police station was in tatters thanks to the increase in criminals in the city but if the officers could not work hard, they were wee to leave.


    Taejoon was about to speak up when an officer came running into the Chief''s room.


    "Sir!" he eximed, looking extremely worried. "You need to see this!"


    "What happened now?" Junwan frowned warily.


    "Someone left a dead body right outside the station!" the officer revealed. Junwan was shocked. A dead body was dumped outside the police station?


    He got up and ran towards the entrance. Heading outside, he saw a group of officers gathered around the body. They did not venture too close but were curiously staring at the body of a little boy which had been dumped there. Junwan and Taejoon immediately wore their gloves.


    "Call the forensic doctor, Jaein," Junwan ordered one of the rookie officers. Thetter nodded and diald Jaein''s number. Taejoon stooped down to examine the body.


    "He looks hardly eight or nine years old," he stated. "There''s dry blood on his head and his face looks too pale. He''s been dead for hours."


    "What''s this"


    Junwan took out a stic bag and brush. He brushed off some particles from the boy''s hair and put it in the stic bag.


    "It looks like snow," Taejoon frowned.


    "Get out of the way!" Jaein''s voice came from behind them. She pushed aside the officers and reached the body. Her assistants were close behind and immediately got to work. She examined the body.


    "He''s been dead for over a day," she informed them. She checked the boy''s pockets and to her surprise, there was dirt in there.


    "Why is there dirt in here?" she muttered. She checked the nostrils of the boy and raised an eyebrow.


    "Take pictures of the body and send it to myb," she said. "I''ll need to thoroughly examine him."


    "I''ll file the case then," Taejoon said but Junwan cut through.


    "I''ll do it," h said sharply. "And hand over the case to Gayoon. It''ll be her case. You will only help her in this. No questions asked."


    Taejoon pursed his lips. He was not please to have Gayoon take up a major case on her first day back since she was still healing but there was no choice. They took photos of the body and wrapped it up in a body bag to ship it off to Jaein''sb for autopsy.


    "Find out who dumped the body here," Junwan said. "That''ll give us an idea of who might have killed the boy."


    Taejoon nodded and immediately set off to search the CCTV cameras in the area. Junwan glimpsed at the boy''s body as it was being carried away. Even after so many years in homicide, seeing murdered children was something he was not used to. How could anyone kill an innocent child? He had always wondered.


    But if he had the answer, then the world would have been a safer ce.


    Mina was at the mansion with Minho and Gayoon, impatiently waiting in the living room for Haejong to call. They had returned home after Haejong had assured them that he would handle the rest.


    "Mina," Gayoon began. "That man who helped us. Who was he? How do you know him?"


    "He''s a patient," Mina said but did not borate. Gayoon was a little troubled. Those men looked dangerous and Gayoon was sure that she had seen Haejong somewhere but she could not recall where.


    "Where''s the kid?" Minho asked.


    "I think he''s upstairs in Jina''s room," Gayoon said. "He''s a little nervous but I gave him Jina''s toys to y with."


    Minho quietly stood up from the couch he was sitting on and headed upstairs. He opened the door and saw that Jina''s stuffed animals were on the floor, moving by themselves. No doubt the kid was ying with them.


    Shinho looked up and saw Minho picking up a small board and a marker. He put the board and marker on the ground.


    "Shinho, I can''t see nor hear you, but I want to talk to you," Minho said out loud. "Can you write down your answers on this board so that I can read it?"


    Minho waited and saw the marker began to move. It was writing something on the board.


    "Yes," Shinho wrote.


    "Shinho, do you remember the ce where your dad used to keep you in?" Minho asked. "Where was your house?"


    Shinho wrote on the board. "It was dark," Minho read. "Big house but my room was dark. There were no lights. Under the house, I lived. Upstairs it was light."


    Basement? Cer? Minho wondered. Was he kept in a basement?


    "Who else lived there?" Minho asked. "Do you know?"


    "Dad," Shinho wrote. "A prettydy and older brother."


    Minho frowned. "Your mother passed away, right?" Minho asked. "Who was thedy?"


    "I don''t know."


    "What about your older brother?" Minho pressed gently. "Where is he?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Did your older brother live with you in that dark room?"


    "No. He was upstairs."


    Minho let out a heavy sigh. As he suspected, the little boy was kept away from his family. He was probably locked in a lonely, dark room where he spent his days. The family treated him like a dirty secret, letting the father abuse him in heinous ways. But why?


    He nced around and saw that Shinho was drawing a picture. In it was a boy who had a cake in his hands while a man and woman stood on either sides of him. There were wide smiles on their faces.


    But in the corner was another boy who was looking at the family from afar. On top of the pictures, Shinho wrote the names.


    "Dad," Minho read the tag above the man. "Prettydy, older brother"


    Then Shinho wrote his own name over the kid who was far from the family. Before Minho could say something, Shinho rubbed off the drawing and scribbled on it.


    "Find my mother," he wrote. Even though Minho could not see him, he felt the room getting unnaturally colder. There was a lingering sadness in the air as pearly tears rolled down the little boy''s cheeks.


    "I want to find my mother! My father knows where she is!" Shinho wrote. "Please, Bunny uncle!"


    "I will" Minho promised. He felt something cold gripping his arm. Shinho was holding on to his arm, cuddling there as it feltforting. Minho did not object but let the ghost hold him.


    After a while, Gayoon came upstairs, looking for Minho. To her surprise, he was sleeping on the floor. She was about to wake him but Shinho''s voice spoke up.


    "Bunny uncle is tired," the boy said. "Let him sleep."


    Shinho was patting Minho''s head. Gayoon snickered and picked up a couple of pillows from Jina''s bed along with a nket. She gently lifted his head and put it under his head before covering him up with the nket. She knew very well that Minho wanted to help the little boy. No matter how much he imed to love money more than anything, he still would not hesitate to help those who really needed it.


    Putting another pillow next to him, shey on it, staring at him. If he was going to help Shinho, then she would also aid him in this quest.


    "Bunny uncle is nice," Shinho said. "And kind."


    "He is," Gayoon smiled. She felt Shinho''s cold yet gentle palm patting her head and soon, she also fell asleep.

 Chapter 262: Scars of the Dead (6)

    Chapter 262: Scars of the Dead (6)


    Mina took a deep breath. She was in her car, contemting whether she should enter the mansion or not. Haejong had texted her that the work was done but he also asked her to stop by at his mansion. Apparently, he left his favorite shirt at the hospital and he wanted her to deliver it to him. Mina was not exactly keen to keep any sort of contact with that man, but he did help her, and she should thank him.


    She put on her sunsses and got out of the car. Therge metallic gates were locked and were padlocked. A security camera turned her way and a robotic voice came from a speaker somewhere.


    "Please enter your name and ID into the electronic register," the voice stated. Arge monitor came to life and Mina stepped in front of it. Immediately, it took a snapshot of her face and identified her features.


    "Hwang Mina," it said out loud. "26. Doctor at the National Hospital. Cardiologist. Blood type B. Please input your fingerprints of the screen."


    Mina was irritated at the information which was stored in that damn security system. It felt like an invasion of her privacy.


    The shape of a palm popped up on the screen. Mina groaned at the extra security and put her palm on it. The machine recorded her prints and then said, "Please state the name of the person you want to visit and the purpose. Type in your citizen ID and wait for the verification. A guard will arrive to escort your."


    "Why don''t you just put all that information on the front page of every newspaper?" she muttered sarcastically.


    Mina followed the instructions and clicked enter. The machine began to process her information. She tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for someone to escort her inside. Dealing with these mafia men was a pain. Their hectic security was getting on her nerves.


    "I can''t believe I''m here on my off day!" she moaned. She really wanted to go to the airport to pick up Kanji and spend some time with him under the pretense of shopping. It was the only way she knew how to keep him close to her and not let him dally off with some random girl he was dating.


    An armed guard arrived at the gate and looked at her from head to toe. Mina was feeling ufortable. She did not pay mush heed to her dress up. She simply wore a long sweater with a turtleneck t-shirt beneath it and slim pants. But the way the guard was examining her, she felt as if she was naked. His gaze made her ufortable and if he was not a mafia, she would have hit him hard with her bag which probably weighed a kilo at least.


    "Follow me," the guard stated. Mina did not reply but flowed him albeit keeping a distance. The guard led her into the main mansion. Inside, the mansion was surprisingly neat and simple. It was a chic and contemporary theme with mahogany furniture.


    "Wait here," the guard ordered her.


    "Okay," she sneered at his rude tone. The guard did not react but gave her a hard look before going to find his master. Mina looked around her, impressed by the dcor. Her own mansion was probably bigger than Haejong''s but she had to admit that he had great sense of art.


    The living room she was led to was kept simplistic with abstract painting hanging on the walls. The paintings were simple renditions of different colors with no fixed pattern but were soothing to the eyes.


    Right next to it was a cozy firece with an armchair and an ottoman. A mini shelfy next to it which had books from different genre. Mina was somewhat impressed by his book collection and took out one book to read the back cover synopsis.


    "I see you like to touch other people''s things."


    The deep voice startled her and she almost dropped the book but managed to catch it somehow. She spun around to find Haejong standing behind her, leaning against the wall. He was wearingsurprisingly casual clothes. His purple jacket was partially unzipped, revealing some of his smooth chest while his hair was messy. He wore a three quarter white pant and he looked as if he had returned from a run.


    Doesn''t he feel cold? Mina wondered. Aloud she said, "I have your shirt."


    She took out a bag and put it on the coffee table. "I''ll leave now," she dered.


    To her surprise, he blocked her way. Mina red at him.


    "What do you want now?" she asked.


    "Let''s have breakfast," he offered.


    "I already had breakfast," Mina imed. But right then, her stomach let out a loud rumble. She tried to keep a straight face but her lie was caught.


    "Yes, I can see how hungry you are," he said warily. "I dug up a dead body on your request and you can''t even have a small meal with me? Surely, youcan repay some of the debt you owe me?"


    "Debt?" Mina scoffed. "I saved your life. You should be running on my whims now! Now get out of my way!"


    "No."


    She red at him but he was unaffected by her anger. "That woman is a detective," he stated coolly. "Your brother''s girlfriend. Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "Would it have made a difference?" Mina snapped. "I merely used you to find a missing patient! She couldn''t get an official warrant so I had to take your help. In fact, she didn''t know that you''re a mafia. If she had, she wouldn''t have agreed to take your help."


    "So, you lied to her," Haejong guessed. "And made me work with a possible foe."


    "Is there anyone in this world who is not your enemy?" Mina shot back. "Now, move out of my way."


    "No."


    Mina kicked him in the shin hard causing him to double over in pain. Haejong did not expect the doctor to actually kick him! Was she truly not afraid of him?


    Taking advantage of his temporary distraction, she pushed him aside and stomped off.


    "You kicked a mafia leader!" he eximed.


    "Next time, I''ll not hesitate to punch!" she yelled back. "Pervert!"


    Pervert? Was she courting death?


    Mina made a face at him and left the mansion, not looking back. Despite her rude attitude, Haejong could not help but let out aughter. She was a strange woman and for some reason, he did not hate her attitude. It was a refreshing change from the people around him who were mostly fearful of him.


    "A doctor who is a gold digger with a spicy tongue," he sighed. "Wonder how long she can resist me?"


    He summoned one of his guards. "Find out everything about Hwang Mina," he ordered. "About her friends, her likes and dislikes, her history. Everything."


    "Yes sir!" the guard said and strode off. Haejong looked out of the window. Mina was heading for her car and got into it. He could not help but follow her movements. Why was this woman enticing him?


    "Sir."


    Another guard came up to him. "Sir, it''s your grandfather''s death anniversary next month."


    Haejong stiffened upon hearing that. His grandfather, Lin Naesung, was the previous head of the family and one of the most dreaded man in the country before he was killed off by the Jang n.


    "What should we do for the anniversary?" the guard asked. Haejong was quiet for a moment.


    "Do whatever you want," he said coldly. "It''s not like I care much about him."


    With that, he walked away. That''s right, he told himself. The old man was a heartless asshole and Haejong had no business caring about him. All he cared about was his own position in the family.


    After all, it was a survival of the fittest.

 Chapter 263: Scars of the Dead (7)

    Chapter 263: Scars of the Dead (7)


    Gayoon parked the car in front of the police station. It was her first day at work after the extended leave and she braced herself for the workload which was about to hit her like a truck. Thankfully, Junwan had texted her in the night regarding the ''mysterious'' body of a child which was dropped off in front of the precinct. They were looking for the person who had dumped it there but Gayoon would have to work her way around that part.


    She sent a text to Minho that she had reached her workstation. When she woke up in the morning, he was nowhere to be seen but had left her a note that he was going to privately look into Shinho''s case. Without much information, it was hard to find anything useful but they would have to start from somewhere.


    Sighing loudly, Gayoon put her bag on the desk. She was about to open herptop when someone hung a bag of bagels in front of her.


    "Fancy a treat?" Taejoon smiled at her. Gayoon smiled back and took the bag from him.


    "Thanks!" sheughed. "I am starving."


    She took out a bagel and put it in her mouth while Taejoob watched her eat. He was happy to see her back but was also worried about her health.


    "Are you alright now?" he asked. "The CCK had beaten you up pretty badly. You should have taken more time off."


    "Rx!" she reassured him. "The doctors treated me well. They even managed to get rid of the scars on my face! The treatment was good so I recovered quickly. Minho took good care of me during this time."


    Taejoon shifted ufortably in his chair upon hearing Minho''s name. Even after the CCK was arrested, Gayoon did not move out of that house. She was living there and it made him jealous.


    "So, you guys are a thing now?" he asked, trying to sound breezy.


    "Taejoon, I told you that I don''t like to talk about my private life," Gayoon said firmly. "But I will answer you question out of courtesy. We are dating and living together. In fact, we even have a daughter together."


    Taejoon''s eyes widened in shock and he sputtered, trying to find words. Daughter? Gayoon had a daughter?


    "Hwang Jina is my daughter," Gayoon revealed. "I served as Minho''s surrogate when I was 18 and we ended up connecting many yearster. Call it fate or whatever but it''s true. So, I''d suggest you to stop pursuing me."


    She said thest part in a gentle yet firm way. She was aware of the feelings Taejoon had for her and it would be wrong of him to hold on to any hope that something would brew between them. He looked mortified. For a few seconds, he was silent.


    "I should go," he said curtly. "I have a lot of work."


    Gayoon did not say anything but simply nodded. He stood up and left. Gayoon felt a little guilty for being so straight forward with him but it was the best way to make him realize that somethings are not meant to be. She shook her head, trying to steer clear of any other suitor issues. There were bigger things to worry about.


    She picked up her phone and called Jaein who was probably in the forensicb.


    "Please tell me you''re back," Jaein begged as soon as she answered the phone. "I can''t deal with the other idiots in the precinct anymore."


    "I''m back," Gayoon sighed. "What news do you have for me regarding the body which was dumped at our doorstep?"


    "A lot of information," Jaein smirked. "Head over to theb."


    Gayoon hung up the phone and made her way to theb. Jaein was studying something under the microscope when Gayoon entered. Shinho''s body was lying on the stretcher, cold and still. Seeing him made Gayoon a little emotional. She pitied the poor boy whose life was unfairly snatched by someone who was supposed to love and protect him.


    But the world was a cruel ce. There were people who did heinous deeds which made even cannibal killers like CCK seem human. At least the CCK loved his daughter even if he ended up identally consuming her. But even Gayoon could tell that he would have loved his own flesh and blood. What Shinho''s father did was to some extent worse than CCK''s deeds.


    "He was dug up," Jaein informed her. "The killer must have buried him but for some reason, he was dug up from his grave and then thrown in front of the station."


    She pointed at Shinho''s nose and mouth. "There was soil in his nostrils and mouth. I even found soil in his ears."


    "Hmm" Gayoon said. "Probably, someone found him in a shallow grave? A digger or a hunter? After finding the body, they might have gotten scared and dumped the body in front of the police station."


    "Probably," Jaein sighed. "The cause of death is intense trauma to his head. The brain had beenpletely smashed in with something very heavy."


    She gently turned Shinho''s naked body and to Gayoon''s horror, there wererge whip marks on his body. Some were purple and badly bruised. There were fresh ones and old ones too. It seemed that he was beaten up almost everyday.


    "He also has a dislocated shoulder," Jaein stated. "Even his legs have marks, indicating that he was hit there with something thick. I''m guessing bamboo stick or something simr to that."


    "His body is small for his age," Gayoon noted. "How old is he?"


    "Judging by his bone density, he''d be around 8 or 9," Jaein said. "But the kid is badly malnourished. In fact, I checked his stomach contents and there''s only a piece of cracker in it. Nothing else. He was starving for days probably."


    Gayoon let out a sharp breath. Her knuckles were clutched into a fist and Jaein was surprised to see Gayoon looking so angry. It was as if she wanted to break something. But Jaein could not me her. Whoever killed the child, was not merciful. The murderer had tortured the kid for days, months probably before finally snuffing the life out of him.


    "Any DNA matches?" Gayoon asked, trying to remain calm.


    "None," Jaein replied. "This kidhe isn''t on any family registrar."


    Gayoon thought for a while. How were they going to find this kid''s murderer?


    Minho was typing away his investment numbers on hisptop when Jongin entered his cabin.


    "Sir, here''s the CCTV footage you requested for," he informed him. "The video of that day in the mall where youdanced."


    Thest part always made Jongin cringe in embarrassment. It was one day he would like to erase from his memory. But Minho was not paying attention to that.


    He quickly took the CD and inserted it into hisptop. "Jongin, do you have a list of all the people who had visited the mall that day?" he asked.


    "We have the sales count but not the footfall," Jongin frowned. "Since anyone can enter the mall, there isn''t any way to know the total number of people entering the mall."


    Minho thought for a moment before ying the video. He went through the videos, skipping the dance parts until he reached the part where he was taking Gayoon to the VIP corner. He watched himself in the screen, heading for the washroom to change the costume.


    He fast forwarded a few minutes and yed when he saw Shinho running towards the washroom. As soon as he entered the washroom, a well dressed man in his thirties turned up. Minho recognized him immediately. It was the same man who was looking for Shinho in that washroom.


    "Jongin," he began, pausing the video. "Bring me information on this man."


    Jongin leaned in to take a closer look. Eh?


    "You want information on this man?" Jongin asked incredulously.


    "Yes," Minho stated. "Bring it to me by the end of the day-"


    Jongin could not tell if his boss was being serious or not. "Ersir," he began. "I can bring you information about him right now."


    Minho frowned as Jongin took out his phone and typed in something. He then gave his phone to Minho. Thetter took it and nced at the screen only to be frozen in shock.


    "That man is Kang Danny," Jongin informed him. "The leading pediatrician in the country and the owner of Little Home Hospital! Also, the third richest man in the country."


    "Third, eh?" Minho asked, leaning against his chair, crossing his legs. "No wonder I don''t remember him. Who the hell remembers a third ss pest like him?"


    Jongin blinked in confusion. What was the money lover up to now? Was he going to rob hospitals now?


    "But since he''s the third richest man in the country," Minho continued. "I should extend my hospitality."


    Eh? Hospitality? When did the Vesudas became hospitable? Jongin wondered.


    "Send him and his family an invitation," Minho instructed. "Let us take a good look at the third ce, shall we?"

 Chapter 264: Scars of the Dead (8)

    Chapter 264: Scars of the Dead (8)


    "What are you up to now?" Junho asked. Jina was on video chat with him, asking about how to send food offering to a ghost.


    He was really worried for the girl. She had an unusually good control over her powers and also somehow, managed to tame ghosts in her own way. Was it an ability or her natural charm, he would never know. But he was afraid that this was going to affect her in a bad way someday.


    "I made a new friend," she chirped. "His name is Kang Shinho. My mom and dad found him while they were at our winter lodge and brought him home coz he has nowhere to go. He''s living with us now! He told me that he loves choctes but he couldn''t have any. His mean dad used to beat him every time he tried to have any choctes."


    Junho raised an eyebrow. Judging by Jina''s words, this Shinho seemed to be a child''s ghost. He pursed his lips. Even though he did not know Shinho, he had an inkling how the kid may have died. Jina''s usage of ''mean dad'' gave away who might have killed the poor boy.


    Seeing Jina''s hopeful face made him sigh.


    "Okay," he began. "Do you know why people used to offer food to their dead rtives and ancestors in the old days?"


    Jina shook her head.


    "There was a belief that once a person dies, he forgoes his earthly body and adopts a heavenly body," Junho exined. "This heavenly body is the soul. Souls don''t get hungry nor do they need food. However, the food offering to the deceased by their living rtives was a show of respect and love. You see, it was a way to remember those who have left us, making sure that we do not forget their presence in our lives."


    "Even though ghosts do not have to eat," he continued. "Once their shrines received food offerings from their families, their spirits would ept the offer and eat it. The food symbolized that people still remembered them. The more you remember a person, the stronger the deceased person''s soul bes. Also, when the heavens judge that person, once it has been determined that the person truly had people who loved him or her, their souls could reincarnate. Good souls get to have their one wishe true and would be granted that wish after reincarnating as a human being. Bad souls would be punished and would reincarnate as an animal."


    Jina scratched her head. Even Shinho, who was sitting right next to her, could not make heads nor tails of what the old man had just said.


    "Old man, can you just tell me how to offer the food?" Jina asked. "I can''t understand all that big stuff you just said."


    Junho rolled his eyes, shaking his head in dismay.


    "Why couldn''t you turn out to be a child genius who''s exceptionally good at everything?" he sighed.


    "That''s coz I''m normal and not a freak like that weirdo I met at camp!" Jina said indignantly. Junho wanted to facepalm himself upon hearing that. Jina was probably the least normal kid he had ever encountered.


    "First of all, you need to make a small space for a shrine," he said. "Make a memorial tablet. You can simply write his name on a piece of paper and stick it on a corner of your north facing wall. At midnight, put a small table in front of it andy out the food on it. ce two candles on both sides and light them. Then, put your hands together and silently pray for the spirit to ept your offering. Bow in front of the name tablet three times and then say out loud, ''Your good deeds are your reward. Please ept my offering and I pray your wishes true''. Got it?"


    Jina was writing it all down. She was like a diligent student learning from her teacher.


    "Yes!" she eximed. "So this means, I can feed Casper and Yumi too! They''ll be thrilled! Yumi has beenining about eating dumplings."


    "Yes you can," Junho said. "Now, if you''re done, I''d like to go back to sleep."


    "You''re gonna sleep now?" Jina frowned. "It''s just 12 PM!"


    "I like my afternoon nap!" Junho snapped.


    "You really are an old man!"


    "Who the hell are you calling old?" Junho thundered.


    "You, of course."


    Junho grumbled while Shinho snickered. He had been silently watching the old man and the girl arguing.


    "Go sleep," Jina said. "Old man."


    Before Junho could retort, she turned off the screen and turned to Shinho. "We''re gonna try this out tonight!" she dered. Shinho nodded, feeling very excited. He was finally going to taste chocte!


    "But what''s your older brother''s name?" Jina asked. "Do you know his name?"


    Shinho shook his head. "I only know he also has my surname," he noted. "But I don''t know his real name. You see, my mother and I lived in a small slum for years. Butst year, she fell ill and a bunch of men entered our house to take me away. She could not stop them because she was so ill. And after a few days, she killed herself."


    Jina''s eyes widened in shock. "And your dad took you in?" she asked. "But why did he kill you?"


    "I don''t know," Shinho said sadly. "He locked me in the cer and beat me everyday. I tried my best not to anger him so I stayed in the darkness."


    To his surprise, Jina gently hugged him. "It''s okay," she assured him. "You''re with us now. You''re safe here."


    Shinho blushed. No one had ever hugged him that way except for his mother. It was a brief yet sweet hug. She quickly let him go and beamed at him.


    "Now let''s prepare tea for the dolls!" she eximed. "They get cranky when they don''t get food on time!"


    "Okay!"


    Their innocentughters were echoing the mansion. Nanny Kim, who was working downstairs, was surprised by how cheerful Jina sounded.


    "Young miss isughing so loudly," she noted thoughtfully. "Is she talking to a friend?"


    Shrugging off that thought, she went back to work. As long as Jina was happy and cheerful, nothing else mattered to them.

 Chapter 265: Scars of the Dead (9)

    Chapter 265: Scars of the Dead (9)


    "We''re home, Young Master," the chauffeur stated as he parked in front of the mansion. Siwan was glum all through the ride but masked it with his cold expression. He was still fuming over how Hwang Jina had embarrassed him in front of everyone. That girl did something to him that night and he was determined to find out.


    Did she drug me? He wondered. It was possible that she had slipped something in his food or drink to catch him unaware. But that was not possible. She would not have gotten any opportunity to drug his food. Moreover, he clearly remembered the events. Things were flying on their own in his tent. A mere girl could not do that alone. She had help from someone.


    But who?


    "Sir, we''re here," the chauffeur said, raising his voice a little.


    "I know!" Siwan snapped. "You don''t have to tell me."


    The chauffeur immediately hushed up. Siwan red at him before exiting the car. mming it behind him, he marched towards the mansion whichy in front of him. He lived in one of the most upscale parts of the city. His mansion was built higher than the others in their neighborhood, overlooking the entire area.


    Being one of the oldest and richest families in the country, the Kang''s had built a distinct reputation for their charity and contribution to the medical field. His ancestors used to be the physicians of numerous Emperors. His own grandfather was a distinguished neurosurgeon and had discovered many medicines which were used to treat brain tumors in elderly. His father, Kang Danny, was the country''s leading pediatrician and also the Chairman of Kang General Hospital, the top medical institution in the world. People from different countries went there for treatment.


    He entered through therge mahogany door. Upon entry, several servants came forward to cater to him. One handed him a ss of juice while another one took off his shoes. Siwan did not acknowledge any of them and simply walked towards the living room where his father and mother were waiting for him.


    "Siwan!" his mother beamed at him.


    Kim Doyoung was a tall, elegant woman in her mid thirties. With short, blonde hair and blue eyes, she looked every bit like a model. In fact, she was once the top supermodel in the country and had been a showstopper for famous designers both home and abroad. Her fame was no joke and her beauty was praised by all media. Her fashion sense was distinct and she was featured regrly in magazines. After giving birth to Siwan, she had semi-retired from modeling but was active onmercials as an ambassador for children''s clothing.


    She got up to hug her son. Siwan''s cold expression softened a little upon being hugged by his mother. His father, Kang Danny, was also smiling at him. In histe thirties, Danny was a sharp looking man with dark eyes and a friendly looking face. His jet ck hair was smoothly brushed back and he peered at his son from behind his spectacles.


    "Dad," Siwan greeted his father, bowing down. He then moved to sit on a couch opposite to his parents. Doyoung sat next to her husband but slightly inched away.


    "How was camp?" Danny asked.


    "It was good," Siwan lied.


    "Did you make new friends?" Doyoung asked her son.


    "Yes," Siwan lied. Truthfully, his prickly nature prevented him from making any friends. He always found the other children boring and their silly games irritated him. The ones who tailed him were more like minions than friends. Moreover, his trip this time was ruined by that brat. Thinking about her made Siwan fume but he did not react in front of his parents.


    Doyoung sensed the anger in her son. The boy was too cold and isted. Even though she barely got the chance to spend time with him, she could still tell when her son was hiding something. She nced at her husband who was smiling at his son.


    "These connections are very important, Siwan," Danny stated. "We don''t send you to camp simply to teach you survival skills. The camp you attend is also attended by the children of the country''s elites. Their parents are the top businessmen, diplomats, VIP''s, celebrities. We might be richer than many of them but they have the connections which we can use to take our family name even further. You''ll need their investment in the future."


    "Are you a doctor or a money monger?" Doyoung muttered.


    Danny pretended not to hear his wife''s remarks. She did not know how hard it was to maintain a high ss hospital without connections.


    Kang Danny was a very calctive man. He had taken the reputation of their hospitals to new heights. Thanks to his ability to bring in the elite ss patients, their hospital had been earning millions of dors in revenue. To the public, he was a person who treated the impoverished people for free.


    But little did they know, he was using the funds from his VIP patients to fund the treatment for the general public. It was a small price but it fed into his public persona as a messiah. He was preparing his son to follow his footsteps in the hopes that Siwan would also be a great asset to his hospital.


    Siwan was quiet. He did not dare to interrupt his father. But his mind was pondering on the fact that Hwang Jina might actually be the daughter of some rich guy. The girl acted nothing like the other rich kids. She lived on a of her own, daring to challenge his authority. The girl had not grace and was an utter embarrassment. Yet, she had managed to beat him at his game.


    It was unfathomable to him!


    Just then, their butler entered the room, holding an envelope.


    "Sir, there is an invitation for you," he stated. Danny frowned as he took the envelope in his hands. Taking out the letter, he read the contents carefully. Doyoung raised an eyebrow, noting her husband''s grin was widening with every word.


    "We have been invited to dinner at Hwang Minho''s mansion," Danny stated. "Tonight."


    "I''m afraid that I have a photoshoot," Doyoung replied. "And Siwan just returned from camp-"


    "We''re all going," Danny said, overruling her. "The card clearly said, Doctor Kang Danny and family. It''s an opportune moment for us. We had been poaching Hwang Constructions for a long time with regards to our new hospital at B-City. Since he invited us for dinner, he must be interested in this project. Which is why, all of us will attend the dinner. Understood?"


    Doyoung did not dare to argue further. Siwan was also silent. Once his father made up his mind, they must obey him. It was the unwritten rule of the house.


    Danny stood up to leave. His wife stared at his back. There was an iciness between them which was not going to melt anytime soon.


    Their marriage was an arranged one or to be more specifically, a business deal between their families. Even though she loved Danny, he was always cold and distant to her. His only duty with her was to produce a child. The distance between them grew so much that they had not been intimate ever since Siwan was born. She went off for her frequent modeling assignments while he was busy with work, leaving Siwan alone.


    But the final nail in the coffin was Danny''s wandering eyes. Despite her frequent trips abroad, Doyoung was aware of her husband''s lecherous nature. He had been sleeping with many of his staff members and while Soyoung tried to turn a blind eye to them, she was inwardly crushed by the strange rumor that he had fathered an illegitimate child with one of the former nurses in his hospital. She was not sure whether it was true but no matter how much she tried to find out the truth, she could not find a single clue to that child''s existence.


    A warm hand patted her head. Startled, she looked around to see Siwan was trying tofort her in his own way. Seeing her son, broke her heart. He was so young and yet, his father was burdening him with responsibilities way beyond his age. The boy was supposed to go to camp and have fun, not make business deals!


    "It''s alright, mother," he said in his deadpan voice. "We''ll go."


    Doyoung pulled him in an embrace and kissed his forehead. She inwardly wished that for once, they could all share a meal normally like a proper family, without thinking about wealth or status. If only Danny gives up his ego, she sighed inwardly. And acts as a father for once.


    "My poor son," she mumbled, still hugging her son. "I''m sorry."


    Siwan did not reply but hugged his mother and closed his eyes. He knew nothing would be fine but he had stopped caring a long time ago. Whatever his father said would be thew of the house.


    And there was no way out of that hell.

 Chapter 266: Scars of the Dead (10)

    Chapter 266: Scars of the Dead (10)


    Gayoon returned early from work after Minho had informed her of a dinner with an important guest that night. Since she had only one case in hand at the time and was assigned to mostly desk jobs until she was cleared by the higher ups to take up the challenging cases, it was easy to finish her daily tasks on time.


    "Mom!" Jina eximed as soon as she saw her mother enter her room. She ran right into her mother''s arms who hugged her tightly.


    "I missed you so much!" Gayoon said happily, kissing her daughter''s forehead. "Did you have fun at the camp?"


    "Fun?" Yumi snorted from behind. "She made a guy cry for his mommy!"


    She had just returned from her usual routine of tailing her idols. Casper, too, came back a few minutes ago and both of them were surprised to find another ghost inhabiting the house. Shinho was a little afraid of them first since he found Casper scary but he lit up once the elderly ghost drew him some funny pictures on a board. Casper was now teaching him signnguage to which the little boy could only stare and nod.


    Gayoon frowned at her daughter. "You made a boy cry?" she echoed.


    "He was mean to everyone!" Jina said at once. "He even changed the routes during a game so that I would get lost! He wouldn''t apologize for bumping into me either! All three of us got lost in the forest."


    "What?" Gayoon cried. "How did you escape?"


    "Bobo helped us," Jina chimed. "He''s a spirit of the forest. He showed us the way and we went back to the camp to scare that kid. You should''ve seen him running in the snow without his slippers on! Everyone made fun of him!"


    Gayoon was about to scold her daughter for pulling such a dangerous prank when Minho''s voice piped up from behind them.


    "He better hope he doesn''t run into you again coz he''ll be facing something scarier than ghosts if he does," he said smoothly. "Me."


    "Dad!"


    Jina ran towards her dad and hugged him too. He scooped her up in hisp.


    "You''re spoiling her!" Gayoon protested. "What she did was wrong!"


    "I''m teaching her," Minho corrected. "Not to stand up to bullies. You see, if bullies hurt you, you might end up in the hospital."


    "And that increases expenses," Jina finished for him.


    "That is correct."


    Gayoon gaped at the shameless father-daughter duo. What are we teaching this kid? She wondered.


    "Anyways, " she said. "We have a dinner tonight. Who''sing?"


    She only received his text but he did not specify who wasing. Minho pursed his lips and let Jina down.


    "Dad, how did you guys end up bringing Shinho here?" Jina asked. "He told me you found him in your winter house."


    She looked from her father to her mother, confused by what was going on.


    "Shinho will stay with us for a while," Gayoon said gently. "He''ll stay here until he can find his mother. In the meantime, he''ll be our guest. You have to take good care of him."


    "I will!" Jina said. "We''re already friends!"


    Both Minho and Gayoon let out a sigh of relief. They were d that Jina''s sprightly personality made it easy for her to make friends easily. Hearing Shinho''s giggles, Gayoon could tell that he was being well taken care of. She nodded at Minho who smiled.


    "We''ll leave you guys to y," he said. "Your mom and I have to prepare for tonight''s dinner. The guests will arrive at 8 PM so all of you must be on your best behavior."


    Jina nodded while the ghosts shed a thumbs up. Minho gestured Gayoon to follow him to their room. She obliged and waved everyone goodbye before following him. Once they were inside their bedroom, Minho shut the door behind them.


    "The Kang''s," he revealed. "The Kang''s areing tonight."


    "What?" Gayoon blinked. "The Kang''s...you mean Shinho''s parents?"


    "I saw the CCTV footage from the mall," Minho said. "He''s probably rted to Kang Danny, the top pediatrician of the country."


    "A pediatrician who probably killed a child," Gayoon scowled. "How ironic."


    "He owns the major hospitals in the country," Minho sighed. "Not an easy man to arrest. And we don''t have any proof either. Did you find out anything from your end?"


    "His DNA isn''t on any family registrar," Gayoon sighed. "They''re still checking if they could match his DNA with anyone on the system but it''ll take a long time. There are millions of people to search from."


    "Then we''ll have to make Shinho catch a glimpse of him," he said thoughtfully. "But that might make him react negatively."


    "We have no choice," Gayoon said. "I can tell the other ghosts to keep an eye on him when he sees Kang Danny. They can control him if needed. But what are we gonna tell the Kang''s about why we called them here? We can''t just tell them that we''re investigating them!"


    "Leave that to me," Minho said. "You should focus on something else."


    "Like what?"


    "Didn''t you realize?" Minho asked in a deadpan tone. "This is the first time you''re catering to guests as the mistress of this mansion. He might be a criminal but he''s still a guest. A high profile one too."


    It took a while for Gayoon to understand what he was implying. "Oh shit!" she shrieked. "I am the hostess! Why didn''t you tell me this before?"


    She was panicking. As the first time hostess, she had many preparations toplete!


    Minho masked his amusement with a poker face as the detective ran off towards the hall to make sure everything was perfectly cleaned and ced. Seeing her run around the ce for the next few hours, trying to organize everything to wee the guests was amusing to him.


    "Now I don''t have to hire people from outside to set up the house for guests," he mused as he sat back and watched his girlfriend fuss over the flowers in the vase.


    "Here is the file, sir."


    Haejong looked up to see his subordinate hand him the information he had ordered them to collect. Inside was a resume of Hwang Mina. She had graduated early at the age of sixteen and became a cardiologist by the time she had turned 22. Thanks to her sharp yet concealed intellect, she became the youngest cardiologist in the National Hospital."


    But Haejong was not interested in all that. He was more interested in her family and friends.


    "Sister of Hwang Minho," he read. "The richest and most influential man in the country"


    He recalled the tall man who apanied them along with the detective during the body dugout. Flipping the page, he found a profile of Hwang Minho along with his live-in girlfriend and their daughter, Hwang Jina.


    "Weird family," he muttered. Flipping through more pages, his attention was caught by a picture on Hwang Mina''s social media profile. It was her picture with another man in his mid thirties. She wasughing alongside him, his hand around her shoulder.


    What struck Haejong odd was how genuine her smile was around that man. She was beaming with joy and it irritated him to see her so happy with another man. Were they dating?


    "Jang Kanji," he read the caption of the photo. Jang Kanji? Who was he?


    "Who is this man?" he asked.


    "He is the owner of JK Limited," his subordinate revealed. "And the son of Jang Jason."


    Haejong raised an eyebrow. So this is the infamous heir to the Jang empire, he realized.


    Haejong was silent for a while before finally asking, "What''s Hwang Mina doing tonight?"


    "She''ll be attending a dinner program at her brother''s mansion."


    "Looks like I''ll be stopping by unexpectedly somewhere," Haejong mused. A devilish smile formed on his lips. I wonder how will the little kitty react upon seeing me there? He idly wondered.

 Chapter 267: Scars of the Dead (11)

    Chapter 267: Scars of the Dead (11)


    "I don''t think I''ve seen the mansion this colorful before," Minamented.


    The in white curtains in the living room had been reced with colorful bohemian ones which wereplemented by nts put in small pots which were put on the different surfaces. The firece was thoroughly cleaned and a warm fire was dancing in it while the covers on the old couch set were changed into a contrast of light pink andvender colors. On top of it were pillows of different shades while the furniture were covered with simrly colored table cloth.


    "Is it too much?" Gayoon asked nervously.


    "Are you kidding me?" Mina eximed as she slumped on the couch and put her feet on one of the furry ottomans whichy in front of it. "This ce looks great! Way way better than the silly decor my idiot brother had done! Feels homely now."


    Minho, who had just descended the stairs, stared at the decor.


    "Not bad," heplimented. "You did well."


    He patted Gayoon''s head, treating her like a child. "I''m not a kid!" sheined.


    "No, you''re his pet!" Mina teased. Minho scowled at her but she stuck out her tongue at him.


    "Speaking of pets," Minho frowned. "Where''s Kanji? He was supposed to pick up the wine."


    Mina stopped smiling and sat up straight. "Kanji ising?" she asked. "Didn''t he go abroad?"


    "He returned today," Minho said. "Didn''t he tell you?"


    "Of course he did!" Mina lied. "I was just messing with ya!"


    She giggled and looked away which made Gayoon frown. For some reason, a distance was beginning to brew between Mina and Kanji. Aren''t they dating? She wondered.


    "You should get dressed up," Mina said. "Do you have any evening wear? Gowns or dresses? I can lend you one!"


    "I already have one," Gayoon said sheepishly. "I''ll be wearing that one."


    "You better hurry up," Minho said, checking his watch. He was already dressed in a formal shirt and pants. Since it was a casual dinner, he decided not to wear a full suit. Gayoon nodded and headed back upstairs.


    "I''ll go and dress up as well," Mina sighed. Inwardly, she was plotting to make Kanji swoon over her. There was no way she was going to miss out on an opportunity to dress up nicely and torment him!


    Just wait till I get my hands on you, Jang Kanji! She vowed. I''m gonna give you blue balls!


    "Are you alright?" Minho frowned upon seeing the deadly expression on his sister''s face while wondering which poor bloke was going to get a beating that night.


    "I''m fine!" she imed and ran upstairs. Minho watched her run with a poker face and flinched a little when she mmed the door behind her. My sister is a lost cause, he sighed inwardly.


    .


    Gayoon checked herself out in the mirror. She chose to wear the peach colored suit Minho had bought for her on their second albeit unofficial date. Since it was her first time ying the hostess, she felt that she should wear something which was precious to her.


    "Should I tie my hair or let it loose?" she wondered. Gayoon debated for a while before deciding to tie it into a neat ponytail. She did not put on much makeup other than a little bit of eye shadow and a lipstick. Spraying some perfume on herself, she checked her appearance onest time on the mirror.


    The door to the room opened and Minho entered. Even though he had seen her in that suit before, he was still momentarily stunned.


    "How do I look?" she asked nervously. She was very worried about her appearance that night. After researching on the Kang''s she found out that Kang Danny''s wife, Doyoung, was an international model and even though Gayoon could notpete against her in terms of looks, she wanted to seem presentable at least.


    "Well" Minho began. His heart was racing upon her sight but he still felt like teasing her a bit.


    "I''m obligated to say you look beautiful since I''m your boyfriend," he said with a straight face. Gayoon scowled at him. She turned back towards the mirror and was about to put on heavier makeup when Minho hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek.


    "You don''t need any of that," he whispered into her ears. "You look beautiful. You always do."


    Gayoon blushed and mumbled something like "Smooth talker." Minhoughed and hugged her tighter. He kissed her neck, sending a ticklish feeling down her skin, making her giggle.


    "Mommy, where''s my red dress?" Jina''s shrill voice came from her room, interrupting them. Gayoon quickly pushed Minho away, making him pout.


    "I have to go and help her dress up!" Gayoon realized. But Minho was unwilling to let go. He grabbed her arm and turned her around. Before Gayoon could protest, he stole a quick kiss from her lips, making her gasp.


    "You owe me more kisses," he told her in a serious tone. "I''ll be back to colelct my debt!"


    "How do I owe you more kisses?" she frowned.


    "It''s not fair that I won''t get to kiss you when you''re looking so beautiful tonight," he stated. "So you owe me many kisses. I''m a very shrewd businessman. I always collect my debts whether in cash or kind."


    He looked so serious that it was hard to tell if he was joking or not. Gayoon yfully pinched his arm and ran off to help her daughter. Minho smirked upon seeing her embarrassed expression. But then his face turned serious.


    The dinner with the Kang''s would reveal a lot of dark secrets. Under normal circumstances, Minho woul dnot have cared if Kang Danny was a murderer. But after interacting with Shinho, he felt a strange camarederie with the boy. Maybe it was the simrities between them which waspelling him to dig out Kang Danny''s secrets.


    "Let''s reveal your true face," Minho gritted. "Mr. Kang."


    The doorbell rang. Mina, who was dressed up in a rose colored off shoulder dress, spoke up, "I''ll get it!"


    She checked the watch. It was only 7:30 PM, too early for the Kang''s to arrive. Was it Kanji?


    "What took you so long-" she said, opening the door only to be shocked.


    Haejong stood there, holding a champagne bottle with one hand and arge gift box in the other. He smiled at her, vaguely noticing her beauty.


    The rosy dress she wore went up to her knees and exposed a lot of her smooth skin. Her makeup highlighted her sharp cheekbones while her long hair was parted to one side. She wore a fruity perfume which was intoxicating. Her brown eyes were ring at him but he only grinned back at her.


    "Sorry honey, I''mte," he shrugged.


    "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.


    "I thought I''d stop by and drop off these gifts," he stated.


    "I don''t want your-"


    Her words were cut off by a loudughtering from the garden. She nced behind Haejong and to her shock, Kanji wasing their way. But his hands were around a pretty brte who wasughing at his jokes.


    Kanji stoppedughing when his eyes fell on Mina who was standing at the front door with a handsome stranger. He frowned a little upon seeing them together.


    "What happened, Kanji?" the brte asked.


    The mention of the name ''Kanji'' piqued Haejong''s interest and he nced at his rival who was staring back at him. A strange tension was brewing between the two men and Kanji immediately recognized the man.


    It was Lim Haejong, the heir to the Lim family.


    Before Kanji could react, Mina stepped between them, facing Haejong.


    "Oppa, what took you so long?" she asked him in a sweet tone. "I was waiting for you!"


    She threw her arms around Haejong, hugging him tightly while Kanji watched with an expressionless face.

 Chapter 268: Scars of the Dead (12)

    Chapter 268: Scars of the Dead (12)


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    PLEASE ADD IT TO YOUR LIBRARY TO SUPPORT ME [3


    ........


    Kanji watched Mina hug Lin Haejong, his face devoid of any reaction. But his heart was writhing in jealousy upon seeing his rival with the woman he loved. Haejong was equally shocked by Mina''s change in attitude but upon ncing at Kanji, he also hugged her back.


    "I missed you too, babe," he whispered in Mina''s ears. She squirmed a little and let him go, stering a smile on her face.


    "Oppa, I''m so d you''re here!" she went on, lying through her teeth. "Let''s go inside."


    She nced at Kanji and feigned to have noticed him. "Kanji!" she called. "You''re here too! Did you bring the wine like my brother asked?"


    "Of course I did!" Kanji eximed, faking a cheerful smile. "Oh and meet my girlfriend, Yeonjoo."


    Mina turned her attention to the brte who clung to Kanji. She was wearing a strapless ck dress. Her cleavage hung too low and she was holding on to Kanji''s arm in such a way that it was brushing against her breasts. The woman wore light makeup but her lips were painted sparkling red and she let her hair loose in a sultry style.


    "Nice to meet you, Yeonshi," Mina smiled.


    "It''s Yeonjoo," Yeonjoo corrected.


    "I''m so sorry, you said, Yeonhee?" Mina feigned.


    "Yeonjoo," the woman gritted with a smile.


    "Yeonhoe?" Mina asked. "Hoe?"


    Haejong stifled aughter while Kanji pretended not to hear them. His eyes were fixed on Haejong, who was looking at Mina in an amused way. He did not like Mina''s association with this man and he must find out what was going on between them.


    "Let''s all go in," Mina said loudly. "The guests will be here soon."


    She led them inside towards the living room. Minho and Gayoon were alsoing down the stairs only to notice therge group which had arrived. Gayoon''s eyes narrowed on Haejong who was also staring at her warily.


    "You," Minho noted when he saw Haejong. "You were the one who helped us that night."


    He did not borate in front of the stranger Kanji had brought but Haejong understood what he meant.


    "Yes," Haejong said. He held out his hand and said, "Let me officially introduce myself. I am Lin Haejong."


    Minho was also a little suspicious of this man his sister was dallying with but he shook his hand.


    "I invited him!" Mina lied. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kanji was putting on a polite smile but it did not reach his eyes. He was staring at them, ss eyed.


    "Wee to our home," Gayoon said with a warm smile. She turned towards the woman Kanji had brought and she was slightly confused by her presence.


    "And this is"


    "This is Yeonhoe," Mina said loudly before Kanji could introduce the woman. The woman looked irritated at Mina''s penchant to forget her name.


    "It''s Yeonjoo," she corrected her but Mina pretended not to hear her.


    "Yeonhoe is Kanji''s date for tonight," Mina went on. Gayoon was surprised by that revtion. But she had little time to dwell on that because right then, the doorbell rang. Nanny Kim headed towards the entrance and within seconds, she arrived at the living room.


    "The Kang''s are here, sir and madam," she announced with a bow. Soon, the Kang family entered the living room.


    They were a family of three. Kang Danny was dressed in a formal suit while his wife was also wearing a navy blue suit. Both of them oozed elegance and style. Doyoung had put on heavy makeup and her hair was styled in a neat bun while her neck was adorned with a simple pearl ne.


    Danny was also looking sleek with his razor sharp looks and mild demeanor. Their son, Siwan, was dressed in a formal shirt and pants.


    "Wee!" Minho greeted them. "You must be Doctor Kang!"


    "Pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Hwang," Danny said in a polite tone. "This is my wife, Kim Doyoung."


    He gestured at Doyoung. "And this is my son, Kang Siwan," he pointed at Siwan. The boy did not smile but bowed in front of Minho.


    "How do you do sir?" he asked. Gayoon was a little taken aback by how formal and robotic the little child sounded. It was as if he was deprived of all joy. She might have just met him but she was familiar with that tone in children. A ten year old would not sound that formal unless he faced a rough discipline.


    "This is my partner, Detective Jeon Gayoon," Minho introduced her. Gayoon smiled and shook hands with the couple while noticing that Danny''s eyes had suddenly darkened upon hearing the term ''detective''.


    "Nice to meet you, detective," he said. Doyoung warmly smiled at her. She was several inches taller than Gayoon which made thetter feel inferior. In fact, the woman''s appearance was ravishing and she felt nervous around her. How was she going to be on par with women of her society?


    "Pleasure to meet you," Doyoung said. "May I call you Gayoon? I hate formalities! You can also call me Doyoung."


    "Thank you, D-Doyoung," Gayoon stammered a little. After introducing the others and putting the coats of the guests away, they were all weed into the living room.


    "You have a lovely home," Doyoungplimented Gayoon.


    "Would you like to have a tour?" Gayoon asked. She shared a nce with Minho who nodded. They had discussed this earlier. By separately talking to the couple, they might be able to gain an insight on them better. Minho would grill Danny while Gayoon would question the wife.


    "Of course!" Doyoung eximed. "I would love to."


    "Let us sit at the living room and catch up with our business interests," Minho suggested to Danny. "I am highly interested in discussing your new hospital."


    "Very well," Danny smiled and followed Minho to the study.


    "I guess the families have taken a liking to each other!" Kanji joked.


    "Won''t you show me the beautiful garden, oppa?" Yeonjoo pouted. Kanji nced at Mina and then to his date.


    "Sure dear," he said. Mina shifted in her stance, feeling ufortable while Haejong stared at her.


    "I''ll go and bring out more wine from the cer," Mina said, getting up from the couch and heading towards the cer. Haejong followed her out. Kanji was about to follow them as well but Yeonjoo held on to his arm.


    "Let''s go oppa!" she whined. He gritted inwardly for bringing this woman but he had little choice. She was the mistress of one of Lin family''s henchmen and could give him valuable information on them.


    "Let''s go my dear," he smiled at her and they headed for the garden.


    "I must say, the decor is lovely," Doyoung said. She was very impressed with the unique furniture and the circr structure of the mansion. The Hwang''s were rumored to have one of the most expensive houses in the country and now that she was in it, she could see why they were considered a ss apart.


    Gayoon smiled and thanked her. She led Doyoung upstairs to show off the mansion while looking for the perfect opportunity to ask her about her husband. She turned to Siwan, who was quietly following them.


    "Siwan, would you like some choctes?" she gently asked.


    "I do not eat sweets," he stated.


    "He is a picky eater, I''m afraid," Doyoung sighed. "He only eats fresh fruits and vegetables as instructed by his father."


    As instructed by his father? Gayoon noted thest sentence but did notment.


    "Siwan, why don''t you go y with my daughter in the yroom?" she suggested. "We''ll take you to her room and you guys can y together!"


    "Okay," he said in a monotone. He was not really interested to y with a silly girl but he had to be polite as per his father''s orders. Gayoon led them to Jina''s room where she was happily writing something on a piece of paper.


    "You have a daughter?" Doyoung asked.


    "Yes!" Gayoon eximed. "She''ll turn nine this year."


    "But you look so...young!"


    "I...I gave birth to her when I was eighteen," Gayoon replied sheepishly. "Long story, really."


    Doyoung did notment on it but merely shrugged. Gayoon led them to Jina''s room where thetter was probably working on, as Jina had quoted, ''a top secret project''.


    "Jina," Gayoon said, opening the door. "Look, I''ve brought a friend for you to y with!"


    "Eh?" Jina looked up and her eyes red up upon seeing the familiar boy. Siwan was also shell shocked at seeing the demon who had tormented him at camp.


    "YOU!" both of them shouted in unison, pointing fingers at each other.

 Chapter 269: Scars of the Dead (13)

    Chapter 269: Scars of the Dead (13)


    Mina was peering through the bushes of the garden, her eyes on the couple who were sitting on the bench. Yeonjoo had her head on Kanji''s shoulder who was ssy eyed. He kept on ncing at the mansion behind them as if trying to catch a glimpse of something but Mina was not sure what was going on in his head.


    "Oppa, isn''t this amazing?" Yeonjoo was saying. "You and me. Here. All alone and away from that man?"


    "Hmm" Kanji merely said, his eyes still on the mansion.


    Him? Mina wondered.


    "But if he finds out about us" Yeonjoo suddenly sounded scared and worried. "He''s going to kill us."


    "Tell me more about him," Kanji said, turning towards her. His dark eyes were intense and brooding. It was an expression of his that Mina had never seen. She always seen him as the goofball, funny and silly, but not this. He was not the serious type. For her, Kanji was a bum who just happened to fall into a pit of money.


    So what the hell was up with that serious expression? Was he feeling differently about that woman? Why did he hide this side of his from Mina?


    "Oppa"


    Suddenly, Yeonjoo leaned in to kiss Kanji. He was not backing away because she was his only key into finding one of the kingpins of the Lin family, Seo Kyung. She was his mistress and had all the intel on him. Seo Kyung was a notorious drug dealer who was active in the city and a very close aide to the Lin family. If Kanji could take down his business, the Lin family would face a major loss and this would force Haejong to finally surrender his assets to the Jang family.


    It was all he needed. Intel. And this woman was his only way to get that.


    But she was not a small yer. Yeonjoo ran a bar which was a masquerade for the flesh trade where young men and women were sold off to wealthy buyers. Kanji had to pose as a customer in order to get closer to her and the more time they had passed together, the more she fell in love with him.


    Kanji could not back away when Yeonjoo wasing closer to him. His insides cringed at the thought of kissing another woman in Mina''s house but he had little choice. He must bring down the Lin''s by hook or by crook.


    Yeonjoo was nowing closer and closer, her eyes closed in anticipation as she leaned in


    "What are you doing?"


    "AHHHHHH!"


    Mina''s screams cut through the night, startling Yeonjoo. Taking his chance, Kanji backed away. To his annoyance, Mina had jumped out of the bushes followed by Haejong who was also in there with her. Mina was a bit disheveled and shaken because Haejong had snuck up on her while she was spying on Kanji. She was about to throw a stone at that cheaply dressed white lotus but Haejong caught her in the act.


    "What are you two doing in the bushes?" Kanji asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.


    "I" Mina stammered. "I was ying hide and seek with Haejong oppa!"


    She pulled Haejong by the arm who was equally shocked by her words but did not say anything. Truth was, he followed her when she said that she was going to the cer but midway, she changed course and headed for the garden. There, he witnessed her staring at the couple who were sitting in the garden and were about to kiss.


    It did not take him long to realize that Mina had feelings for Jang Kanji.


    He stared at his rival who was looking at Mina. Thetter did not flinch from her position, pretending as if everything was fine.


    "Hide and seek?" Yeonjooughed. "Are you two a bunch of children?"


    "Are we not allowed to roam around the Mina''s house?" Haejong asked, putting an arm around Mina''s shoulder. The whole scene would have been funny to him if he had not found out about Kanji and Mina''s feelings for each other. Now that he knew his rival''s weakness, he was not about to let her go easily.


    Then...why is my chest aching in pain? He wondered. His heart was beating in an erratic manner and for some reason, a cold fury was bubbling in his mind upon the thought of Jang Kanji and Mina having some sort of rtionship.


    "It''s my house, " Mina stated. "Why do you care, Yeonhoe?"


    She made a face at the woman who was seething in fury.


    "It seems like, Ms. Mina here doesn''t like me," Yeonjoo gritted at Kanji.


    "It''s nothing like that," Kanji assured her. Inwardly, he was hoping that Mina would not offend her because he needed this woman to be in a good mood so that he could easily extract the information from her. Mina''s inadvertent interference could make his job harder.


    "No, I don''t," Mina said loudly. "I don''t like anyone who wears fake designer wear bought from the flea market. Plus, your shoes are just hideous!"


    She pointed at the sparkly ck heels which the woman had worn for the evening. Yeonjoo was puffing up in anger and turned towards Kanji.


    "I want to leave," she ordered. "Take me home. Now."


    Kanji did not look at her but was ring at Mina. "You shouldn''t have done that," he said quietly.


    "Yeah well, maybe you should think before bringing someone like her into my house," Mina said in a scathing tone. She did not know why she was behaving that way but the thought of Kanji kissing someone in her own house was making her angry.


    "Fine," he gritted.


    "Fine!"


    Both of them red at each other for a few seconds before Kanji took Yeonjoo by the arm and led her away. He was pretending to be angry at Mina but there was no other choice. Even though his heart was being ripped to shreds upon seeing Mins hurt and angry, he had to finish his mission. The path he had chosen was going to cost her dearly if she became involved with him.


    But now she was venturing towards a guy who was even more dangerous than him. How was he going to save her from him?


    "Let''s go to my apartment, oppa," Yeonjoo was saying once they were outside the mansion. "We can spend the night there and forget about that bitch-"


    "I''ll call you a cab," he said curtly. "Go home."


    With that he hailed a cab for her and before Yeonjoo could protest, he shoved her into it and sent her away. After the cab was gone, he did not even bother to take his own car but walked for miles towards his own mansion.


    His head was only filled with guilt and regret for not being able to tell Mina the truth about his real work. If she found out about his hidden identity as a mafia lord, she would be devastated.


    But what was her rtionship with Lin Haejong? Were they more than friends? Or was he using her and she did not even realize it? Mina hated criminals and there was no way she would be involved with one.


    I must find out, he decided.


    Back in the garden, Mina was standing motionless. She did not want to cry in front of Haejong but he knew she was fighting off her tears.


    "You''re really heartless," he noted. "Ripping apart a woman your friend is dating."


    She did not reply but simply turned away from him. Haejong stared at her back and for a wild moment, he had the urge to hug her but he stopped himself. Instead, he kept on standing there, hoping that she would turn around but she did not. She was lost in her own thoughts.


    "Do you want me to leave?" he finally asked.


    "Yes," Mina admitted in a small voice. "Because I can''t cry in front of people. Sorry, but I really want to be alone right now."


    Haejong sighed and turned away to leave. As he was leaving the gates, he thought he heard the faint crying of the woman he had left behind. He did not know why but he felt like returning to her but he stopped himself.


    The man who was responsible for those tears was Jang Kanji. And yet, she would only look at Kanji. No one else.


    He clenched his fists, reflecting on the irony. His heart was heavy and troubled upon hearing her crying.


    How ironic, he mused. His grandfather used to tell him that as the heir to the family, he could not possess a heart. Love had no meaning in their life and emotions were a waste of time. That his hand was not tofort but was stained by the blood of all those he had killed.


    And now, he was beginning to feel something for that woman. Was it love or amusement, he did not know.


    "I wonder if you''re writhing in hell upon seeing your grandson in this state!" Haejongughed. Then his eyes hardened into a cold wrath.


    "I hope you are being burnt to crisp in that hell," he gritted. Turning around, he stiffened his heart again. That''s right, he thought. I can''t waste my time with emotions. I have to surpass his legacy. I must find that hidden piece.


    With a fierce determination, he walked away from the mansion, trying to shut out the tears of that woman. He could not afford the luxury of love. All he wanted was to surpass that old man.


    At all costs.

 Chapter 270: Scars of the Dead (14)

    Chapter 270: Scars of the Dead (14)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN''


    PLEASE ADD IT TO YOUR LIBRARY TO SUPPORT ME [3


    ....


    Minho led Danny towards his study, motioning his guest to sit on a couch near the firece. Danny sat down, admiring the room. It was muchrger than his own study back at his mansion and the walls were lined with shelves which consisted of business books. Minho''s desk was clean and crisp, without any clutter and the whole ce was illuminated by a crystal chandelier which hung above them.


    Despite the professional and clean outlook, there was also a warm homeliness to it. In between the books, were pictures of his daughter''s childhood. There was also a picture of a teenage Minho with his sister. A picture of him and Gayoon stood on his desk with a snowy backdrop.


    "You really love your family, huh?" Danny asked. Minho, who was pouring some whiskey for his guest and himself, paused.


    "I do," he slowly replied. "There was a point when I thought I only loved money but I guess times have changed."


    "You found something more important than money?" Danny guessed.


    "On the contrary, it''s more important than ever," Minho said, handing him a drink. "It''s just that unlike before, I don''t mind sharing the wealth I make with the people I love."


    He sat across Danny, carefully observing the man he was about to rile up. From outside, Kang Danny did note across a person who would kill someone. He was polished and eloquent in his posture. The man was calm and collected like a gentleman as he sipped his wine. If Minho had not known of his deeds, he, too, would have been fooled by the charade of elegance the man carried himself with.


    "I''ve heard you are interested in our hospital project," Danny said. "I was hoping to talk to you about that."


    Minho did not reply but simply sipped his drink.


    "The hospital we''re aiming to build will be for the underprivileged children," Danny went on. "My father had a dream to treat the poor children for free so that they could have a chance at life. I''m sure you know that even though our economy is doing great, the poorer sections are hit by the job market crisis. This caused many children to not just drop out of school but the healthcare esses are bing more and more difficult. So we are nning to build this hospital to treat them."


    "I''m assuming that this hospital will be treating all kinds of children," Minho stated. "Including those who are going through severe abuse?"


    "Yes," Danny replied with a smile.


    "You are doing a social service then," Minho sighed. "A noble deed indeed. It''s really strange though."


    Danny raised an eyebrow. "Strange?" he questioned. "How so?"


    "I feel it''s strange that on one spectrum of society, we have selfless doctors like you who want to treat the children for free," Minho said. "While on the other spectrum there are people who would kill their own children to cover up their own misdeeds."


    Danny, who was about to take a sip from his drink, froze. Minho observed the small changes in his expression. His eyes narrowed when Danny quicklyposed himself and continued to feign ignorance.


    "Kill their own children?" Danny echoed. "Yes, I do receive cases like that. The things people do to their own flesh and blood. It''s a terrifying world out there. It''s a good thing we love our children dearly."


    "Yeah," Minho sighed. "I can''t say the same for this child whose case my girlfriend is handling."


    "What happened to him?"


    "Someone dumped the body of a child in front of the police station," Minho stated. "The child was badly abused for months and then, finally, his abuser decided to kill him by bashing his head with a heavy object. The killer would have gotten away with it too! He had buried the kid deep into the snow but luckily, someone found it and threw it in front of the police station. The killer probably did not dig the grave deep enough."


    Hearing that, Danny shifted in his seat. Did the police find Shinho by any chance? But that was impossible! He had dug a very deep grave so it was impossible for a random passerby to find his body.


    He''s definitely talking about an unrted case, he concluded.


    "People are cruel," he said in a grim tone.


    "They are," Minho shrugged. "It''s a good thing that people like you exist to save others. Especially the children. You must love your son a lot."


    "I do," Danny said in an indifferent tone. "He''s the heir to my business. I''m sure that one day, he would make a great doctor. What about you? Are you nning to have more children?"


    Minho raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked in a stern tone.


    "Surely, you''ll need a son to take your business forward," Danny said. "After all, sons are the ones who carry the bloodline and family businesses!"


    "On the contrary, I know Jina will one day be more capable than anyone else to handle my business," Minho said in a cool tone. "But she has already chosen a dream for herself and as long as she wants to achieve it, I won''t stop her. It doesn''t matter to me if she takes over my business or not as long as she''s capable of living independently. And about having sons. I, for one, will never pressure any of my children to take over my business. Children need a childhood, a family which would love and protect them. Not hurt them."


    Minho gave him a long and hard look, judging the ''doctor'' in front of him. Danny seemed to have realized his mistake and quickly tried to rectify it.


    "I didn''t mean it in a discriminatory way!" heughed. "I''m sure your daughter is a very talented girl-"


    "She''s our pride," Minho stated. "And as a father, it''s my responsibility to keep her safe and happy. Like all fathers should to their children."


    He emphasized on thest line, making Kang Danny even more ufortable. There was a judgment in Minho''s eyes which seemed to irritate him. The man did not know Danny from eve! Then why was he judging him?


    "You are right," Danny said. "Fathers are supposed to keep their children happy and safe. They should also protect their family from dishonor."


    Minho smirked. "As long as they''re not doing the dishonorable thing themselves," he shot back in a seemingly calm tone. "Then the family will be happy."


    Danny red at him. Minho pretended not to notice and looked at his watch. Gayoon should be interrogating the wife at that moment. Danny was not an easy man to crack but the little conversation they had, told Minho plenty about the man.


    And there was no doubt that Kang Danny was the murderer of his own son.


    .


    "The children seem to know each other," Doyoung noted. She was on a patio upstairs with Gayoon. They had left Siwan in Jina''s room to y. At first, the children seemed to be shocked to see each other but Siwan imed that they happened to know each other at camp. He did not borate while Jina was only staring at him.


    "Will you two be alright?" Doyoung had asked him.


    "We''ll be fine," Siwan replied, ncing wickedly at Jina. Thetter red back but did not say anything. Gayoon, on the other hand, sensed that there was something wrong and did not want to leave Jina alone with the moody boy but Yumi''s voice had assured her that she and Casper were there with her daughter. They would ensure the boy would not harm Jina.


    "I hope they''re getting along," Gayoon said in a worried tone.


    "Rx!" Doyoungughed. "They''ll be fine. Siwan might be moody and rude at times but he won''t do anything to displease his dad!"


    "Is he scared of his dad?" Gayoon asked. Doyoung stoppedughing and sighed.


    "Danny puts a lot of pressure on him," she said whimsically. "I rarely get to stay home due to my work but I always want to take him with me. But Danny wouldn''t allow it. He keeps Siwan to himself all the time and I barely get much of a chance to talk to him. But I can see the huge responsibilities Danny imposes on the poor boy."


    "That sounds harsh," Gayoon sympathized. "Why don''t you sit and talk to him?"


    "It''s kind ofplicated"


    Doyoung trailed off. "Danny and I aren''t exactly the talking type," she admitted. "We barely discuss what''s on our minds. All we care about is how to raise Siwan the best way possible."


    Gayoon could sense the hint of sadness in Doyoung''s voice but she could not push her too much otherwise she would be suspicious.


    "Is Siwan an only child?" Gayoon asked in a casual tone.


    "Yes," Doyoung replied. "He''s an only child. I wanted more children but Danny refused. He did not want more kids. He imed that raising another child would be too troublesome since I''m almost never home."


    Gayoon was now thinking quickly. Shinho had also mentioned that there was only his dad, his older brother and a prettydy in his family. He never mentioned his mother.


    Was it possible that Shinho was illegitimate? That would exin why he was not on the family registrar.


    "You''re lucky," Doyoung suddenly said.


    "Huh?" Gayoon gaped. "Lucky?"


    "I can see it in Mr. Hwang''s eyes," Doyoung said. "When he introduced you, he had this loving gaze on his face. He must truly love you a lot."


    Gayoon blushed and looked down.


    "Men like him are loyal to the person they love," Doyoung said, feeling a little envious of the detective. "If only all of us were that lucky"


    Sheughed sardonically. The woman is truly without any filter, Gayoon realized. Even though they were not close, Doyoung was spilling a lot of beans. Either she was lonely or bitter. Or both.


    Gayoon was about to say something when Nanny Kim approached them.


    "Dinner is ready, madam," Kim informed them.


    "Thank you Ms. Kim," Gayoon said. "We-"


    A sudden crash made all of them jump. "What was that?" Doyoung asked.


    "It came from Jina''s room!" Gayoon gasped and sprinted off towards her daughter''s room.


    "Jina!" she yelled as she darted into the room only to be shocked by the sight.


    Jina was standing while Siwan was sprawled on the floor, writhing in apparent pain. She looked at her mother, pale faced and shocked.

 Chapter 271: Scars of the Dead (15)

    Chapter 271: Scars of the Dead (15)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: PLEASE DON''T FORGET TO ADD MY BOOK ''HER TEMPESTUOUS VILLAIN'' TO YOUR LIBRARY! DO READ AND REVIEW IT TO SHOW SUPPORT [3


    .....


    *20 Minutes Ago*


    Jina was scrawled on the floor, busy scribbling something on a paper while Siwan was eyeing her with contempt. She ignored the bully who was throwing daggers at her through his eyes. Her concentration was on the task in hand.


    Shinho was also sitting next to her but he kept on ncing at his older brother. He never interacted with his brother but he had seen him from his cer. His older brother was a well groomed and properly maintained boy. From top to bottom, Siwan''s whole demeanor screamed elegance. Shinho looked from his older brother''s fine clothes then to his own shabby clothes. He was buried in an old, torn t-shirt and shaggy jeans. The contrast between them was stark and visible.


    "This kid is up to no good," Yumi noted. She was on the bed, keeping an eye on the boy who was probably going to harm Jina. Casper, on the other hand, was monitoring what Jina was doing. He was awed by her calligraphy. It was not the best but he was still silently cheering the little girl for her efforts. She was trying to stylishly write his, Yumi''s and Shinho''s names on three separate papers but it took a lot of effort. The little girl was very much engrossed in it, tearing up papers if even a line went awry.


    Jina heard Shinho''s loud sigh. Even though she wanted to ask him what he was thinking but she did not dare to do so in front of Siwan. She was focused on her work.


    "I know that you were the one who yed a prank on me that night at the camp!" Siwan suddenly spoke up.


    Jina ignored him and kept on writing on the paper. Siwan was bing irritated by the minute. He hated to be ignored and the brat was not even acknowledging his presence!


    "I am talking to you," he gritted.


    "But I am not talking to you," she said absentmindedly. Siwan''s nostrils red. He stood up, enraged by her behavior.


    "You will listen to me when I''m talking!" he eximed.


    "No," she simply said. "If you don''t mind, can you be quiet? I''m working here! Unlike you, I have a busy schedule."


    Siwan had enough of her rudeness. The girl was infuriating and he knew that she was hiding something. She had somehow manipted the events and caused him to humiliate himself at the camp.


    He stood up and rushed towards her. Casper was about to stop him but Yumi pulled him back.


    "I want to see what he does," Yumi said in a hard tone. She knew the boy was up to no good but she still wanted to see how far that brat would go. Was it possible for a child this small to be this insolent and out of control? No way!


    But to her shock, Siwan pulled Jina by the arm so hard that the girl screamed out "OW!"


    He gripped her arm tightly. The skin he had grabbed was turning red and Jina was crying in pain.


    "What the hell are you doing?" she cried. Tears fell from her eyes, rolling down her cheek but he was unflinching in his stance.


    "What did you do that night?" he demanded." How did you make those things fly?"


    "Stop it!" Jina cried, beating his hand with hers but his grip was too strong. She could not pull herself free from his grasp.


    "What did you do?" he shouted at her. "You must have drugged me!"


    "I don''t know what that means!" Jina cried. She was now sobbing harder. Yumi and Casper were now enraged. The boy was crossing all limits and dared to hurt a girl!


    But before they could act, something small rushed past and pushed Siwan backwards. He yelped, his hand letting go of Jina''s and he stumbled on the floor.


    "AHHHH!" he yelled, rolling over in apparent pain. Jina stopped crying and was staring at Shinho who was very angry at what his brother was doing to his friend. He moved in front of her as if protecting her from Siwan while ring down at thetter who was still on the floor.


    "Is he hurt?" Yumi asked. This is not good, she thought.


    Just then the door burst open. Gayoon had rushed in followed by Doyoung who was shocked to see her son on the floor.


    "Siwan!"


    "Jina!"


    Both the mothers ran forward to help their respective children. Jina was too shocked to talk while Siwan was doubling in pain.


    "She pushed me!" he used Jina, weakly pointing at her. "Mom...she hurt me"


    "What?" Doyoung frowned. She nced at the little girl who was tightly hugging her mother. But she noticed the red mark on the girl''s arm.


    "Jina, what happened?" Gayoon asked in a gentle tone. She would never believe that her daughter would hurt a person intentionally. There simply was no way a good girl like Jina would do that.


    "Lady Cop it was me," Shinho''s small voice came from nearby. "I pushed him. He was hurting her."


    Upon hearing that, it did not take Gayoon long to figure out what might have transpired. It was obvious that Siwan was hurting Jina but was now pointing the me at her. She was not angry at Siwan but pitied the boy. He must have learnt such tendencies from his abusive father and was now treating everyone else like that.


    But how was she going to exin to Doyoung?


    Taking a deep breath, she turned around to face Doyoung. Thetter stood up, still hugging her son. But she was giving Jina an unscrutinable look. Gayoon was confused how to exin it to her.


    From behind his mother, Siwan shed a smirk at Jina.


    "He''s faking it!" Yumi realized. "Why that cheating bas-"


    Casper held her mouth shut. She muffled out a series of ngs at the rude kid from underneath his palm, ring at Siwan.


    Gayoon opened her mouth to exin but Doyoung beat her to it.


    "I think this was just a childrens'' mess up!" sheughed. "It happens. Let''s forget about it."


    Sheughed and Gayoon was relieved. Jina hugged her even more tightly, scared of Siwan. Even though she had yed a prank on him a few nights ago, she made sure that he would merely be spooked and not seriously hurt. But his sudden actions caught her off guard and she was more scared of him than she was of evil spirits.


    "Yeah," Gayoon agreed. "It was just a mishap. I''m sure no one was at fault."


    "But she pushed me!" Siwan imed. "She should be punished-"


    He faltered under his mother''s stern gaze. Doyoung turned back to Gayoon and added, "Let''s not tell this to his father. Danny tends to overreact to these things. We won''t tell him either. Will we Siwan?"


    Gayoon smiled and patted the scared Jina in assurance. Shinho was silently watching everything. He was going to be punished for sure for his actions. What he did was wrong and the little boy was feeling guilty for hurting his brother. But when he saw Siwan abusing Jina, he could not stay still.


    To his surprise, Jina quietly reached out to hold his pinky finger with hers. It was her way of saying that she would protect him just like he had protected her. No words passed between them but their faint bond was growing stronger.


    "Dinner is ready," Gayoon said. "We should all go downstairs."


    Doyoung nodded. "I''ll help him wash up," she said. "Where''s the washroom?"


    "Down the hall then to your left," Gayoon instructed. Doyoung smiled and led Siwan away from the room. He red at Jina, still boiling with anger. No matter what he did, the girl always managed to get away! She bewitched everyone including his own mother! Doyoung did not even let him have her punished.


    He red at his mother. She was supposed to take his side! Wasn''t she his mother? Why did she not scold the girl or create a ruckus to ensure she was punished.


    "In," Doyoung ordered in a calm tone. Siwan headed into the washroom and Doyoung locked the door behind her. As soon as she closed the door, she swooped down on her son like a hawk.


    "Tell me the truth, Siwan," she demanded. "Did you hurt that little girl?"


    "What?" Siwan feigned innocence. "No! I didn''t! She was the one who pushed me! She even bullied me at camp! I swear it wasn''t me!"


    "I saw the marks on her hand," Doyoung revealed. "Those weren''t on her arm when we left her. So let me repeat myself. Did you hurt her?"


    She red at him, adamant on finding the truth. The disturbing behavior he had exhibited was not normal and a child only learnt these from the parents. Doyoung never disyed any sort of violence in front of her son. She rarely used ng and was careful not to use them around Siwan. As far as she knew, he was not exposed to any sort of violent behavior either.


    So there was only one person from whom he could have inherited such crassness.


    "I didn''t hurt her," Siwan lied. He was looking directly at her, not looking away. Doyoung was shocked to realize that not only her son was lying but also that he probably thought that he was doing nothing wrong.


    "You have disappointed me tonight," she said, feeling hurt. "You shouldn''t have hurt the little girl nor should you have lied-"


    "Aren''t you my mom?" Siwan sneered. "Why are you supporting her? You should believe me! Not her!"


    With that, he darted out of the washroom, leaving Doyoungpletely shocked. She slumped against the wall, burying her face in her hands in dismay. Her son was turning into something dreadful and she was doing nothing!


    Will he be alright? She wondered sadly. But there was no answer to her question.

 Chapter 272: Scars of the Dead (16)

    Chapter 272: Scars of the Dead (16)


    Dinner was a quiet affair that night. The staff had gone out of their way to prepare avish meal for the guests but the atmosphere was glum. Mina was merely ying with her food, her mind still on Kanji while Gayoon was ncing at Minho every minute. He kept a poker face but there was a cold aura emitting from him which only meant that his conversation with Danny did not go well. Something must have angered him immensely and he was barely keeping it under control.


    Doyoung was also not eating much, her mind on what her son had probably done. She was worried that Siwan was inheriting some disturbing behavior and even though Danny had never hit anyone in front of their son, she was not sure where he was getting these habits from. Was Danny disying some sort of violent tendencies in front of Siwan?


    She looked at her husband whose jaw was tightened. For some reason, ever since he came out of Hwang Minho''s study, there was friction between the men. Siwan sat between them, his eyes on Jina. The little girl sat close to her mother and when she noticed him ring at her, she shifted closer to Gayoon in fright.


    Gayoon, trying to lighten up the tense environment, picked up a bowl of yams and offered it to Doyoung.


    "Would you like some yams?" she offered. "My grandmother sent it. She grows them herself."


    "Oh, sure!" Doyoung smiled and epted the te. "The dinner is lovely!"


    Gayoon smiled back and turned to Mina. "Where''s Kanji and his...friend?" she asked.


    Mina, who was lost in her own world, jumped. "H-he went back after sheined that she was ill," she lied. "And Haejong also had to leave for some urgent business."


    "Oh, I should send him some of the food in packed boxes then," Gayoon said.


    "Mom, when can we go home?" Siwan demanded. "I''m tired."


    Doyoung was about to answer but Danny told his son in a sharp tone, "Do not be rude to our hosts. They''ve gone out of their way to invite us. Pay some respect."


    "You''re only here coz of your hospital," Siwan mumbled under his breath.


    "What was that?" Danny asked.


    "Nothing!" Siwan replied.


    "He''s probably bored," Minho said, attempting to be civil. "Children are restless."


    "He should know when to speak in front of elders," Danny said. ncing at his son, he added, "He''s bing too insolent."


    "We just have to be careful what we teach our children," Minho stated. "If they''re wrong then it''s our duty to make them understand. Not force them into listening to us but rather talk to them clearly."


    "I think I know how to handle my own son," Danny retorted with a smile. Jina looked from the mean uncle to her father. They were having a cold war and even she could feel the tension.


    Gayoon touched Minho''s thigh from under the table and squeezed it. He understood what she was trying to convey. The Kang''s were their guests and they had to be polite even if they hated it.


    "Dad, at school today, my teacher told me that my maths have improved!" Jina piped in. "She even gave me two stars!"


    "Really?" Minhoughed. "Why didn''t you tell us? I''d have posted it on my office wall!"


    "Office wall?" Doyoung asked, feeling amused.


    "Minho has an entire wall where the employees get to post up their children''s achievements," Gayoon told her. "It''s something he came up with after Jina was born. Since a lot of the employees don''t get to go home tillte at night, they are unable to spend time with their children. So he made a wall where the employees can post up pictures and achievements of their kids. No matter how small the happiness is. You should visit his office and take a look at it."


    "I have thergest corner there!" Jina beamed in pride. "Uncle Jongin used to tell me stories of how my dad used to take me to his office when I was a baby. He conducted meetings with very famous people while I sat in a corner, sipping from my cup!"


    She turned to Danny. "Uncle, do you guys also have a kiddie wall?"


    Danny shed her a mechanical smile and said, "I''m a doctor, dear. I''m way too busy to make something like that."


    "But aren''t you a p-ped-o?" Jina asked. Danny stiffened while Doyoung tried to stifle aughter while Siwan looked murderous. Minho wanted to give his daughter a medal while Mina was also smiling.


    "Pediatrician," Gayoon corrected her. "Uncle Danny is a pediatrician."


    "What''s that?" Jina asked.


    "He treats children," Minho exined. Jina was shocked to hear that. This man treated children and yet killed Shinho?


    She was so shocked that her mouth fell open and some of the food in it sttered on her dress. Siwanughed at her but stopped after getting a stern look from his dad. Both Minho and Gayoon grabbed tissues to clean her up.


    "Careful!" Minho told her but Jina merely giggled and kissed her dad''s cheek. She turned and kissed her mom too.


    Siwan had stoppedughing but he was observing the strange family which sat opposite to his. Jina was nowughing with her parents, chatting about how hard her tests were and that she was studying hard. Watching them happy was making him feel strangely lonely. His own parents sat on either side of him, not even looking at each other. They felt near him but their presence was far.


    He absentmindedly picked up a juice ss and was about to drink from it but his mind was on how Jina wasughing with her parents. The ss slipped a little and some of the juice fell on his shirt.


    "What did you just do?" Danny angrily scolded him. "You just ruined your clothes!"


    "I" Siwan began but Danny''s angry gaze made him stop midway.


    "Danny, it was an ident," Doyoung said.


    "He should be careful," Danny said in a stern tone. "He''s a future doctor after all. Carelessness isn''t going to help him in his career."


    "He''s just ten," Mina scowled. "I''m sure he still hasn''t decided what to do. The most he can do at this age is to memorize the multiplication table!"


    "Our family always produced the finest doctors," Danny stated. "My son will also be one."


    "You have decided everything for your sons, haven''t you?" Minho asked.


    "Son," Danny corrected him. "I have only one son."


    Minho stared at him for a while before saying, "My apologies. It was a slip of tongue."


    Turning to Gayoon, he asked loudly, "Gayoon, did you find out who killed that boy? The one whose body was dumped at the precinct?"


    Gayoon nced at Danny. He was still eating his food. Maybe it was time to make him sick.


    "No," she admitted. "It''s so sad. Who would kill an eight year old boy like that? The killer was quite ruthless."


    "How did he die?" Doyoung asked.


    "Someone bashed his head," Gayoon revealed. Danny, who was about to scoop some soup into his mouth, froze.


    "The killer even buried him," she went on. "We found dirt up his nose and mouth. But I guess the snow was too deep because the killer couldn''t bury him properly. Someone found him and dumped him in front of the station. He died just three nights ago."


    Danny looked up and for a moment, his mask slipped. Minho immediately noticed it but the man managed topose himself.


    "DId you find out his identity?" he asked in a cool tone.


    "The forensic doctor is doing a DNA test and also a dental test," Gayoon said. "We didn''t find him in any registry but the dental records should show up. He was eight. His milk teeth must have fallen off and he was definitely taken to a dentist at some point. Hopefully we''ll find his parents."


    At that point, Minho leaned forward and asked, "You''re a pediatrician. You must have met many children who were abused. How do you know if a child was abused by his parents?"


    Danny raised an eyebrow. "If there''s physical abuse, then there are scars and signs on their bodies," he said. "They might be malnutritioned and in case of internal injuries, their affected organs might also stop working. Especially the stomach where children are sometimes-"


    "Kicked on?" Minho suggested. "The abuser uses his power dominance to prove himself superior, am I right? So they kick on the child''s stomach a lot?"


    "Punches too," he went. "They''ll punch the child on the stomach repeatedly until the child coughs up blood. That''s one of the most sensitive areas, am I right? The child gets hurt there the most."


    His fingers tightened around his fork as he kept on describing what Danny had done to his own son. Images of his own teenage years were shing in his mind as he remembered the corporal punishment inflicted on him. The scars on his back were proof of what they had done. But he was one of the lucky ones who managed to survive that torment and turned his life around.


    Shinho was not so lucky.


    ''Isn''t that what the abuser wants?" he asked in a steely tone, not flinching away from Kang Danny''s eyes. "To show off their power?"


    Danny did not reply. He smiled but his insides were angry and scared. Why was Hwang Minho telling him all that? What was his purpose?


    "I-" he began but Minho cut across him.


    "Mywyers will get in touch with you regarding thend," Minho stated. "We will be working on it soon. Hopefully, you will be giving us a tour of that ce?"


    Danny was studying him. The man had suddenly changed the topic but he was sure that Minho was not done with it. The man wanted something from him. But what?


    "Yes," he finally said. "I will."


    Doyoung was confused by the exchange between the men while Gayoon was worried. Jina was looking from her dad to the uncle while Siwan was silent.


    From afar, Shinho was watching the two families at the table. Yumi and Casper were standing next to him as he shed pearly tears.


    "Dad" he whispered. "That''s my dad!"

 Chapter 273: Scars of the Dead - End of Part One

    Chapter 273: Scars of the Dead - End of Part One


    AUTHOR''S THOUGHTS: GUYS WE DID IT! THIS NOVEL HAS REACHED 2 MILLION VIEWS [3


    THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT! PLEASE KEEP SUPPORTING MY OTHER BOOKS TOO!


    .....


    "That man disgusts me," Minho said in a cold tone. The Kang''s had left a few minutes ago and he was with Gayoon at the patio upstairs. Mina also returned to her apartment in the city because she had an early morning surgery while Jina was in her room with the ghosts, citing some ''top secret mission''.


    "The wife genuinely did not know anything," Gayoon sighed. "But if my theory is right, Shinho is his illegitimate child. Which is why his DNA is not in the family registry. His birth must have been covered up."


    "When will the dental resultse out?" Minho asked. "Kang Danny might try to run away if he gets a whiff of what we''re doing."


    "Hopefully soon," she said. "We were reckless today. Kang Danny is not a smart cookie but he has the resources to hide his crimes. He won''t stay put if we go after him directly."


    "He must have made some mistake!" Minho said in frustration. "If only there was some way to break into his house and head over to that cer!"


    "That''s illegal!"


    "Let''s send the ghosts!" Minho suggested.


    "That''s immoral!"


    She gave him a sharp look which made him shut up. Seeing him like that made her sigh.


    "Why are you so invested in this though?" she asked curiously. "I know you pity Shinho for the state he''s in but aren''t you taking it a little too personally?"


    Minho did not reply but took a sip from the wine s she was holding. "He reminds me of me," he admitted. "He ended up having the fate which I was dangerously close to having. If someone had not saved me, I''d have died as well."


    "Your Uncle Jason?" Gayoon asked.


    "Well not just him."


    He fiddled with the ss in his hand. It was a memory he had suppressed a long time ago but after his stint at the World of the Dead, these repressed moments wereing back to him. He did not even know that such a thing had existed but the memory popped out of nowhere.


    "One night, when the abuse from the teachers went out of hand," he recalled. "I had to be hospitalized. One of the teachers had broken my rib. Uncle Jason and his family were called in and they saw what my state was. The teacher who abused me had ran away and even the Jang''s couldn''t find him."


    "That night, when I was at the hospital, there was no one else other than two guards outside. Once they fell asleep, someone snuck into my room. I was too dazed and confused but I heard someone...singing."


    "Singing?" Gayoon echoed.


    "It was a guy," he said. "He was singing itsy bitsy spider. I don''t know who he was and his voice was terrible. But...it felt good to have someone by my side that night. My whole chest was hurting so even his tone deaf song wasforting."


    Itsy bitsy spider? Gayoon wondered, frowning. Her ahjusshi also used to sing this song to her when she was a toddler. And he was tone deaf


    Before she could say anything, Jina emerged out of her room. She was carrying a bunch of choctes in her hands.


    "Mom, dad," she said. "I need you two to follow me."


    They nced at each other. "RWhere?" Gayoon asked. "Why? What happened?"


    "Just follow me!" Jina insisted. "I want to do something!"


    "Jina-" Minho began but she pulled the sleeves of her parents. "Come on!" she begged. "This is important!"


    They were perplexed as they followed Jina back to her room. Upon entering it, they were surprised. She had ced three trays against a wall, each of them having a framed note with names. One had Yumi''s name, the other one was Casper''s and the third one was Shinho''s. She also put unlit candles around the trays. Jina hopped over and ced the chocte on small tables which were ced in front of the trays.


    "What is this?" Minho frowned.


    "This is a shrine!" Jina eximed. "The old man taught me how to make one!"


    "A shrine?" Gayoon asked. Jina nodded enthusiastically.


    "Shinho said he likes choctes but he couldn''t have any while he was alive!" she revealed. "His father wouldn''t give him any. So I called up your old man and asked him if a ghost can eat. He said that they can if we offer them!"


    "But where are the ghosts?" Gayoon asked. She could not feel their presence in the room.


    "They''re waiting for us to summon them," Jina exined. "They''re up on the roof! I told them to make some kinda dramatic entry!"


    Gayoon was unsure of what Jina was up to. She had never tried to offer any food to a ghost but she knew that ahjusshi often gave offerings to histe wife. Even though his wife never came back as a spirit, he would still offer her favorite chicken dumpling soup every year on her birthday. He offered it in the hope that she would appear and drink it but sadly, the bowl always remained full.


    But to her surprise, Minho took off his shoes and sat in front of the shrines. He took a matchbox from the side and lit a stick. He then lit the candles and motioned them to sit beside him.


    "Let''s offer them food," he said with a smile. "I may not know a lot about ghosts but the ones we have are not that bad."


    He smiled and Jina rejoiced while Gayoon also smiled back. They sat beside him and sped their hands together.


    "Are you sure you know what you''re doing?" Gayoon hissed.


    "I offer food to my mother''s spirit every year," Minho revealed. "I know the procedure. The monks at the temple taught me."


    Gayoon did not probe any further. It wasmon practice to offer food to the deceased in the hopes that their souls would be satisfied. Many people followed the rituals and while Gayoon had never experienced the ghosts epting the offerings, she had heard stories from Shinjin and Junho about how some ghosts did empty the food bowls. Unfortunately, those kinds of incidents also scared the living rtives since they never actually expected the dead people to actually turn up and eat.


    Minho took the lead in mourning the departed for whom they were praying for. He bowed in front of the shrine three times. Gayoon and Jina followed suit, repeating his actions.


    "Thank you for your good deeds," he chanted. "May your wish be granted in your next life. Please ept this humble offering from us."


    As soon as he said those words, the candles were blown out by a cold wind. The windows flew open and the presence of three invisible figures were felt in the room. Even Minho could tell that they were standing behind them, watching the family curiously. He did not open his eyes but felt some movement around him and heard the unwrapping of paper.


    "They''re eating!" Gayoon gasped. She saw as the chocte bars were being lifted and unwrapped as the ghosts took bites out of them. Jina was also watching in awe as Casper''s face lit up in happiness. Yumi, too, could not believe that she was tasting food after such a long time. Even though she was not a fan of sweets, she was relishing every moment with tears in her eyes.


    But nothing could beat Shinho''s happiness. The little boy was overwhelmed by the gesture but did not eat the choctes right away. He took one chocte and ced it in front of Minho, whose eyes were still closed. He then ced one in front of Jina and then in front of Gayoon.


    He then proceeded to take a bite out of his chocte, beaming with joy.


    "He''s happy!" Jina eximed. "All of them are! Dad, won''t you look?"


    "No," Minho replied, not opening his eyes. "Since I''m performing the ceremony, I''ll have to keep my eyes closed until they are done eating. Otherwise, their meals won''t be blessed."


    Jina was about to say something but Gayoon stopped her. "Let him finish the ritual," she gently said. "We don''t want to leave it iplete, do we?"


    The little girl pouted and sighed. But seeing the ghosts enjoy their meal made her happy. Casper was silent but the look of happiness on his face was immeasurable.


    "You know, I used to think that life was unfair to us when we were killed so brutally," Yumi sadly mused. "Who knew that I would return as a ghost and on top of that, eat choctes with people who were strangers to me when I was alive?"


    Casper nodded in agreement. He wanted to say a lot of things but Jina understood his gratefulness. Shinho looked at Minho and stroked his cheek.


    "Being dead isn''t so bad," he said. "No one beats me anymore. I''m not hurting anywhere. I got to eat this chocte and made a new friend. I also met Bunny Uncle!"


    Minho could not hear what Shinho said but felt something cold touching his cheek and smiled. Jina leaned over to hug him while the other ghosts also hugged them.


    Gayoon was watching the strange yet heartwarming scene with a smile on her lips. But then her smile was slightly faltering. Seeing Jina''s close bond with the ghosts was soothing yet, an uncertain future alsoy ahead.


    The ghosts did not belong to their world and would one day have to depart for their own world after their wishes were fulfilled. That day mighte anytime. Could be minutes, days, months or years but it would surely arrive.


    But once it came, could Jina''s innocent heart handle the separation?


    It was a question which had no answer and Gayoon was afraid that the consequences would not be a happy one.


    Seeing Jinaughing with the ghosts was making her heart ache. Could thatughterst forever? She wondered.

 Chapter 274: A Line

    Chapter 274: A Line


    After a while, the ghosts took Shinho out for the night to show him the city. Since Jina had fallen asleep, he agreed to apany them, excited to see the whole town since he never had the chance to travel when he was alive. He bid good night to Minho and Gayoon and disappeared with Yumi and Casper.


    "They''re gone," Gayoon said. Jina had fallen asleep on the floor, curled up. She looked tired and worn out by the day''s events. Minho gently picked her up andy her on the bed while Gayoon pulled a nket over her.


    "You know," Minho began as they watched over their daughter. "I never thought that it was possible to love someone this much."


    Jina stirred in her slumber, rolling over on her back to sleepfortably.


    "She looks so innocent," Gayoon sighed. Stroking her daughter''s head, she kissed her good night before following Minho out of the room.


    "Did you get any intel from the wife?" Minho asked.


    "It seems that our suspicions were correct," Gayoon said as they entered their room. "Shinho is not her son but Danny''s illegitimate child. Doyoung stays abroad a lot due to her work so her son and husband are left here. So the husband takes advantage of her absence to carry out affairs. Shinho might be the son of one of his mistresses."


    Minho thought about that. Every affair always left a sign. In this case, it was Shinho.


    "You know" he began. "I think I can ask Kanji to put surveince on Kang Danny''s office. See how many women he had slept with in there. Maybe we''ll find something."


    His fists tightened as he recalled his conversation with that man. Even if Kang Danny was not a murderer, he would have disliked the man for his clearly immoral acts. His thought process had sickened Minho and it was ironic that an innocent boy like Shinho was born to a vile man like him. Human beings were clearly born with a twisted fate and the children ended up being the sufferers.


    Gayoon hugged his arm and lightly kissed it. "Are you alright?" she asked.


    "No," he admitted. "I''ll be alright. It''s just that Shinho reminds me of me. Abandoned by his father to a cruel fate. At least my one ran away and I was able to pick myself up. But Kang Danny just killed him! This boy could have grown up to be so many things. He could have achieved his dreams and maybe have a life of his own. If his father didn''t want him, then why take him in?"


    "Being abandoned is not a good feeling," Gayoon said softly. "When my dad left, I always felt empty and helpless. I had no proper family and it was a lonely existence. Maybe Shinho''s mother didn''t want her son to face a fate like that. If she was the one who forced Danny to ept his son, then she might have thought that it was better for Shinho rather than being called an illegitimate son. She was looking out for his best interest."


    "She was wrong then," Minho stated. There was a long silence between them.


    "You did great, by the way," Minho suddenly said. Gayoon blinked at him, confused by what he meant.


    "Tonight''s dinner," he pointed out. "You were a really good hostess."


    "Oh that? I used to help out in my grandma''s cafe so I learnt a few things," she admitted in a sheepish tone. "I was more impressed by how you were interrogating them. If you weren''t a CEO, I''d have recruited you for our precinct!"


    "Nah!" Minho said out loud. "Detectives get shit pay. I''m fine with my billions of dors, thank you very much!"


    Gayoon pouted. "I do not get shit pay!" she protested.


    "Oh please! You barely earn 0.1 percent of my earnings!" Minho scoffed.


    "And yet, you''re dating me?"


    "That''s coz the other women in my society earn zero percent of their own money," he shrugged. "They use their inheritance to set up their businesses and im to be self-made. Compared to that, 0.1 percent seemed better."


    He shed a sweet smile which only irritated Gayoon. Seeing her all worked up over this was amusing him. "So you''re saying if someone earns more than me, then you''ll go for her?" She demanded.


    "Well" Minho pretended to think but Gayoon was already very angry. Her face had turned green with jealousy which made Minho stifle aughter. She looked like an angry kitten whose favorite toy was stolen from her.


    "I''m going to take a shower!" she snapped.


    "Who knows, I might find someone who earns 02.percent more than you while you''re in there!" Minho joked. Gayoon made a face at him before mming the bathroom door. He chuckled and changed into his night robes.


    Sitting on the couch, he took out a box from his drawer. It contained an old file and a diary. He took out the file which had the clips of his mother''s murder and pictures of his father. His eyes hardened as he saw the man who had killed his mother.


    The picture was of Hwang Junho running away from the mansion after killing his mother. It was captured by one of their backyard cameras. No matter how many times he saw the picture, he could not help but feel his blood boil.


    Snapping the file shut, he took out the diary. It was his mother''s diary which she used to write until the end of her life. There were different memories she had captured from her life and even though Minho had gone through it many times, he could not make any heads nor tails out of it. It had been years since he had opened this diary because it only reminded him of how she died.


    He sighed and opened the diary, flipping through the pages. There were pictures of her marriage to Junho, images of him with his parents, Mina''s birth and countless other moments. Nothing in it indicated a strain in his parents'' marriage.


    Turning more pages, he was about to close it when something caught his eye. It was a drawing. He frowned at it.


    The drawing was of a mansion which looked like their old house. But it was divided into a perfect symmetrical order by a line. Minho had seen the drawing before but did not think much of it, assuming that it was one of his mother''s unfinished projects to renovate the house. Beneath it was a phrase.


    "The gates are opening," he read. Gates? He wondered.


    The gates of hell are opening


    The phrase he had heard many years ago was echoing his mind again. The gates of hell. What did it mean? He dimly recalled The Girl from the World of the Dead. She had mentioned that there was a disturbance in her world caused by a mysterious Mr. A. But how were the two incidents rted?


    He studied the drawing carefully. If he was not wrong, the line drawn was not separating the mansion but rather the world of the living from the dead. The Girl had told him that the two worlds were essentially the same except for the fact that the world of the dead was a loop which acted as a purgatory.


    Did it mean his mother knew something about the two worlds?


    He took out his phone and clicked the images of his mother''s diary before sending them to the shaman Shinjin. Thetter did not respond right away but Minho left him a message to call him. Putting the phone away, he was deep in thought. It was best not to tell Gayoon anything until Shinjin examined the drawing. What if his suspicions were wrong? It would only make her more tense.


    The clicking of the bathroom door startled him and he quickly put the file and the diary into the box before shoving it into the drawer. Gayoon stepped out of the shower, wearing a silk nightgown while rubbing her hair with a towel. The whiff of rose scent emitting from her momentarily distracted Minho.


    She nced at him and her nostrils red in annoyance as she recalled what he had said earlier.


    "Hmph!" she scoffed and looked away.


    "Are you still mad about what I said?" heughed. "I was joking! I wouldn''t go for a woman who would earn 0.2 percent more than you!"


    Gayoon''s face lit up and she beamed. "Really?" she asked.


    "I''d go for someone who will earn 90 percent more than you."


    Gayoon gritted her teeth and stormed towards the bed. She picked up a pillow and aforter.


    "Is the angry detective going to sleep on the couch?" Minho asked, suppressing a snicker.


    "What?" Gayoon frowned. "Not me. You."


    Minho''s smile was wiped from his face. "You wouldn''t dare," he said, feeling affronted.


    Instead of replying, Gayoon handed him the pillow and nket before storming off. Minho gaped at her as she dominated the bed, refusing to let him anywhere near her.


    "If you dare toe anywhere near the bed tonight, I''ll not let you into the bedroom for a month!" she threatened.


    "Tonight?" Minho asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Yes!"


    With that, she pulled the nket over herself and went to sleep. But instead of being disappointed, an evil grin spread on Minho''s face.


    His angry pet was a terrible negotiator and he knew very well how to exploit the loopholes. This will be fun, he thought. For me.

 Chapter 275: A Hidden Truth

    Chapter 275: A Hidden Truth


    Danny burst through the door, angrily taking off his tie. He stormed into the living room while Doyoung followed suit. Siwan was slowly walking behind his mother.


    "What''s the matter?" Doyoung asked. "Why are you so angry?"


    Her husband did not reply but rounded on Siwan who was cowering behind his mother. He was terrified of his father''s anger and whimpered in fear.


    "This boy humiliated me tonight!" Danny imed furiously. "Behaving with such arrogance and attitude! Is this what you''ve been taught?"


    "Apparently," Doyoung shot back. "You put so much pressure on to him whereas he''s just a ten year old! He was arrogant because you taught him!"


    Hearing her words, Danny turned to her. "As if you were there to take care of him!" he used. "You''re always off to your trips and charity events. I''m the one who takes care of him!"


    "I go to work in the hopes that at least his father would take care of him!" Doyoung spewed. "But clearly, you''re not taking care of him well enough!"


    She held on to Siwan, who was shaking. His apparent fear of his father was very much visible and she did not want him to be punished but rather disciplined into learning what was wrong and right.


    "I taught him everything he needs to know in order to be the heir of the Kang family!"


    "You taught him everything except basic human behavior," Doyoung shot back. "Did you know that he hurt that little girl today?"


    "I didn''t!" Siwan spoked up. "She was the one who yed a prank on me at camp!"


    "And did she end up hurting you the way you hurt her today?" Doyung asked. "She''s younger than you. Obviously, she''ll be naughty like the other kids her age. Have you tried to be nice to her? Or tried to be friends with her?"


    "She''s a rude brat!" Siwan yelled. "Dad"


    He turned around to face his dad. "That girl did something which made my stuff fly in the air!" he imed. "She did magic or something. Maybe mixed drugs in my food! I don''t know but she''s not normal!"


    "Don''t be silly!" Danny snapped. "This is all childish! Why are you falling for such stupidity? I thought I taught you better."


    "You taught him nothing," Doyoung stated. "Do you know that he had gripped Jina''s arm so hard that there were red marks on her skin?"


    Siwan was shocked to hear his mother. Was she defending him or punishing him? Danny red at Siwan and grabbed his arm harshly.


    "If that girl goes to her father andins, then it''ll cost me my hospital deal!" he shouted. "We''ll be bankrupt if that happens! Are you happy now?"


    He shook his son roughly. The boy was a nuisance and in no way the rightful inheritor of his family business. How did he end up with such a useless son?


    Siwan was on the verge of crying and Doyoun stepped forward to separate him from his father. She shot an angry look at him and tried to console her son.


    "Danny, this is not the right way to treat him!" Doyoung scolded him. "We''ll have to make him understand that what he did was wrong and make him apologize!"


    "I''ll never apologize to her!" Siwan yelled. He was crying hard and wrenched himself away from his mother''s grasp. "You never support me! You''re always against me! Why can''t you agree with me for once!"


    "Siwan"


    Doyoung was shocked at how her son was not listening to her. Was he so disconnected from her that he would not even obey her anymore?


    "You''re always scolding me!" Siwan yelled. "You always me me! That girl is a liar! She''s the one who pushed me! I didn''t do anything. She yed a prank on me and made me look stupid in front of my friends! Why aren''t you punishing her? I did nothing wrong!"


    He was panting in anger, ring at his mother. She was always critical of him. All mothers always took their children''s side then why was she not doing the same?


    "Siwan, what you did was wrong," she tried to exin but Siwan was having none of it.


    "You''re never there for me!" he screamed. "You''re always going away from home and don''t return for months. And now, you won''t even believe me! It wasn''t me! I didn''t hurt her! She hurt me!"


    With that, he ran off towards his bedroom and shut the door. Doyoung was still shocked that he had the audacity to lie to her face. He truly believed that he did nothing wrong and would not apologize at all. If he was being this stubborn at this age, then what would happen to him once he became an adult?


    "Our son is bing spoilt," she gritted. "Don''t you think we should take him to therapy?"


    "Oh now you''re so concerned for him?" Danny sneered. "Where were you all these months? You didn''t even see him off to camp!"


    "Did you see him off to camp?" Doyoung asked quietly. "It''s easy to me me since I''m working hard to give my son a good future! But you...you''re just pressurizing him! He''s ten! He''s not a business deal but your son!"


    "If that boy costs me the contract then it''ll be very bad for our family," Danny threatened. "You''ve made friends with Hwang Minho''s mistress, right? Tell her to coax her lover into partnering with our business deal."


    "She''s not a mistress but the madam of the house," Doyoung said curtly. "The same position I hold in this house. Surely, you could use a proper title to address her?"


    "You really think that a rich man like Hwang Minho will marry a woman like that?" Danny scoffed. "She''s a mere detective! Much lower in status than him. He''s just using her for fun and will dump her after a while."


    "Just because you''re like that doesn''t mean all men are like you," Doyoung stated. Her words made Danny even more furious and before Doyoung could react, he grabbed her chin. She was shocked by his action since he was never this violent with her. He was gripping her tightly, looking directly into her eyes.


    "Don''t forget that I married you and saved your father''s hospital," he gritted. "So don''t even point fingers at me! I can destroy you in seconds and you know it!"


    He let go of her. Doyoung staggered backwards in shock, still trying to process what just happened. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that Siwan''s door was ajar and he was peeking at them. As soon as he noticed Doyoung''s gaze on him, he shut the door.


    Danny gave her a scathing look before going away. Doyoung stood there for a while, still trying to grasp what was going on. She slumped on the couch, her mind muddled with several thoughts.


    But the thing bothering her the most was her son. He was turning into a violent person and it did not take her long to figure out that Danny had something to do with it. But Danny was never physically abusive to anyone in the house before. So where did he witness such behavior?


    Clenching her fists, she made a decision. She picked up her cellphone and called her agent.


    "Hello, Hani?" she greeted. "I''m quitting thepany. Please process my paperwork."


    From the other end, Hani was shocked. "WHAT?" she yelled. "Why? You''re the top model!"


    "My son needs me," Doyoung said firmly. "And I''ll stay with him. You can sue me if you want for breaching the contract but I''m gonna stay with my family."


    There was a long pause on the other end. "I''ll see what I can do," Hani sighed.


    Doyoung hung up the phone and stared at the wall in front of her. She would no longer trust Danny with the upbringing of their son. Siwan needed to be reined in through understanding and it was time for her to step up.


    I must save my son, she vowed.


    Meanwhile, inside his room, Siwan was sitting on his bed, lost in his own thoughts. He nced at the door. Making sure that it was locked, he reached out for his drawer which had a small camcorder in it. His hands trembled as he turned it on. A video began to y.


    From the inside of a slightly opened cupboard, the camera had recorded something which Siwan could not even dream of. Couple of nights ago after returning from the camp, he had found his camcorder in the cer. It had gone missing a few weeks ago and he was surprised to find it in the cerst night. He gulped as he saw the video but he did not have the heart to finish it.


    He quickly put it away, too scared to tell anyone of what he had just seen. It was not possible! How could it be? His father was a lot of things but he would not hurt someone. Right?


    He would, a sly voice imed from within him. Siwan was not so sure but deep within, he was scared of his father. He did not want to end up with the same fate as the boy in the camera. Quickly putting the camera away, he decided not to let anyone see it. His father would not like it.


    I must not tell anyone, he decided. Never.

 Chapter 276: Loophole**

    Chapter 276: Loophole**


    Gayoon was sleeping soundly while her subconscious mind was showing her strange yet pleasant dreams. In front of her was arge round ball with rainbow shades. It was hopping up and down, gleefully sparkling. She was awed by it and had the urge to touch it but it was too high for her.


    The ball was whirling round and round like a whirlpool and then it began to change its shape. It was now a dor sign which only made her confused. Then it began to break down and turned into the shape of a number.


    "0.5 percent," she mumbled. Then it changed its shape again, this time turning into a hundred billion dor sign.


    "Am I winning a lottery?" she wondered. She tried to reach out to it but to her shock, her hands would not move! They were locked tightly against her torso, not willing to move an inch. She tried to wiggle but the hands were unmovable.


    "What"


    She stirred in her sleep, trying to break out of the cage which was encasing her. Something was wrapping her tightly and she vaguely sniffed a vani esque smell. Enticed by the smell, she was grinning. Was it ice cream?


    Unconsciously, she took a lick and frowned. It was too warm to be ice cream and did not taste like food. Still in her sleep, she licked it again before realizing that it was someone''s skin!


    She shot her eyes open and for a moment she was panicking at her state. It took her a while to realize that she was being cocooned by Minho''s arms. To her shock, he was wide awake, watching her antics.


    "What are you doing here?" She protested. "You weren''t supposed to sleep on this bed!"


    "You clearly stated that I wasn''t supposed to sleep in the bed forst night," he shrugged with a mischievous grin. "You didn''t say anything about morning. So I came back to the bed at dawn."


    "WHAT?" Gayoon yelled, trying to break free but he only held her closer.


    "You broke the pact!" she scolded him. "I''ve still not forgotten how you said you''ll leave me if you get someone else who earns more than me!"


    He jabbed her forehead hard.


    "Ow!" she mumbled.


    "Jeon Gayoon, did you really think I would go for another woman?" he scoffed. "You should know me well by now! I''mpletely loyal to you! A one woman man!"


    He was indignant that she not only took his joke seriously but also kicked him out of bed. And on top of that she wore a sexy nightgown!


    "Not my fault that you love money more than me!" she pouted. Minho sighed at her naivety. Howe the woman was an expert at dealing with dangerous killers but so naive at dealing with men?


    "0.5 percent," he said.


    "Eh?" Gayoon frowned. Why was he teaching her math so early in the morning?


    "I love you 0.5 percent more than money," he smiled.


    "Just 0.5 percent?" she frowned. "That''s low!"


    Heughed and kissed her forehead. "It''s what my mother used to tell me," he said. "That she loved us 0.5 percent more than money. I was angry upon hearing that too but she said that the little amount makes all the difference. Since all the money in the world is limitless, the 0.5 percent love is infinite. It''s for eternity. So, I love you 0.5 percent more than money."


    Gayoon blushed and hid her face in his neck. "It''s too much math," she mumbled.


    He flipped her over and pinned her beneath him. Gayoon held her breath as his brown eyes were intense with desire. He was piercing her through his gaze, making her blush.


    "You''ve tormented me a lotst night," he whispered. "Even though I was innocent. Don''t you think I deservepensation?"


    "H-hey!" she weakly protested. "You have work and I have to go to the precinct."


    "It''s still 6 am," he said. "We have an hour."


    Gayoon bit her lip and before she could think clearly, his lips came crashing down on hers. He kissed her hard, tasting her thoroughly. All night, he had been tortured by the distance and missed caressing her all night. She was like a drug to him, intoxicating him with her rosy scent as he pried her mouth open to ravish her.


    He was making her breathless but she only wanted more. There were no more inhibitions and he was unleashing his inner beast which was ready to ravage the delicate maiden. Her mouth was invaded by his, their tongues hungrily smashing against each other.


    He left her lips and pulled back. Shey beneath him, silently coaxing him to continue. Her smooth skin was inviting him to leave his love marks on it while the baby pink night gown she wore was even more enticing. It was held by two flimsy ribbons on her shoulder while the rest of it reached a little below her waist. Gayoon had worn it deliberatelyst night to torture him for his joke but she had not expected him to twist her words and find a loophole.


    Minho trailed a finger over her night dress, stopping at her left nub. He circled it with his finger, feeling the softness. Gayoon was a little nervous and yet excited. His touch was arousing her, invading her very soul. Her moans were only encouraging him to explore her more. He felt like a big bad wolf who was about to devour the princess.


    "Does this feel good?" he asked in a hoarse voice, rubbing his thumb over her nipple.


    "W-what are you doing-Ahh!"


    Gayoon mewled when he pinched her hardened nipple. Holy shit! Her body was on fire and Minho was thoroughly enjoying her reactions.


    "Let''s get rid of this pesy gown," he smirked. Before Gayoon could recover from her arousal, he pulled the ribbons open and lifted the dress off of her before throwing it on the floor. To his surprise, she wore nothing beneath it.


    "Someone is fully prepared," he teased her. Gayoon red at him.


    "It''s your fault for making such a tasteless joke which ruined the mood!" she snapped.


    "Time to make up for it then," Minho said. "Double."


    Before Gayoon could ask what he meant, he swooped down on her breast and began to suck on it. She drew a heavy breath as his tongue licked her bud. Minho waspping on her tattoo, his member beginning to harden as he tasted her supple skin. Her rosy vor was addictive and he could not get enough. He bit her soft skin, making her groan. Within a sh, he took off his shirt and pants, throwing them aside.


    Before Gayoon could marvel at his nakedness, he lifted her up and ced her on hisp. Gayoon yelped at the change in position. His erection was now between them, throbbing in need.


    "I''ll need you to touch me," he whispered against her ear.


    "T-touch?" she stammered. "W-where?"


    He did not reply but took her right hand and ced it on his member, guiding her to stroke it up and down. Gayoon blushed harder at his request but a moan escaped his lips which was strangely erotic.


    "I-I can''t," she moaned.


    "You can," he said. "Just do it how you want to."


    Gayoon bit her lip andplied. She rubbed his long rod in slow, gentle strokes. Minho moaned against her neck as he felt her butterfly fingers caressing his manhood, feeling her warmth on his hard erect. He was bing more desperate for her, fighting the urge to enter her and make love to her until she cried his name out so loud that the entire mansion would hear it.


    But he was patient and reined back his desire. Instead, he let her stroke his manhood, immersed in her touch. Gayoon was pumping his member, now a little more confident as she felt it harden. It was rock solid and her fingers fell on his balls. She held them with her other hand, flicking them. Minho nearly lost control when she did that and groaned in pleasure. He buried himself in her neck, biting her pearly skin.


    His teeth marks stained her body, marking her as his. Gayoon moaned but kept on stroking his member with her hands while he dug his teeth into her skin. Her hand was bing tired but Minho had great stamina when it came to making love to her. Gayoon''s insides were on fire, her vulva wet with ming arousal.


    Minho was now reaching his climax as Gayoon kept on touching him, not stopping at all. He felt his precum dripping from his tip. Before he could react, Gayoon shocked him by stopping down to lick it.


    "What-" he began but she was now curious. Licking the salty drop, she now wanted to try something.


    "I... want to taste you" she admitted in a sheepish tone which surprised even her. She had never thought she would say something so dirty and yet, it felt natural to her. What was wrong with her?


    "C-can I?" she asked.


    "Are you sure?" Minho asked, feeling conflicted by her request. They had never tried something like that before and for someone as shy as Gayoon to make such a request was a big step in their rtionship.


    He took a deep breath and finally replied, "Okay."

 Chapter 277: Water Bill**

    Chapter 277: Water Bill**


    She bit her lip, feeling a little shy. Her words earlier were said on a lustful whim but now, her boldness was faltering. Minho sensed her nervousness.


    "It''s alright," he assured her. "You don''t have to-"


    "I want to," she said. They were breathing heavily, their bodies still hot with desire. She looked at his member and gulped. Can she even do it? Looking at its size and girth, she felt butterflies in her stomach, remembering the pleasure he had given her a few nights ago. It felt like a beautiful and sacred dream at that time. Sometimes, she wondered if it truly was a dream.


    Slowly, she bent down. Her lips slightly grazed against it, making Minho groan. She softly licked his precum, her lips encircling his mushroom head. Minho felt his member hardening and a new surge of ardour was coursing through his veins. She was bewitching him with her curiosity as she slowly began to taste his essence.


    Gayoon felt a little more confident as she caressed his manhood from top to bottom with her tongue but she still could not take it wholly inside her mouth. His rod was beginning to be stiff and she felt it tremble slightly.


    Minho let out another moan as the tiny woman bobbed her head up and down his phallus, throwing him into an erotic frenzy. He pushed and pulled out of her mouth, both of them letting go of their inhibitions.


    "Mmm"


    Gayoon whimpered, savoring his salty fluid while Minho moaned. He was moving with her rhythm, enjoying her velvety lips which weretched to him. His orgasm was at dangerous heights and he grabbed her hair to guide her movements.


    She was so entangled in her lust that she no longer felt afraid. Her hands were stroking his balls, making him even more desperate to enter her. Minho was holding back his climax but Gayoon''s actions made it almost impossible to control himself.


    "Gayoon" he groaned but words would note out. Gayoon felt his member bing rock solid and she kept on going until his salty seeds burst out. She did not stop andpped his fluids, some of it dripping from the corner of her mouth. Minho was sweating, his body getting hotter and hotter.


    She finally pulled back her mouth and stared up at him with her big doey eyes. Minho stared back, both of them in a daze. For a minute, they simply looked at each other before he nearly punched on her. Gayoon weed him in her arms as he pushed her back, kissing her furiously. He tasted his own liquids on her, the heat of the moment enticing them even more as they passionately savored each other''s mouths.


    In their fervor, he entered her in a swoop motion. Gayoon moaned against his lips as her walls greedily sked him in, already wet with need. She lightly bit his lips while Minho delved into her, humming against her while pinning her hands to her side. Gayoon wanted to touch him, feel his warmth but he kept her caged under him, unwilling to let go.


    "Ahh!" she moaned as he kept on hitting her sweet spots. Minho sped up his movements, pushing in and out of her in rapid motions. Her constant moans were like music to his ears and he let go of her lips to lick her neck.


    Gayoon wiggled uncontrobly, trying to keep up with his speed. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing him deeper into her, the sounds of their intercourse echoing throughout the room. Their cries of passion were so loud that she was afraid that someone would pass by and hear them but Minho was not stopping at all. He was enjoying her like his favorite meal, intent on making her his. Gayoon, too, was hypnotized by his desire for her and thoroughly enjoyed the effect she had on him while reciprocating his feelings on the deeper levels.


    Her whole skin was tainted with his love bites and he was not going to stop. She panted loudly, pulling him closer. Her soft breasts were inviting him and he squeezed them, pinching her nubs.


    "Oh my god" Gayoon whimpered as he massaged her buns while pumping into her. Her insides were burning and she could feel her vulva pulsating as she orgasmed but they were not done yet. Minho kept on moving his shaft in her, relishing every bit of her reactions. Every time she moaned, he sped up his movements while his own lust was spiraling out of control.


    Her muscles tightened around him as she spasmed but he was holding back his ejaction to prolong their lovemaking. He pulled out of her, making Gayoon whimper in annoyance but he flipped her over himself. Gayoon barely had time to breathe when he lifted her and pushed his member into her once again.


    "Oh!"


    He was now deeper into her than ever and her insides were trying to amodate his size. His member was deep into her womb, making her whimper in a sexy tone. Her eyes were unfocused and in her lustful state, she bent over to kiss his neck.


    Minho pounded into her, making her jump up and down against his groin. His hands were still massaging her breasts, enjoying their softness.


    "Gayoon"


    The mention of her name made her regain her focus and they gazed at each other with a mixture of love and passion.


    "Minho" she whispered. Still meshing against each other, they were driven by their feelings, delving into a deeper abyss. Minho could no longer hold back and hunched when his seeds flowed into her. Gayoon closed her eyes in satisfaction as his seeds filled her.


    She slumped onto his chest, their intimate parts still connected, spasming uncontrobly. Their intense lovemaking had hit both of them by surprise and theyy there, their bodies glistening with sweat.


    "I am never letting you kick me out of bed again!" Minho finally said with augh.


    "Only if you promise not to make such silly jokes!" Gayoon retorted with a giggle.


    "If I ever do, then think that I''m either possessed by one of those ghosts or in danger," he mumbled, hugging her tightly. With his personal bolster by his side, he wanted to go back to sleep but Gayoon pulled away.


    "It''s 7 am," she reminded him. "We''ve fooled around for too long! We have to go to work!"


    "Five more minutes," he said, pulling her back on his chest but she broke free and got off of him.


    "I can''t!" she protested, picking up Minho''s shirt from the floor. "I have so many cases to work on! The Chief will kill me if I don''t go to work! He''ll throw me off the tenth floor if I take another leave!"


    "But you won''t be home tillte night!" Minho protested. "How am I gonna make any money if you''re so far from me? You''ve made me more money than any of the employees in mypany!"


    "By fluke!" she said, rolling her eyes. "And you need to go to work too! Don''t be such a baby!"


    Minho pouted, making Gayoonugh. She kissed his cheek and said, "I''ll make it up to you, I promise! But now, I have to take a shower and go to work! I can''t bete."


    With that, she headed straight for the bathroom. Minho scowled, his mood falling. He wanted to spend more time with her. He could not sleep properlyst night because she was not by his side and was more than happy to exploit the loophole in her deal at dawn. But now, even after that intense tryst, he wanted her more.


    Suddenly, he got an idea.


    Gayoon had taken off the shirt and was about to step into the hot shower when the door to the bathroom flew open. Startled, she turned around to find Minho entering.


    "W-what are you doing?" she eximed.


    "I just realized, if we shower together, we can save a lot of water bills," he smoothly lied. "Isn''t that why you left the door unlocked too?"


    Gayoon blinked at him in apparent surprise but soon, her lips curled into a seductive smile.


    "I knew that you''d figure it out," sheughed. Minho did not need to be told twice, swooping her into the shower, he turned on the tap.


    Soon, the noise of the running water drowned out their lustful moans as they indulged themselves once more.


    ..


    "Ow ow ow!" Gayoon whined as she tried to sit straight on her chair. Her lower body was sore all morning thanks to the money lover''s unending appetite to bang her. And she also cursed herself for giving into her desires so easily! Their ''shower'' ended up for more than an hour and she waste to work anyway which resulted in Junwan giving her an earful.


    "He is so banned from the bed for the next one month!" she vowed, knowing very well that it would fail the moment he returned home that night.


    Just then, her phone received a message. It was Jaein.


    "TO THE LAB STAT!" it read in bold letters. Gayoon frowned and popped some painkillers before making her way to theb.


    Ignoring the pain in her abdomen, she entered theb where Jaein looked very excited.


    "What happened?" Gayoon asked. "Did you find something?"


    "I did," Jaein smirked. "We couldn''t find the identity of the boy and his dental records will take a while. But"


    She put on her gloves and picked up a sack. It was the same sack in which Shinho was buried in and waster dumped in front of the police station by Haejong''s men.


    "Look at this," she said, pointing at the name on the sack. Gayoon peered at it and gasped.


    "This is...the logo of Little Home Hospital!" she realized. Is Kang Danny this stupid? She wondered.


    "And hear this," Jaein said. "This sort of sack is used for carrying medicines only and can''t be used by patients or third parties. The hospital produces these internally and only for their own use. Patients or civilians can''t have ess to it."


    "Which means," Gayoon began. "The killer is one of the hospital staff."


    Bingo! She thought triumphantly.

 Chapter 278: A New Student

    Chapter 278: A New Student


    Yumi looked around to make sure the coast was clear before tiptoeing across the hall. Casper quietly followed, casually strolling down the ce unlike his other ghostlypanion.


    The mansion they were at was huge, probably not as big as the Hwang''s but stillrge enough for even ghosts to get lost. The floors were sparkling white while therge ss walls were covered with curtains. Expensive handmade furniturey around in a neat series with not even a single speck of dust. Everything was kept clean and proper, attentiv to eerie detail. Even the colors of the walls were kept light and simple with a mixture of brown and white. The floor was made of bamboo, highlighting the owner''s preference for elegance.


    What therge housecked was a touch of warmth and affection. Even for the ghosts, it felt like a cold and deste ce despite having numerous servants and a family living there.


    "This is such a dead ce," Yumimented. Casper made some hand movements.


    "I know I''m dead too but this ce is like a graveyard!" she snapped. "Just look at it! No joy! Noughter! Just a deand!"


    Casper looked around the ce and even he had to agree with her. It did not seem as if anyone actually lived there.


    They were sent by Jina to the Kangs'' mansion in order to spy on them. Yumi helped her to search for the Kangs'' home on the inte and it was not hard given that their home was designed by some world famous architect who had it listed on his profile. They were to keep an eye on the family members in case they found a clue.


    "It doesn''t seem like the kid has gone off to school," Yumimented. "It''s almost noon anyway."


    Just then, Doyoung was walking down the stairs, talking on the phone. Yumi was about to hide but Casper held her and made a hand sign.


    "Oh yeah!" she realized. "I''m a ghost! She can''t see me!"


    Sometimes, she forgot she was dead. The Hwang''s treat her as if she was still alive so whenever someone reminded her that she was dead, it felt strange to her. She did not move from her spot but watched as Doyoung sat on the sofa.


    "I know it''s on short notice," she was saying on the phone. "But it''s important. I really want to know what Danny has been up to. Lately, he''s been staying secretive and aloof. He was always like that but for the past few months, he had been locked up in his study room for long hours."


    The ghosts leaned in closer to hear the conversation. Someone was speaking on the other end and Doyong nodded.


    "I''ve been away for some modeling assignments," she sighed. "But now, I''m back for good. Plus, my son needs me. Last night..st night he disyed some unusual behavior. I think he hurt a little girl and lied to me about it. I saw the bruises on her hand and I knew immediately that something was wrong. I must stop him from bing worse. Which is why I''m going to stay home from now on. Moreover, he started to attend a new school. It''s his first day today and I want to help him out in his studies more."


    "But I also want to know what my husband has been up to," she went on. "I''ve always turned a blind eye to it but enough is enough. Our marriage hit many lows but I''ve always ignored his actions. I know about his affairs and I''m afraid that he''s involved with someone else again!"


    She listened carefully to the other person and said, "Yes. I know he had many lovers but I don''t know their names except for one woman. Her name was Choi Hyeri. She was a receptionist at his hospital nine years ago but one day, she had suddenly resigned. The girl was very hardworking and honest so it was a shock that she had left. Later, I heard rumors from the hospital staff that she was pregnant with Danny''s child! Imagine my reaction. I went to her house which was downtown but she was not home that day. I did not return again, afraid that the rumors might be true."


    Doyoung took a deep breath and requested to the caller, "Can you please find out? I''ll pay you if needed! I want to know if he''s having an affair. If that''s the case, I will have a solid ground to divorce him and take Siwan away! I''ve got some money saved up and we can live infort without Danny. Our prenup clearly stated that we can''t have affairs and if one party had an affair, then the other party will have im to half of the estate along with full time custody of any children born through this marriage. All I need is evidence and I can save my son!"


    The caller said something and Doyoung replied, "Fine. I''ll meet up with you tonight. We''ll prepare a n."


    She hung up the phone and stared at it for a while before making up her mind. Quickly getting off the couch, she headed upstairs to freshen up. Meanwhile, the ghosts heard everything, nodding in understanding. Shinho might be the son of the rumored mistress and somehow, ended up living in the mansion with his father.


    "Let''s stick around and find more clues on this Hyeri," Yumi suggested. "We might be able to get her address if we stay here."


    Casper nodded and they waited for Dyoung to follow her around. If they managed to find out more about this Choi Hyeri, they could go back home and report to Jina.


    Please let us find a clue, Yumi prayed while Casper silently waited, hoping for the same.


    .


    "Psst!"


    Jina hissed at the bushes outside the window of her ssroom where Shinho was hiding. She had brought him to school since he had to stop going to his one and the ghost was oddly excited.


    He refused to enter the ssroom because he was ustrophobic after being locked up in a cer for so long but was happily listening to the teachers from behind the bushes. Jina had deliberately kept the window next to her open so that he could listen. In fact, the ghost was so happy, that he was yelling out the maths'' answers from the bushes but no one could hear him except for Jina.


    She had snuck out of ss to talk to him. Shinho emerged out of the bushes, happy to be at the school.


    "Are you sure you''ll be alright?" she asked.


    "I''ll be fine!" he eximed. "But that teacher is so good!"


    "Eh?" Jina frowned. "You understood that gibberish?"


    "What''s not to understand?" he asked. "It''s so easy! The difference between Mt. Everest and Kilimanjaro is 29,028 minus 19,340 which is equal to 9,688! It''s not that hard!"


    "That''s the answer?" she frowned. "My one came to 900,886."


    Shinho gaped at her in disbelief. How she got that answer, he would never know.


    "You suck at math," he said bluntly.


    "Shut up!" she snapped. "It''s a stupic subject!"


    But Shinho stuck a tongue out at her and kept on teasing her. "Jina is stupid!" he chanted yfully. "Jina is stupid!"


    "Why you-" Jina was about to pounce on him when a cold voice came from behind her.


    "I knew you were a freak but now it seems that you''re a mental patient."


    Shocked, she turned around to find the familiar figure, coldly ring down at her. Siwan was looking at her in disgust as if she was trash. Shinho was about to push him again but Jina grasped her hand to stop him.


    "What are you doing here?" She demanded. "This is my school!"


    "Well guess what, shorty," he smirked, pointing at the logo on his uniform which was the same color as hers.


    "I''m a transfer student here," he revealed, taking a step towards here. Jina backed off, her hand on Shinho''s who was also scared of his brother.


    Siwan bent down and whispered, "And I''m about to make your life a living hell. Freak."

 Chapter 279: Live With Me

    Chapter 279: Live With Me


    Mina casually strutted through the automated doors, dressed in a casual purple striped shirt and a long red coat paired with tan colored pants. Putting on a pair of sunsses, she hummed to herself as she entered the mall. The guards who recognized the owner''s sister, saluted her as she passed by. She briefly smiled at them before stretching her limbs.


    "Ready for shopping!" she eximed to herself as she eyed therge paradise in front of her. Kanji had soured her mood afterst night''s dinner so she needed to cool off. Hence, she ended up at her most favorite mall to do some shopping.


    "It''s a good thing I know the numbers and passwords to all of his credit cards," she muttered. I''m gonna suck his money dry! She swore.


    ncing around, she settled on buying clothes first. She chose the fanciest designer boutique at the ce and entered it. As soon as she came in, the staff members came to help her.


    "Greetings Madame," one of the shop girls greeted her. "How may I assist you today?"


    "I wanna buy an entire wardrobe," Mina stated. "Shirts, t-shirts, pants, gowns, inner wear. I want em all today. And the money will be charged to Jang Kanji''s card."


    "Sure madame," the girl said and proceeded to show her all the clothes she wanted. Mina did not care to be choosy; she picked them all. Anything she touched, she took off the rack. By the time she was done, her bill exceeded almost half a million dors.


    "Pack these and have them delivered to my mansion," she instructed the shopkeepers. "Make sure our Jang Kanji also receives the texts about these purchases."


    She smiled at them sweetly before walking away to find her next conquest. Inwardly, she was hoping that Kanji would receive the texts of the exorbitant amount she was spending and woulde to her but it was a bleak wish. He called her almost every morning but that day, he did not call and she was angry at him.


    "Shoes next," she muttered and headed for a branded shoe shop.


    She entered the shop where there wererge disys of shoes. These were no ordinary shoes but rather handcrafted with authentic leather. The shoemaker of that shop did not have a factory but made each shoe with an intricate passion which was reflected in the designs.


    Being a member of the top tier of the society, Mina was considered a tinum level customer. Even though she never mingled with the society debutants and socialites because they bored her, she was well known in the circle. If her brother was the mighty Midas, she was the Ice Princess. The Hwang''s were practically a royalty among the upper sses so going to such exclusive stores was nothing for her.


    "Madam Hwang!"


    Mina turned around to find the world famous shoe designer, Hector Onir, beamng at her. He strode over and kissed her hand but Mina did not flinch. Hector was from Country M and merely in his forties. But he had struck a deal with Hwang Minho and only had one shop in the entire world. There were no other stores but his work was famous internationally thanks to the celebrities and politicians endorsing it. With sharp beady eyes and a tall frame, Hector ran his shop with an iron fist.


    He was on good terms with the Mina and despite his entricities, she genuinely had respect for the man''s work. He was aloof to most of the socialites who stopped by his shop but Mina was an exception since she had pursued her own goals rather than settle to be a social butterfly and do nothing in life. Hector admired that about her. The onlyint he had against her was that she was a hard core bargainer.


    "I''ve heard you prepared some unique designs," Mina beamed. "Show me all the expensive ones."


    "I can but you will somehow bargain with me and reduce the prices by ny percent," Hector said warily.


    "I''ll buy full retail price," Mina said smugly. "That too on Jang Kanji''s cards."


    "Why am I not surprised?" Hector sighed. He knew about the rumored ''It'' couple Kanji and Mina but those were mere spections. Were they together or not, it was a mystery the whole world was probably trying to figure out.


    "I''ll wait here while you bring in the collections," Mina said as she took a seat on a couch. "I want the best shoes, Hector. Exclusive ones. Expensive ones. The pricier the better."


    "Aye!"


    Hector disappeared behind a door, looking for shoes while Mina picked up a magazine to read. She was so lost in reading about a celebrity scandal that she did not notice when someone touched her foot. Assuming it to be Hector, she did not look when she felt him taking off her shoes and putting on new ones. As soon as the shoe was on her foot, she vaguely felt that it was the perfect size. She felt the person put another shoe on her other foot before letting go.


    "Thanks, the shoes seemed to have fitted-"


    She nced away from the magazine to face Hector but as soon as her eyes fell on the familiar figure, her mouth fell open.


    "You?" she shrieked. Haejong was peering up at her with a poker face. Hector came out of the room to check what themotion was about. But as soon as his eyes fell on the new entrant, he gasped.


    "M-master Lin!" he said at once and bowed. Mina red at the Mafia who was still looking at her.


    "Leave us," Haejong said in a cool tone. Hector immediately obeyed and left the store.


    "What are you doing here?" Mina demanded.


    "I saw you from afar and thought I''d say hi," Haejong imed but Mina doubted it. She narrowed her eyes, feeling suspicious.


    "Are you following me by any chance?"


    "Maybe."


    He did not know why he did that. There was no exnation why he went to her mansion in the morning and upon seeing her getting into her car, he followed her to the mall. He watched her from afar as she went from shop to shop, aimlessly buying whatever she put her hands on but there was a hollowness in her eyes which bothered him.


    "Those are for you, by the way," he said, pointing at the shoes. Mina looked down at her feet.


    Her feet were adorned with a pair of red and ck microfiber tform heels which contrasted with her fair skin tone. It was a closed heel but veryfortable and soft. Even though Mina was angry at Haejong, she could not help but admire his choice. But her pride was stopping her from taking them.


    "I don''t want them," she said tly.


    "Don''t be stubborn," Haejong scoffed. "It''s a thank you gift. For saving my life."


    "You already paid your debt," Mina gritted as she tried to take off the shoes. "So we''re already even."


    "That was for your brother," he shot back. "This is simply a gift. Why can''t you be more appreciative when someone gives you a gift?"


    "Because," Mina began. "I will only take free stuff from one person in the world. And it''s definitely not you!"


    She took the shoes off and handed them to him. Putting her feet back into her sneakers, she tried to walk away but before she could step out of the store, Haejong grabbed her arm and pulled her back.


    "What the-"


    He pinned her against the wall. Mina red at him but he was simply expressionless.


    "Are you seriously going to force me?" she hissed at him. "But I''m not gonna-"


    "Why do you shop?" he suddenly asked. Mina blinked, surprised by the question.


    "Your eyes are devoid of emotions and yet, you''re pretending as if nothing happenedst night," he whispered. "As if you''ve shut away the pain. How do you do it?"


    "I"


    Mina was at a loss for words. She did not know how to answer his questions. There was strange loneliness emitting from him and seeing this vulnerable side of his only made her more ufortable. She was not a person who could talk about deep stuff so she was unsure of what to say.


    "I just brush it off and try to live," she finally said. "Bad things happen to everyone but we can''t simply stop living because of them."


    He was still looking at her with a quiet intensity. Live? What an interesting word.


    "Help me live for today," he finally said. "Can you do that?"


    Mina frowned at the strange request. Live? Eh?


    "Are you alright?" she asked hesitantly.


    "No," he replied, letting her go. "It''s the death anniversary of the person I hate the most in the world. So I want to live today. Since both of us want to live, why not do that together?"


    Mina scratched her head in confusion. How the bloody hell was she going to achieve that?


    Finally, she sighed and picked up the sexy tform heels. She was walking away, making Haejong feel emptier than before. He had hoped that maybe he would find some sce by being with her but it seemed that even Mina was not going to spare him a nce.


    "You''re paying for these."


    He looked up. Mina had her hand on her hip and to his slight surprise, there was a smirk on her face.


    "If you wanna ''live'' with me today, then you better hope your pockets aren''t empty," she went on. "I''m a very expensive person so make sure you have enough money to spare!"


    "What are you doing?" Haejong asked slowly.


    "Obvious isn''t it?" Mina asked. "We''re going shopping!"

 Chapter 280: A Killing Frenzy

    Chapter 280: A Killing Frenzy


    Jang Jason sat across the desk, peering at his son''s reports. Kanji was also in attendance as his father went through the papers in his hands.


    "Yeonjoo is the daughter of the right hand man of the Lin''s," he informed his father. "Hao Shen. He is one of the pirs of the Lin family and even served under the former head, Lin Cheng."


    Jason put the papers away, leaning against his chair to massage his temple. The war between the families was escting to dangerous heights. Justst week, theirwyer was attacked by the Lin family and valuable documents detailing their silver trade were stolen. If Kanji had not been smart and rerouted the goods, then they could have lost billions of dors.


    As one of the oldest families in the country, the Jang''s and Lin''s were responsible for the shady underworld businesses. Even though they were part of mafia syndicates, the government and police tried to interfere as little as possible in their trade because the two families were also keeping all the gangs in check. They wielded immense influence and the criminal gangs were scared of them since the families were not hesitant to kill if necessary.


    So far, the two families merely had icy rtions while carrying out their duties but it all changed after the head of Lin family was killed and dumped in a river. The me came on the Jang''s and Lin Haejong, the grandson of Lin Cheng, had dered war on them. Lin''s carried out an assassination attempt on Jason but thanks to Kanji''s intel, they managed to save him. But it was now an all out war.


    "They won''t stop," Jasonmented. "We have to negotiate a peace treaty."


    He looked a lot like his son with the same light colored hair and dark eyes but he was shorter than his son by a foot. His face was slightly wrinkled but other than that, he did not look a day older than forty despite being in histe fifties.


    "Hao Shen is our key to finding the proof that we have not murdered the previous head of the Lin family," Kanji gritted. "The man has been acting as a double agent and I''m sure that he''s covering the truth! His daughter can lead us to his secret and I''m sure that we can corner him."


    "Hao Shen is more dangerous than the entire Lin family," Jason said sternly. "Following him by seducing his daughter won''t be easy. He killed his wife and own son after they tried to escape. What makes you think the daughter will be a safe bet?"


    "She owns Club Xia," Kanji exined. "From the outside, it''s like any normal club but in reality, it''s the hub of all the gang deals. She runs her own escort services from there, making sure that she gets intel on every gang member. I know that she knows more than she lets on and is involved heavily in her father''s activities."


    "Then why are you failing to get the information?" Jason demanded. Kanji hesitated. Yeonjoo was growing increasingly suspicious of him and was also demanding him to sleep with her but the thought of Mina was holding him back. After the disastrous dinner, he had not gathered the courage to talk to her.


    "Is it because of Mina?" Jason sighed. "Kanji, if she means so much to you, then you are free to leave this business! I told you already."


    "I can''t leave," Kanji gritted. He could but yet, could not. Mina was blissfully unaware of his dual life and he wanted it to remain like that. The moment she got involved with him, he would put her in the way of danger whether he was in the business or not.


    He had killed many people and his hands were stained with blood. There were men who were out to kill him and if they found out about her, she would be their target. To get to him, they would hurt her. Or even worse.


    Thest thing he wanted was to add more trauma in her life.


    Just then, his phone received a text but he ignored it. "Dad," he began. "We need to-"


    His phone beeped again, cutting across what he was about to say. Kanji frowned and took out his phone only to be bombarded with numerous messages.


    "What the-"


    He scrolled through all the messages and they were from different stores in Minho''s mall. Someone was using his card to buy almost everything and he had lost nearly a million dors.


    And there was only one person who could do this.


    "What happened?" Jason frowned.


    "Mina is upset," Kanji muttered. He was aware that Mina was upset and whenever she was sad, she would try to shut it all out by going shopping. Usually she used her own card but if she was using his card, then it meant she was angry at him.


    "Go and pacify her," Jason suggested. "You two kids need to figure out what you want. She''s young and has a long life ahead of her. If you''re gonna push her away like this, then she''ll eventually find someone else. Just talk to her and exin the situation."


    Kanji could not exin to his father about his predicament. He was not afraid that Mina would not ept him after finding out the truth. He was afraid that she would.


    "I''ll talk to her," he sighed. "See youter dad."


    Jason nodded and Kanji left the room to go to the mall where Mina was. Getting into his car, he revved up the engine.


    All throughout the journey, he only wondered about what was going on in her mind. He wanted to gather the courage to confess the truth to her but he could bear to put her in any more danger than she already was in. Her trauma with CCK was deep enough and Knji did not want to add to it.


    It was for the best.


    .


    "Hell no!" Mina snapped. "That looks hideous!"


    "What?" Haejong frowned, looking at the ck leather jacket he had put on. "This looks...swag."


    His words made Mina scoff. They were at another clothing store where they were trying on clothes. Instead of buying anything, they were simply looking around for fun.


    "That jacket looks like what idiotic teenagers wore in those cheesy eighties movies!" Mina imed. "This is more dashing."


    She took out a pink nnel shirt and held it out for him. Haejong stared at it dismay.


    "You want a mafia leader to wear this?" he asked in disgust.


    "Yes," she replied in a mocking sweet tone. "Because I would love to imagine the tortured look on your face when you try to intimidate others while wearing this."


    "You really hate me don''t you?" he asked.


    "I hate what you do," she simply said, scavenging through more clothes. "The only reason I''m with you today is because you seemed genuinely sad about your grandpa."


    Haejong did not reply. Mina frowned at his silence.


    "You are sad about your grandfather, aren''t you?" she asked, feeling uncertain.


    "No," he admitted. "I''m not. If I had it my way, I''d have killed him myself."


    Mina was not shocked by his words but it made her uneasy. "Then why did you ask me to apany you?" she demanded.


    "Because" he began. He took a step towards her, leaning closer. Mina moved away a little but stood her ground as he whispered to her.


    "With you by my side, I won''t be killing anyone in my frenzy," he said. Mina was shocked upon hearing that she was merely a cover to hide his murderous instincts. Haejong grinned and held out avender dress.


    "This would look good on you," he winked. "Try it."


    Mina did not know how to react but she snatched the dress from his hands and quickly darted off towards the trial room, locking it firmly behind her. Her hands were trembling as she recalled his words. Leaning against the door, she slumped on the floor as sweat dripped from her forehead. She felt her heart racing rapidly in fear unsure of what she had gotten into.


    Her mind was at a loss upon thinking that the man who was with her at that moment, was also a cold blooded killer.


    "What does he want from me?" she wondered out loud.

 Chapter 281: A Silent War

    Chapter 281: A Silent War


    The hospital was bustling with doctors and nurses, busily hurrying to treat the patients. Gayoon entered the ce to look for someone to guide her to Kang Danny but the nurses would not spare a nce at her. The receptionist was busy registering new patients. There was a nasty ident nearby and some of the patients were transferred to Little Home Hospital.


    "Excuse me-" Gayoon began, trying to catch the attention of a passing nurse but she brushed by her.


    Calm down, Gayoon chanted to herself. She debated whether toe backter but the more she dyed, the more evidence they would lose. As if answering her prayers, the speakers at the lobby began to echo.


    "Dr. Kang Danny," the speakers boomed. "Pleasee to the ICU on level 4. Dr. Kang Danny, pleasee to the ICU on level 4."


    Upon listening to the announcement, Gayoon rushed towards the fourth floor. She saw Danny running towards the emergency room but she did not stop him since there was a patient to attend to. Instead, she calmly waited outside the emergency room.


    "Have you heard about Choi Hyeri''s suicide?" one of the nurses behind the counter was asking her colleague.


    "Hyeri?" the other nurse frowned. "Didn''t she leave the hospital nine years ago?"


    That piece of information caught Gayoon''s interest. Nine years ago?


    "Yes, but after leaving this ce, she shifted to one of the rundown apartments at G-Town," the first nurse exined. "One of my rtives used to be her neighbor. Apparently, Choi Hyeri also had a son but one day, he was sent off somewhere. It was a few months back. The boy was not seen since then. But soon after the boy left, Choi Hyerimitted suicide."


    Suicide? Gayoon froze on her spot. Who is this Choi Hyeri and why did she kill herself?


    "Poor girl," the nurse sighed. "She was so hardworking. If only the hospital''s CEO hadn''t seduced her. She was young and naive. Falling for his words like that."


    "But he seduced her even though he was married," the other nurse countered. "That man is trash but a damn good doctor. If only he was not such a rotten human being. And that son of his is turning out to be like him. Arrogant and selfish. I feel sorry for madam. She''s so nice but has to deal with these two."


    The first nurse was about to say something but noticed Gayoon staring at them.


    "May I help you with something?" the nurse asked politely. Before Gayoon could question them, the emergency door opened and Danny came out. He noticed a familiar face.


    "Ms. Jeon?" he asked. Gayoon turned to face him and slightly nodded.


    "Hello, Dr. Kang," she greeted.


    "What brings you here?"


    "I was hoping to talk to you regarding a case I''m handling," she stated. "I know you''re busy but it''s a police procedure."


    Danny studied the woman in front of him. After dinner with the Hwang''s, he had his men dig into their background more, especially of the Detective. She had grown up in a modest family and at eighteen, for some reason, signed up for a surrogacy. It turned out that the child she had given birth to was Hwang Minho''s daughter and they were currently cohabiting together.


    Hwang Minho is probably ying around with this woman, he thought. The detective was not bad looking and if she was a virgin, he could have tried to seduce her. Too bad he liked his women pure and innocent because it made the hunt even better.


    "How can I help you, Ms. Jeon?" he asked in a cool tone.


    "Can we talk in your office?" Gayoon suggested. Danny nodded and led her to his office on the fifth floor. Once inside he took off his white coat and settled on his chair while Gayoon took the seat opposite to him.


    "So, what is this about?" Danny asked, putting on a smile.


    Gayoon took out a picture of the sack in which Danny was kept in. "This sack," she began. "It belongs to your hospital, am I correct?"


    Danny nced at the picture and replied, "Yes. It has our logo and name. The sack is used by our staff only and cannot be used outside of this hospital. Where did you get this?"


    She did not answer but took out another photograph. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it in front of him. Danny took the photo and was shocked. But he did not let his feelings show up on his face.


    It was the picture of Shinho''s dead body. Danny feigned ignorance, pretending not to know the child.


    "Who is this?" he asked in a cool tone.


    "That''s what we want to know," Gayoon said. "Who is this? His body was found in front of our police station, packed in this sack."


    That surprised Danny. He had buried the brat in the snow! Then how did his body end up in front of a police station? That was impossible!


    "Someone had buried the child but somehow, he was found and dumped by an anonymous person right in front of our precinct," Gayoon exined. "And since he was wrapped in the sack belonging to your hospital, we want to know what is his connection to this ce. Was he a patient? Or rted to someone in this hospital?"


    Danny was calm andposed but his mind was in a panic. He quickly thought of the possibilities and how to cover his tracks.


    "I''ve never seen this boy," he lied smoothly. "Then again, I have treated thousands of patients. Surely, I cannot remember all of them, right?"


    "And yet, a staff of yours managed to sneak out this exclusive sack from your hospital," Gayoon argued. "And dumped this boy in a grave."


    "Anyone could have the sack," Danny argued.


    "But you just said that the sacks cannot be taken out of the hospital," Gayoon pointed out. "Surely, there''s a registry which ounts for all the materials leaving this ce?"


    "There are over five hundred staff working here," Danny stated. "The registry might have the names but how will you determine who took the sack? Many employees take the old and useless sacks for their use. Sometimes, they even give these away to their friends or family. Who knows how many hands the sack may have changed? It seems to be a mere coincidence."


    Gayoon raised her eyebrow. Her years of experience in dealing with criminals taught her that if a person is innocent, they would not go out of their way to exin their arguments. They would simply stick to short and crisp answers. Only the ones who had a lot to hide would give long exnations.


    And Kang Danny was keen on giving long exnations.


    "Over the next few days, I will be questioning all your staff," she said in a firm tone. "No one is allowed to leave town. Not even you. And I also want to know what you were doing three nights ago."


    "I had a night long surgery," Danny imed. "You can check the CCTV footage."


    "I will," Gayoon said in a calm tone. She leaned forward and added, "You''re a pediatrician, right? Don''t you think it''s cruel that a boy this young was unjustly killed by someone?"


    "I have noments on that," Danny said curtly.


    "Strange," Gayoon noted. "You''re a doctor who saves lives and also a parent. Yet, the fact that a child''s murder might be possibly linked to your hospital doesn''t even faze you. How strange."


    "As I said," Danny gritted. "I have thousands of patients to deal with! I can''t remember everyone. Even if this kid was here, I won''t remember him."


    "You don''t have to remember him, Dr. Kang," Gayoon gently shot back. "A little empathy is all that he needed."


    There was a silent war brewing between them as they locked their eyes. Gayoon was calm but she could see the anger brewing in Danny''s eyes as if he would kill her with his gaze.


    "I''ll take my leave, Dr. Kang," she replied. "You better hope that I find the killer. Otherwise, it''ll affect your hospital''s reputation if the murderer turns out to be one of your employees. After all, this ce is called ''Little Home Hospital''. Surely, a child should be safe at a ce like home. Right?"


    Danny hid his malice and smiled, "Of course, detective. Where else will a child be safe if not in his home?"


    Gayoon fought the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she nodded and left the room.


    Danny watched her leave. As soon as she left, his fingers clenched into a fist. The cheap detective dared to challenge him! For some reason, it felt as if she knew that he was the killer or at least suspected his involvement. She was probably hoping that he would visit the burial spot but Danny was several steps ahead. He was not going to inspect the ce where he had buried Shinho. He was going to live life as if nothing happened.


    That cursed kid! He gritted inwardly. He won''t even let me live in peace!


    "I hope that bastard rots in hell!" he cursed. "Just die and go away!"

 Chapter 282: Separate Paths

    Chapter 282: Separate Paths


    Jina barely touched her food. She was fiddling with her spoon absentmindedly while Shinho looked at her with a worried expression. Minho and Gayoon were not home yet while the other two ghosts were still tailing the Kang family so it was just Jina and the household staff in the mansion that night.


    "Are you still worried about my elder brother?" Shinho asked.


    Jina looked around to make sure none of the staff were around before replying in a hushed tone, "He really hates me. I''m sure he''s gonna make my life miserable!"


    "I''ll protect you!" Shinho imed. "I can push him away if he tries to hurt you!"


    "I can handle him myself," Jina assured him. "I''m just worried that he might try to find out my secret!"


    After the prank she yed on him, Siwan had be increasingly suspicious of her and she was sure that he was going to try to find out about her ability. She hated to admit it but Kang Siwan was smart and he would not stay mum.


    "We''ll have to be careful," Jina decided. "And don''t tell my parents about this. They''re already working hard to help you. If they hear about this, they would go berserk. Especially my dad. So shush!"


    "But you should tell this to someone!" Shinho suggested. "I''ve seen my elder brother with his friends. I used to sneak out of the cer every once in a while whenever my dad wasn''t around. My brother and his friends...they''re not nice at all."


    He recalled how his brother used to treat his own friends in a rude manner which shocked Shinho. When his mother was alive, she used to tell him not to be rude to others so Shinho always followed whatever she taught him. She even told him not to anger his father so no matter how badly his father treated him, Shinho always obeyed him and stayed quiet.


    So he was shocked when he saw his brother and his friends picking on others.


    "I can send an entire army behind them!" Jina scoffed. "My ghosts will haunt them till they''re old and wrinkled! I just hope he doesn''t find out my secret."


    After hearing how her own mother was bullied by others, Jina had no desire to let others know of her powers. The less attention she got from humans, the better her life was.


    "What I don''t understand is why your mother let your dad take you away," Jina frowned. "You said you were living with her, right?"


    "I was living with her tillst year," Shinho said sadly. "But then, she began to act strange. She was staying outte and sometimes came in the morning. I was left alone with the neighbors to take care of me while she was out. Then one day, she told me that she was gonna send me to my dad. That he was going toe and fetch me."


    "Then what happened?" Jina asked.


    "I cried," he went on. "And begged her to let me stay. But she was adamant on making me leave. I don''t know why. Then my dad came and dragged me away. I screamed for mom but she didn''te out to say goodbye to me."


    His tone was full of sadness as he recalled the day his dad took him away. Hyeri, his mother, had her back turned to him. She refused to show him her face and even when he cried for her, she did not turn back. He had thought he saw teardrops falling on the ground where his mother stood but before he could be sure, his father forcibly took him away. There was something wrong with her and he knew it.


    But now, he would never know.


    He was so lost in his thoughts, that he got startled when Jina''s arms wrapped him in an embrace. Even though he was cold, to her, he felt warm.


    "It''s okay," she assured him in her innocent childlike voice. "You''re with us now. We''re your family now. The bad people can''t hurt you here."


    Unbeknownst to her, Shinho was blushing hard. If he was alive, he was sure his heart rate would have gone through the roof.


    "Thanks," he mumbled. Jina smiled and let go of him.


    "Let''s y hide and seek after dinner!" she eximed. "I''m done with homework anyway so we can y for a long time!"


    "Yes!" Shinho agreed. Jina nodded and quickly finished her dinner, feeling more cheery. Shinho happily watched her, feeling at ease. For the first time, he had a friend who epted him just the way he was. He also found a family who were kind and loving to him. Even in death, there was a peace which he thought he would never find. His little mind could notprehend the irony but his tender heart was happy.


    I wish, I could be with everyone for longer, he thought. But as he watched Jina''s smile, there was another wish which was propping up in his heart.


    If he ever got another chance at life, he would do everything to protect his friend. Even if it meant dying again and again.


    .


    "Aren''t you done yet?" Mina frowned. It was evening and Haejong was still insisting on hanging out with her.


    They had roamed around all the shops in the vicinity and even though he had spent an entire colony''s fortune, he was still not done. WIth great difficulty, she managed to make him sit at a cafe where she ordered some coffee with her own card.


    "You said you''ll hang out with me all day," he pointed out.


    "And the day is over, so let me go!" she snapped.


    "It''s not midnight yet."


    "I...I''ve got a surgery tomorrow," she lied.


    "I know your schedule," Haejong smirked. "You don''t have any shifts tomorrow."


    "Are you stalking me?" she demanded.


    "I merely asked my men to look into your schedule for my next medical check-up," he shrugged.


    "Ugh!"


    She whacked his arm but Haejong was unfazed. In fact, he was feeling uncharacteristically lighthearted after spending the day with her.


    "Lemme buy you something," he insisted as they walked past more stores. His eyes fell on a ruby ne with a tinum chain topped with tiny sapphires on it. It was not a heavy ne but definitely a ssy one which would suit someone of Mina''s caliber.


    "No," she said firmly. "I''m not taking anything else from you."


    "I thought you love expensive things," Haejong said, raising an eyebrow.


    "Oh, I am an open golddigger," Mina dered. "But I have boundaries too."


    "Just take it!" he insisted, trying to push his credit card in her hands but she shoved it away.


    Haejong had tried to buy her more presents but she adamantly refused. Except for the shoes, which she epted out of pity, she would not let him buy anything else for her. No matter how much of a selfish person she was, she would not take presents from anyone else but Kanji. And definitely not from someone like Haejong who earned blood money.


    "I''m not gonna take another gift from you," Mina said. "Never. I took the shoes out of sympathy but no more."


    "Aren''t you getting cocky, doc?" he asked in a cool tone. "Do remember that you''re talking to a mafia lord."


    "Precisely why I''ll never take anymore presents from you," Mina asserted.


    Haejong studied her with an amused expression. "I really don''t understand what goes on in your mind!" heughed. "You''ll chase rich guys like Jang Kanji, but not me? I''m rich too!"


    "Kanji is not a killer," Mina said bluntly. "You are."


    Her words made him peer his eyes. Did she not know about Jang Kanji''s true profession?


    "You speak as if you''ve met many killers!" he scoffed. But to his surprise, she nodded.


    "I''ve met one myself," she admitted. "And also saw tons of my patients dying in their hands. So, if I take your presents, I''ll keep on thinking how the one who gifted me might be responsible for killing one of my patients."


    She nced at the shoes Haejong had given her and it killed her conscience for epting it even out of pity.


    "You''re the one who pulls the trigger on people," she went on. "So you don''t know what it feels like to be the one receiving the bullet. You don''t know how it feels to see a patient suffering because of an attempted murder and despite the best efforts, die in front of you in your own arms."


    Mina did not realize that her hands had gone cold, recalling the horrors of CCK and the cries of her numerous patients who died in front of her. Haejong felt as if his heart stopped when a single drop of tear fell from Mina''s eye. He tried to reach out to wipe it off but she backed away.


    "I don''t think I can take those shoes anymore," she stated, her voice cracked. "And I''m not sorry for it."


    "Listen-"


    Before he could finish, Mina quickly picked up her bag and left empty handed. Haejong did not follow her but stared at his coffee cup. The loneliness which was kept at bay by her presence was beginning to seep back in.


    "A gold digger who couldn''t be bought with money," he mused. He sat there for a while, lost in his own thoughts as he sipped his coffee.


    Mina left the mall, trying to calm herself down. The cool air hit her face which felt soothing but her heart was still beating fast. Talking about her buried guilt had opened a Pandora''s box.


    Her mind drifted to all those patients who died on her operation table, begging her for one more chance at life. Their lives were cut short by others and even with their pleading, Mina was unsessful in saving them. Their deaths might not be her fault but she felt as if their blood was on her hands.


    Slowly taking small steps, she tried to force herself towards her car. Her eyes were dejected, looking on the ground as she walked when they fell on a pair of feet. She slowly looked up to find a familiar figure standing in front of her.


    Kanji. He was looking at her with an intensity which she had never seen in him before.


    Not a word passed between them but they kept on looking at each other. She wanted to tell him many things. She wanted to yell at him for breaking her heart but she also wanted to hug him. There were many things she wanted to do with him and him only.


    Instead, she walked past him, not looking back. Kanji stood there, letting her go. He knew very well that she was hurt and he was helpless too.


    The scars of their past had led them on different paths which would never intersect. They were destined to be apart.


    Forever.

 Chapter 283: An Image

    Chapter 283: An Image


    "I''m getting bored!" Yumiined. They had been on stakeout at Kang Danny''s house for two days and other than overhearing the wife talking about some Choi Hyeri, they did not find anything else. Even Kang Danny had note home for the past two days.


    Casper gave her a reproachful look.


    "Why are you scolding me?" Yumi asked, feeling affronted. "We''re not gonna find anything useful here! Other than that whiny brat and his mum, no one lives in this god awful ce."


    She hated the cold and quiet mansion. It had no charm nor any familial vibes like the Hwang''s did. The brat was a sullen and obnoxious kid while his mother was always busy with other work or trying to appease him. The rtionship was quite strained since the kid, Siwan, did notmunicate with her properly. Even Casper was bing uneasy by how quiet the mansion was.


    He used signnguage to convey something to Yumi, which thetter understood and sighed.


    "You''re right," she agreed. "A boy like Shinho wouldn''t have been any happier among these people. They''re so detached and distant from each other. I used to think rich people were always happy and seeing Jina with her family almost made me believe that they''re probably not so different from us after all. But this...this isn''t a home. Just a stone mansion."


    Her partner nodded, feeling sad. For some reason, he also pitied the boy who lived there. The little boy might be spoilt but hecked love and affection from his father. Something about his condition was making Casper feel extremely guilty.


    "Are you thinking of something?" Yumi asked. Casper nodded.


    "About your death?" She guessed. To her slight surprise, he shook his head. He made a few gestures which made Yumi frown.


    "You feel sorry for Siwan?" she echoed. "And guilty? Why?"


    He made more signs to which Yumi replied, "You''re getting shbacks of a little boy? Really?"


    That was news to her. Casper had lost his memories and rarely talked about himself but this was the first time she was hearing of this.


    "You saw another boy in your vision?" she asked. Casper nodded and made more hand signs.


    "You saw that you were pulling him away from a crash site?" she interpreted. "And that someone had died on that site? Anything else? Do you remember anything else?"


    Casper shook his head. He tried to remember his past but there was nothing else. No memories nor images. His mind was like an empty canvas which was waiting to be filled.


    Yumi reached out and patted him. Beneath his scary appearance, he was just a sweet old man who simply loved the people close to him. He doted on Jina as if she was his own granddaughter and even Yumi was warming up to him. Seeing him so sad made her heart ache for the old man.


    "You''ll find your killer soon," she assured him. "And we''ll punish him!"


    But Casper shook his head and made signs in the air.


    "You only want to ask him where your family is?" she gasped. "You don''t want to punish him?"


    What a strange man, she thought. For some reason, Casper was not angry at his killer. He simply wants to find the boy he had seen in his vision. He knew very well that the boy was alive and somewhere out there. He was also sure that the boy was rted to him. Perhaps his son or grandson? He wanted to know and he had a hunch that his killer might know where that boy is.


    Yumi was about tofort him more when the front door opened and Kang Danny hurried inside. Doyoung and Siwan were out so the house was rtively empty. He went straight towards his study room, locking the door behind him.


    "Let''s follow him!" Yumi eximed but Casper was already ahead. He went through the locked door as if he was air and entered the study where Kang Danny looked agitated. His usual elegance was gone and instead he was in a disheveled state. Danny loosened his tie and threw it sideways. His hands were trembling as if he was remembering something bad while his breath was heavy.


    "That bloody bitch!" he cursed. "How dare she waltz into my hospital and question me?"


    Danny was trying to control himself but it was almost impossible. He wanted to strangle Jeon Gayoon for her insolence but if he did that, her so-called lover would destroy him. If she was not Hwang Minho''s mistress, Danny would have wiped her off the face of the earth!


    "I have to find those documents," he dered. "But where did Hyeri keep them?"


    "Documents?" Yumi gasped. She had just entered the room and stood beside Casper, who looked equally confused.


    "What documents?" she wondered. "I bet it''s rted to Shinho!"


    They watched as Danny searched his drawers for something. He pulled out arge file and began to go through it. Finally, he seemed to have found what he was looking for.


    "Locker number 601 at the H-Bank," he muttered. "But what''s the passcode?"


    Is this where she hid those documents? He wondered. Choi Hyeri was not a smart woman but she was protective of her child. She hid Shinho''s birth certificate and also carried out a DNA test by stealing Danny''s stray hair to prove the paternity of that boy. Using this knowledge, she ckmailed him into taking the boy into his household and to his dismay, she even gave the brat the Kang surname. If she had not threatened to expose his secret, Danny would have never taken that boy in.


    A few days after Danny was forced to take custody of Shinho, Hyeri killed herself. It was an act of defiance because she thought that if she died, Danny would never be able to get his hands on the documents.


    But Hyeri had underestimated him. He used his connections to find out everything about Hyeri and managed to collect data on her ounts and lockers. The documents must be hidden in one of them.


    "I''ll burn all the evidence," he gritted. "That boy never existed and never will! I''ll make sure of that."


    Yumi held Casper''s hand.


    "We must warn the Hwang''s!" she eximed. "This man...he''s gone mad! We''ll have to get our hands on those documents first!"


    Casper nodded and the ghosts disapparated in thin air.

 Chapter 284: Midnight Date (1)

    Chapter 284: Midnight Date (1)


    Gayoon stifled a yawn, trying to focus on theputer screen. Other than working on Shinho''s case, she had also been busy recording the old files which the Chief had ordered her to do. The work was very tiring and she waspletely drained. In fact, she had not even been able to spend time with her family for the past two days since she returned veryte at night and left again in a few hours.


    She was bummed over the fact that she had not even talked to Jina properly since her daughter would be sleeping by the time they got home and even Minho was busy with something he was refusing to divulge. She had an inkling that he was investigating the case on his own and would eventually tell her what he was up to once he was done.


    "I wanna sleep," she whined, putting her head on the desk. Thankfully, she was on herst file and would be able to go home earlier. Everyone else had left except for a few of the policemen on the night shift.


    pping herself on the face to stay awake, she re-focused on her work.


    "Finish it!" she urged herself. "You can do it!"


    "Yes, a detective shouldn''t be cking off."


    Gayoon almost yelped in shock when she heard Minho''s familiar voice. He was standing in front of her desk with his coat in one hand and a takeaway bag in another. There were dark circles under his eyes while a few of his buttons were loose. He looked tired but even in that state, very handsome. Gayoon could only gape at him while silently cursing all the pretty people in the world for looking gorgeous even in deadbeat state.


    Unlike her money lover, who looked dapper even in rags, she was wearing her hair in a messy bun while her usually bright skin was oily and dull since she barely got time to wash up due to the workload.


    "You''re wearing sses," Minho noted. "You never wear them at home."


    He took a seat opposite to her, putting the bag on her desk. Gayoon sighed and took off herrge rimmed sses which she often wore while doing desk job.


    "Only when I''m working onputers since the light hurts my eyes," she sighed. "And do I smell burgers?"


    Her stomach was growling loudly upon smelling the aroma of beef and mayonnaise. She had not eaten anything since lunch and it was nearly midnight.


    "Eat away," Minho said in a deadpan tone. "It''s all for you."


    "What about you?" she asked.


    "I''ve already had dinner," he replied. "I figured you''re probably starving yourself coz Junwan is breathing down on your neck."


    Gayoon did not need to be told twice and she happily grabbed the bag, tearing it open.


    "This must be what heaven feels like!" she said excitedly, taking a whiff of the burger.


    Minho smiled as he watched his girlfriend devour the entire burger in a few bites. He knew very well that one would not suffice for her so he had bought three more for her. Watching her eat to her fill was oddly satisfying. For a tiny person, she had the stomach of an elephant.


    "I''m full!" Gayoon announced after finishing all of them. She slumped back on her seat, unwilling to move an inch.


    "Aren''t you done with work yet?" Minho frowned.


    "Just one more file for this batch and I''m done for tonight," Gayoon said, regaining her strength. "Won''t take me long."


    "I''ll wait here then," he said. "We can go home together."


    That livened up Gayoon. "Okay!" she eximed and quickly began to write down the details. Minho sat there, patiently waiting while observing her with a loving intensity. When Jeon Gayoon was immersed in work, she barely noticed anything else but he liked that about her.


    She would asionally scrunch her nose or fix her sses while taking in every information into her head as she typed away. The sses gave her a more mature look which he found very alluring. Seeing her getting all serious, his insides were urging him to lean over to kiss her but she would get distracted and lose focus on work. So he had to calm his urges and settled for watching his little pet as she worked hard.


    "Done!" she finally said, stretching her limbs. She looked up to see that Minho had a strange expression on his face. "What happened?" she asked, feeling nervous all of a sudden. "Is there something on my face?"


    "No," he replied. "If you''re done, then let''s go. I need to stop by somewhere before we head home though."


    "Oh okay!" Gayoon said. "I''ll wash up a bit then."


    Minho nodded and she headed for the washroom. She washed her face and dried it beforebing her hair. Minho had mentioned that he had to stop somewhere before they went home. Was he meeting with a client?


    Should I put on some makeup on my face? She wondered. Finally, she decided to ditch the makeup and simply dabbed a light lipstick instead.


    Minho was outside at the parking when Gayoon came out of the precinct.


    "So where are we going?" she asked.


    "A date," he said in a matter-of-fact way. Gayoon''s mouth fell open in shock.


    "Now?" she gaped. "I''m not even properly dressed!"


    "It''s fine," he assured her. "We''re not going anyce fancy. It''s just a ce by the riverbanks."


    Gayoon pouted at him. She wanted to look pretty and dress up nicely for their dates but Minho''s surprises made it increasingly difficult for her to do so. Still, she was also excited to know where he was taking her.


    "Is it a very special ce?" she asked as they got into the car.


    "Sort of," he said in a cryptic way. "I''ve been meaning to take you there for a while but didn''t manage to book it. Tonight, I managed to rent the spot for a while."


    Rent? What sort of ce is it? Gayoon wondered.


    "By the way," Minho said.


    "Hm?"


    She turned to face him when he swooped in to lock their lips in a soft kiss. Gayoon blushed when he pulled her closer but she buckled under his intoxicating smooch.


    "You look sexy in those sses," he murmured against her lips.


    His flirtations only made her blush harder. Damn this smooth talker! She thought.


    But her heart fluttered at the thought of what he had nned for her. Her tiredness was gone and all she looked forward was to the few moments of peace with the man she loved.


    "The date better be damn good, money lover," she whispered.


    "Hmm?"


    Minho gave her a seductive smile. "If it''s good, then you''ll be wearing those sses to bed tonight," he smirked.


    "If it''s not, then you''re not entering that bed for a month," Gayoon threatened in a sweet manner.


    "Okay," Minho agreed. I''ll just carry you to the couch, he added in his mind.

 Chapter 285: The Envelope

    Chapter 285: The Envelope


    "He''s going to burn papers?" Jina frowned. "How is that gonna help him?"


    Her ghostly minions had just returned to inform her that Kang Danny was going to burn the documents which belonged to Shinho''s mother.


    "Those papers might be proof of Shinho''s parentage!" Yumi exined. "Something which can prove that he''s Shinho''s father!"


    They were in Jina''s room. Shinho was also there, listening to what they had to say. Yumi turned to him and asked, "Shinho, do you know of anything your mother might have hidden in H-Bank? Locker number 601?"


    "How am I supposed to know?" Shinho frowned. "I''m eight! I can''t even enter a yground without a guardian! How do you expect me to know about banks?"


    "Ugh!"


    Yumi wanted to tear off her hair in annoyance but she realized that she was a ghost and it would do her no good. Sometimes she forgot that Jina and Shinho were just kids who might be smarter than their peers but still blissfully unaware of the adult world. Even Casper was feeling worried about what would happen if Danny burnt those documents.


    "But we need to tell your father about this!" Yumi said. "He might be able to stop him!"


    "Wait" Jina said slowly. "I don''t know about these big things much, but I don''t think dad should go there. That pedo doctor already knows him and seeing dad there might alert him. We''ll need to send someone who is skilled in stalking people"


    Casper''s ears piped up and he made a gesture which made Jina facepalm herself.


    "Of course!" she realized. "We do know such a shady person!"


    Junho was humming as he poached the eggs. He had a very good week. Not only was he able to exorcise a pesky perverted ghost which was haunting a girl''s washroom, but he also managed to buy a whole stack of clothes at a sixty percent discount from the flea market. It was a bargain and it made his mood even brighter.


    "I''m gonna eat well tonight!" he said to himself happily as he sprinkled salt on the eggs. The perfectly made eggs were so enticing that his mouth was watering upon seeing them.


    Suddenly his phone rang which only annoyed him.


    "Hello?" he greeted grumpily when he answered the phone.


    "Old man!" Jina''s squeaky voice came from the other end. "Whatcha doin''?"


    Can''t a guy have his meal peacefully around here? He wondered in dismay.


    "For thest time," he gritted. "I am not old!"


    "You have white hair so you''re pretty old to me," she said.


    Junho wanted to curse the gods for giving him the spawn of the devil as his granddaughter. Fate must have yed some kind of cruel joke on him when it decided to mix Minho and Gayoon''s DNA to produce a cheeky girl like Jina. But if he was being honest with himself, deep inside, he truly enjoyed the banter with his grandchild.


    "What do you want now?" he asked warily.


    "I need you to steal for me!" Jina revealed.


    Eh?


    Yumi was writing down everything on a paper for Jina to read out loud.


    "Go to H-Bank and stop a man named Kang Danny from burning the documents rted to Shinho," Jina read out loud. "Those papers might have Shinho''s parentage and we need them to catch his murderer."


    "Who the hell is Kang Danny?" Junho frowned.


    "A p-pedo?" Jina wondered out loud. "He''s a pedo doctor."


    Her words made the ghostsugh out loud and they did not even bother to correct her. Junho, on the other hand, was confused. Ghosts, murderers and now pedophiles? What the hell was that girl up to now?


    "Just bring those papers!" Jina insisted. "Somehow. Anyhow. Now!"


    "Fine!" Junho eximed. "I''ll go and get those papers. But you''d better exin me everything afterwards. What does the guy look like?"


    "I think there''s a picture of him on the inte," Jina said. "He''s a famous pedo doctor."


    Pedo doctor? How was his license not revoked?


    "Fine," he replied. "I''ll look into him and fetch those papers. H-Bank, locker 601, right?"


    "Yes!" Jina said. "And you must get going now! He''s on his way there!"


    Junho sighed and hung up the phone. Without much ado, he put on his coat and headed for his van. On the way, he did a quick search on his mobile about Kang Danny. The profile of the pediatrician popped up on his homepage.


    Ahh so that''s what Jina meant by pedo, Junho realized. Reading the article, his name came across the name of the hospital. Little Home Hospital.


    Little Home Hospital? He frowned. That name was awfully familiar to him. Kang


    Then it hit him. The Kang''s were an old family of physicians and doctors who were among the top elites of the society. Back when Junho was a top tycoon, he had met up with Kang Aaron, the previous head of the family.


    From the little Junho remembered about him, Aaron was an arrogant man who was fiercely proud of his family line and how they were connected to all the influential families through marriage of his sons and daughters. They boasted their roots to everyone but their numerous affairs with other women were also very famous. Kang Aaron had two sons, Jacob and Danny. Since Danny was the CEO of the hospital, that only meant that Jacob was either cut out of the family or left on his own will.


    But that was not the reason why Junho remembered the Kang''s.


    Aaron had dared to insult Junho''s wife, Suna, for herck of proper background. She did not tell Junho anything about it but when he found out from his secretary, he had driven the Kang''s to the point of bankruptcy. Unfortunately, before he could wipe out their pride, Suna was killed and he was forced to flee which gave them the chance to regain their wealth.


    "Looks like the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree after all," he gritted, clenching the steering wheel. Kang Aaron was dead but his rotten fruit was still sowing his seeds.


    He stepped on the pedal, hurrying towards the bank.


    .


    Danny was smirking as he stepped outside the bank. It might be nearly midnight but he had used his connections to get ess to the locker number 601. He took out the envelope from the locker which held the documents.


    His hunch was correct. That damn bitch Hyeri had hidden the documents rted to Shinho''s birth and parentage in it. To his shock, she had also managed to get a DNA test doen which proved that he was Shinho''s father.


    "Damn that dirty woman!" he cursed. He had intended to sleep with her and then throw her away like his several other conquests but this one was so adamant on getting her son his proper ce in the Kang family.


    Too bad her n had failed. If she thought that Shinho would get any love from Danny, then she was wrong. He vowed his father that he would keep his family line pure. A bastard like Shinho had no ce in it and never will.


    Danny hid the envelope in his jacket and was heading for his car. There was no one else in sight except for an old man who was coughing loudly. Danny was focused on walking towards his car, fully hellbent on burning the papers when suddenly, the old man copsed.


    Pausing in his steps, he rushed towards the man who was wheezing. Seeing how the man was having difficulty in breathing, Danny checked his chest.


    "Mister, do you have asthma?" he asked in a calm tone. It was important to keep calm to stop patients from panicking.


    "Y-y-yes" the old man managed to reply. "P-p-pock"


    Suddenly, the old man held Danny''s cor, tears rolling down his eyes. "M-my w-w-w-ife is...w-w-waiting"


    "Calm down, sir," Danny said. "You''ll be able to go to her tonight. Trust me, I''m a doctor."


    He shed an assuring smile and reached for the old man''s pocket. Thankfully, there was an inhaler in it. He gently put the inhaler in the old man''s mouth and pressed the button to let him inhale the medicine.


    Instant relief dawned on the old man''s face and he was finally able to breathe.


    "Thank you so much, doctor," the man said in a hoarse tone. "The attack was so sudden that I could not reach for the inhaler"


    "It''s alright," Danny smiled. "It happens. You''re fine and that is the important thing."


    The old man thanked Danny again and again for his kindness. Dannyughed, epting his thanks before walking towards his car. The envelope was still safe in his jacket so he drove off.


    FInally, I''ll be free, he thought with a grin.


    Unbeknownst to him, the old man was watching him leave. He let out a sigh and took out an envelope from his own jacket.


    Junho was eyeing it with interest. He opened it and checked the documents inside.


    Jina was right. The papers were proof of Shinho''s parentage. It was a good thing that Junho had picked up the art of acting while on his exorcism missions. Ghosts were quite tricky to deal with so he had his own underhand trickery to outwit them.


    Sometimes, he had to steal haunted objects from certain ces or people so it was not hard for him to hoodwink someone like Danny. All he had to do was rece the original envelope with a simr looking one by stealing it from Danny''s jacket.


    "Time to hand this over to Gayoon," he decided.


    ....


    MISSION TIME: LET''S REACH 1500 POWER STONES FOR A MASS RELEASE!

 Chapter 286: Midnight Date (2)

    Chapter 286: Midnight Date (2)


    "Where are we going?" Gayoon asked. Minho had stopped the car right outside of a park and he seemed oddly excited. Snow covered the grounds and it was biting cold so he had bought warm cups of coffee. He even picked up a thick coat for her which was veryfortable.


    He leaned closer to fix her muffler, making Gayoon blush a little. "You''ll know soon," he winked, pulling down her beanie. He had wrapped her inyers of clothes, making her feel like a school kid. For some reason, Minho enjoyed pampering her when they were alone and even though she was embarrassed, Gayoon enjoyed it when he was trying to spoil her.


    "Can I hold your arm?" she teased. She did not really mean it and simply wanted to tease him but to her surprise, he grabbed her wrist and slid it into his arms.


    "Of course!" he said as if it was an obvious thing to do. "Why would I say no to that?"


    Gayoon gaped at him, wanting to scold him for hisck of shame but eventually decided not to argue. Hwang Minho was blissfully unaware of his own romantic side and she had to admit it was really cute to see.


    They walked towards the park which was surprisingly crowded. The entrance was adorned with colorfulnterns which were brightly lit. At the entrance were several stalls which were selling lotus shaped krathongs with a candle in the middle. Minho bought one for them while Gayoon was watching the decor with curiosity.


    The park''s walkway had been cleared of snow but the rest of the ce was kept thick coated with snow and ice. There were several poles set up every few meters with yellow and blue string lights attached to them. Even the trees were decorated with fairy lights andnterns which shone against the white snow. She looked around her and immediately realized that most of the people were in fact couples who were happily giggling or having a good time with their spouse or lover.


    "This looks like a festival!" she eximed. She had rarely been to festivals before since she was either busy with studies or work or chasing ghosts away. Moreover, she did not have any other friends except for Jaewan andter Minjung but circumstances just never let her attend a festival with them. And the ones she went to were times when she was on duty so she did not particrly get to enjoy them.


    "This is the Blue Night," Minho stated. "It happens every ten years so you won''t get to enjoy it every year."


    "Ten years?" Gayoon asked. "Why?"


    They were quietly walking along the walkway, hand in hand, while enjoying the cool winter breeze. She leaned in close, leaning against him as she listened to his deep, silky voice.


    "There''s an old tale," he began. "About a shepherd who was awed by the moon. He was a simple man with no greed and no wants. In his vige, he was the most handsome and the richest man who was sought out by all the women. There were many who wanted to marry him but he politely refused them, insisting his hearty with the Moon."


    "The moon?" Gayoon asked. "That''s a strange thing to fall in love with."


    "Not to him," Minho sighed. "Every full moon night, he used to gaze at it with a deep passion. He was not awed by its beauty but rather by a strange charm which was emitting through it. Every night, he prayed to the moon goddess to meet her just once. He did not want anything else but just wanted to meet her once."


    "The Moon Goddess was moved by his devotion to her," Minho went on. "So one full moon night, when he was praying to her, she descended on earth to be with him. The most beautiful goddess of all was now content with a mere mortal with unmoving devotion."


    "The couple were very happy. Theyughed together, spent many romantic moments together and made countless promises. The man could not believe his luck."


    "But as time went by, the absence of the moon was beginning to bring a catastrophe," Minho narrated in a dark tone. "Tidal waves changed courses, animals were dying and at nights, the earth became a cold ce. It was slowly dying. So the other gods and goddesses came to Earth and dragged away the Moon Goddess, separating her from her lover."


    "The man would not give up though. He went to the temple of the Jade Emperor and prayed all day and night without food or water. He did not want to live an eternity with her but just asked for ast glimpse of her. His earnest plea moved even the staunch Jade Emperor and he granted the lovers a wish. They would be able to reunite only once after every ten years when the Moon Goddess would be given a day to descend on earth. On that day, she will be able to leave behind a replica of hers, a blue vessel, which would shine for a few hours while she was with her lover. Whether he was on Earth or in the afterlife, they will meet and spend the rare moments with each other."


    "So," Minho concluded. "Every ten years, there''s a blue moon which appears in the sky which means the Moon Goddess is meeting with the love of her life."


    He turned around to face Gayoon only to be shocked that she was crying.


    "Why would you let me hear a sad story like that?" She sobbed. "They can''t be with each other all the time!"


    She wailed loudly, making Minho bbergasted. Hepletely forgot that Gayoon always cried upon hearing sad stories!


    "It''s just a fairy tale!" he assured her, trying to calm her down. "Just a story and nothing else!"


    "Who the hell taught you such a tragic tale?" She pouted through her tears.


    Minho debated for a while before admitting, "It was my father. He was the one who took me and my mom to one of the Blue Nights. He told us this story. And just like you, my mother also cried that night. Then again she was pregnant with Mina that time so it might have been her hormones."


    Sensing the bittersweet pain in his words, Gayoon stopped crying. Telling a tale like that must have been painful for him as well considering that it was told to him by the man he loathed the most.


    I should distract him, she decided. Minho''s eyes were ssy as he recalled one of thest moments of happiness he had spent with his mother. The memories were filled with happiness but his heart ached whenever he thought about them.


    Gayoon stood on tiptoes and pecked his lips. Minho was slightly surprised when she lightly kissed him.


    "I guess we have to make this night even more special then," she whispered, nuzzling his nose. "So that when we return ten yearster, we can recall it with even more fondness."


    Minho smiled and let her cuddle into his arms. She hugged him by the waist and together, they walked towards the furthest end of the park, awaiting for a night to remember.


    ....


    MISSION FOR THE WEEK: 1500 POWER STONES FOR MASS RELEASE! KEEP VOTING [3

 Chapter 287: Midnight Date (3)

    Chapter 287: Midnight Date (3)


    MISSION FOR THE WEEK: IF MLC GETS 1500 POWER STONES THIS WEEK, I''LL GIVE MASS RELEASE ON FRIDAY!


    ........


    "So what''s the big surprise?" Gayoon giggled. Minho had dragged her far away from the crowd. They were strolling along the smallke with the park which waspletely frozen due to the cold. Snow crunched under their feet as they walked towards the ce when Minho was taking her. They were approaching the mini woods where the trees were thicker and the area was darker. Other than them, there was no one else there.


    "Howe this ce is so empty?" Gayoon wondered. She recalled that the park was almost alway crowded with people, especially the part where they were standing. But now, it was just them.


    "I pulled some strings to have this ce to ourselves," Minho shrugged. He stopped at the edge of theke and suddenly pulled Gayoon towards him. She yelped andnded on his chest as he firmly held her.


    "What are you doing?" sheughed.


    "It''s cold," he said, snuggling her into his arms. "I need myforter."


    "You brought me here to keep yourself warm?" she frowned.


    To her embarrassment, he nodded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    "But that''s not all," Minho sighed. Gayoon blinked and looked up. He held her by the arms and positioned her to stand in front of him, hugging her from the back. Gayoon was a little perplexed as he held her chin up.


    "3" he counted. "2...1"


    A series of explosions thundered through the night and several colorful firecrackers burst up in the darkness. Gayoon''s eyes widened in wonder as the colors merged together to form tiny orbs which were floating in the sky, contrasting against the ck curtain which shrouded the world.


    The orbs were swirling around to make the shapes of a beautiful woman and a man who were on a peacock shaped boat, holding each other''s hands while lost in love. The blue moon shone on the figures, adding a majestic touch to their journey as the boat floated through the sky, circling all over them.


    She was so mesmerized by the sight that she could not describe her feelings in words. Her heart was beating rapidly at the heavenly figures whose story she had just heard. Even if it was just a fairy tale, there was something about the light figures which were oozing the feelings of love.


    Or maybe it was


    She leaned on to Minho''s chest and smiled. Minho, who was more focused on the woman in his arms than the flying orbs, held her tightly. He had seen these presentations before but there was something about them today. The presence of Gayoon only made it more special to him and the years of emptiness he had felt was slowly beginning to fill in. They had touched a part within themselves which they were unaware of but now that their feelings were overflowing, it was impossible to stop.


    "Thank you," he whispered.


    Gayoon smiled and replied, "You too."


    She turned around and pulled him into a deep kiss. Minho stooped down to kiss her back while the orbs continued to float in the sky above them. The couple were lost in each other, uncaring of anything else. There were several more fireworks exploding in the sky but they continued to kiss each other, with only the blue moon above them witnessing their passion.


    Somewhere else in the city, Junho was also watching the blue moon from his windowsill. His eyes were fixed on it, his mind reminiscing thest time he had seen it with his pregnant wife and son. It was thest date they had gone on and one of thest moments when they were truly happy as a family.


    "I miss you...Suna," he sighed, his voice choking with sadness.


    .


    "Why am I here again?" Chief Junwan sighed. No matter how many times he visited the old mansion of the Hwang''s he found no clue. Yet, his investigation kept on bringing him back here. The house was abandoned but Junwan could not fight off the nagging feeling that he had missed some vital clue.


    Entering the mansion, he was met with only dust and cobwebs. Hwang Minho still owned the ce but did not bother to keep it clean. Perhaps he did not want to revisit this ce and the memories associated with it.


    Junwan walked further into the house, venturing towards the crime scene again. Kim Suna was found dead in her bedroom. She was stabbed only once but there were several cut and scratch marks on her which implied that she was tortured before she died. But the shocking thing was that all of those were self-inflicted and not done by Junho. He only struck the final kill.


    The Chief nced around, going through the old drawers which were creaking loudly. All the documents had been removed when the Hwang''s moved out but he still hoped that something would pop up. There was no bed and the walk-in closet''s door was broken. Junwan entered the closet but even that ce was empty.


    "There''s nothing of value here," he sighed. "I should just leave."


    He turned to leave when something hit his back. Startled, he turned around to find a pebble on the ground.


    "What the hell?" he murmured. He looked around to see if anyone was there but the windows were tightly shut and there was no one in sight. Junwan took out his gun and stooped down to pick up the stone when something sparkled from beneath one of the shelves to his right.


    Frowning, he took out his phone to turn on the torch and shed it underneath the shelf. Something was shining at the back of the shelf so Junwan ttened on the ground and reached out for the object. It took him several tries but finally, he managed to reach it.


    Taking it out, he studied the object in his hand. It was a tiny golden ring. To his slight surprise, the ring looked brand new. It was dusty but even after years of being abandoned there, the color had not faded nor did it rust.


    There was something written inside the ring. Junwan held his torch to see the word engraved.


    "Patentibus," he murmured. What does it mean? He wondered.


    Putting the ring in his pocket he hurried out of the house. Was this the clue he was waiting for?


    I must find out the truth, he decided.


    Unbeknownst to him, two invisible figures were watching him leave. One was a chubby dwarf with wiry hair and t nose. He was floating in the air, watching the human leave with great interest.


    "He finally found it," the chubby ghost sighed. "He''s so slow! How did he even be a detective."


    He turned to his partner. She was a porcin like beauty in her mid thirties with long dark hair and brown eyes. Her skin was slightly glowing while her hair swayed in the air. The woman had a kind demeanor and she seemed a little relieved.


    "That ring is the key to close the gates, Poltergeist," the woman said. "As long as it reaches the right hand, we still have hope."


    "But the detective is stupid and Mr. A is still out there," the Poltergeist warned. "Shouldn''t we keep an eye on him? Staying here isn''t gonna help at all."


    "We have to find the Seer," the woman stated. "There isn''t much time. Yeeun''s daughter is a Seer. She might be able to locate Mr. A before he reaches the gatekeeper!"


    "But what if she lost the ability?" the Poltergeist pointed out.


    "If she lost it while giving birth to a daughter," the woman began. "Then we still have hope. But if it''s a son, then we''ll be toote! Hurry! You must go and find the Seer before Mr. A reaches Minho!"


    "Aye!" the Poltergeist said at once. "As you wish...Kim Suna!"

 Chapter 288: Bring Her Down

    Chapter 288: Bring Her Down


    MISSION FOR THE WEEK: IF WE REACH 1500 POWER STONES BY FRIDAY, I''LL GIVE MASS RELEASE ON SATURDAY!


    SO VOTE AWAY


    .....


    Jina sat in the car wearing her school uniform while Shinho sat next to her. Driver Jang was escorting her to school but the old man noticed that Jina was unusually demure.


    "Is something wrong, Young Miss?" he asked, feeling concerned. There was a gloom on Jina''s face and seeing her so quiet made him a little restless too. Shinho nced at Jina and even he was worried about her. He knew exactly what was bothering her.


    "No no!" Jina lied. "I''m fine!"


    She shed him a wide smile, hiding her fear. Even though she had taken down Siwan once, she was not particrly keen on fighting with him again. The boy was on to her tail and ever since that day, kept an eye on her. She had even forbidden Casper and Yumi froming near her because Siwan was stalking her all throughout school. If he caught her talking to ghosts, he might get suspicious.


    Yet, she brought Shinho with her out of sympathy for the boy since he could not receive a proper schooling. It was really sad because he seemed to be genuinely interested to learn a lot. He even solved her math homework for her. Even the teachers were shocked upon seeing her correct answers and were worried that she had developed a fever.


    "We''re here, Young Miss," Jang announced. "I think it would be best if I stayed here outside the school gates until you''re done."


    "That will take hours!" Jina groaned. "I''m fine, uncle! I''m just a little tired because I was ying games all night."


    Jang was still worried and opened his mouth to argue but Jina beat him to it.


    "If you don''t go back, I''ll tell dad that I caught you drinking strange liquid at the backyard!" she threatened. In all honesty, she was touched that Jang was going through such trouble for her. But she did not want to worry him too much because if he fretted over her, then her parents would arrive and it would create an embarrassing scene for her. The school kids would tease her that she cried to her parents every time there was a slight problem. That would ruin her reputation as the cool girl.


    And reputation was everything in kindergarten.


    Jang gulped at the thought. If Hwang Minho found out that he was drinking during the day, then his pay would be cut for a year!


    "Alright!" he squeaked. "I''ll go!"


    Jina nodded and indicated to Shinho to follow her out. The ghost was silent throughout the exchange but once they were out of earshot, he leaned closer to her.


    "Why aren''t you telling your parents about my older brother?" he hissed. "What if he tries to harm you?"


    "I''d like to see him try," Jina hissed back as they made their way through the crowded corridor. She was barely moving her mouth while talking to him, trying to keep a straight face so that people would not think she was crazy.


    "You should tell your mom and dad!" Shinho insisted. "If you don''t then I will!"


    "If you do that, I''ll never bring you to school again!"


    She was mildly irritated by him but she knew he was right. The best thing would be to tell her parents but they were already worried about other things. This would only add to their worries. Besides, Siwan was just a showoff. All bark and no bite. She was confident that he would not seriously hurt her at school.


    Shinho sighed and looked ahead. He froze in his tracks.


    "Jina" he said, pointing in front of them. Jina followed his gaze and saw Siwan was standing near her ss. He was sneering at her which made Jina feel very ufortable. Siwan was apanied by other burly boys of his age who were also mimicking his hatred for her.


    "Look guys, it''s the freak!" Siwan said loudly as Jina passed by. She ignored him and kept on walking but he blocked her way.


    "Tell us whom you were talking to at the garden the other day!" Siwan demanded.


    "What are you even talking about?" Jina sneered back, feigning ignorance. "Lemme go!"


    But Siwan pushed her, causing her to topple backwards. Shinho fumed at his older brother and was about to attack but Jina grabbed his leg.


    "AGH!" Shinho yelled as he, too, fell on the ground. He was not hurt but he looked at Jina in dismay but to his surprise, she winked at him. Huh?


    A crowd was beginning to gather around them. The other children were wondering what was going on.


    "This girl is a freak!" Siwan dered. "She talks to herself when she''s alone and bullies others while they''re asleep! She even mixes strange things in other people''s drinks!"


    The children were confused. What the hell was that boy talking about?


    "Are you okay in the head?" one girl asked but Siwan threw a dirty re at her, silencing her.


    "Where are your imaginary friends now?" Siwan demanded from Jina. "Tell them to save you!"


    He wanted to scare her into revealing her secret. She was outnumbered and he knew that if he threatened her enough, she would spill the beans. Siwan was not a believer of magic and other nonsense but this girl was surely some sort of magician. He was confident that she had tampered with his mind during camp and was pretending to be weak.


    Shinho stood up to beat the crap out of his brother but a sudden wail burst from Jina''s mouth.


    "Why are you doing this?" she sobbed loudly. Tears began to fall from her eyes and she was crying hard. Herrge eyes were watery and she sniffed, showing everyone her teary face.


    "I-I''ve been n-n-nothing but nice!" she imed, still crying. "Even when you left me in the forest at the camp, I didn''t tell the counselors! And m-my family even invited your family to d-d-dinner."


    "I didn''t even tell d-d-dad that you hurt me in my own room!" she hupped. "I-If mom had not stopped you, you would have pulled my arm out!"


    She cried even harder but Shinho peered at his friend. There was something wrong


    "What is going on here?"


    A loud voice boomed through the hall and the students were startled as a female teacher came hurling through.


    "Why are you all crowding the hallway?" the teacher yelled.


    Jina immediately stood up and ran towards the teacher, crying. "T-t-eacher h-he pushed me d-d-own on purpose!" she eximed, pointing at Siwan who was fuming.


    "She''s a freak!" he yelled. "She''s the one who should be punished!"


    "That''s enough!" the teacher scolded him. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Siwan! Bullying an innocent little girl."


    On cue, Jina widened her eyes wider. It was a trick she learnt from her mother whenever thetter was trying to get Minho to do something for her. Even though her father pretended to ignore her, he would eventually give in anyway.


    The trick seemed to have worked since the teacher said, "I''ll call your parents today, Siwan! This is uneptable! Bullying others is not good at all!"


    She turned to the other students and bellowed, "GO TO YOUR CLASSES NOW!"


    The students scrambled and began to disperse. Siwan was also about to leave but the teacher said, "Not you. Stay."


    Jina hugged the teacher and continued to cry, hiding her face into the teacher''s waist.


    "Please don''t tell our parents!" she begged. "My parents will be worried! And I like Siwan''s mom too. She''s nice. She will also be sad! Please don''t make Aunty Doyoung sad!"


    She shed another puppy dog expression at the teacher who immediately melted.


    "Learn something from her, Siwan!" the teacher barked. "She''s saving you!"


    Siwan red at Jina and to his shock, she peeked at him, grinning. It was a trick! She was acting!


    Jina knew that she had no chance of taking him down with her feeble strength so she would have to beat him with her charm. It may not work on him but was easy to use on others.


    "But-"


    "No but''s!" the teacher said firmly. "Detention for you for the rest of the week. Be thankful that your parents weren''t called in. If it wasn''t for Jina, you''d have been suspended!"


    Siwan did not listen to her but looked down. His eyes were aze with anger. Shinho watched him, feeling very ominous. He recognized that anger. It was the same way his father used to fume whenever he saw Shinho.


    I won''t spare you, Siwan vowed. He red at Jina who was still pretending to cry. Then an idea hatched in his head and he decided to bid his time.


    Next time was going to be his chance to bring her down.

 Chapter 289: A File

    Chapter 289: A File


    Jaein was slurping on noodles at the autopsyb when Gayoon entered the room. Thetter winced at the crazy forensic doctor''s antics. Five new bodies had been shipped in thanks to the rise in crimes in the city and yet, Jaein managed to eat around the corpses.


    "Want some?" Jaein offered, extending the box of ramen.


    "No thanks," Gayoon said warily. "I still don''t get how you can eat around the dead bodies. Doesn''t the smell get to you? Or their rotting organs?"


    "Honey, there''s a body of a man whose stomach was stabbed so badly that his intestines came out," Jaein stated. "The organs were literally hanging out from his abdomen when he was brought in and I cut it all out just a while ago. After seeing these things for so many years, I''ve developed a stomach as thick as a rhino''s skin. I''m not bothered by it all."


    "Ugh!" Gayoon eximed. She had felt a cold presence in the room and was sure that the guy with the organs was probably watching them but Gayoon did not want to cater to more ghosts. Taejoon was handling that case so the ghost would have to pester him for that. She had bigger issues to worry about.


    "The little boy," she began. "Are the dental exams out?"


    "Yes," Jaein replied. She walked over to her desk and took out a file.


    "He had a small dental checkup a few months ago to remove a few milk teeth," she stated, handing the file to Gayoon. "His mother had taken him there. Her name in the record is Choi Hyeri."


    So it is her! Gayoon thought.


    "Is there any address?" she asked.


    "Yes, it''s in the record," Jaein said. "Somewhere in I-Town. Not far from here."


    Gayoon nodded and shut the file. "I''ll go and ask there," she stated. "And what about the boy''s body? How long will it be here?"


    "I need to examine his wounds more," Jaein said. "But I''ll be done within a week and then he''ll be buried in the local cemetery."


    Gayoon felt a little disturbed by that. A little boy who had died alone and would be buried in a cold grave all alone as well. It should have been like any other case to her but she always had a soft spot for children so cases with murdered kids unsettled her. Moreover, she actually came to know Shinho, albeit under very strange circumstances. Her motherly instincts reached out to him and the thought of seeing him being buried was breaking her heart.


    "Gayoon, you''re crying," Jaein pointed out.


    "I"


    Gayoon quickly wiped her tears. Jaein sighed.


    "I know," she said. "I know it''s hard for you to think about a child being buried. But that''s the sad part of our jobs. We have to face it."


    "I wish I was as strong as you," Gayoon said in a thick voice.


    "I''m not as strong as you think," Jaein mused. "Even I have a heart which has its own limits. No matter how many dead bodiese in, the corpse of a child always haunts me."


    For once, Gayoon noted a bitterness in Jaein''s tone. The doctor was a strange woman but she also had a deep empathy. She just did not show it often.


    "I''ll go and talk to the mother," Gayoon said. "See if she''s still there. And also ask about her at that Little Home Hospital."


    Even though Gayoon had heard that Hyeri killed herself but she still had to follow the police procedure by finding out about it through a thorough investigation. After all, the leads they had were based on spection not hard evidence.


    Her phone beeped. Gayoon took it out to find two messages. One was from Junwan.


    "Pick up thest batch of files from my desk and startputerizing them," she read out loud.


    "The Chief really can''t work without ya, huh?" Jaein asked.


    "Guess not," Gayoon muttered. She scrolled to the next message which was from Junho.


    "Meet me today," she read in her mind. "I have something I must show you. It''s urgent!"


    What''s going on? She wondered. Was something wrong?


    "I''ll head off," Gayoon said. "The Chief wants me. See ya!"


    She bid Jaein goodbye before making her way upstairs towards the Chief''s room. Junwan was not in but there was arge stack of files on his desk. Gayoon sighed and picked up the stak when one of the files fell on the floor. Something shiny fell out from it.


    "That must be some sort of case evidence!" she gasped. She put the files down and put on her gloves before picking up the shiny object. It was a ring.


    What a pretty ring! She thought. She grabbed a tissue and wrapped the ring in it before putting it back inside the file. It belonged to someone named Kim Suna.


    "I should take these away," she murmured, putting the file on the stack and carrying it up again. She took the files with her to her desk. Turning on herputer, she sat on her chair and grabbed Suna''s file.


    Flipping it over, she began to type in the contents.


    "Name of the victim, Kim Suna," she murmured. "Killed by her husband-"


    She was about to read the name of the husband when her phone rang up. It was Minho.


    "Did you find out the address of Shinho''s mother?" he asked from the other end.


    "I did," she replied. "She used to live in I-Town. I''m about to go there in a while."


    "Take me with you," he said. Gayoon frowned and put the file away.


    "You wanna go there?" she asked. "Why?"


    "You said that you''ve heard that Shinho''s mother hadmitted suicide, right?"


    "Yes" Gayoon said slowly. Minho leaned against his chair, thinking back to what the girl in the other realm had told him. Only those who had eithermitted a heinous crime or given up on their life could enter the World of the Dead. It was their punishment.


    "I want to go there and talk to her," he revealed. "I might know where she is."

 Chapter 290: Ruby Locket

    Chapter 290: Ruby Locket


    "You''ve grown big!" Doyoung squealed in joy. She was in her mansion, working on some of her paperwork to quit the modeling agency when her friend, Ohm Bosung, stopped by. Bosung was the same age as Doyoung and they had gone to the same kindergarten, remaining friends ever since.


    Bosung smiled at her. She was not as gorgeous as Doyoung but possessed an innocent beauty. Her round face andrge, clear eyes made her look very womanly while her straight, reddish hair was unique among the masses. Wherever she went, her red hair stood out which made even Doyoung a little envious. At that moment, Bosung was eight months pregnant and nearing her due date.


    "He is a feisty one!" Bosung giggled. "Very naughty. He keeps on kicking whenever he''s hungry. But other times, he''s such a sweet and calm baby."


    "I''m sure he''s gonna grow up to be a wonderful boy!" Doyoung sighed. "Children really do grow up fast. It feels just like yesterday when Siwan was just a tiny little thing in my womb. The doctor showed me his sonogram. He was as small as a pea! And now, he''s ten years old!"


    "The doctor showed me the sonogram as well!" Bosung eximed. She pulled out a picture from her bag and handed it to Doyoung who looked at it with interest.


    "He''s so healthy!" Doyoung smiled. "I still can''t believe that you''re pregnant. I mean...you''ve always said how you want to stay single!"


    Bosung''s smile faltered a little. They had not met for almost an entire year after Doyoung went on an assignment abroad and had only reconnected recently. It came as a pleasant surprise to Doyoung seeing how far along Bosung was in her pregnancy.


    "Well...I''m raising him alone," Bosung admitted. Doyoung was shocked at that revtion. Bosung''s parents were very strict and never approved of their daughter dating anyone. Besides, Bosung never went against their wishes and did not date men either. She would never be the type of person who would sleep with a guy without marriage and get knocked up. Her parents would disown her instantly if that happened!


    "What?" Doyoung eximed. "Where''s the father?"


    "He''s...it''s a littleplicated," Bosung said.


    "How did this happen?" Doyoung demanded. "Were you...were you forced-"


    "No!" Bosung said firmly. "We fell in love and even got married. My parents did not approve of him and they disowned me. So we went off to live on our own until...until my husband had to leave for some urgent work."


    "Then why are you raising him alone?" Doyoung demanded. "Why isn''t heing back?"


    "It''s a long story," Bosungughed, trying to change the subject. "He will be back someday but not right now. I really can''t exin! But I know he''ll be back."


    She clutched the locket around her neck. It was a small ruby pendant which sparkled brightly. Doyoung studied it carefully and was slightly surprised. Her experienced eyes could tell that the gem was worth millions of dors! It was a rare piece so only someone who would be as rich as the Kang''s could afford it. Bosung was from a very ordinary family and there was no way she could afford it.


    "I know he''ll be back," Bosung repeated. "He left me this memorabilia for my protection."


    "Protection?" Doyoung echoed. "From what?"


    Bosung contemted her words carefully before saying in a cryptic tone, "The darkness which is in front of us but blinded our eyes."


    Doyoung could not make head nor tail of what she had just said. Bosung was always a strange one but she was acting even stranger.


    Bosung, who was still holding the locket, suddenly stood up.


    "I have to go," she said in an urgent tone.


    "What are you-" Doyoung began but Bosung cut her off.


    "I-I have a doctor''s appointment!" Bosung lied. "I can''t miss it! I''ll see youter!"


    Before Doyoung could say anything more, Bosung scurried out of the front door. She looked like her life depended on that doctor''s appointment.


    "Strange," Doyoung muttered. Maybe she really is in a hurry, she concluded before shrugging off her worries.


    Once outside, Bosung hurried towards the busy street. She kept on looking behind her to make sure that she was not being followed. Her heart thumped loudly against her chest and she clutched on to her belly as if trying to protect the life within it.


    I won''t let them hurt you! She vowed. You will be a human being!


    From the corner of her eyes, she thought she had seen a pair of ck shadows tailing her but she could not be so sure. Still, it was not wise to take a risk and confront them. She was in no condition to fight them. The first priority was to protect her child.


    Half running towards the crowded street, she made her way through the series of people who did not even nce at her. It was fine with her as long as the crowd camouged her. Those creatures must be looking for her but the ruby was keeping her safe. As long as she had it, nothing could find them.


    "I''ll protect you," she told her son who was peacefully residing in her womb. "Hobin."


    .


    "Are you sure you want to do this?" Gayoon asked. She felt nervous upon hearing Minho''s proposition. They met up at Choi Hyeri''sst known address which she managed to collect from the central database.


    It was a tiny apartment in one of the public dorms. The greenish walls were decaying due to negligence and there wererge stains on them. There were no guards and the people living in theplex stared at the couple. Gayoon knew very well that a lot of the residents were involved with criminal activities and would not let go of an opportunity to mug the couple if they could.


    Minho''s well kept appearance was also attracting their stares. He ditched his usual suit and changed into a casual t-shirt but his aura gave him away. Undercover missions were not his strength anyway.


    Gayoon took out her badge and used a safety pin to attach it to her chest pocket. Upon seeing the police badge, the residents quickly looked away. They were fearful of the policewoman, not wanting to mess with thew.


    "Looks like Choi Hyeri had it rough," Minho muttered. "What''s her apartment number?"


    "310," Gayoon replied. "On the third floor."


    They climbed up the steel staircase which spiraled upwards. The smell of rotten fruit mixed with trash lingered in the air, making Minho wince. He was finding it difficult to breathe while Gayoon was used to it since she came across even worse stenches in her career.


    "There!" Gayoon said, pointing at an apartment on the end of the third floor corridor.


    "Let''s go," Minho said, pinching his nose.


    "I really think you shouldn''t enter the dead realm in this building," Gayoon cautioned. "The people here are criminals! They must have killed dozens of people and sent their ghosts into that world!"


    "Did you feel any ghosts here?" Minho asked in a hushed tone.


    "A few are lingering around," she whispered. "But they don''t know I can feel them. Which is why I''m telling you not to go!"


    "I have to try," Mihno said. "Choi Hyeri must be in there."


    He stepped forward towards Hyeri''s apartment. The door was locked but he did not need to enter it with a key. The dead realm would unlock it for him.


    He raised a finger and concentrated hard. Gayoon watched him, her heart field with worry as he drew a circle in the air.


    "Patentibus," he muttered.

 Chapter 291: Choi Hyeri

    Chapter 291: Choi Hyeri


    The world around him stopped and a chilled silence dawned everywhere. He felt a slight jolt as the loop shut off the real world and transported him into the other realm. The cold quietness weed him, eerily shrouding his thoughts.


    Minho opened his eyes to find himself in the same corridor as the building he had entered. But there was no sign of Gayoon or any other life. The halls were empty and there was pin drop silence. The setting was different but there was no doubt where he was.


    It was the World of the Dead.


    Unlike the school which was a cold and lonely ce, that building felt more sinister. There was a strange disturbance in the air and for some reason, Minho felt even more uneasy in that ce. There were no signs of any reaper or Mindless souls either. He had hoped that he would run into the mysterious girl he had encountered at the school but it was too much to ask for. She had already told him that each soul was trapped in the spot they had died and it was impossible to escape. He would have to deal with the World of the Dead himself.


    Luckily, he was prepared this time. There were a couple of packets of salt and peach blossom leaves in his pockets so he was prepared for any ambush. If he found Choi Hyeri in that apartment, then he would not need to use those things.


    Here goes nothing, he sighe.


    The greyish walls seemed to be silent witnesses as Minho touched the knob of the apartment he was at. Turning it, the door clicked open.


    He entered the small one room apartment. Like the walls outside, it was also painted grey and had minimal furniture. The room was probably half of Minho''s bedroom back at the mansion. The tiny kitchen was built in a corner while a medium sized fridge stood next to the dishwashing sink. A mini shelf was stacked against the opposite wall and had two photo frames over it. One was of Shinho, smiling with a dark haired woman in herte twenties. The other was of a baby which Minho had guessed to be Shinho when he was born.


    There was only one closet which probably had clothes and there were no beds in the room either. Instead, there was only a mattress on which the mother-son had probably slept on. There was also a bathroom right next to the kitchen. Minho quietly walked towards it and pushed it open.


    There was a small tub inside the bathroom, filled with water. And sitting in the tub, fully clothed yet wet was


    "Who are you?" the dark haireddy asked, very shocked. "You are not dead."


    "I''m not," he said. "But you are. Is this where you died?"


    Hyeri studied the stranger. She was confused how a human managed to enter that world. She had woken up in that world after slitting off her wrists and had stayed there ever since. But now, a stranger had entered that world.


    "Shinho is your son," he stated.


    The mention of Shinho made Hyeri sit up. "You know my son?" she whispered. "How?"


    "You sent him to live with his father," Minho pressed, ignoring her question. "Kang Danny. Why?"


    "He will be better off with his father," Hyeri said. "He''ll have a good education, lots of luxury and a good future! Kang Danny is an awful man but I know secrets about him which could harm his reputation! Which is why I forced him to take Shinho and give our son a good life!"


    "Why did you send him away from you?" Minho asked. "You abandoned your son?"


    "I didn''t!" Hyeri imed at once. "I didn''t want to send him away but I had to!"


    There was immense grief on her face and if she was alive, her heart would have contorted in agony. She wanted to cry and yet, could not shed a tear. Her soul ached to see her son but it was impossible.


    "I was diagnosed with stomach cancer," she revealed. "Last stage and incurable. When Danny left me, I didn''t want to go and beg him for our son''s sake. I had disappeared from his life with Shinho and only focused on him. Our life wasn''t perfect but we were happy. Shinho is quite smart and told me that he wanted to be a doctor someday. And I was doing all I could to fulfill his dreams."


    "But after the diagnosis," she went on. "I forced Danny to take in our son. He''s the father. It''s the least he could do."


    "If you died of cancer then how did you end up here?" Minho asked.


    "I didn''t die of my cancer," Hyeri replied. "After Danny took Shinho away, Imitted suicide to relieve myself of the pain. I didn''t want to die a torturous death in a crowded hospital. I wanted to die where I shared my happy moments with my son."


    Minho pursed his lips. Her intentions were good but she had overestimated her hold on Danny. But how did she manage to force a stubborn man like Danny to take her son in?


    "How did you convince him to do that?" Minho asked. Hyeri frowned at him.


    "Why are you so interested in my life?" She demanded. "Who are you anyway?"


    "I am Hwang Minho," he said in a cool tone. "I can''t exin how I got here but I know your son, Shinho. I also know Danny."


    Hyeri gasped. "You know Shinho?" she whispered. "How? And where is he? How is he?"


    She looked around, hoping to see her son but he was not there.


    "Your son is also dead," Minho revealed. "His body was found outside the police precinct and my girlfriend, who''s a detective, is handling the case. She requested me to enter this world and ask you about Shinho."


    He omitted out the fact that her son was a ghost and living with them. That would make her even more agitated and she might try to do something stupid. It was best for him to reveal as little as possible to her.


    Hyeri was stunned. Her head was spinning and she was at a loss. Her son was dead? Her...son was...dead


    "You lie!" she eximed. "Shinho...NO!"


    She stood up from the tub and looked here and there like a mad person who was lost. Her son was not dead! He was alive and well! She felt like crying and screaming at the man but tears would not fall. Her soul was restless and she got out of the tub to run for the door but Minho held her.


    "Don''t!" Minho gritted, struggling to keep her from running away but Hyeri was mad with grief.


    "SHINHO!" she screamed. "SHINHO! NO!"


    She was yelling at the top of her lungs, fighting to see her child. He was alive! Her heart was not wrong! Nothing had harmed him.


    Minho pulled her back and held her by the shoulders, shaking her hard.


    "Your son is dead!" he said harshly. He did not want to be hard on her but she was giving him no choice. She must face the truth.


    "But you can still help him!" he went on.


    "No" Hyeri moaned. "I...I"


    "Someone had bashed his head," Minho said. "And murdered him. We suspect it was Kang Danny."


    Hyeri''s eyes red and a cold anger was now setting in. "He killed my child?" she asked slowly.


    "Probably," Minho said. "But we need proof against him. Anything which might prove that he was Shinho''s dad and abused him after being forced to take him in. Do you have any such clue?"


    "Abuse"


    Her poor Shinho had gone through so much! Clenching her fists, she wanted to murder Kang Danny for what he had doen to their son.


    "I think I can give you something to bring him down," she finally said. "It will destroy Kang Danny''s reputation. And it''s buried in Kang Danny''s own hospital."


    "What is it?" Minho asked eagerly.


    "The corpses of his past victims," she revealed. "He poached the organs from poor children, killing them before selling the organs to kids from rich families."

 Chapter 292: Rag Doll

    Chapter 292: Rag Doll


    Gayoon was pacing back and forth outside the tiny apartment. She was worried as she checked her watch. Minho had been in that world for almost an hour and as the minutes passed, the more tense she became. He had told her all about that other world and it did not seem like a good ce at all. How he was able to travel there with ease was beyond any logical exnation just like her own abilities were.


    Suddenly, red sparks appeared and a circle opened up. Minho emerged from it, looking pale but unharmed.


    "Thank god!" Gayoon eximed and hugged him as he came out. Minho was a little surprised by the sudden hug but patted her head. She must have been very worried and seeing him well had finally let her rx.


    "I''m fine!" he assured her. "Nothing happened. I didn''t have to venture far to look for her."


    "You found her?" Gayoon asked in astonishment, letting him go. "Where?"


    Minho nced at the apartment behind them before saying, "Let''s go to the car and talk."


    Gayoon nodded and they headed outside towards the car. She was d to have exited the building because it was too depressing. Moreover, some of the residents were giving them suspicious looks and cops were definitely not wee there.


    "So, what did you find out?" she asked.


    "Hyeri hid a box," Minho began. "Which"


    He did not even want to think about what Hyeri had revealed. It repulsed him to think that Kang Danny had ruined the lives of so many children without any care. Gayoon was troubled by the pained expression on Minho''s face as if he was struggling with a very terrible secret.


    "What is it?" She asked. "What''s in that box?"


    "That box contains information on Kang Danny''s illegal deeds," Minho revealed.


    "What illegal deeds?" Gayoon demanded. She could tell that he was hesitant to reveal it and the mystery only increased her fear.


    "He illegally poaches organs," Minho finally managed to say. "Operates on abandoned or poor children and sells off their organs to wealthy families."


    Gayoon closed her eyes, struggling to control her temper. Her fists clenched and she wanted to punch that man on the face. No. Even a million punches would not satisfy her. A monster like him should be skinned alive and thrown to the wolves. Or worse. Her mind just could note up with cruel punishment for him.


    "He killed his son and so many other children," she whispered. "I can''t even"


    Just thinking about those poor children made her heart ache. Tears were forming in her eyes with anger and grief mixing in her mind. Minho stepped forward and let her rest her head on his chest while she softly wept.


    "Where is it?" She finally asked in a heavy voice, barely managing to hold in her anger. "Where is the box?"


    "About that" Minho began. "I think I should take you there. Right now."


    Gayoon frowned but nodded in agreement. Both of them got into the car and drove off. Minho was not sure how to break the second part of the revtion to Gayoon because extracting the box was going to be a very difficult task indeed.


    *An Hour Later*


    Gayoon''s mouth hung open in shock.


    "You''re kidding me?" She asked, still reeling from the shock. "No way!"


    "I''m afraid it''s true," Minho sighed. Both of them were standing in front of arge, 17-acre building in the heart of the city. On it, was arge board written: Little Home Hospital. It was Kang Danny''s hospital.


    "You''re telling me that Shinho''s mother hid a box containing information about Kang Danny''s illegal activities inside Kang Danny''s hospital?" Gayoon whispered. They were at the gates. The hospital staff were busy wheeling in patients or getting supplies for treatments. None of them nced at the couple who were gaping at the building.


    "It''s actually quite smart," Minho said. "Kang Danny looked all over the city for the box but he would not dare to think that it was inside his own turf all along. Hyeri took a risk but it paid off quite well. He had to take in Shinho out of fear which meant that he still does not have the box."


    "And after Hyeri''s death, he thought that even if he didn''t find the box, his secret was still safe," Gayoon guessed. "So he got rid of Shinho."


    "The moment she found out that Kang Danny did not keep his promise to look after her child, she spilled the beans."


    "But we still don''t know how to get the box!" Gayoon hissed.


    "I might be able to pull some strings," Minho said thoughtfully. "Kang Danny wants me to work on his hospital''s project to build a facility for the elderly here. I might be able to use this as an excuse to dig up the box. Hyeri said it''s hidden underneath the park''s jogging track. But it''ll take some time."


    "Until then, I''ll try to divert the investigation here," Gayoon suggested. "The sack and Hyeri''s connection to this hospital has been established. All I need to do is ask the staff here to hand over a DNA sample and that includes Kang Danny."


    Minho nodded and nced at the hospital. I''m gonna get this son of a bitch! He vowed.


    .


    "So much junk!" Doyoungined as she nced around the cer beneath her house. She rarely got to visit the cer for the past few months due to her workmitments but now that she was unemployed, she decided to clear it out.


    The room was very dark and dusty. Thickyers of dust sat on the furniture while there were cobwebs everywhere. Doyoung put on a hai and gloves, pulling the vacuum cleaner with her. The shelves carried junk like broken artefact from Danny''s long generation along with Siwan''s old toys and clothes. The dim light above her did not illuminate the pce much but it was still better than total darkness.


    I''ll start with the right side, she decided. Turning on the vacuum cleaner, she began to clean up the dust on the floor. She used the vacuum to clean beneath one of the shelves when somethingtched on to it.


    "What''s this?" Doyoung muttered. She turned off the vacuum and stooped down to pick up the thing. It was a rag doll in the shape of a sailor. It did not belong to Siwan since he never yed with a doll like that. The doll seemed to be of cheap quality, something which was bought off the street or flea market so Siwan would never touch something like that. But that was not the thing which bothered Doyoung.


    It was the dark stains on the doll''s white dress which made her fearful.


    "Must be some animal''s urine," she told herself. But how did this doll get here?


    She searched the doll and found something written on its buttocks. It was a name.


    "Kang Shinho" she whispered. Kang...Shinho? Kang


    She quickly picked up her phone and dialed the number of the private detective she had hired. It took a few dials before he picked up.


    "Madam, how can I help?" he asked.


    "I need you to find out if any of my husband''s mistresses ever got pregnant," she instructed. "And if the child''s name is Shinho. Let me know ASAP!"


    There was a pause on the other side before the detective replied, "Understood madam. I''ll find out."


    Doyoung hung up the phone, feeling worried. She had ignored her husband''s affairs for the sake of her son but did he really impregnate someone else? And even if he did, then howe that child''s toy was lying in their home''s cer? Did Danny bring that child home? Then where was he?


    "What did you do, Danny?" she moaned in despair. "What did you do?"

 Chapter 293: Family Time

    Chapter 293: Family Time


    That night, the Kang''s had gathered together for dinner at the table. Doyoung had taken the initiative to cook roasted duck with vegetable sautee, peanut and mushroom sd, chicken pasta and Shepherd''s Pie. For dessert, the cook had prepared orange pudding and mango sticky rice which were Siwan''s favorites. She had hoped that the family would be able to bond over dinner and it would be a good opportunity for them to grow closer.


    But the discovery of the doll was bugging her. Did it really belong to a child who was sired by Danny? What if it was quite an old doll?


    It might be someone else''s, she thought. Or belongs to a staff''s child.


    However, none of the household staff had the surname ''Kang'' and she was sure that their children were not named Shinho. She had asked the staff but they were clueless about the doll. But the head housekeeper did mention something to her which was very disturbing.


    "Madam, a few months ago when we tried to clean the cer, Master Kang forbade us from going there," the head housekeeper revealed. "Since then, none of us dared to go there lest he became angry!"


    The housekeeper''s words were circling around her head. Doyoung strictly told everyone not to tell Danny about the doll or even go to the cer. She needed to investigate what was going on. Her heart was troubled and she nced at Siwan who was taking a bite off his food. The only reason she had overlooked Danny''s indiscretions was because of her child but for how long could she turn a blind eye?


    Danny, who was cutting the duck breast with his knife, noticed that his wife was not eating.


    "What''s on your mind?" he asked, focusing on his food. "Why aren''t you eating?"


    "I-I was just thinking of visiting the hospital tomorrow," Doyoung lied. "To spend some time at the children''s ward."


    Danny stared at her with an unreadable expression while Siwan also looked at his mother.


    "Why do you want to go there?" Siwan asked.


    "Honey, I donated some funds for its construction," Doyoung said gently. "Since its inception, I didn''t get the chance to visit it. You''ll be at school and Danny will be at work too so I thought I can utilize some time and visit the children at the hospital. Seeing me there might increase their morale."


    She patted her son''s wrist. Danny raised an eyebrow but said, "Fine. You should go."


    Doyoung was surprised at how easily he gave in. Truthfully, she was going to the hospital to inquire about Choi Hyeri and her whereabouts. The employees there might know something about her and she had expected Danny to protest. So his approval took her by surprise.


    "Alright!" she smiled. "I''ll drop off Siwan at school tomorrow and then head for the hospital. I''d like to read the children from a story book and also prepare homemade lunch for them. I''m sure they''ll love it!"


    "It''ll be good publicity," Danny said. "A few reporters will be there as well. The newspapers will be delighted to report that the wife of Doctor Kang Danny is taking time out to help out the children. Moreover, your status as an international supermodel is also an asset. So make sure you put up a good act."


    "Danny, it''s not an act," Doyoung began. "I made that ward because I am genuinely concerned for the children. Putting on a show for the media seems far fetched."


    "All deeds of ours are for public disy and a show," Danny stated in a cool tone. "We are the Kang''s! One of the oldest families in this country and our reputation must remain impable. Nothing can soil it. Understand?"


    He red at his wife, making it clear that his words were final. Siwan saw how his mother faltered under those gaze and he, too, lowered his eyes. He gripped his fork and for a wild moment, wanted to stab his father in the eye with it. An intense rage was boiling within him, desperate to be unleashed but his fear was stronger than his anger. Kang Danny could stomp out his wrath within seconds and leave Siwan helpless and at his mercy.


    "Siwan, finish your dinner," Danny was saying. "Then we''ll sit down at my study to revise the human body''s anatomy again."


    "Danny, he''s just ten years old!" Doyoung protested. "How the hell do you expect a ten year old to know about the human body-"


    "He''s the heir to our business," Danny said in a steely tone. "He must learn. This is his destiny and nothing can change it."


    Doyoung was about to argue but Siwan said, "Alright dad. We''ll study."


    His words only fueled Doyoung''s anger. She red at her husband, hating him and herself for what they had done to their son.


    "The name and reputation you''re so proud of wouldn''tst, Danny," she warned. "If you keep up like this, then one day, you''ll lose the most important part of your life and realize that your image only ruined your life."


    Danny stopped cutting his food. He threw down the cutlery with a loud clunk and mmed his hands on the table. Doyoung jumped back at his actions as he glowered at her in anger and disgust.


    "You listen to me and listen to me carefully!" he gritted. "Do not ever try to tell me what to do and what not to do with my son! You are nothing without me and Siwan won''t survive without me! So don''t assume that you can take him away from me! I won''t let you!"


    The fire burning in his eyes scared Doyoung and it felt as if he would resort to violence if he had to. It was as if a bulb had lit up in her head and she was beginning to see her husband in a new light. He was not the charming and charismatic man she had once fallen for. Instead, he was a cold and maniptive man who was cing his ambitions higher than his own family. All these years, she had been ignoring his dark side but at that moment, with her son witnessing the sort of person his father was, Doyoung was forced to confront the truth.


    Kang Danny was capable of killing.


    She gulped in fear, choosing her next words very carefully.


    "Understood," she replied. "I''ll be there with the reporters tomorrow and I won''t interfere in Siwan''s education."


    "Good," Danny said. "Now finish your dinner and go to bed."


    There was no more arguing on that. His words were absolute. Doyoung looked at the seemingly delicious food in front of her. The food she had cooked with so much love now felt like poison which was slowly killing her and her son.


    Bile wasing up her throat but she had to swallow it down with water. Instead, she forced herself to eat, while thinking of ways to escape the vile man. But she knew it was of no use. Kang Danny would never allow them to escape.


    She was stuck in that purgatory. For eternity.

 Chapter 294: The Dark Clothed Man

    Chapter 294: The Dark Clothed Man


    "Ehhh"


    Gayoon stared at the math book which Jina had handed to her. The little girl was looking up at her with hopeful eyes while Shinho sat on the bed with Casper as they watched the mother-daughter duo trying to solve maths for the past three hours. They had not evenpleted one problem.


    Yumi was off chasing an idol at a concert out of town so she would not be back for the night.


    "How did she be a detective?" Shinho whispered at Casper. The ghost simply shrugged because he was also astonished at the pair''s astoundingck of skills when it came to numbers.


    "I''m sure the answer is one million!" Gayoon insisted.


    "Mother, it''s ten in the book," Jian said tly, pointing out the answers which were given at the back page.


    "Well, the book is wrong then!" Gayoon pouted.


    "I didn''t attend school for months and even I can tell the answer is ten!" Shinho''s voice taunted them from behind.


    "Don''t question my intelligence!" Gayoon snapped, feeling affronted. "I was the smartest girl in our ss! Always scored the highest!"


    "Uh huh," Shinho said in a dull tone. "Sure. I believe ya."


    Gayoon scowled towards the direction of the bed before returning to the problem in hand. "I give up," she finally said. "I can''t solve this! Jina, don''t worry if you fail this subject. I''ll tell the teacher we''re just not cut out for maths!"


    Just then, Gayoon''s phone rang up. It was Junho.


    "Jina, finish up the rest of your homework with Shinho''s help," she instructed. "I''ll have to take this call."


    "Okay!" Jina eximed. Shinho jumped off the bed and walked towards the table to help Jina while Casper indicated that he was off to visit his murder spot again. He went there almost every night to keep a stakeout on who might have killed him. The ghost disapparated leaving the children alone.


    Jina watched in wonder as Shinho solved all the maths in her homework book within minutes.


    "Howe you''re so good at this?" she whined.


    "You just need to practice," Shinho said patiently. "It''s not that hard!"


    "It''s just useless numbers!" Jina scowled. "But howe you''re so good at it?"


    "I...I liked to study," Shinho admitted. "I wanted to be a doctor someday."


    "Like that pedo doctor?" Jina asked in surprise. "You wanted to be like him?"


    "That was before I met him!" Shinho frowned. "When I was living with my mom, she once took me to the hospital when I became really sick. I was too scared to take the needle coz it hurts! But the doctor there was nice. He showed me some magic tricks! Pulled a coin out of my ear!"


    "I was so focused on his tricks, that I didn''t realize when he injected the medicine into me!" he went on. "Didn''t feel a thing! He even gave me a candyter on. So when I told him I wanna be a doctor like him, he smiled and told me to study a lot. Do a lot of maths and science stuff! And I''ll be a doctor just like him! But most importantly"


    "Most importantly what?" Jina asked curiously when he trailed off.


    "He said that most importantly, I need to be sure that I want to save patients!" Shinho said with a hint of pride. "Never say no to a patient and treat them with kindness. Only studying and operating ain''t a doctor''s job! They''ve got to save millions of people! So I''ll have to do that too!"


    He beamed upon thinking of the past of how he took those words seriously and diligently studied. They did not have a lot of money but his mother said that determination was enough to achieve his dreams. And she would also make sure that he would seed.


    "But now" he trailed off once again. Those memories were of a distant past and he was sad that he could no longer fulfill his dreams. Jina gently patted his head.


    "You can still study!" she encouraged him. "We''ll work hard in maths!"


    "You mean that I''ll work hard in maths while you ck off," Shinho said shrewdly. She smacked his head in annoyance.


    "You''ll see!" She swore. "I''ll be a great detective and I''ll never need maths!"


    "Uh huh."


    While the kids were bickering inside, Gayoon was on the phone with Junho.


    "I''m in your neighborhood," Junho said. "At the cafe opposite to the road leading to your mansion. Come alone."


    Without another word, he hung up. Gayoon sighed and put on her coat before heading towards the main door. She exited the front gate, heading for the cafe. Minho, who had just pulled up in front of the mansion''s gate, noticed her leaving.


    "Gayoon!" he called for her but she had put on headphones to listen to music so she did not hear him. Minho tried to call her but to his surprise, his phone had run out of battery.


    I should catch up with her, he decided. Getting back into his car, he followed her.


    Gayoon was near the intersection. She did not notice Minho in the car but kept on walking until she reached the cafe. Junho was sitting near the window, wearing a dark jacket and a hat to hide his face. He also wore a mask and he noticed from the window that Gayoon was walking towards the cafe. Junho was about to wave at her when he froze.


    There was a silver Maybach behind her, following her closely and to his horror, his son was driving it. Minho peered from the opposite end of the road, stuck at that spot as the signal turned red. He noticed the dark clothed man sitting near the window but could not see his face clearly.


    The man, upon noticing Minho, quickly rose up and left the cafe from the other end. This struck Minho as odd. The man seemed to be escaping upon seeing him in the car and seconds after the man left, Gayoon appeared at the spot. She was ncing around for the man but her gaze fell on the table. She picked up an envelope and opened it to check the contents.


    After a few minutes, she left the cafe, feeling confused.


    "Where is ahjusshi and why did he just leave these on the table?" She wondered out loud. She halted in her steps and to her surprise, Minho was standing outside the cafe, waiting for her.


    "How did you know I was here?" she asked.


    "I saw you leaving the house," he replied. "I tried to call you but my phone was dead so I followed you, trying to catch up but you had already gone inside the cafe"


    He nced around to see if the mysterious man was anywhere around. "Were you here to meet someone?" he inquired.


    "Yes," she sighed. "Ahjusshi told me that he would be here with the envelope containing Kang Danny''s rtion to Shinho. But he left this on the table and disappeared. I wonder where he went"


    Minho did not reply to her but his mind was already suspicious of her mysterious ahjusshi. Why did he run upon seeing me? He wondered. There was something fishy about that guy.


    He could not shrug off the feeling that the figure seemed familiar but where had he seen him? If only he could have seen the face!


    "Let''s go," Gayoon''s voice broke his reverie. "We need to analyze these papers. I''ll dig up Hyeri''s past ounts and link those with this envelope so that the investigation seems legit. Otherwise we''ll be used of going rogue."


    "Y-yeah!" Minho stammered. They got into the car and drove towards home. On the way, Minho just realized something.


    "Gayoon, you never told me your ahjusshi''s name," he said, trying to sound casual.


    "His name is Jun Iksun," she lied. "Why?"


    Junho had forbidden her from telling his name to anyone so she had to honor his wish. She did not want to lie to Minho but Junho''s request forbade her from telling the truth.


    "Nothing," Minho said quickly. "Nothing at all."


    Deep down, he knew that Gayoon was probably lying. That man must have told her not to tell him his real name or she was not aware herself.


    Why am I feeling so unsettled? Minho wondered. Why?


    But he had no answer to that. All he knew was that for some reason, Gayoon''s ahjusshi was a familiar person. Who was he?

 Chapter 295: A War is Brewing

    Chapter 295: A War is Brewing


    "AHHHHHH!"


    The man''s screams were echoing through the empty hallway. Hey on the floor in an X-shape, his limbs tied to four posts, stretching him far apart. There were two men standing above him. One of them was controlling the pulley to the ropes connecting the porky man''s limbs to the poles.


    "Tell us the truth," the man holding the pulley demanded. "Who killed the old master?"


    "I...I don''t know!" the man on the floor imed. "I swear!"


    There was a turn of the pulley and the man screamed in agony as his limbs were being stretched far apart. He had been imprisoned in the private cell of the Lin''s for the past month and they had inflicted all sorts of punishment on him. They had stripped him of his clothes and dignity. LArgesh marks were visible on his thick skin while his captors had also burnt their cigarette butts onto his flesh.


    The ce he was held captive in was the Lin family''s own private vi, far away from the city. Surrounded by brown walls and no light, it was their torture chamber for their enemies. The stench of dead bodies hung in the air while the walls were stained with the blood of the previous inmates. There was only one bulb lit above them as the men stared hard at their prey beneath their feet. Their hawk like eyes were thirsty for his blood and his squeals only made them more eager to torment him.


    The taller of the two men grabbed his hair and pulled it hard.


    "Listen porky!" he snarled. "Tell us the truth and we''ll spare you!"


    "I swear I don''t know Lee!" the porky said. "I really don-"


    "Don''t test my patience, Minseok!" Lee yelled, still pulling his hair. "Who killed Lin Cheng? Who dared to kill the previous master of the Lin family? TELL US!"


    He let go of Minseok''s hair and pulled the lever again. Minseok let out an agonizing scream as his limbs were slowly being pulled in different directions. His hands were paining while his leg muscles were also on the verge of tearing apart. His skin was already red and he was sweating in fear.


    The third man was simply observing the whole thing. He was an average height man with grey hair and a sharp face. His light brown eyes were shrewd and calctive while he was a man of few words. In histe seventies, he was still fit and while he had lost his looks, it was apparent that he was handsome in his youth. There was arge scar across his cheek and part of his nose was broken.


    "I...I swear I don''t know!" Minseok pleaded. "Let...me...go"


    He looked up at the older man who looked bored.


    "Youngdo...I really don''t know!" Minseok weakly imed. "I-"


    "You were spying for the Jang''s," Youngdo said in a cool tone. "Were you not?"


    "T-they ckmailed me!" Minseok said at once. "They held my daughter captive. Jang Kanji...he''s dangerous! He knew my weakness and- AHHHHHHH!"


    Lee pulled the lever, this time harder. Minseok yelled in pain. His whole body was about to tear open any minute.


    "Tell us," Youngdo ordered. "Now."


    Unable to take the torture anymore, Minseok yielded.


    "J-Jang Kanji did it," he revealed. "He was the one who killed the Elder Master. Called him to the construction site and bashed his head only let him bleed to death! I saw it with my own eyes! I did!"


    He had no other choice but to lie. No matter how many times he imed that he did not know who the real killer was, the Lin family were determined to make him confess that the Jang''s had killed the old master. The two families had been rivals in the underworld but after Lin Cheng''s death, it had reached dangerous levels.


    They were now out for each other''s blood.


    Youngdo nodded at Lee and then turned back to Minseok. "Thank you, Minseok for finally telling the truth," Youngdo whispered. "And now, we don''t need you anymore."


    "W-what?" Minseok stammered. "But-"


    "Kill him," Youngdo ordered in a cold tone. Lee obliged and pulled the lever all the way down. The machine began to steer and Minseok begged for mercy as his limbs were pulled further apart.


    "The machine will do its own work," Lee said. "We should head out otherwise this pig''s blood will spray on us."


    Youngdo nodded and they exited the room, ignoring Minseok''s desperate pleas. As soon as they closed the door behind them, they heard onest squeal followed by a loud noise of something being torn apart very violently. Blood mixed with small internal organs began to flow out from the crack of the door.


    "My shoes are ruined," Youngdo noted. "His filthy blood is staining my soles."


    "He finally confessed that Jang Kanji was behind the killing," Lee stated. "We should tell the boss."


    "Now that we have a confession," Youngdo said. "It''s time for a war."


    .


    Haejong was on his phone, listening to the caller from the other end. His blood was boiling and his eyes were burning with a cold vengeance.


    "Are you sure it was Jang Kanji?" he asked quietly. Even though he had asked the question many times, he still wanted to bepletely sure.


    "It is Jang Kanji," Youngdo confirmed. "He had your grandfather killed. They had dered war on us, Young Master."


    Haejong clutched the phone tight. His handsome features were distorted by his wrath which was hissing inside him like a thousand snakes, ready to be unleashed. The Jang''s used to be mere pests in the way of their business but now, it was personal. He did not care much for his grandfather''s death but Lin Cheng was a respected mafia leader. If Haejong did not avenge his grandfather''s death, then he would be seen as a worthless weakling.


    "I''ll handle Jang Kanji myself," he said. "I know his weakness and I know how to exploit it. He''ll rue the day he had dered war on us."


    "Understood, Young Master," Youngdo said. Haejong hung up the phone and leaned against a wall to control himself. He was unsure of what to feel after making such a bold statement.


    He knew Jang Kanji''s weakness and he could ruin her any moment. If he wanted, he could forcefully tear her apart from Kanji without hesitating. After all, he was supposed to be the bad guy.


    Then why was the ache in his heart growing stronger than the anger in his mind?


    "No," he told himself, closing his eyes. "I can''t fall weak! That''s what the old man wanted! To make me feel weak. I can''t be weak!"


    He opened his eyes, renewing his resolve. Hwang Mina was right about him. He was a killer and he was born to kill. It was in his blood after all.


    Enough with the cat and mouse chase, he decided. It''s time for the Jang''s to pay for they had done to us.

 Chapter 296: Will Rip Him Apart

    Chapter 296: Will Rip Him Apart


    Junho was sound asleep on his bed, dreaming of thetest discount sale he had read up about in a magazine.


    "Hu hu hu 10 percent discount," he muttered with a silly smile and rolled over. Shujin slowly opened the front door with her key and put her hands on her hips in annoyance as she saw the useless man sleeping so peacefully.


    "Instead of buying the groceries, this freeloader dares to sleep in peace!" she scowled. There was arge bucket of water beside her leg. She had carried it all the way upstairs for emergencies like this.


    Picking up the bucket, she tiptoed into the room.


    "Fifty bucks?" Junho murmured. "I''ll give five dors!"


    The miser was dreaming of discounts, eh?


    Shujin threw the bucket full of water on Junho''s sleeping figure, sshing it all over him. Junho awoke with a start, spluttering madly. He coughed out water, his body and bed wet with water.


    "What''s the big deal you oldie?" he barked. "Why are you sshing water on me this early in the morning?"


    "Morning?" Shujin yelled and threw the bucket aside. "It''s nearly noon, you moron! Why are you still asleep? You were supposed to buy the grocery today!"


    "Wait till the next discount sale on grocery!" he grumbled and tried to go back to sleep but Shujin whacked his head.


    "Yo, old woman!" he protested. "You''re hitting one of the richest men in the country!"


    "Richest man, my foot!" Shujin argued shrilly. "You''re a freeloader and an unemployedzy bum who is such a miser, that he''d buy groceries on sale! Go and buy food for the house!"


    Grumbling a series of curses, he got off the bed and red at the old woman.


    What sins have Imitted that this demondy hastched on to me like a leech? He wondered. Then he recalled all the businesses he had once bankrupted in order to increase his ownpany''s profits. He was sure that the curses of his old rivals were going to follow him to his grave.


    "Now get dressed and go to the market!" the old woman ordered. "I''ve texted you the list. Now shoo!"


    "Alright!" Junho yelled. Shujin threw onest re at him before leaving. Junho wanted to go back to sleep but the demon would return and throw her slippers at him if he did so he reluctantly walked towards his closet to get dressed. He did not have any exorcisms that week so he was out of work for the moment.


    "Ugh, my wallet is nearly empty!" he groaned, checking his precious wallet. "The old woman must have taken the rent from my wallet while I was sleeping."


    Still, there was enough money to survive the week so he put on his pants and jacket before wearing a cap on his head. Cursing the old woman, he left the house and walked towards the bus stop.


    Half an hourter, he stepped off the bus and headed for the northern intersection where the weekly bazar was held. He searched through the busy market which was bustling with people and hawkers who were bargaining with customers.


    Junho bought all the items the old woman hadmanded to bring him, haggling with the sellers to reduce the prices. He was quite well known in that market for his hardcore bargaining so the sellers were afraid of him. They knew fully well that the strange man would buy their products for one quarter of the asking price. It was futile to argue with him.


    "Ahh I saved a hundred bucks," he muttered. "I can buy some ramen with this!"


    Then a thought urred to him. Mina''s hospital was not far away. Maybe he could stop by at the hospital cafe and peek at her from afar. He had not seen his precious daughter in months and it took him a lot of willpower to stay away from her.


    But she probably did not remember him. The thought made him very sad but it was for the best. He did not want to burden her with the knowledge of their rtionship.


    Making up his mind, he made his way towards the busy street and crossed the road. The hospital was only five minutes on foot so he reached there quite quickly. As usual, the hospital was abuzz with patients and medical staff. The employees were tending to the fresh bout of patients who were being admitted. Junho kept his head low, ncing around to see if Mina was anywhere but she was not in sight.


    The doctors and nurses rushed past him, busy with their patients. Junho felt a little awkward to be there but he sighed and headed for the cafeteria.


    The cafe was also crowded with visitors and staff members who were taking a break. A group of nurses chattered at a corner while some of the visitors looked grim with worry about their loved ones. He nced around, trying to see if Mina was anywhere but to his disappointment, she was not there either.


    Dejected, Junho walked towards the counter.


    "One ramen," he sighed at the counter person.


    "Make that two."


    Junho''s eyes lit up and he spun around to see Mina standing behind him. She was smiling at him, recognizing the man as Gayoon''s godfather.


    "Hi uncle!" she greeted. "Long time no see!"


    Junho was speechless. A mixture of happiness and nervousness swirled in his heart upon seeing his daughter. He was happy to see her again but nervous about what to do.


    "Let''s have lunch together," Mina suggested. "It''s my break so we can catch up."


    "Y-you recognized me?" Junho asked in shock.


    "Of course I did!" sheughed. "You''re Gayoon''s godfather! Can you believe it? We were buying that jacket for the same person! What are the odds, eh?"


    She picked up the queue card from the counter and led him to an empty table. Junho was fidgeting like a little child, unsure of how to interact with his daughter.


    Mina, not noticing his nervousness, beamed at him. "Uncle, thank you for what you did for me," she said in a sincere tone. "I heard how you got rid of the CCK. I really can''t thank you enough for it."


    "Uhhh" Junho could not reply to her earnest words. He was still fumbling for words but somehow, they were evading him.


    "You must be worried about Gayoon," Mina said, misreading his nervousness. "I know it''s hard for you. But she''s in good hands! My brother loves her a lot and Jina is happy to have both her parents. She''s very lucky!"


    "Mhmm." It was all Junho could muster. He simply nodded while silently vowing to skin his son alive if he hurt Gayoon again.


    "If only everyone was as lucky as her" Mina trailed off. A sadness dawned on her face as if she was remembering something very painful. Seeing her troubled expression, Junho finally gathered the courage to talk.


    "Is there something wrong?" he asked but Mina was on a trail of thought of her own.


    "Stupid Kanji!" she burst out. Her hand clutched the queue card as if she wanted to throw something against the wall in rage. "Why can''t he confess that he loves me? Is it that hard?"


    Eh?


    Now Junho was listening. His nervousness was gone, reced by his fatherly protectiveness.


    "Tell me about this...Kanji," he said with a sweet smile while a nerve twitched on his head.


    Who dares to hurt my daughter? I''LL RIP HIM APART!

 Chapter 297: Confess

    Chapter 297: Confess


    "Uncle, sometimes I really feel like hitting Kanji on the head!" Mina went on, not noticing the dangerous auraing from Junho. "Are men that dumb?"


    "Yes!" he said at once. "They''re dumb and idiots! Don''t go falling for their charm! They''re all yboys, I tell ya!"


    "Tch!" Mina scowled, taking arge spoonful of ramen into her mouth. Junho was also irritated at Kanji. If he was not wrong, that boy was his old rival, Jason''s son. Even though they were rivals, in reality Junho clung on to Jason like a leech. In business, they were bitter enemies but outside of work, they were best friends.


    But wait a minute, Junho thought. Jang Jason was not a simple businessman though


    It had been years but when they were friends, Junho was aware of Jason''s status as the head of the country''s mafia syndicate. Jason kept that part away from Junho as much as possible since he did not want people close to him to be affected by his side hustle. But Junho knew how much Jason loathed being part of such a business but it was thrust on to him by his ancestors. It was not something he could escape and Jason was also grooming his son to be his heir someday.


    Was Kanji the new head of the gang now?


    The realization disturbed him greatly. As a father, he was not keen on having his daughter date Kanji when thetter was involved with criminal life. Moreover, Mina''s own brush with CCK had traumatized her so Kanji''s reality might cause her more pain.


    "This Kanji" he began. "What does he do?"


    "He runs JK Limited," Mina shrugged. "More like makes his men run the business while hezes off at my brother''s office all day, flirting with the female employees. Just the thought about it makes me soUGH!"


    She stabbed the egg in the ramen, imagining it to be Kanji. Just seeing him with any other woman made her green with envy. Especially when he was with that Yeonhoe.


    Junho carefully observed his daughter. After all his years of dealing with lying ghosts, he could tell that Mina did not have any clue about Kanji''s real profession. Moreover, the more he heard about Kanji, the more he was painting the portrait of an arrogant yboy who was toying with his precious daughter.


    Should I ask Shinjin to send a ghost after him? Junho pondered. Or ask Jina to open the portal and throw the guy into it?


    His head was full of ideas how to torment Kanji.


    "Uncle, you''re spacing out!" Mina pointed out. Junho sighed. As much as he wanted to ''have a talk'' with Kanji, it was impossible. Consoling his daughter was more important.


    "Do you really like the guy?" he asked.


    "I''ve been in love with him for years" Mina mumbled, still poking her ramen.


    "Then tell him," Junho said. It took him all of his willpower to say that out loud and while he wanted to protect his daughter from being hurt, sometimes it was best to have one''s child face reality. If Kanji did not love her, then he would turn her down. Mina might be hurt for a while but she would eventually ovee that pain.


    It was better than suffering in silence.


    "I" Mina trailed off. She was hesitating to confess. "What if he rejects me?" She asked in a worried tone.


    "At least you tried," Junho said in a gentle tone. "The main point is to try and see. If he rejects, then it''s his loss for giving up on love. At least you won''t live in regret."


    When Mina was silent, he added, "If you don''t take the first step, then you''ll never know what could happen. It''s important to finish the race not win it."


    She bit her lip, still thinking of his words. There were times when she wanted to confess to Kanji herself but somehow, she always backed out. Strangely, Junho''s words gave her some strength and her brain was looking at the logic of his words.


    He was right. She would never know if she did not try.


    "You''re right!" she said with a fierce determination. "Screw his push and pull! I''ll confess to him and see what happens! I won''t think about what he might say. I''ll simply do what I should!"


    "Atta girl!" Junho held his hand up for a hi5. Mina hi-fived him and beamed.


    "Thanks uncle!" she chirped. "You made my day! I was sulking over him but you''re right. I should take the first step and see where it goes!"


    "Yes," Junho smiled. And whatever his answer will be, Jang Kanji will face my wrath anyway, he added in his head.


    "Oh shoot!" Mina eximed, looking at the wall clock. "I''ll bete for my next appointment! I''ll see youter, uncle!"


    She slurped the rest of her ramen and ran off, waving him goodbye. Junho watched his daughter leave, his eyes a little moist. He rarely showed any sadness but seeing his daughter made him emotional. If only he could hug her and tell her that he was her father. Would she be angry at him for abandoning her? Or would she be scared of him, thinking he had killed their mother?


    He sat there for a while, reflecting on the first time they brought Mina home from the hospital. She was so tiny, fitting into his one hand. Junho was so attached to his daughter that whenever Suna felt ill, he would take care of the baby all by himself. At nights, he would wake up at the faintest sigh uttered from Mina''s lips. Suna sometimes joked that it would be difficult to find a husband for Mina because Junho would scare all the men away.


    If only that monster had not destroyed their lives


    .


    Junwan was in his office at the precinct, searching for the file. He was erratic with worry. The file held all the information he had collected on Kim Suna''s murder along with the ring! It was an important clue and it was missing!


    "Where is it?" he muttered. No matter how many times he searched, the file was nowhere to be found.


    Unbeknownst to him, the Poltergeist was observing him from the top of a cab.


    "Aish! The idiot lost the ring!" he groaned. "Couldn''t he just hand it over to Hwang Minho? Suna is gonna kill me"


    He watched as the human kept on searching in vain.


    The door opened and a petite woman entered the office. The Poltergeist watched her with curiosity as the woman came in but momentarily paused as if she had sensed something.


    Gayoon froze upon entering the Chief''s office. She wanted to report to him about Shinho''s case but as soon as she stepped into Junwan''s office, the familiar cold feeling rushed at her. From the corner of her eye, she nced at the cab on her right.


    There was something invisible sitting on it. And it was undoubtedly watching her.


    The Poltergeist''s eyes widened in shock. He could see the faint yet visible white light emitting from the woman. It was visible to him because his senses were more heightened than the average ghosts.


    "Found her!" he whispered. "She''s the Seer!"

 Chapter 298: The Furnace (1)

    Chapter 298: The Furnace (1)


    "Doctor Kang, there''s a man waiting outside to meet you."


    Danny, who was checking out a patient''s report, looked up to see one of the nurses standing in front of him.


    "A man?" he frowned. "Is he a patient?"


    "No, he ims to be a business associate," the nurse said. "His name is Hwang Minho."


    Danny immediately stood up. Hwang Minho was there? But they had not scheduled any appointment so why was he at Danny''s workce?


    "Send him in," he ordered. The nurse bowed and stepped outside. Within seconds, Minho entered the room. He smiled at Danny.


    "Hell Doctor Kang," he greeted. "I apologize for dropping in so suddenly."


    "That''s fine!" Danny said quickly. "Please take a seat."


    He ushered Minho to sit on a chair while he sat opposite to him. "How can I help you?" Danny asked.


    "My team went through the proposal you''ve sent us for the hospital renovation," Minho said. "I must say we''re very impressed and we would be delighted to work in it. And with the millions of dors you''re paying us...It''s impossible to refuse!"


    Danny smirked. He knew very well that Hwang Minho was a thorough money lover and given that Danny was investing his entire fortune in the project, it was expected to be a big sess. With Minho''s experienced team and Danny''s finances from the hospital, it was bound to be a profitable coboration.


    "And since we are on...good terms," Minho managed to say. "I''m going to lead this project myself. I''ll be the head architect."


    "Really?" Danny asked in surprise. "I thought you were the CEO and the architecture team was a separate entity."


    "True," Minho said. "But I did study architecture and initially when I revived thepany, I was the only architect. As the team grew bigger, I delegated my work to them and focused on business. But I''m doing this as a favor to you."


    Danny was delighted at the proposition. The top construction firm of the country was going to renovate his hospital and that was going to bring him a lot of money. What else did he need?


    "I''ll tell my legal team to draw up a contract," Danny stated, barely holding in his excitement. After the renovation project wasplete, Little Home Hospital would be the most advanced hospital in the continent! And Kang Danny''s reputation would increase.


    He had already secured funds from many of the influential families thanks to his organ transnt scheme. It was not easy but trading off the organs from poorer children and selling them off to the rich families had paid off.


    The secret was well kept since the children he had operated on were orphans or abandoned. All he had to do was lure them in with sweet words and they would fall into his trap. Afterwards, he operated out their organs and sold them to his clients. The bodies were burnt in a furnace at the basement and all remains disposed of.


    He did not care who died as long as his image was intact. It was all that mattered to him.


    Minho scrutinized the doctor who was undoubtedly on seventh heaven. Ever since he entered the hospital, he had been keeping his temper under control with immense difficulty. After finding out about his organ harvesting activities, Minho wondered if someone could stoop any lower. What else was Kang Danny hiding?


    "Can I explore the hospital?" Minho asked, keeping his voice calm. "I want to get a good idea of the ce before wee up with a blueprint."


    "Of course!" Danny eximed. "I''ll apany you-"


    "I''m sure you have other appointments!" Minho said, faking augh. "You can assign someone else to guide me. I don''t want patients to suffer because of me!"


    "Of course," Danny said. He ringed the buzzer and a wardboy came rushing in.


    "Could you please escort our guest in inspecting our property?" Danny asked. "He''s going to be in charge of the renovation project."


    The wardboy nodded and told Minho, "Please follow me, sir."


    Minho nodded and bid goodbye to Danny before following the wardboy out of the room.


    "How long have you been working here?" Minho asked in a casual tone.


    "Almost ten years sir!" the wardboy replied. "I''ve been with this hospital since the beginning of my career. Very good ce to work."


    But Minho was only pretending to listen. He was scanning the area carefully. As per the blueprint of the hospital, it consisted of eight floors over an area of 20 acres. There was a general surgery section, a pediatric section which was also thergest area, a neuro section, cardio area and gynecology section. Kang Danny wanted to expand the hospital for a separate research wing, a daycare for babies and a VVIP ward.


    "Can we start from the basement?" Minho suggested. "I want to see the whole building from bottom to top so that I can get a clearer idea of how deep the foundation should be."


    "Sure," the wardboy replied. "I''ll take you there right away!"


    Determined to expose Kang Danny, Minho followed the wardboy to the elevator which would lead them to the basement.


    .


    Gayoon stood outside the school while ncing at her watch. Since she had worked at the precinct on night shift, she had the afternoon off so she decided to pick up Jina from school before going home.


    The school bell rang, announcing the end of the lessons. Soon, children came rushing out of the gates, happy to be free. Gayoon peered around until she saw Jina walking out of the school with a group of her friends. She waved them goodbye and then her eyes fell on her mother.


    "Mom!" she eximed, running into Gayoon''s outstretched arms. "You''re here to pick us up?"


    "Us?" Gayoon frowned.


    "Shinho apanies me to school as well!" Jina replied, indicating an empty spot next to her. Shinho was also smiling at the Lady Cop even though she could not see him.


    "Ahh both of you are learning well then!" Gayoon giggled.


    "You won''t believe what the teacher taught today!" Shinho piped up. "Decimals!"


    The mother-daughter duo groaned while Shinho went on and on about how he enjoyed the problems. They could only gape at him as he exined how decimals are added and subtracted which sounded a lot like gibberish to them.


    As Shinho went on, Jina felt as if someone was watching them. She turned around to see if they were being followed but it was too crowded so no one in particr stood out.


    "What happened?" Gayoon asked.


    "Is someone watching us?" Jina wondered. Gayoon also looked around but there was no one who seemed to be following them.


    "Let''s get into the car," Gayoon suggested. She nced onest time as she led the children to her car.


    The Poltergeist watched them leave from afar. He had the ability to hide himself from Seers so it was not difficult to mask his presence. But what he saw was truly astounding.


    He had followed the detective named Jeon Gayoon and to his shock, she also had a daughter!


    If the mother was glowing like a dim light, the daughter was shining like the zing sun. There was no doubt the little girl was a Seer but she was too bright, even brighter than Suna''s friend Yeeun.


    "This is getting way too twisted for my poor heart!" heined. "There are two Seers, out of which one''s aura is burning like hellfire? What''s next?"

 Chapter 299: The Furnace (2)

    Chapter 299: The Furnace (2)


    "This way," the wardboy said, ushering Minho out of the elevator. They had reached the basement which was quite dark. The wardboy turned on the light to reveal arge room with brown walls and a wooden floor. They stepped on the floor which creaked a little under their feet.


    "The floor''s foundation seems weak," Minho noted.


    "Only the wood has to be reced," the wardboy sighed. "This area needs to be properly repaired but due to the furnace, we can''t do much. If we try to tweak here, the furnace might explode. But the walls are quite strong so the impact can be controlled."


    He was exining to Minho the problems with the basement while leading him to the furnace room. There was another door at the end of the basement. The wardboy opened it to reveal a set of stairs which led them downstairs.


    "There''s two basements?" Minho frowned.


    "This is the first level basement," the wardboy stated. "The lower one is the furnace area. We don''t use it except for burning down infected clothes and PPT in a controlled environment. I''d suggest you use a handkerchief over your nose."


    They descended down the stairs. A heavy, rotten smell was getting thicker with every step which was making Minho a little nauseous. He held a handkerchief to his nose but it did little to keep the smell away. It was a very familiar smell which was making him more ufortable. Memories of the night he had first encountered the CCK at his den was rushing through his head. The stench was quite simr to the burning meat which the serial killer had left on his stove


    "That is the furnace," the wardboy pointed at an electronic furnace whichy in front of them. It was arge, circr burner made of metal. Minho examined it.


    The metal furnace was of good quality and he was sure that it could burn up to very high temperatures. It had been well maintained and judging by the faint smoke from it, he deduced that it had been recently used.


    He stared at it with his cold eyes. Even though he did not have the same ability as Gayoon and Jina, for some odd reason it was as if he could hear faint crying. His hand touched the metal which was slightly warm from itsst use.


    Yet, it felt very cold. In fact, it was too cold. His heart was disturbed by the cruel image of a child being thrown into that thing. It was as if the scene took ce in front of him. He could almost see it


    ...


    The slow footsteps of Kang Danny would descend from those stairs, carrying a small body bag. How old would the child have been? Eight? Seven? Or even younger?


    But that would not matter to Danny. No. He did not care.


    Blood was probably staining the bag. He did not bother to stitch up the child; it was dead anyway so it would not feel any pain. The child''s purpose had been fulfilled, making Danny lose all interest.


    Carrying the child in his arms, Danny must have turned on the furnace.


    A zing fire lit up, eager to devour its innocent prey. Danny''s eyes shone as the proof of his misdeeds were going to be hidden by the mes just like all his other secrets were. No one knew of his secrets. Only he alone was the witness to his deeds.


    But there were witnesses. Many witnesses. They were standing there, invisible to the naked eye. Minho could picture those several small, pale figures who were watching their culprit throwing another child into the fiery abyss. Would the child join them or would he move on?


    They did not know. There was little they could do to save him.


    The body bag stirred a little in Danny''s arms but the doctor did not care. The child was his dirty secret and he must get rid of it.


    Minho imagined Danny''s ruthless eyes ncing at the child who was still alive. Danny said something incoherent but before Minho could try to figure it out, the doctor threw the body into the fire and closed the furnace.


    There was no one to hear those screams. The pale figures watched helplessly as their murderer took the life of another innocent child whose only sin was to be born poor. They wanted to shut their ears but no matter how hard they tried to drown out the sounds, it would not stop.


    Danny remained unaffected. He did not care about the child as long as he got his money and connections. His face was cold and unaffected by the cries of the child. Those cries would stop anyway.


    .


    "We burnt some of the old equipment in here to avoid the spread of infections."


    The wardboy''s voice brought Minho out of his reverie. He realized that he had lost all track of their conversation and it took him several seconds to get back to reality. He took a deep breath to calm his anger.


    "Who has the ess to burn those things here?" Minho asked.


    "The janitor," the wardboy shrugged. "Only he cane down here and no one else. Dr. Kang made it clear that other than him, no one cane down here without permission. If the furnace is used in an unauthorized way, the sprinklers will be set off."


    He pointed at the sprinklers which were above their heads.


    "The janitor enters this area every night at 12 AM to burn the daily junk," he went on. The sprinklers are turned off during 12 AM and 1 AM so that he can do his work."


    "Janitor huh?" Minho muttered. "What''s his name?"


    "It''s old man Shun," the wardboy shrugged. "He''lle inter. Would you like to check the other areas?"


    "Yes," Minho replied. "I want to see all the areas of the hospital."


    The wardboy nodded and told Minho to follow him. Minho nodded and took onest nce at the furnace which sat there with an ominous feeling. He could imagine the little children who were also probably stuck there, waiting for their souls to be released. One did not need to be a Seer to know that those children were restless and sad.


    Their grief was echoing through the entire building which was devoid of any love and care. The more Minho knew about the cruelty of humans, the more he sympathized with his lover and daughter who had toe across such monsters on a regr basis.


    At that moment, Hwang Minho realized that even all the money in the world would not be enough to bring back those children from the dead. No amount of wealth could give them happiness. They were stuck in a never ending loop full of agony and despair.


    There was no escape for them.

 Chapter 300: Easy

    Chapter 300: Easy


    Over the next few days, Minho had been busy with the hospital project. He tried to find the spot where Hyeri had hidden the proof but Danny was always apanying him which made it increasingly difficult for him to find the box. It was as if Danny was almost obsessed with the project, interfering in every aspect to turn it into a sess.


    "You care a lot about your image," Minho one day pointed out. They were at the hospital''s cafeteria where Danny invited Minho for lunch in order to discuss further business prospects. Minho was swallowing his food with great difficulty. The more time he spent with that idiot, the more he felt like throwing up.


    Unfortunately, the hospital project was attracting investors and even though Minho was not keen on continuing it further, he had to admit that the sess would be profitable. His mind was already scheming how to get Danny thrown into prison so that the board of directors could take over the hospital, making it easy for Minho to acquire the property himself.


    Seeing more money and Kang Danny in jail would indeed be the cherry on top for him.


    "Image is everything in this world," Danny stated. "It is what sells. We have to carefully craft an image in order to ensure our survival. But you seem to be a person who does not care about his image. After all, people call you a raging volcano."


    "My employees call me Vesudas," Minho shrugged. "Vesu from the volcano Vesuvias and Das from the Greek myth of Midas. I might be a raging volcano but whatever I touch, turns to money. I don''t care about what people think of me as long as I make money."


    "Ahh...money!" Danny sighed. "Can''t live with it. Can''t live without it."


    "I live pretty fine with it," Minho said.


    Danny studied Minho for a while before saying, "Sometimes, I envy you."


    That caught Minho off guard. "Envy?" he echoed. "Because I earn money? I thought you earned money too."


    "Everything is so easy for you," Danny said in a sweet tone which did not hide his malice. "You have it all thought out. You begin a project and it turns out to be a sess. Everything you do is perfect. You have it all. Billions of dors, a beautiful lover and an obedient daughter. It''s as if god created you to be perfect."


    Minho''s jaws tightened. Even though Danny was sugarcoating his words, the disdain was clear. But even if Danny had been genuine, Minho would have hated what he had just said.


    "Easy?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He leaned forward, his eyes sharp and zing as he addressed Danny''s remarks.


    "My father abandoned us after killing my mother when we were children," he revealed. "I raised my sister in our foster home. When I turned eleven, I was sent to a boarding school where I was tortured and beaten up everyday simply because I wanted to talk to my baby sister. It continued for two years until my godfather found out."


    Danny looked as if someone had pped him a million times. Every wording out from Minho''s words were heavy, throwing Danny under a huge burden.


    "And when I turned twenty, I took up the mantle of a falling empire," Minho went on. "Instead of going to college like normal guys of my age, I was toiling away day and night to restore the business I had once aspired to take over. My image was already gone thanks to my dad. I had nothing to lose. So I forgot all worries about image and only worked to gain my inner peace. Earning money made me happy and it was the only thing that mattered."


    "And when my sister went off to college," Minho gritted. "I became lonely. I put my heart and soul into raising her but when she left to chase her own dreams, I decided that I genuinely wanted a family of my own. And it took me years to build that. So no, Dr. Kang. I didn''t have it easy. I wasn''t handed everything on a gold te like you were. I had to earn that gold te."


    Danny clenched his jaws, looking away in shame. He had assumed that as the richest man in the country, Minho was used to a luxurious life. Minho was not sure why he said all that to Danny but seeing how the man had dismissed his life as an ''easy one'' it hurt his pride. The doctor was raised in avish bungalow with servants and infinite money so he had no idea about other people''s sufferings.


    Then again, the spiteful creature had kept his own son in captivity before killing him for the sake of his own image so Minho was not even surprised that he had such a sickening view of other people''s lives.


    "I didn''t mean it that way!" Danny quickly corrected himself. "I just-"


    "I know what you meant and I''ll still say that you were wrong about my ''easy'' life," Minho said curtly. "Now if you''ll excuse me, I have a meeting at my office. I''m heading off."


    The doctor nodded and watched Minho leave. His hands clenched around the coffee cup he was holding, anger bubbling in his heart. Hwang Minho always looked down on him and it was beginning to annoy Danny. It was as if the man hated him and Danny could not figure out the reason. He was beginning to feel that Hwang Minho had ulterior motives in agreeing to the hospital project and it was not going to end well for Danny.


    I must find out, he decided.


    .


    The children were ying happily at the yground. Jina was chattering with her friends, sharing her food with them andughing. She was enjoying their snack break and they were discussing Ahn Jaewan''s newest single. She had not seen the idol for weeks because he was on a tour but he had kept in touch and was going to return to the country in a few days so she was excited.


    She was chatting happily when she noticed a pair of dark eyes ring at her from afar. Siwan was sitting by the benches with his gang, angrily scowling at her. She stuck out her tongue at him and turned away. Siwan was affronted by her rudeness.


    "She insulted you so much!" Siwan''s friend, Greg, remarked. "Hwang Jina. The snooty princess of the school."


    "Her dad is the richest guy in the town," a pug faced girl spoke up, also ring at Jina. Her name was L Shin and she was the daughter of the Shin family whose businesses were taken over by the Hwang Constructions. She immensely disliked Jina for thetter''s poprity and hung out with Siwan.


    "I wanna teach her a lesson," Siwan gritted. "If only I could make her pay"


    L nced at the smiling Jina, hating her even more. Then an idea struck her.


    "How about we stick her mouth shut?" she grinned. "That''ll teach her a good lesson!"


    "How do we do that?" Greg frowned.


    "We can put glue in her drink!" L smirked. "If she drinks glue, her mouth would be shut, right?"


    Siwan thought about it for a while. He had never tried this sort of prank before but that sounded right. After all, glue can stick things together so it should stick her mouth as well. That would be funny. He could already imagine Jina''s mouth being stuck together and she would run around, struggling to speak.


    "Let''s do it," he grinned. "Today. During thest period when we''ll have joint PE with her ss."


    Let''s see how long can you keep your mouth shut, he thought inwardly.

 Chapter 301: Wrong Step

    Chapter 301: Wrong Step


    Gayoon was in Junwan''s cabin, briefing him on the case''s progress.


    "The boy''s name was Shinho and he lived with his mother in a rented apartment," she informed him. "Her name was Choi Hyeri but her son''s surname was Kang, indicating that she had given him his father''s surname even though she was not married."


    "How many men did she know with the surname, Kang?" Junwan asked.


    "We only came across one," Gayoon replied. She put a picture on his desk. It was of Kang Danny.


    "Isn''t he the hotshot doctor?" Junwan frowned.


    "Choi Hyerin used to work at his hospital," Gayoon stated. "And also, the sack we found with the body belongs to that same hospital. Kang Danny is known to be a casanova and Hyeri might have been his mistress for a time."


    "Did he give a DNA test?" Junwan asked. "And even if he did test himself, it''s all spective evidence. No one actually saw him with the boy. And as per this report here, Choi Hyeri killed herself a few months ago. Her son had gone missing even before that. Which means that the boy could have been abducted by someone and the sack incident could be a coincidence. Or the sack was taken from Choi Hyeri''s home before the kid was kidnapped?"


    "Possible," Gayoon said. "However, Choi Hyeri was diagnosed with cancer shortly before her death. And also"


    She took out the file which Junho had managed to acquire. Since she could not tell Junwan how she got hold of it, she had to resort to lying.


    "We found this in one of her bank lockers," Gayoon stated. "It is a file containing the truth about Shinho''s parentage and a DNA test which Hyeri had secretly conducted. If she knew that she had cancer, she could not leave her son alone, can she? So she might have contacted Kang Danny and ordered him to take his son away. If she had these papers, then perhaps she used them as leverage to secure a future for her son. If Shinho was with Danny all these months then it could be possible that Danny killed him to keep his secret hidden. There were many bruises and cuts found on the body, indicating abuse."


    "Could have been his mother as well," Junwan sighed. "I''m not discrediting your theories, Gayoon but rather pointing out other possibilities. It is quite obvious to us that Kang Danny has the strongest reasons to kill his own son. But the evidence we have is all spective and nothing more. We need solid evidence."


    Gayoon rubbed her temple, her head aching from all the frustration. Junwan was correct. The evidence she had only proved that Danny was the father. Since there is no proof that Shinho lived with the Kang''s, it would be impossible to arrest him for questioning. Danny could simply state that he had no idea about Shinho''s existence.


    And whatever Shinho had told her about his time in captivity, it was obvious that neither Doyoung nor anyone else in that house had a clue about the boy''s existence. Moreover, Kang Danny must have wiped out the evidence from the crime scene. It had been over three weeks since Shinho had died which meant that the lead time for gathering evidence from the scene was over. Any clue from that ce would be deemed as unreliable in the court.


    "I''ll dig further," she sighed.


    "I know that you want to arrest him quickly," Junwan said. "But remember, Gayoon. If you charge him right now, he''ll be alert. You need to grab his jugr vein and crush it. Once you have the irrefutable evidence, that''s when you attack."


    "I know," she smirked a little. "I learnt that much from you at least."


    Junwan smiled back and nodded. He had taught her well and was proud to see that she had grown into a fine detective on her own. Gayoon bowed and left the office. She texted Minho to ask him about his search for the file on the illegal organ harvesting but he was also having no luck in finding it. Kang Danny had hidden his tracks well.


    Did he find the box and destroy it? Gayoon wondered. It was a possibility but they would still have to try.


    She checked her watch and to her surprise, it was nearly 2 PM. Jina''s school would end in half an hour!


    Grabbing the keys to her car, she rushed towards it. She still had some time but the household staff were on their weekly holiday, so Jina would have to be dropped off at Mina''s apartment. Minho would pick her up from thereter at night.


    She got into her car and drove off.


    .


    Jina was waiting outside the school gates, waiting for her mother. She had her earbuds on, listening to a song. None of the ghosts were with her that day. Yumi was off to stalk Ahn Jaewan as usual while Casper was staking around his murder spot again. This time, Shinho went with him as he was curious about Casper. Jina did not have math sses that day since the teacher was sick, so she did not mind him apanying Casper.


    Someone lightly tapped her from behind. It was one of her seniors, L. Jina never spoke to her but had seen her around the school a few times.


    "Yes?" she asked.


    "You''re Hwang Jina, right?" L asked. "Hi! I''m L. My dad and your dad are business partners."


    The girl shed a smile at her. Jina returned the smile and bowed.


    "Hello!" Jina greeted back. "d to meet ya!"


    "Are you waiting for your parents?" L asked. "I''m waiting for my chauffeur too. Do you mind if I wait here with you? My friends have gone home and I don''t really wanna wait out here alone."


    "Sure!" Jina chirped. "If they''rete, you cane with me! My mom''s a cop, so she can drop you off."


    "That''s so cool!" L eximed. "Thanks! You''re really nice."


    Then she snapped her fingers, as if an idea struck her. She quickly reached for her bag and took out a bottle.


    "You must be thirsty, standing here for such a long time," L remarked. "Here, have some juice."


    She''s so nice! Jina thought. "Thank you!" she said gleefully and took the bottle. L watched as she opened the cork and took a sip.


    "Here, you should have some as well," Jina said but L shook her head.


    "I''m fine! You seem parched. Have some more."


    Jina nodded and took another sip before frowning. Her stomach was beginning to rumble all of a sudden.


    From behind a wall, Siwan and his otherckey, Greg, was watching the girls. L shed a thumbs up to them. Meanwhile, Jina was beginning to feel bouts of pain in her belly.


    "UGHHHH!" she moaned, dropping the bottle. Seeing her like that, made Siwan happy. Finally, she was losing her voice!


    He came out of her hiding ce and walked towards her. L stood there, proud of what they had done.


    "Her mouth has been glued!" Lughed.


    "She won''t speak ever again!"


    Siwan smirked at Jina whose eyes were closed. She had bent down, not talking.


    "You''ll never be able to use that voice of yours ever again," he said spitefully. "You''ve tormented me a lot! Now it''s payback-"


    Suddenly, Jina doubled over and vomited out blood from her mouth. The trio stood there, shocked at her state. They had no idea what was happening. The glue was supposed to shut her mouth but why was she throwing up blood?


    "What''s going on?" Greg asked, panicking. "What''s happening to her?"


    Jina fell on the ground, unconscious. Her face had lost all color and she was weak after the vomiting.


    "What''s going on here?"


    Siwan froze in his spot. Danny was rushing towards them while Gayoon had also pulled up her car.right behind them.


    "JINA!" She screamed upon seeing her daughter''s state, running to carry her up.


    "Don''t!" Danny warned. "Let me apply first aid on her otherwise it''ll be toote!"


    Gayoon was confused but Danny did not waste a single second and immediately checked Jina''s pulse.


    "Her pulse is weak," he muttered. Gayoon watched helplessly as he pressed on Jina''s tummy. She was sobbing hysterically at the sight of unconscious Jina. Danny red at Siwan who was still standing there, confused. His father nced at the fallen bottle and picked it up. He sniffed it before handing it to Gayoon.


    "Glue," Danny informed her. "Your daughter was fed glue."


    "What?" Gayoon shrieked. "DRINKING THIS CAN KILL A PERSON! WHO WOULD"


    Both of their eyes fell on Siwan who was horrified at the revtion. The other two had run away from the spot, leaving him to deal with the adults on his own.


    "Let''s take her to my hospital," Danny said. "She needs immediate attention."


    Gayoon had no other choice but to relent. Jina''s state was worsening every second and even if Danny was a criminal, he was still the best pediatrician in the country. For Jina, she would have to put her ego aside and save her child.


    Danny carried Jina to his car while Gayoon followed. Siwan was still distraught over what he had done and wanted to exin.


    "Dad I didn''t know-"


    A threatening re from Danny shut him down. His father was not pleased with what he had done and it was going to create a massive explosion at home that night.


    He watched as the adults left with Jina. His heart was filled with guilt and fear over what he had done. Thedy said drinking glue can kill someone. Was the little girl going to die?


    "What have I done?" he sobbed.

 Chapter 302: The Wrong Step (2)

    Chapter 302: The Wrong Step (2)


    Doyoung sat in her bedroom, conflicted over what to do. Ever since she found the bloodied doll, she could not help but think about it. It had been haunting her mind and she was going crazy thinking about what Danny was doing.


    They had barely seen each other for the past few weeks and he was obsessed with the new project he had started with Hwang Minho. She had many questions but no answers. The detective she had hired was still investigating about Hyeri and she was yet to receive any word from him.


    Her phone rang up and she quickly picked it up. It was her private investigator.


    "Hello!" she greeted.


    "I have news on Hyeri," he revealed. "She hadmitted suicide a few months ago."


    Doyoung closed her eyes in despair. Even though she did not like any of her husband''s mistresses, she never wished them dead


    "She had a son," the detective revealed. "He is eight years old."


    Eight yearsHyeri had also left the hospital around that time. Doyoung had suspected that she left after Danny forced her to because their affair was bing too obvious. What if Hyeri left because she was pregnant? Did Danny know about it?


    "She raised him by herself for years and had no contact with Kang Danny," the detective went on. "Until a few days before her death. She suddenly contacted him. Her phone number showed that she called his office number. After that, the connection goes cold and a few dayster, she killed herself. I also got hold of her medical report. She was suffering from cancer."


    "What about her son?" Doyoung asked. "Where is he?"


    "No one knows," he stated. "I''ve asked around and to my surprise, no one knew the kid''s name at the apartment. But they did mention that a few days back, a couple came looking for them."


    "A couple?" Doyoung frowned.


    "Ady detective and a good looking bloke came inquiring about them," the detective revealed. "One of the tenants recognized the man as the rich hotshot. Hwang Minho."


    Hwang Minho? Doyoung''s mind was now truly confused. Why was Hwang Minho looking for Hyeri and her son?


    "What is the boy''s name?" Doyoung demanded.


    "Hyeri named him Kang Shinho," the detective revealed.


    Doyoung was shocked to her core. K-Kang Shinho? She nced at the ragdoll whichy right next to her. It had Shinho written on it. Was it possible that Danny had brought Shinho to their mansion? But if the boy was brought here, then where was he?


    "We need to meet," she said. "Now. I must get all the evidence you have. I have to show you something."


    "Meet me at the coffee shop at the intersection," the detective said.


    Doyoung hung up the phone and grabbed her stuff. Putting the ragdoll inside her bag, she scurried off to meet the detective. If he gave her the evidence, then she could confront Danny with it and get a grounds for divorce. Byw, he would be forced to pay her alimony and half of his property which would give her sufficient amount to raise Siwan on her own. All she had to do, was find a means to escape.


    .


    Jina was rushed into the hospital. Danny was already wearing scrubs, giving instructions to his staff while Gayoon was holding Jina''s hand, crying.


    The little girl was still unconscious and had vomited a lot of blood. Her vitals were falling and the poison in her body was going to spread further if she was not operated upon. The nurses put her on a stretcher while Danny was with his team, arranging for the surgery on a priority basis. Upon seeing Gayoon crying, he came over to talk to her.


    "Detective Jeon, I know you''re distraught right now," Danny said. "But we have to operate on her now and pump out her stomach."


    "Will she be alright?" Gayoon tearfully demanded. "Please save her! Please"


    She fell to her knees, not knowing what else to do. Danny held her shoulders and helped her to get up.


    "We''re doing all we can," he said in a gentle tone. "Thankfully, she has not consumed too much of the spiked water but due to her age, the impact is severe. We''ll have to pump out the poison from her body. In the worst scenario, if there are any otherplications, we''ll proceed to operate. We''ll try to avoid the second option as much as possible."


    Even though they had a lot of differences, he could not risk letting Hwang Minho''s daughter die especially when it was Siwan who had poisoned her. He nced at the culprit who had also apanied them to the hospital.


    Siwan had been quiet all throughout the journey, shocked by what he had done. It was supposed to be a harmless prank! He did not want Jina to be that hurt


    "We''re prepping the surgery room," Danny assured Gayoon. "Her father has been alerted. He''ll be here soon. Both of you have to be strong. Alright?"


    Gayoon bit her lip, ncing at her daughter. The fact that Jina''s life now rested in the hands of a child killer was tormenting her. She was supposed to arrest Kang Danny but now, he was the only person who could save her daughter''s life. Was this some kind of sick joke.


    "I want her to be safe and sound," she said in a hard, determined tone. "My daughter muste out of that operation theater, safe and alive!"


    Or else


    There was an underlying threat in her tone which did not escape Danny''s ears. His jaw tightened and he nodded. There was no way he could let such a precious bargaining chip die. It was too risky.


    Siwan was cowering in the corner. His eyes met his dad''s who gave him a warning re before thetter walked into the operation theater. He knew very well that his fatey upon Jina''s survival.


    Because if she died that day, he would have to face a very bad side of his father.

 Chapter 303: The Wrong Step (3)

    Chapter 303: The Wrong Step (3)


    Minho ran towards the operation theater at full speed. Jongin helplessly followed him but the CEO was unhinged as if possessed by a maniac. The phone call which had interrupted an investors'' meeting hadpletely turned the CEO''s mood and he looked as if he had lost everything in one go. If it was any other news, Jongin would haveined but the matter was so serious that Minho had run out of a meeting which could have earned him over a billion dors.


    Spotting Gayoon ahead, Minho rushed towards her. All color was gone from her face and her eyes werepletely red as if she had been crying for hours. He quickly knelt before her, holding her hand. She was as still as a statue, unsure of what to do.


    "Gayoon," he called her name, attempting to calm himself. "How is she?"


    The detective was silent, unable toprehend anything around her. Minho did not push her but kept on holding her hand. The light over the theater was still red which meant that Jina''s surgery had not ended.


    Jongin stood beside the couple, silently watching them. They were distraught and pained by the state of their only daughter. It took all their willpower to pull themselves together but their hearts were breaking apart. Seeing them like that made Jongin sad.


    No matter how much theyined about their CEO, everyone loved and respected him. Moreover, Jina was not only his daughter but also provided the much needed warmth in the lives of the office staff as well. They had seen her grow in front of their own eyes and the news had shocked everyone. Almost all the employees wanted toe but Jongin ordered them not to do so since it would distract the doctors. He promised to keep them posted on her health status.


    "It''ll be alright" Minho said in a heavy voice. "She''ll...she''ll be safe"


    He was trying to console Gayoon but in reality, those words were more for him. Gayoon did not respond but sped his hand as if to reaffirm their faith.


    They heard the nking of heels approaching them. Mina also arrived followed by Kanji, both looking worried.


    "How long has she been in there?" Mina demanded.


    "It''s been two hours," Jongin informed her. "It''ll take a few more hours"


    Mina was on the verge of tears. Kanji wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she did not push him away. She was too worried about Jina and nothing else mattered at that moment.


    "How did this happen?" Kanji asked. "Who mixed glue in Jina''s drink?"


    "It was Kang Danny''s son," Gayoon revealed, finally getting the strength to speak. Everyone stared at her in shock.


    "Why would he do something like that?" Minho demanded.


    "Thest time he was at our house for dinner," Gayoon began. "He hurt Jina''s arm. His mother saw it and promised me that he would be disciplined. But I didn''t know that he had gotten admission in Jina''s school and was bullying her. She didn''t inform any of us. When I went to her school today, I saw her on the ground, unconscious while the boy stood near her. By his expression, it was apparent that he had fed her the glue"


    Minho stood up in anger. "Like father like son!" he spat. "I''m not gonna spare that kid-"


    "We can''t do anything right now!" Gayoon warned him. "Kang Danny is operating on our daughter right now and if we act against his son, he might take out his anger on Jina! At this moment, he''s worried that we would take action against him so he''ll be desperate to save Jina and protect his son! If we act with haste, Danny might harm Jina!"


    Minho clenched his jaw. Anger seethed in him, wanting to drag that kid and throw him in juvenile prison for his act. But Gayoon was right. Jina''s life was in Kang Danny''s hands so they were helpless. Acting rashly would only be detrimental to Jina.


    "Also" Gayoon stepped closer so that only Minho could hear him.


    "I have asked the ghosts to keep an eye on Siwan," she whispered. "They will keep us informed."


    A look of understanding passed between them.


    "Let''s just try not to panic too much," Mina suggested. "It''s not healthy nor will it help. Even if it''s Kang Danny operating on Jina, don''t forget that he''s the best pediatrician in this country who has a ny nine percent sess rate. He will save Jina."


    The couple nodded and waited outside. Minutes turned into hours and they sat there, not moving from their spots. They were still holding hands, trying to console each other. Jongin had gone to buy some snacks for everyone while Mina stood at a corner, not speaking. Kanji hesitated before walking up to her.


    "How''re you holding up?" he asked in a cautious tone. It was the first time they were talking after that night and he was not sure how she was going to react towards him.


    "Not good," Mina admitted. "Just trying not to lose control and barge into the Kang mansion to beat down that kid to a pulp."


    "I''m sorry," he said. "For a lot of things."


    Mina sensed the deeper meaning into his words. He sounded guilty of hurting her and seemed genuinely apologetic. But he was still hiding many secrets from her, holding back his true feelings which only widened the gap between them.


    "Kanji," she began. "Being sorry is not enough. You"


    She wanted to tell him many things, demand what he really felt for her. The words of Gayoon''s ahjusshi floated in her mind and even though she wanted to demand the truth from him, her heart dwelled on Jina''s condition. It was not their moment to talk about themselves.


    "Forget it," she said, shaking her head. "It''s not the right time to talk about us. I just want to focus on my niece now."


    Kanji nodded. He stood beside her, his silent presenceforting her troubled heart. After a few more hours, the door to the operation theater opened and Danny emerged from it.


    Minho and Gayoon were instantly by his side, hounding him.


    "How is she now?" both of them demanded together. Danny let out a deep sigh.


    "The procedure has been sessful," he revealed. "She''ll be fine in a few days."

 Chapter 304: The Wrong Step (4)

    Chapter 304: The Wrong Step (4)


    AUTHOR APPRECIATION MESSAGE:


    I really want to take this moment to thank every one of you for the love and support you''ve showered on this book! I can''t express my feelings enough.


    I started this book with the least amount of expectations. Little did I know that not only will it be my most popr book but also reach 1000 power stones every week! I was so shocked when I saw the dedication my readers had. Moreover, I was so please to see that you guys genuinely stuck around for the story and not simply for the romance.


    As I reflect on this crazy months, realized that this book evolved from a typical romance to a wholesome tale containing love, family, money (*wink*) and sweet bonds. At this point, these characters are like my own family as if I''ve lived their lives through this book. And the way all of you supported me makes me so emotional.


    Okay enough long talk. I''ll keep writing this one regrly for you all [3 Thanks for giving this small author a chance! Love you all [3


    ....


    Gayoon stared through the ss, her heart breaking over the condition of her child. Jina was in the ICU under observation. Wires were plugged to her veins and a monitor was showing her heart rate. Jina looked so weak and frail in the condition that Gayoon could not help but cry. Her tears would not stop flowing and no matter how much she tried to be strong, her resolve kept on failing.


    Minho, who stood next to her, hugged her. Gayoon cried in his arms, grateful to be able to hide her face. The surgery had been sessful but Jina was still not out of danger. Mina and Kanji were waiting outside while Danny was with the couple, putting on a grim face. It had taken hours topletely remove the poison from Jina''s stomach and detox the blood. Fortunately, her blood group wasmon so blood transfusion was not a problem.


    "There are no majorplications," Danny said in an assuring tone. "She''ll be under observation for tonight and if everything goes right, we can unplug the wires and shift her to the VIP ward tomorrow morning. She won''t be able to eat anything for a few days and will be put on a liquid diet."


    "How long will her recovery take?" Gayoon finally managed to ask.


    "A few days," Danny said. "But she''ll be fine. Anyways, I have to go home and talk to my son. I know he did this and I will make sure he''s disciplined."


    Gayoon held back her retort that it was a little toote for that boy. She had never felt such a deep dislike towards a child. Minho grasped her hand, as if trying to reassure her but he, too, shared the same feeling. Kang Danny''s eldest son would turn into a replica of him as long as he stayed under his father''s influence.


    Minho nced at Danny and nodded. Thetter turned around and left.


    They were conflicted by the situation. On one hand, they wanted to file aint against Siwan with the school authority but Kang Danny had saved Jina which made the issue moreplicated. Danny might have had his ulterior motives but they could not look away from facts either. But that still did not mean they had given up on Shinho.


    Speaking of Shinho


    The little boy was inside the ICU, sitting next to Jina''s bed. As soon as they heard the servants overhearing that Jina had been hurt, the ghosts came rushing to the hospital but Gayoon instructed them to go to Danny''s house and keep an eye on Siwan. She was afraid that Danny might try to save his son by sending him elsewhere. But Shinho could not bear to see Jina all alone so he left Yumi and Casper there and came back on his own.


    He sat there, gazing at his friend who was still unconscious. If he was alive, he would have probably cried but he still felt a great deal of pain upon seeing her in that condition. She was so small and fragile in her weakened state. For some reason, it was strange to see her like that. He had always seen her as cheeky and confident with a smile brighter than the sun. But now


    "Get well soon," he whispered. "If you can hear me, then you better heal soon! I won''t talk to you if you don''t get well. You still have to live. I couldn''t live but you can. So get well soon."


    He gently kissed her cheek and patted her head. She did not stir but was lost in her own world, unaware of how stressed everyone was.


    .


    Junho was about to take a bite off his ramen when Shujin came bustling into his house.


    "What''s the big idea you old hag?" he asked in irritation. "Why do you keep bursting into my house...like"


    He was puzzled by her worried expression. Shujin huffed as if she had ran all the way upstairs.


    "I...have some grim news," she panted. "Jina...Jina has been admitted to the hospital!"


    .


    Doyoung was sitting with the detective she had hired for sleuthing on her husband. They were at a cafe where he handed her the documents detailing Danny''s timeline of the affair with Hyeri. She did not even pretend to be surprised.


    What did surprise her was the fact that Hyeri had hid her pregnancy from Danny.


    "Why did she hide this?" Doyoung wondered.


    "Many reasons," the detective sighed. "Maybe Danny wanted her out of the picture so that you don''t find out. After all, if you two are divorced due to infidelity, he''ll have to give you a huge chunk of his wealth and also the house."


    "That bastard!" she muttered in disgust. "So he punished that innocent child and his mother"


    She did not feel any sort of hatred towards the child. He was an innocent victim in all this and after finding his bloodied ragdoll, she could not help but wonder if Danny had really harmed him in some way. Would Danny really go to such lengths to hide his secret? He could have simply left him at an orphanage or given him up for adoption.


    Was his image really that much important to him? Was it all worth it?


    "Can you also have this examined?" she asked, taking out the ragdoll from her purse and handing it to the detective. She also handed him a sealed stic bag which had Danny''s hair in it which she picked from his hairbrush.


    "Run some tests on it and see whose blood it is," she demanded. "Also, do a DNA test on the blood from the doll against Danny''s DNA. I want to see if this is true. If Danny is the father and had taken the child away from Hyeri, then where is he?"


    "I will," the detective said. He took a short pause before adding, "You should try to get out of that house as soon as possible with your son. I personally don''t think you should stay there anymore even if the DNA test turned out to be negative."


    "What do you mean?" Doyoung frowned.


    "Well"


    The detective hesitated for a moment. He had been tailing Danny for weeks and even looked up at his client list. It had greatly disturbed him but there was little evidence to prove the theory he had.


    "Kang Danny has quite arge client base which includes organ transnt for their children," he stated. "If you have ess to his officeputer, then I''d suggest you look up on the list and find the pattern."


    WIth that, he got up and left, leaving her bewildered.


    Doyoung frowned, not understanding what the detective meant but if he gave her such a vital clue, then it must be important. She quickly grabbed her bag and made her way to the hospital. As far as she knew, it was Danny''s day off and he had picked up Siwan from school. Surely, he was at home. Besides, she had gone to Danny''s office before so she knew where his patient''s list was. As his wife, she might be able to grab a hold of that list.


    Her heart was in a dilemma. She knew what she wanted to do but what would be the consequences? The future ahead was uncertain but if she wanted to give Siwan a good future, she must break off Danny''s influence over him.


    How many secrets are you hiding, Danny? She thought in disgust.

 Chapter 305: The Wrong Step (5)

    Chapter 305: The Wrong Step (5)


    Her footsteps echoed the empty corridor whichy ahead. It was so quiet that she could hear the rapid beats of her heart. She tried to calm down and analyze the ce she was at.


    The walls were painted white and green with cartoon characters drawn on them. The characters were supposed to look cute and caring but in the vast emptiness, they were creepily staring at her as she slowly walked ahead. There were a series of rooms on both sides of her. She peeked through one and saw that the room contained a single bed along with a tray which carried bottles and medicines. A television set was attached on the wall while baskets of foody on the bed.


    She left that room and peeked into another room. It was a replica of the room she had just been in. All the rooms were like that, confusing her even more.


    A cold air was entering from somewhere which made her shiver. She could see her frosty breath as she inhaled and exhaled, her heart palpitating with fear. Never in her life had she felt so alone. She wanted to call for help but her instincts told her not to open her mouth. It was difficult to understand why her gut feeling was acting that way, but something was not right.


    The light above her flickered. The corridor seemed endless but she was afraid of reaching the end of it. She felt as if something was hiding in the shadows, waiting for her. It was patiently waiting for her arrival and ready for her.


    Where am I? She thought, feeling scared. Mom! Dad!


    But there was no one. She was all alone in that void with not a single person in sight. They could not enter it anyway. The ce was created for her and her only.


    The sudden crash of metal made her jump. It came from the end of the hallway. Someone was there!


    Should I follow the sound? She thought, hesitating. What if it was a trap?


    "Hu hu hu"


    A whisper brushed by her ear, making her yelp in fright. Her heartbeat quickened and she was gasping for breath as she looked around for the source of the sound.


    "Come"


    Another whisper reached her ears.


    "Who''s there?" Jina asked nervously. "Where are e"


    Suddenly, a strong gust of wind began to swirl from somewhere. Everything around her was being swept away and the ground was shaking hard. Jina screamed, trying to hold on to a nearby ir but the wind was too strong.


    "AGH!" She cried, holding on to the pir with all her might but her hands were slipping. The force of the wind was determined to pull her away and thrust her into nothingness. Chairs and tables flew all around her, tools scattered here and there. The wind continuously pped her face, almost choking her. She gasped for breath but it was impossible.


    "AHHH!" she screamed. The wind finally forced her to let go of the pir and pulled her away from there. She cried as she was dragged across the floor by unseen entities.


    "y...y...y"


    "NO!" She yelled but the creatures of the shadows pulled her to their realm, determined to bring her with them. Jina tried to hold on to anything she could find but it was to no avail; they were too strong.


    Theirughters echoed in her ears, and they kept on dragging her towards a mysterious ce. Jina kept on screaming until she was thrown against a wall. Coughing and spluttering, she slowly got to her feet.


    She had been thrust into a room with a dim green light. There were a few strange machines around her which she could not recognize but the ce gave her a spooky vibe. In the middle of the room was arge furnace but it was not lit. It was too quiet and too cold. Her body shivered viciously as the temperature kept on falling.


    Jina was so engrossed in trying to find out where she was, that she did not notice a shadow hovering behind her. It inched closer to the scared little girl, a cold hand reaching out to touch her


    Jina turned around and the shadow vanished. She was nervous and backed away from the spot. Her eyes scanned for an exit but she was trapped within those four walls. Clutching her ears, she closed her eyes.


    "Let me out!" she cried. "Mom! Dad! Where am I?"


    "y with us...Jina"


    Slowly turning around, her eyes fell in horror.


    Standing behind her were several pale faced children, staring at her. They watched her, curious about the girl who could see them. Some of them had their eyes taken out while others unted visible stitch marks on the visible areas of their bodies. They slightly glowed in the dark but a sinister aura emitted from them.


    They were angry and betrayed. And now they wanted revenge.


    "y with us" All of them said in unison, stepping forward. Jina stepped back but she had reached a dead end.


    "Let me go!" she whimpered. "Please"


    "Come y with us" they kept on repeating. "y with us"


    "No"


    There was no way out of there. She was going to be dragged with them into their world.


    The furnace had lit up, illuminating the whole room. It was roaring loudly and Jina''s eyes fell on it. Before she could fathom what was going on, one of the children held her leg. Another grabbed her hands and soon, their hands ran all over her body as they lifted her up.


    "NO!" She screamed. "NOOO!"


    "y with us," they chanted with a manic energy. "y with us. y with us."


    They were taking her towards the furnace. Jina tried to struggle but their grip was too strong and she could not break free. The fire zed inside the furnace, waiting to devour her.


    No...Mom! Dad!


    "Get the hell away from her!"


    There was a swoosh and several pink petals were released in the air. The children yelled as the petals cut their skins, forcing them to let go of Jina and run. They scattered all over the ce, vanishing one by one.


    Jina looked up and saw a tall woman in her thirties with long ck hair and pale face. Her brown eyes nced at her with a mixed emotion as if the woman wanted to say a lot of things to her but could not do so. There was something very familiar about those eyes...


    "Who-" Jina began to ask but the woman shook her head.


    "It''s time for you to wake up and find me," the woman instructed.


    Without another word, she ced her hand on Jina''s head. The little girl noticed that the woman''s palms were also cut, probably by the pink petals she had held.


    "Go," she whispered. "Go back."


    With that, Jina''s eyes shut and she fell into a deep slumber once again.

 Chapter 306: The Wrong Step (6)

    Chapter 306: The Wrong Step (6)


    Gayoon was sitting beside Jina''s bed, her eyes closed and her hands sped in prayer. Minho had gone to the doctor''s room to discuss Jina''s treatment with Danny.


    It had been two days and Jina still had not woken up. Danny imed that the operation simply took a lot of toll on her but Gayoon was not convinced. She did not trust his words at all.


    Suddenly, the heart monitor began to beep. She quickly looked at it and to her shock, the lines were erratic.


    "Doctor!" she called, pressing the bell by the bed. "Someonee here! QUICKLY!"


    WIthin seconds, Danny rushed into the room followed by Minho. Without any dy, Danny checked Jina''s vitals.


    "I-Is she going to be okay?" Gayoon asked desperately. "What''s happening?"


    Minho was trying to calm her down by putting his arm around her and whispering constions in her ears but she was too distraught.


    "She''ll be alright, won''t she?" she asked, almost begging Minho.


    "She''ll be fine," Minho assured her.


    "Don''t worry," Danny said, standing straight to face them. "She''s waking up."


    "What"


    Both the parents nced at Jina whose eyelids were fluttering. They ran to her side, Gayoon holding her hand. Danny stood behind them, watching the family with intense scrutiny. Jina''s eyes were now half open, peering at her parents.


    "Mom" she said weakly.


    "Oh thank god!" Gayoon whispered in relief. Jina turned to her father who was barely containing his emotions. He gave her a small smile and held her other hand. She grasped it with her tiny fingers, happy to be out of that nightmare.


    Danny cleared his throat to get their attention. Gayoon and Minho turned to him.


    "She will be under a liquid diet for a few days," he said. "We''ll run a few tests and if everything is fine, she''ll be good to go home."


    Minho struggled with his internally before managing to say, "Thank you."


    Danny nodded and left the room, leaving the family alone. Jina was very weak and frail but she had to tell her parents what she had seen in her dream. It was bizarre that she could still recall it so vividly.


    "Mom" she began but Gayoon shushed her.


    "You need to rest," Gayoon coaxed her. "Don''t think about anything else."


    "But-"


    "Your mom is right, Jina," Minho said gently. "You need to rest and get stronger. We''ll be here by your side. So don''t worry."


    Jina wanted to say a lot of things but she was getting sleepy again. Gayoon pulled the nket over her as Jina went back to sleep once again. She shared a nce with Minho who nodded. He quietly shut the door so that no one would hear them.


    "We have to arrest him quickly," Minho said. "But I still can''t find the ce where Hyeri hid the documents!"


    "The only way is to catch him in the act," Gayoon said thoughtfully. "But that''s too risky. We can''t endanger a child''s life"


    They were in a dilemma. With Jina admitted in Danny''s hospital, they could not dare to act against him. What if he tried to harm her? It was a miracle that he saved her but now, they would have to tread carefully.


    "It''s gettingte, Minho said as he nced at the clock on the wall. "You should go home and get some sleep. I''ll stay tonight."


    "No!" Gayoon insisted. "I''ll stay here. I can''t leave her alone now. You should go home and rest."


    "We both know that''s not gonna happen," Minho sighed and plopped on the couch. Gayoon nodded and sat next to the bed, keeping vignt in case Jina woke up again during the night. None of them slept a wink but were lost in their own thoughts as they watched over their daughter.


    .


    "I''ll be off for the night, sir."


    Danny looked up from his documents to see that one of the nurses hade to bid goodbye.


    "Okay, but make sure that you''re here by 6 AM tomorrow," he instructed. "We have a surgery at 7 am along with a series of tests to be done on Hwang Minho''s daughter."


    "Alright sir," the nurse said. "But you should go home as well. You''ve been at the hospital for the past few days!"


    "I can''t leave Hwang Minho''s daughter behind," he stated. "She''s a VIP. Her father is one of our biggest investors. Until she''spletely healed, I''m not leaving."


    The nurse sighed. She knew about Danny''s obsessions with his image and wealth so it was not surprising that he was putting in full dedication to save this little girl.


    Danny went back to his papers as the nurse left. Most of the staff had gone home. Only the patients and night shift staff were avable at the hospital but Danny was alone on his office floor. The other doctors sat on lower floors while only his direct assistant nurses were allowed to sit on the same floor as their CEO.


    He was reading the reports on the surgery which was scheduled the next day. The child was around five years old and had hernia from a bad fall. It was a minor procedure but Danny was not interested in that. He was more interested in her blood group.


    "Type B negative," he muttered. "A rare blood group. Organs from this donor would be worth millions"


    He marked the file and put it aside. The child was homeless so he did not have any parents. It would be easy to get the kidneys and heart from him. He picked up another file and started to work on it.


    Minutes passed by. The tick tock of the wall clock echoed through the room. Danny was engrossed in his work while a lone yellow bulb above his head flickered ever so slightly. Inside the washroom, a single water droplet sshed on the floor. It was followed by another slow droplet. And then another. The crystal clear drops fell on the floor like tiny pearls.


    For a brief second, a ck shadow passed by the mirror over the sink. It passed within a blink, leaving the washroom empty once again.


    The faucet of the tap revolved in a slow motion causing a creaking sound. The water fell at first slowly, then loudly sshing all over the floor.


    Danny frowned and closed the files. He got off the chair and headed for the washroom where the water was flowing from the tap.


    "The hell?" he muttered, turning off the faucet. The floor was wet and muddied with his footsteps.


    "Ugh!" he groaned. "I''ll tell the janitor to clean this up."


    He turned around to leave when suddenly, the tap on the sink twisted itself and let the water out.


    "What in the-"


    He turned the tap off tightly, making sure that not even a drop of water would fall. Was there a problem with the plumbing?


    Checking the tap properly to make sure it was off, he briefly nced up. Staring back at him was his own reflection. There were dark circles under his eyes due to his nonstop vignce at the hospital for the past few days. His son was stupid enough to poison Hwang Minho''s daughter and it took a toll on him.


    I''ll have to deal with Siwan, he gritted inwardly.


    A sudden movement behind him caught his attention. He turned around to find nothing there.


    "Maybe it was nothing," he said as he turned towards the mirror. But before he could even nce at his own reflection, a small, ck figure leapt out from the mirror and thrusted him into a curtain of darkness.

 Chapter 307: The Wrong Step (7)

    Chapter 307: The Wrong Step (7)


    "AHHHHHHHH!"


    Danny ran out of the washroom, huffing in fright. He cowered against a wall and stared at the spot where the shadow had engulfed him. It was only for a second but he felt as if he had heard the whispers of several people within that short span of time.


    Panic was strewn across his face and he was in a daze. What just happened?


    Hearing his yells, a couple of security guards came rushing into his office.


    "Sir!" one of the guards yelled upon seeing their boss'' condition. Danny''s face was as pale as a ghost and he was whimpering as if he had seen something very scary.


    "T-there''s s-s-someone in that washroom!" he imed, pointing a shaky finger towards the spot where the shadow had attacked him. "I-It a-a-a-attacked me!"


    The guard motioned his partner to check. He went into the washroom, checking every nook and corner of the ce but there was no one.


    "I don''t see anyone," the guard dered.


    "He must have escaped!" Danny shouted. But the guard shook his head.


    "The window is closed from the inside," he stated.


    "Check the floor!" Danny shouted. "There''s water all over it! He must have left footprints."


    "Err...sir. The floor ispletely dry."


    Danny stared in shock. "What nonsense?" he scoffed and got to his feet. He charged back into the washroom, shoving the guard aside. To his surprise, the guard was right. The floor waspletely dry.


    "How is this possible?" he demanded. "The tap turned on by itself! There was water all over the floor! I saw it!"


    The guards dared not to voice out their concerns regarding their boss'' sanity. Danny was beside himself with fear. Was he dreaming? But that was not possible! He clearly remembered that a shadow had attacked him! And there was water on the floor


    "There''s a detective in VIP room number 4," he said curtly. "Her name is Jeon Gayoon. Ask her toe and investigate."


    The guards nodded and ran off. Danny was staring at the washroom, still shocked by the turn of events.


    Meanwhile, there was a knock on the VIP room where Jina was resting. Both Gayoon and Minho were startled.


    "Who could be visiting at this hour?" Minho frowned. Gayoon opened the door to find two worried security guards standing outside.


    "Erm, apologies for disturbing you ma''am," one of the guards said. "But our CEO, Dr. Kang, requested for your assistance for a possible break in. He imed that someone broke into his office a few minutes ago."


    Gayoon nced at Minho who was equally perplexed. Someone broke into Kang Danny''s office?


    "I''ll stay with Jina," Minho assured her. "You go and check who the intruder was."


    "O-okay," Gayoon nodded. "Call me immediately if she needs anything."


    She turned to the guards and added, "Let''s go."


    After a while, Danny heard footsteps approaching his office and within seconds, Gayoon entered with the guards in tow.


    "What happened?" she asked Danny. In a shaky voice, he recalled how a shadow had tried to attack him.


    "A shadow?" she frowned. She entered the washroom to check for any possible break-ins but as the guards had stated, the window was locked. The taps were also off and the floor was dry.


    "Can I borrow a glove?" she asked. One of the guards handed her a pair of fresh gloves while Danny watched her inspect the area.


    "The shadow was around the mirror," he pointed. "It...it jumped out at me."


    By that point the guards were wondering if their boss was okay in the head. A shadow jumped through the mirror? That sounded insane!


    Gayoon raised her eyebrows. It jumped from the mirror?


    She looked at the mirror from afar. It was just an ordinary mirror and it did not seem to be haunted. If it was, she would have felt a coldness emitting from it. But she could not discredit Danny easily. The hospital was a hotbed for the spirits of the dead. Many people moved on after they died but some lingered behind. She had secretly put a charm in Jina''s room to keep the wandering spirits away but that does not mean they were not present. They seemed to be at a far off area, simply waiting.


    Touching the mirror, she did not feel anything strange. Did a shadow really spring out from it?


    "Well, I can''t find any signs of a break in," Gayoon concluded. "The guards can check the CCTV cameras and see if anyone had climbed in through the window or crept in while you were not watching. If you want to lodge aint, you can go to the police station tomorrow and file it. Is anything missing from the office?"


    "I-I don''t think so," Danny said. He was bewildered by the turn of events. There was a shadow and it attacked him! But where did that person go? How did they escape so quickly?


    "Keep an eye on this area," Gayoon instructed the guards. "And let me know if you see anything suspicious."


    The guards nodded and scurried off to do as the detective told. Gayoon nced at Danny who looked very frightened. She had an inkling what might have happened but she decided not to say anything to him and rather let the ghosts from his past haunt him.


    Aloud, she said, "I think you should go home and rest. Thest few days have been stressful and you need to sleep."


    "I''ll sleep in my office," he said. "I know that someone broke into this ce and I want to catch that person!"


    Good luck, Gayoon said in her head. She nodded and left the room. Danny was still wondering what just happened, confused by the events.


    I''m gonna find that person! He vowed.


    Once outside, Gayoon took out her phone and dialed Junho''s number. He answered in one ring.


    "Ahjusshi! I need your help!" Gayoon said. "Can we meet tomorrow? There''s something I need to discuss with you."


    "We can meet now," Junho replied. "I''ve been staking outside the hospital for the past few days."

 Chapter 308: The Wrong Turn (8)

    Chapter 308: The Wrong Turn (8)


    Gayoon looked around her, making sure that no one was following her. It was quitete at night and she did not want to be caught sneaking out of the hospital like a criminal but there was nothing else to do. Besides, Junho was still skeptical of Minho and refused to let Gayoon reveal. She must talk to Junho about what she had just discovered.


    Her boots nked as she made her way towards the alley where Junho hid. He had been hiding there ever since Jina''s surgery, hoping to catch a glimpse of Gayoon to ask how the little girl was. Calling her would have been too risky since Minho was probably going to be around her so he simply waited in the dark alley.


    "What are you doing here?" Gayoon hissed. "Why are you hiding like this?"


    "I wanted to know how Jina was!" Junho hissed back.


    "She''s fine now," Gayoon sighed. She handed him a bag which had some snacks she bought from the hospital''s cafe just moments ago. Junho thanked her and began to binge on the kimbap rolls. Gayoon sat next to him.


    "You could have told me that you were here," she said.


    "That useless boyfriend of yours was hovering near you so I thought I''d just wait for you toe out," Junho said. "But you stayed with Jina all this time. Thank god, you called tonight. So, what did you want to talk about?"


    "It''s about Kang Danny."


    She narrated the incident to Junho whose frown deepened with every word.


    "A shadow?" he echoed. "A shadow leapt at him? From the mirror?"


    "Yes," Gayoon replied. "I didn''t sense anything there but I know there are spirits in that hospital. Strangely, they did not roam around like other ghosts but are rooted to one spot as if waiting for something."


    "That doesn''t mean they won''t attack," Junho said. "They might be biding their time. That''s even worse."


    "How so?" Gayoon asked. "Can''t it be the same phenomenon we faced with CCK? That it''s an entity stuck between life and death?"


    "Could be," Junho said. "But with so many spirits haunting this ce, we have to be absolutely sure. Where did you feel the presence of the spirits?"


    "I think they''ll be somewhere below," Gayoon said thoughtfully. "Most probably the furnace where the bodies of those children were burnt!"


    Junho was in deep thought. "I''ll keep a stake out for a few more days," he finally said. "Shinjin is out of town so a seance is out of the question. Moreover, Jina is still in the hospital. If we do a seance now, some spirits might target her. We''ll have to keep her safe until she is discharged."


    Then an idea hit him. It was dangerous but it might work.


    "If that shadow is one of the vengeful spirits of Danny''s patients, then let it keep haunting him," he suggested. "Let it scare him until he goes insane and does something stupid. That will give you the perfect opportunity to catch him."


    "It might work," Gayoon said thoughtfully. "But what if they kill him?"


    "Let''s just hope they don''t do that," Junho said, feeling worried. "We''ll need to squeeze out a confession from him. Soon."


    "I think I''ll stop by at the police station tomorrow afternoon and see if we can get the warrant ready," Gayoon sighed. "With the DNA results and the hospital''s logo on the sack, we can build a case and bring him in for interrogation. Meanwhile, Minho is still using the hospital project as an excuse to get his hands on the files Hyeri had hidden. Once the work starts, he can have his workers dig out the furnace and check there. If only that brat hadn''t harmed Jina"


    She cursed that kid Siwan from the bottom of her heart. The child was a budding psycho just like his father and she could help but be bitter and angry at him. Junho patted her shoulder.


    "She''ll get well soon," he assured her. "But you better take care of yourself as well. Jina needs you and if you fall weak, she''ll be sad."


    She nodded and hugged him. His warm hug felt nice and assuring which reminded her of the times when he wouldfort her as a child whenever she had evil ghosts chasing her. Junho ruffled her hair when she let go and smiled.


    "Go and take care of Jina," he coaxed her. Gayoon stood up and bid him farewell.


    .


    Minho had fallen asleep on the couch by the time Gayoon entered the ward. Jina was also sleeping soundly. Seeing them at peace made Gayoon feel overwhelmed. The past few days had been quite stressful but it seemed that the bad times were beginning to pass.


    She walked over to the couch andy down, snuggling beside Minho. He briefly opened his eyes to find his tiny pet was trying to sleep next to him. He did not say anything but simply extended his arm to let her use it as a pillow.


    "Come here," he yawned. Gayoon snickered and dly snuck into his arms, feelingfortable for the first time in days.


    "Are you alright?" he sleepily asked.


    "I am now," she said in a soft tone. Minho smiled and embraced her, patting her to sleep.


    "Rest," he whispered as they fell into a deep sleep.


    ..


    Danny was in the resting room which was made for the doctors. Hey there, alone and worried. He absentmindedly flicked a light on and off, wondering what had just happened. There was a shadow which attacked him and yet, no one else could see it. Why?


    His phone rang and he took it out. It was Doyoung.


    "What is it?" he asked, feeling irritated.


    "You didn''te home for the past few days," Doyoung stated. "And even Siwan is strangely quiet. He didn''t speak a single word for the past two days! What''s going on?"


    He did not tell Doyoung about what Siwan had done and he forbade the boy from speaking about it as well. Hwang Jina''s surgery and recovery was taking longer than usual so Danny decided to deal with Siwanter. But the less Doyoung knew about it, the better. If she found out that Siwan had poisoned a girl, then she would me it on Danny. It would give her an excuse to leave and take Siwan''s custody.


    "Nothing," he lied. "I''m tied up with a VIP patient. And I talked to Siwan''s teachers a few days ago. He''s just upset that his grades fell a little. He''s now focused on his studies."


    "Who is this VIP?" Doyoung frowned.


    "It''s Hwang Minho''s daughter," Danny revealed. "She had a bad case of food poisoning."


    "What? How is she now?"


    "She''ll be fine," Danny shrugged. "I''m staying here to make sure she heals."


    Doyoung could sense the lie in his words which made her frown. Her husband had many VIP but he never wasted his sleep over them. Why was he so deeply invested in Hwang Minho''s daughter? There was something wrong and Danny was lying once again. Danny had lied to her many times but now, she was done talking. She needed solid evidence to confront him.


    I''ll have to secretly visit the hospital tomorrow, she decided.


    From the top of the stairs, Siwan watched as his mom talked to his dad. He had been feeling immensely guilty for what he had done to Jina. He might have hated her but he never wanted her to be hospitalized. And when his father returned home, he would be in a lot of trouble


    He quickly scurried towards his room and took out the camcorder. The memory card was still in it which contained footage of Danny and that boy. Siwan was in a dilemma. Should he show this to his mother? But what if his father found out and punished him?


    Thinking quickly, he took out the chip and put it in an envelope. He picked up a marker and wrote in bold letters ''WATCH THIS'' on the envelope.


    He snuck out of his room and checked on his mother. She was still talking to his father on the phone, not noticing her son''s actions. He quietly snuck into her bedroom and searched for her purse. It was on the bedside table.


    Taking out the envelope from his pocket, he put it in her bag. Even if she found it, he doubted that she would connect it to Siwan. He did not dare to talk against his father but his mother would know what to do with the chip.


    Please see this, mom! He prayed as he ran back towards his room.

 Chapter 309: The Wrong Turn (9)

    Chapter 309: The Wrong Turn (9)


    Jina opened her mouth wide as Danny checked into it with a torch.


    "Widen your eyes now," he instructed. She did as she was told and he shed the torch on her pupils, which was very ufortable. He took out his stethoscope and put it on her chest, checking her heartbeat. Gayoon and Minho stood behind him, tense with with worry.


    "Your daughter is a fighter!" Dannyughed. "She was able to ovee such a bad case of poisoning. It''smendable."


    "How long will her recovery take?" Minho asked.


    "We''ll keep her for two nights and if her health keeps on improving, I''ll sign the discharge papers," Danny informed them. "But no heavy food for a month. Which means, no junk food and red meat. Avoid shellfish too. Keep it to light meals like vegetables and white meat like chicken. Fish should be properly cooked and make sure that she takes her medication on time."


    He patted Jina''s head. The little girl did not smile but politely nodded. Even if the man had saved her life, he was still her friend''s murderer so it was difficult for her to be too grateful.


    Danny exited the room, leaving the family alone.


    "Are you feeling alright?" Gayoon asked. "Do you want to drink anything?"


    "No," Jina said, shaking her head. "But where are the ghosts?"


    Ever since she woke up, they were not around which was strange.


    "They wanted toe and visit you," Minho said. "But Gayoon requested them not to."


    "There are many spirits in this hospital who might be dangerous," Gayoon told her. "I had to make charms to keep those spirits away. Hence, our good ghosts can''t enter either. They''re worried about you but understood that your safety in important."


    Jina''s shoulders fell but her parents were right. As long as the charms were in ce, they would not be able to visit her because those spells could physically harm them. It was best if they stayed away for a while for their own safety.


    Minho''s cellphone rang. It was Jongin.


    "Yes, Jongin," he said.


    "Sir, I''m sorry to disturb you at a time like this," Jongin said in an apologetic tone. "But you had a meeting scheduled with the CEO of AMP Corps. He flew in from Country A and he would be here for only one day. I wouldn''t have called you but the man was insisting on meeting with you only"


    "Ugh!" Minho scowled. The damn CEO of AMP Corps was a handful and refused to meet with anyone else beside Minho. If the guy''s investment did not bring in money, Minho would have kicked him to hell long time ago. But this time, even Minho reached the end of his patience. He loved money but not at the cost of his daughter''s life.


    "Tell him my daughter is sick!" he snapped. "He can take his damn investment and give it to someone else. My daughter is more important."


    Gayoon and Jina heard his outburst.


    "I''ll talk to your dad," Gayoon told Jina reassuringly. "You should rest."


    "Tell him not to miss work because of me," Jina pleaded. Gayoon smiled and kissed her forehead before heading towards Minho. He had just hung up his phone, feeling irritated.


    "You should go to your office," Gayoon coaxed him. "The meeting is important."


    "To hell with him!" Minho scowled. "If he can''t consider a person''s emergency then he can take his money and shove it up his-"


    "Stop that!" Gayoon scolded him. "I''ll be here to watch over Jina! And it''s just for a couple of hours anyway. So rx and go to your office! Don''t make an investor wait."


    "But I don''t wanna leave you all alone!"


    He really did not want to do that. The ce they were at was a hotbed for spirits which had a vengeful against Danny. Gayoon and Jina were sensitive to such entities. What if something happened?


    As if reading his mind, Gayoon said, "I''ll call ahjusshi to help out. He can keep spirits at bay until you get here. He''s been worried about Jina anyway so he''ll be happy if I call him."


    Minho frowned a little. He never met this mysterious ''ahjusshi'' of Gayoon''s but Jina was close to that guy. Moreover, even though he never came in front of Minho, the man had helped out his family many times. He felt indebted to the man despite his bewilderment over why the guy did not want to meet him face to face.


    "Well"


    "The old geezer ising?" Jina asked in excitement. "I wanna meet him!"


    She was happy upon learning that Junho wasing to visit her. It had been days since she saw the old man.


    "Can Shinho and the other ghostse too?" Jina asked. "If he''s here, I won''t need a charm! His face scares away ghosts anyway!"


    "Where did she learn all that?" Minho asked warily.


    "Probably from the old man," Gayoon sighed. She turned to him and added, "Just go. Ahjusshi can handle things here on your behalf."


    Minho sighed and nodded. It was impossible to refuse Gayoon and Jina when they banded together.


    "I''ll try to end the meeting as soon as possible ande back," he said sternly. "I''ll call you when I''m done."


    "Just go!" Gayoon said crossly. He sighed and picked up his coat before leaving the room. Gayoon sat next to Jina on the bed. She took her phone and called Junho.


    "Hello," his gruff voice came from the other end.


    "Ahjusshi, Minho has left," she told him. "Can youe over to Jina''s room in the hospital and help me watch over her?"


    "On it!" he eximed. He sounded a little to excited to be able to see Jina again. When did these two get so close? Gayoon wondered. She hung up the phone.


    "Is heing?" Jina asked excitedly.


    "Yes," she replied. "And you should go to rest! The doctor told you to sleep!"


    "But-"


    She was about to protest when a soft knock interrupted her. Expecting it to be Junho, Gayoon opened the door. To her surprise, it was


    "Ms. Doyoung?" she frowned. Doyoung stood there, holding a basket full of fruits on one hand and someic books in another.


    "I hope I''m not disturbing you," she said. "But Danny told me that Jina was in the hospital, so I had toe and visit her."


    "Pleasee in," Gayoon said, stepping aside. Junho, who had just arrived at the VIP floor, saw Doyoung''s back and stopped in his tracks. Gayoon spotted him and motioned him to wait. She took her phone and texted him.


    "I''ll try to get rid of her ASAP," she wrote. "Just don''te in front of her for a while."


    Junho nodded and sat on a bench, pretending to read a newspaper. Doyoung put the basket on a table.


    "I brought some books for Jina," she said. "Hospitals can be very boring."


    "That''s very kind of you," Gayoon said with a smile. Jina had gone back to sleep. Doyoung stroked her head, pushing back her tiny bangs.


    "How did this happen?" she asked. "Did she eat anything bad?"


    Gayoon was taken aback by her statement. Did Doyoung not know?


    "Umm...Dr. Kang didn''t tell you?" she inquired.


    "No," Doyoung replied. "He only told me that she suffered from food poisoning and needed surgery. It struck me as odd. How can food poisoning be so bad that she needed surgery for it?"


    "Itit wasn''t food poisoning," Gayoon told her. "It was only poisoning."


    Doyoung stared at her in shock. "Poisoning?" she echoed. "But why would someone poison her? She''s only a child!"


    "Someone from her school put glue in her drink," Gayoon said curtly. "And made her drink it."


    She hesitated before adding, "It was Siwan."


    Doyoung stood there, unable to believe what she had heard. Siwan poisoned Jina?


    "He''s only a child," she whispered. "There must have been a mistake! He wouldn''t poison anyone!"


    "It''s possible that he might have been unaware about glue being poisonous," Gayoon admitted. "But it was him. Danny and I saw him there when Jina was poisoned. He even confessed to us."


    Doyoung''s expression was unreadable. She was stunned by the revtion and nced at the sleeping figure of Jina. Her son might have been unaware of the consequences but if he had been sessful, he could have been thrown into juvenile prison. Danny''s influence was bing darker, choking Siwan in the process. The boy would lose his sense of what was right and wrong if she did not step in.


    "I want to tell you something," Doyoung finally spoke up. "No...I want to report something at the police station. Can youe with me?"


    "I"


    Gayoon nced at Jina. "I can''t," she said, shaking her head. "My daughter is sick and-"


    "I know," Doyoung said firmly. "And that is exactly why you should be there when I file theint. I must do it. Today."


    Gayoon frowned as Doyoung took out her phone and dialed a number. "Hello," she greeted someone. "I need you to bring the reports of what I asked for along with that doll at the 27th police precinct."


    She hung up the phone. Gayoon was very much confused.


    "What are you doing?" she asked. "What case are you nning to file?"


    Doyoung took a deep breath and turned to Gayoon. "I want to file a missingint," she revealed. "A boy disappeared from my house. His name is Kang Shinho and I''m afraid that my husband is behind it."

 Chapter 310: The Wrong Turn (10)

    Chapter 310: The Wrong Turn (10)


    "Are you sure we should be here?" Shinho asked apprehensively. "The Lady Cop said we shouldn''t be here!"


    "She said that we shouldn''t be around Jina since there will be a lot of charms around her," Yumi reasoned, fixing her arm. "But that doesn''t mean we can''t keep an eye on the crazy dad of yours!"


    Casper nodded in agreement, shing a thumbs up at Yumi''s intelligence. They were at the hospital, keeping an eye on Danny''s activities. They had been hiding from Gayoon because the cop had requested them not to visit since there were many charms around Jina''s room. However, she never told them that they could not spy on the killer doctor.


    "Yes, I know I have a very good brain," sheplimented herself, correctly interpreting his gestures. Lately, she had been understanding his signnguage so it was easy to converse with him. Casper led the way towards Danny''s office where the doctor was. They peered through the door, spying on him.


    Danny sat on the couch, trembling in fear. They were astonished to see his disheveled state and the fright in his eyes. He saw with his hands ruffling through his hair and it was as if he was deep in thought.


    "I know I saw someone that night," he muttered to himself. "A shadow. It was a shadow."


    Ever since he saw that shadow, his mind had been fixated on it. The thing wanted to kill him but it would slowly torture him first. The CCTV footage did not show anyone who broke into the office which was shocking.


    Suddenly, there was a loud crashing noise. Danny jumped in fright and looked around to see that his mobile phone had fallen on the floor. He rushed towards it and picked it up, frowning.


    The windows were tightly shut and even with a strong wind, something as heavy as a mobile phone should not fall so easily. The screen cracked and he was puzzled by the mystery. How did it fall? He thought in panic.


    SMASH!


    The wall clock fell on the ground, smashed to bits. Danny whimpered in fear, cowering towards the wall. He was profusely sweating, afraid of what was going on.


    "What''s he doing?" Yumi frowned. The doctor was staring at the wall where a clock was hung. A moment ago, he was sitting on the couch and then stood up abruptly to pick something up from the floor but there was nothing in his hand. His phone was on the table, perfectly fine.


    Danny was still fearful in his office of the strange phenomenon urring around him. He was leaning against the wall for support.


    "W-who''s there?" he demanded. "Why are you doing this?"


    As soon as he said those words, an invisible force pped him hard and he toppled over. He tried to stagger up but something grabbed his feet and pulled him backwards.


    "Something is happening to dad!" Shinho eximed. Danny had fallen on the ground by himself and began to yell like a baby.


    "AHHHHH!" he screamed as the unseen force dragged him across the floor, shoving him aside.


    "What the hell is he doing?" Yumi wondered out loud. The doctor was acting odd. His feet were tilted up and he was screaming and yelling while rooted to one ce. He was waving his hands like a madman as if trying to squat at something. He was crawling by himself across the floor like a toddler while screaming like a banshee.


    Hearing his screams, a nurse and a wardboy came running into his cabin.


    "Doctor Kang!" the nurse shouted, trying to calm him down but Danny was still pping his limbs in fear. The nurse and the wardboy held his hands, pinning him to the ground.


    "LET ME GO!" he yelled. "LET ME GO!"


    "DOCTOR IT''S US!" the nurse shouted. The wardboy was having troubles holding him down.


    "Sir, please don''t attack us!" the wardboy pleaded. Danny finally came to his senses and realized what he was doing. The nurse and the wardboy still kept him pinned until he was breathing slowly and rxed himself.


    "I-I''m okay now," he stammered. "Let me go."


    They let him go and Danny somehowposed himself. He pointed at the wall opposite him.


    "Get that wall clock fixed," he said. "It fell and broke."


    The nurse and the wardboy were confused. "Sir, the wall clock is working perfectly fine," the nurse told him, pointing at the clock which hung on the wall.


    Danny stared at it in utter shock. How was that possible? It fell and smashed on the ground right before his very own eyes! Then how did it fix itself?


    He dashed towards his desk and to add to his confusion, his cellphone was also unscathed.


    "Sir, I think you''ve overworked yourself," the nurse said in a gentle tone. "You should go home and rest."


    Danny nodded. "You''re right," he agreed. "I should go back home and rest for a while. Have doctor Kim take over my shift for today."


    The nurse and wardboy nodded, scurrying out of the room. The ghosts watched the bizarre scene. From what they witnessed, Danny was acting strange all by himself. There was no one else in the room, living nor dead other than them. So why was he being so chaotic?


    "Casper, I''m not so sure about what ghosts could do," Yumi began. "But is it possible that somehow, the ghosts of the kids he had hurt are doing this? Driving him crazy? But then, why couldn''t we see them?"


    It was indeed worrying. Even Casper never saw a bizarre situation as this. He made some gestures.


    "We should go to the furnace area and check it out?" Yumi asked. Gayoon had told them about the furnace where the ghosts of the children were probably lurking. It might give them some clue on whether those ghosts were behind this or was it something else?


    "Let''s go!" Yumi said but Shinho stood rooted to his spot.


    "I want to go and check up on my dad," he said. The other two ghosts stared at him, feeling puzzled.


    "Why?" Yumi asked. "He''s a murderer! Why are you worried about him?"


    "I just want to see if my older brother is doing well!" Shinho insisted. "He must be feeling very sorry. And also"


    He trailed off but the thought in his mind was troubling him. What if his father tried to hurt his brother? Siwan had identally poisoned Jina. That must have angered their father a lot and Shihno knew that his father''s wrath was very dangerous. He did not want his brother to face it.


    "I want to go!" Shinho insisted. "I can follow him. You two go and check the furnace!"


    Casper wanted to go with the boy but Shinho shook his head. "No," he said. "I''ll go alone. I want to protect my brother. You two stay here and protect Jina. Okay?"


    Yumi pursed her lips while Casper looked worried. Finally, they nodded.


    "Okay," she agreed. "But if you''re not back within an hour, Casper will go and fetch you. Okay?"


    "Deal!" Shinho said and disappeared in thin air. Yumi turned towards Casper.


    "Let''s go and see what those ghosts are up to," she stated.


    Casper nodded in agreement. What were those ghosts doing? And how?

 Chapter 311: The Wrong Turn (11)

    Chapter 311: The Wrong Turn (11)


    "We should be full time babysitters," Shinjin remarked. "Seems like a more profitable job than chasing away ghosts!"


    Junho merely grumbled. Gayoon had texted him while with Doyoung that an emergency had popped up and whether they could keep a watch on Jina while she was at the police station. Junho roped in Shinjin with him as well. The exorcist had returned to town that morning and upon hearing about the unusual activities in the hospital, agreed to investigate.


    "My miser son wouldn''t pay us!" Junho said loudly.


    "Just like his father," Shinjin muttered. They were inside Jina''s ward where the girl was blissfully sleeping.


    "So the doctor here is a child murderer, huh?" Shinjin asked. "Killed his own son and possible other children."


    "That''s what Gayoon told me," Junho stated. "She mentioned that the furnace area was the most dangerous part of this building. She sensed some kind of spirit energy there but those spirits seem to be lurking in that particr area. They''re not wandering elsewhere. Can they be dangerous?"


    "Spirits"


    Shinjin was in deep thought. He might not be able to see ghosts, but his ability to distinguish them using his spells was stronger than Gayoon''s. Ever since he stepped foot in the hospital, he had sensed a certain energy on one of the lower floors but it was difficult to say if it was dangerous or not unless he investigated it himself.


    "I''ll go to the furnace area," he said. "And check for the source of the strange energy which I''m sensing."


    "How will you get the keys?" Junho frowned.


    "I''ll figure it out," Shinjin shrugged. "In our profession, stealing is a very important skill."


    "You''re saying that way too proudly."


    "Says the guy who stole confidential paper from a doctor!"


    Junho grumbled while Shinjin, feeling triumphant, turned towards the door. "Au revoir!" he eximed and headed outside.


    Left alone with Jina, Junho sighed and nced at his granddaughter. He had been sick with worry ever since she had been poisoned. IF anything had happened to her


    He shuddered at the thought of losing his precious grandchild. As long as he was alive, he would not let anyone harm her. Scratch that. Even after he passes away he would make sure that no one could harm her.


    Lightly stroking her head, he whispered, "Don''t you ever worry about anything. I''ll always be here to take care of you."


    Jina snorted and turned on her back with her mouth wide open, sleeping soundly. Junho smiled and kissed her on the forehead. He checked his watch.


    Gayoon had been gone for over an hour for the urgent business. He vaguely wondered what it might be but if she had to leave Jina behind, then it must be something critical. Please let her be safe, he prayed.


    .


    Gayoon drove as fast as she could towards the station. Doyoung was with her, talking to her private investigator on the phone. For some reason, Gayoon was having an ominous feeling. If they did not catch Kang Danny that very night, something bad was going to happen. It was hard to tell why she felt that way but her instincts were rarely wrong.


    "My investigator is at the station already," Doyoung informed her. "And submitted the evidence to Chief Junwan as your instructions."


    Gayoon nodded and pulled up in front of the station. "Let''s go," she told Doyoung.


    Thetter followed her towards the station.


    "You!" Gayoon pointed at an officer. "File her case right now!"


    The officer jumped and nodded. Doyoung sat at a corner with an officer while Junwan came running out of his office with Doyoung''s PI in tow.


    "I''m PI Jung," he introduced himself. "Here are the DNA results of the boy and Kang Danny. And also, the doll."


    He handed a file and a bloodied doll wrapped in a stic bag to her. Junwan was confused by what was going on.


    "What''s all this, Gayoon?" he demanded.


    "This doll might belong to the boy whose dead body we found outside the station," Gayoon stated. "Other than the hospital''s logo on the sack we found, we''ve also discovered that Kang Danny, the CEO of Little Home Hospital, was trying to get rid of some papers. Luckily, my informer was able to get those papers before he could destroy them. Moreover, Kang Danny''s wife came to me today with aint. She found this doll"


    Gayoon held up the doll for Junwan to see. "In her cer," she continued. "And there''s a name ''Shinho'' written over it. This is our victim''s name as well. Moreover, this PI has discovered that Kang Danny had an affair with Shinho''s mom before he was born."


    "I also carried out a DNA test," the PI quipped. "Using Kang Danny''s hair and the blood on the doll. It''s a match. They''re father and son."


    "We have enough proof to arrest him," Gayoon said.


    "He is the most suspicious one," Junwan nodded. While they were all discussing how to corner Danny, Doyoung had skipped her hand into her bag to call Siwan.


    She was scavenging her bag for the phone when she stumbled upon an envelope.


    "What''s this"


    Doyoung took it out. On it was a phrase written in bold, ''WATCH THIS''. Inside the envelope was a memory chip.


    "Detective Gayoon!" she called. "Can I please borrow yourptop?"


    Gayoon and the others turned around. "S-sure," she frowned. One of the officers headed towards her desk and took theptop. He handed it to Doyoung who turned it on and inserted the chip. Gayoon, Junwan and the PI stood behind Doyoung, watching the screen as a video began to y.


    .


    Shinjin took out the keys he had stolen from the wardboy and unlocked the door. He stepped into the dark furnace room. Using his torch to scan the ce, he could feel a cold yet faint presence which was lurking somewhere around. To his surprise, he also felt two very familiar presence.


    "Aren''t you two Jina''s minions?" he asked out loud. A creaking sound came from his right. On a wall, an invisible entity began to write.


    "Who the hell are you calling minions?" Yumi wrote angrily. "We''re herpanions!"


    Casper made a gesture asking ''Is that important?''


    "Hell yeah!" Yumi retorted.


    "Yeah yeah!" Shinjin snorted. "What are you two doing here?"


    "Investigating."


    "Ah well," he muttered. The two ghosts tailed close to him. They had been sleuthing around that room for hours but found nothing. But Shinjin was frowning.


    He touched the furnace as if trying to sense something. Yumi wrote something else on the wall.


    "When we were spying on the doctor, he was acting strange," she wrote. "He was pping himself and talking as if there were other people in the room. But there was no one. He also somehow dragged himself across the room like a madman."


    Shinjin read it all and it finally dawned on him. His eyes widened in shock as he looked from what Yumi had written and then to the furnace. No wonder they could not sense the entity moving from one ce to another!


    "Oh shit!" he cursed.


    "What happened?" Yumi wrote. Casper was also feeling a bit scared of the Shinjin''s sudden change in expression.


    "It''s not a ghost," he mumbled. "We''re not dealing with a ghost! It''s a damn poltergeist!"

 Chapter 312: The Wrong Turn (12)

    Chapter 312: The Wrong Turn (12)


    "Poltergeist?"


    Yumi and Casper were confused upon hearing that term. What was that?


    But Shinjin looked almost afraid. A grim expression dawned on him and he was scanning around the area as if trying to find the source of the cold aura.


    Yumi wrote on the wall. "What''s a Poltergeist?" she asked.


    "A Poltergeist is also a type of a spirit," he exined, still checking the walls. "But very different from traditional ghosts. They''re created when there''s arge umtion of bad energy."


    When the ghosts were silent, he sighed and exined.


    "There are two kinds of Poltergeists," he said. "A good one and a bad one. Suppose at a ce, one particr person hadmitted numerous heinous crimes like Kang Danny did. What happens? Several vengeful ghosts appear with the same aim. Their minds will start to sync and if more ghosts are added, then their power starts to quietly cultivate until they form a creature of the dark. This creature is called the Poltergeist. They don''t stay at one ce but their presence remains in the area where they were formed. But they can roam around, haunting the person they loathe. They would haunt that person until he turns insane. This is done through many ways and one of their tactics is to make that person hallucinate. That''s what you guys saw at his office. The reason you couldn''t see the Poltergeist there was because it was operating from elsewhere. As long as their target is close by, they can torment him from a hidden ce."


    Yumi gasped and even Casper was shocked.


    "Kang Danny had killed many children," Shinjin went on. "That must have caused their resentment to grow and form a poltergeist. They''re not gonna stop until they get their hands on him."


    Yumi once again wrote on the wall. "Shouldn''t we let them take him then?" she asked. "Would be easier than arresting him!"


    "Hell no!" Shinjin snapped. "Poltergeists who are formed through bad energy will extend their torture to all those around the perpetrator! They might hurt Kang Danny''s family and friends who had nothing to do with it. Morevoer, even if the Poltergeist manages to kill Kang Danny someday, it will still not go away from this ce! It''ll just continue to haunt and torture others."


    "Are there good Poltergeists as well?"


    "There are but they''re rare," Shinjin sighed. "They''re formed through the dying wish of a mother who wants to protect her children. Only a very powerful wish can form them. And it takes years for them to take up a full form. After they''re fully developed, they''ll stay near those children as a sort of guardian angel. Or if the mother''s spirit is around, then they''ll do what the spiritmands them to do. Since they were made from an earnest wish, they don''t harm others unless instructed to."


    "But now, we have to find the Poltergeist haunting Danny," he reasoned. "It was definitely formed here but right now it''s with the doctor. I''m sure it''ll attack him again!"


    Casper gestured at Yumi. "Oh yes!" she eximed. "He went home!"


    She quickly wrote the message on the wall. Shinjin cursed out loud. He could not leave the hospital when Jina was ill but letting the Poltergeist roam free was not a good idea either.


    "We''ll have to wait until he returns to the hospital," he grumbled. "With Jina in this condition, I need to be around her. Moreover, Poltergeists are a danger to her. I''ll need to fortify the charm around the room."


    He was grim. If the Poltergeist found out that there was a Seer in the midst, they would torment her as well. They loathed Seers because Seers could expose them and see their true form. Unlike other ghosts who used a Seer''s help to fulfill their wishes, Poltergeists saw Seers as a threat. They did not want their wishes to be fulfilled but rather curse the living for being able to have the life that the Poltergeist was deprived of. Hence, its goals shed with that of a Seer.


    "I''ll have to tell this to Junho," he muttered. The ghosts nodded and followed him upstairs to tell Junho of what they had discovered.


    .


    At the police station, Gayoon and the others were shocked at what they had just watched. Doyoung''s face was as white as a ghost, her mind still trying to process the video.


    Danny had a cold heart but even in her wildest dreams, she could not have imagined him to be such a monster.


    The little boy''s screams were echoing in her ears and the images of his scared face were shing through her eyes. The sheer panic before life was snuffed out of him. The boy had been holding his little doll dearly, crying for his father to show mercy but it was in vain. Mercy came from humans not from demons like Kang Danny.


    "Are you alright?" Gayoon asked in a shaky tone.


    "No," Doyoung replied. She stood up and faced Gayoon.


    I''m changing my case," she dered. "I want to file a case for the murder of Kang Shinho. used is Kang Danny, my husband and his father. As Shinho''s stepmother, I can be considered his legal guardian as well, right?"


    "I-I guess we can file it," Junwan said. "Gayoon, register the case and I''ll have themissioner issue the arrest warrant within an hour."


    Gayoon nodded and began the proceedings. Kang Danny was officially a criminal now.


    .


    Danny entered the house, swaying slightly as he took off the shoes. Doyoung had given the servants an off day in order to take care of the house herself.


    "Doyoung!" he called for her. Silence.


    "Doyoung!" he called again but still, no response. Where is that useless woman? He thought spitefully.


    Siwan was upstairs when he heard his father enter the house. Unbeknownst to him, Shinho was also nearby, watching over his elder brother. For some reason, his brother looked fearful and nervous. Danny took off his coat and slumped on the couch. Taking off his tie, he sat back to rx. The strange events at his office had rattled him. Maybe some sleep would help him to get rid of his strange visions.


    He had closed his eyes andid his head back when he felt someone approaching him. He briefly nced to see a ss of water being held in front of him.


    "Thanks Doyoung," he said, carelessly picking up the ss and drinking it whole. He was about to put it back when his eyes briefly fell on his wife. For a moment, a look of pure shock crept on his face.


    "AHHHHHHHH!"


    His screams were heard all over the house and he fell from the couch, backing away in fear. In front of him, the ss was being held by a pair of cold white hands with no body attached to it.

 Chapter 313: The Wrong Turn (13)

    Chapter 313: The Wrong Turn (13)


    Danny backed off against a wall as the hands reached out to him. He yelped and shoved it aside but they grabbed his fists and pulled him so hard that he fell face first on the floor. His screams reached Siwan''s ears, startling the boy. Shinho was also taken aback by the screamsing from the living room.


    The hands dragged Danny across the floor before flinging him to the side. Danny''s back hit the wall and he fell on the floor, wildly staggering.


    "Ugh!" he groaned in pain. His nose was bleeding and his back was aching in agony. He was sure that he had fractured a bone in his leg but he must escape that ce. To his shock, the hands had disappeared.


    "WHO ARE YOU?" he yelled. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"


    His yells were met by an eerie silence. For a moment, he thought that whatever the thing was, had left him alone.


    Suddenly, a loud static noise came from nowhere. The high pitched sound was ufortable and Danny''s head felt as if it was about to split. He whimpered in pain as the sound got higher and higher.


    Crimson drops of blood were flowing down his ears and he tried to block out the sound with his hands but to no avail. The static sound was tormenting him, ying with his sanity. Trying to make a run for it, he limped across the hall, almost reaching for the front door but a sudden gust of wind came from nowhere and threw him backwards.


    Danny was being flung around like a ragdoll from one wall to the next until he was pinned against one. He screamed as his limbs were sprawled across the wall into an X-form.


    "LET ME GO!" he begged. "HELP! HEEEELP!"


    But no one could hear his yells. What was going on? He was confused and scared by the turn of events. His mind was in panic mode and he desperately seeked a way to escape the purgatory. Everything was a mess and he wanted to save himself from whatever it was haunting him.


    "I''ll do anything!" he promised. "I''ll give you money! I''ll do anything you want! Just let me go!"


    In response, something grabbed his throat and began to choke him with pure hatred. He gagged and chortled as the invisible hands squeezed his neck with a surprising strength. His tongue stuck out and he was feeling his soul almost leaving him.


    Help me...he begged inwardly. Someone! Anyone!


    But the hands were not going to let him go. He was pleading with all his willpower but the entity was adamant on destroying him. Was this the end? Was he going to die?


    All of a sudden, the entity let go of his throat and threw him on the floor again. Danny was spitting and sputtering, his vision blurred from the ghostly attack. He crawled on the floor, trying to get away before his attacker came back. Amidst his hazy vision, he saw a dark figure standing in front of him.


    It was the same shadow which had attacked him a while ago. It stood there, watching and taunting him.


    "You said you were supposed to save me"


    Danny''s whole soul froze upon hearing the deep, cold voice resonating in his ears.


    "You told me that my pain would go away"


    It was a different voice. This time of a small girl who was morose at her state. For some reason, the voices were beginning to rm him.


    "You took out my heart and left me in there to die"


    Another voice. Probably a teenage boy. What was going on?


    "Why did you burn me alive?"


    "Why did you take my kidney?"


    "Where is my liver?"


    "Why did you kill us?"


    "No" he whispered, shutting his ears. He looked up at the shadow which was speaking to him. It moved its lips but he could not make out what it said.


    "No" he said firmly. "It was all for my image! Your life didn''t matter!"


    He was rambling like a maniac, trying to push away those voices. But they kept on swirling in his head, reminding him of what he had done. His crimes were etched in them, coursing through their souls like venom. They did not want answers nor justice. They wanted life for a life.


    And Kang Danny had to pay for it.


    "You all were unwanted!" he hissed angrily. "I gave you all a purpose! You got to save other people''s lives! Shouldn''t you be happy that I took you far away from your miserable existence? You were living on the streets!"


    "Murderer...murderer"


    A chorus was chanting it like a spell, circling him as they tortured him. Danny hissed and shoved back at the voices which were trying to trap him. They wanted to ruin him but he would not let them. He did nothing wrong. Nothing!


    "You" He pointed at the shadow which stood a few feet away from him. "It''s you, isn''t it? You''re torturing me from the grave! I buried you alive and yet, you''re here! How dare you!"


    There was only one person who would do this to him and it was none other than his rotten bastard, Shinho. That kid must have returned from the dead. He did not know how but that kid was back. And now, he was tormenting his own father.


    "I knew that I shouldn''t have brought you here!" he spat. "Even in death, you''re making my life hell! I''ll not spare you!"


    With surprising strength, he lunged at the shadow, pinning it to the ground. He raised a fist and began to punch it.


    "I should''ve killed you long time ago!" he yelled, punctuating every word with a fist. The shadow squirmed under him and was trying to say something but he did not care to hear its words. He wanted to destroy it. Once it was gone, he would live a normal life again!


    He was mad with rage, punching and kicking the shadow at every chance. It did not fight back buty on the floor, curled up in pain.


    Yes. That was how it should be! That Shinho deserved only pain and nothing else.


    Danny kept on hitting the shadow, spewing all his hatred into his punches as he beat the wind out of it. His gaze fell on a vase nearby.


    "It''s time to end you once again!" he dered, picking up the vase. Raising it, he saw that the shadow was trying to protest but he was blind and deaf with anger. All he wanted for it to be dead.


    "Don''t evene back again!" he screamed, bringing the vase down.


    The sound of a single gunshot shook the entire mansion. Danny screamed in extreme agony and to his horror, wrist was profusely bleeding. He dropped the vase and fell back.


    "SIWAN!"


    Doyoung''s screams brought him back to reality and he was suddenly scared to look but he nced towards the front door. Gayoon put her gun pack into its sheath and ran forward to apprehend Danny while Doyoung ran towards


    "SIWAN!" she cried upon seeing her son, all bloodied and injured on the floor. He was groaning and panting in pain. A policeman picked him up in his arms.


    "We don''t have time for an ambnce!" Gayoon shouted. "Take him to the hospital using the police car!"


    She took out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed Danny''s hands.


    "Kang Danny, you''re under arrest for the murder of your younger son Kang Shinho and the attempted murder of your elder son, Kang Siwan. You have the right to remain silent and anything you say will be used against you at the court. So just shut the fuck up ande quietly."

 Chapter 314: The Wrong Turn (14)

    Chapter 314: The Wrong Turn (14)


    "What?" Minho eximed. Gayoon had just called him and informed that Danny was arrested. She exined to him how Doyoung had requested to file aint and they ended up rescuing Siwan when they went to arrest Danny. She also told him about the video they found, which was the nail in the coffin amidst the mounting evidence against Danny.


    "Who''s with Jina?" he demanded.


    "I left my ahjusshi and Shinjin with her because the hospital is a hotbed for spirits," she said over the phone. "She''ll be safe with them. I also told Mina to check up on her. She''s on her way."


    Minho let out a sigh. At least Jina was not alone and taken care of. He would have to thank this mysterious ahjusshi of Gayoon''s. The guy always popped up whenever their family was in trouble and despite his reluctance to meet Minho, thetter was truly grateful to him.


    "I''ll finish off this rotten meeting and leave in an hour," he stated. "I''ll call you when I get off."


    "Alright," she said and hung up the phone. Minho put his cell phone away and cursed out loud. He was waiting at the hotel lobby for the CEO of AMP Corps to show up but the moron was running quitete. If Gayoon and Jina had not insisted, he would not have attended this meeting at all.


    "Hwang Minho?"


    Someone called his name. Turning around, he saw a tall woman with dark hair and arge hat was looking at him with mild curiosity. Herrge eyes lit up with interest as she walked towards him. Minho felt that she looked familiar but he could not recall where he might have seen her. He never paid attention to people outside his family unless they brought in money for hispany.


    "Pleased to see you here!" the woman chirped. "I hope you are well."


    "I''m sorry but who are you again?" he frowned. "I really can''t recall you."


    His straightforwardness would have offended a few people but the woman only let out a softughter.


    "I have heard about your tendency to forget people easily," she chuckled. "I am not surprised."


    She held out her hand. "Kirishima Anna," she greeted. "I was Mr. Hyoui''s partner when he tried to sell you and. Remember that one? Your...er...Secretary mentioned at the meeting that thend belonged to Mr. Hyoui''s wife and he was selling it without her consent."


    Jongin said all that? Minho wondered. When did he turn out to be that smart?


    When Minho still could not recall, she added, "Your secretary also said that the previous owner was murdered on that plot."


    "Oh!" Minho finally remembered the time when he made Gayoon apany him to a meeting and she had exposed the seller. There was a woman with that guy as well but Minho was so distracted by Gayoon that he did not even notice the other person in the room. He never looked at any woman other than Gayoon anyway.


    "Yes, I guess you were there," he said. "What brings you here, Ms. Anna?"


    "I was here to broker and with anotherpany," she replied. "Are you waiting for someone? I''m about to order some coffee. Why don''t you join me?"


    "No thank you," Minho said. "If my client doesn''t show up within five minutes, I''ll leave. My daughter is at the hospital."


    "You have a daughter?" Anna''s smile faded a little. "I didn''t know you were married!"


    "I live with my girlfriend and daughter," he said loudly, ufortable with the woman''s sudden interest in his personal life.


    "Oh," she said. "Is the same girl who apanied you that day?"


    Minho frowned at her. "I did a little check on yourpany and I know she isn''t your girlfriend," Anna went on. "And her face was on the papers when she caught the CCK. I figured out that she wasn''t your secretary."


    Her matter of fact tone was unnerving Minho. He might not recall their first meeting but he was sure that he did not like her then and he still felt that way. There was something strange about her gaze which made him ufortable and if Gayoon was there, he was sure that the woman would end up with a bloody nose.


    As if listening to his prayers, the CEO of AMP Corps showed up at the right moment.


    "Mr. Hwang, I am so sorry for the dy!" he eximed. "Shall we start our discussion in the meeting room?"


    "Yes!" Minho replied, not bothering to look back at Anna. She was quiet as Minho rushed into the meeting room with the CEO of AMP. Her eyes narrowed in a cold fury.


    She picked up her phone and dialed a number. "It''s me," she said. "I have some important news. It seems that the Seer we were targeting has given birth to a child. A girl. But that''s not all"


    With her gaze still on Minho''s back, she added, "The father is Hwang Minho. Kim Suna''s son and a Transporter."


    There was a pause on the other side. Anna waited for a response but to her surprise, the person was cackling.


    "You''re happy?" she frowned. "Why?"


    She listened carefully, her eyes widening in shock. "We can use her?" she asked. "But we still haven''t found you a body-"


    The person on the other line said something which made even Anna''s hair curl. "Are you sure about this? Hwang Minho will retaliate if we do something like that."


    "But then again, it will be the perfect opportunity to strike," she agreed as an afterthought. "He will walk right into our trap. I''ll set it up just like you had nned."


    She hung up the phone and smirked. If all goes well, they will be able to use Hwang Minho''s daughter to open the portal and unlock the other world for once and for all.


    ..


    Danny was being transported to the police station by a pair of policemen in the back of a police car. Doyoung had taken Siwan to the hospital while Gayoon was at the crime scene, looking for more evidence. He was motionless and in shock.


    "What a butcher!" one policeman said out loud in disgust. "Killing his own son and countless other kids! Even demons have a heart."


    "And he''s supposed to be a doctor," the other policeman grumbled. Danny sat there, listening to them without saying a word.


    "Men like him are the reason why humanity is dying in the world!" the first policeman spat. "Even serial killers got nothing on you, asshole!"


    "Careful, Shin," his partner cautioned.


    "It''s true!" Shin imed. "He-"


    There was a sudden wheezing noiseing from the back. Danny had double over in pain, his eyes white as his pupils began to dte. His chest was heaved upwards and he was trying to grab it.


    "What the hell?" Shin frowned and pulled over at the empty highway. "Is he having a heart attack?"


    "I''ll call an ambnce!" his partner said. Shin nodded and both of them got out of the car. His partner was dialing the hospital while Shin opened the backseat and rolled Danny over to check.


    "He''s still breathing but ruggedly," he said out loud. "And-"


    Suddenly, Danny lunged at him and grabbed his gun. Before Shin could tackle him, Danny shot him dead. His partner, who dropped his phone, was about to take out his gun but Danny was quicker. He shot the officer straight at the heart, killing him. Shin was barely alive but bleeding heavily.


    Danny grabbed the keys from his pocket and unlocked the cuffs. Panting, he looked down at the cop who was barely alive. Without another thought, he shot Shin point nk, ending thetter''s life.


    "Now," he whispered. "It''s your turn, Doyoung."

 Chapter 315: The Wrong Turn (15)

    Chapter 315: The Wrong Turn (15)


    "WHAT?" Gayoon yelled when the news of Danny''s escape was broken to her. "How the hell did this happen?"


    The officer who informed her of the escape, narrated how Danny killed two policemen and escaped.


    "Where did he go?" Gayoon demanded.


    "We don''t know!" the officer replied. "He was seen passing by a bank at H-Street but other than that, we can''t trace his whereabouts at all!"


    Gayoon cursed out loud. That man was very dangerous to anyone he woulde across. How many more was he going to kill? What did he want to achieve by doing all this?


    "We''ll have to secure Doyoung and Siwan," she instructed. "Send a team to protect them."


    Just then another officer came running towards her. "Detective!" he panted. "There''s been an ident at H-Street! A truck collided with a car, blocking the whole area. The truck had exploded but no one was hurt since they abandoned the vehicles. But a fire broke out and the firemen are putting it out now as we speak!"


    "FUCK!" Gayoon yelled in frustration. How was it that every bad thing was happening on the same night?


    "As soon as the fire is out, send a team to the hospital!" she barked. She paused and asked, "What about the route via C-Street?"


    "The bridge on that route copsed," the first officer informed her. "It''s under repair. Our vehicles can''t make it through."


    "Then we walk damn it!" she eximed, banging her hand on the table. "Tell the precinct at C-Street to prepare a couple of police vans for us! And also, send Kang Danny''s photo to all the precincts! Tell them to apprehend him on spot! The murder of policement would rile enough cops to the cause!"


    The officers nodded and rushed to do as they were told. Gayoon picked up the phone and dialed Minho''s number.


    Minho was in the middle of the meeting with AMP Corp when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out to see that it was Gayoon.


    "Is something the matter, Mr. Hwang?" the CEO of AMP asked.


    "I need to take this call," Minho said, excusing himself. He answered the phone.


    "Is everything alright?" he asked.


    "No," Gayoon admitted. "Kang Danny killed a couple of cops and escaped!"


    Minho stood up, rmed by the news.


    "Where is he now?" he demanded. "Any idea?"


    "No, but he might be heading for the hospital! He was seen in H-Street a while ago but his trace vanished from there. But there''s been an ident there so my squad will take the route via C-Street."


    "I''ll be on my way to the hospital," Minho stated. "And I''ll tell Kanji to send his men there in case the police don''t make it on time."


    Kanji''s men? Gayoon wondered but she did not waste time on it. They needed all the manpower they could get.


    "Alright," she said. "See you there."


    ....


    Siwan was rushed to the Little Home Hospital where the on-duty doctors tended to him. Doyoung stood outside the VIP ward, pacing to and fro. Shinho was also there, invisible to everyone''s eyes but equally worried.


    When the doctor came out, Doyoung rushed towards him.


    "How''s my son?" she demanded.


    "He''s fine," the doctor assured him. "The injuries will take time to heal but with medication, the scars will fade. We''ll keep him in the hospital until his bones are repaired."


    Doyoung let out a loud sigh and slumped on a bench. With Danny behind bars, she had decided to leave the country with Siwan for good. As long as that man was alive, they would not be able to live in peace. She took out her phone to call Gayoon but her battery was dead.


    "Ugh!" she scowled. "Just great!"


    I''ll thank herter, she thought as she put her phone away. Then another thought hit her.


    "I should go and check up on Jina," she muttered. After all, Doyoung had forced Gayoon to leave her own daughter behind to arrest Danny and she felt extremely guilty about it. The least she could do was to check up on Jina as well.


    She knocked on the door to Jina''s ward. There was a shuffling of footsteps inside and a man in his sixties opened it.


    "Uhhh...I wanted to check up on Jina," Doyoung said. "I''m Siwan''s mother. I visited her this morning."


    Junho nodded and let her in. Jina was already awake, sipping water from a cup. Other than her skin being paler than usual, she looked fine. The doctors had even disconnected her saline.


    "How are you feeling now?" Doyoung asked. "Do you need anything?"


    "Aunty Doyoung!" Jina greeted with a wide smile. "I''m fine! But howe you''re here?"


    "I"


    Junho stood there, watching Siwan''s mother struggle with herself to control her tears.


    "Is everything alright?" he asked in a gentle tone. Before Doyoung could reply, Shijin burst into the room. For a moment, Doyoung was shocked by the appearance of the funnily dressed man who had just barged in.


    "Ummm... " she frowned. Shinjin was also taken aback by her presence. He merely bowed and turned towards Junho.


    "I need to talk to you!" he eximed. "Can youe with me?"


    "Now?" Junho asked. "I can''t leave Jina alone!"


    "I''ll look after her," Doyoung assured him. "You can finish your work. I''ll stay with her."


    Junho was about to protest but Shinjin overruled him. "It''s urgent, Junho!" he begged. "Juste with me!"


    He pulled the reluctant Junho away while Doyoung waited with Jina. The little girl turned to Doyoung and asked, "Aunty, what are you doing here?"


    Doyoung sighed and replied, "Siwan is hurt. I had to bring him to the hospital."


    Jina was surprised by the news. Siwan was hurt?


    Just then, a doctor entered the room. "Ma''am your son has gained consciousness," he told her. "He''s looking for you."


    "Oh!" Doyoung said. She was in a dilemma whether to visit Siwan but she could not leave Jina alone either.


    "Aunty, I can go with you to visit him," Jina offered. "I''m fine now. I want to walk a little anyway."


    "Honey, I think you should rest," Doyoung said with uncertainty but Jina shook her head.


    "I''m fine!" she giggled. "And his room is on this floor right? I can walk a little with you. I want to see him as well!"


    Doyoung sighed and smiled. "Alright," she agreed. "But only for a little while, okay?"


    Jina beamed and Doyoung helped her to get down from the bed. Slowly, they walked towards Siwan''s room. Thetter was sitting up, his face heavily bandaged. Jina''s eyes widened at his injuries. Exactly how did he get hurt to that extent?


    Siwan, on the other hand, was ashamed to face Jina. After how he had nearly killed her, he was trying to avoid her but it seemed that fate had other ns. He was too choked up on guilt to ask her anything but the girl was staring at him with curious eyes.


    "How are you feeling now?" Doyoung asked. Siwan did not reply. He did not want to think of how his father had abused him that day. It did not surprise him but he was nevertheless, saddened. His mind was trying to push those memories away.


    Doyoung patted his arm while Jina sat next to him on the bed. She felt sorry for his state so she reached out to lightly touch his palm.


    "Don''t think about bad things," she encouraged him. "Just think of all the good things and you''ll see that the bad memories will go away!"


    Another pale palm rested on hers. She nced to her side and saw Shinho was also trying to cate his brother albeit in his own way. Siwan was much too deep in his own thoughts about what happened so he did not feel the slightly cold presence in the room.


    Doyoung was about to tell him to rest when the lights in the room went off. Everyone was startled by it.


    "Why did the lights go off?" Doyoung wondered. She stepped towards the window to check the other buildings but they were all well lit. Only the lights of our building are off? She frowned.


    At the cer, Shinjin and Junho were startled by the sudden darkness.


    "What the hell?" Junho muttered.


    "This is bad," Shinjin said. "We have to purify this area and fast!"


    "What did you find down here?" Junho asked.


    "This...this is the hub of a poltergeist," Shinjin revealed.


    Back upstairs, Doyoung was looking for a torch inside the drawers and finally found one. "Kids, we''d better not move until the lights are back," she told them. "Jina, stay here with us and don''t go anywhere, alright?"


    "Okay!" she agreed. Siwan stayed silent.


    There was a knock on the door. "It must be a nurse," Doyoung said. She headed towards it and opened the door only to be shocked.


    "What...how did you get here?" she whispered.


    Danny stood at the door, his face cold and ruthless. "Hello, wife," he greeted in a steely tone. "I''m here for my son."

 Chapter 316: The Wrong Turn (16)

    Chapter 316: The Wrong Turn (16)


    "Where the hell is the police van?" Gayoon yelled. "IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!"


    She had gathered a team of officers and headed towards the hospital via Route-C. The bridge was broken so they had to walk almost one kilometer on foot through the mud and forest to reach the other side but to their shock, the police van from the 34th precinct had not arrived.


    "They said it''ll take fifteen minutes!" Taejoon replied. He had insisted on apanying Gayoon''s team so she had to bring him along. She cursed out loud and called Minho.


    "Where are you?" she asked once he picked up.


    "Kanji sent his men," he replied. "We''re heading towards the hospital as I speak."


    Thank god! She thought in relief. At least Minho would reach there on time. Also, Jina was safe with Junho so she had little to worry about. As long as Doyoung and Siwan were safe, nothing else mattered. She had tried to call Doyoung many times but her phone was switched off. This was beginning to worry her.


    Please let them be safe, she prayed.


    Junho stopped Shinjin from opening the cer. Gayoon had just texted him about Danny''s escape and was probably heading towards the hospital.


    "We have to go back!" he eximed. "Kang Danny mighte here!"


    "But we have to finish the purification of this ce!" Shinjin protested.


    "There''s no time!" Junho yelled. "Kang Danny ising here! And if it''s truly a poltergeist then it''lle with him. Our charms won''t be strong against it! Jina is in danger!"


    Shinjin debated whether to stay or help Junho but his affection for the little girl won over everything else.


    "Let''s go!" he said and they ran towards the VIP ward. The elevator was busy so they took the long flight of stairs. Time was running out and if Danny reached the hospital, there was no telling what he would do. Monsters like Kang Danny were goddamn unpredictable.


    Upstairs, the tension in the air was rising. Jina looked from Danny to Doyoung, thetter seeming to be very scared. Siwan tried to move and pulled Jina towards him.


    "Get away from him," he whispered.


    "What happened?" Jina asked in confusion but the grown ups ignored her. Shinho also moved to move in front of Jina as if protecting her and Siwan from harm. Did the doctor do something?


    "I''m here for my son," Danny said.


    "No!" Doyoung eximed, shielding the children. "You can''t take him. Go away! The Police are looking for you."


    "Not without my son"


    He took out a gun and pointed it at Doyoung. Thetter did not flinch but looked at him with disgust. The charming and suave man she had once known was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he never existed. Instead of the husband she had married, all she saw was a murderer who would kill for his own pleasure. Kang Danny cared more about his image than for his family and he wanted to turn Siwan into a monster like him.


    "No!" she yelled. "You can''t take him away from me!"


    "I''ll never go with you!" Siwan said, his voice trembling. "Never!"


    He held on to his mother''s arm while Jina held the other one. Shinho was standing in front of her, invisible to everyone''s eyes but Jina''s. He was ring at his father who was about to kill his family and best friend.


    "I don''t want to kill the girl," Danny spat. "If you let Siwane with me, then I won''t hurt you nor her. But if you don''t, then I''ll kill both of you!"


    "Haven''t you killed enough?" Doyoung shrieked. "You killed your son...and now you want to kill Siwan?"


    "That brat deserved to die!" he gritted. "He came in between me and my image! I''ve been protecting my family and image for so long...but he tried to ruin it with his existence!"


    "You ruined your own image!" Doyoung shot back. "If you had just epted your fault and taken responsibility for him, none of this would have happened! And you also killed those other children"


    .


    Minho had pulled up in front of the hospital while Kanji''s men followed him in another car. He got off the car and gathered them around.


    "We have to make sure that we get him alive," he told them. "I know the mafia men are quite fond of killing, but there are patients in this hospital. Children and their parents. So you guys can''t use guns or any weapons. Understood?"


    "Understood sir!" they all shouted in unison. Minho nodded and led them towards the VIP ward on the top floor. His mind was upied with Jina. Even though Gayoon had left her with her godfather, Minho was afraid that Danny might target Jina after being arrested.


    .


    Now it was Danny''s turn to be shocked. "How did you know?" he demanded, still pointing the gun at him.


    "I had the PI check your bank ounts," she revealed. "The money you got from the other influential families for organ donation! How did you get those organs in such a short time? When my PI was investigating Hyeri, he discovered that she had snuck into the hospital one day and printed out a list of all the past patients in the hospital. He bribed one of your staff to do the same and found out about those poor kids! And I''ve told him to hand over that list to the police if anything happens to me or Siwan! How could you do this to them? When did you be such a monster?"


    "I was trying to hide it but seems like none of you will let me live" he said. "No problem. I-"


    Suddenly, he was pushed backwards by an unseen force. Doyoung and Siwan were startled while Jina saw that Shinho had bumped into him with all his might. The gun fell out of Danny'' hand, falling on the floor. As if on cue, Casper and Yumi appeared out of nowhere, confused by the scene in front of them. They had been wandering all over, looking for Shinho but returned to the hospital when they could not find him.


    And now they appeared right in the middle of something strange.


    "The gun!" Jina shrieked, pointing at it. Danny made a lunge for it but Doyoung was faster. She grabbed it and in the heat of the moment, threw it out of the window. Her husband growled and jumped at her, trying to choke her.


    "Mom!" Siwan shouted but he was too hurt to move. Jina dashed forward, trying to pull Danny off Doyoung but the doctor was too strong for her. He shoved her aside and she fell on the ground.


    "Jina!" Yumi yelled while Casper was enraged. He leapt at Danny but before he could do so, Junho burst into the room, followed by Shinjin.


    Junho roared and pulled Danny off of Doyoung. Thetter sputtered while Junhonded a few punches on Danny, knocking him unconscious.


    "Don''t you ever try to harm them again!" Junho yelled, still punching the bloodied doctor. Jina was helping Doyoung to stand up when more people rushed into the room. Minho was there with Kanji''s men who immediately took out their guns, pointing at Danny.


    "No guns!" Minho yelled at them. He turned around to search for the culprit.


    "Where''s Danny?" he demanded.


    "There!" Jina said, pointing at the spot where Junho was beating Danny. Minho stopped short when he saw the heavy set man punching Danny with a lot of rage. He could only see the man''s back. Gayoon also entered, panting as if she had run all the way.


    "Mom!" Jina yelled. "Aunty needs help!"


    Doyoung was huffing and muttered, "Siwan"


    "I''m fine!" Siwan assured her.


    "Ahjusshi, let go of him!" Gayoon eximed, pulling Junho off of Danny.


    "Call a doctor!" she ordered one of Kanji''s men who immediately put his gun away and rushed outside. Junho, who had heard his son''s voice, was bracing himself.


    "Who''s this?" Minho asked. Why does he look so familiar?


    "It''s been a long time."


    Minho was shell shocked. It was that voice! The voice he had been searching for so long. But how


    His heart was palpitating as the man slowly turned around. Gayoon and Jina looked from one man to the next. Did they know each other?


    Junho fully turned around, facing his son for the first time in twenty six years.


    "It''s been a long time," Junho said. "Son."


    Before Minho could react, an invisible force brushed through the window. A strong wind was blowing and everyone was surprised by the sudden change in weather. It was almost as if a gale was taking ce and everyone struggled to stay in their ce.


    "What''s going on?" Gayoon yelled, holding onto Jina while Doyoung was hugging Siwan.


    "Close that window!" Minho yelled. Shinjin jumped to close it but the wind blew him backwards.


    Suddenly, Danny''s legs were held up. Everyone watched in shock as he was being dragged off by an entity. Jina''s eyes widened in fear and she clutched her mother tighter.


    "Mom, what is that thing?" She cried. "It''s pulling him away!"


    "Evacuate the building now!" Shinjin yelled. "It''s a poltergeist! Once Danny dies, it''ll kill everyone in the building!"

 Chapter 317: The Wrong Turn-Conclusion

    Chapter 317: The Wrong Turn-Conclusion


    "AHHHHH!"


    Danny''s screams echoed as he was being dragged through the corridor like a ragdoll. A group of nurses screamed in fright while patients and doctors looked on in shock. Something was pulling their CEO away and they did not dare to go near it out of fear. What was going on?


    Gayoon leapt forward and tried to pull him back but the force of the poltergeist was too strong. She was struggling to hold him while Minho held Danny''s other hand to help her.


    The others came after them, startled by the invisible force which was pulling the doctor away. Danny held on to them with all his might but the force was so strong that he felt as if his body was about to split.


    "Save me!" he yelled. "Save me!"


    "We''ll have to evacuate the hospital first!" Shinjin eximed. "The poltergeist will hurt the patients and it''ll get worse!"


    "I''ll start the purification!" Junho said and took out a vial of salt to throw on the poltergeist. To everyone''s shock, the salt only seemed to have angered it and it clung on to Danny more than ever. Its invisible ws dug into his feet, causing them to bleed.


    "Save me!" he begged. "Save me!"


    "UGH!" Gayoon screamed out loud and with great difficulty, extracted her walkie talkie from her pocket. Her team of copsgged behind because she ran all the way from C-Street to the hospital on her own to save her daughter. The rest of the team must have reached the spot by now.


    "Taejoon are you there, over!" she yelled into the walkie talkie.


    "I''m here, over!" he said from the other side.


    "We have a hostage situation," she exined. "Kang Danny held his family hostage and is threatening them! You''ll have to evacuate the building. Tell all the doctors and nurses to leave! Now!"


    "But-"


    "JUST DO IT!" she shrieked. "OVER AND OUT!"


    Meanwhile, Minho looked at the scared witnesses who were still watching the drama.


    "DO YOU GUYS NEED A COPTER TO BE ESCORTED? He yelled. "GET OUTTA HERE!"


    They did not need to be told twice. The doctors and nurses began to rush out of the building using the emergency staircase while Kanji''s men helped the patients to be evacuated. Siwan was also carried off by one of the doctors as they left the building. Minho and Gayoon tried to keep their hold on Danny but it was getting more and more difficult.


    Sweat dripped from their foreheads and their feet were giving away. Doyoung and Jina just arrived at the scene. As soon as Jina saw the poltergeist, she hid behind Doyoung.


    The others might not be able to see it but that thing was clear to her eyes. There were many scary ghosts which hade and gone but this one was not merely a scary one. Scary did not even cover it.


    The long tentacles were pulling the doctor with ease. Its whole torso was covered with yellow eyes, staring at them with a cold menace while the head waspletely bald and nk. The creature stood on hindlegs, limping as it pulled its prey. The greasy and muddy body was leaving a slime like substance all over the floor and it was making incoherent croaking sounds.


    Shinjin noticed the girl''s fearful expression and yelled, "Cover Jina''s eyes! Now!"


    Casper appeared and closed her eyes with his palm while Yumi held her hand.


    "Don''t look," she whispered. "Don''t look at all."


    "Shinho" Jina wanted to ask but Yumi cut through.


    "He''s with Siwan," she told him. "Let him stay there with his brother."


    Junho was throwing salt at the spot where Danny''s legs were locked but the poltergeist was unaffected. The salt did not work on it at all.


    "Shinjin, it''s not working!" Junho said hotly.


    "This isn''t its real body!" Shinjin told him. "We''ll have to locate it!"


    "CAN YOU HURRY UP?" Gayoon and Minho shouted in unison, still trying to hold the fort. The creature was pulling Danny with ease while they wrestled with it in the one sided tug of war. Danny was almost unconscious


    "Gayoon, all the patients have been evacuated!" Taejoon''s voice came from the walkie talkie on the floor but Gayoon did not answer. There was no time.


    She turned her face to address Doyoung. "Mrs. Kang, take Jina and leave this ce!" she instructed. "NOW!"


    "But-"


    "JUST GO!"


    "No!" Jina protested but Doyoung carried her in her arms. The little girl squirmed and pleaded to be let go but Doyoung did not loosen her grip.


    "If you stay here, then your parents will not be able to focus on their work!" she reasoned with Jina. "That''s more dangerous! It can kill them!"


    Even though Doyoung had no idea what was going on, she knew that staying inside the building was dangerous. She owed Gayoon for the life of her son and she must protect Jina on her behalf as well.


    "I wanna go to my parents!" Jina cried but Doyoung adamantly took her away. The little girl cried for her mom and dad who were still fighting to keep Danny alive. Her hands reached out for them but they were getting further and further away.


    Minho grabbed onto a nearby pir with one hand while the other kept on pulling at Danny but the creature was too powerful for both him and Gayoon. Junho also grabbed Danny by the shoulders and tried to pull him back but the poltergeist continued to pull him away. Their interference was beginning to annoy it and it swished its tentacles hard.


    The invisible force threw all three of them backwards, their hands letting go of Danny.


    "AHHHHHH!" he screamed as the poltergeist pulled him away, dragging him into the elevator before shutting the doors shut. The lift was descending fast.


    "It''s going to the furnace!" Shinjin realized. "That''s its abode! It''s taking him to it!"


    "RUN AFTER IT!" Junho roared. All of them ran towards the stairs, racing against time. No matter how bad Danny''s crimes were, they could not let him die there without a proper trial.


    "There!" Gayoon shouted, pointing at the door of the furnace. Danny was still screaming as the poltergeist pulled him through the floor. His nose bled while bruises appeared on his face. It must have beaten him in the elevator.


    Suddenly, the unlit furnace came to life and a wild fire zed within it.


    "SHIT!" all of them cursed and leapt forward to save Danny.


    "LET ME GO!" he begged the entity. "I CONFESS TO EVERYTHING! I KILLED MY SON! I KILLED THOSE CHILDREN AND SOLD THEIR ORGANS! I''LL GO TO JAIL!"


    The creature did not care about his pleas and kept on dragging him towards the furnace. The fiery fire reflected in Danny''s eyes and he was yelping like a child, trying to kick the entity away. His feeble attempts were futile against its raw strength.


    "NO!"


    Minho leapt forward to grab his hands and pull him back once again but the entity was now even pulling him along with Danny towards the furnace. It was too strong for him but Minho was not going to give up. The fire was zing in front of them, only inches away from Danny.


    Suddenly, Junho stepped on Minho''s hand. Thetter yelped and let go of Danny''s hands.


    As if in a slow motion, the creature flung Danny into the furnace and shut it. Danny''s agonizing screams echoed amidst the fire as it engulfed him. A foul smell of meat being roasted was covering the air around them, making everyone gag while ck smoke erupted from the furnace as the fire grew more and more dangerous. Danny was still shrieking for help and mercy as the fire roasted him alive. It was a slow and painful death for him.


    Gayoon tried to open the furnace and let him out but Junho held her by the arm.


    "You can''t help him anymore!" he said. "We''ll have to get out of here before that thing explodes!"


    Gayoon bit her lip, stuck in a dilemma to arrest a culprit and to save her loved ones. Minho, ash faced and sweaty, nced at the furnace and realized Junho was right. The furnace''s temperature was way higher than average, reaching almost danger levels. The poltergeist was about to destroy the entire hospital!


    Is this why he forced me to let go? He vaguely wondered.


    But there was no time. He grabbed Gayoon''s hand and pulled her away while Junho and Shinjin followed. The furnace behind them was about to burst any moment and they had little time. Minho led them to the emergency staircase and they headed straight for the exit.


    "Keep running!" he yelled. Gayoon ran after him while Junho and Shinjin followed suit, not looking back at all. They ran towards the ce where all the other people were standing with the cops trying to control the panic.


    Doyoung spotted them and let out a sigh. Jina also saw them and finally stopped crying. She ran to her father''s arms and hugged him tightly. Gayoon ran towards Taejoon, who was confused.


    "Where''s the culprit?" he demanded. "His wife and kid are here! Where-"


    The loud explosion from behind them deafened all of them. The entire ground floor was on fire which was spreading to the other floors very quickly. Everyone watched in shock as the fire engulfed the building, leaving not a single spot.


    "What the-" Taejoon muttered and the patients were screaming in panic. The policemen worked to keep them calm but the ones who had seen what happened inside, stood there, unmoving. Even the ghosts were quiet.


    Shinho watched the building burn, unsure of what he felt.


    "Is it over?" he asked softly. Minho did not need to hear or see him in order to know what he had just asked.


    "It is," he whispered. "It''s over."

 Chapter 318: Pages of the Past (1)

    Chapter 318: Pages of the Past (1)


    It took many hours to put off the fire. Hundreds of firefighters had struggled all night to extinguish the ze which had burnt high till the sky. Swarms of reporters gathered in the area, giving minute to minute updates.


    "As you can see that the Little Home Hospital caught fire after its CEO, Kang Danny blew up the furnace," one of the reporters stated. "It was believed that Kang Danny had been arrested for the murder of his illegitimate son while abusing his other son and escaped custody after killing two on-duty policemen. He rushed here to kill his family by holding them hostage but when they escaped, he blew up the furnace to kill himself along with the other patients here in a strange act of murder-suicide. But thanks to the fast thinking of the police, the patients had been evacuated early and no one was hurt in the explosion."


    Doyoung had given her statement to the police and everyone who were present at the scene were dazed and confused. Their CEO''s wife had talked to them and told them that no one would believe that Danny was being pulled away by an unseen force. All the CCTV footage had been utterly destroyed so they decided to stick to her story.


    The children were sent off to Mina''s hospital where they were being cared for while Gayoon led her team to aid the firefighters. Danny''s body was never found but upon checking the furnace, the forensic team found skin and blood stuck to the metal surface and remnants of Danny''s shirt were also discovered. The rest of his body had burnt literally to ashes. The Poltergeist had utterly destroyed the ce.


    Everything was chaotic and messed up. Shinjin had taken Minho and Gayoon aside to give them a warning about the ce.


    "This ce can never be used again," he said sternly. "The poltergeist is still here and if anyonees nearby, they''ll also get consumed by its hatred. There''s nothing we can do. It''s way too powerful for me to exorcise. In fact, exorcising it can also be life threatening to us. It''s best to keep it off limits."


    Minho did not reply but simply nodded. His eyes flickered towards Junho, who stood a little further away, unable to face his son. Gayoon noticed the tension between them and the revtion that Junho was Minho''s father put her in a dilemma.


    "Minho" she began but he shook his head.


    "Don''t worry about us," he quietly assured her. "This is between us. You should go and handle the crime scene."


    She patted his arm. "You should hear him out first," she requested. "I know I shouldn''t be meddling here and I''m not going to. I just want you to talk to him once and see if there''s something more to your past."


    Minho''s jawline tightened but he knew that she was right. Truthfully, ever since he discovered his own strange ability to transport between worlds, he had been a little more suspicious about his mother''s death.


    "The gates of hell will open again"


    He recalled his memory which he had repressed for many years. Was it rted to his mother''s death? Was his father hiding something from them?


    Moreover, after hearing Gayoon gush about how her godfather had raised her, he could not help but give Junho the benefit of doubt. Somewhere in his heart, he was still angry at his father for abandoning them but this was not the time for anger.


    It was the time for the truth.


    "We''ll be okay," he told Gayoon. "You go ahead and help the firefighters."


    Gayoon nodded and nced at Junho before returning to the crime scene. Minho sighed and headed towards his father who braced himself to face his son''s wrath.


    "If you want to throw me in jail, then you can do so," he said, trying to suppress the nervousness in his voice. "But I''m not going to give up-"


    "Fancy a drink?"


    Junho blinked several times. If Minho had not moved his lips to ask the question, he would have never believed that it was his son who spoke.


    "There''s a small bar up ahead," Minho went on. "Let''s go and talk there."


    Without another word, he led the way. Junho hesitated first but followed his son to the bar across the street. They entered the dark ce which was a little smoky. It was small but posh bar with a reddish ambience. There were not many customers so Minho sat at the sangria station while Junho took the seat next to him. A bartender came up to them.


    "Vodka on the rocks," Minho ordered. "And you?"


    "Same," Junho mumbled. The bartenderplied and made their drinks. He ced them in front of the father-son duo and moved on to other customers.


    Minho took a long sip and put his drink down. Junho fidgeted with his, waiting for Minho to talk.


    "That night," Minho spoke up after a while. "I heard a voice when I was rushing towards your room. It was sucha low voice that it was almost like a whisper of the wind."


    Junho did not reply but let his son ramble. "It said, ''The gates of hell will open again,''" Minho revealed. "What did it mean? I believe you might have an answer."


    He waited for his father to speak. Junho sighed and took a sip from his own drink.


    "Did you really kill mom?? Minho finally asked.


    "I stabbed her," Junho began. "But I''m not the murderer."


    He looked up to face his son for the first time in many years. Gayoon was right. The more he hid, the farther he was going away from his family. This was his only chance to exin what really happened that night.


    "Your mother and I loved each other very much," he continued. "Never in a million years would we cheat on each other. But after we found out about your powers, I began to piece together the puzzles which had been missing for so many years. Your mother hid it from me but she had that ability too. You got it from her. The two bloodlines which carried the powers of a Seer and Transporter have diverged a long time ago and would have kept on being separate if it hadn''t been for you and Gayoon. Once Gayoon gave birth to Jina, the two bloodlines merged."


    "But long before your birth, your mother had run into another Seer. Someone who became her lifelong friend. That was Gayoon''s mother."


    "I was unaware of their abilities," Junho stated. "For me, it was always my business and my family. When I fell in love with Suna, her kind nature and wits won over my parents. We didn''t hav any problem in getting married. And after a few years, you were born"


    He reminisced the happy days when he would hear Suna''sughter echo throughout the house and his childish bickering with Minho over whom Suna loved the most. Those were the days.


    "But Gayoon''s mother, Yeeun, was a very powerful Seer," he said. "She sensed that something was approaching them. Something sinister which would destroy all of our lives. Suna was pregnant with Mina that time so she did not want to worry her. But she tried to warn me. Told me to use the protection charms but I scoffed at her. I didn''t believe her that time. It was my biggest regret and I still punish myself over that."


    He took a long pause, not wanting to remember those days. But Minho was relentless. His father owed them the truth.


    "What happened next?" he demanded. "You have to tell me."


    His father took a deep breath and began to narrate.


    "It all started a few days after Mina''s birth," he recounted. "Suna''s health had weakened a lot because thebor was traumatic for her"

 Chapter 319: Pages of the Past (2)

    Chapter 319: Pages of the Past (2)


    Secretary Sung Minsoek was sweating profusely. He dared not to utter a word out of fear because the boss'' mood was going to explode if he even dared to speak.


    "So" Junho said, trying to hold back his temper. "You''re saying that Jang Jason made 0.00005 percent more profit than us"


    Minseok gulped. He did not expect the CEO would be happy but the employees had sent him as the sacrificialmb to face how wrath. As if like the demon lord from hell, Junho rose from the chair, a volcanic aura emitting from him.


    It was widely known that the famous tycoon, Hwang Junho, was not only the richest man in town but also a notorious miser. Even a miniscule fall in his money would throw him over the edge and he would end up making the employees work a hundred times harder. Minseok squealed under his intimidating anger which was rising and rising with every second.


    "ARE YOU SAYING THAT MY RIVAL MADE MORE MONEY THAN ME?" Junho roared. "LAST MONTH HE WAS NOWHERE NEAR MY PROFIT MARGIN!"


    "L-let m-me exin!" Minseok stammered. "Our profit increased by 7 percent! It''s just tha-"


    "AND YET HE MADE MORE THAN ME!" Junho''s thunderous voice boomed throughout the halls. "ARE YOU-"


    The rest of his words were blocked by a wail even louder than him. Suddenly, Junho''s anger disappeared and now it was his time to panic. The baby he had been carrying on his back had woken up due to his yelling and was now crying loudly like a banshee.


    "Uh oh!" Junho eximed. "Mina woke up!"


    The baby girl kept on crying, not pleased by the disturbance. Minseok watched in wonder as Junho quickly unlocked the baby carrier and pulled Mina into his arms, trying to calm her down.


    Ever since the birth of his second child, Junho had been working from home while taking care of both the kids. His wife had been weakened post partum and was still trying to recuperate her health.


    "Don''t cry little angel!" he begged. "Otherwise mommy will kill me!"


    Suna had spent an hour trying to put her to sleep and he had solemnly promised her that he would make sure not to wake her up.


    And now his wife would kill him.


    "My little Mina loves daddy, no?" Junho cooed as he patted her back. "Sleep well."


    Is this really the mighty miser? Minseok wondered. It was as is if seeing Goliath being taken down by David. How a person turned from a raging lion to a tamed kitty within seconds, he would never know.


    Meanwhile, Junho was panicking. His daughter kept on crying on the top of her lungs. How a tiny thing like her could cry so much? It was a good thing that Suna had gone off to meet an old friend of hers otherwise she would have thrown him out of the bedroom for a month for waking up the baby!


    "Are you making Mina cry?"


    A shrill voice came from the study room''s entrance. A brown eyed boy of around ten years old stood there with his hands crossed on his chest, shaking his head at his father. Junho made a ''tchah!'' sound.


    "Stop being your mommy''s stooge and help me put her back to sleep!" Junho warned but his son was shing a mischievous grin which rmed his father.


    "Don''t you dare snitch on me!" he warned.


    "Increase my pocket money and I''ll consider the offer," Minho said.


    "Five dors."


    "Hundred or no deal."


    "Six dors," Junho said adamantly. Minho shook his head and replied, "Seventy and we have a deal. Otherwise I''ll tell mom you ruined Mina''s naptime with your yelling."


    This brat!


    "Fine!" Junho gave in. "You win. Seventy dors will be added to your pocket money."


    "Excellent," Minho smirked like a miniature demon lord. Minseok sighed at the exchange. The father and son were notorious for their bickering but it was obvious that the mighty miser adored his family. If there was something he loved more than money was his wife and children.


    "Nowe and put your sister to sleep!" Junho barked. Minho stretched his limbs and stepped forward. It was a battle he had fought many times and won more than his father ever could. He took a deep breath and began to dance.


    Junho wanted to bang his head against a wall at his son''s crazy antics. He got his ridiculous dancing skills from his mother but shockingly the embarrassing routine worked. Mina paused and wasughing at her brother. Her tiny palms were even moving to his groove.


    Minho ended his dance with a suave slide. The two grown ups were silenced by his highly embarrassing dance but Mina seemed to be enjoying it. Her wheezing giggles meant that she had finally calmed down.


    "If a day everes when my son stops that stupid dance, I''ll give mypany to Jang Jason," Junho moaned.


    Minseok suppressed a smile as he watched the father and son y with the baby girl. Despite his short temper, Junho cared for everyone around him. Even if he was angry at them, the employees were grateful for the way he protected them and forced them to bring out their best qualities. As long as everyone worked hard, they had Junho''s silent respect.


    Also, seeing the crazy family was oddly calming. Minseok sighed and quietly left the study room, leaving the father and son to bicker away.


    .


    A pale skinned woman clutched her smoothie cup, her mind filled with worry. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore an extremely loose shirt. It did not cover her eight month baby bump though. She sat at the coffee shop, waiting for someone.


    "Yeeun!"


    She turned around to see a brown eyed woman in her thirties, waving at her. It was her friend, Suna.


    "Suna!" she eximed and stood up to greet her but Suna pushed her back to sit.


    "Don''t get up!" she cautioned, sitting beside her. "Ahh...she''s growing so well!"


    She touched Yeeun''s bump and cooed, "Aunty Suna can''t wait to meet you!"


    Yeeun smiled but then her smile faltered. Suna''splexion was too pale and it was obvious that she was physically still weak. The post partum part was extremely dangerous for a woman especially for someone like Suna who had a very special ability. Just like Yeeun did.


    Suna saw her troubled expression and sighed.


    "Are you still thinking of that asshole who left you?" she scolded her friend. "He left! And shacked up with another woman! Forget about him. You and your mother make enough from the cafe. You can raise Gayoon on your own."


    "It''s not that," Yeeun said. "It''s something else"


    She bit her lip, worried about the warnings she had received. Was it true? Was someone trying to tap into the unknown?


    "What is it?" Suna asked.


    Yeeun took a deep breath and replied, "The gates of hell are opening."

 Chapter 320: Pages of the Past (3)

    Chapter 320: Pages of the Past (3)


    "Huh?" Suna asked in confusion. "What do you mean? Gates of hell?"


    "I don''t know but I''ve been encountering some strange spiritstely," Yeeun revealed. "Spirits of people who were possessed before their deaths. It''s really weird. But they''ve beening to me and I found out that all of them were once possessed by the same entity. They could not tell what the entity wanted but it was repeating the same thing. Gates of hell are opening. Maybe"


    She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Maybe it has something to do with the other realm. You know, the World of the Dead."


    Suna pursed her lips. Both Yeeun and Suna possessed special abilities. While Yeeun was capable of interacting with spirits in the living world, Suna could enter the dead world on her own andmunicate with the creatures there. Unlike Yeeun''s abilities which were carried on to the female members of her family, Suna''s one was more narrowed down. Only the first born child of their family could carry this ability.


    "I haven''t used that power in years," Suna said. "I really don''t know what is going on with the creatures of the darkness!"


    "I know," Yeeun assured her. "But so many spirits are iming that they have been possessed by the same entity which caused their deaths...It''s not a coincidence. Maybe someone is trying to open the World of the Dead. Permanently."


    Suna was now worried. Why would someone try to do something as ridiculous as that? It made no sense at all. She had never encountered a spirit who would willingly open that world. On the contrary, most spirits avoided it. Who the hell would want to go to a cold and quiet ce like that?


    "Have you told Minho?" Yeeun asked quietly.


    "No," Suna replied. "I didn''t and to be honest, I don''t want to. He''s better off without that knowledge. He can live a long life not knowing that he actually possesses a quality like that and since Mina is the second born, I don''t have to worry about her. They''re fine not knowing."


    Suna had decided long ago not to burden her children with this power. She even hid it from her husband.


    "Promise me that you''ll never tell anyone!" Suna begged her friend."I don''t want my family to be tainted by that world. I really don''t. If anything ever happens to me, don''t tell Junho or my family about my powers. I know Junho very well. He''ll not rest until he finds out the truth"


    Yeeun bit her lip. She had hoped that Suna might have some answer to the dilemma she was facing but it turned out that her friend had her own issues. Asking her for help in this matter was not going to be good.


    "Alright," Yeeun promised. "I won''t tell brother Junho about this. But still, I''d like you to be careful. There''s something going on with the spirits in this town and it''s not good. And in this state, you''re very weak and vulnerable."


    "I know," Suna assured her. "I''ll be fine. I''m resting a lot. In fact, I had to beg Junho to let mee and visit you today"


    Then she pped her hands together as if remembering something. "I almost forgot!" she squealed. "I bought something for our little Gayoonie!"


    She took out a small sized quilt from her bag and handed it to Yeeun.


    "I stitched it myself!" Suna said proudly. "It has a small protection charm attached to it so that spirits don''t bother her when she''s sleeping."


    "Oh my!" Yeeun cried in joy, touched by the gesture. "Her first gift from her auntie Suna...oh!"


    She touched her stomach and giggled. "What happened?" Suna asked.


    "Gayoon just kicked!" Yeeun eximed. "She probably likes it too."


    Suna alsoughed with her and the two friends spent a fun afternoon chattering away. Even though Yeeun was smiling and giggling with her friend, she could help but feel that someone was watching them. She did not want to rm Suna but her gut feeling was acting up.


    "I think you should get going now," Yeeun finally said. "It''s gettingte. Mina will be awake as well."


    "When are youing to meet her?" Suna asked. "I want her to meet her auntie Yeeun! And to think, within two months she''ll have a ymate!"


    "I''ll drop by this week," Yeeun promised. "Mom is still arguing with my doctors over my care. I keep on telling her that the doctors know what they''re doing but she calls them leeches. Also, she''s been sending threatening letters to my ex. It''s getting annoying."


    "Will you be okay? Raising a baby on your own won''t be easy."


    "I''ll be fine," Yeeun assured her. She did not voice it out but she was more worried for Suna. Something was stalking them and in her condition, she could not even confront it. But it was there, watching and biding its time.


    Suna smiled and bid her goodbye. Yeeun watched her friend leave, her smile stiff. Please keep her safe, she prayed.


    .


    An hourter, Suna entered the mansion to find that Junho was still in his study while Minho was in the living room, ying with an already awake Mina.


    "She''s awake already?" Suna asked, picking the baby in her arms. Mina gave a tiny sneeze as she settled in her mother''s arms.


    "Well, dad was screaming at his secretary so I brought her out with me," Minho said. "She woke up only a few minutes ago."


    "Ugh!" Suna groaned. "This man! How many times do I have to remind him that there''s a baby in the house and he must keep it down!"


    "What did I do this time?"


    Junho sounded irritated as he came out of his study room.


    "I told you not to scream at your employees when Mina is asleep!" she scolded him. Junho scowled at his son.


    "Snitch!" he shot at him.


    "Miser!" Minho retorted. The father-son duo were expert at bickering with each other. In their words, it was their way of showing affection.


    "Stop it!" Suna scolded them. "Can''t you two ever stop fighting?"


    "No!"


    "Well you have to!" she told them. "Minho''s exams are nearing. Did you help him with his studies at all today?"


    She red at her husband who instantly squirmed under his wife''s gaze. The mighty lord of the business world was scared of his wife who had the uncanny ability to tame him. Whenever there was a crisis at the office, the employees first approached theirdy boss so that she could cate the dragon. Even Minho pitied his father at times.


    "Go and help him study," she ordered. "Now."


    "Yes ma''am!" Junho squeaked and hurriedly led his son to the study desk at Minho''s room.


    "Henpecked!" Minho teased as his father led him to his room.


    "Shut it!"


    Seeing them even Mina let out a little giggle. Suna could only shake her head and sigh. She cooed at her daughter.


    "It''s time for our little angel''s dinner!" she cajoled her daughter. "Right?"


    The baby squealed at her mother, ying with her hair while Suna headed over to the kitchen where the maid had kept a baby bottle full of milk for Mina. Checking the temperature and deeming it to be perfect, Suna carried Mina to the baby room and settled on the chair there.


    "Here you go," she cooed at her daughter, putting the bottle in Mina''s mouth for her to drink. "You''re gonna grow healthy and strong. Aren''t you-"


    A lowughter echoed in her ears. Startled, she looked around only to see that there was no one around. Suddenly, Mina began to cry and dropped the milk bottle from her tiny hands. The baby was waving her arms as if swatting something away.


    Suna held her daughter close to her, instinctively protecting her while she searched for the mysteriousughter which reached her ears.


    "What happened?" Junho came rushing into the room with Minho in tow.


    "Why is Mina crying?" the boy asked.


    "S-she just dropped her bottle," Suna stammered. "Hold her while I prepare another bottle of milk for her"


    Junho nodded and took Mina in his arms. "Aww little angel, don''t cry!" he gently said. "Daddy will get rid of all the bad things for you!"


    "Elder brother will do it too!" Minho piped in. Suna quickly dashed out of the room and once out of sight, she slumped against a wall.


    What was that? She wondered. She had definitely heardughter. Was it a ghost? But she could notmunicate with ghosts in the living world!


    Maybe I was just imagining it, she told herself. Deciding to forgo of the thought, she headed back into the kitchen to prepare another bottle for Mina.

 Chapter 321: Pages of the Past (4)

    Chapter 321: Pages of the Past (4)


    Yeeun was feeling uneasy. She rolled over on her back, trying to sleep but it was too ufortable with the baby bump which felt heavy against her spine. She struggled to sit up but after a few minutes, managed to position herself.


    It was too hot and the damn AC was not working either. Her mother was asleep downstairs so Yeeun was alone in her room. She put up charms around the house to keep away spirits especially at night. Ever since she became pregnant, her energy had been drained. It was not easy to take care of herself all alone. Ever since her husband left her, she had to look out for herself in that condition.


    There was a time when she thought that she was truly in love with that man. Even after she revealed her abilities to him, he imed to love her and stayed with her. Turned out, he was staying with her because he wanted to use her abilities for his own gain. He used to make her ask the spirits about their money and business information which he tried to take advantage of. When Yeeun found out, she began to give him false information which enraged him.


    The final straw was when she revealed that once Gayoon was born, she would lose her powers and it would go to the baby. Her husband became angry that her ability was now mixed withhis bloodline and he demanded for her to get an abortion. When Yeeun refused, he threatened to move out. But she did not stop him and let him leave. A few weekster, she found out that he was shacking up with his secret mistress.


    Ever since then, Yeeun cut him out and never bothered to contact him. She was not even going to ask him for money. She would starve if she had to but she was determined to give Gayoon a good life. Some of the good spirits took pity on her and gave her information on their savings as payment so she was good to go anyway.


    "I just hope you don''t inherit my shitty sense of men," she told her bump. "Marry a good man who will love you, okay?"


    Suddenly, there was a rattling on her window. Startled, she looked up to see the pale figure of a young woman in her twenties, gazing at her from outside. The woman wore a long night gown which had arge stter of blood on it.


    "Yeeun! Open up!" she begged. "I have some news for you and it''s bad!"


    Yeeun quickly got off the bed and opened the window. The spirit was named Hana and she was one of the ghosts who had recentlye to Yeeun for help. She was possessed by an unknown entity before her death and in her crazed state, she killed her husband. When the entity left her body, she realized what she had done but the possession had sapped her of energy, causing her to die as well.


    "What is it?" Yeeun asked. "Did you find out about the thing that possessed you?"


    "I''m not sure if it''s rted," Hana began. "But I just remembered something."


    "What?"


    "Right before I died, I thought I saw a white orb-like object hovering in the air!" she revealed. "It came out of me. And today, when you asked me to keep and eye on your friend''s house, I noticed a simr object was floating there!"


    Yeeun froze in shock. "What?" she eximed.


    "It was hovering around her husband!" Hana imed. "Then it moved towards the window. I think it''s looking for a way to possess him and kill your friend!"


    Yeeun bit her lip in worry. These were not good signs. The spirits had been strangely activetely and even more agitated. The presence of this unknown entity had created a stir and it went from one body to another, killing one spouse.


    Is this all rted to the ability Suna has? She wondered. But there was no way for her to find out. These were hidden in police files and she was a mere citizen. She could not ess them, especially not in that condition!


    "I''ll meet her tomorrow," she decided. "And see if I can slip a charm into her husband''s pocket."


    "Be careful," Hana warned. "That thing will attack him when he''ll be mentally weak. I was possessed right after my miscarriage. I was vulnerable then."


    Yeeun thought for a while. "I''ll take some peach tea for them," she decided. "That should keep them safe for a while. I''ll look for a shaman who might be able to purify their house."


    It was all she could do at that moment. If only there was a way to find out who or what that entity was. It did not seem like a normal spirit nor was it a vengeful one. Its MO made no sense to her. How was it targeting the victims? What were the criteria? Was it just randomly attacking couples?


    I have to find out before it''s toote, she thought.


    ..


    Suna woke up in the middle of the night, feeling very thirsty. Junho slept like a log next to her, his one hand wrapped around her. Mina was also sleeping peacefully in her cot. The girl was a big sleeper like her father and only woke up once or twice at night to cry for milk.


    She quietly put Junho''s arm away from hers and tiptoed across the room to head for the kitchen.


    The whole mansion was shrouded in darkness. The staff had gone home for the night and other than the guards outside, it was just the four of them in the house. A soft mumblin wasing from Minho''s room which made her frown. She changed course and walked towards her son''s bedroom.


    Minho slept on the bed, his limbs sprawled all over and his mouth slightly open.


    "Hundred dors pocket money or I tell mom," he mumbled in his sleep. Suna wanted to facepalm herself. The son had inherited his love for money from his father. Even in their dreams they saw only money.


    She shook her head and backed out of his room, heading back towards the kitchen. Her body was very exhausted and she had been feeling lethargic ever since she returned from the hospital. Opening the fridge, she took out a bottle of water.


    "Suna"


    A slight whisper touched her ears, making her jump. Suna looked around to find the source of the sound but there was no one.


    "Suna"


    There it was again! The sound wasing from a shelf. Was it a thief?


    Without making a sound, she grabbed a knife and slowly inched towards the shelf. She reached out for it and opened the door


    Nothing. There was nothing in it. Must be my imagination, she told herself. Lowering the knife, she turned around.


    But as soon as she turned, a sudden bout of pitch ck darkness captured her. Suna gasped for breath but it was choking her neck.


    "Help!" she wheezed but to her shock, not a single sound wasing from her lips. She fell down, the darkness throttling her until she fainted. Before losing her consciousness, she heard a lowughter as the shadow took over her body, putting her at its mercy.

 Chapter 322: Pages of the Past (5)

    Chapter 322: Pages of the Past (5)


    The next morning, Junho woke up to find that his wife''s side of the bed was empty. Mina was already awake in her cot, crying loudly for her morning milk. Junho groggily looked around for his wife who was nowhere in sight.


    Hearing Mina''s cries, he got off the bed and picked her up in his arms.


    "Oh no! Is my angel hungry?" he cooed at the girl, trying to calm her down but she was really hungry so only cried louder. With her in his arms, he walked to the kitchen to heat up some milk for her. Suna had already put some in a bottlebeled as ''Milk for Baby'' so he took it out and poured it in a smaller bottle.


    "Why is Mina crying?" Minho''s sleepy voice came from the kitchen entrance.


    "She''s hungry," Junho said. Carry her for me while I prepare the milk."


    Minho took the baby from his father, trying to cate her.


    "Where''s mom?" he wondered out loud. "She never leaves the house without feeding Mina."


    "I don''t know" Junho was wondering the same thing. Why did Suna leave without telling anyone? And that too without feeding Mina first? It was very much unlike her.


    He prepared the milk for Mina and they settled on a couch to feed her. The baby had finally stopped crying, peacefully sucking from the bottle while her father and brother watched over her. The door of the mansion opened and closed.


    Suna entered the house, still in her nightwear. She looked a little dazed and confused.


    "Are you okay?" Junho asked. "Howe you went out of the house in those clothes?"


    His wife would never leave the house without changing her clothes. Even if she had to go to the neighbors'' house, she would wear outdoor clothes. So it was odd for her to venture outside in her nightwear.


    "I went to get some milk for the baby," Suna casually imed. "But the stores were closed."


    Junho frowned. "Suna," he began. "Mina is only a month old. She can''t drink processed milk. Only breast milk is rmended for her."


    Suna looked a little bewildered as if she was hearing that for the first time. She was perplexed by his words, unwilling to say anything else.


    "I forgot!" she eximed, pping herself on the forehead. "Silly me"


    "It''s okay!" Junhoughed. "These things are bound to happen. The doctor said that the postpartum stress canst for a few months. Thebor was difficult for you this time."


    He reached over to hug his wife. She was limp against his chest, as if he was a stranger but Junho did not think much about it. Mina''s birth was quiteplicated and the doctor had advised them against taking any more children. Her hormones would be unstable for another month or so and hence, Junho took time off from work to take care of the house. It was difficult but he was beginning to get the hang of it.


    "You should go and rest," he coaxed her. "We''ll look after Mina."


    Suna nodded and went to their bedroom for some rest. Junho prepared breakfast for Minho while Mina slept on the couch.


    "Here''s your toast and eggs," Junho dered, putting the food on Minho''s te. Thetter simply stared at it.


    "It''s burnt," heined.


    "Well you gotta make do with it!" Junho scolded him. Minho pouted. He missed his mother''s cooking since his father was the worst cook in the world. The man managed to burn something as simple as scrambled eggs!


    He shoved the toast in his mouth before scurrying upstairs to change into his uniform. After a while, he bid goodbye to his sister and left for school. Junho was preparing another bottle for Mina when the doorbell rang. With the bottle in one hand, he opened the front door.


    A pregnant woman in her thirties stood there, looking nervous. She was holding a small jar full of tea leaves. Junho immediately recognized her.


    "Aren''t you Yeeun?" he frowned. "You''re Suna''s friend."


    "Hello, brother Junho," Yeeun greeted. "I promised Suna that I''lle over today."


    "Ahh, Suna is feeling ill," he replied. "Bute on in! You can wait for a while."


    "Thank you," Yeeun said, taking off her slippers. As soon as she entered the house, she froze. It was cold. And she did not mean that the temperature was cold.


    As if on instinct, she looked to her right towards Junho and Suna''s bedroom. The cold feeling wasing from there. It was simr to what she felt whenever a spirit was around but it was much more intense. This was not a spirit but something else. Something even more sinister and deadly.


    "What happened?" Junho asked.


    "Nothing!" Yeeun lied and entered the living room. She was fidgeting nervously, the feeling getting stronger with every passing second.


    "Who''s there?" Suna''s voice came from within the bedroom. That spirit was in there! Suna was in trouble!


    "Me!" Yeeun eximed before Junho could reply. "I brought the tea leaves you''ve requested."


    Suna came out of the room and saw Yeeun. A strange look passed by her face but she put up a smile. Junho picked up the sleepy Mina who had woken up.


    "How''s your health now, Yeeun?" she asked, taking a seat on the couch.


    "I''m fine," Yeeun answered. The cold feeling had now intensified. Yeeun was barely keeping it straight, her heart clenched with fear. Junho noted that Yeeun was giving Suna a very weird look as if she had seen a monster. This was not sitting well with him.


    Yeeun, on the other hand, was wary. The person sitting in front of her had Suna''s body but it was not her friend. Something had possessed her and Yeeun must find out if it was true.


    Suddenly, Mina began to cry and Junho was distracted. "She just woke up," he sighed. "I have to go to the washroom. Can you calm her down for now?"


    Suna was taken aback when he gave Mina to her and headed for the washroom. The baby paused and looked at her mother with wide, curious eyes. Yeeun held her breath, analyzing Mina''s expression which turned from irritated to fearful.


    The baby let out a loud shriek, crying in fear. She was trying to free herself from Suna''s clutches while thetter was scowling at the tiny creature in her hand. Baby Mina sensed that the woman holding her was not her mother and she pped her tiny palms against Suna''s cheeks as if trying to scratch her.


    "I''ll take her!" Yeeun dered, stepping forward to take Mina in her arms. As if seeking protection, Mina clutched on to her, unwilling to go to Suna''sp. Yeeun felt the baby''s fears and looked at Suna who was staring into space. There was something wrong with her friend and there was only one way to find out. With one hand, Yeeun opened the tea jar.


    "Mother sent these freshly grown tea leaves for you," Yeeun said, pretending that nothing was wrong. She picked out a chunk and sniffed it before reaching over to Suna.


    "Take it and smell the fragrance," Yeeun encouraged.


    "It''s okay," Suna replied in a monotone.


    "Ohe on just sniff it!" Yeeunughed. Suna put her palm forward and Yeeun put the leaves on her hand


    "AHHHHH!" Suna screamed in pain, backing away from Yeeun who stood in front of her, feeling determined.


    "Peach tea leaves," Yeeun revealed. "You''re not Suna. Who the hell are you?"

 Chapter 323: Pages of the Past (6)

    Chapter 323: Pages of the Past (6)


    A slow smile forms on Suna''s beautiful face. Yeeun red at the being which had possessed her friend''s body. She could sense that it was not a normal spirit who was out for vengeance. The entity in Suna was something far beyond herprehension and even more dangerous.


    "What are you?" she demanded. "You''re not a spirit! What do you want from Suna?"


    "You''ll know in due time, Seer," Suna cackled. It had been biding its time in the shadows, trying to seek out a Transporter which can open the World of the Dead. The journey was long and hard because most of the Transporters were not aware of their powers. They never opened the portal to the dead and hence, were unaware of their abilities. But the entity needed a body which could open the portal and had ventured into that world. Once it got hold of that body, it could take the next step and fulfill its ns.


    The entity smiled at Yeeun, its viscous nature oozing out. Yeeun was now in a dilemma. They would have to exorcise Suna as soon as possible but she did not know how to do that. Seers were mere mediums between the living and death. Only shamans or licensed practitioners could exorcise soulspletely. If Seers tried it, they would end up attracting more spirits during the process and the exorcism would fail.


    Just then Junho entered the hall, frowning. "Did someone scream?" he asked. "I thought I heard Suna screaming."


    "She was screaming in delight," Yeeun said at once. "I showed her my sonogram picture and she was so excited that she screamed too loudly. Right Suna?"


    The thing inside Suna reverted to a normal expression, hiding its bloodlust. "Yes," she replied. "Yeeun was just showing me her son''s sonogram. He''s going to grow into a healthy boy!"


    Junho nodded while Yeeun looked away. She was trying to figure out how to convey her message to Junho. He must find out that his wife had been possessed. The man might not believe her at first but a time wille when he would see it for himself. Yet, she must caution him and nt the seeds of doubt in his mind.


    Then an idea hit her.


    "I should get going," she dered, rummaging her bag to take out her sunsses. "I have a doctor''s appointment. I''ll be off."


    Suna watched her carefully as she shuffled towards the main door. As soon as she was near the door, Yeeun yelped and bent over to clutch her stomach.


    Junho was rmed while Suna was skeptical. What was she doing?


    "Ah!" Yeeun moaned in pain while taking deep breaths. She supported herself by putting one hand against the wall, trying to endure the pain.


    Suna, pretending to be a concerned friend, rushed to her side while Junho followed.


    "Are you alright?" Junho asked.


    "I''m fine," Yeeun assured them. "It happens during pregnancy. Just a little difort."


    "Yes, you should go to the hospital," Suna said. "Take a cab and go there."


    Yeeun shed her a painful smile but clutched her stomach again. Junho was rmed by the state of the girl.


    "Where''s your husband?" he asked. "Should I call him?"


    "Yes, we should call him," Suna replied. At that moment, Yeeun pretended to be confused.


    "Suna, you know very well that he left me," Yeeun stated. "You were cursing him just yesterday at the cafe."


    Suna blinked a few times, realizing her gaffe. The Seer was trying to make the entity expose itself!


    "Oh yes!" Suna said, pping her forehead. "I forgot! The postpartum anxiety really makes me forget these things"


    "She''s been stressed," Junho supplied. "I''ll take you to the hospital. Just wait here. I''ll get the keys!"


    Yeeun was still leaning against the wall with her palm, waiting for Junho while the entity was visibly confused. Then realization dawned upon its face.


    "This was your n all along!" it eximed. "You wanted to take Junho out of the house to talk to him."


    "You''re smart," Yeeun smirked. "Even if he doesn''t believe me, at least he''ll know something."


    As if I''ll let you go alone, Suna thought. Junho reappeared with the keys.


    "Let''s go," he said. Yeeun nodded and he let her step out of the house. Suna was about to follow them out when she was blocked by an invisible barrier.


    "What the hell!" she gritted and looked to the side of the door where Yeeun had put her palm earlier. The woman had pasted a temporary charm on the wall, preventing the entity from going out! She red at Yeeun who red back.


    "Curse you!" Suna growled in a low tone. She watched them leave, her heart boiling with anger. The Seer was going to be a big hindrance in her way but there was no time. The full possession of Suna''s body would take at least two days. Only after that would it be able to kill Junho and unleash Suna''s actual powers.


    Two days


    Once outside, Yeeun suddenly stood up and turned to Junho, looking perfectly fine. She was no longer faking her illness.


    "Weren''t you ill just a few moments ago?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.


    "Brother Junho, please listen to me very carefully," she begged. "This is very important! Your life is in danger."


    "What?" Junho frowned. What was this woman spewing? She looked terrified and for some reason, kept on ncing at the mansion as if something would jump out at them from it.


    "That woman in your house," Yeeun began. "That''s not Suna! That''s an evil spirit possessing her!"


    Junho took a deep breath, trying to hide his irritation. He knew pregnant women were hormonal but were they also this delusional?


    "It''s a spirit which has been possessing various bodies and killing off the spouses of the possessed person!" Yeeun went on. "I don''t know why it has possessed Suna but that woman in there is not your wife! It only has her body but it''s being controlled by an evil entity! You''ve got to exorcise her within two days otherwise-"


    "I appreciate the concern," Junho said in a cold tone. "But I think I can recognize my wife well. I don''t need you to tell me what she is and what she isn''t. I''m letting you go coz you''re her friend but the next time youe up with such nonsense, I won''t spare you."


    He turned away to leave but Yeeun spoke up.


    "Suna knows very well that my baby is a daughter," she revealed. "She took the sonography picture weeks ago! In fact, if you check her online history, she purchased some clothes for my babyst week. Isn''t it strange that she was referring to my baby as a boy?"


    Junho froze but did not turn around.


    "It was a slip of tongue!" he retorted. "Anyone can make this mistake."


    "If you don''t believe me, then why don''t you try to feed her peach or sprinkle salt on her?" Yeeun challenged. "You''ll know that thing in there isn''t human!"


    "I''ll do no such thing," he said firmly. "That''s my wife in there. The woman I love the most. If you insult her again..."


    He turned around to face her with a cold anger in his eyes. "I will not spare you," he warned. "Even if you''re in that state, I will not let you live peacefully in this country until you beg her for forgiveness. Understood?"


    But Yeeun stood her ground. "You might not believe me now," she said. "But I know that you will also see the changes in her. I''ll wait for you to see the truth. If you need someone to help you after you learn the truth, I''m only one call away. I just hope it won''t be toote by then."


    With that, she turned away to leave. Junho red at her. The audacity of that woman to insult his wife!


    "Crazy bitch," he cursed at her. I''ll never allow Suna to meet her again. Never.

 Chapter 324: Pages of the Past (7)

    Chapter 324: Pages of the Past (7)


    Little did he know that decision was going to be the one he would regret for the rest of his life. Everyday since Suna''s death, Junho wanted to turn back time and go back to that moment to smack his younger self into saving his wife. He wanted to curse at himself for being so ignorant and naive but the damage had been done.


    Time was not going to stop for him.


    When did he begin to realize that something was wrong with his wife? It was difficult to remember. All he knew was that, ever since that morning, Mina would not stop crying. The baby wailed all day as if scared of something.


    "Hush up my little angel!" Junho begged the child but she kept on screaming. She refused to leave her father''s arms and her wails echoed around the mansion. He tried everything. From trying to give her toys and food to dancing the strange dance Minho did but nothing worked. The baby was unable to tell what was wrong but kept on crying.


    "Suna!" he called for his wife for the umpteenth time. "Suna! Mina is crying too much! She needs you!"


    His wife did not respond immediately but came out of the room, shuffling slowly as if in some kind of trance.


    "Suna, the baby is crying way too much!" Junhoined. "She won''t listen to me at all!"


    "Huh? What?" Suna asked in confusion. Her eyes were hollow and she seemed very tired. Junho would not have called for her but seeing how Mina was crying on the top of her lungs, there was no other choice.


    "Help me calm her down!" Junho eximed. "Here, hold her. I''ll go and prepare more milk for her.


    He handed Mina to her mother who stared at the baby as if she was seeing a stranger. Mina paused in her crying and stared back at her ''mother'' before using her tiny paw to hit her cheek. The baby was squirming, trying to hit at Suna as if trying to get away. Soon, she was crying again.


    "What is going on with her?" Junho asked irritably from the kitchen. "Why won''t she stop crying?"


    Mina always calmed down whenever she was with her mother. But now she was crying louder than ever.


    The baby struggled with her life to get away from Suna. She had sensed that the woman holding her was not her mother. Babies knew the scent of their mothers and they had an underlying sixth sense which helped them to identify their mother.


    But there was a strange scenting from Suna which scared the little baby and she was desperate to get away, as if wanting to warn her father that this was not her mother. Suna was holding the baby carelessly. She waspletely under a trance, unaware of what she was doing.


    The baby was still struggling in her arms. Suddenly, Mina jerked and was on the verge of falling down. Suna kept on staring at the baby, not tightening her grasp. She simply stood there, limp and zoned out. Junho, who had just emerged from the kitchen with another bottle of milk, yelped and rushed forward to catch the falling baby.


    He wrapped his arms around his daughter who was now sobbing hard against his chest while his wife was limp.


    "Suna! What the hell is wrong with you?" he scolded her. "Mina was about to fall down!"


    "Huh? What?" Mina!"


    Suna broke out of her trance and realized what she was doing. "I...I" she stammered, puzzled by what was going on.


    "I''ll take care of her!" Junho said sharply. "You should go and rest. I''ll call the doctor in the evening."


    Suna bit her nails in fright. She could not remember anything sincest night and no matter how much she tried, her memory was nk. Why was she acting like that?


    She slowly went back into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. Maybe Junho was right. She needed rest. Lying on the bed, she pulled the cover over her to sleep. Her mind was muddled with too many things and she just wanted some peace and quiet.


    She closed her eyes, falling into a light sleep. She was all alone in the room with the windows closed and the AC was turned on. Somewhere, in her unconscious state, she felt as if something was crawling over her. A heavy weight was on her chest, where it felt like someone was sitting on it. She frowned in her sleep and rolled over.


    The cover over her was slowly sliding away, exposing her to the cold air. Suna felt her mind was awake but her body was locked. Her eyes were still closed but she could see and hear everything around her.


    Panicking, Suna breathed heavily as her mind tried to order her body to move. Everything around her was blurry but she could not move even an inch. She tried to open her mouth to scream for help but to her shock, she could not make a single sound.


    "Mmmpf!" she moaned but no one heard her plea. She waspletely locked in thatatose state.


    Help! She screamed in her mind. Help! Junho!


    Suddenly, she felt something cold touching her feet. She tried to shove it away but her feet were stuck in that position. Something crawled over her body, touching every bit with its cold, lifeless hands. The creature was now on her chest, slowly making its way up


    "Time to take a tour of hell, my sweet"


    A sinister whisper reached her ears, raising goosebumps over her limp body. The creature got off her body and grabbed her hand.


    "Wakey wakey!" it said gleefully, pulling her off the bed.


    "AHHHHHHH!"


    Junho came running into the room to find his wife had fallen on the floor, screaming. She was crying and looked distraught, backing away in a corner.


    "What happened?" he asked, rushing towards her.


    "T-there was something in here!" Suna imed. "It spoke to me...Something was in here!"


    "You mean someone broke in?" Junho frowned, scanning around the room. The windows were locked and the door was closed too. No one could enter the house that too in broad daylight


    "Not someone!" Suna eximed. "Something! Something was in here"


    She was incoherent. How was she going to exin to him about what she had seen?


    "You were dreaming, darling," Junho said in a gentle tone. "The doctor said that postpartum anxiety can create someplications. You just gotta take your medications-"


    "IT''S NOT MY ANXIETY!" Suna shouted, startling Junho. She was not acting like her usual self at all. Unlike her usually witty self, she was being scared and delusional which made no sense.


    "Calm down," he coaxed her. "I''ll call the doctor and he''ll look into this. It was just a dream. Nothing else."


    Suna was unable to exin it to him. She knew that something had broken out of the otherworld and was now targeting her. Yeeun''s warning was echoing in her ears.


    Was it that spirit? Was he now targeting her?


    Junhoy his wife on the bed and picked up the bedside telephone to dial Doctor Cheong''s number. He spoke to him for a few minutes before hanging up.


    "Doctor Cheong ising," he told his wife. "He''ll do a check up and give some medicines. You''ll be fine, alright?"


    He kissed her forehead and held her hand.


    "Where''s Mina?" Suna asked, looking around.


    "Minho has her," he assured her. "She''ll be fine with him."


    Suna nodded in relief. It would be better if she was kept away from her baby for a while until she figured out what was happening to her.


    What is happening to me? She bemoaned.

 Chapter 325: Pages of the Past (8)

    Chapter 325: Pages of the Past (8)


    The doctor checked Suna''s vitals while Junho and Minho watched from afar. They had put Mina to sleep with great difficulty because the baby refused toe anywhere near Suna. She was sleeping soundly in the baby room while the doctor checked on her mother.


    Suna looked pale and thin which rmed Minho. His mother was healthy just the day before so what happened to her?


    "Dad, what''s wrong with mom?" he hissed but Junho shook his head and turned to the doctor.


    "Doctor, what''s wrong with her?" he asked. The doctor looked puzzled by the case.


    "She seems to be fine," he replied. "Her vitals are good. Blood pressure is normal and the medicines we gave her for anxiety are also working fine. But you said that she had thinned down in one day, right?"


    "Yes!" Junho imed. "She was finest night but ever since this morning, she has been thinning and haven''t even eaten anything properly. She seems lost and confused."


    "Well" the doctor hesitated to ask the question. Junho frowned.


    "What is it?" he demanded.


    "How are the rtions between you and your wife?" the doctor asked. "Don''t get me wrong but a lot of times, the rtionships between husband and wife are affected after the birth of their baby. And herbor this time was quite difficult. It''s not umon for couples to drift apart after a long pregnancy period"


    "What nonsense!" Junho barked. "We''re fine! No arguments and no problems. Both of us take care of the baby! I took time off from my work to look after Mina so that my wife isn''t burdened!"


    The doctor retracted and looked a little guilty. Minho looked from his father to the doctor who was now prescribing medicines.


    "Just make sure she eats well," he said. "And I''ve increased the dosage of the medicines. Feed them to her on time. And if anything else goes wrong, just call me."


    Junho gave him a stiff nod and watched him leave. Sunay on the bed, trembling.


    "I''ll go and get you some food," she heard her husband say. She did not reply but kept on staring at the ceiling above her. Minho stood there and observed his mother. There was something wrong with her expression but he could not pinpoint it.


    "Mom, are you alright?" he asked but Suna did not respond. He took a step towards the bed and held her hand. Suna was still staring at the ceiling, unaware that her son was holding her hand.


    "You''ll be alright in no time," he assured her. "I''ll take care of Mina till then-"


    "Minho," Suna finally said. "Do me a favor, will you?"


    "Yes mom," he replied.


    "Whatever happens, don''te into my room for the next few days," she instructed him. "Don''t bring Mina here either. Stay...stay away."


    Minho was shocked by her orders. Why was he telling him to stay away?


    "But Mina-"


    "Tell one of the servants to breastfeed her for a while," Suna went on. "But don''t bring her here. Whatever you do, I don''t want the two of you toe here. Understood?"


    "But-"


    "Promise me!" she begged, not taking her eyes off the ceiling. "Just don''t"


    Tears were falling from her eyes which shocked Minho. He had never seen his mother cry and it was scaring him. She had given him a very difficult order and he was not sure how to carry it out. How was he going to take care of Mina without her? But it seemed so important to his mother


    "Alright," he said with a heavy voice. "I will take care of her."


    He kissed her forehead and left the room to let his mother rest. But Suna could never rest. All her sleep was gone because of the dilemma which was hanging over her head. Literally.


    Her deadpan eyes were watching the dark web which had formed on the ceiling, slowly devouring the white walls. It was looming over her, whispering things which she could not fathom. The voices in her head were tormenting her, making her insane.


    "Open it" their cold whispers echoed in her ears. "Open it"


    No! She told herself. No! I''m not going to!


    A loud cackling soundughed in her ears. "But you will" it said. "You will open it when he dies."


    No! No-


    The web fell on her, engulfing her weak body into its midst. She had no energy to fight it off no matter how much she tried. It kept on wrapping its curtain of darkness around her, putting her into a deep sleep.


    .


    Junho entered the room, holding a tray of food along with a separate salt jar. Suna was sitting on one edge of the bed with her back turned to him.


    "Suna," he called his wife lovingly. "I brought porridge for you."


    His wife did not reply but kept on facing the wall. She was stooping a little and rocking back and forth. Junho was puzzled by her unresponsiveness. He put the tray down and approached his wife.


    "Suna," he called again. This time her head perked up. Junho touched her shoulder.


    "You''ve got to eat," he coaxed her. "It''s for your health-"


    Suna suddenly turned around, shocking Junho to the core. He yelped and jumped back, confused and scared by the sight. His wife was crawling on the bed like an animal, making low growling sounds.


    Blood dripped from her mouth and her teeth shed like sharp canines. The front of her shirt was red and stained with tiny organs. Junho slowly looked on the floor and finally saw the dead rat which was lying there. His eyes widened in shock and he was scared of his wife who was wheezing at him.


    "Mighty Hwang Junho is helpless in front of his wife!"


    A deep, manly voice came out of his wife''s lips.


    "Suna...wh-what are you doing?" Junho stammered. "T-this is-"


    The thing on the bed let out a loudughter and in a sh, jumped on the wall. To Junho''s shock, it was climbing up the smooth wall like a spider, hissing and growling at him like a wild animal. It waspletely out of control and gloated on its victory.


    "Soon, your wife will no longer be in here!" itughed. "And I''ll take over her body! Unless she does what I want her to do"


    It giggled, taunting Junho as it stood upside down on the ceiling, eyeing him with a crazy mania. Her kind eyes were full of rage and madness which was going to devour everything in its way.


    "Suna!" he yelled. "Snap out of it!"


    Suddenly, the thing pounced on him. On a reflex, Junho leapt aside but the entitynded near the table where the food tray was kept. In the ensuing shake, the salt jar fell over and some of the white powder sprinkled on its feet.


    The entity hissed in pain and fell back. Seeking his chance, Junho grabbed the remaining salt and sprinkled it on the thing possessing his wife. It screamed in agony before temporarily leaving Suna''s body.


    Suna fell back in shock, feeling weak and helpless. Junho caught his wife before she could fall.


    "Suna!" he cried. "What was-"


    "It''lle back" she whispered. "And even salt... won''t be able to stop it"


    Before she could tell anything else, she fainted. Junho clutched his wife tearfully. For the first time in his life, he waspletely unsure of what to do.


    "Save her," he prayed. "Please save her"

 Chapter 326: Pages of the Past (9)

    Chapter 326: Pages of the Past (9)


    "UGH!"


    Yeeun clutched her stomach. A sharp pain had jabbed her and she dropped theundry basket she was carrying. Slumping on the stairs, she leaned against the railing.


    Hearing her cry, Shujin came running out of the kitchen.


    "What happened?" she asked in worry when she saw her daughter holding her stomach. "Did your water break? But there''s still two months left!"


    "N-no!" Yeeun gasped. "But i-it hurts a lot!"


    "Let''s take you to the hospital," Shujin said, helping her daughter to stand up. "I keep on telling you not to work so much but you never listen to me! And that useless husband of yours isn''t here either!"


    She half carried her daughter towards the car and hurriedly drove towards the hospital. Unbeknownst to them, the phone in their house was ringing and after a while, a message was recorded in it.


    "Yeeun? Is this Yeeun''s ce?" Junho''s desperate voice came out of the voice message. "I''m Junho, Suna''s husband! I think...I think you were right. Suna has been possessed. She''s acting very weird. Please call me back as soon as you can!"


    Back at the mansion, Junho put down his phone, anxious and scared. He had barred Minho froming into the room and had locked it shut. As soon as Suna had lost consciousness, he tied her to a bedpost, unsure of what else to do. He had no idea about the thing that had possessed her and it was going to wake up any minute.


    The only thing he knew was that the entity feared salt. He quickly sat at his desktopputer and turned it on. On the search bar, he typed, ''Paranormal things afraid of salt''.


    Instantly, thousands of articles popped up and he scrolled through the, looking for the appropriate one. He clicked on one written by a man named Shinjin.


    "Salt is a purifier which scares most ghosts and demons," he read. "As one of the core ingredients used in many rituals to purify the soul of a dead person and also in religious practices, spirits are temporarily weakened by it. Demons are also affected but throwing salt on very powerful ghosts or demons only hinder them temporarily. It does not chase them awaypletely. Only a licensed exorcist can perform exorcisms and that too after a lengthy process of seeking application. Every exorcism needs a permission from the church or the clergy so it''s nearly impossible to perform exorcism on all spirits."


    Junho tried to find the contact number of the writer but there was none. He was frustrated and helpless.


    "You think you can fight me?" Suna''s croaked voice came from behind him. No, not Suna. It was a monster.


    "What are you?" Junho demanded. "A spirit? A demon? Why are you after my wife?"


    It let out aughter which sent chills down Junho''s spine. He had never heard such a sinisterugh. It was full of malice, a raw hatred which was going to devour everyone in its way.


    "Your wife is too stubborn," it hissed. "She won''t do what I want. But that doesn''t matter. The more she refuses, the easier it''ll be to achieve my goal. I can feel the powers rushing through her veins. She''s a powerful one! And I''ve hit the jackpot!"


    It cackled again, crouching like a feral animal. Its eyes were watching Junho with a strange glimmer. One more day, it chanted in its head. One more day and I will get what I want.


    The entity had chosen the perfect one this time. It had spent years trying to find the Transporter, moving from one body to another in the same bloodline. But none of them had awakened their powers like this one had. She had gone to the other realm many times but that was not enough. For its ns to seed, the Transporter must give a heavy sacrifice. The gate required a toll and once that was paid, it could force her to open the Gates of Hell.


    And for that, she must sacrifice her other half.


    The entity licked its lips as it stared at its real prey. Junho was still trying toe up with a solution to his wife''s problem but there was no concrete help given anywhere.


    He was now helpless. Time was ticking out and there was no one to aid him. He was truly alone.


    .


    "I''m afraid we''ll have to keep her at the hospital for now," the doctor said, examining Yeeun''s vitals. "Her blood pressure had gone up and she needs to be kept under observation. If it keeps rising, she can lose the baby."


    Yeeun gripped her mother''s palm in fear. Lose Gayoon? It would kill her if she lost her baby. Shujin was also scared for her daughter. She had already suffered so much because of her ex-husband and now if she lost the baby


    "She''ll stay!" Shujin said at once. "We''ll do everything we can to protect our little Gayoon."


    "We''ll prepare the bed for her," the doctor said. He instructed a nurse to lead Yeeun to the chamber where she would be observed overnight. Shujin held her daughter''s palm in assurance.


    "You''ll be fine," she told Yeeun firmly. "I''ll go home and bring your night bag. You should rest, alright?"


    "Mom, stay please!" Yeeun begged. "I don''t want to be alone here. Just tell one of your workers to pick it up for us."


    She was pleading to her mother with herrge doe like eyes. Recently, there had been many spirits around her which had distressed her and she was afraid that if she was left alone, more would pop up. It would only increase her pressure and endanger the child in her womb.


    "Alright," Shujin sighed and patted her head. They entered a ward where Yeeun was given medications andid down to rest. The nurse administered a prescribed anesthetic to her and lef the room. Shujin stayed beside her daughter, gently patting her head.


    "Mom," Yeeun began sleepily. "Suna is in danger."


    "What makes you say that?" Shujin frowned.


    "Lately, a few spirits have been warning me that an unknown entity is targeting the Transporters," Yeeun revealed. "But they can''t tell why."


    "It''s just a trick," Shujin warned her. "Remember, not all spirits are friendly. If someone is targeting Transporters, then why would the spirits warn you?"


    "What do you mean?" Yeeun mumbled in confusion. Her eyes were getting droopy with sleep as the medicines'' effects kicked in.


    "If an entity really is looking for Suna," Shujin began. "Then it would be discreet and stealthy. Letting rumors spread which could reach a Seer''s ears is dangerous because Seers can see the entity. That will expose them to exorcism. If an entity is sending spirits to you, then it must mean that it''s using you to find the Transporter."


    She nced at her daughter who had fallen asleep. She sighed and got up to post charms on the window and the door of the room. Reciting a small prayer, she sprinkled some salt on the window''s ledge to keep the spirits away.


    "Sorry little Gayoon," shemented. "You''re being born in an unwanted hell. I just hope you can live a better life than your mother."

 Chapter 327: Pages of the Past (10)

    Chapter 327: Pages of the Past (10)


    "What do you mean we can''t see her?" Minho demanded. He was furious at his father who had not let him meet their mother for the past two days. No matter how much he begged his father, the man would not budge.


    Junho had sent away all the servants and there were just the four of them in therge mansion. The main bedroom was locked at all times with Suna in it and the children were not allowed to meet her. Mina had been crying almost nonstop for her mother but Junho was forbidding Suna from even holding her.


    Minho was not understanding why his parents were so hellbent on keeping them away. They would not tell him anything.


    "Minho, your mother is sick and the doctor has forbidden her from meeting anyone right now," Junho said firmly. His forehead was sweating and he looked as if he had aged in two days. The little boy was confused and wanted to see his mother. He tried to peek through the door but Junoh blocked the way.


    "She''ll meet you once she recovers," he assured him. "Just give it some time-"


    "Mina is crying for mom!" Minho insisted. "I can''t calm her down anymore! She needs her mother!"


    Junho was helpless. "Son, just a few more days," he begged. "She''ll be fine. I promise! Just take care of your sister. Please"


    Before Minho could argue, Junho went back into the room, locking it behind him. Suna was lying on the bed,pletely unconscious and drained. Her skin was chalky and pale while her eyes sunk into her sockets. Her once rosy lips were dry and her hair had thinned in two days. Junho waspletely in the dark about what to do with her.


    She slowly opened her eyes and looked at her husband who was distraught.


    "J-Junho"


    "Suna!" he eximed. "Is that you?"


    She weakly raised her hand for him to touch. Junho held her palm, crying. "What do I do?" he asked her. "Why is this happening to you? I don''t know whom to call-"


    "I...I don''t have much time" Suna whispered. "Tonight, I''ll bepletely possessed"


    "No!" Junho insisted. "I won''t let it-"


    "You can''t stop it," Suna said. "No one can. It''s too powerful. This thing...this thing has been existing for god knows how many centuries. It won''t be easy to get rid of it. You must kill me at the right moment."


    Junho''s eyes widened in shock. "No!" he imed. "I will not do anything like that! We''ll call a priest! I''m sure I can find someone who can do it. Your friend, Yeeun! She can help. She told me-"


    "No!" Suna gasped. "Yeeun is pregnant. She can''t take the risk. It''ll kill her. You must kill me tonight at exactly 11:59 PM. Otherwise, it''ll be toote-"


    She suddenly began to cough violently. Clutching her chest, she kept on wheezing and coughing, scaring Junho. He rushed to grab a ss of water for her but she pped his hand away and bent over the bed''s edge to vomit out a ck liquid. Junho patted her back, trying to calm her but she kept on vomiting the strange bile.


    Finally, sheid back, panting for breath. Her skin was hot, too hot in fact. Junho measured her temperature and to his shock, it was nearing 115 degree celsius, much higher than the average for fever. If it went any higher, she would die.


    "Take the medicines!" he told her but Suna shook her head.


    "Junho...nothing will work" she said weakly. "It''s too..te"


    Suddenly, she gasped loudly and an invisible force pushed her back to the bed. She was writhing violently, her body being pushed and pulled from all sides. Junho jumped forward to keep her steady but something pushed him and he was thrown against the wall. Hitting his head, he fell unconscious.


    Suna was being picked up into the air and thrown back on the bed. She tried to scream but the entity''s invisible hands sped her mouth shut and she struggled hard to escape from its grasp but it was too strong for her. It kept on picking and throwing her into the air like a yoyo while the things in their bedroom were beginning to levitate.


    "Tonight, you''ll open the gates," the entity warned. "Your grief will wrench open the gates and I can finally be freed from this hell. You''d better do what I want, cunt!"


    Suna tried to break free but the entity toyed with her, levitating her in the air like a ragdoll. Junho wasing around, flickering his eyes open. He was shocked to see his wife was flying in the air with no support.


    As soon as he woke up, the entity let go of Suna and threw her aside. Junho jumped and caught her on time, before she fell on the ground and hurt herself. He held on to his wife, both of them weeping hard.


    "Free me, Junho," she begged. "Please...Please just free me from this suffering"


    She lost consciousness once again, her body falling limp. Junho kissed her forehead and looked up as if addressing the entity.


    "What do you want from us?" he shouted. "Why are you doing this? What did we do to you?"


    "Just let her go" he begged. "Spare her!"


    In the midst of his anguish, he heard the coldughter of an invisible being which was floating nearby. He might not be able to see ghosts or spirits but at that moment, he felt the entity near him, whispering curses in his ears.


    "Let the bitch go?" it sneered. "She''s my ticket to freedom. If you want her to live, then she must do what I said. Otherwise, the consequence won''t be good."


    Junho was quietly listening to its taunts. His insides were burning with rage and he wanted to rip the monster into shreds with his bare hands. But the entity was feeding on his helpless state, jeering at how the couple were failing to save each other.


    "You''ll die by my hands," the entity revealed. "And so will your family. You really think you can defeat me? I''m much more powerful than you can imagine. A puny human like you can''t defeat me."


    Junho did not reply but picked up Suna in his arms and gentlyy her on the bed. The entity was still leering at them, waiting for midnight when he would atst strike the final blow.


    "You''re overestimating yourself," Junho said. His eyes were burning with fury and he clenched his fists, trying to hold in his anger. "Even if you kill me, Suna will never do as you say. But if you want to kill me then make sure that you finish the job. Because if I survive"


    Was it on instinct or was it because of his obsession to defeat the creature who was ruining his family, Junho did not know. But he turned around and faced the invisible creature directly, unknowingly meeting its eye.


    "I will hunt you down to the end of the Earth and torment you until you beg for death but it''ll nevere," Junho swore. "So don''t forget to kill me off tonight. I''ll be waiting for you to strike, punk!"

 Chapter 328: Pages of the Past (11)

    Chapter 328: Pages of the Past (11)


    Yeeun was being supported by her mother as she entered the house. They had spent two days at the hospital where she was treated. Thankfully, the doctors said that her baby was fine and there were no majorplications. Finally, they were discharged in the evening and it was 10 PM by the time they reached home.


    Shujin helped her daughter to sit on a chair and rubbed her back.


    "You really need to rest well," she grumbled. "Being so reckless andmunicating with spirits even in this state. I''ll be damned if the kid ends up like you!"


    Yeeun giggled. "She''ll be very much loved," she told her mother. She rubbed her belly and added, "Aren''t you looking forward toing to this world, little Gayoon? I know you are!"


    As if in response, she felt a slight kick."See, she wants toe quickly as well!" Yeeun said cheerfully. Shujin gave her a smile before it faded and she was serious again.


    "She''sing with a strange fate," Shujinmented. "If only our family was normal. All the women being able tomunicate with spirits and ghosts. It''s not a good ability. I still recall the time before you were born. All those heinous monsters came to me for help and I was forced to aid them. And not all of them were good. Some remained with me for days and it was impossible to exorcise them. In my days, I was looked down upon by society. They shooed me away and I was treated as a curse."


    "But your father was a good man," she sighed. "He took me in and treated me with respect. He even learnt a little bit of exorcism so that he could drive away the bad ghosts. And then you came along. We were happy."


    She dabbed her eye which had teared up. Yeeun held her mother''s hand. Her father had passed away only a couple of years ago due to cancer and Shujin missed him a lot. It was a good thing that he did not live long enough to see Yeeun being abandoned by her husband otherwise it would have destroyed him.


    "We''ll be fine, mom," Yeeun assured her. "Both of us will raise Gayoon to be strong. She''s not gonna be afraid of ghosts. And one day, she''ll find someone who will love her despite her abilities. She''ll have a happy family too. You''ll see!"


    Shujin gave her a small smile. Yeeun was very optimistic and never let her sadness get in the way of living her life.


    "I should check the telephone messages," Yeeun said, getting up from the chair. "I''m sure someone must have called us to put orders for food delivery."


    Shujin nodded while Yeeun walked towards the telephone to press the answering machine. There was a beep.


    "Yeeun? Is this Yeeun''s ce?" Junho''s desperate voice came out of the voice message. Yeeun froze while Shujin looked confused.


    "I''m Junho, Suna''s husband!" Junho''s voice continued. "I think...I think you were right. Suna has been possessed. She''s acting very weird. Please call me back as soon as you can!"


    "Junho?" Shujin frowned. "Suna? What''s going on?"


    But Yeeun had gone pale with worry. She nced at the clock. It was the second day of the possession! In the midst of worrying for Gayoon, she almost forgot about Suna''s state!


    "Mom!" she eximed urgently. "We''ll have to save Suna!"


    "What happened to her?" Shujin asked, feeling worried.


    "I think she''s been possessed!" Yeeun revealed. "And if we don''t hurry, that thing possessing her will kill her family!"


    .


    Junho held Suna''s hand, as she slept. His wife had been unresponsive the whole day and she did not eat a single bite. The entity in her was driving her to a state of despair and madness. Her whole body was malnourished and no matter how much he tried, nothing was working. He even called up a church, begging them to exorcise his wife but they refused because they did not want to anger their supervisors with an unauthorized exorcism.


    "It will take weeks for the permission to arrive," the priest informed him over the phone. "Sorry."


    Hisst hope was on Yeeun but she had not picked up his call. After how he treated her, he did not expect her to get back to him.


    "Junho"


    Suna was now awake, looking at him. He straightened up, hoping that she was cured.


    "Can you.bring me some water?" she begged. "I''m...thirsty"


    "Yes!" he replied. "Of course."


    He picked up the water jar but it was empty. So he headed outside, locking the door behind him. As soon as he stepped out, he came face to face with Minho who was ring at him. He had been suspicious of his father for the past two days and was beginning to think something was wrong.


    "I want to see mom," he said.


    "No," Junho replied, walking past him but Minho was adamant. He blocked his father''s way, feeling fully determined.


    "I want to meet mom!" he insisted. "Mina is still crying for mom and you''re not letting us meet her! What did you do to her? Tell me!"


    "I told you, she is sick!" Junho yelled at him. "Can''t you understand that she doesn''t want to see you right now? Do you want her to be more sick?"


    "You''re lying!" Minho eximed, trying to get past his father but Junho held him back, trying to pull him away.


    "MOM!" Minho yelled, pulling away from his father but Junho''s grip was too strong. The little boy was helpless as Junho pulled him to his room and threw him in there. Junho was hurtin inside for being unable to answer his son''s questions but there was no other way. What if that thing tried to harm the children? Mina was already crying hard whenever she was around Suna and if Minho saw her in that state


    "She''s sick," Junho said coldly, mustering all his willpower to keep Minho away from Suna. "Don''t bother her."


    He closed the door, leaving Minho to angrily re at him. As long as Junho was around Suna, he would not be able to meet his mother.


    I''ll have to try again tomorrow, he decided.


    Meanwhile, Junho went to the kitchen and poured water into the jar. He went back into his room, locking the door behind him. To his shock, Suna was not on the bed.


    "Suna?" he called. "Where are you?"


    No response. He looked frantically around the bed and even under it, but she was nowhere. Moreover, on the floor were strange symbols. Suna had drawn a circle with an eye in the middle of it with her own blood.


    "What the-"


    Then a low growling voice came from behind him. He spun around only to be lunged at by Suna. She jumped on him, brandishing a knife at Junho. Junho managed to barely grab her wrists to push her off but she was too strong.


    "DIE!" she growled. "DIE! DIE! DIE AND LET HER OPEN THE GATES!"


    The creature shed Junho''s face. Blood trickled from his cheek but he did not care. With one heave, he pushed her off him.


    "Suna!" he cried as the creature angrily groaned. "Don''t let it get to you-"


    But she jumped at him again, pushing him against a wall. Junho struggled to keep up with the strength of the creature which was desperate to kill him. The knife was pointed at him, nearing his eye


    "Junho"


    Suna was crying. Her body was no longer in her control but she was trying to hold on to the brief moments of sanity.


    "You must kill me" she whispered sadly. "If I livethen this thing will kill you! And it''ll achieve its goal. Only my death can stop it"


    "No" Junho said tearfully. Her body was still fighting against him, trying to stab him to death but her eyes were pleading. She was fighting off the spirit internally but it would not be long before it regained control.


    "You have to" Suna said. "It wants me! If I live, it''ll torment me! I''ll be stuck in its unending hell. Only you can save me...Please.darlingkill me"


    "No!" Junho cried but Suna had finally gained momentary control of her body. The hands which were trying to kill him now pushed the knife into his palm and held his wrist.


    "You have to" she said with a smile. Junho was crying and unwilling to do the deed. He could not kill her. He loved her more than he loved his own life. They were supposed to be together, grow old together and see their children happy.


    It was not supposed to be like this.


    "Your wife will beg for death!"


    The creature''s shrill voice rang through his ears. As if on impulse, Junho''s eyes wandered to the clock.


    "She''ll beg for death but I''ll burn her in this purgatory!" it sneered. "Your death will lead her straight to hell! You can''t win against me! I''ll make sure your wife''s soul is tormented beyond repair. She''ll never know a day''s peace from now on-"


    Its words were cut off by a sharp pain in the abdomen. Blood gushed out of its mouth and stomach and for a moment, in its shock, it met Junho''s eyes.


    A zing fire burnt in them which was worse than any hellfire. He was ring at the creature without any fear or hesitation. There was a strong determination and an eternal vow in them which he was going to keep till hisst breath.


    "This doesn''t mean I''m gonna stop," the creature sputtered. "I''ll find another body and finish my work!"


    "In that case," Junho said and pulled out the knife. He pointed at the clock. The creature nced at it and was shocked. It was 11:59 PM.


    "I''ll keep on hunting you until I destroy you," Junho dered.

 Chapter 329: Pages of the Past (12)

    Chapter 329: Pages of the Past (12)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: IF THIS NOVEL REACHES TOP 100 THIS WEEK, I''LL GIVE MASS RELEASE OF 5 CHAPTERS ON MONDAY!


    KEEP VOTING


    ...........


    Minho woke up in the middle of the night, feeling very thirsty. Mina''s coty next to him and she was sound asleep. Tiptoeing quietly across the room, he went downstairs to pour himself a ss of water.


    The house was very dark at that time of the night. His father had given the servants time off while he took care of Suna. But the quiet mansion felt ominous to the young boy who felt a little scared. Even the slightest sound made him jump as he made his way towards the kitchen.


    Suddenly, he heard something shattering on the ground. Jumping in fright, he spun around to see who it was but the sound came from his parents'' bedroom.


    "Mom"


    He rushed towards the bedroom but slipped and fell. For a brief moment, he froze on the floor as if held by an invisible force. He was not sure why he felt the irrational fear in his heart. Something was not right and his instincts told him to go to his parents'' room but his body was too scared. A cold air gushed by, chilling his spine. A low voice whispered in his ears as if it had just noticed him.


    "The gates of hell are opening"


    Goosebumps rose along Minho''s arms and he was rooted to his spot. Was it his fear or his imagination, he did not know but he thought that he heard a low cackle. As soon as the air passed by, his body loosened up and he was able to move again. He rushed towards Junho and Suna''s room with all his might.


    "Mom!" he yelled as he barged in. The sight that met his eyes was worse than anything he had ever encountered.


    His father stood over his mother''s lifeless form with an inscrutable expression on his face. He looked at his son dead in the eye, his voice devoid of any emotions.


    Junho was not shocked by his son''s appearance but the boy was now silently using him. Minho looked at his hands which were stained with Suna''s blood, still carrying the knife which killed her.


    "Why" Minho whispered but Junho had no answer to his son''s questions. He had killed his mother and that was the truth.


    "I''m sorry son" Junho said. Before Minho could react, he ran past him. His eye had caught a glimpse of a white orb which was flying away from them. Minho was frozen in his spot, left to deal with his mother''s corpse while Junho ran off to chase the thing which had destroyed his family.


    He did not look back, his sight on the orb which taunted him. It wasughing and giggling, challenging him to catch it. Never in his life had Junho felt such a rage. That thing which dared to kill his wife was now trying to escape but he was not going to let it go.


    He reached out to catch it but to his shock, it slipped right through his fingers.


    "You can''t catch me!" it taunted him. "You''re merely a human! You can''t stop me, Hwang Junho"


    But Junho chased it out of the gates barefoot, determined to punish it. That thing wanted to open hell right? Then Junho would send it to hell!


    He rushed through the empty road, still chasing the orb but it was flying off into the sky, well out of his reach. Junho did not know where he was running off to but it was toote. The orb had disappeared and was gone.


    "AGH!" he yelled in frustration and agony. "AHHHHHHHH!"


    His screams of helplessness echoed throughout the dested alleys. He fell to the ground, crying over his dead wife whom he had to kill. His heart was a mess and his thoughts in disarray. Their children...what was going to happen to their family now? Who would hold them together? Junho was lost and in shock by the events. The past two days had drained him of all energy and he just wanted the torment to end.


    Lights shed at Junho, rushing towards him. Thinking it to be a trick of the orb, he did not move but therge lights stopped short of him. It took him a while to realize that the lights were from a car.


    Yeeun emerged from the car followed by an old woman who might be her mother.


    "Brother Junho!" she gasped at his state. There was blood all over his hands and shirt. He still carried the knife in his hands. The old woman was also shocked at the man''s appearance.


    "Did he" she began but could not bring herself to finish the question. Yeeun was crying while Junho remained in shock but there was little time to waste. They heard the distant wailing of sirens which meant that the police were near.


    "We have to take him!" Yeeun told her mother. "Away from the cops! They''ll never believe him and will put him in jail!"


    Shujin nodded and together, they forced Junho to stand to his feet before shoving him into the car''s backseat. Yeeun revved up the engine and drove as fast as she could, away from the neighborhood. She did not stop until they reached home.


    Junho was still in a catatonic state so the mother and daughter had to heave him together to bring him inside. They dumped him on the couch but he was unresponsive.


    "We''ll have to hide him here until that spirit is caught!" Yeeun said. "There''s a chance he might never be able to meet his family again"


    The mention of his family seemed to have snapped Junho out of his catatonia.


    "Minho...Mina!" he eximed. He got to his feet and was about to run towards the door but Yeeun and Shujin held him back.


    "No, brother Junho!" Yeeun scolded him. "If you go now, you''ll be arrested!"


    "I...have...to go!" he insisted, trying to push them away but the mother-daughter duo was holding onto him with their might.


    "This isn''t gonna work!" Shujin dered. She hit a critical point on his head with the side of her palm and Junho fainted. Yeeun was shocked at her mother''s actions but thetter merely shrugged.


    "He was being a pighead so I had to resort to this," she said. "ce him on the couch. Or better, just tie him up."


    "Mom!"


    "He might try to run away!"


    Yeeun shook her head and together, they ced him back on the couch. Being a very tall and muscr man, it was difficult for both of them to carry him but somehow, they managed it. Gasping for breath, Shujin told her daughter, "You go and rest. I''ll make sure he doesn''t run off."


    Yeeun nodded. She had been ignoring the sadness in her heart but now, she must face it. She went upstairs and locked the door behind her. She tried hard not to cry but it was impossible to stop the tears. Her best friend had been killed and she was unable to do anything. If only she had been able to answer the phone earlier. Or not have left that day. Or maybe she could have called a shaman as soon as she found out. If only


    There were so many red gs but everyone ignored them, including her. The tears rolled down her cheeks and she slumped on the floor, crying hard. Her womb was also moving in an uneasy manner.


    "Are you sad too?" Yeeun asked. It was as if her daughter felt her sadness. But Yeeun could only cry helplessly that night. She recalled all the moments she spent with her friend, the happy times they had together. Suna was always the cheerful one, as bright as the sun. Whenever Yeeun was sad or depressed due to her ability, Suna would cheer her up and be by her side.


    Unlike Yeeun, Suna had the choice to use her ability whenever she wanted. She only used it to help souls move to the other side or to bring information for other souls whether their loved ones were in the World of the Dead. But after meeting Junho, she stopped using her abilities in an attempt to live a normal life.


    Sometimes, Yeeun envied her friend for having that much control over her abilities. She could not help it and perhaps, Suna knew it as well. But that did not dampen their friendship. In fact, their differences made them stronger.


    But now she was gone and Yeeun was left alone. But she knew that she was not suffering as much as Junho. He had to kill his wife to protect her. It was a choice no one should make. He went through something worse than hell that night. Not only did he lose his wife but was now a killer in the eyes of his family.


    For once, she hoped that she could see a ghost. Suna''s ghost. Did shee back?


    "If you''re out there, can you show yourself?" Yeeun wondered out loud.


    Silence. No pale figure popped up. It was then when it finally hit her.


    Suna was gone.

 Chapter 330: Pages of the Past (13)

    Chapter 330: Pages of the Past (13)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: IF THIS NOVEL REACHES TOP 100 THIS WEEK, I''LL GIVE MASS RELEASE OF 5 CHAPTERS ON MONDAY!


    KEEP VOTING


    ...........


    *Present*


    "When I woke up the next day, Yeeun and her mother showed me the news clips of how I was being held responsible for Suna''s murder," Junho said. "I couldn''t return to normal society and the two of you were taken in by Lawyer Lee. And who would have believed me? All evidence pointed at me that I mistreated Suna whereas it was the entity."


    Minho was quiet all this time, listening to his father. Surprisingly, he did not feel any hate nor was he resentful towards the man anymore. He was seeing his father in a new light. The distance between them could not be bridged that easily but at least they were trying to be more honest with each other.


    "But at times, I couldn''t help myself," Junho went on. "Sometimes, I used to sneak out to check up on you. I heard that you were attending an academy out of town so one day I went to check on you. This was a couple of years after Suna''s death. When I asked the guard about you, he revealed that you were taken to the hospital"


    "It was you."


    Minho finally realized. That voice he heard at the hospital after he was beaten up by those teachers. Junho was the man who sang to him!


    "It was," Junho revealed. "I went there to check up on you and I overheard the doctors talking about the teachers who had beaten you up because you were sneaking off to call Mina"


    Minho was not sure how to react to it. He had spent so many years hating this man and now, it was impossible to feel that way anymore. A strange feeling crept up in his heart which was a mixture of gratefulness and guilt. He did not dare to meet Junho''s eyes but downed his drink.


    "So all these years, you were staying with Gayoon''s family while searching for the thing that killed mom," he said in a hoarse voice. "Did you ever find it?"


    Junho stared at his half empty ss. There was a secret he had hidden from everyone including Gayoon. Did he have the strength to reveal it?


    "There''s another secret which you should know," he said in a grim tone. "Something even Gayoon doesn''t know."


    Minho stiffened upon hearing those words. The way Junho was putting it, he felt as if it was not the end of the story.


    "That entity is not an ordinary ghost," Junho exined. "I doubt it''s even the spirit of a dead person. I have been trying to chase it for years, researching its origin. If you hadn''t opened the gate to the other world, I wouldn''t have known what sort of ''hell'' it was talking about. It led me to do some digging and I found out that spirits and poltergeists aren''t the only type of creatures which roam the Earth. There are other entities which we''re not aware of. Monsters, guardian angels etcetera. We just don''t see them out in the open like ghosts and spirits are."


    Minho subconsciously knew that. After his brush with grim reapers, he had been wondering if there were other sort of creatures too which went unnoticed.


    "I did meet this entity in another ce," Junho revealed. "It doesn''t only go from one Transporter to next in the hopes of opening the gates. It also needs a stable body, a body to return to. While it''s away, the vessel it uses remains protected by a servant. The servant is usually an ally who worships this entity and follows all themands it gives."


    "You see, after Suna''s death, I became obsessed with finding it. I stayed locked for weeks to practice exorcism rituals and how to fight it off. I wanted to destroy it so that I could return to my family. It was the sole reason for my living. I managed to track down the exorcist, Shinjin, and told him about my troubles. He confirmed the fact because he was also looking for that thing. Shinjin also told me that he had tracked the entity down at a ce south of the city. It had its vessel there and if his tip was correct, the creature was going to change its vessel that night. I had to go."


    Minh noticed that Junho was now gripped with guilt and sadness which rmed him. "What happened that night?" he whispered.


    ..


    *shback*


    Yeeun was carrying a tray of food to Junho''s apartment upstairs. She had been feeling uneasy for the past week. Her due date had passed ten days ago and the baby was still not ready to be born. The feeling of carrying the baby was now very ufortable and her movements were very slow. It took all ounce of her energy to climb the stairs but she must take care of Junho for Suna''s sake.


    His behavior was worrisome. Ever since that night, Junho was fixated with revenge, thinking of nothing else. He was obsessed with finding that entity and stayed shut in his room all day and night to practice various spells to ward off ghosts. While Yeeun understood his desire for revenge, it was his obsession which rmed her.


    I have to talk to him, she decided. As soon as she reached his apartment, Junho bustled out of it. He looked very excited for some reason.


    "Yeeun, I was justing to you!" he eximed, locking the door behind him.


    "What happened, brother Junho?" she asked. "Are you alright?"


    "I found it," he revealed. "I found that monster! Shinjin tracked it to a house south of the city. We''re going there now!"


    He found the entity? She wondered in confusion.


    "You can see the spirits, right?" Junho stated. "Come with me. You can help us confirm the location of the spirit and even its appearance. So that if it escapes the body, we can capture it with your help."


    "I"


    "Come on!"


    Junho looked so excited that Yeeun did not have the heart to refuse him. Ignoring her uneasiness, she nodded and followed him to the car. He started the engine with his spare key and they drove off.


    Half an hourter, they stopped in front of an apartment building. Yeeun frowned upon seeing that the entity was using a public space for its vessel.


    "It''s possessing someone in here?" she asked.


    "Yes," Junho replied. "A young man in his twenties who lives here with his girlfriend. The girl is actually the servant who protects the body while the entity is gone toplete its task."


    Another car pulled up in front of them and stopped in front of them. Shinjin came out of it, holding arge bag.


    "Ah the Seer is here!" he eximed. Yeeun was not sure who the funnily dressed man was but Junho seemed to know him.


    "I''m Shinjin," he introduced himself. "Junho told me about your abilities. We''ll need your help in distracting the servant."


    "Are you an exorcist?" She asked curiously.


    "Yes," he said, pulling out another heavy bag. "I''ve been chasing this thing for a long time. Years ago, it possessed a young woman and tried to kill her husband. I tried to exorcise it out of the woman but turns out, the man was the one who was possessed. It killed the wife and when it saw that its goal wasn''t sessful, it fled. Since then, I''ve been tracking it."


    He gave one bag to Junho and said, "I''ve bribed the guard already. He''ll let us in. The apartment number is 609. Yeeun will help us in capturing the servant. Now listen to my n."


    He exined the n to them. Junho nodded while Yeeun was apprehensive.


    "I don''t know about this" she said with uncertainty but Junho shook his head. He was determined to capture the entity at all cost.


    "Don''t worry," he said. "We''re here. As soon as we capture the servant, you can return to the car. We''ll do the rest."


    He patted her head to assure her. Yeeun bit her lip but she also wanted to see the entity being punished for what it did to her friend. She nodded and said, "Let''s do it."


    All of them nodded and headed towards the apartment. It waste at night so most of the residents were asleep. They stepped into the elevator and pressed the button to the 6th floor. The trio were silent during the elevator ride, nervously awaiting the lift to stop at the designated floor. Yeeun could feel her heart thumping and there were many ways this thing could go horribly wrong.


    But it was probably their only shot at catching the wily entity which changed bodies quite frequently. They might not even be able to track down the next vessel.


    The elevator stopped at the sixth floor and they stepped out. Junho and Shinjin took their positions behind a pir while Yeeun walked towards the apartment number 609. She clutched her stomach, letting her uneasiness show on her face and rang the doorbell.


    A woman in her early twenties opened the door. Yeeun was breathing heavily, causing the woman to be rmed. In the midst of her acting, Yeeun felt a cold presence somewhere in the house, perhaps sleeping.


    "Are you alright?" she gasped.


    "N-no," Yeeun panted, still clutching her stomach. "My husband is out for some work and my water broke. C-Can you drive me to the hospital?"


    She held up her car keys for the woman. Thetter was a little confused as if she did not know whether to do it or not. But seeing Yeeun''s distress, she said, "Okay. I''ll drive you there."


    The woman picked up the house keys, stepped out of the house and locked the door behind her. She was half carrying Yeeun towards the lift when Junho jumped out from behind the pir and pressed a cloth on the woman''s mouth.


    "Mfph!" She tried to struggle but the chloroform was too strong and she was knocked out within seconds.


    "Hide her behind the wall," Junho instructed. "And take the keys."


    Yeeun yanked the keys and threw it to him. Shinjin hid the woman behind a wall before following Junho to the main door. They unlocked the door and entered. Yeeun was about to go inside as well when she felt a strange sensation in her womb. She looked down and was shocked to see liquid flowing down her legs.


    Her water broke.

 Chapter 331: Pages of the Past (14)

    Chapter 331: Pages of the Past (14)


    Junho and Shinjin quietly made their way towards the bedroom. The house was dimly lit and there was no other furniture in the whole ce. The two men were carrying sticks imbued with holy water and salt to assault the spirit.


    They stepped into the living room and were momentarily stunned. In the middle of the living room was arge circle with an eye in the center.


    "This symbol" Junho muttered.


    "I''ve seen this symbol too," Shinjin replied. "When I was trying to exorcise the other couple, it was there. This entity had drawn it in every house it was in."


    "But what are these gates it keeps talking about?" Junho wondered.


    "I don''t know," Shinjin said. "Let''s ask that thing ourselves."


    Junho nodded and they slowly walked towards the bedroom. Low music yed from within. Junho raised his hand and opened the door.


    "Is that you, Myra?"


    The voice of a young man probably in his twenties came from somewhere within the room. But there was no one in sight. It wasing from the bathroom.


    Only a gramophone at one corner yed the music. Unlike the other rooms, this one was fully furnished with a very strange decor. Red furry wallpapers were stered on the walls and the floor was also carpeted with a matching color. The windows were tightly shut and instead of a bed, there was arge box in the middle of the room.


    Junho slowly opened the box. It had only a bunch of thick books with leather bindings. The books looked very old and some of them were peeling. Junho was about to close the trunk but Shinjin stopped him.


    "Let me take some of these books and try to decipher them," he suggested. He picked up some of the books and piled them in the bag he was carrying.


    They heard the bathroom door click.


    "It''sing out!" Junho mouthed. Both of them positioned themselves on either sides of the bathroom door, ready to attack.


    The door opened and a foul sulphur smell engulfed them. Junho almost gagged but managed to keep his cool while Shinjin winced. The stench was intolerable and they heard the footsteps of that entity emerging from the bathroom.


    A young man stepped out of it, wearing nothing but a towel. His back was facing them, his pale skin glowing under the dim light. The young man paused in his steps.


    "Myra, are you there?"


    This is it! Junho realized. The voice was different and so was the body but Junho could never forget the cold tone the entity possessed. It was devoid of all emotions and humanity, leaving nothing but an emptiness in its voice.


    Without thinking, Junho leapt forward to hit it.


    "Got you."


    In a sh, the entity turned around and grabbed him by the throat. Junho dropped the salt stick as he was being throttled. To his shock, the entity had grabbed Shinjin with its other hand, slowly killing both of them. But the most shocking thing was the appearance of the entity.


    Never had Junho seen such a vile face. Could it even be called a face anymore?


    Staring at them was a creature withrge spider-like eyes. It had a snout instead of a nose while ck good like substance dripped from its forehead. It had no lips but a full set of sharp teeth which were snarling at them. Its skin was peeling off, making it look almost skeletal like.


    "What...is...this" Junho managed to say but the entity onlyughed.


    "You...you are a feisty one, Hwang Junho," it leered. "You wouldn''t give up even after I showed you the horrors I can create"


    Shinjin was struggling to be free and save themselves but the entity was too strong. He tried to reach out for his bag whichy only inches away.


    "You killed your wife," the entity taunted Junho. Upon hearing the mention of Suna, he froze. The grief was overwhelming him again and Suna''s image shed before his eyes. Her smile when he had to stab her was haunting him till that day


    "You lost everything, Hwang Junho," it imed. "It''s over-AHHHHHH!"


    The entity let out an ear shattering scream and let go of them. Yeeun stood at the bedroom door, holding a can of salt. The entity red at her but she kept on throwing salt at it.


    "A Seer!" it yelled. Despite her difort, Yeeun backed it to a corner.


    "What do you want?" She shrieked. "Why are you killing so many innocent people?"


    The entity let out a loudughter which sent goosebumps along their arms. "I just want to be free!" itughed. "When I''m done with all this, I''ll be finally free!"


    Yeeun raised her hand to sprinkle more salt at it but suddenly, a lightning struck in the room. The entity bent backwards and opened its mouth wide. Junho reached over to shield Yeeun while Shinjin grabbed his bag and took out more holy water.


    Millions of moths came flying out of the entity''s mouth, flying at great speed. The body it upied copsed, dead and rotting while the moths spread all over the room, attacking the trio. Yeeun yelped when several of them attacked her while Shinjin''s holy water was of no use against so many of them.


    "That thing is still here!" he yelled. "It''s not leaving because it doesn''t have a permanent body!"


    "I''m not leaving without killing it!" Junho roared. He began to chant a spell but the moths flew at him, interrupting the spell.


    "You can''t catch me with those feeble spells," the entity''s dark voice came from somewhere above them. "Now I''ll show you what I can do"


    Suddenly, the moths vanished and the room cleared out. Junho and Shinjin stood up, confused by what was going on.


    "Where is it?" Junho demanded. "Where did it go?"


    "It''s still here!" Shinjin imed. "I know it is. It''s"


    His eyes widened in shock as he realized what had happened. Slowly, he turned around to face Yeeun. Junho followed his gaze and observed Yeeun who was looking down.


    "Yeeun?" Junho called. "What-"


    "She''s weak," Shinjin realized. "She''s in a weak state because"


    As if in agreement with his words, blood began to flow from in between her legs. Yeeun was now snarling at them, her eyespletely yellow.


    "She was inbor!" Junho whispered.


    "And now it had possessed her," Shinjin added.

 Chapter 332: Pages of the Past-Conclusion

    Chapter 332: Pages of the Past-Conclusion


    Yeeun snarled and pounced at Junho like a wild animal but Shinjin was quicker. He took out arge nket from his bag which had a symbol of a star enclosed by a circle. Junho was trying not to hurt Yeeun but she kept on scratching and punching at him.


    "Break out of it!" he yelled at her. "Yeeun!"


    But she was possessed and could not hear what he was saying. Somewhere in her mind, she was fighting to stay in control but the pain in her body was too much for her to bear. Shinjin quickly wrapped the nket over her which momentarily froze the entity within her.


    "We''ll have to tie her up and create a salt circle around her!" he yelled. Junho quickly took out the ropes from the bag and tied her limbs. She wasing to her senses but it was difficult to tell if it was the entity or Yeeun herself. They ced her in the middle of the room and drew the circle around her using the salt they brought. The circle was firmly glued to the floor to prevent the salt circle from breaking.


    "You''re toote, Hwang Junho!" the entity spat from beneath the nket. "You can''t save anyone! You''re worthless. A worthless piece of shit-"


    "SHUT UP!" Junho roared at it. Shinjin was worried about the impact the entity was having on the former tycoon. He had lost all his cool and if that happened, the exorcism would fail.


    "Junho, it''s trying to distract you!" Shinjin eximed. "Don''t react to its words otherwise it''ll never leave Yeeun''s body."


    Inside her subconsciousness, she heard someone screaming but who was it? She did not know. Her mind was muddled and confused. Something heavy was clenching her stomach and it was paining every few minutes but she could not fight it. There was no energy left in her.


    "I''ll kill this one and her baby too!" the entity yelled. "You can''t protect them, Hwang Junho!"


    Junho was now trying to keep himself calm but it was impossible against the monster''s taunts. His hands trembled as he flipped the pages.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," he chanted. "You who have wreaked havoc in the lives of many with evil deeds. The heavens are awaiting to punish you for your sins. Go back to where you belong and never return!"


    He sprinkled holy water on the entity which screamed in agony. Blood was now flowing faster from Yeeun''s womb and she had very little time.


    "Junho, you''ll have to keep repeating the chant!" Shinjin yelled. The ground beneath them was shaking and Shinjin slipped, falling on his back. The entity was levitating Yeeun in the air,ughing madly as it spun her around.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," Junho repeated. "You who have wreaked havoc in the lives of many with evil deeds. The heavens are awaiting to punish you for your sins. Go back to where you belong and never return!"


    "Loser!" the entity cackled. "That''s what your wife thought of you!


    Junho paused, his insides boiling. The nket fell off Yeeun and the entity''s monstrosity was maligning her pretty face.


    "She never thought of you as a man!" it teased him. "You were simply a meal ticket for her! You really think she loved you?


    "Shut up" Junho muttered, unable to face the fact that he had killed his wife. He knew what that thing was saying was a lie but the mention of Suna''s name only triggered him.


    "She told me how much she despised you!" the entity imed. "She hated you for not being able to save her.


    h you who had gone astray"Junho tried to say but words would note out of him. Shinjin took over the ritual.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," he chanted. "You who have wreaked havoc in the lives of many with evil deeds. The heavens are awaiting to punish you for your sins. Go back to where you belong and never return!"


    But the entity spat at him. "You don''t have enough conviction to get rid of me!" it yelled. "I''m gonna destroy this woman too!"


    While the entity taunted the two men, Yeeun was in a constant battle with herself in her head.


    I have to goshe told herself. But go where? She had no idea. Her mind was telling her to fight but whom should she fight?


    Help meshe begged. Someoneanyone


    She closed her eyes, tormented by what was happening to her. Her heart was heavy with inexplicable grief and she just wanted it to go away.


    "Mommy"


    A child like voice echoed somewhere in her subconsciousness. Her eyes flew open and in front of her stood a child of around eight years old. She had the same long hair and dark eyes as Yeeun.


    "Mommy, that uncle needs your help," the child said. "Didn''t you promise you will help him?"


    The child stared at her withrge round eyes.


    "Gayoon"she whispered.


    "Mom, help him," the child insisted. "Go back! We might not meet for a long time, but I''ll never let you go. I promise! But help him"


    Meanwhile, Junho had lost all his strength. The entity was right. He had killed his wife and now, another person was going to die because of him. It was all his fault.


    "Junho, don''t give up!" Shinjin begged. "That girl needs your help!"


    "I can''t save her," he said. "I can''t save anyone"


    He had totally given up. The entity''s coldughter echoed in his head, torturing him with the images of his dead wife and the hatred in his son''s eyes. He was a murderer.


    "Fight him."


    Both the men looked up in shock. Yeeun had regained her strength and even in that painful state, she was warding off the entity with all her willpower.


    "This is your only chance!" she yelled. "Don''t let it win! Even if you don''t kill it off today, you can still defeat it!"


    When Junho did not respond, she begged him with herst strength.


    "Brother JunhoI''ll not survive today"she revealed with great difficulty. "But my childshe''ll need you. Please, don''t give up! I can only rest in peace if you''re there to take care of herplease"


    Her earnest plea made Junho''s eyes tear up. She was also crying but smiled at him warmly, holding no malice or hatred. For her, he was a dear brother whom she wanted to protect on behalf of her best friend.


    "Please"she pleaded. "Fight it today. You don''t have to win. But don''t be afraid of it anymore"


    Her eyes began to contort again as the entity fought to take over her. Yeeun fought it with her might, trying not to let it win.


    "You little bitch!" the entity cursed her but was struggling to cope up with her renewed strength.


    "Junho you-" Shinjin turned to face his friend but thetter had stood up. There was a fire burning within Junho as if he had gained a sudden surge of strength.


    "Oh you who has gone astray," Junho whispered. "You who have wreaked havoc in the lives of many with evil deeds. The heavens are awaiting to punish you for your sins. Go back to where you belong and never return!"


    Using all his energy, he sprinkled the holy water on the entity which screamed in agony. Yeeun was also in pain as herbor advanced but she kept on holding to dear life. The entity within her was slipping away as Junho tearfully threw more holy water at her, chanting the spell repeatedly.


    "Oh you who has gone astray. You who have wreaked havoc in the lives of many with evil deeds. The heavens are awaiting to punish you for your sins. Go back to where you belong and never return! GO!"


    The entity let out an earth shattering scream and opened Yeeun''s mouth. A dark smoke erupted out of her as it left her body. Shinjin closed his ears but Junho heard the scream until itpletely vanished, leaving Yeeun to die.


    As soon as it was gone, Junho rushed to pick up Yeeun. Shinjin helped him to take her down the elevator and they carried her to the car. Stepping on the pedal, they sped to the nearest hospital.


    .


    Junho was stone faced and silent when Shujin came bursting into the hospital. She was still wearing her nightgown but she did not care.


    "Where''s Yeeun?" she demanded from Junho. Shinjin, who was still there, spoke up.


    "She''s in the birthing room," he informed her. "The doctors are still treating her. But she lost too much blood"


    "Blood" Shujin slumped on the bench, crying. Junho did not have the heart to tell her what happened.


    A doctor stepped out of the operation theater, looking grim. He took off his mask, bracing himself to face the family.


    "It''s a baby girl," he dered. "She''s healthy. The nurse took her to the nursery where she will be kept until she''s discharged."


    Shujin let out a sigh of relief but the doctor''s next words shattered herpletely.


    "But" the doctor began, feeling hesitant. "We couldn''t save the mother."


    Shujin fainted from the shock. Shinjin and the doctor held her, thetter ordering the nurse to take her to a ward. But Junho stood up and quietly wandered around. He was aimlessly walking through the corridor with no end in sight. How could he face Shujin again? How could he tell her that his daughter died because of him.


    I need to get away from here, he decided. He did not have the courage to face her questions.


    Walking quickly past the rooms, he was about to head towards the lift when a loud cry made him pause. It wasing from the nursery.


    He was hesitant to go in there. Yeeun''s baby was in there and it was his fault that her mother died. But the baby''s cries propelled his feet to move on their own. He moved not towards the lift but to the nursery. There was only one cot upied that night. As if in a trance, Junho was walking towards it. Upon reaching down, he looked down.


    The baby was wrapped in a pink nket. She hadrge eyes just like her mother and the baby was crying loudly, its tiny hands pointing at something as if it was scared. Junho knew that this baby was also born with Yeeun''s ability. What was it seeing? A ghost?


    "Is there a scary ghost there?" he whispered at her. As if answering his question, the baby only cried harder. He took out some salt and threw it at the direction her hands were pointing. Instantly, the baby stopped crying.


    "You must be so scared," he said. He reached out to carry her in his arms and the baby was giving him a curious look. She reminded him of his own daughter whom he left back home. Mina had her brother but who was protecting this child?


    The baby yawned and closed its eyes, feeling veryfortable in his arms. Junho did not put her down and cradled her in his arms, unwilling to let go of her. His heart ached upon thinking that she was an orphan. He could hear Yeeun''s words in his ears, coaxing him to protect the tiny life he held.


    "From now on, you don''t have to be scared anymore," he promised. "Junho ahjusshi will take care of you. I''ll be your parent. So don''t worry about anything and go to sleep."


    The baby slept in his arms, blissfully unaware of whaty ahead of her while Junho doted on her, vowing to protect her forever.

 Chapter 333: Paper Plane

    Chapter 333: Paper ne


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: IF WE REACH TOP 100 THIS WEEK, I''LL GIVE 5 CHAPTER MASS RELEASE ON MONDAY!


    KEEP VOTING!


    ...


    *Present*


    Junho took a long sip from his ss. He had ended his tale but the pain was still there in his heart even after so many years. Minho had been quiet all this time, listening carefully.


    "Why didn''t you tell Gayoon or her grandmother about this?" he finally asked. "I''m sure they won''t me you for Ms. Yeeun''s death."


    "They won''t," Junho agreed. "I do. I will always me myself for her death."


    A long silence followed those words as they quietly sipped their drinks. The puzzles had finallye to create a picture. All these years, Minho wondered why his father had killed his mother. He had been ming the wrong person but Junho was also ming himself.


    And that entity


    "Did you ever find out what it was?" Minho asked.


    "No," Junho admitted. "Strangely, it has been quiet for months. I know it''s still around, biding its time. All I know is that it needs one stable body for a few years in order to keep its powers. While that body is being used, the entity can go in and out of it while searching for other Transporters. I never understood what sort of gates it was walking about. Then when your abilities were discovered, I realized that maybe it was talking about the World of the Dead-"


    "It wasn''t talking about the World of the Dead," Minho said. Junho frowned at him but Minho was fairly confident of his theory.


    "How can you be so sure?" Junho asked.


    "Mr. A," his son simply replied. "When I went there to save Gayoon, Seungjo talked about Mr. A. He was partnering up with some other soul to conduct something in that ce. Mr. A already knows how to enter that world but the gates...the gates to whatever it is he''s looking for is in that world. He''s not unlocking something from the living world. He''s unlocking something in the dead world."


    "And toplete that," Minho went on. "He needs a Transporter. When Seungjo kidnapped Gayoon to that world, Mr. A wasn''t after her. He was merely baiting Seungjo. He wanted to see if I could enter it."


    "And he did," Junho realized. "But he couldn''t use his usual tactics to possess any of you because Gayoon and Jina could sense ghosts. If it tries to possess you, they''ll sense its presence. And you have a much stronger mental prowess than your mother had at that time. It''ll be very difficult to possess you."


    "It must be looking for another way to open the gates," Minho concluded. "All these years and it had continuously failed. So it''s probably seeking some other method. A method which would not require a possession because it''s already too conspicuous. One of the reasons why it''s probablyying low. Maybe it found a way and is simply waiting for the right time."


    He paused as another thought struck him.


    "Gayoon''s powers," he began. "She told me a few times that even for a Seer, her ones are unusual, right?"


    "Yes," Junho said slowly.


    Minho did not say anything but was lost in thought. The thing which possessed both their mothers was not a conventional spirit but they still did not know what it was. If he could only find out


    "There are many unanswered questions," he sighed. "I guess, we''ll have to keep looking."


    Junho observed his son for a while before speaking up. "I thought you''d hate me," he admitted. "Take me to the police if you ever met me."


    "I wanted to hate you," Minho confessed. "Even when I was inviting you to the bar, it took me a lot of willpower to not hand you over to the cops. But after the events at the World of the Dead, I guess I had to open my mind to the possibility that there might be a truth beyond what we see."


    Junho snorted. "Look at us. Tangled in this mess all coz of a guy who''s looking for hell gates to open."


    "I doubt he''s truly looking for hell," Minho said. "If he is, then he''s simply looking at the wrong ce."


    "You''re saying that there is a hell?" Junho frowned. Minho could not help but recall someone''s words in that question. There was only one answer to it.


    "Yes," he replied. "There is. And it''s in our own lonely minds."


    Before Junho could ask anything else, Minho stood up to leave. "I don''t hate you," Minho admitted. "I guess I was angry at you for leaving us. But I don''t hate you."


    Junho could not bear to meet his eyes but was taken aback when Minho gave him a brief hug. There were years of gap to fill between them and the father-son did not know what to tell each other. But the small hug said it all.


    "I''ll not tell Gayoon anything about her mother," Minho promised. "But I know you will. And she''ll understand."


    Minho let go of his father and turned to leave. He was almost at the exit when Junho said, "Thank you. For listening."


    He turned to face his dad. "Thank you. For telling," he stated and left.


    There were no tears nor any emotional reunion. Instead, an unspoken understanding was established between them which was much more impactful than any joy or resentment. When Minho stepped out of the bar, he felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off of his chest. Years of relentless search and questions were finally answered, freeing him from the shackles of his past.


    And he knew that it was the same for Junho as well.


    .


    The fire at the hospital had finally been put out. The patients were shifted to another hospital. Gayoon and her team reported back to the headquarter about their progress. Since a body was not found, it was assumed that the fire hadpletely destroyed Danny.


    Doyoung''s statement was clear. She told the police that Danny attempted to take the hospital hostage by heating up the furnace beyond normal heat levels so the police worked to evacuate the ce. Gayoon had saved Siwan and her while Danny slipped and fell into the furnace, effectively ending his reign of terror. The other staff said that Danny had entered the premises with a gun and tried to create havoc but when he was cornered, he escaped into the furnace room. This corroborated with Doyoung''s story.


    The next few weeks were hectic. The media reported the fire and many conspiracy theories surrounded Danny. Some tabloids reported that there were sightings of the children''s spirits at the hospital who were wronged by Danny. Even though this particr gossip was correct, no one was going to believe it.


    Gayoon and her team worked relentlessly to finish the case reports and finally, the police concluded that Kang Danny was dead. In the meantime, Minho revealed to her and Mina about Junho''s rtionship with them. Both the women were shocked but eventually epted it. Mina even visited Junho on her own, this time as his daughter. The two of them never revealed what they actually talked about but one of the servants found a miniature dollhouse in Mina''s room which was not there before.


    The case was closed while Doyoung sold off thend to Minho. She used the money to set up a fund for the children who were killed by Danny.


    Minho, on the other hand, was pleased to get thend. Shinjin had purified it after the police left but when he heard that many people were creating conspiracy theories around it, he indirectly fueled the me. Leaving the ruins as it is, he turned it into a haunted site where amateur ghost hunters woulde to investigate after paying a fee. Even though the poltergeist was gone and the ce was now harmless, some people imed they saw things moving there which were merely their imagination.


    "Better to make money out of it than keep itpletely barren," Minho reasoned when Gayoon threw him a dirty look after he told her about that idea. Not surprisingly, the idea was a hit and a few weeks after the incident, the new haunting spot became a ce for youngsters to hang out.


    Meanwhile, Jina had been discharged from the hospital. She even became friends with Siwan after the kid apologized to her ("Meh! I got to bunk school so it''s okay!" was all she said). He even visited her almost everyday much to the delight of Shinho but to Yumi''s chagrin.


    "If he dares to fill our Jina''s head with evil ideas, I''ll rip his tongue off!" she warned one day when Siwan hade over to y with Jina. Casper made some hand gestures.


    I think she already has many evil ideas in her head, he conveyed. Yumi scowled at him and turned her attention back to the kids. Siwan was teaching Jina how to build a paper ne.


    "See, it''s easy," he said as he held up the ne in his hand. Jina frowned at his perfectly made ne and then to her crumbled craft.


    "It''s too hard!" sheined. "I''m supposed to suck only at maths! Not at this!"


    "Just try harder!"


    He shook his head at her clumsiness. Jina scratched her head as she tried to make the ne. Shinho, on the other hand, was whispering instructions into her ears on how to make one. He wanted to send a message through the ne. If it flew high enough, it might reach his mother.


    "Why do you want to make a paper ne anyway?" Siwan asked curiously.


    "I want to send a message to someone in the sky," Jina simply said as she finally managed to make one.


    "In the sky?" Siwan echoed.


    "If it flies high enough, it might reach my grandmothers!" Jina imed. Siwan stared at the ne in his hand.


    "I want to send a message too," he murmured. "But will he read it?"


    "Who?"


    "My brother," Siwan revealed. "I wonder if he''ll read it. I want to say sorry for not being able to protect him."


    Jina blinked in surprise. "Are you sincere?" she asked softly.


    "I am," he admitted. Jina nced at Shinho who was now silently crying. The kid wanted to hug his brother but held himself back. She quietly held his hand as he wept.


    "Then he''ll hear it from here," Jina smiled. "You won''t need a paper ne."


    Siwan was confused by what she meant but Jina did not borate and simply went back to making more paper nes.

 Chapter 334: Stop Being a Monster

    Chapter 334: Stop Being a Monster


    "Take a deep breath," Mina instructed the patient who sat before her. She listened to the patient''s heartbeats through her stethoscope before putting it away to measure the pulse. The patient was a woman in herte twenties who was suffering from erratic heart beats which caused her blood pressure to fluctuate.


    "Do you eat a lot of high cholesterol food?" she asked.


    "No," the woman replied. "I''m usually on diets because of my work. I''m a PR person at apany so I always have to look my best. I eat mostly sd, soup and boiled meat."


    "What about exercise?" Mina inquired.


    "Daily half an hour jogging."


    "And your work life bnce? Is it normal? Do you overwork a lot?"


    "I usually return veryte at night," the woman confessed. "I have to work almost till 1 am everyda due to the nature of my work. There are many office events too. And on weekends, I''m busy with conference calls from other countries. We have clients there too."


    Mina noted everything down. "Well, we''ll need to do an X-ray of your heart, " she finally said. "To see if there''s anything abnormal forming in it. But from what you said, it seems as if your abnormal routine is to me here. I see that you''ve also written that you sleep for less than three hours every night and you don''t even snack between meals. Dieting is important but if done the wrong way, it can have bad consequences on your health."


    "I''m writing you up a new diet chart," Mina went on. "With food good for the heart. And also some medicines you need to take this week. Conduct an X-Ray ande back next week. Alright?"


    She scribbled down the instructions and a prescription before handing it to the woman. The woman thanked her and left.


    Just then, a nurse came in. "Doctor Hwang your next patient is here," she informed Mina.


    Mina, who was busy writing on her notepad about the patient she had just received, did not reply but motioned the nurse to call him in.


    "Pleasee in," the nurse told the patient. Mina was so absorbed writing her notes, that she did not notice the man who had just sat across her.


    "Busy day, huh?"


    She froze and looked up to see Haejong sitting there, observing her.


    "What are you doing here?" she frowned.


    "I''m still a patient, remember?" he reminded her, pointing at his heart. Minapletely forgot that he was supposed to have his heart examined that day. The bullet wound had been deep and Haejong still needed asional outpatient treatment every month.


    "I have the x-rays," he said, pushing a file in front of her. Mina did not reply but picked up the file to read it.


    "So far, everything is normal," she stated. "Do you feel any pain? Or difort anywhere?"


    "Now that you mention it," Haejong recalled. "I think the wound has swollen."


    "What?" Mina frowned. "Swollen?"


    "It''s red and a little full," he imed. "asionally itches."


    "Take off your shirt and lie on that bed there," Mina ordered. "Let me take a look at it."


    She went back to reading the files while Haejong smirked and got on the bed. He took off the shirt andid back, waiting for her to examine him. Mina put the file away and picked up her stethoscope. She walked towards him and began to examine his wound.


    The operation had left arge scar on his chest. It was a very difficult procedure and Mina only recalled how stressed she was that day. Not only was she operating on a mafia don but if she had failed, his minions would have killed patients in the hospital.


    She gingerly touched the wound with her gloved hands. Haejong felt his heart beat faster when she touched his skin and despite his ploy to use her against Kanji, he could not help but slightly blush. Mina was unaware of the reactions he was having, focused on her work.


    "A little higher," he told her. Mina kept on pressing lightly on his chest, trying to feel any abnormality.


    "That kid we found in the woods," he began. "I saw the news. His picture was on it. His dad killed him, huh?"


    "Yes," Mina sighed. "Some people are just in monsters."


    Haejong was quiet while she kept on feeling his chest. "Do you think I''m a monster?" he asked.


    "Does it matter what I think?" Mina asked, still focused on her work. "How do you see yourself as?"


    "I''m a mafia leader!" Haejong snickered. "Of course, I''m a monster! Didn''t you tell it yourself? I kill for fun."


    Mina met his eyes, wary of the man who was constantly messing up her life. "Yes, you are," she said. "But the question is, will you keep living like one? I mean, if you wanna be someone like Kang Danny, then go ahead. Live your life just like you''ve been living all this time. But the next time you''re shot in the heart, I might not be able to save you."


    "But you will operate on this monster the next time he gets shot?" Haejong slyly asked her.


    "I''ll operate on all those who lie on my operation table," she said. "And I see that you are not hurt anywhere so you can get up now."


    She was about to pull her hand away when Haejong caught it and pulled her towards him. Mina was startled and fell on the bed. Before she could react, he flipped her, pressing her beneath him while he towered over her.


    "What are you doing?" she eximed. "Let me go!"


    Mina red at him but Haejong was amused. "Tell me something doctor," he whispered. "How does one stop being a monster?"


    "What?"


    He held her hands to her sides, rendering her unable to struggle. She tried to push him off but he was too strong for her.


    "Let me go!" she hissed. "This is a hospital! And I''m your doctor!"


    "Then tell me how do I kill the monster in me," he insisted. His face was very close to her to the point she could whiff his cinnamon musk scent. It was strange to be in such close proximity with a guy like him. But he was giving her an intense gaze which was almost impossible to escape from.


    "Just start being yourself," she gritted. "And the monster will die on its own."


    They stared at each other for a while, Haejong feeling interested while Mina was simply tired of this strange back and forth between them. Finally, the grip on her hands loosened and he was about to let her go when the door burst open.


    "What-"


    Kanji stood there, shocked by the scene. Haejong lifted himself off Mina while thetter was bbergasted at Kanji''s sudden appearance at her chamber. He was revolted and looked as if he was going to rip Haejong''s arms out.


    Haejong smirked at his rival as he put on the shirt while Mina tried to exin herself.


    "Kanji, listen to me," she began but Haejong cut in between them.


    "Hello Jang Kanji, right?" Haejong asked, pretending to forget Kanji''s name. "I''m sorry you had to see that. Doctor Hwang led me to the bed to examine my wound but both of us tripped-"


    Without a word, Kanji grabbed Haejong by the cor and pushed him roughly against the wall. His eyes were full of rage and anger at what Haejong was doing.


    "Kanji!" Mina shrieked, trying to pull him away from Haejong but Kanji was not going to listen to her.


    "What the hell are you doing to her?" he yelled. "Why are you here? What''s your purpose? Stop messing with Mina!"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about!" Haejong spat.


    "Kanji, let him go!" Mina ordered. "He''s my patient! You can''t treat him like this!"


    "Oh and you''re treating him like a doctor should?" Kanji retorted. He was being irrational but his jealousy overtook his judgement and he simply could not stand seeing Haejong near Mina. What he witnessed caused him to snap and his suppressed anger wasing out.


    "You''re mistaken!" Mina shrieked and used all her strength to free Haejong from Kanji. Thetter let go of Haejong, who calmly fixed his cor.


    "I didn''t expect your friend to be so possessive," he remarked.


    "Shut up!" Kanji yelled at him and was about to attack him again but Mina stepped in between them.


    "Kanji, for god''s sake stop behaving like a brat!" she scolded him. "I told you! You''re being mistaken! He''s just my patient and nothing more!"


    But Kanji''s anger and grief had taken the filter off his mouth. "I get it now," he scoffed. "Since I''m no longer avable for you, you''re hugging his thigh, right?"


    Mina was shocked to hear those words. Even Haejong raised an eyebrow at his words.


    "Aren''t you crossing the line, Jang Kanji?" he questioned Kanji. But Kanji was ruthless, angry at Mina for putting up with Haejong and also at himself for choosing his own fate.


    "You''re now running after his money!" Kanjiughed a sardonicughter. "Because my money isn''t enough-"


    SLAP!


    The sound of the p echoed through the room. Mina''s lips quivered in anger while Kanji''s cheek was red with her handprint sshed on it. His words cut deeper than a knife in her heart, effectively scarring it forever. The remnants of their friendship were gone, leaving behind nothing at all.

 Chapter 335: Rivals

    Chapter 335: Rivals


    None of them spoke for a while. Haejong watched their silent war. Kanji was unaffected but Mina was quivering in anger. Unlike her usually fiery temper, she was calm and cold which was even more ominous.


    Keeping her feelings under control, she said, "Get out of here and nevere back. I won''t tell my brother about today''s events but from now on, don''t talk to me. I''ll be cordial to you in public for the sake of my brother, but that''s it. We''re no longer friends. Goodbye, Jang Kanji."


    Kanji did not reply but stormed out, leaving Mina alone with Haejong. Thetter opened his mouth to speak but Mina cut across him.


    "I''ve checked your wound and it''s not inmed," she stated, turning away. "If you feel any itching, don''t touch it. It''ll be ufortable but leave it alone. I''ll add a medical powder to help with the itching. Use it in the morning and at night before going to sleep."


    Haejong wanted to say something but he was not sure what he was about to express. He had deliberately tried to provoke the couple and his men had secretly texted him about Kanji''s arrival so he timed his moment with Mina ording to that.


    But for once, he did not feel right. He was feeling...guilty. Even though he wanted Kanji to suffer, seeing Mina like that was making his heart ache. Her face was turned away and it did not seem that she was crying. In fact, she was putting up a farce to keep herself distracted.


    Without saying a word, he left the chamber. He did not look back because if he did, he would have seen her tears. Pacing up his steps, he darted towards the exit.


    "Jang Kanji!"


    Kanji stopped and turned to face his rival. Both of them dropped their acts and were now ring at each other.


    "You knew that I was setting her up," Haejong stated. "And yet, you yed into my trap. Why?"


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Kanji shrugged. "I was calling a spade a spade."


    "Liar."


    They looked at each other with steely eyes, analyzing the rival in front of them.


    "The heir to the Jang empire is weak for a woman," Haejong sighed. "So weak, that he would break her heart in order to keep her away from his darkness. That little act you did in there, you were trying to make it seem that your rtionship with her was over so that I don''t used her as a pawn against you. Isn''t it right?"


    "So you do know who I am," Kanji said. "But that woman means nothing to me. She''s just my best friend''s sister and that''s it. So don''t waste your time on her. She''s of no value as a pawn."


    He turned away to leave but Haejong''s next words made his spine chill.


    "What if I''m interested in her?" Haejong challenged. Kanji spun around in shock.


    "She hates murderers and both of us know that we''re the leader of some of the deadliest gangs in this country," Kanji gritted. "She''s better off not knowing about this! Why are you trying to plunge her into this darkness?"


    "At first, it was to destroy you"


    Haejong took a step towards Kanji, facing him upfront. Both of them stood tall, not flinching from their stance.


    "But now, I''m interested in her. And you''ve made my job easy," Haejong said. "She hates you for what you''ve just said so you''re out of the game. It''s my turn now."


    WIth that, Haejong brushed past him, leaving his rival to stand alone outside the hospital. Kanji''s fists were clenched and he wanted to hit something. All he wanted was Mina to be happy in a blissful world. She did not belong in his dark and lonely life because it would suck out all the happiness from her.


    "Damn it!" he cursed, tears filling his eyes. "DAMN IT!"


    Minho was in his study, poring over Junho''s words. It was evident from his father''s tale that whatever it was that possessed his and Gayoon''s mothers was not an ordinary spirit. Junho had told him about the couples who went through a simr possession but the pattern they had followed was not the correct one. The entity was not possessing one half of a couple and killing the other half. It was possessing transporters from Minho''s bloodline.


    It seemed that his mother''s bloodline had spread to other regions and countries over the centuries. The family tree wasrge and there might have been many Transporters in history but the trail went cold. Unlike Gayoon''s family which had a crystal clear ability, his family''s abilities did note to fore until they somehow slipped into the other world.


    Did the entity simply find one branch of his family and was following it blindly until it reached Suna? After his mother, Minho was the sole Transporter who had entered the World of the Dead. He did not explore it fully but was it possible that there was a world within that world? Something that the entity was searching?


    Mr. A...Was this the same entity which partnered with Park Seungjo? How else would Seungjo enter that ce? Was it possible that the entity used Seungjo to kidnap Gayoon so that Minho is forced to enter that world and use his abilities? That would make Minho a target as well.


    "But he did not try to possess me," he muttered. ording to Junho, it was because of Minho''s strong mental prowess. Their difficult childhood and brush with CCK had strengthened Minho. Moreover, with Gayoon and Jina''s influence, he was beginning to ovee many of his faults.


    Leaning forward in his chair, he opened hisptop. He typed the phrase ''paranormal forums'' into the search bar. Instantly, thousands of articles popped up which led to different paranormal sites. Minho browsed through and clicked one forum. He signed up under an anonymous name and entered the site.


    He was not sure if it was a legit site or not. The interface was dark with a strange castle like structure at the back. Minho clicked on the bar and wrote ''yellow eyed entity hell''.


    He skimmed through the articles, dismissing the unimportant ones. Most of them were talking about hell and its punishment which were of no interest to him. He kept on scrolling until he stopped at one particr article.


    "The Gates of Hell will open again."


    "This is" Minho''s eyes widened in shock and he opened the article.


    "A year ago, I was living in a neighborhood where a man was possessed by a dangerous spirit," the writer wrote. "He lived next door to us and was a very friendly guy. Kind of old, like in his sixties. But one day, he began to act very strange. He spoke in a very old dialect, almost ancient. His voice grew deeper and he no longer slept at night. Once, I caught him standing in the middle of the road and his eyes werepletely yellow! And by yellow, I mean yellow. There were no pupils and it was so scary. The man stood in the middle of the street as if in a trance. We took him to the hospital but the doctors were shocked to find that the man''s insides were rotting as if he had been dead for days! But the man regained consciousness and escaped the hospital. Till date, we don''t know where he went. However, there was one phrase he kept on repeating. It was ''Gates of Hell will open again''. When the caretaker went into his house to clean it up, she was shocked to find the drawing of a circle on the floor. At the center was an eye and we were very scared. The guy was doing some kind of hocus pocus and had summoned a dangerous spirit. Soon after, we left the house and never looked back. We never knew what possessed him but it scared the bejeezus out of us."


    Minho frowned, his mind deep in thought. This was simr to what Junho said.


    "This old man must be the permanent vessel," Minho realized. He searched ''Circle with Eye'' into the browser''s search bar. Several simr articles popped up but none of them gave him any clue about this symbol.


    Then a thought hit him. Perhaps this symbol is not in this world but elsewhere...

 Chapter 336: Yin & Yang

    Chapter 336: Yin & Yang


    PLEASE CHECK THE COMMENT SECTION FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON MONEY LOVING CEO''S SEQUEL!


    .......


    Junwan had summoned Gayoon into his room to talk about a few new cases which had popped up. Thetest one was a gang war which was erupting between two of the country''s most notorious mafia factions.


    "Gang war?" Gayoon frowned.


    "Hmm," Junwan replied. "Ever since the death of the previous head of the Lin faction, the rivalry between the Jang family and Lin family had intensified to the point of bloodshed. All this time, it had been a mere cold war but now it''s a nuisance to us."


    He took out the photographs of a few dead bodies. Gayoon examined them. The victims were well dressed men but she immediately recognized some to be notorious gangsters who controlled much of the underworld.


    "This is Yang Jay," she pointed at one of the pictures. "One of the most dangerous drug lords. And this guy...his codename is Eagle. A gold smuggler."


    "Yang was from the Lin faction while Eagle from the Jang family," Junwan stated. "While the Jang''s are known to smuggle mostly gold and illegal consumer goods, they pose a threat to the Lin''s because they control most of the trade routes. The Lin''s are into the more dangerous trades like drugs, gold and illegal substances. They also control several gangs which are notorious for assassinations and murders. Jang''s, too, carry out methodical assassinations but only if they''re paid for by a government or legal entity."


    "They''re like yin and yang but in a more twisted way," Gayoon muttered.


    "But it all changed when the heir to the Jang family killed off the previous head of the Lin faction," Junwan went on. "A few months ago, the body of Lin Cheng had been found in a construction site. He had been killed by the Jang''s for sure."


    "How can we be so confident that Jang''s did it?" Gayoon asked. "He had many enemies, right?"


    "Because the bullet found in his body was a special one," Junwan revealed. "Only the Jang family''s top most members possessed this bullet. It''s been specially made for them. Which means only the mysterious head of the Jang family and his heir used this bullet. If my information is correct, the heir to the family is now handling all the business. He was the one who ordered the kill or in this case, killed Lin Cheng and dumped his body into the cement. But the construction workers found the body the next day and informed the cops."


    "The Lin''s ced Cheng''s grandson in charge and he''s more ruthless than his grandfather," he went on. "He''s cracking down on all the Jang family members and is aiming to kill the leaders. These guys won''t back down until one of them is sessful."


    "Do we have any pictures or identity of these people?" Gayoon asked.


    "Sadly no," Junwan sighed. "They operate in the shadows. We only have their surnames but let''s face it. Thousands of people have these surnames in the country and not all of them are rted to crimes! These two have been careful in hiding their identities. And now, they''re killing each other''s men openly. It''s a challenge to their rivals."


    Challenge huh? Gayoon wondered. Killing each other''s men simply to challenge their rivals. What sort of a twisted rtionship was this?


    "In a way, they''re cleaning up the crimes from the street," Junwan winced. "It''s ironic right? But the higher ups are now pressurizing us to stop their menace. Thetest victim, a member of the Lin n, was killed in broad daylight in a cafe. What if a civilian had gotten hurt? Or worse? We''d be theughing stock!"


    "I''ll find them," Gayoon promised. "And bring an end to their madness."


    She picked up the files and left the room. Sitting down on her chair, she studied the files carefully and looked over the MO of both the families. Even though they were rivals, the Jang''s and the Lin''s had so far kept a good grip over the other underworld gangs. No one could dare to operate without their permission. The families had so far maintained a strained rtionship based on a fragile truce treaty.


    But it all changed when the Jang''s murdered Lin Cheng. Somehow, the mystery of Lin Cheng''s murder was the key to this war. If the murderer was apprehended before the Lin''s could get their hands on him, then this blood war could stop.


    Let''s find out then, shall we? Gayoon vowed.


    .


    Shinho was sitting on the floor watching Jina whose brows were furrowed in concentration. Lately, she had been learning how to draw. It was almost an obsession for her now because she wanted to perfect her art and draw her invisible friends. Yumi got annoyed when Jina made her sit for long hours to make her portrait only for it to turn out to be the drawing of a bunch of sticks.


    Casper, on the other hand, sat patiently for the long hours and even posed just like how Jina ordered him to. He even pped at the caricature she drew which looked nothing like him. And now, she was making Shinho go through the torure but he did not mind. He would do anything to see her smile.


    "Done!" she finally announced and held up the drawing of a bobbing head over sticks.


    "Nice!" Shinhoplimented even though it was nowhere close to looking like a human being. But Jina seemed so happy that he did not have the heart to tell her that otherwise.


    "I''m getting pretty good at it, huh?" she asked excitedly. Herrge eyes beamed hopefully, as if trying to get a praise from him. Shinho smiled and ruffled her hair.


    "You are!" he said. "Draw more pictures for me, would ya?"


    "Really?" she asked. "You want me to draw more pictures of you?"


    "Yes!" Shinho nodded. "As many as you want."


    Jina was so happy that she did not notice a strange sadness in Shinho''s eyes. He was gazing at her with a mixture of immense happiness and infinite grief, as if he was fighting with himself. There was something in his heart which he wanted to tell her but he simply did not have the courage to do so. If she knew, her smile would disappear. But it was something he must do.


    Just then, Minho entered the room.


    "Jina, it''s time for bed!" he told her. "Your mom will bete tonight. She told you to sleep."


    "Ten more minutes!" she insisted but Minho shook his head.


    "Bed. Now."


    He was sternly gazing at her. She groaned and stood up to prepare to sleep. Walking towards the bathroom, she closed the door while she changed into her pajamas. Once she was out of sight, Shinho grabbed her crayon and wrote something on the paper before putting it near Minho''s foot.


    Minho looked down to see that Shinho had written a message.


    "Uncle, I want to talk to you," he wrote. "Alone."


    Minho frowned and said, "Let''s go to my room then."


    He picked up the paper and crayon before heading towards his and Gayoon''s bedroom. Shinho followed suit. Minhoy the paper and crayon on a desk for Shinho to write on it.


    "What do you want to talk about, Shinho?" Minho asked. Shinho took a deep breath, wondering what to say. He picked up the crayon and began to write while Minho watched.


    Once he was done writing, Minho''s eyes widened in shock first but gradually came to a realization.


    "Is this...is this what you want?" he finally asked.


    "Yes," Shinho wrote. "It''s what I wish for."


    For a long time, Minho did not say anything. He was not sure how Jina was going to react but this was for the best. Even though his heart was not agreeing to Shinho''s decision, he knew that he could not stop the little boy.


    Shinho did not know how to express his feelings to the people who took care of him. Even if he met them after death, he had the most fun with them and wished that he could live with this family longer.


    "Thank you," he whispered. Minho could not hear him but he felt a slightly cold yet, calming swish by his ear. On instinct, he knew that Shinho had expressed a brief gratitude to him.


    "No," he simply said. "Thank you."

 Chapter 337: Punishment Time*

    Chapter 337: Punishment Time*


    It was past midnight when Gayoon walked into the bedroom, exhausted after a long day''s work. Minho was sitting at his desk, reading some files. He looked at the clock and frowned.


    "You''re quitete today," he noted. "Too much work at the precinct?"


    "Ugh, the Chief handed me tons of cases," she groaned. "It''s irritating. I had to travel all over the city today to ask around about several mafia gangs."


    "Mafia?" Minho frowned. "What about them?"


    "Nothing," Gayoon shrugged. "It''s a case about one mafia leader being killed by another. The usual story. Nothing new, really."


    Minho did notment on it. They rarely talked about work unless it was important so he did not probe much into her case.


    "Is Jina asleep?" she asked.


    "Yes," Minho sighed. "You should go and freshen up."


    Gayoon nodded, feeling lethargic. She grabbed her night dress and towel before entering the bathroom. Turning on the hot water tap, she stepped into the shower. The warm water loosened her muscles and she felt more rxed. She cleaned herself thoroughly and came out of the shower after fifteen minutes.


    Wiping her wet hair, she felt more rejuvenated. Minho was still working on his files. He was wearing his sses which made him look more mature. Gayoon smiled, blushing a little as she observed him. He had a habit of frowning whenever he was working in a serious manner. His features were sharper as he concentrated hard.


    She put her towel away and quietly walked towards him. Putting her arms around him from the back, she kissed his cheek.


    Minho was not even taken aback by her actions, his attention now on both work and his woman.


    "I see you''re extra loving today," he said, still reading his papers.


    "You look extra hot today," she giggled. "Money lover looks sexy when he''s working with those sses."


    She pointed at his frameless sses which were perfectlyplimenting his brown eyes. Minho slightly smiled when she kissed his cheek again.


    "Money lover has work tonight," he stated out loud even though he was actually done with all work. "Lady Cop has to go to bed all by herself."


    Gayoon pouted a little and in defiance, she sat on hisp. Minho was surprised by her sudden surge of boldness. Unbeknownst to him, Gayoon was simply fooling around,pletely unaware of her seduction.


    "No more work!" she insisted. "I want you. Right now."


    Minho knew very well she meant that she wanted his attention but he stifled his snicker. The poor girl had no idea about the double meaning in her words. He put up a straight face.


    "If you interfere in my work, I''ll have to punish you, Jeon Gayoon," he threatened.


    "Whatcha gonna do?" she challenged. "Make me pay rent?"


    "That''s too easy," Minho said, shaking his head. "You don''t wanna know."


    Now Gayoon was curious. Hwang Minho was refusing to take money? Was this a miracle?


    "What punishment is worse that paying rent?" she asked. "I know you very well. You''ll squeeze every dime out of a person if you can!"


    "Well, it''s only saved for the little detective who''s being naughty right now," he smirked. Gayoon blinked. Eh?


    Suddenly, his serious eyes turned devilish as he eyed her. Gayoon blushed hard, feeling like amb who was trapped with a hungry lion. Minho hadpletely caged her in his arms, not letting go.


    "H-hey you had work," she weakly said.


    "Well, now that I''ve been distracted, I can''t work anymore," he grinned.


    Before Gayoon could say anything more, he pulled her towards him, locking their lips. Gayoon moaned as his tongue moved against hers, greedily tasting her. He kissed her with enhanced passion, holding her protectively in his arms as their lips devoured each other.


    Not breaking the kiss, he gently lifted her up. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and he cupped her butt as he led her towards the bed. Hey on top of her, furiously kissing her, enjoying her little moans which escaped her.


    Gayoon pouted when he finally broke their kiss, her breathsing in short.


    "So...what is this punishment?" she winked.


    Minho smirked an impish smile. "It might be a little kinky," he warned.


    Gayoon bit her lip in a mix of excitement and nervousness. Every time they made love, they delved intoyers of passion which they had never felt before. Hearing about his ''punishment'' excited her but she was also nervous of getting hurt. Could they actually do something like that?


    As if in response, Minho kissed her lips and said, "We don''t have to do anything like that if you don''t want to."


    He was about to kiss her again when Gayoon mumbled, "I want to."


    Minho was surprised by her response. She was a little afraid but since he was there, she knew that it would be safe. Besides, what harm could one night of kinky love making do? Many couples did it.


    "Are you sure?" he asked. Gayoon nodded.


    "I''m sure," she replied. "What do we have to do?"


    "What''s your safe word?" he asked.


    Gayoon thought for a moment before replying, "Hibiscus."


    Minho ced a tender kiss on her and said, "Take off your clothes."


    He stepped back to allow her to sit up. Gayoon took a deep breath. She was aware of his eyes gazing at her with lust and love, which made butterflies flutter in her stomach. Even though they had done it many times, she was still shy around him. The way he looked at her with eyes full of unconditional love only made their time together intense and intimate.


    She slowly undid her robe, taking it off her body. Minho did not move but kept on watching her as if she was the most beautiful person in the world. Gayoon blushed harder as she reached for the helm of her nightie. She was lifting it in a slow motion, shyly letting him see every bit of her. She expected him to make a move but he sat there, simply waiting.


    Gayoon gulped as she sat in front of him in her bra and panties. Minho was restraining himself with great difficulty. It took him all his willpower not to pounce on her but he had promised her a sweet punishment for her pleasure so he was being patient.


    Reaching for the hook of her bra, Gayoon let it open and gingerly took it off.


    "Now lie down and hold the bedpost with your hands," Minho said in a hoarse tone. Gayoon, still as red as a tomato, nodded andy back down. She grasped the bedpost with her hands. Minho picked up her bra and reached over towards the bedpost. Gayoon watched as he tied her hands to the post using the bra.


    "Does it hurt?" he asked softly.


    "No," she replied, awaiting what was going to happen next. Minho shed a charming smile and kissed her forehead.


    "Time for a little punishment, Lady Cop," he teased.

 Chapter 338: Punishment Time (2)**

    Chapter 338: Punishment Time (2)**


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    Enjoy steamy part 1 of 2~


    And did you get the announcement for the sequel yet? No? Join my discord server to find out who will be Jina''s Male Lead!


    PS: He''ll have a cool ability too!


    Link: https://discord.gg/vBfVFWMYu7


    ........


    Gayoon bit her lip in anticipation. Minho took out something from a drawer and then inched towards the bed. She was slightly surprised when he tied her eyes with a silk cloth.


    "I can''t see anything," she weakly protested but Minho put a finger on her lips.


    "Just rx," Minho told her. Gayoon let out a small giggle when she remembered something.


    "Did you read all this from Kanji''s magazine?" She asked shrewdly. There was a very vivid segment in the magazine about how to spice up sex lives and Gayoon threw the magazine away as soon as she stumbled upon it.


    "Yes," Minho said in a devilish tone. "It had its uses."


    Gayoon would haveughed at him but her mind was full of questions about what he was going to do. She heard something shuffling. Minho had probably taken off his clothes and was crawling towards her from one corner of the bed.


    She felt him next to her, the warmth from his body was starting to make butterflies flutter in her stomach. He let out a sharp breath at her sight. Seeing herpletely at his mercy made him feel a little anxious but also overwhelmed that she trusted him that much to make herself vulnerable in front of him. How could he not love this woman with all his heart?


    Gayoon hissed when she felt his slender hand touching her cheek. She purred as his fingers traced her face to her lips. He was feeling her smooth skin, the softness of it which drove him crazy but Minho controlled his urges. He traced downwards to her breasts which perked up upon his touch.


    She moaned when he squeezed her buns. Her hands writhed above her to touch him as well but she waspletely bound to her ce. She felt her senses had heightened, responding more to his touches while her mind was slowly descending into a pleasurable euphoria.


    Minho felt her softness, massaging them slowly. Gayoon was breathing heavily, enjoying the sensation. He was thrilled at her little cries of pleasure as he rubbed her nipples. Slowly, he bent down to take one in his mouth.


    "Ahhhh" Gayoon moaned, pulling at her binds as she felt his tongue on her breast. His hair was grazing against her neck, tickling her and she was dying to hold his silky hair while pulling him closer to her. The familiar warmth sensation was creeping up in her between her thighs. She wanted to see him, touch him but the enhanced instincts were torturing her.


    "Don''t move!" he ordered hoarsely. "Staying still is your punishment."


    Gayoon grinned and raised her leg to gently rub her foot against his thigh. Minho let out a deep breath as she challenged him.


    "What''s the money lover gonna do?" she teased him on purpose. She kept on running her foot against his thigh to torture him the same way he was torturing her.


    "Be ready for your safe word then," he cautioned. "A little pain ising up."


    Gayoon was momentarily confused when she felt a loud p on her left breast.


    "OW!" she yelped. But beneath the pain was a sudden surge of pleasure when Minho licked the same spot he had just hit. The hit left a warm tingling feeling on her bun which was followed by the intensified delight when he tasted her soreness. Gayoon moaned in the strange ecstasy.


    "Should I punish you again?" he asked. To his surprise, Gayoon gave a slow nod.


    "It felt nice," she confessed, her cheeks blushing hard. If only she could see his shocked expression! But it was impossible to know what he was thinking.


    Minho obliged and pped her other breast.


    "Ahhh!" Gayoon cried in pain but once again, Minho took her breast in his mouth and sucked on the sore spot. He repeated it again, pping and licking until she was a moaning mess. Her buns were red and raw, full of small red bites.


    Minho was now on top of her, kissing her face. He pecked her cheeks, moving from her jawline to her lips but he did not kiss her on them. Instead, he let her heated uproar rise more by teasing her with his tongue. Gayoon was frustrated, wanting to rip apart the bounds and push him under her to taste him, feel his lips and heat with her tongue but he was teasing her so much that it drove her crazy!


    She could feel his member prodding her already wet fold but he was not going to im her yet.


    "Minho" she whispered his name. Her long hair was strewn across the pillow and her pale skin shone in the darkness, making her look heartachingly beautiful in his eyes. Gayoon felt his eyes hover at her as if he could not get enough of her.


    She wanted to see the intense love he held for her, hide in his arms and hold him. The added desire to touch him only heightened her feelings of love and lust. Her inside erupted when he continued to kiss her everywhere, moving from her neck to her breasts. He did not leave a single spot, kissing and biting her every inch.


    "Minho" she gasped when he bit the side of her stomach. A ticklish vibe coarse through her and she let out an involuntary giggle.


    "Laughing eh?" Minho mockingly scolded her and bit that spot repeatedly. Gayoon giggled more as he attacked her. Her body was glistening with sweat and despite the AC in the room, the heat in them was only increasing. Her legs thrashed against the bed sheets, messing them up as her lover imed every bit of her.


    Gayoon giggled so much thanks to his sweet attacks that she was nowpletely breathless. Her eyes were shrouded with darkness but she knew that Minho was going to make her see fireworks in that blindfolded state. His finger was already lingering around the area where she wanted him the most.


    He gently pinched her bud, making her groan in pleasure.


    "Get ready to scream your brains out, Jeon Gayoon," he smirked.

 Chapter 339: Punishment Time (3)**

    Chapter 339: Punishment Time (3)**


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    Enjoy steamy part 2 of 2~


    And did you get the announcement for the sequel yet? No? Join my discord server to find out who will be Jina''s Male Lead!


    PS: He''ll have a cool ability too!


    Link: https://discord.gg/vBfVFWMYu7


    ............


    Minho took his sweet time with her. Gayoon was impatient and eager but he was ying it cool. Even though his insides were aching to dive into her and fuck her crazy, he was savoring every minute of their little session. He kissed her stomach, trailing downwards until he reached her moist cleft. She was already wet for him, eager to ept him in her but where was the fun in that?


    Gayoon felt his breath against her privates and was awaiting him to touch her there.


    "Minho" she sighed. She wished she could see his expression or used her hands to pull towards her hole but it was wishful thinking. Minho inhaled her scent, nudging her gently before gingerly licking her petals.


    Gayoony back on the pillows and turned her head to the side as her insides roared in need. Minho was tasting her folds, licking her moistness. He relished her bittersweet vor, coating her with his tongue. Her cleft quivered when he bit her bud, squeezing it with her lips. Gayoon''s legs were thrashing uncontrobly but he held them in ce while his tongue pleasured her.


    "Ohhhh!" she yelped when he inserted his tongue into her hole, coursing in and out of her as he brushed her walls. A ticklish current soared through her veins and she wanted to pull him closer to her.


    "Minho, closer," she begged. "Please"


    Minho let out a musicalugh and moved closer to her cunt, smacking his lips against her as he suckled her nectar. Gayoon groaned, her climax building up inside her as her ruthless lover pushed her to the edge.


    He ravaged her, not showing any mercy but continued to send her into long, pleasurable sensations. His hands were stroking her thighs, causing goosebumps on her body. With his mouth stilltched to her vulva, he inserted a finger in her.


    "Holy shi-"


    Gayoon gave a low curse when his finger was simultaneously moving with his tongue inside her. He inserted another finger, massaging her soft spots. Her hips moved with his rhythm, her pleasure heightened by her binds. She arched her hips and her climax came crashing but Minhopped her juices, licking her continuously.


    Her skin was on fire and she was desperate to make love to him. She was squirming madly and uncontrobly.


    "Minho" she gasped his name out loud. How was it possible to reach new heights of pleasure with him every time?


    Gradually, his fingers had stopped moving and he left her clit. Crawling over her, he faced her. Gayoon could not see him, but he took her feet and put them around his shoulders while his member was prodding against her hole.


    "Ready?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.


    "Kiss me first," she demanded. After how he had tortured her, it was the thing she wanted the most. Minho grinned and swooped down to devour her. His tongue pried open her lips, entering her mouth to mesh together. Gayoon moaned against his lips, tasting herself on him and the sheer pleasure of her senses were driving her crazy. She wanted to touch him, feel him, love him but this was also fun. In the heated haze, she felt his fingers fiddling in and out of her hole, widening it for him.


    They kept on kissing and licking, Gayoon feeling more confident to dominate him but he was equally ruthless. Finally, he pulled away, making her purr.


    But Gayoon did not have the time toin because within seconds, his rod was entering her. She felt her eyes moisten in fulfillment as he finally entered her deep, letting her walls clench around his length.


    "Minho...I want to touch you" she begged. Minho pecked her on the lips and whispered into her ears.


    "Soon, Ms. Detective," he promised. "Soon."


    With that, he began to move. Gayoon let out incoherent cries of ecstasy as he rammed into her. There was no gentleness nor were they being slow and steady as usual. Instead, they were both submitting to their carnal instincts after the long forey of teasing and torture. Gayoon''s hips moved roughly against his groin in perfect synchronisation.


    Minho groaned, their sweaty bodies meshing and wriggling together. He was suckling her earlobes, kissing her neck, tainting her smooth skin with his marks. She moaned when he hammered her g-spot while his mouth licked and bit her breasts. He was like therge, evil wolf who was relishing its prey.


    Gayoon pulled him deeper into her, enjoying this forbidden drive of lust. His long hard rod was attacking her erotic points, leaving her wanting more. Her hands struggled against the binds and she let out a series of curse words as the money lover worshipped her whole body.


    "Agh." She cried when she climaxed for the second time, her vulva tightening against his member as it spasmed. Her juices flew out and she was panting heavily But Minho was yet toe.


    Minho kissed her lips, blocking her cries while he pushed and pulled inside her. He pulled out his memberpletely before ramming into her again. She was greedily sucking him in, her mind still hazy withplete lust. But the bonds were beginning to hurt because Gayoon was thrashing too much, desperate to be freed.


    "Minho, the bind" she said. "Hibiscus. It hurts..."


    He did not waste a second and untied the binds. As soon as she was free, Gayoon rolled him over and sat on top of him, with him still inside her. She took off her blindfold and gazed at him. Bending down, she kissed him while their hips were still writhing against each other. Minho groaned against her lips as he, too, reached his climax.


    Gayoon felt his warm seeds filling her up and she kept on kissing him until every bit of his seeds had flown into her.


    Exhausted, shey on top of him, listening to his heartbeats. Minho pulled out of her and gently turned her over toy her on the bed beside him.


    "Are you alright?" he asked, worried that she might be hurt. Her wrists were already red but there was nothing serious.


    "I''m fine," she said, nudging against his chest. "But next time, I''ll tie you up!"


    Heughed and kissed her forehead. "Go ahead," he said. "I don''t mind."


    Stroking her head, he was thinking of another issue which needed to be addressed.


    "Gayoon," he began. "Shinhomunicated something to me today."


    "What did he say?" Gayoon asked,zily drawing circles on his arm with her finger.


    Minho took a deep breath and replied, "He wants to move on."

 Chapter 340: Mute

    Chapter 340: Mute


    Footsteps echoed the empty halls as a lone figure hurried towards the living room. The whole mansion was shrouded in darkness except for one spot in the middle of the room where a couch stood. Haejong was sitting on the couch, slowly flipping the pages of the book he was reading. His mind was not into the plot but rather thinking of the closeness between Kanji and Mina.


    He had effectively ended their friendship and had hoped that it would make him feel triumphant. But the image of Mina''s tears were distracting him, making him feel even more miserable and also, envious towards his rival. Both of them were trapped in the web of a woman they could not reach.


    How ironic.


    "Young Master."


    Haejong looked up to see Oh Youngdo, histe grandfather''s most trusted advisor. Well into his fifties, Oh Youngdo had been by his grandfather, Lin Cheng''s side even since he was a teenager. On Lin Cheng''s orders, Youngdo had carried out many executions and smuggling. After the Jang''s killed Cheng, Youngdo had been the only person Haejong could trust with the daily operations of the business.


    "What is it?" he asked calmly.


    "I have bad news," Youngdo said in a grim tone. "Eagle was killed by Jang Kanji."


    Haejong''s eyes narrowed. "Go on," he said.


    "Eagle was at a cafe with his girlfriend," Youngdo went on. "And the Jang family men, who were posing as customers, shot and killed him."


    He handed his boss a couple of pictures. Haejong took them and saw the bloodied body of Eagle, one of hisrades in the business. They hadpletely annihted him to the point that his half his face had been blown up. But there was one particr picture which made Haejong frown.


    "Who''s this?" he asked, pointing at a woman wearing skimpy clothes.


    "That''s Yeonjoo, his girlfriend," Youngdo replied. "She owns a few red light ces downtown and had been dating Eagle for a while."


    "Yeonhoe," Haejong muttered, quoting Mina from the dinner party when they met this girl. Looks like Kanji has been fraternizing with her for a reason, he realized. She was his spy.


    "Keep an eye on this girl," he ordered. "Don''t do anything to her but tail her. If needed, ckmail her into being a double spy. Use whatever methods needed but make sure she brings us information from the Jang''s. If there is anything which ties them to the murder of my grandfather, then we''ll dere war."


    Youngdo''s eyes narrowed. "Sir, won''t it be more prudent to kill her?" he asked. "She''s a threat to us."


    "It is more reasonable to kill her," Haejong agreed. "But we still don''t have any proof that the Jang''s killed my grandfather and until we get the real culprit, we can''t engage in a war. Remember this, Youngdo. We''re criminals, not monsters. My grandfather was a cold hearted ass but he never killed an innocent person. And we won''t regress to the level of a barbarian either."


    "Master Cheng indeed followed his own rules when it came to handling the business," Youngdo replied. "But he was ruthless to his enemies when he needed to be. No one stood a chance against his impable judgement. Even though he was a man of few words-"


    At that point, Haejong let out a sarcasticughter. "Few words?" he snickered. "My grandfather had no words. He was a mute who happened to possess the soul of steel. People followed him because he ruled over the underworld with an iron grip. He did not speak, he acted on his orders. That''s what made him so dangerous and respected."


    "I don''t intend to be as frightening as him," Haejong went on. "Our hands are already dirty with blood so it''s toote to be saints. But whatever happens, we won''t be the monster people want us to be. Got it?"


    With that, he dismissed Youngdo and returned to his book. Thetter bowed and backed away. Once he was gone, Haejong sighed and put the book away. Mina''s words had been echoing in his ears for the past few days. No matter how much he wanted to concentrate on the business, he kept on holding himself back from being as ruthless as he used to be.


    "Just start being yourself and the monster will die on its own"


    Was it that easy? Can he wash his hands off the murders he hadmitted?


    He leaned against the couch, lost in thoughts.


    ..


    Youngdo stepped outside the mansion. He nced around to make sure that he was out of earshot before cing a call.


    "Yosef," he said. "I have news from the Young Master."


    "Yes sir," a shrill voice came from the other end. "Did you receive the orders from the Young Master?"


    "The Young Master is very upset over the murder of his grandfather," Youngdo imed. "And now Eagle''s death has also angered him. The Jang''s have gone too far."


    "But if we don''t act, they''ll kill more of our men!" Yosef eximed. "They''ll wipe out our entire faction-"


    "Which is why Jang Kanji needs to be taken out," Youngdo stated. "The Young Master also agrees however, he doesn''t want a bloodshed. If that happens, we''ll be doomed. There''s another way"


    He nced at the picture of Yeonjoo and smirked. "There''s a girl named Yeonjoo who is double timing us. She is spying on us for the Jang''s. I''ll send you her picture."


    He paused before saying, "Kill her. And frame Jang Kanji for it so that the police arrest him. That way, he''s out of our way and our faction will be able to take out their head, Jang Jason."


    "Are you sure?" Yosef asked. "This is a big bargain."


    "It''s what our old boss would have done as well," Youngdo stated. "After all, Lin Cheng was not very forgiving towards his enemies. The Jang''s have lived far too long. This time, we''ll take them out in one go. If the son is locked up then the father will be vulnerable."


    Yosef sighed and said, "Alright. We''ll take care of it."


    He hung up the phone. Youngdo put his mobile away and grinned. Old man Cheng was probably thrashing in his grave, crying over what had happened. If everything went as per Youngdo''s n, then very soon the Lin family''s businesses would be turned over to him.


    "You can cry and cry but who''s gonna listen to you, you fucking mute?" he spat at his old master.


    ..


    "Casper, why do you look so sad?" Jina asked. She had noticed that the ghost had been unusually still for the past few days, only responding when she addressed him. They were at her room where she was ying with Yumi while Casper was in a corner, sulking.


    "He''s sad because no matter how many times he visits his ce of murder, he never finds any clue," Yumi sighed. "Old man, you''ve been dead for over a year now. Do you really think that a clue will be present there? After all this time?"


    "Do you remember anything at all, Cas?" Jina asked gently. Casper raised his right hand while tapping the wrist with two fingers.


    "A watch which said two o''clock?" Jina frowned. "But loads of people wear watches."


    Casper made some gestures at her tomunicate what he remembered.


    "A watch with a golden dragon in it?" Yumi asked. "Are you sure?"


    Casper nodded. For some reason, Yumi looked a little excited. She turned to Jina and said, "I know someone who has one of those watches! I remember him saying that it was a limited edition watch!"


    "Who?" Jina asked while Casper''s ears perked up as well.


    "Ahn Jaewan!" Yumi revealed.

 Chapter 341: A Promise

    Chapter 341: A Promise


    "She''s sleeping so peacefully," Gayoon moaned. "Can we not tell her?"


    Jina was sound asleep while her parents watched her, feeling anxious. Minho gripped Gayoon''s shoulder.


    "She has to know," he whispered. "We can''t let Shinho leave without saying goodbye."


    They had talked it over with Junho and Shinjin. At first, they were worried that Shinho would be sent off the the dreaded World of the Dead but Shinjin told them that the young ghost had nothing to repent for so he would not go to the cold world. Instead, he would be sent to a limbo where he would sleep until it was time for him to be reborn again. It was the cycle of life and in his next birth, he would probably be able to live a better life.


    "It''s for the best," Shinjin had said. "I will prepare a ceremony to purify his soul so that he could move on."


    Shinjin was on the Hwangs'' rooftop at that very minute. It was the wee hours of dawn, the perfect time for a soul to be sent to eternal rest until it was time to rise again. The other ghosts were also informed of Shinho''s wish and they were with him to tell theirst goodbyes.


    The only person left was Jina.


    "I can''t do it," Gayoon quietly sobbed. "She''s too close with him! She''ll be heartbroken."


    Minho rubbed her back and said, "I''ll do it."


    He was not keen on being the news bearer but it was inevitable. Jina would be heartbroken upon his departure but even more distraught if she did not say goodbye. He slowly walked over to Jina''s bed and sat down.


    "Jina," he called for her, shaking her gently. "Jina, wake up."


    The little girl frowned and slowly opened her eyes, not pleased to be woken up this early.


    "What is it dad?" she yawned. "It''s too early! I''m sleepy."


    "Jina, there''s something you need to know," Minho began. He sounded so grim that Jina felt a little worried. Sitting up, she looked from her father to her mother. Thetter was a little teary and even Minho could not meet her eyes. This rmed Jina.


    "Are you guys breaking up?" she asked in panic. "Please don''t break up! I want both of you together!"


    "No!" Minho and Gayoon eximed together.


    "We''re not breaking up," Minho said gently. "It''s...it''s something else. It''s about Shinho"


    He nced at Gayoon who was still sobbing. Jina was now more worried. Did something happen to Shinho?


    Minho did not reply but picked up his daughter in his arms. Jina held onto her father tightly as he carried her towards the roof with Gayoon following them. Her heart was pounding hard at her parents expressions and she did not know why, but she also felt like crying. Was Shinho alright? Why were they being so cryptic?


    When they reached the rooftop, she saw that Junho, Shinjin and the three ghosts were already there. Yumi looked so sad that some of her limbs were hanging out while Casper was also seated in one corner, unable to cope with some unspoken sadness. Shinho was the only one who stood there with a bright smile which did not reach his eyes.


    Jina did not move her eyes away from him. Slowly climbing down from her father''sp, she walked towards the little boy who was looking at her with pure intensity. Their tender hearts were not sure of what those feelings were but the pain was stabbing them both. For some reason, Jina wanted to run away from there.


    Run! She told herself. Run or you''ll face something dreadful!


    But her feet were moving towards Shinho who was waiting for her. He stood on a circle made of salt.


    "H-he can''t cross a salt circle," Jina stammered. "Why is he in there? Someone remove it!"


    She was about to remove the salt but Casper grabbed her hand and shook his head.


    This is his wish, Casper gestured at her. Wish? What wish? Why would Shinho wish for this?


    "Jina"


    Shinho''s innocent voice floated to her ears, making her shed a tear. She did not know when or why she was crying but she could not stop her tears anymore. He was giving her a sad look which she was well acquainted with.


    This was it. This was goodbye.


    "You''re really bad," she sobbed. "Why would you want this? Why do you want to leave us?"


    Her tearful eyes almost made Shinho break his resolve but there was nothing he could do. She was alive while he was stuck in that state. One day, she would grow up and keep living while he could only pine for her from afar. They were literally in two worlds which could never meet.


    "This isn''t goodbye, silly!" he assured her. "This is a promise that I''ll return. One way or another, I will be back and we''ll be friends again."


    Jina shook her head. "Liar!" she cried.


    She turned around to hugged her mother who heard the little boy''s plea. He wanted his friend to bid him farewell and he could not leave without making sure that she was happy. Minho could not see the ghosts but his daughter''s tears were enough to tell him what was going on while Shinjin and Junho were also grim.


    "Goodbyes aren''t easy," Junho said. "But someday, the spirits of the dead have to go to their world."


    "If goodbyes were easy, we would have had a happier life," Minho stated. He watched his daughter, who was crying her heart out.


    Shinho was saddened by how much he was hurting his friend. He did not want to leave her side either but it was the only thing he could do for her. Even though he was young, he knew that ghosts could not be herpanions forever. She needed to live on their behalf.


    "Practice a lot of maths," he said, his voice cracking up. "Don''t eat too much or you''ll have a stomach ache. Eat loads of vegetables for your brain."


    Jina kept on crying, not being able to look at him. Casper was patting her head, hiding his own silent tears while Yumi was openly crying.


    "Don''t leave you idiot!" she cried. "Who''s gonna annoy us with so many questions? We''re going to miss you, moron!"


    "Yumi sis," Shinho turned to her. "Thank you for looking out for me. I''ll never forget your kindness! Thanks for always having my back."


    He turned to Casper who gave him a weak smile. "Casper, I know you''re a good person!" Shinho cried, not being able to hold in his own tears. "I hope you get to meet your family someday!"


    Jina was still not looking at Shinho, hurt and angry that he was leaving. She could not face the loss, her soft heart not being able to take the trauma of losing a loved one. It was her first brush with death. Not physical death but a real death where a loved one was truly leaving.


    It hurt so much.


    Shinho turned to her.


    "I will return," he promised. "And when I do, I''ll find you again. Until then, take care of yourself. Don''t let the bad guys get to you. Study hard and be an amazing Lady Cop! And we''ll meet again."


    Gayoon, who was still trying to console Jina, said to her daughter, "He''s your friend, right? And we should make our friends happy. If Shinho is happy to move one, then the more you cry, the more he''ll be hurt. Let him go dear. Let him go for now."


    Minho bent down to turn his crying daughter to face him. Jina looked at her father with her tearful eyes.


    "Please tell him not to go," Jina begged. "I want him to stay."


    "So do we," Minho said in a sad tone. "But he''s right to want this. If he wants to leave, then we can''t stop him."


    "B-but h-he won''t c-ce back!" Jina eximed.


    "He''ll remain in our hearts," Minho promised her. "And as long as we remember him, he''ll be with us. Even if he''s not here, he''ll be with us, watching us all the time. But if you don''t say goodbye to him, both of you will be sad for eternity. You need to see him off onest time. If you don''t, he''ll not be happy up there."


    Jina huped and closed her eyes. She turned around and finally stepped towards Shinho, crossing the salt circle. The two friends finally faced each other.


    "I''ll try to practice more maths," she sobbed. "And also eat healthy. I''ll be good and live well."


    Shinho smiled as Jina went on. "But you have to keep your promise too!" she threatened. "You''ll have toe back! I don''t know how! But you must! Until then, I''ll wait. Doesn''t matter for how long!"


    "I know," Shinho smiled. Junho took a deep breath and cleared his voice.


    "The sun is about to rise," he told them in a croaked voice. "We need to start the purification process."


    Jina did not move. Shinjin stepped forward and began to chant.


    "In the name of the creator," he murmured, throwing rice in the direction where Shinho stood. "Let this pure soul return to your arms and attain eternal salvation. May his spirit be guided to the next world with dignity and grace. Let him return to your humble abode."


    He threw the rice three times and then took out a vial of holy water to sprinkle on Shinho. Surprisingly, it did not hurt him. He held Jina''s hands and smiled. Jina watched as his pale figure began to fade.


    "No" she whispered. "Don''t go...Please"


    She wept but his cold hand reached out to wipe off her tears. He did not speak but kept on smiling until he vanished, leaving herpletely alone.

 Chapter 342: Exclusive Sneak Peek to Dr. Demon (1)

    Chapter 342: Exclusive Sneak Peek to ''Dr. Demon'' (1)


    It was all white. No matter where he looked, his eyes were shrouded by a bright shade of white whichy ahead of him. There were no other colors and even though he felt a strange sense of sadness and peace, the whiteness in front of him was eerie.


    "Hello?" he called out. "Is someone there?"


    Silence.


    Is this supposed to be my new home? He wondered.


    "New soul."


    Startled, the boy turned around to find a stern looking man in his sixties, staring down at him. He snapped his fingers and from nowhere, a piece of paper appeared. The boy was astonished as the man kept on reading the paper.


    "Who are you?" Shinho wondered.


    "A white reaper who guides souls to their next life," the manzily replied. "Since you''re a child, I''m forced to disguise myself as a human. Otherwise I''m quite scary looking."


    The boy was not sure whether the man was joking or not but the reaper seemed not to care.


    "Kang Shinho," he read out loud. "9 years old. Dead at the hands of his own father. Status is"


    He read further, making noment. Shinho was a little ufortable and tried to look around for an escape. This man was scaring him.


    "You are a pure soul," the man concluded. "Eligible for the next step. All we need is a body ready to take you in and you''ll be good to go."


    "Body?" Shinho asked.


    "For reincarnation," the man simply stated.


    "How long will that take?"


    "Who knows?" he said. "Seconds, minutes, years or even centuries."


    Shinho''s shoulders fell in sadness upon hearing that. There was no way he could fulfill his promise to Jina that way. She would be waiting for him and yet


    "You also have a wish you could use," the man said. "Since your record shows nothing but good deeds. Your wish will be fulfilled in your next life."


    Shinho thought for a while. There was something he really wanted but what if they never met again? What was the point of his wish then?


    "I" he hesitated. "I simply want to meet her again and this time, protect her at all costs. And for that, I''ll need to be stronger than I was."


    The man raised his eyebrows. The little boy was smarter and more mature than his age which was intriguing.


    "I wish that in my next life, I have an ability which would help and aid Hwang Jina," Shinho dered. "I don''t care how I''ll be reborn. Human or animal, I''ll find her and protect her."


    Uh oh, the man thought. As soon as Shinho said those words, a bright yellow light shone above him. Another piece of paper appeared in the man''s hand, this time a red one.


    "You still have a chance, kid," the reaper stated. "The wish you''re seeking will reincarnate you to a very dangerous body. Your memories will be reset and even if you meet this...Hwang Jina, you might not remember her."


    Shinho merely smiled and said, "That''s okay. I know we''ll recognize each other. I made a promise and I''ll keep it."


    The reaper groaned. There was a body which was about to be born and was still unimed by a soul but the reaper had hoped that no one would ept it. Even if this boy had a pure soul, there was no guarantee that his spirit would not be tainted by the dark powers the birth of that body would bring.


    "I can only hope that you''ll be an exception," the reaper stated. "If you can keep your promise, you''ll live a happy life. If you can''t...then this promise will be a poison for you."


    "I''ll fulfill my promise to her at all costs!"


    Shinho was determined. He did not know what he was signing up for but as long as he could meet Jina again, nothing else mattered.


    The reaper sighed and pointed at the light. "You better keep your promise," he warned. "Kang Shinho."


    He snapped his fingers and Shinho''s soul transformed into a tiny speck. The speck floated towards the light, descending into nothingness. The reaper watched as the light swallowed the speck until nothing remained. In a sh, it was gone.


    "The demon child is about to be born," he muttered. "This is interesting."


    .........


    In the wee hours of dusk, two pairs of footsteps broke the silence of the shabby neighborhood which was still in deep slumber. The men were dressed inpletely ck clothes with matching hats on their heads. Their faces were covered with hands in their pockets.


    One of them stopped and sniffed the air in excitement. He could smell something which was tingling his senses.


    "He''s here!" a snake like hiss came out of his thin lips. The other man could smell it too, excited by the urrence which took ce.


    They followed the smell to one of the dingy apartments on the fourth floor. The two men looked at each other and nodded. Within an instant, they apparated upstairs, right in front of the apartment in question. One of them snapped their fingers and the door was unlocked.


    Slowly entering the apartment, they followed the scent to the kitchen. The woman had just given birth and was quite weak. They heard the tiny wails of a babying from there, making them fidget with excitement. Their lord had arrived!


    As soon as they entered the kitchen, arge sack of salt fell on them. Screeching in pain, the two men''s hats fell off to reveal a pair of hideous, skull-like creatures with red eyes and sharp canines. They thrashed in agony as Bosung threw more salt at them.


    "AHHHH!" the demons squealed. Grabbing her chance, Bosung ran out of the apartment, carrying her baby in her arms. The demons were temporarily halted but she had a maximum of ten minutes before they would pursue her again.


    She staggered down the stairs. Blood was oozing out of her womb, staining her inner legs but she limped towards her car and revved up the engine. She yanked a star shaped locket from her locket and put it around the baby which was in her arms.


    "This will protect you," she gasped. Stepping on the pedal, she drove off. The two demons had regained consciousness and would follow her any moment. She sped past the traffic, driving towards the only ce she could think of.


    The pain in her stomach would not go away but there was no time. She had put a letter in the baby''s cloth which should exin everything. Taking out her phone, she dialed a number.


    "Hello?"


    Doyoung''s voice came from the other end.


    "D-Doyoung!" she gasped. "Help me!"


    "Bosung?" Doyoung asked in surprise. "What happened?"


    "Doyoung, I don''t have much time!" Bosung shrieked. "I need your help!"


    Doyoung was rmed by her friend''s voice. There was something terribly wrong with her.


    "I''ming to your ce," Bosung panted, ignoring the pain in her abdomen. "Please help me...It''s myst request. Please"

 Chapter 343: Exclusive Sneak Peek to Doctor Demon (2)

    Chapter 343: Exclusive Sneak Peek to ''Doctor Demon'' (2)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS HAD BEEN EXCLUSIVE EXCERPTS FROM THE SEQUEL OF THIS BOOK! TITLE IS ''DOCTOR DEMON''


    THIS CHAPTER MARKS THE LAST APPEARANCE OF DOYOUNG, SIWAN AND BABY HOBIN (*ahem* BY NOW YA''LL CAN GUESS WHO THE MALE LEADS ARE FOR THE SEQUEL. THEY''LL COME BACK ALL GROWN UP AND READY TO WIN THE HEART OF A CERTAIN CHEEKY GHOST SEER )


    IF YOU''RE WONDERING WHY I DIDN''T GIVE A GOODBYE SCENE FOR SIWAN AND JINA, HOLD UP. IT''LL BE AVAILABLE IN THE SEQUEL ONCE IT''S PUBLISHED AFTER THIS BOK ENDS (HOPEFULLY BY NEXT MONTH). MLC IS ON ITS SECOND LAST ARC SO BE PREPARED WITH A LOT OF TISSUES TO SAY GOODBYE TO MINYOON COUPLE. TILL THEN, ENJOY THE RIDE~


    ........


    Doyoung got out of her car. She had just arrived at the spot where Bosung had requested her to meet. Her friend sounded very worried over the phone and this rmed Doyoung. What was going on? Why was Bosung so scared?


    The meeting ce was a park which had been abandoned for years. The rides had broken down while the trees were dry and leafless. There was once a pond at a corner but that had also dried up. Only weeds and grass remained.


    She walked to the center, waiting under a dry banyan tree. It was just past 8 PM and the night was getting darker. Even though it was not thatte, there was something eerie about the park which scared her. She was unwilling to stand there alone and wished that Bosung hurried up.


    Where is she? Doyoung wondered.


    The sudden screeching of tires startled her. She looked around to find Bosung''s lone figure getting out of a car. To her shock, Bosung was limping as she carried a basket in her hands.


    "Bosung!"


    Doyoung quickly ran towards her friend who had fallen down but clung onto the basket for dear life. To Doyoung''s horror, Bosung was bleeding from her private part.


    "Bosung, your stomach" Doyoung whispered. She quickly nced into the basket and in it was a tiny little baby who was asleep. The baby was really small, as if he had been born only hours ago. Did Bosung give birth to him all by herself without any medical care?


    "We need to take you to the hospital!" Doyoung eximed. "Quickly-"


    But Bosung stopped her, clutching her hand.


    "N-no!" she stammered with great difficulty. "I won''t survive this, Doyoung. I don''t have time!"


    She pushed the basket towards Doyoung who was shocked.


    "I''m going to ask you for a big favor," Bosung begged. "It''ll be a burden but I don''t have anyone I can trust! This baby...he''s my only hope! Please take care of him"


    "Bosung, where''s his father?" Doyoung demanded. "I thought you said he woulde for you!"


    "I...I can''t exin it to you," Bosung said tearfully. "Everything has been ruined, Doyoung! His father...his father has been captured by them and he can''t return to us"


    With that, Bosung began to weep for her husband who was now in the clutches of his own kind. The baby in her arms was not an ordinary human but how could she exin it to others? She had no time and the demons were after this innocent life. If they got their hands on him then they would kill his humanity and let the demon in him takeover! It was thest thing they wanted for their child.


    "Take care of him," she begged tearfully. "I...don''t have much time...Please...Doyoung"


    Doyoung was in a dilemma. Take care of a baby like this? How was this even a logical thing to do? But Bosung had taken such a huge risk and came to her for help. Her good heart could not even turn her away that too when she was on the verge of death!


    "We have to get you to a hospital!" Doyoung dered. She picked up the basket with one hand and supported her friend on her other shoulder. Bosung had lost a lot of blood and was nearly unconscious.


    "Keep the locket on him" Bosung murmured. "Never let him take it off"


    "Let''s get to the hospital first!" Doyoung scolded her. She hoisted her friend to the backseat while put the baby basket in the front seat. Ensuring that it was secured, she got into the driver''s seat and drove off.


    As soon as they reached the hospital, Doyoung rushed to the medics for help.


    "My friend!" she eximed to a doctor. "She just gave birth on her own and is bleeding! Please help her!"


    The doctor and nurses rushed to the car and saw the deathlydy who had lost a lot of blood. They carried her onto a stretcher and immediately took her to the operation theater. Doyoung sat outside the surgery room, holding the baby in her arms. She had left Siwan with the servants so he was well taken care of.


    The baby in her arms was beginning to wake up. He let out a soft sneeze and opened his beady little eyes to see the world around him.


    The boy had tiny palms and it seemed as if he was looking curiously at Doyoung. Despite her tension, Doyoung felt a strange connection with the child in her arms. He had really beautiful grey eyes and he was as red as a cherry. The baby was blinking at her before shing a wide smile. He held out his tiny palm to touch her cheek.


    A single drop of tear fell from Doyoung''s eye and for a moment, she was mesmerized by the sight of the child. Seeing him took her back to the first time she held baby Siwan in her arms after she had given birth. Her heart warmed up at the view of this innocent soul who had arrived on Earth.


    "It''s almost as if I know you," she whispered, kissing his wrist. The child wheezed in happiness as if saying yes. Doyoung was cooing at him, busy taking care of the tiny life in her hands. He was so delicate that she felt that he would break very easily.


    "Do you want to hear a luby?" she beamed at the child. "Once your mother recovers, she''ll sing you loads of luby"


    She kept on assuring the child, whispering positive things in his ears to keep him engaged. After many hours, a doctor came out of the operation theater.


    "Ms. Doyoung" He began. Doyoung stood up, rmed to see the doctor looking very grim and sad.


    "What happened, doctor?" she asked, feeling ominous.


    "I''m afraid we couldn''t save her," the doctor said in a sad tone. "We''re sorry."


    He bowed in front of her. Doyoung did not reply, too shocked to absorb what had happened. The events of the past few weeks had barely sunk in and now her best friend was gone. She slumped back on the bench, unsure of what to do. Her mind was at a loss, not knowing what was about to happen.


    A tiny palm touched her cheek again as if trying to assure her that everything was alright. She looked at the baby who was seemingly consoling her. Babies were supposed to be attached to their mothers but this baby was beginning to bond with her. He was reading her emotions and that too in such a short time.


    Her heart tugged at the thought that he was going to be left all alone in the world. Bosung knew her time was up and still fought to protect this tiny life. Who was she running from? And why would anyone hurt this innocent child?


    Then she recalled the deeds of her husband and realized that even if Kang Danny was dead, monsters like him still roamed freely.


    "I''ll take care of you," she promised. "You don''t have to be scared of anything. You''ll have your mother''s surname, but you''ll be my son and Siwan''s brother. Got it? You''re now part of my family."


    A nurse came to her. "Erm, madam," the nurse gently called her. "It''s a bad time but I have to ask this with great difficulty. If you wish, we could arrange a small funeral for the deceased soul at our hospital''s funeral parlor. Or would you like her to be cremated? We could help with the arrangements."


    "Bosung always wanted to be cremated," Doyoung stated. "I''ll sign the forms."


    The nurse nodded and was about to leave when Doyoung stopped her.


    "Could you also issue me a birth certificate for this child?" she requested. "He is the son of"


    She nced at the surgery room where Bosung''s body was being prepared to be taken to the morgue.


    "Understood," the nurse said. "Will you be signing as his guardian?"


    "As his adoptive mother," Doyoung dered. "He''s now my son."


    ..


    Siwan was up all night, waiting for his mother. She had called him up and told him that she was going to bete but he could not help being worried. For the past few days, they had been preparing to move to another town. It was a difficult decision but Doyoung wanted to take Siwan away from all the negative press which was associated with Kang Danny''s image. She wanted to give him a proper upbringing and now that she had decided to go back into modeling, she could take Siwan with her wherever she went.


    At first Siwan was reluctant to leave but seeing his mother''s plight, he gave in. When he broke this news to Jina, she simply looked at him with sorrowful eyes. She was already upset over something for the past week and the news of his departure only saddened her more.


    He nced at the tiny red and orange band she had braided for him.


    "This is for luck," she had told him. "Don''t lose it. It''ll bring us together again someday."


    Siwan sadly stared at it. He did not take it off and was determined to return to Jina someday. Till then, he would never take it off his wrist.


    He heard Doyoung''s car honking at the driveway. She had just overseen Bosung''s cremation andpleted all the formalities. It was a long and tiring night to the point that she did not even get a moment to cry. She had ordered the servants via text to buy all baby essentials for the trip and would purchase more once they reach their new house.


    Siwan ran down the stairs to find his mother entering the mansion. In her arms, was a tiny baby.


    Siwan frowned and stared at the baby.


    "Who''s that?" he asked.


    Doyoung hesitated. She was not sure how Siwan would react to the news of having a baby brother. Would he ept this boy or reject him?


    "This...this is little Hobin," she exined. "Ohm Hobin. He''s aunty Bosung''s son."


    Siwan stared at the baby who was fast asleep, sucking on his thumb.


    "Aunty Bosung is no more," Doyoung revealed. "And this little guy has no one in this world so we''ll be taking care of him as his mother and brother."


    "Brother?" Siwan echoed and nced at the baby again. Doyoung was worried about Siwan''s reaction. He stood quietly for a while before turning around togo back upstairs.


    "Where are you going?" Doyoung asked.


    "To bring my toys of course!" Siwan replied. "And a nket. He''ll also need a crib to sleep in. You have my baby crib, right? It''s in the storage. I''ll help the servants to take it out. After all, I can''t let my brother sleep on the floor, can I?"


    Upon hearing that, Doyoung''s suppressed grief exploded but there was a mix of happiness in it as well. She sat on the lower step of the stair, crying as she clutched the baby in her arms. Siwan hugged her from behind, letting his mother cry her heart out.


    They stayed like that for a while, quietly crying while patting the new family member who had already be inseparable from them.

 Chapter 344: Sad Jina

    Chapter 344: Sad Jina


    Over the next few weeks, Minho and Gayoon spent as much time with Jina as possible. The little girl was initially sad that she had to say goodbye to both Siwan and Shinho. She did not say anything in front of her parents but Yumi told them that she had been crying in her room at night.


    "Should we take her to a therapist?" Gayoon asked Minho one night. They were in their bedroom, discussing what to do with their daughter. Minho, who was working on hisptop, shut it and thought hard about what she said.


    "That''s not a bad idea but we should try harder to cheer her up," he sighed. "If our efforts don''t work, we''ll take her to a therapist."


    "What do we do then?" she asked. "We''ve tried everything. Took her for an outing, never left her alone, attended all the events and even took her to extra curricr sses! Nothing is diverting her mind. And her birthday ising up! Her ninth birthday! It''s a huge deal. We can''t let her be sad forever. She''ll have toe out of her shell someday."


    Minho was also perplexed. How were they going to bring their daughter out of this depression?


    "Mom, dad"


    Both of them looked around to see Jina standing at the doorway. She was holding her stuffed bunny and was rubbing her eyes.


    "Jina?"


    Gayoon immediately rushed towards her daughter. "What happened sweetie?" She asked.


    "I can''t sleep by myself," Jina moaned. "I''m getting bad nightmares."


    "What sort of nightmares?" Minho gently asked.


    "I keep thinking of the day Shinho left," she said. "And a baby crying somewhere. I don''t know why."


    Baby crying? Both of her parents looked at each other, confused. Why was she having dreams about a baby''s cries?


    "Can I sleep here tonight?" Jina asked.


    "Of course you can," Gayoon smiled. She led her daughter to the bed and ced her between her and Minho. Minho pulled the nket over Jina who closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep. They patted her head, silently thinking about ways to help Jina ovee her sadness.


    Just then, Gayoon''s phone rang up. She nced at it.


    "It''s Junho ahjusshi," she stated.


    "What does the old man want?" Minho scoffed.


    "Minho, he''s your dad!" Gayoon hissed.


    "Old git," he went on. "Every time I meet him, he keeps on threatening me with how he''ll shave off my head if I dare to sleep on the same bed as you."


    "I think you''ll look sexy as a bald guy," Gayoon snickered. Minho scowled as she picked up the phone and put it on speaker phone.


    "Ahjusshi," she greeted. "How are you doing?"


    "I''m good," Junho said from the other end. "How are you doing? And how''s that guy who''s not supposed to be sleeping with you?"


    "You should be happy that you might get more grandchildren in the future!" Minho shot back.


    "Guys, stop-" Gayoon began but the old man overrode her.


    "You really think I''ll approve of a yboy like you for Gayoon?" Junho yelled. "You''ve got my genes! I know you must have danced around with other women!"


    "I''ve got my mother''s genes and I definitely got my loyalty from her," Minho imed.


    "I need to-" Gayoon tried to say but Junho was also yelling from the other end.


    "Don''t you dare get her pregnant out of wedlock!" Junho threatened. "I''ll shave your head and throw you out of the house!"


    "Isn''t a bit toote for that? We already have Jina."


    "You know what I mean!"


    "GUYS!" Gayoon eximed. "Shut up! Jina is sleeping!"


    That shut them up. Thankfully, the little girl was so exhausted that she slept through the banter.


    "Now," Gayoon said. "You want to tell us something?"


    Junho grumbled before asking, "What''s Jina doing tomorrow?"


    "Tomorrow is a Sunday," Minho said sarcastically. "Usually after waking up she spends a long and productive day ying in the sand. Come on old man! She''s eight! What do you expect an eight year old to do on a weekend? Win a Nobel Prize?"


    "You used to sell off your used toys to your friends at double the price when you were eight," Junho sneered.


    "Stop it!" Gayoon snapped. "She''s free tomorrow. Why?"


    "I...I know she''s been sad for the past few days," Junho said, feeling a little awkward. "I thought I''d take her out for one day. Maybe I can help her with her sadness."


    Gayoon and Minho looked at each other. Both of them seemed to be thinking the same thing. Junho may not have spent much time with Jina but he was someone who had lost the love of his life. If there was someone who could understand Jina at that moment, it was him. Which is why he was making that request.


    "You can take her," Minho sighed. "Maybe you can do what we couldn''t."


    Junho lit up upon hearing that. He was containing his excitement because he would finally get to bond properly with his granddaughter, something which he had been yearning for ages.


    "I''ll take care of her," he promised.


    "We know," Gayoon smiled. They bid adieu to him and hung up the phone. Minho patted his daughter''s head and kissed her cheek. She went through so much in such a short life that it was a miracle that she did not lose her mind.


    "She''s stronger than we give her credit for," Minho mused.


    "She is," Gayoon agreed, gazing lovingly at her daughter. "And very soon, she''ll turn nine years old! She''s growing up so fast."


    She let out a faint sigh. Minho noted that Gayoon had stopped herself from adding something.


    "What are you thinking of?" he asked.


    "I''m just feeling so overwhelmed," she confessed. She nced at her daughter''s sleeping figure.


    "I mean, only a year ago, I was aching to get a glimpse of her," she said. "I used to think that I''ll never see her and she''ll not know who I am. And now...she''s here in front of me! She calls me mom and also"


    Gayoon looked up to smile at him. She reached out to touch his palm, still smiling.


    "I found someone I fell in love with," she admitted shyly. Minho sped their hands together.


    "I love you too, Jeon Gayoon," he winked and kissed the back of her palm. Gayoon giggled and turned off the bedsidemp.


    "Aren''t you going to sleep?" she asked when Minho opened hisptop again.


    "Just a little bit of work left," he said. "I''ll be quiet."


    Gayoon shrugged andy down, hugging Jina. The little girl stirred and moved closer to her mother, nestling in her arms. Soon, Gayoon was also sound asleep.


    Minho nced at the two sleeping logs and quietly closed hisptop. He put it away and got off the bed, tiptoeing towards a coat hanger where his suit was hung. Putting his hand into the pocket, he took out a small box. He opened the box and smiled.


    Inside it was a sparkling ring with a flower shaped rose gold diamond. Smaller white diamonds bordered the petals and the light pink band around it was also studded with red and white gems.


    Minho smiled at the tiny ring in his hand. He nced at Gayoon and then back to the ring. It took him weeks to source the gems to handcraft the ring. Minho designed it himself and the jeweler had to endure sleepless nights to perfect it before the money lover was finally surprised. Also, the surprise of his secretary and the jeweler, Minho paid a handsome amount for the ring, even giving the ring maker hundreds of thousands dors worth tip for his work.


    He wanted to give it to Gayoon weeks ago but both of them were worried about Jina''s state so he had to dy. However, with Jina''s birthdaying up, it was probably the only chance he would get to finally propose to Gayoon.


    Minho let out a sigh. "What will be your answer, Detective Lover?" he wondered out loud.

 Chapter 345: Outing (1)

    Chapter 345: Outing (1)


    Junho was a little nervous. He parked in front of the Hwang mansion and despite Gayoon''s repeated requests for him to enter the ce, he refused. For some reason, he was still hesitating to enter the ce his children call home. It felt like an empty word without Suna and even if it is not the same mansion that he used to once live in, there would be memories of her in there which he was reluctant to face.


    Instead, he waited outside for Minho and Gayoon to bring Jina to him. They had told her that her grandfather would take her out that day and she seemed to have agreed.


    Even though they had met several times, Junho was still nervous. As a grandfather, he was nervous to spend the day with his only granddaughter. What if she got bored? What if he could not cheer her up?


    Finally, Minho and Gayoon appeared at the entrance, guiding Jina. She wore a pink shirt and dark jeans while her hair was tied into a braid and carried a backpack on her shoulders. She kissed her mom and dad before running towards Junho''s Imp.


    "Old man!" she greeted him with a smile.


    "Who the hell are you calling an old man?" he scowled. "Call me grandfather! Or Pappy!"


    "I like old man better," Jina said cheekily as she got in and fastened her seat belt. "Suits you."


    Junho pinched her cheek hard. Minho knocked on the car''s window.


    "Take care of her," he said. He paused before adding, "And of yourself."


    "I''ll take care of her but you better not do any funny business with Gayoon," Junho grumbled, knowing very well that it was an useless threat. Minho merely scoffed and turned away. They watched as Junho revved up the engine and drove away.


    "Will they be alright?" Minho wondered.


    "Rx, he''ll take care of her," Gayoon assured him. "Ahjusshi loves Jina very much."


    "Oh I''m not worried about her," Minho stated. "But anyone would be driven up against a wall when confronted with our daughter''s cheeky nature. If anything, I feel sorry for him!"


    Gayoon yfully hit him andughed. Suddenly, he grabbed her and before she knew it, he picked her up in his arms.


    "W-what are you doing?" she squealed.


    "What? I couldn''t sleepst night coz my human bolster wasn''t with me," he whined. "I need her with me and now we have the whole day."


    "But the staff will see us!"


    "I gave all of them a day off!"


    Gayoon blushed when he sprinted back into the mansion with her in his arms and shut the door behind them, d to have her all to himself.


    Meanwhile in the car, Junho asked, "So, where do you want to go?"


    Jina thought for a while before replying, "Amusement park!"


    Junho steered towards the highway which led to the city''s amusement park. The road wasparatively free so they should reach there quicker than usual. Jina crossed her legs on her seat and addressed her grandfather.


    "Old man," she began. "When ghosts...when they leave, where do they go? Do they go to that world where mom was taken to?"


    Junho took a moment to reply. "No," he finally said. "That ce might be called World of the Dead but only those who were either thrown there or have to go through redemption can go there. People who did bad things or took their own lives out of sheer sadness. The ones who are bad, they find the world to be a hell whereas the ones who chose to go there voluntarily find a home there. That''s what your father told me."


    "So Shinho didn''t go there"


    Jina trailed off and looked down, feeling sad. She had hoped that if he had gone there, she could still meet him. Junho seemed to know what she was thinking.


    "Don''t even think of going there," he said sharply. "It''s not a pce you should wander into so casually. And the souls in there are not always good. Most are bad or turned insane. You never know who you run into."


    "So what happens to Shinho?" Jina asked. "Where is he now?"


    "I''ve only read theories about death, dear," Junho sighed. "Those who know what happens after death are the people who died and they can nevere back to tell us."


    Jina was even more saddened upon hearing that. Why was there such a rule? Why would people not live forever?


    "I''ve lost people too," Junho said in a heavy tone. "It''s not easy letting go."


    Jina did not reply. They were silent throughout the rest of the ride, thinking of the people they had lost. Junho knew that the little girl had experienced her first real encounter with a loved one''s death. She was still trying to understand the philosophy of it and someday, she would be able to grasp it. But until then, it was going to hurt her a lot.


    "We''re here," Junho finally said. He parked the car in the parking lot and they got out of the car. Grabbing Jina''s hand, he gently guided her to the ticket counter. He bought a few tickets for them before entering the park with her.


    Jina was slightly mesmerized by the festivities. There were many people who were out for family time with their loved ones. The children squealed at the mascots who were roaming around, taking pictures with cosyers of princesses and other famous characters. Tiny castle towers were ced on the sides of the walkways, leading towards the mini pce which was gleaming under the sunlight in different colors. From afar, Jina could see gigantic roller coaster tracks which surrounded the entire park and was so high that she felt it disappeared in the clouds.


    "Cooooool," she said in awe while Junho was scared of the humongous thing which was spread throughout the park.


    "Old man, let''s ride that!" she insisted.


    "You''re too young to ride it!" he refused.


    "It should be fine if you apany me!" Jina eximed. "Look it''s written!"


    She pointed at a sign which said only children above 6 were allowed on the coaster that too with a guardian. Junho shook his head.


    "No!" he protested. "I can''t let you ride it! It''s too dangerous."


    "Old man, I think we''ve seen enough dangers with the ghosts and all," Jina shrugged. "How scary can this be?"


    "Very," Junho said, his voice shaking. "For you."


    But Jina peered at him suspiciously. She stepped forward, putting her hands on her hips, noticing the visible beads of sweat on his face.


    "Old man," she began. "Are you afraid of the roller coaster?"

 Chapter 346: Outing (2)

    Chapter 346: Outing (2)


    "Who the hell are you calling a scaredy cat?" Junho scoffed. "When I was younger, I drove the fastest cars in the country!"


    "You drive an eighteenth century Imp now so I see that your energy has decreased," Jina said in a cheeky way. "Are you scared that you''ll be bested by a kid? Old man?"


    "Call me an old man again and I''ll box your ears, ya brat!" her grandfather threatened her.


    Jina stuck out a tongue at him. "Scaredy cat!" she teased.


    "Scared? Me? Never!" Junho imed. "We''ll ride this thing today and I''ll show you that I''m not scared!"


    Jina shook her head in disbelief. He was as stubborn as her dad which made it even moreical to her. Junho put on a brave front and marched ahead with his granddaughter, determined to conquer the giant monster which was spread almost fifty feet high into the sky.


    Unfortunately, all his big talk came crashing down when he stood at the line and stared at the tracks. Those things soared so high that it seemed as if they disappeared into the sky! The coaster was speeding like a monstrous demon, making rough noises as it swooshed by. He could hear the screams and cries of the passengers who were begging to get off the ride. Some of them held on to their seats for dear life as the monster sped them away.


    "So cool!" Jina squealed, her eyes beaming while Junho gulped. Who the hell invented this thing?


    The ride finally arrived at the station and the passengers were beginning to get off. A lot of them were dizzy and almost spun to the floor while some were throwing up at a corner. Junho''s feet were shaking hard.


    "Are you scared, old man?" Jina asked with a devilish smile. "We can skip it and look for rides which suit your age."


    A nerve twitched on Junho''s forehead while Jina snickered at the old man. Her grandfather''s expressions were so funny that she could not help but tease him. Who knew that granddads were this easy to control?


    Junho steadied himself. "I''m not scared!" he said out loud. "When I was younger, I made people older than me cry! I was the unbeatable Hwang Junho, after all! The most powerful man in the country who could takeoverpanies and earn money in seconds-"


    "Old man, can you hurry it up?" Jina sneered. "You''re blocking the line."


    Sure enough, there were people grumbling behind him. They were urging him to go forward so that they could ride the coaster.


    Did these people have a death wish? He wondered. Junho turned back to the coaster and took a deep breath.


    "Let''s go!" he said, pulling Jina with him. They got into the coaster. Junho attached Jina''s seatbelt firmly and made sure her hands were on the handles.


    "I''ll be fine!" she eximed. "Tie your own belt!"


    "Don''t you dare move your hand from the handle!" Junho warned but Jina merely shrugged. She was smug at her grandfather''s expressions and she wanted to tease him further. But the poor guy was praying to all the gods he knew and even muttering a chant to exorcise demons in an attempt to protect his poor heart which was beating fast. They were quite high up and he did not dare to look down.


    "Old man, are you alright?" Jina asked when Junho''s face wentpletely pale. "There aren''t any ghosts here so why are you so scared?"


    "Shut it!" he gritted. "I''ll show you how brave I am!"


    "Okay, but if you scream even once, you''ll buy me a new Barbie doll which I have been eyeing for a long time!" Jina snickered.


    Junho sighed. This one was definitely the daughter of the Hwang family. Like father, she too, used his weakness to her advantage.


    My poor wallet, hemented. First the dad used to rip me off and now the daughter! Can I ever get a break?


    The coaster began to move and Junho was counting his remaining lifelines. This was it.


    They slowly glided ahead towards a long fall. Junho, scared for his life, grabbed Jina''s hand.


    "In case you''re scared," he imed.


    "I''m not scared."


    The sadistic child was even more excited. In fact, her eyes widened when they were at the edge while her poor grandfather was scared out of his mind.


    "Here we go!" she announced and the coaster dropped down, speeding faster than light. She yelled in delight while Junho''s cries of fear echoed throughout the whole park.


    The mighty ex-tycoon turned out to be a scaredy cat after all.


    ..


    Kanji was in his study, looking over the information his men had brought him. A few days ago, his men had killed off Eagle, a prominent member of the Lin family. They were tipped that Eagle had assassinated one of the gang leaders employed by the Jang''s which led to a full out shootout.


    With great difficulty, Kanji had to order the hit even though he was keen on maintaining a truce with the rivals. Haejong and he never went head to head against each other because both of them were assessing each other.


    But Haejong was smart. He had strategically taken out several of his men without bloodshed. In fact, he used their own spies against the Jang''s and nted evidence on Kanji''s men to frame them. The police had rounded off many of their men which was a huge blow to the Jang''s.


    In retaliation, Kanji nted his own spies in their ranks. The gangs under the two ns, however, were restless. They wanted blood and erupted in very serious gun fights which were causing the fatalities to increase day by day.


    "A gang doesn''t operate unless someone is pulling the strings," he said thoughtfully. Ever since he was med for the death of Lin Cheng, the tensions between the groups have peaked. There was no proof who killed the old man but the Lin''s med it all on Kanji because thest person to have seen Cheng alive was him.


    It was true that Kanji had gone to the spot where Cheng had summoned him but the old man never showed up. The next day word came that he was found at a construction site, dead. His face had been badly bashed to the point that at first, no one could recognize him. Haejong was able to recognize him only because of the mark of a tattoo on his hand. The tattoo was of a dove entangled by green vines, something only the head of the Lin family could have.


    As the current head of the family, Haejong sported the tattoo somewhere.


    His thoughts were interrupted by the beep of his phone. It was Yeonjoo.


    "What is it?" he asked her.


    "I have information for you," she said. "We need to meet up. Now."


    Kanji groaned. This woman always called him under the pretense of giving information but in reality, was trying to seduce him. He was not interested in sleeping with her but she was pestering him that she would reveal everything to the Lin family if he did notply.


    So he usually slipped sleeping medicines in her drinks every time they were together and pretended the next day that they had sex. She was not a particrly smart woman. If it was not for her information, he would have discarded her long ago.


    "I''ll be there," he said in a steely tone. Picking up his coat, he headed towards the parking lot outside where his car was. Getting into it, he started the engine and drove away.


    Unbeknownst to him, Mina''s car just pulled up outside the mansion. Jason had summoned her that day to check up on her. He had sensed the tension between her and his son so he wanted to talk to her about something.


    But when Mina saw Kanji driving away, her heart fell. He did not even notice her but she saw him after so many days that she could help in feeling sad. The distance between them only made her more miserable. Was he feeling the same?


    I should talk to him, she decided. Enough of this silly push and pull!


    Revving up the engine, she began to follow his car.

 Chapter 347: Outing (Conclusion)- Thank You Old Man

    Chapter 347: Outing (Conclusion)- Thank You Old Man


    Junho doubled over at a trash can and was puking his guts out. Jina stood next to him, shaking her head. The ride had rattled the old man so much that he was now even scared of his own shadow.


    Does he really get rid of evil spirits? Jinaughed inwardly. Finally, Junho was done throwing up. He looked weak and frail, the roller coaster scaring the lights out of him. Even taking care of ghosts was easier than a day out with this little she-devil.


    "Old man, this is what you get for trying to be too cool," Jina stated. "This is a lesson for you. Someday, you''ll grow up."


    "Oi!" he scowled. "I''m a grown up! You''re the one who''ll grow up someday!"


    "If bing old means I''ll throw up after riding a harmless roller coaster, then I''d rather stay a kid," Jina shot back. Junho threw her a dirty re.


    "What else do you wanna ride?" he asked grumpily.


    "I''ll go easy on you," she said. "Let''s just visit the haunted house."


    Junho was d that she did not choose another ride. His poor stomach would not be able to take another one like the roller coaster. The rides at the amusement park looked very scary to him. The Ferris Wheel was too damn high and the water kingdom was full of speedboats which fell from a slide higher than a mountain.


    What the hell is the government doing, approving these dangerous rides for kids? He scowled in his head. No wonder the world is rotten!


    He kept a firm grip on Jina''s hand as they headed for the haunted house. The guests would have to enter the house through a dark tunnel which was made of ck cloth. There were several people who were entering with them, most of them were couples.


    "Jina, remember one thing, " he said. "Never date any man. They''re all scoundrels I tell you."


    "Dad told me that you used to date several girls before you met my grandma," she frowned.


    "I was lucky to get your grandma," he agreed. "Chased her for four years before she agreed to date me and a few monthster when she got pregnant with Minho, we got married."


    "So you knocked up grandma and then married her just like mom and dad?" Jina asked.


    Junho gaped. "Who the hell taught you that phrase?" he asked in aghast.


    "Yumi," she simply replied. "She used it when I told her about how my mom gave birth to me when she was eighteen and wasn''t even with my dad at that time-"


    "That ghost is gonna get an earful from me once I get home!" Junho roared. He did not want Jina to repeat the Hwang cycle!


    Jina shook her head in disbelief. The men in her family were unbelievably shameless.


    I am not marrying a rich guy, she decided. They headed deeper into the tunnel until the haunted house came to view.


    It was not really that different from the ones shown in movies. The house was made of hardwood with purple walls and cobwebs all over it. To make it seem like a ''haunted'' house, the windows were broken and the door was unhinged. There was probably a speaker somewhere because they could hear the sounds of wings pping and screaming, the typical horror movie stuff.


    "If you feel scared, then hide behind me," Junho told her.


    "Old man, I live with a ghost whose face has been smashed while the other one''s organs fall out every second," Jina scoffed. "These are puny brats in front of them!"


    "Is there anything in this world that scares you, oh granddaughter of mine?" Junhmented.


    "Yes," Jina replied. "Elementary math book. Next year, I''ll be scared of kindergarten math books. Have you seen those things?"


    She shivered as if thinking of something very nasty. Junho groaned and they entered the haunted house.


    Inside, the lights had been dimmed with thick smoke engulfing the area. Jina could make out spiders and cobwebs have been hung all over the walls which were a pasty green color. The furniture was covered in white sheets and the floor creaked underneath them. She could not hear any music there; the makers were probably going for a tension building atmosphere.


    She was bored already. Behind her, some of the silly couples were scared and one of them yelped when a door opened on the right. They heard a croaking noise and a woman in white was slowly crawling out of it. Her face waspletely powdered white and her long ebony wig was messed up to cover half her face. Her mouth was open and she was croaking through her throat.


    "AHHHH!" a woman screamed and held onto her boyfriend who was also scared. The white woman was crawling towards Jina and Junho, who stood there with bored expressions. She slowly stood up, pointing at Jina and was quicklying to lunge at her in an attempt to scare the kid.


    "BOO!" Jina suddenly yelled and the woman was so startled that she fell backwards.


    "Ow!" the white woman winced.


    "That''s not gonna work on us," Jina imed.


    "I''d try harder if I were you," Junho agreed. The white woman and the other visitors gaped at the strange duo who scared a ghost. What in the world?


    "Old man, is there a mummy around?" Jina was asking as they walked away. Sure enough, there were other ''monsters'' who tried to scare them but to their dismay, the little girl was the one who chased them around.


    "What the hell are you doing?" a guy in a mummy costume shrieked when Jina pulled on his bandages.


    "I wanna see what a mummy looks like," she said innocently and was tugging at the bandages. The poor guy was so scared of a little girl that he ran back into the fake crypt and hid there. The rest of the visitors also became less scared and were simplyughing as the monsters hid from the girl who was gleefully chasing them, asking all sorts of questions about their costumes.


    "Okay that''s enough!" Junho eximed when Jina pulled off the cloth from a white ghost, revealing the middle aged man who was pretending to be a ghost. The grandfather picked up his naughty granddaughter and carried her out of the haunted house.


    "But where are the real ghosts?" she was asking as Junho carried her away. The monsters were d to see her leave, relieved that they were spared from the little monster who scared the wits out of them.


    Junho did not stop until they reached a bench and put Jina down.


    "Man, you''re a handful!" he groaned. "And Gayoon gushes what a good kid you are!"


    "Tch!" Jina scowled. "Those haunted house folks ripped us off! Calling it a haunted house when there''s no ghost. Liars!"


    In spite of himself, Junho let out augh. "You really are the heir of the Hwang family," he chuckled. "All worried about money."


    "I don''t wanna be the heir," Jina stated. "I''m gonna be a badass detective just like my mom! Even dad agrees!"


    Junho smiled and ruffled her hair. She reminded him so much of Suna. His wife used to be very cheeky and Jina inherited that cheekiness.


    "Your grandmother would have been proud of you," he sighed. "I wish she was here to see you grow up."


    Jina noted the sadness in his voice. She crossed her legs on the bench and turned to the old man.


    "Do you miss her a lot?" she asked quietly.


    "Everyday," he admitted. "There isn''t a day when I don''t miss her."


    "Does it" she began but trailed off. Junho waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts.


    "Does it hurt?" she finally asked. Her voice was cracking up as if she was trying to suppress her feelings.


    "It does, kid," he gently said. "And that''s okay. Because it shows how much we love them."


    "I never thought it would be this hard," Jina sniffed. Herrge eyes were tearing up and even though she was trying to be strong, it was impossible.


    "The pain will numb in time," Junho said, patting her cheek. "People will say that it''ll go away but it won''t. And that''s okay. It doesn''t mean that you''re weak. It simply means you care. And that matters the most."


    "Will Shinho evere back?" Jina asked. "He promised me that he''ll be back! I know he will fulfill it!"


    Junho sighed. "I really don''t know," he admitted. "People say there''s life after death but we don''t know what lies beyond death. Some say good souls can reincarnate but it could take days, months, years and even...lifetimes."


    "You mean...I might never see him again?"


    Tears flowed down her cheek as she gazed at him with her pleading eyes. Seeing her cry made his heart ache and he hugged her tightly.


    "Death isn''t goodbye, silly!" He gently reproached her. "He''ll live as long as you remember him."


    He let go of her and pointed at her heart. "He''ll live here," Junho told her. "And that is more important than anything else. Just remember. One day, all of us will be reunited with him. If not in this world then in the next. He''s gone out of sight, not out of mind. So it''s alright to cry and remember him. One day, you''ll carry his dreams forward on his behalf. Just be yourself and live for his sake."


    "Your parents are worried about you," he went on. "If you''re sad, then they''ll be sad. So don''t be sad for too long. They love you and want the best for you. Never forget, they''ll be with you no matter what."


    Jina hugged him, silently crying for her lost friend. At that moment, she realized why Junho requested the outing. If there was someone who understood the loss of a loved one, it was him and he wanted to support her in his own weird way.


    "Thanks, old man," she sobbed. "For everything."


    Junho sighed and smiled.


    "Who the hell are you calling an old man?" heughed.

 Chapter 348: Red Light

    Chapter 348: Red Light


    Mina kept on following Kanji''s car from a good distance. To her shock, he was driving towards the red light district of the city. She had never been there herself but sometimes, she got patients who came from that area and told her about the cruel nature of their business.


    She felt a little strange because her posh car stood out in that ce. There were a few gang members who were sitting along the sidewalk, watching the cars enter their abode. Some of them leered at her as she drove by. Mina felt scared of being there but Kanji was driving deeper into the ce. Around her were small one storey buildings which looked like shops but were in fact brothels withrge window disys.


    Skimpy clothed women stood there like showpieces, sometimes making provocative gestures to entice the customers who were willing to pay for them. One of the women was beginning to do a strip tease while men gathered outside to see her skit as if she was a caged animal. Mina gripped her steering wheel.


    What the hell is Kanji doing here? She thought. He still did not notice her car though. After a while, he parked in front of a four storied building which looked like one of the brothels but it had a better decor. Instead of window disys of women, the ce was exclusive as there were a few guards outside the door. Mina watched as Kanji got out of the car and headed for the entrance. To Mina''s surprise, the guards saluted Kanji as if he was a VIP and let him in.


    He put his hands in his pocket. The sleeping pills were in there. Yeonjoo was waiting for him at their usual suite so he told her to order them some wine. He was near the reception when one of the girls bumped into him.


    "Hey handsome, up for a wild ride?" she winked but Kanji ignored her and walked away.


    Meanwhile, Mina was debating whether to follow him or not. She knew very well why a man would go to a ce like that but something was amiss. A man like Jang Kanji, who boasted to have so many girlfriends, could not possiblye here to buy sex, right? Mina was sure he could have simply called one of his girlfriends or even an escort.


    Buting all the way to a red light district was too suspicious to her. Letting go of her hesitation, she got out of the car and took a deep breath before heading towards the entrance. The guards blocked her way.


    "ID," he demanded. Mina blinked and slowly took out her ID card. The guard checked it and nodded.


    "Entry fee is five hundred dors," he stated. Eh?


    "Do you take credit card?" She asked a little hesitantly.


    "Yes."


    She handed the card to him and he punched it in a card machine before letting her in. Mina was surprised by how easy it was to enter the ce. The five hundred dors was a ripoff for this ce but from the looks of it, the ce was definitely for the elites. Or at least designed to be.


    In fact, it looked like a four star hotel with a spacious lobby and even a cafe at the corner. A well dressed receptionist weed her.


    "Hell ma''am," she greeted. "Are you a customer or escorting someone?"


    Mina was confused. Escort?


    She has to think fast. ncing around, she noticed that Kanji was getting one of the lifts with


    "Yeonhoe?" she gasped. That bitch! She was an escort? No wonder her clothes were tacky!


    "I''ve been summoned for a threesome with one of your regrs here!" Mina imed, making a stab in the dark. "Jang Kanji and his regr girl, Yeonjoo called me but I can''t find them"


    She pretended to look around and pout. The receptionist peered her eyes in suspicion.


    "Submit your ID and phone to us," she instructed. "One of our guides will take you to Madam Yeonjoo''s floor."


    Mina was scared. Her ID and phone? What if she got into trouble? How was she going to get out of it?


    "Miss?" the receptionist asked. "The ID and phone."


    "Yes!" Mina said and slowly took out the things the receptionist demanded for.


    "The bag as well."


    Mina hesitated but handed over the bag to the receptionist. A girl in a server uniform came forward and said, "This way."


    She followed the girl to the elevator and they headed for the top floor. Mina was trying not to show her fears. The whole ce might look like a luxury hotel but the patrons were anything but that. Her eyes fell on the people who were openly kissing or fondling each other on the side couches without a care. There were a few VIP rooms where loud music rang and full on parties were raging in there.


    They stepped onto a corridor which smelled like cigars and stale alcohol. There were a series of doors on both sides and some guests were lingering in the corridor, busy with each other. Suddenly, a door burst open and a naked girl came running out. She was bruised and bleeding, her skin full of vicious marks as if animals were tearing her apart.


    "What the-"


    Mina rushed forward to help the poor girl but her guide pushed the injured girl away.


    "Corrinne!" she yelled. "Get back to the orgy you''ve been assigned to!"


    "No!" Corrinne begged. "Please! They''re monsters! They''ll k-kill m-me!"


    "She''s injured-" Mina began but a pair of half dressed men came out of the room and dragged the injured girl back into it. Mina turned to her guide, fuming.


    "That girl is injured," she said calmly. "She needs treatment!"


    "Are you new?" the guide sneered. "This is how the business works. A few pills and she''ll be fine by tomorrow."


    "But-"


    "Stop wasting my time, pretty girl!" the guide snapped. "If you create any trouble, I''ll throw you in that room instead!"


    Mina was frozen upon hearing those words. Where did she end up? Why did Kanjie here?


    She nced back at the room where she could hear the girl''s screams but there was nothing she could do at that moment. Clenching her fists, she had to bite back her anger.


    "Come on!" the guide barked and led her to thergest suite in the ce. Mina paused when she saw Kanji was outside the room with Yeonjoo, kissing her.


    "That''s them," the guide said. "Make sure you satisfy them because Madam Yeonjoo is the owner of this ce! And Jang Kanji is a special guest. Otherwise, you''re dead!"


    With that, the guide left Mina alone in that corridor. Kanji did not notice her but pushed Yeonjoo into the room before following her there.


    Mina stood there for a while, berating herself for following him. What the hell did I expect? She thought bitterly.


    She was trying not to cry but Jang Kanji always had that effect on her. He made her cry even without uttering a word.


    "Why am I so stupid?" she sobbed, leaning against the wall. "I just-"


    She clutched her hair, unable to take any more heartbreaks. Just then, the door to the orgy room opened and the girl''s lifeless body was thrown outside.


    "Ugh! Useless hoe!" one of the men yelled. Mina turned around and was shocked to see that the girl had gonepletely numb. She was unconscious due to the beatings she took and her body was so badly bruised that it looked like a few bones were broken.


    Mina quickly rushed forward to check her pulse. It was very weak.


    "Who''s this chick?" one of the men asked, eyeing Mina with interest.


    "She''s pretty."


    "Let''s take her!"


    One of the men grabbed Mina''s wrist but she pped him hard.


    "Get your filthy hands off me!" she yelled. "Can''t you see this girl is bleeding? I''m taking her to the hospital-"


    "YOU BITCH!" The guy screamed and lunged at her but Mina ran towards the suite where Kanji was staying and banged on the door.


    "JANG KANJI YOU ASSHOLE COME OUTTA THERE!" she screamed, pounding hard on the door. Inside the room, Kanji had just put Yeonjoo to sleep and was surprised to hear a familiar voice.


    "Mina?" he frowned.


    "Come here you bitch!" one of the men shrieked and grabbed Mina by her hair. She yelped in pain, still punching and scratching as hard as she could. She managed to break her captor''s nose but there were too many. One of them grabbed her hands and the other her legs before dragging her into their room.


    "Do you even know who we are?" one of her captors spat at her. "We''re from the Jang mafia n! The most dangerous criminals in this country! You think you can hit us and get away with it?"


    "NO-"


    She yelled but her cries were drowned by a single gunshot. The grip on her hands loosened and blood sttered all over her dress. Mina watched in shock as one of the men fell to the ground, dead.


    As if in a daze, she looked up and saw Kanji standing there. His dark eyes were now red with fury, his handsome face distorted by a bloodlust.


    The other guy also let go of her and all the men who were tormenting her, fell to the knees.


    "B-b-boss!" they cried in unison.


    Boss?


    Mina looked from them to Kanji who was now ring at them with unforgiving eyes. They just called him boss. Did that mean


    "Kanji" she whispered. "Just who the hell are you?"


    He turned to her with his hard gaze, unflinching. "Jang Kanji," he dered. "The heir to the Jang Mafia n."

 Chapter 349: Final Confession

    Chapter 349: Final Confession


    He was pointing the gun at his men who had dared toy their hands on Mina. The men cowered in front of their boss, shaking in fear while Mina was too stunned to speak. Boss? Heir to the Jang n?


    "B-boss!" one of the men squeaked. "Forgive us! We-"


    BANG!


    More blood sttered on the walls, staining them red. Mina came to her senses and dragged herself towards the unconscious girl to protect her while the series of gunshots echoed in her ears. She felt blood and organs ssh everywhere as the bullets hit the men mercilessly. Kanji was like a robot, shooting down every one of his men with his own hands.


    "STOP!" Mina begged. "STOP IT!"


    But he did not heed to her and kept on shooting every man until thest one whimpered, begging for forgiveness.


    "Boss!" he pleaded. "Forgive me! Please!"


    "Kanji, don''t-" Mina yelled but once again, her pleas were interrupted by a gunshot. Kanji stood there, bloodied and unaffected as if what he did meant nothing to him. The smiling and moronic Kanji she knew was reced by this cold, unfeeling man whom she no longer recognized.


    Once the smoke and dust ebbed, Mina saw the massacre in front of her. Several meny there, dead or whimpering in agony. Most of them were shot in the head, killing them instantly. Mina gasped in horror, the image haunting her more than the CCK ever did. Her heart was throbbing hard in her chest and she turned to look at Kanji who was still unaffected.


    "Since when" she began. "Since when were you involved in this?"


    Kanji did not reply but slowly walked towards her. His dominating aura was engulfing her, strangling her but she stood up, not looking away. Was this the Kanji she loved? Or did he never exist?


    "Go home, Mina," he ordered. "This isn''t the ce you should be."


    "Neither should you!" she shot back. "This...this isn''t you, Kanji! I don''t know what made you join the mafia but I know you don''t want to do this!"


    He wordlessly turned away but Mina was not done. She grabbed his shoulder and forced him to face her.


    "Is this why you were creating a distance between us?" she demanded. "Tell me, Kanji!"


    Tell me, she begged in her thoughts. All those warnings against Haejong, his unwillingness to confess to her even though it was clear he cared for her more than a friend and the petty games they were ying. Was it all to hide this?


    "I''m in love with you, Kanji," she finally confessed. "Let''s just stop running and tell each other the truth."


    Kanji stood there, not saying a word but simply staring at her while his mind was mixed with pain and dilemma.


    "Just tell me, Kanji," she begged. "Is this what you were really hiding? Kanji, I''ll help you to leave! I know you don''t want to remain like this! The Kanji I know would never refuse me! If you want to leave, let''s leave! We can go far away where none of this...this mafia stuff can touch us! We''ll start anew-"


    "You are mistaken, Hwang Mina."


    If Mina had not seen his lips move, she would have never believed it. But Kanji really said those words. He took a step towards her and briefly nced over her shoulder.


    Peeking from behind a corner, was a very familiar face. Oh Youngdo.


    He was listening in to their conversation and had seen Kanji''s bloodlust over a woman. Kanji was sure that he was upto no good given that his boss was nowhere around.


    Kanji turned to Mina who was pleading at him with tears in her eyes. The pain in his heart was unbearable and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take her hand and run away, leaving everything behind. But the life he chose would not let them live in peace. His enemies would follow him everywhere in an unending cycle of pain.


    And the one who would suffer, was the girl he loved the most. His love would turn into a slow poison for her, something he could never give her on will.


    "I was putting distance because you''re my friend''s sister," he stated. "Out of respect for Minho, I didn''t tell you what I really did. And your brush with CCK made you traumatized so I hid the nature of my work. But that''s it. I don''t wanna leave my n. I like it here and I want to stay."


    "Kanji," Mina said, her voice quivering. "Why are you lying to yourself? You think that this"


    She pointed at the bloodbath behind them. "This is what you want?" she demanded. "Do you really mean it?"


    Looking directly at him, she asked, "Did you kill these men because they were harming the woman you love or did you kill them because you''re their boss? Tell me the truth. Why did you really kill them?"


    This was it. This was his chance to tell the truth and that was all she needed. If he just told her the truth once, she would be ready to run away with him. All he had to do was tell the truth.


    "I killed them because they were harming my friend''s sister," he shrugged. "It''s what I do, Mina. I kill people. It''s my job to do so. Just like how your job is to save them. It''s all business. It''s not for love but for responsibility."


    There was no hesitation in him when he said that. No matter how much it hurt him, he needed her to leave that ce before Youngdo could hurt her. For some reason, his instincts told him that the Lin family''s right hand man was there on his own ord and not on Haejong''s orders. Seeing him with Mina would only endanger her life and if Youngdo found out that she was his weakness, god knows what he was going to do.


    Mina stepped back. She finally knew the truth. He never loved her. Not even a bit.


    "At least I''m not in the dark anymore," she mused bitterly. "And now that I know you don''t feel anything for me, I guess I can move on."


    She took off her jacket and knelt down to cover the injured girl who was still whimpering. Pulling her gently, Mina supported her weight.


    "For the sake of our friendship," she said. "Tell the people in this ce to let me take this girl to the hospital. She''s injured and needs medical attention."


    Kanji took out his phone and ryed the information to the guards downstairs.


    "You can go now," he said in a hard tone.


    "Also," she went on. "I''ll send over all your gifts and everything I bought using your cards to your mansion tomorrow. They''re really meaningless now that I think about it."


    Kanji snorted. "That''s almost millions of dors worth of goods," he said.


    "They''re all intact," she revealed. "Never used any of them because they were too special for me. But I guess they''re no use to me anymore."


    With that, she slowly dragged the injured girl away, leaving him behind. Kanji stood there, not moving but as soon as she was out of sight, he went back into the room. Slumping against the door, he fell on the floor, silently crying.


    Outside, Youngdo came out of his hiding ce. He had witnessed the exchange and was surprised that he recognized the girl. She was the doctor his boss, Haejong, was also chasing.


    "Looks like she''s of no use," he muttered. "Oh well."


    Taking out a phone, he dialed the emergency number.


    "Hello, police station?" he asked. "I want to report a gunfight and a murder a the red light district. The murderer is none other than Jang Kanji, a top businessman and heir to the Jang mafioso."

 Chapter 350: A Murderer

    Chapter 350: A Murderer


    When Jina returned home that night, she was surprised that her parents were not home. Junho did not leave her alone because Minho had called him to tell that he and Gayoon went to the police station to deal with some work. He did not borate but asked Junho to look after Jina.


    They were in the living room where Junho was watching TV while Jina had changed into her pajamas and was drawing.


    "This isn''t right," Jina muttered, erasing her drawing and redoing it. Just then, Yumi and Casper apparated next to her. They had been waiting outside Ahn Jaewan''s home for the past few days but he was on some kind of trip abroad. Finally, they caught a glimpse of him.


    "Yumi!" Jina eximed. "Casper! Did you guys find out anything?"


    "The ghosts are here?" Junho asked. "Where were they all this time?"


    "They''ve been trying to find Casper''s killer," Jina revealed. "Apparently, Casper''s killer was wearing a watch with a dragon in it. I remember that Ahn Jaewan wore a watch like that and he imed it was a limited edition. Maybe he''ll be able to tell us where he found it!"


    "Oh?" Junho frowned. Jina turned to the ghosts and began to question them.


    "Did he return to the country?" she asked.


    "He did," Yumi confirmed while Casper nodded. "He''s in his house right now. We didn''t want to scare the guy but maybe you can talk to him."


    "What are they saying?" Junho asked. Jina ryed their message to him. After hearing it all, Junho was pondering hard on what to do next.


    "Where did he die?" he asked. "Did anyone ever go to the construction site? If he was murdered, then they must have found the body. Were there any news articles on it?"


    "Er"


    The trio looked at each other. With all the technology at their disposal, theypletely forgot that they could look up the articles rted to that construction site where Casper was found.


    "It didn''t ur to us," Jina admitted sheepishly. "And we didn''t tell mom and dad that we''re trying to find Casper''s killers."


    Junho sighed and shook his head. He took out his phone and began to search.


    "Dead body at construction site," he wrote on the search bar and several articles popped up.


    "Where was his body found?" he asked.


    "Not far from here," Jina stated. "I think it was the site next to the market on street H."


    Junho scrolled through the articles and found one article. It was a tiny piece but the article stated about a dead body which was found in a building''s construction site. The victim''s head had been bashed to the point that he was barely recognizable but the identity had been established after the DNA test was conducted using the man''s grandson.


    "Lin Cheng," he read. "It''s saying that his name is Lin Cheng. ording to the article, he was mute. And there''s a picture of the body too."


    He showed the picture to Jina who recognized Casper. "That''s him!" she eximed. "That''s Casper."


    "Yo, they didn''t even take a good picture!" Yumi frowned, feeling outraged. "Just look at the angle. His head isn''t that bashed!"


    But Casper was frozen. He read the article with a strange mix of happiness and grief. He had a grandson?


    "See, Cas?" Yumi said with a smile. "You have a family! A grandson who''s probably sad that you''re no longer around. Maybe he knows what yourst wish is!"


    "Is his name mentioned?" Jina asked.


    "Nope," Junho replied. "His name isn''t stated here but if Casper is Lin Cheng, then we''re very close."


    He turned to Jina and said, "Call up Ahn Jaewan and tell him that we need to meet with him. Tell him that it''s urgent. Yumi, follow her."


    "Yes!" Jina eximed, scrambling off towards her room to fetch her phone. Junho and Casper were left alone in the living room. Thetter was still processing the fact that he had a family. He did not want Jina to see his silent tears. Even though he should be happy, why did he feel a hollowness in his heart?


    "Are you really sure you want to find out the truth?"


    Junho''s voice echoed in his ears. No, he thought. I don''t want to. And I don''t even know why.


    There was a sense of shame and guilt working in Casper which was hard to exin. Yes, he had a family. But did they love him? Was he good to them? What happened to his sons and daughters? Why did only his grandson step up to give his DNA sample? Were they a happy family? Did they love each other like the Hwang''s? Or were they cold and distant?


    Junho might not be able to see the ghost but he understood the dilemma Casper felt. No old man wanted to face their biggest fears especially when it came to their families. As someone who was forced to stay away from his own family, Junho knew the pain and anguish he had to endure to see even one glimpse of their smiling faces.


    But the moment he read Casper''s real name, he knew that this case was not as simple as it seemed.


    "Lin Cheng," he began. "Was the most notorious mafia leader of the country. His name etched terror in everyone''s hearts and hundreds of people died under his orders. Ruthless, cruel and ambitious, there wasn''t a single person who would have dared to stand up against him. He established the Lin family, creating havoc in the country through his organized crimes."


    Casper''s fists clenched but not in anger. He was scared. Was he really a bad person in life? Did he kill all those people?


    He stared at his pale hands. Are my hands stained with the blood of innocents? He wondered.


    "His family died in a shootout," Junho went on. He was not ruthless nor was there a hint of disdain in his tone. Junho knew very well that out of all the ghosts, Jina was the closest to Casper because she sensed a goodness in him which no one else could. Perhaps it was hidden when Casper was alive but in death, he no longer hid his true self. She reminded him of his own grandchild and by protecting her, Casper waspensating for the lives he had taken.


    "The grandson was the only one living," Junho stated. "And currently, he''s heading the Lin n. That''s all I know. There are no pictures or names mentioned. The only reason I know so much about the Lin family is because my best friend, Jang Jason, is the head of the Jang n. Both of them are rivals and deadly ones too. They say when a member of the Lin family and Jang family meet, blood will spill."


    Junho stood up and left the room to give Casper some space to think. The ghost remained there, unsure of what to do or believe. Silent tears fell from his eyes as he grasped with the reality in front of him.


    He was a murderer.

 Chapter 351: Tell Her Im Sorry

    Chapter 351: Tell Her I''m Sorry


    Gayoon pulled up in front of the brothel. Minho was with her and he quickly scrambled out to run towards the scene. A few cops blocked his way.


    "I''m sorry you can''t enter this ce," the cop stated.


    "But-"


    Minho wanted to argue but Gayoon stopped him. "This is a police only area now," she muttered. "Let me handle it from here."


    She shed her badge and the cops let her enter. She went straight to the top floor, the scene of the crime. The moment she stepped on the corridor, a ghastly sight met her eyes.


    Several meny on the ground, dead. Their blood stained the floor and the walls, coloring it into a deathly shade of crimson. The bodies fell on each other, blood and organs mixed into a mesh of goo and to her horror, she felt several cold presence there. She was well aware that some of the men had be ghosts and were thirsting for revenge but she pretended not to have noticed them.


    There were far bigger issues in hand.


    Putting on her gloves, she walked straight towards the man in question: Kanji. The police had apprehended him. He sat on a stool, shaken.


    "What happened here?" Gayoon asked one of the cops.


    "Well, we got an anonymous tip that there was a murder here," the cop stated. "We came here and found this scene. And also"


    "Also what?" Gayoon demanded. She nced at Kanji, who was still shocked.


    "There''s another body inside the room," the cop revealed, pointing at a suite. Gayoon went into the room and found a half naked woman on the bed, seemingly sleeping. But her lips were blue and there was an empty ss of wine next to her body.


    Gayoon recognized the victim immediately. She was the girl Kanji had brought to their house when the Kang''s came over for dinner. How did they end up here? She wondered. And wasn''t Kanji in love with Mina? What''s he doing with this chick?


    She checked for the victim''s pulse.


    "She''s dead," a forensic assistant stated. "I''ll have this and the other bodies packed up and send them to theb."


    Gayoon nodded. She sniffed the ss. The poison was in it.


    Did Kanji really do this? She wondered. That evening, when they received news that Kanji was arrested on charges of murder, Gayoon was shocked. To her surprise, Minho did not look shocked or worried but rather grim. That was when he revealed the truth about Kanji''s real job as the heir to the Jang mafia n.


    She was in a dilemma. On one hand was her friend and on the other hand was her duty as a police officer. Taking a deep breath, she went outside.


    "Kanji."


    He looked up to find Gayoon staring at him. She looked very disappointed, looking at him as if she could not recognize who he was.


    "Did you really do all this?" she asked.


    "I killed my men because they were harassing Mina," he admitted. "But I did not kill Yeonjoo!"


    "Kanji, you were thest person to enter that room," she stated. "There are no CCTV cameras here but your name is on the entry record downstairs, right beside her name! And the guards testified that you are a regr patron here. The case against you is not looking good at all."


    Kanji was aghast. "Gayoon, it was Oh Youngdo who must have tipped the police!" he imed. "The right hand man of the Lin family. He must have been working under his boss'' orders! Lin Haejong ordered this. I know it!"


    Oh Youngdo? Gayoon knew who it was. She had been reading the files on both the Jang''s and Lin''s. His name had popped up quite frequently on the documents, cementing her suspicion on that man. But right then, everything was bleak for Kanji and she must follow procedure.


    "Where is Lin Haejong?" Gayoon pressed. "No one knows what he looks like-"


    "He came to the dinner that night at your mansion," Kanji revealed. "Mina''s date."


    For a moment there, Gayoon was stunned. Mina knew the other n''s leader? How did they even meet? What was going on?


    But there was no time to dwell on it. She had to do a very difficult thing first.


    "Jang Kanji," she began. "You are under arrest for the the murder of Madam Yeonjoo. You have the right to awyer. You have the right to remain silent."


    She took out her cuffs and reluctantly put them around his wrists. He did not protest but simply followed suit as the cops led him to the van.


    Minho was pacing back and forth outside the brothel when he saw a group of cops apanying Kanji. Thetter was unusually quiet as he was being escorted into the police van.


    "Kanji!" he yelled. His friend merely looked at him with, his eyes dead and his soul tarnished.


    "Tell Mina, I''m sorry."


    Minho gaped at him but the cops dragged him into the van before driving away. He took out his phone and called Mina. She had just stepped out of the surgery room when she found her brother calling her.


    "Brother," she greeted. "What-"


    "Kanji has been arrested," Minho said. "What happened between the two of you? Why is he telling me to say sorry to you?"


    To his surprise, Mina did not react. She was not asking questions nor was she distraught. But he could sense a conflicted mix of emotions running within her as she gathered her thoughts.


    "I know everything," she revealed. "I know that he''s a mafia. He told me."


    Minho sighed. "Are you alright?" he asked.


    "No," she admitted. "But I want to be. I just need time-"


    Gayoon came up behind Minho. "Kanji is saying that Lin Haejong tipped off the cops," she told him.


    Minho frowned while Mina froze on the other end. She heard what Gayoon said and was scared. Haejong tipped the cops?


    "Apparently his right hand man, Oh Youngdo saw Kanji here with Madam Yeonjoo," Gayoon went on. "And sent an anonymous call."


    "Is it possible that the Lin''s implicated Kanji?" Minho frowned.


    "It is," Gayoon replied. Minho was about to ask something but heard a loud click on the other end. Mina had hung up the call.


    "Mina?" Minho tried to listen but there was only silence.


    "How is she taking it?" Gayoon asked. But Minho stared at the phone.


    "Something is wrong," he muttered. "Mina just hung up the phone. I think she''s gonna do something."


    Gayoon winced. Mina must have heard Lin Haejong''s name when Gayoon was talking to Minho.


    "Ask her for Haejong''s address!" Gayoon said. "We''ll have to talk to him. Let''s go!"

 Chapter 352: Weakness

    Chapter 352: Weakness


    Haejong was alone in his room, going through the case files regarding his grandfather''s death. His men had bribed the police to steal all the details so that the Lin n could handle it internally. They had been stalking the Jang''s for months to find the truth.


    While Youngdo had pointed out that the bullet used in the murder was the link, Haejong was not convinced. The killer had bashed his grandfather''s head first and then shot him in the chest. The forensic report said that his grandfather died due to the head injury and the bullet pierced his body after he was dead.


    But why would the killer shoot Lin Cheng after killing him? It was almost as if the killer had left the clue on purpose. The Jang family never resorted to this sort of barbaric means. Haejong knew their method too well. They would simply shoot their victims in one clean shot to the head. That was their MO.


    He shut the files and leaned against his chair, thinking hard. There was something wrong


    DING! DING!


    Someone was ringing the doorbell. Heajon nced at the clock. It was almost 1 AM. Who would visit him at this time?


    He took out the gun from his drawer. After spending years as the heir to a mafia family, he had learnt to keep himself armed at all times. Carefully descending the stairs, he stood in front of the door and peered through the peephole. To his surprise, it was Mina.


    "Mina?" he frowned. Putting the gun away, he opened the door.


    "What are you-" he began to ask.


    SLAP!


    She hit him with all her might,pletely stunning him. He stood there, frozen to his spot while she was fuming. Behind her, two other people had popped up.


    "Mina!" Minho and Gayoon yelled and rushed towards her but Mina''s eyes were full of anger and hatred.


    "You" she said. "You did this! You sent Kanji to jail!"


    Haejong did not reply but let her hurl usations at him. There was a cold fury burning within him but it was not towards her. He could never be angry at her. It waspletely impossible.


    "Why did you do this?" she demanded. "All of us could have talked him out of that kind of life and yet you"


    He looked directly at her, hiding the inexplicable pain he was feeling in his heart. Did he possess a heart or did it only beat whenever she was around? He did not know.


    "Lin Haejong."


    Gayoon stepped in between them to reason with the mafia lord. She could not arrest him for his crimes yet because there was no evidence but Mina was enraged at that moment. The more she would point fingers at Haejong, the worse the situation would be.


    "Your rival, Jang Kanji, was arrested from a brothel," Gayoon said in a calm tone. "He was charged with the murder of his men and the brothel''s owner, Madam Yeonjoo. The anonymous tip might have been your right hand man, Oh Youngdo because he was seen hanging around that ce. Do you know anything about this?"


    "My right hand man was a good citizen and reported a crime," Haejong calmly stated. "I don''t think that is a bad thing."


    Mina was about to hit him again but stopped herself. Minho was also ring at the man who stood there with a calm expression, unaffected.


    "Was it worth it?" Minho asked. "This rivalry? Both you and Kanji sure are idiots. You two had the chance to mend your family name and yet, you chose the cycle of violence. Lin Haejong, are you really happy doing this?"


    "It''s no use asking them anything!" Mina spat. "They''re both cowards who are tangled in their own web of lies and deceit."


    She red at Haejong. "The reason I hit you today, is because of your cowardice, Lin Haejong. You and Kanji, both are now getting on my nerves! Enemies my foot! If you guys hate each other this much, then just take out your guns and shoot yourselves! Why resort to such cheap tricks?"


    "Kanji saved me tonight," she went on. "If he hadn''t shot those men, they would have killed me in there! It was an act of self-defense."


    "Well, my man was a witness to his crimes," Haejong said in a steely tone. "Jang Kanji should have thought about it before killing a member of our gang. Madam Yeonjoo was the girlfriend of one of my men. So naturally, we will retaliate like the good citizens we are."


    He masked the pain he felt with scathing words. For Mina, he was the bad guy, an evil person with no remorse. If that was how she felt, then so be it. He would be whatever she wanted him to be.


    Mina was disgusted at him. "You know, for a moment there, I thought you were a good person," she whispered. "But I guess I was wrong."


    She turned around and stormed off. Gayoon and Minho gave Haejong a hard stare.


    "Stay away from my sister," Minho warned. "I''m not an ordinary man in this country. You can''t threaten me but I can turn your and your men''s life into hell."


    The scalding anger was brewin out of him. Haejong had hurt his sister and his friend, something Minho could never forgive nor forget. Gayoon grasped his arm and turned him away but not before throwing a dirty gaze at him herself.


    Haejong waited until they were gone. He slowly took out his phone and dialed a number.


    A shrill voice came from the other end. "Hello boss!" Yosef squeaked.


    "Yosef," Haejong said. "Jang Kanji-"


    "I did as you ordered us, boss!" Yosef yelped. "Tampered with the sleeping pills Jang Kanji used on Madam Yeonjoo whenever they were together. I dug around and found out that Kanji was using these pills to make her unconscious every time they were about to be intimate. When she woke up, he pretended that they slept together. He was careful in telling the lie to her but Yeonjoo was a dimwit. So as per your orders, my men swapped the medicines with poison pills while he was on his way to see her. He mixed it in her drink and she gulped it down."


    Haejong was shocked to hear this. "When did I order this?" he barked.


    Yosef was confused. "Boss, Oh Youngdo told me that you ordered this," he revealed. "He was the one who said that you wanted to frame Jang Kanji for murder! So we carried out the orders!"


    Haejong''s lips quivered in anger, his heart burning with fury as the pieces began to fall in ce. Oh Youngdo


    "From now on, don''t carry out any orders from him," Haejong instructed. "Don''t let him know that I said this. If he orders you to do anything, report to me. No matter how trivial it is! Otherwise, I''ll have your head."


    The warning in Haejong''s voice sent a chill down Yosef''s spine. "Got it boss!" he said. "I''ll report back to you directly."


    Haejong hung up the phone. If Youngdo was pulling strings behind his back, what else did he do?


    I must find out, he decided.


    Outside, Gayoon and Minho were trying to calm down Mina.


    "This is all my fault!" Mina eximed. "If I hadn''t followed him, he wouldn''t have killed all those men"


    She was crying hard. All she wanted was for Kanji to give up being a killer and turn a new leaf. The thought of him being in jail all by himself was unbearable to her and she did not know what to do.


    Gayoon hugged her.


    "We''ll try our best to lessen his sentence," she said. "I''m sorry but if he really did it, then he must face jail time. But I''ll try my very best to have it reduced."


    Mina did not reply but kept on crying. She knew that there was no way they could free Kanji from something this serious. What''s going to happen to us? She wondered.


    "If you cry, Kanji will also suffer," Minho said to console her.


    Will he? Mina questioned herself. Will he be affected by my tears at all?


    She no longer knew what was the truth. Even after being rejected so cruelly, her damn heart was in love with him. If only there was a way to rip it out and throw it somewhere, she would have done it.


    Unbeknownst to them, a lone figure was watching them from afar. Youngdo smirked as he recognized the girl from the brothel. He had witnessed her pping Haejong and to his surprise, Haejong did not react to her. Anyone else would have been shot dead.


    "Looks like I found his weakness," Youngdo smirked. "Time to find out everything about this woman."

 Chapter 353: Red Dragon

    Chapter 353: Red Dragon


    "So, why did you call me here?" Jaewan asked, leaning against the couch. He received Jina''s call at night and she asked him to meet at her mansion because she had something important to tell him. To his surprise, Gayoon''s old man was there too.


    Junho was still eyeing Jaewan with suspicion while Casper and Yumi sat next to Jina. Casper was a little afraid of what Jaewan was going to reveal because he was apprehensive of the truth. Ever since Junho told him about his previous identity, he was scared. How could he be a killer? And if he was, then he would never be able to face Jina out of shame.


    "That watch"


    Jina pointed at the dragon watch he was wearing. "Can we take a look at it?" she asked.


    "I can''t let you touch it!" Jaewan said sharply. "What if you dirty it?"


    "What was that?" Junho growled. "Did you just call my granddaughter dirty? You want me to pummel ya, punk?"


    "Use a sanitizer before you do so," Jaewanmented.


    "What was that?"


    "Shut it!" Jina scolded them. "We''ll spray it with disinfectantter! Just show it to us!"


    Jaewan groaned before taking out a tissue from his pocket to wrap the watch with it and handed it over to Jina. She carefully checked the watch with Casper watching over her back.


    "Is this it?" she asked him. Casper nodded and made a gesture. Jaewan was a little afraid when the little girl was talking to something invisible.


    "I-Is there a ghost there?" Jaewan asked, pointing at the ce where Casper sat.


    "Yes," Junho said in a smug tone. "If you talk too much, I''ll unleash him on you."


    "Casper says this is the watch," Jina said. "But the dragon he saw on his killer''s watch was red. This is blue."


    Before Jaewan could reply, Minho burst into the house. He was tired from staying up all night but with Kanji in jail, there was nothing else he could think of. Gayoon and Mina were still at the police station. They had requested Mina to return home but she was adamant to be with Kanji despite the fact thetter had refused to meet her.


    Minho was surprised to see Jina and Junho at the living room but to his dismay, there was an uninvited guest too.


    "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded of Jaewan.


    "Your daughter called me," the clean freak shrugged. "It''s not like I wanted toe to this ce. Although, your mansion needs a good cleaning. It''s so dusty!"


    "Your brain needs more cleaning!" Minho scowled. "I can help with that by sticking the toilet brush up your-"


    "Stick it elsewhere!" Jina scolded her father. "We''re in the midst of a very important task here! Catching Casper''s killer!"


    "Eh?"


    Jina ignored her father and turned to Jaewan. "You said in an interview it''s a limited edition watch," she stated. "Who else has it?"


    "This thing?" Jaewan asked. "You don''t know? Then again, you''re a kid so it''s not surprising."


    Minho sat next to Junho, curious about what was going on. Jaewan took a dramatic breath and exhaled.


    "This is a limited edition watch made for the Lin family," he revealed. "The mafia n."


    "Mafia n?" Jina frowned. "What''s that-"


    But now Minho spoke up. "Lin family?" he demanded. "You mean Lin Cheng''s family? The mafia n who are known for their barbarity?"


    "Yeah them!" Jaewan said. "The only reason they gave me this is because they sponsored one of my dramas. I wasn''t keen on taking it but my manager forced me to ept their gift. So I had to show it off in interviews to cate the Lin''s. Only their selected members have it."


    "Their head wears the Golden one," he cited. "And the second-inmand wears a red one. The rest are given blue ones."


    "The red one?" Jina gasped. "That''s the guy! He killed Casper!"


    But Junho was now looking at Minho. His son seemed shocked and had put a few pieces in ce.


    "What''s going on?" he frowned.


    "The second-inmand of the Lin family just sent Kanji to jail," Minho revealed. "Gayoon told me everything about the case she had received. Apparently, the Lin n thinks that Kanji and his family killed their old head, Lin Cheng. And now, they''re trying to destroy the Jang''s."


    "But Uncle Kanji didn''t kill Casper!" Jina protested. "It was the guy with the red dragon!"


    "Casper?"


    Minho''s eyes widened in shock. "Casper is Lin Cheng?" he eximed.


    "He is," Junho confirmed. "This means that this right hand man of the Lin''s framed Kanji and started the bloody mafia wars. He must have set everything up for some hidden motive. Killed the head of his own gang and framed the rivals. And now, he''s manipting the current head of the gang."


    "And the worse thing is, Mina has been caught up in all of it," Minho revealed. "She knows the current head of the Lin family. I don''t know how but she also got tangled in this dangerous web. She went to his housest night and straight up pped him. I don''t know how he''s gonna react now."


    "What?" Junho bellowed. "Who the hell is he to hurt my daughter?"


    "Someone dangerous," Minho winced. "We-"


    "CASPER!"


    Jina''s yells echoed in the room. She was looking frantically everywhere. Even Yumi was scanning, apparating in different rooms, calling out for Casper.


    "What happened?" Minho asked.


    "C-Casper is gone!" Jina cried. "H-he left!"


    ..


    He stood in the midst of a construction spot, staring at the concrete gravel. It had been smoothlyid out but a few months ago, his body was found at that spot, broken and unrecognizable. When he woke up as a ghost, he had no recollection of his memories. He was lost and scared, wandering from one ce to another.


    The only thing in his heart was infinite guilt and at the same time, unending love. He did not know who he was or where he came from, but for him, this was a second chance. There was something he had toplete, tell someone the truth he inadvertently hid in his heart. A secret which he took to the grave.


    And now that he was no longer alive, he was not tied to the bounds of the promises he made. He knew who he was now.


    That''s right, he told himself as the memories of his past came rushing back. The gun he held, the blood he spilled. Everything was clear in his mind. He was the most dreaded man in the country. There was no remorse nor any hesitation in his actions. He did what he had to for the sake of his family.


    He was Lin Cheng, the most dangerous gangster to have lived in this country. And even in death, he was going to show who the real boss was.

 Chapter 354: Burnt

    Chapter 354: Burnt


    "Have the bodies arrived yet?" Jaein asked her assistant. She received a call from Gayoon that they were going to receive bodies from the crime scene at the red light district. Apparently there were many bodies so they would be stuck dissecting them for a long time.


    "Not yet, doc," her assistant said. "The ambnces carrying the bodies are on its way but there had been a blockade on the road so they got stuck."


    "Well if they dy, then the bodies might begin to enter Rigor Mortis!" Jaein snapped. "Ugh! Where are the crime scene pictures?"


    The assistant showed her the photographs which had been mailed to them. She went through the blood bath, tch-ing under her breath.


    "Whoever did this will be thrown into prison for a long time," she remarked. "Maybe even face the gallows."


    "This is terrible," the assistant muttered. "The bodies will begin to rot if the ambnce doesn''t hurry up."


    Jaein looked at the clock. It had been over eight hours since these people died. Any longer than this, the dposition might start especially under the summer sun. If that happened, then a lot of evidence could be lost.


    Where are they? She wondered.


    .


    "What the hell do you mean you won''t take the case?" Jang Jason yelled over the phone.


    "I''m sorry Jason, but bail is impossible for Kanji!" Lawyer Lee argued. "I''ve seen the crime scene photos! Also, the fact that Kanji admitted to killing his own men, is equal to a death sentence!"


    "But it was in self-defense!" Jason shot back. "He was protecting Mina!"


    "Even if that argument wins in court, there is still the murder of the brothel''s owner," Lee stated. "She was killed by poison and thest man with her was Kanji. There is no doubt that he would not be able to escape this mess!"


    Jason grumbled in frustration. His son was always so careful in covering his tracks, never killing unless it was absolutely necessary. Why would he murder Yeonjoo in such a careless manner?


    "Someone is trapping my son, Lee!" he imed. "I''m sure of it."


    "Even if they are, Kanji''s records speak against him," Lee sighed. "He''s been revealed as the heir to the Jang family. Do you really think the court will grant him bail easily?"


    "Do something!" Jason begged. "Anything! Bribe them if needed! But get him out of there!"


    "I''ll try but I can''t make any more promises," Lee said. "It really is the end for him, Jason."


    He hung up the phone, leaving Jason to deal with the mess. The old man did not know what to do. He was devastated upon seeing his only son in jail and what was worse, even Mina knew the truth now. After taking so many steps to ensure that she would be spared from the reality of their business, she still found out.


    "This is all my fault," he moaned. "I shouldn''t have let Kanji enter this business."


    If Kanji had not insisted all those years ago, Jason would have never let his son enter their line of work. But after Mina nearly lost her life to a serial killer, Kanji was determined not to let anyone hurt her again. At first, he acted as an older brother who wanted to protect his friend''s sister.


    Who would have thought that Kanji would actually fall in love with Mina afterwards? Their feeling for each other onlyplicated matters and Jason could only watch as his son rotted in his misery. He was distant and aloof from the only woman he would ever love.


    And it was killing him now.


    "Sir"


    His secretary entered the room. "Miss Anna is here for the meeting."


    "Anna" Jason almost forgot. He was supposed to meet with Kirishima Anna, the Executive Secretary of the CEO of D&D Corps. The legitimate business of the Jang''s were taking up a tender from them so she was supposed to meet with him regarding the project.


    "Tell her that I''m busy!" he snapped.


    "But she''s already here, sir," his secretary said. "She''s insisting on meeting with you."


    Jason was in no mood to entertain guests at the moment but he had little choice. I''ll finish it off in minutes, he decided.


    Anna entered the room. She was a little surprised to see that Kanji was not there.


    "Mr. Kanji is not here," she stated. "Is everything alright?"


    "Kanji is a little upied," Jason lied. "I''m Jason, his father."


    He held out his hand for her to shake. Anna smiled and took his hand. There was a twinkle in her eyes but within a blink, it was gone.


    "Shall we discuss business?" she asked. Jason kept on ncing at the clock on the wall while Anna discussed the tender. He was not really listening to her but his mind was on his son who was still in jail. The woman was simply talking about some old age home D&D wanted to build so he would let his secretary handle her from now on.


    After half an hour, Anna said, "I guess that''s it. Those are the details."


    "Thank you, Ms. Kirishima," Jason nodded. "We''ll look at the project and get back to you."


    Anna smiled and strutted out of the room. Jason was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not notice the cunning smile toying on her lips. Unbeknownst to him, the moment they shook hands, she read all his memories. She knew what happened to Kanji and what the Hwang''s were up to.


    Taking out her phone, she sent a text.


    "We can strike tomorrow at night," she wrote. "I''m about to create havoc."


    Pressing the send button, she quietly walked away. Time for some fun.


    .


    Back at theb, Jaein was still pacing to and fro. It had been over fourteen hours and the bodies still had not arrived!


    She had called Gayoon numerous times but the detective was busy interrogating Kanji. Moreover, the driver of the ambnce was not picking up either.


    "Ma''am by now the dposition must be starting," her assistant said, feeling worried. "The way the men were killed, their blood must have dried up."


    "It''s not entirely impossible to perform the autopsy even if the dposition started," Jaein exined. "We can still do it. But in cases of murders like this, the sooner we can finish the autopsy, the more urate our reports would be."


    She was about to call Gayoon again when her phone rang up. It was from one of the cops who was escorting the bodies.


    "Where are the bodies?" she demanded. "It''s been fourteen hours!"


    "Doc, bad news!" the cop eximed. "The ambnces"


    "What happened?" Jaein frowned.


    "The ambnces swerved away from the road and fell off the cliff!" he revealed. "And then caught fire! All the bodies in it have been burnt!"

 Chapter 355: Five Feet

    Chapter 355: Five Feet


    Gayoon rushed to the site where the ambnces crashed. The police vans were already there, pushing the crowd away. A group of firefighters arrived to put out the fires and were pulling out bodies from the ambnces. The foul smell of cooked human meat engulfed the air making Gayoon almost throw up.


    Smoke wasing out of the ce where the ambnces fell. The smell was getting worse by the second but there was no other choice. They must recover whatever they could from the site.


    "What the hell happened here?" Gayoon asked one of the officers. "How did four ambnces crash all at once?"


    "We are as confused as everyone else!" the officer replied. "The drivers suddenly swerved off the road and crashed the ambnces off the cliff! It was like a suicide drive! None of the drivers survived and the cars caught on fire. By the time we reached here, the bodies which were being carried inside were burnt to a crisp!"


    She watched the whole thing in dismay. The officer was right. The firefighters pulled out some of the remains but they were either detached organs or limbs. Most of the bodies had been destroyed in the crash and carrying out an autopsy on them was near to impossible.


    "What the bloody fuck?" she cursed. How could five ambnces crash like this? Were the drivers possessed?


    Possessed


    She tried to feel any ghost around but there were none. No cold feeling, no dread. Did they escape after possessing the drivers?


    "This is insane!" she cried. "Five ambnces were driven by suicidal drivers? Are you kidding me?"


    She was shouting at the officers who were responsible for escorting the bodies. They were all ashamed, looking down as Gayoon scolded them. But inwardly, she was baffled by the phenomenon. It was too much of a coincidence.


    "Send whatever remains you could find to the forensicb," she finally said. "Just...just go!"


    The officers saluted her in obedience and scrambled off to work. Gayoon was still puzzled by the urrence. She must figure out the mystery.


    Taking out her phone, she called Junho. He picked up on the first ring.


    "Gayoon, we were just about to call you!" he eximed.


    "Ahjusshi, something happened here too!" she said. Junho frowned. He was with Minho, Jina and Yumi. They were on the way to Casper''s murder site to attempt to find him.


    "I''m putting you on speaker," he said and pressed the button for everyone to hear her.


    "Gayoon, what happened?" Minho demanded. "Everything okay on your end?"


    "I don''t know!" she eximed. "The ambnces which were carrying the bodies...All of them crashed!"


    "WHAT?"


    "The bodies are burnt!" she went on. "Nothing is left. Carrying out an autopsy is nearly impossible because the fire burnt off the organs."


    "What the"


    Jina was looking from her father to her grandfather. Both of them were grim.


    "We also found out something," Minho sighed. "Casper...Casper is the previous head of the Lin family. Lin Cheng."


    "WHAT?" Gayoon bellowed. Her head was now beginning to spin. So much to absorb in such a short time! One night and everything changed. So many revtions wereing up that she did not know which one to follow!


    "This is insane," she gritted. "You know what? Let''s split up the work! You guys handle Casper''s case and I''ll handle Kanji''s one. We''ll keep each other updated."


    "We''re off to find Casper now," Minho said. He quickly told her what Jaewan revealed and also about Oh Youngdo, the right hand man of the Lin''s.


    "Oh Youngdo" Gayoon said. "I think I can dig up more on him. You guys find Casper and the truth behind his death. If that is solved, all the mystery will be solved."


    "Good luck," Minho said.


    "You too."


    They hung up the phones. Minho stepped on the pedal and headed straight for the construction site Yumi led them to via Jina.


    "This is it!" she said, pointing at an iplete construction site. "Tell them to stop here."


    "Dad, that''s the one!" Jina conveyed. Minho pulled up in front of the site. All of them got off and ran inside. Jina and Yumi led the way because thetter visited the ce with Casper before. She took them deeper into the building until they reached a concrete gravel.


    "This is where his body was found," Junho muttered, recognizing the spot from the article.


    "But he''s not here!" Jina said. "I can''t see him anywhere!"


    She nced around, calling for him but the ghost was nowhere. He never refused her call before!


    Tears stung her eyes and she sobbed. Her heart was wrenching for her gentle friend who was always with her.


    "Casper" she wailed and hugged her father who was at a loss. Junho did some quick thinking.


    "He has a grandson," he slowly said. "Did he go back to his old house? Maybe he wants to meet his grandson?"


    "It''s possible," Minho replied. "His grandson is the same guy who came to our house for dinner when the Kang''s had arrived. Mina even took us to his housest night but I doubt he would wee us again."


    "He''s there."


    Both of them turned to look at Jina who had stopped crying. She was now hopeful that Casper had gone to his family. If there was something she knew about Casper was that he would do anything for his loved ones. It did not matter to her that people imed he was a killer while he was alive. She knew he was a good person. There was no way he enjoyed killing. Casper would never hurt a soul. That much she knew about him.


    They were friends after all.


    .


    Mina kept on staring at the cell where Kanji was locked in. He was sitting at one corner, with his back facing her. They were merely five feet apart but the distance was much more than that. The five feet which she could not cross. He would not let her.


    Yet, she sat there like a fool, hoping he would turn to look at her. She remained at the police station all night for his sake. Her soul was breaking down, barely held together. If she left, she was afraid she would never see him again.


    But she did not know that he was in bigger pain. Kanji felt her eyes on him, silently begging but he could no longer face her. All his efforts to keep her away from the darkness in his world were in vain. No matter how much he pushed her away, she would keep oning back. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her but if he did, then there was no going back.


    She would not know a single day''s worth of peace. Her life would be bleak and cold just like his. How could he push the woman he loved to that fate?


    "Are you...hurting as much as me?" he heard her mumble.


    Yes, he replied in his thoughts. Possibly more than that. But I can''t let you know. Not in this lifetime.


    "You should leave," he said in a heavy voice.


    "No," she simply said. "I won''t leave."


    "Mina, I told you that...I don''t love-"


    "Love has nothing to do with it," Mina said in a soft yet determined tone. "I''m here for the friend who is close to my heart."


    Kanji was about to tell her something but her phone rang up. Mina absentmindedly answered it.


    "If you want to have your boyfriend released from jail, then do as I say."


    A cold voice came from the other end, making Mina suspicious. "What are you-"


    "Yeonjoo," the voice said. "I know who poisoned her."


    Mina froze. Yeonjoo? Was this man the killer? Without a word, she pressed the record button on her phone.


    She was very scared and was about to say it to Kanji when the man stopped her. "If you tell anyone anything, I''ll destroy all evidence," the man threatened. "Meet me at the one storied house behind the school at N-Street. You muste alone. No cops."


    With that, the man hung up. Mina was in a dilemma. Should she listen to this man? Was he telling the truth?


    She nced at Kanji''s back. What if that man really had the evidence? But it could also be a trap.


    As if answering her question, her phone beeped again. It was a message containing one video. Mina clicked it. Her eyes gaped in shock.


    It was a muted video of Kanji at the brothel, shooting down all the men who harassed Mina. But how was this possible? There were no CCTV cameras in that corridor!


    Another message arrived. "Now do you believe me?" he wrote. "Come to the address otherwise I''ll send this video to the cops. No one can save your boyfriend then. Don''t you dare bring the cops."


    By then, Mina was sure it was a trap. The killer wanted to harm her for some reason. But she had no choice. She must go.


    Mina quietly stood up and walked towards Gayoon''s desk. She put the phone on it, praying that she would see the phone and hear the recording.


    Kanji suddenly felt like something was wrong. He spun around to find that Mina was gone.


    "Mina!" he whispered. Why was his heart filled with dread?


    "Mina!" he cried but there was no response. She was gone.

 Chapter 356: Gunshots

    Chapter 356: Gunshots


    The sounds of the gunshots pierced through his tiny ears as he cowered inside the closet. His mother had told him not toe out no matter what happened but his parents were outside. He wanted to go and see if they were safe but his body would not move at all. It was as if he had turned into a statue, still and unmoving.


    He could hear the footsteps of someone roaming around the closet, looking for more people. His mind could imagine the men out there who were hunting down anyone they could find.


    Everything was going so well. That night, his parents had cooked a wonderful dinner and all of them enjoyed a peaceful time together before going to bed. All of a sudden, his mother woke him up and told him to hide. Someone broke into their house and was going to kill them!


    "Mom, I won''t hide!" the boy protested but his mother hugged him.


    "Don''t worry," she consoled him with tears in her eyes. "We won''t let him harm you. But promise me that you won''te out of hiding. No matter what happens!"


    Without another word, she pushed her ten year old son into the closet and closed it. The boy hid there, too scared toe out. Mom...dad


    He heard another pair of gunshots and jumped in fright. Shaking in fear, he slowly opened the closet door.


    In front of him stood a man in his fifties. He wore a ck coat with a matching hat to hide his greying hair. The boy nced at his hand. On his wrist was a watch with a golden dragon and he held a pistol. The man was unfeeling as he towered over a pair of bodies whichy in a pool of blood.


    "Mom...dad" Haejong whispered. The man heard the boy''s whisper and slowly turned to face him. His dark eyes met the boy''s, unemotional and cold. That was when Haejong realized one thing.


    His parents were dead.


    "Murderer" he whispered before passing out from the shock.


    .


    Haejong woke up with a start. He panted heavily as he sat up on his bed, unable to get the images of his parents'' lifeless bodies out of his head.


    It was that nightmare again, he thought in disgust. Ever since his parents were killed twenty eight years ago, he had been getting these recurring nightmares about their murders in the hands of his grandfather.


    Lin Cheng never revealed to Haejong why he killed his own son and daughter-inw but over the years, Haejong learnt that his father had fallen in love with his mother, who was a cabaret dancer. Cheng was against the union because he wanted his son to marry someone from another mafia family, so Haejong''s parents ran away.


    They lived in bliss for ten years before Cheng found them and murdered the couple for their betrayal. For him, their act had brought upon shame to him and his name which is why they had to be killed otherwise the Lin family would have remained a joke. The only reason Haejong was spared was due to the fact that he was the heir to the Lin family. Someone had to carry on the family business after Cheng died.


    He''s dead now, he told himself. And yet, he haunts me from the grave.


    Haejong got off the bed and stared at himself in the mirror. His face was sweaty and he was shaking as if he was ten years old again. The man might have died but the things he did still haunted Haejong. There was not a single moment when Lin Cheng showed any amount of affection to his grandson. Haejong doubted that the man had any heart left.


    "Then again, do I have a heart?" He questioned himself.


    His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. Haejong picked it up.


    "Boss!" Yosef eximed. "After you told us to report Youngdo''s actions to you, I sent my men to keep a watch on him."


    "What did you find out?" Haejong asked warily.


    "Boss, apparently Youngdo had made himself a specialized gun," Yosef revealed. "Exactly a replica of the ones the Jang''s use. From the material to the design, everything had been copied."


    Haejong drew a sharp breath. "When was this made?" he demanded.


    "A week before your grandfather''s death," Yosef revealed. "And right now, my men are tailing him. He went to a house at N-Street. But that''s not all. An hour after my men saw him enter that house, another car pulled up in front of it. A pretty girl came out of the car and went inside. One of my men recognized her as the doctor who treated you for your injury!"


    Haejong froze. Mina? Mina was with Youngdo?


    "Tell your men to go and save her!" he demanded. "I''ming!"


    "Roger!"


    Yosef hung up the phone. Haejong cursed under his breath. He strode over to a drawer and took out a gun. If anything happened to Mina, he would never be able to forgive himself for it.


    "Oh Youngdo" he muttered and rushed out of the house.


    A pale figure watched him leave his room. He stood there, quiet and mute, watching his grandson prepared to kill others for the person he loved.


    A slow smile formed on the old man''s face. It turned out, Haejong really did possess a heart.


    .


    "How the bloody hell did five ambnces crash all at once?" Junwan bellowed. Gayoon was in his office, shamefaced. He was red with fury at the ipetence of his cops and especially angry at Gayoon.


    "I know you''re personally connected to the culprit," he went on. "You didn''t even tell me that you knew the heir to the Jang family."


    "I didn''t know his real identity!" Gayoon protested.


    "You really think the higher ups will care?" Junwan sneered. "They''re after my neck for handing over this case to you! I was under the impression that you were my best detective but now I''m having second thoughts! The so-called ace of the department did not even know her lover''s best friend was a mafia leader. Bullshit!"


    Gayoon did not protest anymore but stood there, listening. No matter what she said, everything would be seen as an excuse.


    "You''re off the case," he dered.


    "What? But-"


    "No more excuses, Gayoon!" he threatened. "I can''t cover up for you anymore. You''re off this case. I''ll hand it over to Taejoon."


    Gayoon wanted to p some sense into him but it was pointless. What was she going to say? That she was also inadvertently hiding the ghost of the Lin family head in her house? Or that the two mafiosos were fighting over her best friend?


    What the hell is up with this? She scowled. Am I in a mafia movie now?


    Now that the bodies have been burnt, there really was not much of a case against Kanji. Even with Taejoon as the new lead of the case, he could do very little. There was no evidence to link Kanji to the murder because Mina refused to testify. And now that there was no corpse left to perform an autopsy on, the case was going cold. The only thing left was to smack Kanji''s head with his own magazine once he gets a bail.


    Gayoon bowed and left Junwan''s room, stifling the urge to show him the middle finger. As soon as she passed Kanji''s cell, he called for her.


    "Gayoon!" he eximed. "Where''s Mina?"


    "Why do you care?" she asked sharply. "After what you did to her, don''t you think you should leave her alone?"


    "No, you don''t understand!" he exined. "I think she''s in trouble! She received a call and hurried off!"


    "Huh?"


    Gayoon took out her phone and dialed her number. To her surprise, Mina''s phone was ringing from her desk. She picked it up.


    "This is weird," she muttered. "Mina would never leave her phone behind! What if the hospital called?"


    She unlocked the phone since she knew the password was Kanji''s credit card PIN. Going through Mina''s call history, she saw that thest call was recorded. Pressing the y button, she heard the conversation.


    Kanji watched as Gayoon''s expression turned from confusion to shock.


    "FUCK!" she cursed. "The real killer called her to his den! She''s in danger!"

 Chapter 357: Executioner

    Chapter 357: Executioner


    Mina stood in front of the grey building the caller had summoned her to. It was way past afternoon and dusk was beginning to set in. Even without the darkening of the sky, there was little light at the ce where she stood.


    The building was located behind a school, shadowed by therge building. It was only one storeyed, the greyish walls catching fungi due to the moisture. No seemed to be living in it because she could not see any signs of life. Taking a deep breath, she entered through the open gate.


    Her footsteps echoed the ce as she climbed the stone staircase. It was so quiet that she could hear her raspy breath. Looking around, she could not see anyone in sight. The floor was dusty and she lightly sneezed, inhaling the air. Covering her nose, she looked around.


    Should I call out? She wondered but her instincts told her to be as quiet as possible. It was an obvious trap but she should still be on her guard.


    Gayoon, please find my phone, she prayed as she ascended the stairs. They led to a single door. Shaking, Mina pushed it open. There was only a single room devoid of any furniture or people. The windows werepletely shut, blocking out any light


    Mina was now very scared, her heart thumping against her ribs. She tried to fight off her fear and stepped inside, aware of all movements.


    "Put your hands up."


    A steely voice ordered her. She felt something cold pressing against her temple and immediately recognized it as a gun.


    "Where''s the evidence against the killer?" she demanded.


    "You''re not in a position to question me."


    Middle aged man, Mina thought, analysing his voice. Criminal too. Is he rted to the mafia? Is he from the Lin n?


    Suddenly, a cloth was put on her mouth and she struggled to be free. But the cloth wasced with chloroform and she was losing consciousness. Her vision was cking out just like all those years ago when CCK kidnapped her. That time, her kidnapper acted out of habit.


    But this was personal. She had to walk into the enemy''s trap in the hopes that her loved ones would save her.


    Brother...Kanji


    Minapletely lost consciousness and fell limp on the floor. Youngdo red at the woman who was the key to bringing down Haejong. With her in his grasp, he could takeover the Lin family.


    Now, it''s time to kill a few birds, he thought with a smirk. He dragged out a chair and put the girl on it, tying her up. He then hid in the shadows, waiting for the men Haejong sent after him to turn up. Soon, he heard footsteps approaching and a pair of men burst in.


    "The girl is here!" one of them eximed. "But where''s-"


    The rest of his words were cut off by a gunshot. His partner raised his gun but Youngdo was quicker and sharper. He immediately shot the other man down as well, killing both of them. Sincest night, he had sensed that he was being followed and hence, he knew that Haejong was on his way. His boss was a lone wolf and woulde alone. It was obvious that Haejong would do anything for this woman.


    Youngdo took out an injection and a vial from his pocket before slowly stepping towards the unconscious woman. Pulling back her sleeves, he injected the liquid into her vein. He nced at the red dragon watch on his wrist. The woman had only an hour and a half to live.


    "Let''s see if you can save her," Youngdo smirked.


    After a while, Mina stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and her head felt very heavy. A burning sensation was slowly coursing through her body.


    She immediately realized that something was wrong. There was a drug in her body which she could not identify but her insides were starting to heat up and her breath wasing in shorts.


    "It''s gonna kill you."


    It''s that voice! She realized. Slowly looking to her side, she found a middle aged man sitting at a corner.


    "Y-you!" She gasped. "Who are you?"


    "Your executioner," he smirked. "What a strange story, huh? My boss is in love with you but you''re in love with his rival. How ironic. Romantic even."


    Mina could not make head nor tail out of what he just said. Her head was feeling too heavy and she was struggling to stay awake. The man was observing her like a vulture waiting for its prey to die so that it could swoop on it and tear it apart.


    She faintly heard a car''s tires screeching somewhere.


    "That must be him," Youngdo said calmly. He peered outside the window and soon he saw Haejong was running out of it.


    But Mina was not listening to him. She felt a cold air sweeping by even though the windows were closed. The dust around her feet were swirling in a fixed direction. Slowly, letters began to form on the dusty floor.


    C...A...S...P...E...R


    Casper? She wondered. But the words were wiped off as soona s they appeared. Mina slowly nced at her captor who was too busy looking outside. He seemed to be waiting for someone. She heard footstepsing up the stairs and to her surprise, a familiar figure appeared at the doorway.


    "Hae...jong?" she whispered.


    .


    "Step on it!" Junho yelled at his son. Minho was already driving at full speed. Gayoon called them up and informed them that the killer called Mina to meet him. Given that Mina left behind her phone for Gayoon to find the message, it must mean she was about to walk into some sort of trap.


    "Is aunt gonna be alright?" Jina tearfully asked.


    "She''ll be fine!" Junho assured her. Minho swerved like a mad man, overtaking as many cars as he could to get there faster.


    "Where''s the ce?" he demanded.


    "Gayoon said it''s behind the school on N-Street!" Junho yelled.


    "Old man, yelling like this isn''t gonna help!" Yumi snapped. She turned to Jina and said, "I''ll go to the school and look for her!"


    Jina nodded and Yumi vanished in thin air. "Yumi has gone to search for aunt!" she informed them.


    Minho increased the speed but to their shock, the road ahead was blocked by the traffic police.


    "What the hell is going on?" Minho demanded from one of the policemen.


    "There''s a worker''s protest going on," the cop said. "The road has been closed off for the rest of the day. You''ll have to walk from here."


    "But N-Street is miles away!" Junho yelled.


    "Nothing to do," the cop shrugged. "They won''t budge."


    Junho let out a series of curses, forgetting that Jina was there. "There''s a kid here!" Minho protested.


    "So? She''ll learn them someday anyway!" Junho barked. "My daughter''s life is on the line here!"


    He got out of the car and began to run towards N-Street. Minho grabbed Jina and got out of the car, chasing his father. Time was very short and they must get to Mina as soon as possible.

 Chapter 358: An Old File

    Chapter 358: An Old File


    Taejoon rounded up his team to find Mina but Junwan refused to let Gayoon participate in the mission. She was furious with her Chief and was in his office, arguing.


    "Sir, she''s my best friend!" Gayoon eximed. "I have to go and find her!"


    "Precisely, why I''m not letting you go," he said shortly. "You are partial in this case! Your personal connection to the Hwang family and the suspect will jeopardize the rescue mission."


    He was fixing the files on his desk, ignoring her protests. Gayoon did not give up, adamant to fight.


    "You removed me from the CCK case and look what happened!" she used. "Mina was kidnapped that time as well but got lucky-"


    "And in the process, you got kidnapped!" he snapped back. "Simply because you did not listen to orders! I can''t let you run free like this anymore, Jeon Gayoon."


    He sighed and looked at her. "You are my best detective," he admitted. "But I also have to follow procedures. Letting a cop who has a personal connection to a case will only make others question my credibility as your superior officer. I''m sorry, Gayoon but this is my final decision. Now go and work on recording the files into the database. I see that you''ve been avoiding that. Dismissed."


    Gayoon clenched her fists and stormed off. There was no point in convincing him. Taejoon''s team would have to handle this and she was not sure how they were going to rescue Mina. She had little faith in the killer who framed Kanji.


    Why would he contact Mina? She wondered. Ugh!


    "Gayoon!"


    Kanji called her. She walked towards his cell. He looked worried for Mina and was beside himself with tension.


    "What''s going on?" he demanded. "What''s happening with Mina?"


    "The Chief won''t let me go," she said bitterly. "Because of my connection to you and Mina. He says that our personal rtionships will jeopardize the mission. But the rescue team has been dispatched. They''re heading there right now."


    Kanji was not convinced with the assurance. He was pacing back and forth inside his cell, his eyes red. Gayoon frowned at him.


    "Why do you care?" she questioned him. "Mina told me everything. You rejected her and now you''re worried as if your girlfriend has been kidnapped!"


    Kanji shot her a sad look but did not say anything. He was fine with people cursing him as long as Mina led a happy and safe life. Gayoon shook her head in dismay. It was obvious that he loved Mina very much but was too thick headed to admit it to her.


    "If you love her this much, then just give up this life!" she scolded him. "Stop being such an ass!"


    "My enemies-"


    "Oh please!" she snapped. "Enemies? You''re talking about enemies to me? Me? A cop? I have enemies both living and dead! You think that I don''t worry about them harming my family and friends? I have a daughter for god''s sake! Everyday, I feel that one of my old enemies would return and harm her! I was dragged into an unknown dimension by an old enemy. Even Minho has enemies! His serial killer friend wasn''t exactly hospitable with me."


    She looked at him, feeling disgusted. "All she asked from you is to give up this life," she went on. "It''s not hard. Hand over all your information to the police and we''ll even give you protection! You can live a happy life with Mina. And yet, here you are being an idiot, sulking over your deeds. If you want, I can even refer you to criminal rehab programs! There are so many of them where ex-criminals enrol so that they can live a good life without crimes! How hard is it to swallow your pride and admit your feelings, you dumbass?"


    Kanji closed his eyes, trying to drown out her words of reason but it was impossible. She was right. He had let his pride get in the way and now, Mina was in danger because of him.


    "Save her," he begged. "Call my dad and tell him to send out men to that ce! They can rescue her."


    Gayoon sighed but said, "Okay. I''ll call him. Give me his number."


    Kanji gave her his father''s number and Gayoon conveyed the message to Jang Jason. The man had agreed to send his best men to rescue Mina.


    "He''s on it," she informed Kanji, hanging up the phone. "He''s also making the preparations to bail you out. You''ll be out by tonight, hopefully."


    Kanji let out a sigh of relief. But Gayoon was not done. "If you love her, tell her," she ordered. "Otherwise, set her free so that she can move on. Stop ying these games."


    She turned away to return to work, leaving him alone in his cell. There was a lot of thinking to be done by Jang Kanji and if required, she would keep him in jail for longer just so he could collect his thoughts and decide whether he loved Mina or not.


    Gayoon sat at her desk and picked up a file. Sullenly, she flipped the pages and came to the point she had left off.


    "Kim Suna" she read. "Husband is the prime used and the name is"


    She suddenly sat up. Hwang Junho? Flipping through the pages, she came across the names of the other family members. No way! She thought.


    "Oi Kanji!"


    Kanji spun around to see Gayoon rushing towards his cell again. She was panting when she held up a photo of a woman in her thirties with chocte brown eyes and a sweet smile.


    "That''s Auntie Suna!" he frowned. "Minho''s mother. How did you get this picture?"


    "That''s her?" Gayoon gasped. She flipped through the file and read the documents.


    "A white ball is seen in this picture," she said. There was a photo of Junho running after the ball. She flipped the file again when something fell. Stooping down, she picked it up.


    "That''s a ring auntie Suna used to wear all the time," Kanji stated, recognizing the golden ring. "She never parted from it except for the time when she gained a little bit of weight after Mina''s birth. I remember Minho telling me about it."


    But Gayoon was staring at it. The ring was cold against her palm and she was feeling a strong energy from it. The feeling was simr to what she felt at the World of the Dead. It was much smaller in scale but there was no denying that something was trapped in that ring.


    "I need to show it to ahjusshi," she muttered. "But I also need to visit their old mansion."


    "It''s right by the river," Kanji said. "Easy to spot. Once you reach the riverside, keep going south until you reach this abandoned mansion. That''s the ce."


    He nced at the ring. For some reason, he was scared of it as if it was something ominous.


    "Be careful, Gayoon," he warned. "That ce has been abandoned for years. It''s...it''s not a ce we want to visit ever again."


    "I''ll be fine," she assured him. "But you...please think about what I said."


    Kanji nodded. "I will tell her my true feelings if I get out of here," he promised.


    He was determined this time. His heart was in agony for hurting Mina so much and he wanted to curse himself for being a jerk to her.


    I''ll make it up to her, he promised.


    "Thank you, Gayoon," he said, feeling grateful. "Thank you for listening."


    "Thank Mina for being an idiot," Gayoon sighed. "Don''t let her go this time, alright?"


    "Please save her," he begged. "Please..."


    His voice cracked from the unshed tears. He just wanted to see her again and hold her in his arms, never letting her go. They had been ying this game of push and pull for too long and it was time to stop.


    "She''ll be fine," Gayoon assured him. "Don''t let it get to you! Minho and her dad will save her. You''ll see. Just return to her, okay?"


    Kanji nodded. "Good luck finding the truth," he wished her.


    Gayoon smiled at him and headed off in search of answers. I just hope I get them, she prayed. She looked at the ring in her palm. It was Minho''s mother''s ring but there was something wrong with it. She could feel it throbbing against her palm, trying to unleash the energy within it.


    "What did she do with it?" Gayoon wondered out loud. "What secrets is this ring hiding?"


    Deciding not to distract Minho and ahjusshi at that time, Gayoon got into her car and revved up the engine. She must do this alone.


    Stepping on the pedal, she drove off, unsure of what was going to happen.

 Chapter 359: Aim Well

    Chapter 359: Aim Well


    Haejong stood at the doorway, his eyes red with a cold fury. Mina was pale and frozen while Youngdo pressed a gun to her temple.


    "You have some nerve," Haejong said quietly. "Challenging me directly. I''vee here alone. No weapons. No backup. Just you and me. So tell me, Youngdo. Why did you do this?"


    Youngdo let out a wheezingughter. "Directly? No no, boss! I can''t challenge the Lin n! I''m simply a minor employee! How can I take down the Lin n? I''m simply here for my dues."


    Haejong raised an eyebrow. "Let her go," he said calmly. "And we''ll negotiate whatever it is you want."


    "What I want" Youngdo said, pointing the gun at Haejong. "Is your life."


    Hatred spewed out of him and he red at Haejong with a gaze full of revenge. His heart was already set on destroying the remnants of the Lin n.


    "The...hell are you doing?" Mina gasped. She was fading in and out of consciousness. Whatever drug the guy injected in her was making her lose focus but she fought to stay awake.


    "Get...out!" she eximed. "Go"


    But Haejong stood his ground. "Sorry doc," he mused. "Can''t do."


    He addressed Youngdo.


    "Hit me with your best shot!" he challenged. "But make sure you hit here"


    He pointed directly at his heart. "Because if you miss this spot," he said. "I''ll be back to kill you. If not today, then tomorrow. If not in this lifetime then I''ll be back in the next. But I will return to kill you. So, aim well and shoot. You''ll get only one chance."


    In slow motion, Mina watched in horror as Youngdo smirked and pulled the trigger. For a moment, she nced at Haejong and saw that he was smiling at her as if he was truly happy. He heard her scream but it no longer mattered to him.


    It was his time to go.


    ..


    Junho panted as he ran towards the building. A shabby house came into view and Mina''s car was parked right outside it. Minho and Jina caught up with her, both of them huffing and puffing as well.


    "That''s Mina''s car!" Minho eximed. "She must be inside!"


    "But we can''t just barge in like this," Junho gasped. "We don''t know how many people are in there."


    "And Lin Haejong is here as well," Minho stated. He had seen the other white car parked next to Mina''s. It was also in Haejong''s parking lotst night.


    "What if he nned it all?" Junho asked.


    "It''s possible," Minho replied. "His men were the ones who reported Kanji to the police. There''s a chance that he is the mastermind."


    Junho cursed out loud. Where was the rescue team?


    "We can''t just sit here and do nothing!" Jina yelled. "We have to check!"


    Yumi appeared beside them. She looked at the building and nodded.


    "I can enter and take a look!" she offered. "And tell you guys how many people are in there!"


    Just then, they heard the distant sirens approaching their way. To their relief, a few police vans stopped in front of them. But to their dismay, instead of Gayoon, Taejoon came out of the car with his team.


    "We''ll secure the area," he told them.


    "Where''s Gayoon?" Minho demanded.


    "She had been taken off the case!" Taejoon shot back. "Because of her connection with you guys!"


    Junho was about to punch the cop but Minho stopped him. "It''s not the time to fight," he reminded his father. Turning to Taejoon, he added, "Please save my sister."


    "I''m going in!" Junho dered. "Doesn''t matter if I''m a civilian or not! That''s my daughter in there!"


    "We can''t let you go in," Taejoon replied. "This is police''s work now!"


    "Oh, you expect me to trust you when the best detective of your precinct has been shown the back bench?" Junho yelled. "SHE HAD TEN TIMES THE BALLS YOU HAVE YOU STINKIN-"


    Minho shut his father''s mouth and pulled him away. Taejoon was mortified at the old man who dared to challenge his authority. Junho kept on cursing at the police with all his might while Minho tried to keep him from creating trouble.


    "Calm down you old geezer!" he yelled. "We''ll figure something out!"


    "I''ll show that brat!" Junho vowed. "Stopping me from saving my daughter? I''ll throw him straight into Styx-"


    Minho was not listening. He just realized something. Looking around, he was suddenly scared.


    "Where''s Jina?" he demanded. "She was just here!"


    Junho, too, seemed to have realized that the little girl was missing. They ran towards the building where the police team stood and to their dismay, she was not there either.


    "You guys can''t be here!" Taejoon spat at them but frowned when they looked scared.


    "Jina is missing!" Minho revealed. "I think she went inside the building when we weren''t looking!"


    "What?" Taejoon yelled. "Ugh! Just great! Now a little girl just sneaked into the building! Just great"


    He blew a whistle and all of the officers huddled around him. "A little girl is also inside the building," he told them. "This is a double hostage situation now. The men inside are some of the most dangerous mafia members including Lin Haejong himself. If he''s behind the kidnapping, then we''ll officially have a charge against him. But make sure the hostages are rescued alive!"


    "Yes sir!" the officers yelled before taking their positions in different areas. They already had a sniper team at the school next to the building, aiming at the window to take down any suspect. The rest of the officers barricaded the area to keep civilians from entering. Minho and Junho stood next to Taejoon, staring at the building. They were worried and tense about the girls who were in the midst of danger.


    "Jina" Minho whispered. "Please be safe"


    "She''ll be fine-" Junho was saying but a sudden gunshot cut through the rest of his words. The police officers were alert and Taejoon was now in full action mode.


    "Charge in!" He ordered his men. "NOW!"

 Chapter 360: Caspers Tale (1)

    Chapter 360: Casper''s Tale (1)


    *Twenty Minutes Ago*


    "NOOOO!" Mina screamed at him. "GET OUT OF HERE YOU MORON!"


    But Haejong stood there still looking at her, waiting for the bullet to hit him. Youngdo pulled the trigger but to his shock, the gun was stuck. The bullet would not fire.


    "What the hell?" Youngdo cursed as he shook the gun. Suddenly, it flew out of his hand, shocking him. Haejong grabbed the chance to step forward and punch Youngdo but before he could do so, an invisible force pulled Youngdo by his foot and dragged him across the floor. Haejong and Mina watching in shock at Youngdo yelled while being dragged around.


    Haejong was stunned to see this strange phenomenon. Under normal circumstances, he would have been scared but with Mina in danger, he did not dwell much on it.


    "AHHHHH!" Youngdo screamed before an unseen hand knocked him out cold. Hey on the ground, unconscious.


    "Aunt!"


    Jina''s voice came from the doorway. She had snuck into the building with Yumi in tow.


    "Jina?" Mina eximed as the little girl rushed towards her to untie the shackles. The man had used a metal chain to tie Mina.


    "You''ll need the keys!" Jina yelled. Haejong rushed towards Youngdo''s limp body. He pulled out the keys from the old man''s pocket and dashed back to Mina. She was bing weaker by the second.


    "We''ll have to get her to the hospital!" he told Jina.


    "There''s police outside!" the girl told him. She turned to see Casper standing a few feet away. The old man made a gesture at her. Jina''s eyes widened in shock and she nced back at Haejong. He was busy unlocking Mina''s shackles.


    "Are you...are you Lin Haejong?" Jina asked.


    "Yes," he said abruptly. "We need to take Mina to the hospital-"


    "Wait!"


    Jina gulped, unsure of what to do. Haejong frowned at the girl.


    "Your aunt is in trouble," he gritted. "I don''t have the time to-"


    "Your grandfather is here," she revealed. "Lin Cheng! He''s here."


    Haejong stared at the little girl who was spouting nonsense. His grandfather? That was impossible.


    "My grandfather is dead," he said. "He''s not here!"


    Casper stood there, crying at his grandson. For once, he wished that he had the power to talk. He wanted to convey so many things to him, tell him what was in his heart. But Haejong could not see him nor feel his presence. Jina was his only hope.


    Jina nced at Casper who was begging her helplessly. Determined, she blocked Haejong''s way.


    "He wants to tell you something," she said boldly. "And this is his only chance."


    "Girl you-"


    Suddenly, Jina went silent. Her eyes were turningpletely white and a strange glow emitted from her body. Haejong was taken aback when she began to float in the air, facing him directly in the eye. Yumi was watching it all as a silent observer but she was also shocked.


    Casper just possessed Jina!


    Without any dy, Casper began to use Jina''s hands to speak in his signnguage.


    "It''s been a long time, grandson," he gestured. Haejong stared as the little girl began tomunicate in signnguage but her movements were simr to his grandfather. How was that possible? He was sure that his grandfather did not know this girl at all!


    "There are so many things I want to tell you," Casper went on. "So many things I hid from you while I was alive. I thought that I was protecting you. But now that I''m dead, I realized that none of it mattered. My lies and secrets only hurt you. I wanted to protect you from being hurt but I ended up hurting you the most"


    "All those years ago, I made a mistake. I let my pride takeover me and disowned my son for falling in love. I wanted him to seed me but he chose to live a peaceful life, away from me. I was hurt and distraught. My son...my only son left me for a woman. My pride was hurt and my heart was drowning in sorrow. But my ego prevented me from expressing my sadness. The mute mafia boss bottled up his feelings and became a bigger monster, killing and torturing innocents"


    "One day, I received news that you were born. I was angry and hurt. How dare my son be happy while I was in such misery? It was inconceivable to me that he was happy without his father. I wanted to kill you in the hospital to make him experience that pain. I wanted to destroy him."


    "But when I went to the hospital and saw you in the crib, I couldn''t do it. Your innocent eyes looked at me and smiled. A pure, gentle smile free of any malice. You reached out to me and as if in a trance, I also reached out to you. It was the only time I held you in my arms and secretly cried. The grandson I came to kill was ebbing the monster in me, making me human for a while. How could I kill him? I couldn''t."


    "For the next ten years, I kept an eye on you. I watched from afar as you grew into a happy and good person. The monster who was raging out in the world, calmed down whenever I saw you. For once, I was ready to kill but not for my gain. I was ready to kill to protect you. All I wanted was for you to be happy."


    Haejong was shaken by what he was seeing. The little girl was saying things she was not even aware of. The way she conveyed those emotions were so raw and honest that he could not help but wonder if it really was his grandfather speaking to him.


    "But one day, my enemies caught up to your parents," Casper went on. "I got the news that they would kill my son and daughter-inw. I was scared. My karma was punishing my family. I couldn''t let that happen. I still recall that night as if it was yesterday..."

 Chapter 361: Caspers Tale (2)

    Chapter 361: Casper''s Tale (2)


    The lightning struck hard, illuminating the entire area for a few seconds before plunging it into darkness once again. Clouds loomed dangerously in the sky like monstrous shadows, waiting to burst. The entire neighborhood was asleep except for one house. The house was quiet and seemingly a normal looking suburban house with a nice little yard. It was small but usually emitted a warmth and nurturing feeling which indicated a happy family.


    But now it stood ominously, hiding a darkness which was consuming the man who stood outside it. His ck eyes were emotionless and cold like his heart. He felt no pain nor sadness; those feelings were long gone. The monster in him no longer knew how to shed a tear. Those feelings only made a man weak and feeble.


    Instead, he was filled with infinite remorse. No pain, no happiness but a guilt which was eating his soul. He dreaded going inside but he could not help it. Someone in there needed him but did he have the courage to face that person?


    Taking a deep breath, his shaky feet slowly made their way towards the gate. With every step, the dread and guilt in his heart was only increasing. His hands pushed open the door. Beyond ity, his worst nightmare.


    The smell of gunpowder lingered in the air. The walls and floor were stained with crimson blood. Bloodstains looked as if they were being dragged elsewhere as a trail formed. The man slowly followed the trail, unable to think or feel anything. He walked like a zombie, a man who had lost everything in life by butchering his happiness with his own hands.


    Why did I throw away my family? He silently wondered. His lips would not move because no sound ever came out of it. He was born in silence and lived in it, revering the loneliness which came with it. His hands were stained with the blood of thousands of people, his mute power more dangerous than anything. Men feared him wherever he went, bowing down to him in fright as he ruled them with an iron fist. He was the fearful Lin Cheng. The most dangerous mafia lord of all time.


    And now, within minutes, he was reduced to being a mere mortal who just lost everything.


    He heard a low grunt from the room before him. Opening it, he saw the bodies of a man and a woman, lying side by side. The man was his own son who nowy motionless while the woman was his daughter-inw whom he had despised for her lowly birth. His son went against his orders to marry her and built a life for themselves far away from his murderous father. They wanted to stay away from Cheng''s life, not involve themselves in his crimes.


    What they did not know was that the monster in Cheng''s heart was slowly getting attached to their son and his grandson, Haejong. Ever since the little boy was born, Cheng had secretly watched over him everyday. He caught glimpses of his grandson while the little child went to school and every year on his birthday, Cheng would disguise himself as a mascot to put his gift with the pile. The parents never found out and Haejong was unaware of his guardian angel who was too guilty toe face to face with him


    Cheng was staring at the bodies, feeling like a lost man. The woman was slowly grunting in pain. She was still alive but in a lot of agony. Cheng saw that she was shot in multiple ces including her neck. Blood was gushing out of her wounds and she was fatally injured.


    He was about to bend over to help her but the woman groaned, "Save...Hae...jong"


    She was pointing at the closet where the child was hiding.


    "Mis...ter...Lin" she grunted. "Take care...of...him"


    The woman was in so much pain that even a cold man like Cheng was unable to watch it. His guilt was culminating into a painful grief as the regrets devoured his mind. A single drop of tear fell from his eye, something which had never happened before.


    To his surprise, the woman raised her shaky hands and made a signnguage gesture.


    "Kill me...please" she begged. "Pain...ful"


    She was asking for him to give her a merciful death. Mercy? Did he even possess that? Was he capable of any mercy or kindness?


    But seeing her state made the monster in him howl in grief. His family...his only familyy dead in front of him while his mind was torturing him with all sorts of images of the moments he could have had.


    He could have been in the church where his son got married and blessed the couple. He should have been the one to carry Haejong in his arms when he was born. Why was he not there when Haejong took his first steps? They could have gone to all the fairs as grandfather and grandson. He could have taken Haejong to school everyday. The missed holidays and moments he could have spent with his family.


    And now, it was toote.


    "Please" the woman begged. Cheng made a gesture with his hands.


    "I''m sorry," he silently told her. He took out his gun and aimed it at her forehead. The woman smiled and closed her eyes.


    BANG!


    He had heard thousands of gunshots in his life but this was the first time he felt a bullet pierce his soul. It may not have hit him but the bullet he shot was louder than any other he had ever shot. This sound and the pain would stay with him forever, haunting him as he tolerated the tourture in silence.


    There was a creaking of the closet door and a pair of small eyes were peeking at him. Those eyes were filled with fear and dread, just like how everyone else looked at him. He was all too well familiar with that gaze. That was what he wanted, right? To have everyone fear him.


    Murderer. Those eyes screamed at him. Murderer. Murderer.


    For the first time in his life, Lin Cheng was the one who was scared. He did not want to be seen that way, not by the person who was the dearest to him. Yet, he could not avoid it. He had to be the murderer in his eyes to make the boy hate him because if the child loved him, Cheng would not be able to live with the guilt. He deserved that hatred and curse. The little boy''s love was something he could never deserve.


    He deserved to be hated by that boy. This was his punishment and he would live with it for the rest of his life. In this life, he could not achieve the love of his family. All he knew was one thing.


    The monster in him would kill to protect this boy. Whether in life or in death, no one would be able to harm him.


    No one.

 Chapter 362: Caspers Tale (3)

    Chapter 362: Casper''s Tale (3)


    "It was my biggest regret that I couldn''t tell you about my feelings," Caspermunicated via Jina. Haejong was shocked to hear the details of the night. This girl...no. This was not the little girl who wasmunicating with him.


    It was his grandfather.


    "Cheng" he finally said.


    "I couldn''t face you after that night," Casper went on. "I couldn''t. The guilt and pain in me would not let me. So I sent you abroad so that you could study and be a better person. I wasn''t nning to make you my heir because I wanted you to stay away from this life. But it seemed that someone"


    He red at Youngdo''s unconscious body. "Had a different n," Casper continued. "He...he is the snake I raised. I took him from the streets and made him my right hand man but he became too greedy. He wanted to take over the Lin family and the head. That night...it was him. He killed your parents. My son knew that Youngdo had tracked them down and to eliminate all obstacles, Youngdo killed them. He would have killed you too if I hadn''t arrived. The snake managed to escape before I could catch him, he escaped. I didn''t know at that time who the murderer was"


    "I searched for the murderer for years. All clues pointed at the Jang''s and I dered a war against them, sowing the seeds of our rivalry. This is what Youngdo wanted. To make us kill each other so that he could take over the underworld as the lone mafia leader. For years, his n worked until one day, he made a mistake. He was found out by one of our men who called me immediately. The informer summoned me to a construction site because he had something to tell me about Youngdo. But thetter found out and killed the informer. He also decided that it was time to get rid of me."


    "So I went to the construction site and found Youngdo waiting for me. There was something off about him but I ignored it. He told me that the Jang''s were about to attack and it was all a trap. I notified our men that Jang''s were going to strike. After I pressed the send button on my phone, he attacked me from behind. Taking the chance, he disarmed me and picked up a heavy rock to bash me with it. Before he killed me, he admitted to murdering your parents as well. But before I could react, he smashed my head, killing me."


    Haejong stood there, listening to his grandfather''s spirit. Yumi was sobbing upon hearing Casper''s tale while Mina''s heart went out to the old man who suffered in silence all over a guilt which was not even his to bear. Jina was still possessed, allowing her friend to narrate his tale to his only family but in her mind, she was crying hard.


    She never realized that a gentle person like Casper could hold so much pain in him. How could he think of himself as a monster?


    "Casper" she called out to him in her mind.


    "When I woke up as a ghost," Casper gestured. "I lost all my memories and wandered around in dismay. I was stuck between the two worlds, not knowing who I was and what happened to me. All I knew was that I was dead and there were many unknown regrets in my heart."


    "That was when I met this strange little girl who came up to me," he mused. "And reached out to me. The other ghosts were scared of me but this girl...she held my hand and asked me what happened. For the first time, I was touched by this small gesture. She took me in, allowed me to be her friend. I felt a protective instinct towards her, the same one I felt for you, my grandson."


    "I know that you only took up the mantle of the head of the Lin family because you wanted to surpass me," Caspermunicated. "You wanted to surpass the fear you felt towards me by bing even more dangerous than me. You wished to shed off thest shred of humanity in yourself to show me that you''re not weak and that you could rece my legacy with your one. But the truth is...I want you to be a good human. Live a normal life and show me that you''re a much better person than I ever was. I know you can be a good man. You"


    Casper raised Jina''s finger to ce her palm on his chest. "You have a heart," he smiled.


    Haejong was unsure of what to say. He had many things he wanted to convey but the tears in his eyes told Casper everything he wanted to express.


    Suddenly, Mina toppled forward and spat out blood. The poison in her body was spreading fast and Haejong rushed towards her.


    "We need to take her to the hospital!" he yelled.


    "You''ll go nowhere."


    All of them turned around to find that Youngdo had woken up. He had seen enough to deduce that the old bastard was back from the grave to expose him. The gun was in his hand and he pointed it ahead.


    BANG!


    Everyone was shocked. Casper had left Jina''s body to stop Youngdo and tackled him against the wall, pinning him there. But it was toote.


    Jina stood in shock as her dress began to get soaked with blood. She looked down to see that her white dress was sttered red but it was not her blood.


    Haejong had shielded her with his body, taking the bullet for her. It hit him in the back, his blood sttering on Jina''s clothes. He fell down on the ground, unconscious.


    Within seconds, the police force came running, holding guns but were shocked to see the scene. Youngdo was being held against the wall while Mina and Haejong werepletely unconscious and the little girl was sitting in a pool of blood, shocked.


    "What happened here?" Taejoon demanded but Jina could only cry.


    "Save them!" she begged. "SAVE THEM!"

 Chapter 363: The Ghost in the Mansion

    Chapter 363: The Ghost in the Mansion


    Gayoon pulled up in front of therge mansion which was a few miles off the riverside. She stepped out of the car and stared at the ce in front of her.


    There was no doubt that the mansion was one grand but now it was in total ruins. When Minho left, he must have abandoned the cepletely because of all the bad events attached to it. Even during the day, it emitted an eerie vibe, reminiscent of the ssic horror movie houses. The walls were mouldy and slowly eroding while weeds grew in the once trimmed garden.


    She stepped towards the gate. As soon as she touched it, a sudden rush of cold air passed by and she froze. The dark energy the house has gathered over the years was overwhelming her senses and her head was aching. A static sound formed in her ears as she tried to gain control of her senses.


    Gathering the courage to go ahead, she staggered her way towards the entrance. Entering through the front door, she took out a torch to scan around. Instantly, her instincts were on alert.


    "Come out!" she yelled. "I know you''re in here!"


    Suna, who was observing the intruder, floated out from behind a door. She gazed at the woman who just entered and frowned. The girl looked very familiar


    "Are you...who are you?" she demanded.


    Gayoon turned towards the voice. "I''m Detective Jeon Gayoon," she replied, holding up her badge.


    Just then, the poltergeist apparated beside Suna and Gayoon heard him squeal.


    "You''re her!" he gasped. "The lover of Hwang Minho!"


    Suna''s face cracked into a smile. The poltergeist had told her that Yeeun''s daughter was Minho''s girlfriend and the mother of his child.


    "No wonder you looked so familiar!" Suna said warmly. "I wish we could have met under different circumstances. I would have showered you with so much love"


    Gayoon was a little confused. "Who are you?" she asked. "Are you Minho''s mother?"


    "Yes," Suna nodded. "I am his mother. I''ve been stuck in this mansion ever since my death so Imunicate via this poltergeist I have created. He has been keeping an eye on your family and told me about my granddaughter. A few weeks ago, she was in the hospital right? The deadly poltergeists there tried to drag her into their portal"


    "What?" Gayoon eximed. "When?"


    "You don''t know, huh"


    Suna trailed off. It seemed like they were still unaware of the extent of the powers Jina possessed.


    "First tell me this," Suna stated. "Howe you''re still able tomunicate with me? After giving birth, you''re supposed to lose your sight and pass it over to Jina."


    "I...I''m not sure," Gayoon admitted. "But when my mother was inbor, the spirit which possessed you also temporarily possessed her!"


    Suna thought for a while before asking, "Gayoon. How much do you know about this spirit?"


    "We know that it needs one permanent body to return to while it searches for Transporters," Gayoon narrated. "And it''s trying to open some kind of gate-"


    "The Gates of Hell," Suna finished for her. "Sit down. I''ll tell you everything."


    Gayoon was a little hesitant. For some reason, she felt scared. Not of Suna but of what she was about to learn. Suna''s voice was so serious that it was as if she was anticipating some kind of bad omen.


    She sat on the floor, listening to the spirit with apt attention.


    "The thing that possessed me all those years ago, was not an ordinary spirit," Suna said. "It was not the ghost of a dead soul. It was something even more sinister. A Seer like Yeeun and yourself can only sense it when that thing possesses someone other than the permanent host. Once it enters a steady host, it''s almost impossible to identify the host. That thing can possess multiple people at once but it always needs one permanent host to return to. A host which is strong enough to amodate it for years while it goes on to possess other Transporters temporarily for its goal."


    "But over time, the host''s body will start to deteriorate. You see, it needs to kill its host before possessing the body to dupe the Seers. Seers can sense the presence of two spirits in a body but when the original spirit is dead and the other entity takes over the body, the Seers can''t distinguish between the souls. So when it''s in a steady body, Seers can''t sense it unless they touch the body itself or see the entitying in and out of it. Since the original spirit of the person is dead, it takes over the host''s life until the body rots off. Due to the possession, the body takes years to rot but eventually it does and the entity has to look for another body to upy. Transporters like me can''t amodate the entity for long because once possessed, our powers begin to create a side effect which eventually kills us. Our bodies can be temporarily possessed but not permanently. Same with Seers."


    "I''m not sure if it can sense other ghosts but it has the ability to transport from this world to the World of the Dead," she went on. "It''s seeking the Gates of Hell in that world and is determined to open it."


    "But what is it?" Gayoon asked. Suna took a deep breath.


    "It is" she began. "A demon.


    .


    Mina and Haejong were immediately rushed into surgery. Youngdo had been arrested for the kidnapping attempt and under pressure, also confessed to the murder of Lin Cheng and Madam Yeonjoo. There was no evidence against Haejong in the whole thing so he was not used of the kidnapping charges. Moreover, Jason had called Minho and told him that Kanji would also be getting bail soon.


    But the condition of the duo was critical. Minho, Juno and Jina were sitting outside the operation theater, waiting impatiently.


    "Did you reach Gayoon''s phone yet?" Junho asked.


    "She''s out ofwork," Minho replied. He was holding Jina who was still in shock after witnessing the shooting. If Haejong had not saved her, she would have died that day. Casper was also there, staring at the operation theater''s door while Yumi patted his back in an attempt tofort him. Everything was so messed up that they could not digest anything yet.


    A few hourster, a doctor came out of Mina''s operation room.


    "How is she, doc?" Junho demanded.


    "We extracted the poison from her blood," he stated. "She''s currently going through multiple blood transfusions but she''s lucky. If you guys were even five minuteste, we could have lost her. She''ll be awake in a few hours."


    Both father and son let out a sigh of relief. Jina was also thankful that Mina was saved but the other uncle, Haejong, was still in surgery. If he died, she would never be able to forgive herself. She gently left her father''s arms and walked towards Casper.


    Without saying another word, she held his hand. He nced at her and for the first time on that day, he smiled. He made a gesture at her, saying that everything would be fine. Jina returned his smile and they turned to stare at the operation theater, praying for the life of the person whose fate hung with uncertainty.

 Chapter 364: One Last Memory of Her

    Chapter 364: One Last Memory of Her


    "Oi you!"


    Kanji looked up to find a cop calling for him. "Your bail has been granted," the cop stated. "Come out."


    He immediately scrambled to his feet and ran out of the cell. Jason must have secured bail for him. After the bodies were burnt and the arrest of Youngdo, the case against him fell apart so it was only a matter of time.


    I''ming, Mina! He thought excitedly. Please be safe.


    "Dad, I-"


    He paused when he saw the woman who sat near the police desk, signing some papers. She nced around and smiled.


    "Ms. Anna?" he frowned. He recalled the woman from one of his meetings. She was the secretary to the CEO of D&D Corps., one of their clients.


    "Hello Mr. Jang," she greeted politely. "I''ve heard about what happened and reported it to my boss. He pulled some strings to have you bailed out."


    "Why would he do that?" Kanji asked suspiciously. He never met the CEO himself, always dealing through Anna instead. Why would a stranger be so generous?


    "He is actually worried about the tender," Anna confessed. "You see, he needs your signature on the final papers which will be drafted by tomorrow. And with you in jail, it would have been disastrous for thepany. You know how much he cares about his business. So he had to bail you out for his own gain. I''ve already informed your father. He''s waiting for you."


    Kanji sighed. Whatever the reason was, the man had bailed him out and Kanji was thankful at least.


    "Thanks, but I have to go to the hospital," he told her.


    "I can drop you off," she offered. "I''m already done here. Besides, I have a car. You can get there faster."


    "Thanks!" Kanji eximed. Anna smiled and picked up her jacket. She led him to her car which was parked outside the precinct. They got into the car and Anna started the engine.


    "The main road is jam packed today," she said. "Apparently some protests are taking ce. We''ll have to take the route through the forest."


    "As long as we get there quickly, it doesn''t matter!" Kanji said. "I...I just have to get there."


    His mind was full of thoughts about Mina. The cops had informed him that she was taken hostage and was currently at the hospital. He reached his pocket only to realize that he did not take his phone from the cops.


    "Shit!" he cursed. "I forgot my phone. Do you have yours?"


    "Oh no!" Annamented. "My phone is out of charge! I was hoping to use your phone instead"


    "Doesn''t matter now," Kanji replied. "We''re going to the hospital anyway. I''ll learn everything there."


    Anna was quiet for a while. They just entered the road to the forest, driving away from the main road.


    "Why are you in such a hurry to reach the hospital?" she queried. "You just got out of jail! Shouldn''t you go home to your family?"


    "I have to meet her," he said with determination. "Mina."


    "Who is she?" Anna asked. "She seems to be very important to you."


    "The love of my life"


    He trailed off, thinking about her. They had been hiding their feelings for each other for so long that he could wait no longer. He had hurt her and himself for too long and it was time for him to own up to his actions.


    Anna drove through the dested road. There was not a soul in sight and an eerie silence engulfed the area but Kanji was too worried about Mina to care. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, that he did not notice a strange fog setting in.


    "I know someone who was in love just like the way you are in love with Mina," Anna mused. "You''re lucky that you''ll get to confess to your loved one. He never got the chance"


    "What happened?" Kanji asked.


    "Let''s just say, the girl he was in love with made a deal with the devil and sold her soul," Anna said cryptically. "And in the process, when she fell in love with my acquaintance, she wanted out of the deal. But it was impossible. When you make a deal with a powerful person like that, no one could break that contract. My acquaintance actually worked for that powerful person. When the girl tried to break the contract for the sake of love, the love of her life was ordered to capture her and bring her to his employer."


    Kanji shifted in his seat. For some reason, the story unsettled him and he was reluctant to hear any more of it. But Anna continued with her tale.


    "But he couldn''t do it," she said. "He couldn''t do that to the woman he loved. So they nned to run away. Far away. But the man they were running from was too powerful. He caught up and in front of her lover, killed the girl."


    "I think I''ve heard enough," Kanji said. He was feeling very ufortable with the story and Anna''s car was speeding up. There was a manic look in her eyes now as she sped through the empty road.


    "The girl''s soul was damned to hell," she went on. "Literally thrown into the unending hell where she is tormented everyday. Her lover was forced to watch her torture for centuries. So close and yet so far. He watched as she became a shell of herself, losing her worth and soul. And that was when he decided."


    "Anna, stop the car!" Kanji yelled but she was driving at maximum speed.


    "He decided to break open the gates of hell and release his lover," she whispered. "But for that, he had to find the key. The one who could open the gates for him. Tear open the divide between the living and dead to unleash the monster on earth. As long as he has his love, he does not care about the world. And to lure that person, he needs the body of someone who can lure her to us"


    The car was now zigzagging like a maniac.


    "STOP THE CAR!" Kanji demanded. To his shock, Anna had disappeared. He tried to gain control of the steering wheel but it was uncontroble. The car sped into the forest towards a ditch with no signs of stopping as if it had a soul of its own.


    "AHHHHH!" he screamed as the car fell into a deep ditch and somersaulted.


    Kanji hit his head against the dashboard. There was a crack sound as his ribs fractured. The car spinned with him in it, falling deeper into the ditch before it stopped.


    Hey inside the car, grunting in pain. Blood oozed out of his wounds and he was barely conscious. Opening his eyes a little, he saw a pair of feet approaching his way.


    "Help" he moaned in agony. The person slowly walked towards him and wrenched open the door. He felt someone pulling him out of the car andid him on the ground. Trying to look up, he could not make out the person''s face.


    "Help" he begged. "Min...a"


    "Young love is tragic," a cold and steely voice rang in his ears. But it was not simply an emotionless tone. Even in that state, Kanji could sense the sinister aura hidden in it, waiting toe out.


    Suddenly, his throat was grabbed by invisible hands and he wheezed. His eyes were popping out of his skull, the unseen hands throttling the life out of him.


    "In order for my love to return," the man said. "Yours have to die. This body...this one won''tst long. But your one will be useful in luring those two to me."


    Kanji was in a daze. He felt his soul leaving, his life shing by his eyes. It was just one image, slowly projecting in his mind as he saw the face he sought the most.


    Thest image he saw was Mina''s teary eyes as his life was being slowly sucked out of him.


    If I get one chance...just one chance


    Can I just see her smile once again?

 Chapter 365: The Ring

    Chapter 365: The Ring


    Finally, after hours, the doctor came out of the operation theater. Junho and Minho surrounded him for answers.


    "The other guy...Haejong, how is he?" Minho asked.


    "He survived but he''s unconscious," the doctor stated. "He''ll be fine in a few weeks with regr treatment. The scar will remain though."


    Jina felt Casper''s relief. Yumi hugged the old man tofort him.


    "Ya hear that Casper?" Sheforted him. "Your grandson is fine!"


    Minho tried to call Gayoon again and this time, it went through.


    "Where the hell are you?" he demanded as soon as she picked up. "So much has happened!"


    "How''s Mina?" she asked from the other end.


    "She has been rescued and is at the hospital but Lin Haejong was shot," he said. Minho went on to fill her in on what she missed and Gayoon was shocked.


    "Jina!" she eximed. "How is she?"


    "She''s fine, but where are you?"


    There was a short pause. "I was at your old mansion," she revealed. "There''s something I need to tell you. Wait for me."


    Mansion? Why was Gayoon there?


    "And what about Kanji?" he asked. "What happened to him? Did he receive bail yet?"


    "I don''t know!" Gayoon frowned. "I''ve been at your old mansion. There are so many things I need to tell you! I''ming right away!"


    She hung up the phone. Minho was confused by her urgency.


    "What happened?" Junho asked.


    "Gayoon is at our old mansion," Minho stated. "She has something to say. She''ll be here in a while."


    They waited at the hospital lobby for her. There was a lot of traffic so it took her two hours to get to the hospital. She sprinted through the entrance, huffing hard. Both the father and son were frowning at her.


    "Gayoon, why were you at the mansion?" Junho demanded. She held up a golden ring. Upon seeing it, both the men were shocked.


    "That''s Suna''s ring!" Junho realized. "How"


    "This is the key to everything," she exined. "Guess who I met there?"


    When the duo were confused, Gayoon revealed, "She''s still there. The soul of your wife. She''s the one who made sure Chief Junwan found this ring so that he could tell Minho. Luckily, I found it in the old case file and connected the dots before paying a visit."


    .


    *A Few Hours Ago*


    "A demon?" Gayoon gasped. "But how"


    "If the good exists then so does evil," Suna replied. "The thing that possessed me was a demon. It had essed my memories when it took over my body but in the process, I also learnt of its origins. I saw its memories and I know what it wants."


    "The demon in question is known as Anyal, one of the henchmen of the ruler of Hell itself," she went on. "Many years ago, his Master received an offer from a young woman. She was the Princess of a small kingdom which was being attacked by another country. In her deal, she promised that if the Devil helped her to win the war, she would trade her soul. Anyal was entrusted with the task to monitor her for the next six months and when time was up, he would take her soul."


    "But what he did not anticipate was that he would end upmitting the biggest taboo."


    "What taboo?" Gayoon asked.


    "The biggest taboo for a demon, is to fall in love with a human," Suna revealed. "It''s taboo because demons are immortal beings. They live forever whereas humans are mortal. The love of a demon is too intense. When their beloved dies, the demon bes mad. Its intense feelings can''t be stopped and eventually, its senses begin to disappear. It can''t die but turns into an empty shell of itself. Which is why falling in love with a human is prohibited."


    "But the demon fell in love with the Princess and could not bear to see her die. She would be subjected to immense torture in hell. So he devised a n to run away with her. He was so besotted with her that he would do anything for her. However, when the Devil found out, he cursed his subordinate for his betrayal and took the girl''s soul. As a result, Annual lost his immortal body was was reduced to a mere shadow which would have to live by possessing others. But Anyal had his followers as well. With the help of a few shamans, they began to supply Anyal with several dead bodies to upy while he searched for a Transporter who could break open the Gates of Hell and release the souls trapped in it."


    "But why does he kill the partner of a Transporter?" Gayoon wondered.


    "To lure the Transporter into opening the Gates," Suna stated. "By feeding on their grief. Making them helpless to the point the Transporter agrees to do it."


    "He knows that two bloodlines carry magic beyond theprehension of any human being. One is yours and the other is mine. After me, Minho carries that ability and now, his daughter. But as long as they don''t open the realm of the dead, they''re safe."


    Gayoon''s face went white with shock. Suna raised an eyebrow at her expression.


    "Did they open the realm?" she slowly asked.


    "Yes," Gayoon revealed. "They did when a spirit kidnapped me and took me there to kill me. That''s when they opened the realm. And Mr. A"


    Anyal was Mr. A. He manipted everything!


    "In that case, keep that ring with you," Suna instructed. "It was given to me by my grandmother. She was the only person I know who had attempted to open the Gates but the force of it nearly killed her. So she trapped the energy into this ring. This is the only key which can open and close the Gates again. Don''t lose it."


    .


    When Gayoon finished her tale, the two men were shocked.


    "Suna...she''s still in that house?" Junho gasped.


    "Mom''s soul is stuck there," Minho concluded. "Is there any way to release her? So that she can be freed?"


    "For now, she can only use that poltergeist tomunicate outside," Gayoon said. "But only with Jina. She was the one who helped Jina to escape the poltergeist at Danny''s hospital. Apparently, it tried to pull her soul into them but she appeared in Jina''s dreams and fought them off."


    "But how are we going to find this demon?" Minho asked. He turned to his father. "How did you find him thest time? He must have a stable host somewhere."


    "I looked at the past cases," Junho recalled. "There was always a servant who was the link. That servant approached the Transporters and when the time is right, prepares Anyal for possession."


    "Who approached mom?"


    "It was Mina''s pediatrician," Junho revealed. "She was the servant who led the demon to Suna. I found out about it muchter but the woman we found at the host''s apartment was the pediatrician."


    "How do we find him now?" Minho asked.


    "The servant will show up," Junho stated. "We''ll have to be on alert. But if this demon is Mr. A, then that must mean the servant appeared in front of guys sometime before Gayoon was kidnapped."


    "I can''t recall anyone," Gayoon admitted.


    "Me neither."


    "Think hard," Junho sighed. "And-"


    His words were interrupted by a doctor.


    "Doctor Hwang regained consciousness," he informed them.

 Chapter 366: His Truth

    Chapter 366: His Truth


    Mina was already awake when the group came hurling into the ward. Junho was relieved when he saw her conscious while Minho and Gayoon smiled at her. She looked around.


    "Kanji" she tried to speak but Junho shushed her.


    "He''ll be bailed soon," he assured her. "Just rest, alright?"


    He grasped her palm tofort her. Mina wanted to ask something else but her insides were aching. The blood was still being transfused into her to detoxify her from the poison.


    "Haejong is safe too," Minho replied, answering her unspoken question. "He''s...he''s in the post-op. Jina is fine too. She''s with the ghosts."


    Mina seemed relieved. The man had saved her and she would have been really sad if something had happened to him. She sped her father''s hand, silently begging him to stay. Gayoon sat next to Junho, patting Mina''s head.


    "Get well soon, okay?" she mumbled. Mina was feeling sleepy again.


    "Dad...stay" she slowly pleaded.


    "I''ll be right here!" Junho told her.


    "We''ll go and get some snacks," Minho said. He motioned to Gayoon and she got up to follow him out. Junho sat there, watching over his daughter. She looked so tiny in that state that he was afraid she would be even weaker. Falling in love had truly sapped the life out of her and he wished that he could give Kanji a good kick in the ass for hurting her. Even though he understood thed''s reluctance to endanger Mina, Junho was furious that someone would make his daughter cry like that!


    "Jason better be ready to save his son from me!" he growled in a low tone. Unbeknownst to him, a shadow passed by the ward.


    Meanwhile, Jina was still holding Casper''s hand. He was unusually still but grateful that she was with him because he did not want to be alone at that time.


    "Casper, he''ll be fine," Yumi was saying. "He''s got you protecting him! You''ll see. Your grandson will recover in no time!"


    The ghost did not reply but gave her a wary smile. His eyes did the talking, expressing how grateful he was to these two girls who had epted him as a friend despite knowing about his past.


    He was about to make a gesture at Jina when he saw a shadow behind Jina.


    "What happened, Casper?" Jian frowned. He wordlessly pointed behind her. Jina turned around and to her surprise, it was Kanji.


    "Uncle Kanji!" she eximed and stood on her feet to run towards him. Kanji stood there, smiling at her. Yumi frowned before her eyes widened but Jina did not notice.


    "Casper" she began to say but the mute ghost stopped her. He shook his head, prohibiting her from saying anything. He wanted to see what was going on.


    "Uncle Kanji, have you visited Aunt Mina yet?" Jina asked crossly.


    "I did," Kanji said. "I saw that she has regained consciousness. What about"


    He nced at the post-op room where Haejongy. He had overheard that Haejong had saved Mina and was innocent of her kidnapping charges. It was a surreal feeling because he felt grateful towards his rival.


    A doctor came out of the post-op and called a nurse.


    "The patient regained consciousness," he told her. "Inform the Hwang''s."


    The nurse nodded and rushed by. Yumi tugged at Casper.


    "You go ahead and meet your grandson," she whispered. "Let''s not tell her anything right now."


    Casper was torn. He looked at Kanji and Jina then to the post-op room where Haejong was at. Casper turned to Yumi and secretly made a gesture at her.


    "I understand," she nodded. She walked towards Jina and stooped down.


    "Jina, Casper''s grandson is now conscious," she whispered. "He needs your help tomunicate with him."


    "Right!" Jina eximed. The doctors wheeled Haejong out of the room and were shifting him to another ward. While he was being sped away, Kanji nced at him.


    "I''ll go and check on Mina," he said solemnly.


    "Alright, uncle Kanji!" she chirped. "Tell how you really feel about her! I''m sure she''s gonna forgive you."


    Kanji gave her a small smile before walking away. Yumi gazed at him, torn between what to do. Jina grabbed Casper''s hand.


    "Let''s go," she said. Casper shot onest nce at Yumi before walking off with Jina. They entered the ward where Haejong was resting.


    "Umm...Mr. Mafia?"


    Haejong slowly opened his eyes to find the little girl from earlier standing there. Jina slowly walked towards him and sat on a chair next to the bed.


    "How are you feeling now?" she asked.


    "Awful," he muttered. His eyes nced around.


    "When you said that you can see my grandfather," he began. "Can you really see him? Is he here?"


    Jina nced at Casper. "He is," she nodded. "He''s a really shy and quiet person."


    "Doesn''t sound like the cruel man I know," Haejong softly snorted. Casper stood there, feeling ashamed. He was not sure how to face his grandson anymore but it was inevitable. Slowly raising his hand, he touched Haejong''s palm.


    Haejong felt a cold sensation on his fingers but it was not ufortable. In fact, it felt quite soothing.


    "He''s touching your palm," Jina stated. "He''s also crying."


    A memory briefly shed in Haejong''s mind. It was brief but he knew that it was real. He saw the image of the old man, holding a pistol while standing over his parents'' corpses, shedding a single drop of tear.


    "That sounds like him," he muttered. He turned to Jina.


    "Tell me what he wants to say," Haejong requested. "I want to hear from him."


    .


    Kanji stood outside Mina''s room, silently watching her. She was holding her father''s hand as she slept. Junho took care of her, cautious of her every movement while Kanji could only see her from afar.


    Minho was walking towards her room, talking to someone on the phone. Gayoon was downstairs, handling some of Mina and Haejong''s paperworks at the reception.


    "What do you mean no one can find him?" he was asking. "Who bailed him out?"


    He was so engrossed in his conversation, that he did not see Kanji standing in front of the room


    "Well, find him!" he snapped. "He can''t have gone far. I''m sure he''sing to the hospital. The roads are full of traffic today so maybe he''s stuck there? Look around"


    He kept on talking on the phone, not noticing Kanji. As soon as he came closer, Minho walked straight through Kanji as if he was air. Minho shivered a little at the sudden cold wind which brushed him by but he did not pay much heed to it.


    "Aren''t you going to tell them?" Yumi asked from behind. Kanji had been ignoring the ghosts all this time, talking to Jina only. It seemed that she had not noticed his state yet. Maybe it was due to the fact his skin had gotten paler in jail so she could not distinguish the change in him. Or maybe it was because she was too focused on other things to truly notice him.


    "Don''t you think it''s about time that you reveal the truth?" Yumi demanded.


    "Not now," he gritted.


    "But she''ll know soon," Yumi insisted. "Jina will find out that...that you''re dead!"

 Chapter 367: Caspers Wish

    Chapter 367: Casper''s Wish


    Casper conveyed his thoughts via Jina who watched him carefully before talking on his behalf.


    "All these years, he had been too guilty to face you," she said. "He thought that his deeds caused your parents to die and leave you an orphan. He purposefully let you despise him and his work so that you don''t take over the Lin family. Little did he know that you would end up taking over his role as the head. It was thest thing he wanted."


    "I didn''t want to," Haejong admitted. "But I had little choice. If I didn''t take over, then the men would have gone astray and created an even bigger havoc in the city.I couldn''t let that happen so I controlled them with an iron fist."


    "He wants you to leave this life behind," Jina stated. "Disband the organization and create your own path. That''s all he wants."


    Haejong was quiet for a while before letting out a smallugh. "This is bizarre," he admitted. "A kid telling me what my grandfather wanted me to do."


    Hezily nced at her and added, "Tell him that he doesn''t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself. And I''m not gonna disband the organization. If I do, these men will have nowhere to go."


    Casper and Jina were in a dilemma. The ghost''s shoulders fell in sadness and grief that he could not pull his grandson out of the consequences of his own karma. Jina was also saddened by the fact that Casper''sst wish was going to remain unfulfilled


    "But."


    Both of them looked at Haejong. "I''ll make sure that we don''t earn blood money ever again," he finally said. "But it''s not because of what my grandfather wanted."


    "Then why are you agreeing?" Jina asked curiously. Haejong smiled and patted her head.


    "Someone once told me," he recalled. "That once I start being myself, the monster in me will die on its own."


    He took a deep breath and went on. "If he thinks of himself as a monster, then he''s wrong. If not in life but in death, he finally epted himself."


    His eyes flickered to the pce where Casper stood. Even though Haejong could not see his grandfather, he could sense that someone was there. He did not need to be a ghost seer to feel his grandfather''s presence.


    "The man who was carrying guns to kill others while he was alive," Haejong mused. "He went on to selflessly protect a girl whom he barely knew. And he became your friend"


    He nced at Jina and smiled. "Protected and supported you," he winked. "The old man might not realize it, but the monster in him died a long time ago. So I guess, it''s time for me to kill the monster in myself."


    Jina smiled back. Casper could barely hold back his tears at his grandson''s words, unable to think. His heart was flooded with many emotions but for once, sadness was not one of them.


    "Tell the old man not to cry," Haejong said, trying to keep his own emotions in check. "He''ll look very ugly if he cries."


    "He''s happy," Jina said, tearing up. "He''s very happy and thankful to you."


    Casper made a gesture with shaky hands. "He''s saying that you''re a better person than him," she quoted. "And also"


    She looked at Haejong. "He''s proud of you."


    Haejong looked the other way, trying to hide his own tears. Jina got off the chair.


    "I''ll go back to my aunt," she dered. "I''ll leave you guys alone now."


    Haejong did not reply but Casper took her seat. He was simply watching his grandson with pride in his eyes and love in his heart. The ghost shed a thank you gesture at Jina who smiled and turned away to leave them alone with their thoughts.


    When she walked towards Mina''s room, she saw Gayoon hurrying towards her. Her mother instantly scooped her up in her arms, crying.


    "I''m so sorry, honey," she whispered. "I''m so sorry for not being there"


    "It''s alright mommy," Jian assured her. "I had Casper protecting me. As long as he''s around, nothing can happen to me."


    But the little girl did not say what was really on her mind. She knew very well that Casper was going to leave soon as well because hisst wish had been fulfilled. The sadness in her heart could not be measured and it was worse than when Shinho left her side. At least he made a promise toe back, but she knew that this was it for Casper.


    Once he left, he would never return. He had a tender heart full of love and kindness. Casper would ept a peaceful departure from this life, only requesting everyone to remember him. She knew her friend all too well.


    "Let''s go and check on aunt," she said, hiding her grief. "I''m sure Uncle Kanji must have told her how he feels by now!"


    "Kanji?" Gayoon frowned. "He''s here?"


    "I saw him a while ago," Jina stated. "I think he''s inside."


    Gayoon carried her daughter to Mina''s room but to their surprise, only Mina, Junho and Minho were there. Jina was also surprised that Kanji was nowhere to be seen. Moreover, Minho looked a little tense but he was not voicing it out.


    "Aunt, how are you feeling now?" Jina asked.


    "I''m fine," Mina replied. "But are you hurt?"


    She attempted to sit up but Junho stopped her. "Don''t stress yourself," he said sharply. "Just rest. Jina is fine."


    Mina winced. Her eyes were on the door as if hoping that Kanji would turn up but ording to her, he was still in jail.


    Yet...yet she had this feeling that he was somewhere around. She even thought that a familiar shadow had passed by but there was no one around. Her heart was unsettled and worried.


    "Gayoon, where''s Kanji now?" she asked.


    "Thest time I saw him, he was still in jail," Gayoon exined. "His bail is being processed."


    "Uncle Jason will let us know," Minho spoke up. But Gayoon noted that his face was pale with worry. Did something happen?


    He nced at her and motioned her to meet him outside. "Gayoon and I will check on the mafia guy," he said. "Let''s go"


    Minho went out of the room and Gayoon followed suit.


    "What happened?" she demanded. "Why are you so worried?"


    Minho took a deep breath. "Kanji" he began. "Kanji got bail over six hours ago."


    "Why isn''t he here yet?" Gayoon asked in astonishment.


    "He''s missing," Minho revealed. "Uncle Jason can''t find him."


    ........


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    People who are angry about why I killed off Kanji, hear me out. This book deals with life and death, regrets and wishes. Kanji''s death signifies that if we don''t act on our feelings, fate can intervene and it''ll be toote for us.


    But that doesn''t mean his love was any less. It just didn''t go as nned but he still has onest wish. Can he fulfill it? Or will it remain iplete?


    Please keep supporting! Sorry if I disappointed anyone but this was nned since the very beginning. And if the readers are sad, then it means that I was able to make you connect with the character on a deeper level. I''ll be forever grateful for that.


    Love you all!


    Please help me reach 2000 cheers by buying the privilege chapters ;-;


    It''s thest time you guys can support MLC and the characters [3

 Chapter 368: Blood Stained City

    Chapter 368: Blood Stained City


    NOTE: PLEASE SUPPORT MLC FOR THE LAST TIME IN WIN WIN BY PURCHASING THE PRIVILEGE CHAPTERS!


    I''LL GIVE EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK INTO DOCTOR DEMON IF WE REACH 2000 CHAPTER UNLOCKS BY THIS MONTH. THERE''S NO LIMIT! THE MORE YOU UNLOCK, THE MORE YOU SUPPORT!


    .......


    Jason burst into the police station with Lawyer Lee in tow. The officers were shocked to see the famed mafia don entering so brazenly at the precinct. He charged straight at Junwan who was stunned.


    "WHERE IS MY SON?" he growled, grabbing Junwan by the cor. "WHERE IS HE?"


    "Jason, please" Lee warned but Jason was beyond grief. He had sent his men everywhere, looking for Kanji but they could not find him.


    "He was bailed out by Anna Kirishima!" Junwan yelled back. "We''re trying to locate her-"


    Jason pushed Junwan away in fury. Anna Kirishima


    They had looked up her credentials but to their shock, there was no one named Anna Kirishima in the database. She worked at D&D but no one had ever seen her nor the CEO of thepany. Jason was usually a meticulous businessman and so was Kanji but how the hell did that woman dupe them?


    "We searched the forest nearby," Junwan exined. "But there''s no sign of him nor of that woman. In fact, when we were checking the CCTV camera, something strange turned up"


    "What is it?" Jason demanded. Junwan sighed and ushered him to follow. Jason and Lee tailed Junwan to his room. The Chief opened a file on hisptop and turned it around for them to see. On the screen was Kanji, walking out of the police station. He seemed to be talking to someone but to their shock, there was no one with him. Jason watched as Kanji got into the passenger''s seat of a car.


    But his mouth gaped open when the car began to move despite having no one in the driver''s seat.


    "How the hell is this possible?" Lee asked. "There''s no driver!"


    "We''re thinking the same thing!" Junwan stated. "We''ve all seen the woman bailing him out but no one can find her. It''s like she vanished with your son!"


    "I want her to be found!" Jason ordered. "Now! Otherwise my men will create havoc in this bloody city!"


    "Are you threatening me?" Junwan shot back. "You''re talking against the police force-"


    "I DON''T CARE ABOUT ANYONE ELSE BUT MY SON!" Jason yelled. The officers outside froze in shock as they heard the two men shout at each other. The Chief of their precinct versus the mafia lord of the country and it was not looking good. If Jang Jason made a threat, he would make sure it was carried out.


    "You want to shed the blood of innocents for your son?" Junwan spat.


    "I''m damn sure that the Lin''s have nned this!" Jason imed. "They''re the only ones who have a vendetta against us!"


    "The head of the Lin family is in the hospital and the right hand man in prison," Junwan stated. "They can''t carry out anything."


    "But their men can!" Lee pointed out. "It''s possible that Anna Kirishima was sent by the Lin''s and they manipted the CCTV''s around the precinct. They have an IT team who could easily do that!"


    "We will handle this!" Junwan hissed. But Jason was done with ipetent cops.


    "We will handle this our way!" he dered. "My son''s life is in danger and this time, we''ll take all the suspects into our custody."


    "You can''t-"


    But Jason threw him a dangerous re. "Years ago, you stopped me from interfering in Hwang Junho''s case," Jason reminded him. "You said that you will arrest him whereas we wanted to find him and give him a fair chance to speak. But your hindrance had stopped us. My best friend is still out there, fighting against whoever it was who killed his wife."


    "Hwang Junho killed his wife," Junwan insisted.


    "You don''t know Hwang Junho then!" Jason scoffed. "If it wasn''t for your interference, we could have found him and also helped him to find the real killer. But you made him a criminal, forcing him to hide and stay away from his family. So, I won''t stand here and listen to you anymore. If I have to shed blood, I will do it but I want my son back. And you"


    He stepped closer to Junwa. Both men were the same height, ring at each other with disdain.


    "You better hope that Kanji is alive otherwise I will burn down this city and turn it to ashes," Jason warned.


    With that, he turned around to leave. Lee followed his boss, worried about the consequences. If Kanji was not found, the Jang family would not hesitate to paint the town with blood.


    Where is he? Thewyer wondered.


    .


    Back at the hospital, Gayoon was shocked.


    "But Jina just told me that she saw him here!" Gayoon frowned.


    "He''s not," Minho said. "He wasst seen getting out of the police station but after that, no one can find him."


    "How is this possible?" she asked. "How can he just disappear?"


    "Anna Kirishima," Minho muttered bitterly. "She did this. She was the one who bailed him out and took him. Uncle Jason''s men looked all over town but couldn''t find her. No records of her exist. Nothing!"


    "Anna Kirishima?" Gayoon frowned. Why was that name so familiar?


    "Remember the time when you apanied me to a meeting and exposed thendowner for his devious ways?" he asked. "There was a woman with him."


    "Right!" Gayoon realized. "That busty woman? But why would she kidnap Kanji? And let''s face it. Kanji is a mafia lord, right? He knows how to fight! It would be impossible for her alone to take him down. Even a skilled assassin will have a difficult time with him."


    "True," Minho said. "He''s one of the best fighters in the country. He was trained by some of the best martial arts teachers and I hate to admit it, he''s better than me when ites to fighting. He can take you down as well. So there is no way someone like Anna can take him down."


    "But what does she want?" Gayoon wondered. "Money? Is she part of the Lin n?"


    "We could ask the other mafia," Minho suggested. "But he''s too weak right now."


    Just then, Gayoon''s phone rang. It was Junwan.


    "Hello, Chief!" she greeted. She listened carefully on the phone.


    "What?" she eximed. "I''ming right away!"


    She hung up the phone and turned to Minho. "Jang Jason just made a threat to the Chief," she revealed. "If Kanji is not found, the Jang''s will wage a war against the Lin''s. They think that the Lin''s kidnapped Kanji and they''ll not stop killing the Lin family members until they find Kanji!"


    "Fuck"


    Trust Uncle Jason to act that rash. The man might look calm but was as hot headed as his son, possibly even more.


    "I''ll tell Taejoon''s team to watch over Haejong," Gayoon said. "But I''ll have to return to the precinct."


    She took out the ring from her pocket and said, "I''ve smuggled it out of that file. I''ll be in a lot of trouble if the Chief finds out, but there''s no other choice. We''ll have to keep it safe. I''m giving it to you. Don''t lose it."


    Minho put the ring on his finger. It was his mother''s relic and the fact that she was still roaming around the living, made his heart ache. I''ll have to visit her soon, he decided.


    "I''ll protect it with my life," he swore. "But you...stay safe. Uncle Jason will not be very weing towards cops at this moment. Not even towards you."


    "I''ll be fine," Gayoon assured him and sprinted off. Minho returned to Mina''s room where Junho and Jina were waiting. Mina was asleep.


    "Dad, where''s Uncle Kanji?" Jina asked.


    "Uncle Kanji will be here soon," Minho told her. But Jina was frowning.


    "What do you mean that he''ll be here soon?" she asked. "I saw him."


    "Yes, Gayoon told me that you saw him in the hospital," Minho sighed. "But we''ve searched everywhere. He''s not here."


    "I swear!" Jina insisted. "I saw him! He was right outside the operation room with me, Casper and Yumi! He even asked how''s Aunt Mina-"


    Minho was about to ask her more but Junho suddenly held his arm. The old man stood up and dragged both of them out of the room. He then turned on Jina.


    "Jina," he began. "Did you, by any chance, touch Kanji?"


    "N-no," she stammered. "I didn''t. He was just standing behind us and I told him that both aunt and Mister Mafia were fine. He then went off to search for Aunt Mina. But he did look...pale"


    Minho stepped back in shock while Junho was trying to collect his feelings. Jina just realized the gravity of her words. She was so engrossed in Casper''s state and Mina''s condition, that she did not notice at all. Moreover, Kanji lookedpletely fine. No injury nor any marks on his body. He looked as if he was alive


    "A-are you saying...is he...i-is Uncle Kanji...dead?" she whispered.


    The two men did not reply to her. Minho had slumped against the wall. Tears welled up in his eyes, his mind in a state of utter shock while Jina was trying to digest this news.


    In a slow motion, she turned her head to the left and nearly burst out crying.


    Kanji stood there, pale and now glowing a little. He was giving her a sad smile but his eyes were full of pain and grief.


    Her Uncle Kanji was dead.

 Chapter 369: Friend

    Chapter 369: Friend


    Minho slumped against the wall, feeling shocked and numb. His mind was no longer working, unable to decide what was true and what was not. The world around him was moving. People passed by him, doing their own work, busy in their worlds not caring about anything else. His eyes were darting here and there while his body was limp and heart was numb. He half expected an annoying figure to run towards him with a stupid smile on his face and utter his silly "Hi hi!"


    But there was no annoying figure running towards him. There was no idiot, shing his credit card. The rival...the only friend he ever had who was always by his side. Kanji was always by his side. Where was he now? Why was he not there?


    He''s dead.


    A voice in Minho''s heart told him. He''s dead. It kept on repeating in his head, crushing his soul. Minho wanted to hit something, unleash the grief he was feeling onto something. At that moment, he would have given away all his money and wealth just to catch a glimpse of his friend. He would trade his soul for the friend who had kept him grounded, stopped him from bing a monster. The friend who absorbed Minho''s darkness, protecting them from afar without question.


    He''s dead.


    Jina was still staring at Kanji''s pale figure who was now sad and morose at his friend''s state. Kanji wanted to go and hug Minho, apologize for not being able to say goodbye but he could not muster the courage. Minho lowered his head, hiding in his palms as he came to terms with what happened.


    Kanji was dead. His best friend...his brother was dead. This was not supposed to happen. Kanji could not die. They were supposed to be rivals forever. Minho was supposed to extract every penny from Kanji''s ounts. That was their thing. He could not die. Who allowed him to die?


    Tears fell from his eyes as the grief overwhelmed him. Minhpletely broke down, unable to think straight. The most powerful man in the country with infinite wealth felt like he was the poorest of them all.


    "AHHHHH!" he wailed out loud, not caring who heard him. "AHHHHHHH!"


    Junho stooped down to hug his son,forting him. Minhopletely shut out the world, immersed in his loss as he cried in his father''s arms. Jina was too shocked to say or do anything. Her eyes never left Kanji, who was now crying silently at his friend''s state. He wanted to hug Minho, tell him that he was sorry for leaving like that.


    But no matter what he would say, the truth was that they were in different worlds now. He was far away from them in a cold and helpless state. He could watch them but not join them like he used to. They had a life to lead while he would be stuck in a void until he was ready to leave.


    "Tell him, I''m sorry," Kanji pleaded with Jina. "Tell him that if he''s sad, I''ll be sad too."


    "Uncle Kanji is sorry for leaving us," Jina parroted in a zombie like state. "If you are sad, he''ll be sad too."


    Minho did not reply but was still crying hard. He knew his friend was nearby but they were separated by life and death. There was no in-between.


    Yumi appeared beside Kanji, witnessing the family''s grief. They had finally realized the truth and it hurt her to see the once happy family being thrown into an abyss of sadness. The loss of Kanji hit them hard, pushing them over the edge.


    Casper also apparated, worried about Jina. He was aggrieved to see the little girlpletely numb with shock, her tender heart being unable to bear the sadness.


    "I can''t see them like this," Yumi whispered, looking away. Casper looked from Kanji to Jina to Minho. He was in a dilemma at seeing the family who took care of him, falling into this state. They had been nothing but kind to him, epting his inner monster and treated him like a kin. Especially Jina who became like a granddaughter to him.


    He walked towards Jina and shook her hard. The little girl turned to look at him, her brown eyes looking dead as if devoid of all emotions.


    "This isn''t the time to be sad!" he gestured at her. He pointed at Kanji and went on with his hand signs. "He died but someone must be responsible! Someone killed him! And if you want to help him, find out who it is!"


    Casper''s words caused Jina''s eyes to flicker. Her mind was beginning to understand what he meant.


    He was right. Someone was responsible for Kanji''s death.


    "Dad," she began. "Someone did this to Uncle Kanji. Someone killed him."


    Upon hearing her words, Minho slowly turned to look at her. His eyes were red and his face a mess. He was slightly panting because of all the crying but now that Jina spoke up, his head was beginning to focus again. Letting go of his father, he slowly stood up.


    "Who was it?" he quietly demanded. "Who dared to kill my friend?"


    Kanji took a deep breath and said something to Jina whichpletely shook her to the core.


    "Mr. A," she revealed to her father. "And not just that. Mr. A has Uncle Kanji''s body! He possessed it!"


    Minho was not shocked but it felt as if he subconsciously knew the answer. There was only one entity who would dare to mess with his family.


    "Anna Kirishima is his servant," Jina interpreted. "And and caused the car to crash into a ditch in the forest. That''s when Mr. A turned up and killed Uncle Kanji. Afterwards, he healed Uncle Kanji''s body and possessed it."


    "The steady host!" Junho realized. "Mr. A''sst host must be dying so he-"


    "He possessed Kanji''s body because Kanji is close to our family," Minho gritted. "And he knows that we''ll go to rescue his body."


    "Mr. A spared Uncle Kanji''s ghost so that he could ry the message to you," Jina went on. "He wants"


    She trailed off, unable to understand anything else. Why was Mr. A doing this?


    "Go on Jina," Minho said in a steely tone. He was barely holding back his desire for vengeance. That demon had yed with his family for far too long and now, with Kanji''s death, there was nothing that could stop Minho from throwing that demon''s ass to hell.


    "He wants me to bring him that ring," Jina revealed. "He wants me."

 Chapter 370: First Phase

    Chapter 370: First Phase


    Miles away, a lone figure was sitting on a rocking chair, lost in thought. He was faced towards arge window on top of a twenty storey tower, overlooking the city beneath him. The ce he was living in was avish penthouse from outside but on the inside, it waspletely empty. There was no furniture, not even a bed. The whole ce was empty sans for a couple of quilts in one corner for his servant.


    Every room was empty. Even the walls were untouched and the floors were devoid of any carpet or colors except for the one in the living room. Arge circle was drawn in the middle of it with a star on it. It was the only sign of life in the house.


    The man stood up and snapped his fingers. A woman in a red night dress heard his summons and came rushing to meet him.


    "Master," she said, bowing down.


    "Give me a mirror," he quietly demanded. The woman scurried back to one of the rooms to look into her purse. She found a small mirror and went back to her master, handing him the mirror. The man looked into it.


    "What a handsome man he was," hemented. "And a short life too."


    "Master" the woman began. "Was it wise to let his spirit go? The Seer can see him, you know. And her mother has not lost her sense of spiritspletely."


    "A side effect of the possession," the man sighed. He knew very well that the detective was the daughter of the Seer he had tried to possess all those years ago. At that time, the Seer was about to give birth and in the process, the baby ended up absorbing some of his powers which enhanced her own abilities. Which is why even after giving birth to her own child, Jeon Gayoon retained some of her abilities.


    "But will the little girle to us?" Anna asked. "The body you''re possessing might be one of her loved ones but she has very powerful people with her. Hwang Junho is still looking for you. And his son, Minho is very much acquainted with the World of the Dead. Even if we take the girl in there, he''ll be able to navigate the ce and find her."


    "I have seen the memories of this body," the demon slowly said. He was still checking out the face of the man he had possessed this time. This man used to call himself Jang Kanji but now that he was dead, the body belonged to Anyal only.


    "That girl wille," he repeated. He let out a deep sigh.


    "I''ve wasted so many years trying to manipte a Transporter into doing my bidding but all have failed," hemented. "But this...this is thest chance. This girl is special. She won''t be easy to possess because of her hybrid powers. But we can make her open the gates."


    Anyal scanned Kanji''s memories and thest image this body had seen in its head popped up in front of him. It seemed that like the demon, Jang Kanji was also a hopeless romantic at heart.


    "What do we do now, Master?" Anna asked.


    Anyal smirked. "Let''s pay a visit to Jang Jason, shall we?" he asked.


    ..


    Gayoon burst into Junwan''s office, ready to argue with him once again. The Chief was sitting on his chair, his face fraught with worry. She mmed her hands on his table.


    "Now do you need me?" she demanded. "Jang Kanji is missing and his father just dered a war. Or are you still hung up on my personal connections with them?"


    She red at Junwan who grumbled in annoyance. He did not want to admit it but Gayoon was right. Jason was out for blood and the only way to stop him was to find his son. As someone who is close to the Hwang''s and Jang''s, Gayoon was the only one who was capable of tracking him down and stopping this bloodbath.


    "Please," he finally begged. "I need you to lead this case-"


    "Well, you should have done this from the very beginning!" She hissed. "And now look what happened!"


    She paced around the office, thinking of ces where Kanji could be. "Show me the CCTV footage," she demanded.


    Junwan reyed the video for her. Gayoon raised an eyebrow upon seeing Kanji leaving the precinct alone but was clearly talking to someone. She recalled Anna Kirishima from theirst encounter.


    Was it possible that Anna was dead? But then, how were Kanji and the other cops at the station able to see her ghost? There was something terribly wrong.


    "Chief, I-"


    Just then, Junwan''s phone rang up. "Hello," he answered the phone.


    Gayoon watched as her boss listened to the caller on the other line. His worried face was slowly changing to one of relief and he let out a sigh.


    "Are you serious?" he asked excitedly. "This is great!"


    He hung up the phone and turned to Gayoon. "Jang Kanji has been found!" he revealed.


    "Where?" she asked in astonishment. "How? And where was he all this time?"


    "Apparently, he and Anna took a liking to each other so they went for dinner," Junwan stated. "He called his father and met up with him at the Jang mansion."


    "What?" Gayoon frowned. "Took a liking to Anna"


    That was not possible. Kanji was in love with Mina! Then why would he pursue Anna?


    "Are you sure he has been found?" she asked again. "It''s a mistake! Kanji-"


    "That was Jang Jason himself," Junwan exined. "He found his son and is currently talking to him. He even called off the blood war against the Lin''s. That''s great news for us!"


    Gayoon scratched her head, trying to make heads and tails out of the whole bizarre situation.


    "You can go now," Junwan said. "I have to file the reports on this case. Thest few days have been rough. How''s your boyfriend''s sister now?"


    "She''s recovering"


    Gayoon did not linger but left this room. She took out her phone and tried to call Minho. To her surprise, Mina picked up the call.


    "Gayoon?" She mumbled.


    "Mina, where''s Minho?" Gayoon asked.


    "I...I don''t see my brother here," she exined. "He probably left his phone in my room and went somewhere."


    "Is...Did Kanji visit you?" Gayoon inquired. There was a long pause on the other end.


    "No," Mina replied. "He didn''t."


    Gayoon was now fully sure that something was wrong. Kanji was desperate to meet up with Mina. Then why would he not visit her and go off with Anna?


    I must find out, she decided. "Tell Minho to call me when he arrives, alright?" she requested. "And take care of yourself."


    Mina mumbled an ''ok'' and hung up. Gayoon put her phone away and rushed towards her car. Starting the engine, she sped off towards the Jang Mansion.


    Kanji had a lot of exining to do.

 Chapter 371: At the Jang Mansion

    Chapter 371: At the Jang Mansion


    Jina sat on a bench, still unable to believe the fact that her beloved Uncle Kanji was dead. Minho had gone off to meet Jason while Junho sat with Mina. They still did not tell her about Kanji because of her frail state but for how long could they hide it?


    Casper materialized beside her. The ghost was silent but Jina could read his thoughts.


    "You...you have to leave as well, right?" she softly asked. Casper''s face contorted into a mix of grief and pain because he did not know how to tell this to her. Now that hisst wish was fulfilled, he could no longer stay in their realm. But so many things had happened in the meantime that he could not gather the courage to tell her.


    He slowly nodded, aggrieved at the state he was leaving her in. Jina gave him a small smile and touched his face.


    "It''s okay," she assured him. "I''ll be fine. I''ll miss you a lot but if this is what you want, I''ll not be angry at you"


    A single drop of tear rolled down her eye as she struggled to hold in her emotions. She was a mess at that time but the fact that Casper was finally getting his wish was the only silver lining in her life. Even though it meant that he would no longer be with her, Jina truly wanted her friend to move on like Shinho so that one day, he could get the chance to reincarnate as a better human being.


    In her short life, she had learnt more about life and death than others which gave her a very strange perspective. Sometimes, it was best to let go of loved ones because one never knew when they would return to us. But she was sure that they would return and once they did, nothing could keep them apart.


    Casper made a gesture at her, exining her onest task he wanted her to do. He did not borate much, but it was something he left for Haejong.


    "I''ll tell him," she promised. Casper nced around and noticed Yumi was hiding behind a wall. The young ghost was sobbing, her hard demeanor faltering. Casper motioned her toe to him.


    He made hand signs at her tomunicate his feelings.


    "Thank you, for everything," he gestured. "You were a true friend too. I hope that you can find peace as well."


    Yumi slowly glided towards them, her eyes full of tears and her limbs hanging loosely. She did not even bother to fix them as she sat next to her friends.


    "Casper, why do you have to leave?" she asked tearfully. "Don''t leave!"


    "He wants to, Yumi," Jina said in a sad tone. "Old man told me. Once a spirit''sst wish has been fulfilled, it''ll only be a matter of time before he or she begins to disappear. Shinho requested for a ceremony to speed up his departure but even without that, he would have gone. Casper doesn''t want any ceremony but his time hase"


    She turned to face him. "When is it?" she asked. "When are you leaving?"


    He made a gesture at them. Tonight.


    Jina did not say anything but looked at her feet. She was trying not to break down but it was so hard. So goddamn hard!


    Are goodbye''s always this hard? She wondered.


    "You should spend some time with your grandson," she suggested. "He''ll be happy if you''re nearby. Even if he can''t see you, he knows you''re always watching him."


    Casper made some hand signs.


    He knows that you need me more now, he conveyed. My friend...my only friend needs me. I can''t leave you alone today.


    Yumi sobbed and leaned forward to hug him. Jina, too, hugged him tightly. She finally broke down into tears. The people passing by watched the strange little girl who was hugging air.


    Is she crazy? They thought but Jina did not care. She no longer cared about who saw them. Her friend was leaving and he was the only important thing for her at that moment. She already lost her beloved uncle and now, she was going to lose her closest friend. There was nothing else that mattered to her.


    This is unfair! She cried in her head. This isn''t supposed to happen


    But who was listening to her? Who wrote their fates? Why were they doomed to such twisted misery? What was their fault?


    She asked the questions again and again in her head but to no avail. No one would answer them. Or maybe, there just were no answers. People who died did not belong to the world of the living. They have to move on someday.


    And it was Casper''s time to go.


    .


    Gayoon pulled up in front of the Jang Mansion and to her surprise, she spotted Minho''s car in the parking lot. He had just gotten out of the car and was rushing towards the mansion at high speed.


    "Minho!" she called for him but he ignored her and kept on running. Gayoon noted that he was beside himself, acting unusually rash and ever frantic. She followed him inside where Jason was waiting.


    "Minho!" he eximed. "And I see that you''ve brought Gayoon with you."


    Jason looked happy to see them but Minho was stunned. He took out his phone and showed him a message.


    "What the hell is this?" he demanded. "This message"


    "I thought you''d be happy!" Jason frowned. "My son...Kanji is back!"


    Minho could not believe it. Gayoon stepped forward, confused by Minho''s reaction. He did not look happy but rather angry and terrified.


    "He just returned with Anna," Jason went on. "They''ve taken a liking to each other so they went for dinner. That''s it. Kanji left his phone at the precinct so he was out of touch."


    "Why didn''t he visit Mina?" Gayoon demanded. "Why was he out with-"


    "Kanji has been clear that he doesn''t like Mina!" Jason argued. "I wanted them together too but isn''t it obvious that nothing is going to happen between them? I think Mina should move on. He''ll visit herter but right now, he needs rest."


    "I want to see him," Minho demanded. "This...Kanji."


    Gayoon did not miss the bitterness with which he said thest two words. This Kanji? She frowned.


    Jason was about to speak when they heard footsteps descending the stairs. All of them looked around to find ''Kanji''ing down the stairs with Anna beside him. She was holding on to his arm, wearing a very provocative nightdress which was highlighting her curves. Kanji was wearing a sleeveless shirt with half pants and by the looks of it, they looked like a couple who had just been intimate.


    "I''ll meet you in the bedroom, sweetie," Kanji said, kissing Anna on the lips. Gayoon was mortified but Minho gave him a stony re. Anna winked at him and went back upstairs.


    "Minho, my friend!" Kanji eximed and attempted to hug Minho but thetter grabbed him by the cor and pushed him against the wall.


    "Minho, no!" Gayoon yelled but Minho was ring at the demon which was showing its true colors. Jason rushed forward to separate the two men. ''Kanji'' winked but Minho wanted to throttle the monster which had snatched away his loved ones from him.


    "Minho let him go!" Jason demanded but Minho did not care.


    "You" he whispered. "I''ll destroy you!"


    "Minho, you know that I don''t love Mina at all," the demon said. "You can''t force me to love her-"


    "DON''T YOU DARE TAKE MY SISTER''S NAME WITH YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!" Minho yelled.


    Gayoon was struggling to pull Minho and Kanji apart but in the process, she identally touched Kanji''s skin and was shocked. It was ice cold.


    "That''s enough!" Jason roared and pulled the men apart. "Minho, have you forgotten what we did for you and your sister? Is this how you repay us?"


    He was snarling at Minho which took thetter by shock. "This man is not Kanji!" Minho told him. "He''s not-"


    "Enough!" Jason yelled. "You two, get out of here."


    But Gayoon stepped forward, not willing to leave. "Uncle, I agree with Minho," she said. "This man is not Kanji!"


    She was not sure what was going on but her head was beginning to connect the dots. Kanji always greeted Minho by saying, "Hi Hi!" Moreover, his skin was cold and hard. Someone was possessing him.


    But to her shock, she did not sense anything from him earlier. It was as if he waspletely normal and yet she felt nothing. How was that possible?


    A voice echoed in her mind.


    " Seers can sense the presence of two spirits in a body but when the original spirit is dead and the other entity takes over the body, the Seers can''t distinguish between the souls"


    Suna''s words swirled around her head and she slowly came to terms with the truth. There were not two souls upying Kanji''s body. There was only one soul. And it was not Kanji''s soul.


    The realization began to sink in and Gayoon stumbled backwards. Kanji was dead and his body was possessed by


    "Anyal," she finally said, facing the demon who had destroyed all of their lives. The demon shed her a secret smirk in response.


    I will get what I want, he vowed. Even if I have to destroy the whole world for it.

 Chapter 372: Red Moon

    Chapter 372: Red Moon


    Gayoon held Minho by the arm while Jason fumed at the pair. Anyal was still grinning as the Minho was being dragged out but thetter would not flinch. Just seeing the demon possessing his best friend''s body was infuriating him to the point he wanted to kill the monster with his own bare hands.


    Once outside, Gayoon let him go. She held her breath, trying to keep her own emotions in check.


    "Is he...is Kanji" she could not bring herself to ask it. But Minho closed his eyes and nodded.


    "Mina doesn''t know," he said in a thick voice. "And Jina saw his ghost at the hospital. He only visited her which is why you couldn''t feel him."


    Just saying it was so painful for him that he could not stop his tears. Gayoon hugged him, letting him rest his head on her chest as he broke down. His best friend was in this state and it was all his fault. His mind only shed all the memories he had with his one and only friend who had been there with them all their lives.


    He mourned for the man who had once punched him for even thinking of killing someone. If it was not for Kanji, Minho would have be a killer a long time ago. Instead, Kanji took it upon himself to bear the burden so that he could protect his friends. The guy who always came barging into his office, not caring about anything else. If it was not for Kanji, Minho would never have be the man he was at that point.


    And now, his best friend was in pain but he could do nothing to help him. Even all the money in the world could not bring Kanji back and one day, he would be gone forever.


    "Minho" Gayoon held him by the shoulders to make him face her. "We have to pull that demon out of his body," she said, trying to remain strong. "If Kanji''s body isn''t cremated, he''ll never be set free even if he fulfills hisst wish. We''ll have to do this"


    Minho let out a sharp breath and clenched his fists. Gayoon was right. They must free Kanji''s spirit and destroy this demon for once and for all.


    "I want to talk to mom," he finally said. "Now. Tell Shinjin toe as well. We''ll have to get all the information we could gather and throw that bitch into hell."


    Gayoon nodded and called Shinjin. Minho texted Junho. The old man had the ring and was keeping it safe. After sending the text, he turned back to Gayoon.


    "Let''s go," he said. Gayoon nodded and they got into her car. Minho noticed that Anna was watching them from the window at Kanji''s bedroom. He shed a middle finger to her before they drove off.


    "How naive," Anna sighed. The duo were hellbent on defeating them but it was pointless. They would never be able to extract her master from Jang Kanji''s body. The ritual required was very precise and could kill the exorcist if it went wrong. They had no chance.


    Just then, her master entered the room. Jang Jason was there with him but the old man was in a trance-like state. The magic they performed on him was effective. The moment the man heard his son was dead, he went into a state of catatonia. Taking advantage of it, Anyal charmed him to do his bidding.


    "We have to lure that girl," Anyal said. "Otherwise we won''t be able to open the gates."


    "Her parents are too strong," Anna pointed out. "It''ll be impossible to possess them and make them do our bidding."


    "Change of ns," Anyal stated. "There will be a red moon night within five days."


    "So?" Anna asked.


    "This red moon is a special one," he stated as he poured himself a drink. "On this night, there will be a lunar eclipse when the red moon will be temporarily covered by the sun''s shadow at exactly midnight. If we cast the spell using the girl, the gates of hell will wrench open. It''ll be our only chance because this night onlyes every hundred years."


    "I''ve wasted many years chasing Transporters to feed on their grief," he said in a bitter tone. "But now, I found a better way. However"


    He turned to face Anna. "We must make sure that we perform the spell perfectly. The ritual can''t be interrupted at all. Otherwise it''ll be disastrous for us."


    "How so?" Anna asked.


    "If the ritual is left iplete, a void will be created and release the reapers in the World of the Dead," Anyal winced. "And the reapers wille for me. I won''t be able to escape and if they touch me, they''ll suck out my soul and trap me in there like a lifeless zombie. No one is safe from the reapers of that world. They''ll then cut down everyone who woulde in their way. Not even demons like me can escape their punishment"


    "Is this why you were dyed that time?" Anna questioned. "When that spirit took Jeon Gayoon into that world."


    "Yes," he slowly nodded. "The reapers had sensed Hwang Minho''s presence but he had help there. He was able to harness his powers much more easily and he knows how that world works. We''ll have to keep him out of there at all costs."


    "How are we going to lure her?"


    Anyal took a sip from his ss. "There is someone we can use," he slowly said. "And we''ll need his help."


    He pointed at Jason who stood there with a nk expression. Anna grinned. This was going to be fun.


    .


    Haejong slowly got up from his bed. His back was still painful because of the bullet he took for the little girl. The nurse had changed his dressing but the wound was really agonizing. He slowly got off the bed and picked up the crutches by the bedside. There was a letter in his hand which his grandfather had written for him while he was unconscious. Cheng probably possessed another body for a few minutes to jot down the words he wanted to say to Haejong. Thetter found it by the bed when he woke up and read it very carefully.


    His grandfather had left him onest request and it was this wish which was going to change everything.


    Slowly limping outside, he staggered towards Mina''s room.


    Kanji was sitting by her bedside, staring at her. Junho had gone to the pharmacy to fetch medicines for Mina while she slept so there was no one else around. He heard the sounds of someone''s feet and looked around to see Haejong entering the room.


    He looked very pale and in excruciating pain but somehow dragged himself to Mina''s room. Kanji was quietly watching Haejong as thetter stared at Mina''s resting face.


    "There are many things I want to tell her," Haejong said out loud. "And so did you, Jang Kanji."


    Kanji froze. Haejong knew about him?


    "My grandfather is one of that little girl''s friends," Haejong stated. "Jina, right?"


    "She took care of him, turned the dead monster into a good human," he went on. "To repay her kindness, he made a request to me. Gramps knows how important you and Mina are to that little girl and he couldn''t see her sad. So he wants me to help you fulfill yourst wish."


    Haejong held up the letter where his grandfather made the unusual request. "He wants me to let you borrow my body until your wish has been fulfilled," he revealed to a shocked Kanji. "I don''t know much about this...ghostly businesses. But in our family, we never let our debts remain unpaid. Since my grandfather''s debts are still unpaid, I''ll repay them."


    "No way" Kanji muttered.


    "Gramps said he''ll be leaving tonight," Haejong stated. "After he leaves, you can take over my body for a while and finish your business. In return"


    He motioned at Mina. "Just make sure you don''t hurt her anymore," he requested. "I don''t think I''ll be able to tolerate it if you make her cry again."


    With that, he limped away, leaving Kanji to his own thoughts.

 Chapter 373: His Last Wish

    Chapter 373: His Last Wish


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: CHECK OUT MY INSTAGRAM POST TO SEE THE BOOK TRAILER I MADE FOR ''DOCTOR DEMON''


    THE PUBLISHING DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCE THERE AS WELL!


    FOLLOW ME AT tea_tae93


    ........


    The air swished by as they stood on the hospital rooftop. Unlike the dark and ominous nights, there was a touch of warmth on that date. Stars twinkled brightly above them while a three quarter moon shone in the sky, lighting up the whole ce. They could hear the people beneath them, busy with their own lives. It was the perfect night for a mini bonfire or outdoor pic, something Jina enjoyed a lot.


    Yet, she never felt so cold and empty before.


    The warm air could not melt her icy heart which had turned numb. She tried to be strong, not break down at all. Her tears had dried up but the pain would not go away. First her uncle Kanji and now Casper. She wanted to shout and scream at the top of her lungs. Her inner turmoil was making her resent the happy people downstairs who had no idea about the little girl''s grief.


    How dare they stay happy? She thought in resentment. Why are they happy while we suffer? Why? Why?


    There were no answers. Only a deafening silence.


    Casper stood next to her, feeling guilty about his decision. He was ashamed to be leaving his friend in this situation but there was no choice. His spirit energy was already decreasing and even if he resisted in order to stay back, it would have been no use. He would eventually vanish and maybe never get the chance to say goodbye. That was not how he wanted to leave.


    Will you be alright? He gestured at her.


    "I''ll be fine," Jina lied. She wanted to reassure him that she could take care of herself but who was she kidding?


    The little girl then slowly shook her head. The tears she thought had dried up were now returning and she was sobbing again.


    "I won''t be fine!" she admitted. "How can I be? My closest friend is going away"


    She hugged him around the waist. Yumi stood there, trying to remain strong but even she failed.


    "Do you have to go?" Yumi whispered. "Why can''t we stay like this?"


    Casper made hand signs at her.


    This is no longer our world, hemunicated. We don''t belong here and after ourst wishes are fulfilled, we have to leave. That''s the cycle of life.


    Yumi sniffed. She wanted to whack the old man and tell him to stay with them but he was right. One day, all of them would have to leave this world. That was the harsh reality.


    "Will youe back?" Jina asked. "Shinho promised that he''ll be back! What about you?"


    Casper could not answer her questions. He hadmitted too many sins in life and for a person like him, there was no second chance. In death he might have be human, but in life, he remained a monster.


    I don''t know, he signalled. I might never be back


    Jina lowered her gaze, biting her lip while tears stained her face. Casper patted her head.


    As long as you think of me as a good person, I''ll be happy, he gestured. Remember me, will you?


    "I will," she sobbed.


    Don''t change, he went on. Don''t wake upte like your parents. Always be happy and sweet. Don''t forget to study hard and be a good cop. And don''t let any bad ghosts get to you.


    Jina was now a crying mess, still hugging him. Yumi tried to console her but she was also crying hard, unable to bear the sadness. How were they going to live without Casper? He was the gentle one who protected them all the time.


    "It''s not fair" Yumi sobbed. But Casper smiled and hugged back both of them.


    A gradual light began to emit from his pale body. The air around them was slowly swirling in circles and Jina felt Casper was fading. She looked at him for thest time, her heart breaking into pieces.


    There was no ceremony nor any grand send off for him. Instead, he opted for a simple goodbye with the people he cared for. That was all he wanted before facing the afterlife.


    They heard the dragging of crutches and looked around. Haejong was standing there, watching the little girl.


    "Is he...is he gone?" he asked.


    "He''s leaving now," she replied in a broken voice. Haejong could not see his grandfather but simply stared ahead. They were notmunicating with each other but some thoughts did not need words. He simply raised a hand and waved.


    "I''ll do what you couldn''t do," he promised. "So, for now, you can go and rest in peace. You''ve gotten old anyway."


    Jina and Yumi stepped back as Casper smiled and waved at his grandson and then to them. He made a final gesture at Jina before leaving.


    Thank you.


    Slowly, he was disintegrating into the air. The three of them stood there as Casper was disappearing until finally, he reduced to a light gush of pollen which merrily swirled in the sky before it was gone.


    Forever.


    Jina stood there, still staring at the ce where Casper disappeared. She felt a hand patting her head and to her surprise, it was Haejong. Yumi disapparated, wanting to be left alone for a while.


    "Don''t be sad," he muttered. "If there''s something I have learnt about the old man is that he hates it when someone is crying. Especially for him."


    "I''ll miss him," she said in a soft tone.


    "The best thing you can do for him is to remember him the way he wanted you to," Haejong said. "Missing him would do jackshit. Just think of him as a good person and keep believing it."


    He spoke in a matter-of-fact way because he knew that the kid needed to hear the truth and not false assurances.


    "Do you...do you think of him as a good person?" she slowly asked.


    "To me he''s just a human being who did bad deeds but left this world as a good person," he sighed. "That''s all."


    Jina stared at the sky, wondering how Casper was doing when she remembered something.


    "He left you a letter," she said. "Did you-"


    "I read it," Haejong stated. "He really loves you guys a lot. Asking something like that"


    He let out a softughter at the irony of Casper''sst task for him. Old man, you really wanna screw with me from the grave, don''t you? He mused.


    But he was not angry at Casper. Instead, he understood the man''s intention and if that was how he wanted to repay the debt, that was fine with Haejong.


    "What do you-"


    Jina trailed off when she saw Kanji behind Haejong. The ghost was hesitant but this was the only way.


    "Is he here?" Haejong asked. "Jang Kanji?"


    Jina nodded her head, confused by what was happening. "Do you two know each other?" she frowned.


    "Your friend and my grandfather," Haejong began. "Left a task for me. He wants me to allow your uncle Kanji to take over my body until he fulfills hisst wish."


    "But why would you do that?" Jina demanded. "Why are you agreeing to this? Letting your body be possessed by another ghost? I''m eight and even I know that''s insane! Why would you do this for a stranger?"


    "He''s not a stranger," Haejong revealed. "We''ve...we''ve known each other for a long time."


    "How?" she demanded. "This is so stupid! How are you connected to uncle Kanji''sst wish? What is hisst wish anyway?"


    Haejong did not reply but Kanji stepped forward to exin. "He just doesn''t want to see someone he loves to suffer pain," he sadly mused. "Neither do I."


    Love? Jina looked from Kanji to Haejong with suspicion. A realization dawned on her.


    "Y-you" she began. "YOU TWO ARE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER?"


    "HELL NO!" Both the men eximed in unison.


    "How the hell did you get that idea?" Haejong snapped. "Me? In love with that asshole? Hah! I''d rather be shot by a million bullets!"


    "I''d rather tear up all my magazines," Kanji muttered in disgust.


    "Then why"


    Jina was confused but it finally dawned on her. Haejong went to save Mina. Uncle Kanji always hovered around Mina as well. Moreover, her aunt had been lured to the kidnapper because of Uncle Kanji and in the process, Haejong showed up to protect her. Even received a bullet for her


    "You two are idiots!" she remarked, shaking her head. "Aunt Mina? You want to confess to her, don''t you uncle Kanji?"


    Kanji nodded. "But she doesn''t know that you''re dead!" Jina reminded him.


    "We can''t tell her yet!" Kanji warned. "I want to confess to her directly even if it means I''ll have to borrow this loser''s body!"


    Haejong frowned at the exchange between the girl and what seemed like air. But a strange feeling gave him goosebumps.


    "Is he insulting me?" he asked suspiciously. Jina turned to him.


    "Uncle Kanji says he wants to confess to Aunt Mina on his own," she interpreted. "And for that he''s ready to work with a lo...lovely person like you."


    "Loser, asshole, pain in the ass!" Kanji growled. "Son of a-"


    "He''s praising you," Jina lied.


    Haejong simply sighed and addressed Kanji. "I''m doing this only for my grandfather," he said out loud. "But if you hurt her, I''ll make sure your ghost is tortured in hell!"


    When the old man and my dad finds out, they''ll send both of you together to hell, Jina thought in her head. Aloud she said, "Whatever you two idiots want."


    Kanji turned to face Haejong. He nodded at Jina who shed a thumbs up at Haejong.


    "He''s ready to enter," she said. Haejong closed his eyes and cleared his mind while Kanji stepped forward. He was not sure how it worked but he focused on Haejong.


    Suddenly, he was being pulled like a ma to metal and automatically moved towards Haejong. Jina watched in awe as Kanji disappeared into Haejong''s body.


    "Did it work?" Jina asked. Haejong''s eyes were still closed. He slowly opened them to nce around.


    "Yo, mafia uncle!" she called. "Are you okay?"


    Haejong smirked and said, "Hi hi! Missed me?"


    Jina groaned but smiled a little. Even in death, her uncle Kanji was a hopeless idiot.

 Chapter 374: Seance (1)

    Chapter 374: Seance (1)


    Shinjin paced in front of the creepy mansion. He received Gayoon''s call who told him everything that had transpired in his absence. After talking to her, he brought all the information he could gather about Anyal and also his research notes. They agreed to meet at Hwang''s old mansion to discuss the next stage of the n.


    He saw a pair of headlights approaching him and soon, Gayoon''s car stopped in front of him. Minho and Gayoon got out of the car and walked up to him.


    "Did you get all the things I asked for?" he asked.


    "Yes!" Gayoon replied. She was carrying a bag full of materials they needed for a seance. Shinjin decided to hold a seance so that Minho could directly talk to his mother via a medium.


    "Who''ll be the medium?" Minho asked.


    "Me," Shinjin stated. "But remember. Whatever happens, you must follow the instructions to a T. Otherwise the summoning will fail."


    Both of them nodded and they entered the mansion. Gayoon stepped in first and she felt Suna''s presence somewhere in the house.


    "She''s here," she whispered. Minho did not reply but stiffly nodded. He was facing aplicated mix of emotions at the thought of meeting his mother again. Would she recognize him? What was he going to say to her?


    It had been so many years yet, the pain of losing her was as fresh as ever. He had suppressed the grief for a long time, trying not to think of the past but now, he was done running away. After losing his best friend, Minho no longer had the energy to run away from his sadness anymore. He needed closure and had epted a long time ago that sometimes, people simply could not get that closure.


    He was a rich man with infinite wealth and yet, all his money was wasted. For the first time in his life, Minho thought himself to be the poorest man of all. What was the point of so much money if it could not buy someone a fewst moments with their loved ones? Was it all worth it?


    Gayoon gripped his arm. She knew that he was too depressed over the things that had happened and she wanted tofort him.


    "You''re not okay," she murmured. "Do you want toe backter?"


    "No," Minho said. "We have to do this now. Otherwise, I''ll never get the courage to return here."


    Gayoon was a little worried but Minho was determined. They must extract that demon from Kanji''s body.


    "Okay" Shinjin muttered. He went straight towards the hall while Gayoon and Minho followed.


    "Move the furniture away," he ordered. "We need to draw arge circle here."


    Together, the three of them moved aside a few old couches to create an opening in the middle. The house was dusty and smelled like mould. Gayoon had to wipe off a few cobwebs which fell on her hair.


    "Ugh!" she eximed in annoyance as she fended off more webs. "You guys could have at least cleaned this ce!"


    "We kinda just gave up on it after mom died," Minho exined. He was ncing around every few seconds as if trying to sense someone.


    "She''s not here right now," Gayoon exined, reading his mind. "She''s probably upstairs. If she had spotted Mr. Shinjin then she knows very well that she should only show herself at the right moment during the ritual. Otherwise, you won''t be able to talk to her."


    "What if the ritual fails?" Minho asked.


    "Well" Gayoon began. "I''m not really sure what happens in that case-"


    "Your mother will be stuck in my body," Shinjin stated. He was drawing a hexagon on the floor and a star in the middle of it. cing a small round bowl in the middle of the shape, he turned it over.


    "Gayoon, you sit there," he instructed, pointing to his right. "And Minho to my left. Make sure the distance between us is even."


    They did as he told and they settled into a symmetric rotation. Shinjin took out a few yellow papers and wrote spells on them before folding the papers and stuffing them under the bowl.


    "Put your right index finger on the bowl," he said. All three of them put their fingers on it.


    "Now, there are a few rules you must follow," Shinjin warned. "First of all, whatever happens, do not move your fingers until I say so. Otherwise the connection between me and the spirit will be broken, causing her to take over my body. My soul will be lost and I might even die."


    "Second of all," he went on. "Do not forget to say goodbye to her. Otherwise, the spirit will not be able to leave. It''s a sign of respect during a seance. Luckily, your mother is a gentle spirit so she won''t create a fuss but vtile spirits can be very tough to handle. Still, say goodbye to her."


    "Lastly, I can at most keep her in me for ten minutes," he stated. "If you don''t finish talking by then, the spirit will not be able to leave and that''ll create anotherplication. Whatever you do, follow these rules."


    He turned to Gayoon. "Record. the encounter with your phone so that we can listen to the clueter."


    She took out her phone using her left hand and turned on the recorder. Minho was a little nervous to meet his mother after so long but he steadied himself. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes.


    "Let''s do this," he announced.


    ..


    Kanji was peeking at Mina from afar. She was now sitting up in her bed, reading something but it was obvious she was very distracted. Every minute, she kept on ncing outside as if waiting for someone.


    "Uncle, you look like a creepy stalker," Jina remarked.


    "I''m scared!" he eximed. "What if she doesn''t love me anymore?"


    "Right now, she won''t recognize you!" Jina said. "You''re in someone else''s body. And she doesn''t know that you''re"


    She could not bring herself to say it. Mina was still waiting for Kanji and yet, they could not gather the courage to tell her the truth. Kanji was upying Haejong''s body. While he expected thetter''s soul to be dormant, it turned out that he had to share space with the annoying guy.


    "Who the hell are you calling annoying?" Haejong''s angry voice echoed in his head. "I''m letting you borrow my body! Be thankful."


    "If I had a choice, I wouldn''t have taken your offer!" Kanji hissed at the voice in his head.


    "Uncle, just go and talk to her as the mafia uncle!" Jina suggested. "See what she feels!"


    "Alright!" Kanji moaned. Gathering the courage to face her, he limped on the crutches, heading for her room.


    Mina sighed and put the magazine away. It had been three days and Kanji still did note to visit her. But she had no one else to me but herself. Even after being so brutally rejected, she kept on clinging on to him.


    "No more," she decided. "I''m done"


    "Ahem!"


    She looked up to find Haejong standing there. He was shot but had recovered a lot because the bullet did not hit a critical point so it did not harm him much. Mina shuddered to think what would have happened if it had seriously hurt him.


    "Are you alright?" she asked.


    "Uhh...yeah!" Haejong said with a smile. "I''m good! How are ya feeling doc?"


    "I speak in a formal way with her, idiot!" Haejong''s voice scolded him.


    Mina was taken aback by his sudden informal attitude. What is up with him? She wondered.


    "I''m okay" she said. To her surprise, Haejong pulled up a chair and sat next to her bed.


    "There''s a new mall opening," he said in excitement. "You wanna visit that ce after being discharged?"


    "Huh?" she frowned. "But I already told you that I don''t want anything from you!"


    "Oi!" Haejong''s voice yelled in his head. "Thest time she went shopping with me, she didn''t take any of the stuff! She called it blood money!"


    But Kanji was not giving up. It was a matter of love and now that he was no longer bound to the usual rules, he was determined to win her over.


    "It''s the least you can do!" he imed. "After all, I saved your niece''s life. You owe me...a date!"


    "Heh?" Mina scowled at him. "Did that bullet mess with your head? Are you nuts?"


    "I promise I won''t use any of the mafia money!" he swore. "I''ve got legitimate businesses too! I''ll use my earnings from there to pay-"


    Jina was sitting outside the room when suddenly, Mina came out, running for her life. She was followed by Kanji who was staggering as he chased her.


    "I swear I''ll take you shopping afterwards!" he yelped.


    Inside his head, Haejong was cursing at him for ruining his entire image in front of Mina while Jina could only facepalm herself.


    "Nothing can cure his stupidity," she said, shaking her head in dismay as she watched her aunt being chased by the ghost of her idiotic lover.

 Chapter 375: Seance (2)

    Chapter 375: Seance (2)


    Their eyes were closed while Shinjin was chanting the summoning spell. During the seance, once Suna temporarily took over Shinjin''s body, Minho would be able to ask her questions. But Minho was quite nervous. His mind was nk and even though he tried to concentrate on the ritual at hand, he was wondering how he was going to react.


    For many years, he had secretly longed to catch one glimpse of his mother. Talk to her for onest time and tell her that they were not fine without her. He had spent so many years hating his father for something he did not do. How was Suna going to react to that? What if she hated Minho for his behavior?


    "Oh you who have been denied the gates of the afterlife," Shinjin muttered with his eyes closed. "Your soul is wandering on Earth, seeking fulfillment and closure. Come to us and tell your tale. Come"


    Gayoon felt a gush of cold air pass by but she kept her eyes closed and did not move. Minho, too, felt the breeze and a familiar presence was engulfing the area. A mixture of happiness and sadness was erupting in his heart but he kept his emotions under control. Completing the ritual was important and he did not want to jeopardize this moment at any cost.


    "Come to us" Shinjin summoned. His voice was distant and slowly fading. "Come"


    His head hung low. Gayoon and Minho opened their eyes to find him in a deep trance.


    "What''s happening?" Minho asked.


    "I think she''s here," Gayoon replied. "Don''t remove your finger from the disk."


    Minho nodded and waited for Shinjin to speak. He was still quiet and still.


    "Shinjin?" Minho called but there was no response. He nced at Gayoon who was observing the shaman carefully.


    "Minho, call your mother," she suggested. "By her name."


    He hesitated but turned back to Shinjin. "Are you...Are you Kim Suna?" he finally asked. "My mother, Kim Suna?"


    Slowly Shinjin raised his head and opened his eyes. To their slight shock, his pupils werepletely white and when he opened his mouth, a female''s voice came out.


    "Minho"


    Suna was nowmunicating with him via Shinjin. She raised a left hand and touched his cheek.


    "You''ve grown up," shemented, feeling happy. Her son, her dear son, came to meet her! She had waited for so long to see the faces of her children and now her son was here.


    "Where is Mina?" she asked. "Why didn''t shee?"


    "Mina is in the hospital" Minho revealed. "Someone tried to kill her but she''s safe now."


    Suna was now worried for her daughter. What happened to her? Why was she being targeted?


    "Tell me everything," she demanded. "What happened to my daughter?"


    Minho and Gayoon exined to her what happened to Mina along with how Anyal had taken over her lover''s body after killing him off. They also told her how the ghost of Kanji was still lingering around and they could not free him until they could give him a proper cremation.


    "We must exorcise that demon out of him!" Gayoon eximed. "Anyal demanded for Jina toe to him so that she can open the Gates of Hell!"


    Suna listened to them. A fiery anger was burning in her and she wanted to rip that demon apart with her own hands. He had destroyed her entire family, forced her husband to be a fugitive and her children were brought up as orphans. She could never spare that monster.


    "He can''t possess anyone from this family anymore," she said quietly. "Last time, I was weakened due to postpartumplications so I was an easy target. But now, he can''t possess either of you because everyone knows his name by now and are alert. Even if he tried, he would be easily exorcised. If Junho threw him out of Yeeun''s body, then he can do it again. The demon wouldn''t dare to hurt any of you."


    "But why did he choose Kanji?" Minho asked.


    "To force you guys to confront him," Suna stated. "It''s what he wants but it''s also the only way. You''ll have to face him, that too in the World of the Dead. The Gates of Hell are hidden there."


    "Why are the gates hidden there?" Gayoon asked.


    "After a person dies, there are three possible ces he or she could go to," Suna exined. "A person who decides to leave the world in peace and embrace death as reality, they''ll go to the Afterlife. No one knows what happens there because those who go there, can nevere back. There are rumors of reincarnation but I don''t know how true those rumors are. No one knows."


    "Those who have sinned or are seeking redemption for their actions in life," she went on. "Move to the World of the Dead. Most souls trapped in there go through a period of redemption. They live in a limbo at the ce where they died, seeking sce in the silence. Maybe one day, they''ll move on to the Afterlife but no one knows if that really happens. There''s so many things about the dead we can''t find out. The living can never find out the secrets of the dead until they''re dead themselves. That''s the rule of nature."


    "And then there is a different dimension," Suna stated. "The Gates of Hell. These are hidden within the World of the Dead but only a Transporter can harness the energy to open it. The souls trapped in there are not ordinary ones."


    "What do you mean?" Minho demanded.


    "Those are the souls of the Devil worshippers," Suna revealed. "They''ve abandoned all humanity and sold their souls to the Devil for their own greed. And once the Devil fulfilled their wishes, he sent his minions like Anyal to fetch their souls. They do not know the horrors of hell until they reach there. There''s a reason why Transporters and Seers were given special powers. Seers act as mediums to help souls move on to the Afterlife while Transporters are like the ferry guards who hover between the different worlds to make sure the bnce between the living and the dead is maintained. The process of opening the Gates of Hell will kill the Transporter. My grandmother once tried it and she died. Before dying, she trapped the energy she released in that ring I gave you. If released, that energy can reopen the gates again."


    "Why did she open the gates?" Minho asked.


    "She was almost lured by Anyal," Suna revealed. "But backed out at thest minute. She saw the horrors of Hell during the ritual and she stopped it. Using her remaining energy, she closed the gates again, foiling his n."


    "I also entered that world once when I was really young," she recalled. "I heard a lot of stories from my grandmother about that ce so I was curious. I opened the portal and entered it only to be almost ambushed by reapers. Luckily, my grandmother saved me on time otherwise I''d have been stuck in there as a Mindless."


    Minho listened to her very carefully. By opening the portal, both he and Jina had fulfilled the conditions of Anyal, making them the demon''s targets.


    "Now, there''s only one chance you''ll get to exorcise him for once and for all," Suna went on. "Within 5 days, there will be a red moon night. But this night is special. Ites after every hundred years. Exactly at midnight, an eclipse will take ce and the red moon will be hidden for five minutes. During that time, Anyal will cast the spell and force Jina to open the Gates of Hell. Once he does that, he''ll be able to pull out his lover but in the process many evil souls will escape. We can''t let that happen because if they escape, they''ll create havoc in the world. Crimes and killings will increase and they''ll even possess random people. It''ll be a disaster."


    "But there is one way. At exactly the fifth minute, the powers of all demons will be weakened for one minute. You will get only one minute to exorcise him from Kanji''s body. Once that happens, the ritual to open the Gates will fail and reapers will cut him down."


    "He''s going to be in the World of the Dead though," Gayoon pointed out. "Other than Minho and Jina, none of us can survive there!"


    "One of you will have to open the portal at that point," Suna sighed. "And have an exorcist on this side of the portal to rip the demon apart from Kanji''s body. You''ll have to make sure the portal is kept open for that minute. Once the exorcism isplete, get out of there as quickly as possible otherwise the reapers will attack you as well."


    "And make sure the ring is with you," she continued. "Use it to close the Gates if it opens."


    "But where will he conduct this ritual?" Minho asked. "And is he going to use anymore temporary bodies?"


    "He won''t," Suna said. "He doesn''t need to for the Red Moon Night. Because during the eclipse, the usual defenses around the Gates will fall and even the energy required to open it will be greatly lessened. His usual way to possess the Transporters and force them to open the Gates is no longer needed as long as he could open it on this one night. But to exorcise him from his permanent body, you''ll need two things."


    She held up a finger. "One, is his name," she stated. "Which you already have. And second is the name of that one thing which makes him weak. In Anyal''s case, it''s the name of his lover. You must find out her name."


    Minho and Gayoon looked at each other, confused.


    "How are we gonna find that out?" Gayoon asked.


    "His servant might know," Minho suggested. "She was a princess right? We can look up old history records and check if there was any princess who dabbled in dark arts."


    Just then Suna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "My time ising to an end," she revealed. "Minho"


    She turned to her son. "Myst wish is to see your father onest time," she begged. "And Mina too. If all this is over, can you bring them to me? Please? And also my granddaughter"


    Tears rolled from her eyes and she stroked her son''s cheek again. Minho also had teary eyes but he was smiling.


    "I will," he promised. "You''ll see your entire family before you are set free. But for now, mom. Take care of yourself."


    Suna smiled as her son said, "Goodbye mom"

 Chapter 376: Last Mission (1)

    Chapter 376: Last Mission (1)


    Suna smiled at her son and turned to Gayoon.


    "Thank you, dear," she whispered. "Take care of yourself too."


    "I will," Gayoon promised. "Goodbye, Aunt Suna."


    Shinjin''s eyes rolled up as the spirit began to leave his body. He lowered his head and slowly opened his eyes.


    "Shinjin, are you alright?" Minho asked, shaking the man a little with his left hand. Shinjin was startled and looked around.


    "The spirit is gone?" he asked.


    "Yes," Gayoon replied. "We''ve recorded everything."


    "Alright," he nodded. "Close your eyes again and I''ll finish the ritual."


    Everyone closed their eyes while Shinjin began to chant.


    "Thank you, Kim Suna for your wisdom and time," he chanted. "May you find peace in your afterlife. For now, goodbye."


    Another gush of cold air passed by and after a few seconds, warmth returned again. Shinjin opened his eyes to address the duo.


    "You can let go of the disk now," he stated. "And let''s go outside to listen to the recording."


    They did as he instructed. Wrapping up the session, Minho nced onest time at the top of the stairs. He might not be a Seer, but he felt his mother was probably standing there, watching them leave. Their hearts connected them and he did not need to see the dead in order to realize his mother was smiling at him.


    "I''ll bring them, mom," he promised. "Wait for us till then."


    Suna was watching her son and his lover leave with a smile on her face. The poltergeist apparated beside her, silently seeing them leave.


    "Do you think they canplete the work?" it asked. "It''s very dangerous."


    "It is," Suna admitted. "But you don''t know my husband. That man will move heaven and hell for his family. That demon has no chance."


    .


    Outside, Shinjin heard the tape with full concentration. After listening to it, he was quiet for a while.


    "Everything depends on thest one minute," he said thoughtfully. "And the red moon night is going to be very dangerous. The powers of the supernatural creatures increase on that night but so do the senses of the Seers and Transporters. So a hybrid like Jina will feel the extra pressure on her. But the only way to trap him forever in the dead realm is to have him cut down by the reapers at exactly that minute."


    "What do we do then?" Minho demanded. "We can''t use Jina to trap the demon!"


    "Taking him out in the World of the Dead is the only way," Shinjin pointed out. "You don''t stand a chance against him here."


    "Are you saying that we''ll have to use our daughter to trap a demon?" Gayoon eximed. "This is insane! We are not doing that!"


    "You can use me," Minho insisted. "I''m a Transporter too!"


    "True," Shinjn replied. "Then we''ll need Jina on this side to open the portal for Junho and I to exorcise the demon."


    Minho and Gayoon were not keen with this n but there was no other choice.


    "But we keep Jina as less involved as possible," Minho finally said. "Put more charms around her to protect her."


    "Alright," Shinjin agreed. "The demon will try to take her soon so I''ll make more charms so that it can''t touch her. But for the exorcism to be sessful, I''ll need to know more about Anyal. Different demons have different kinds of powers. We''ll have to learn as much about him as possible. I''ll head to the national libraries for information."


    "Why the local libraries?" Minho frowned. "Just use the inte."


    "The national libraries have archives by ancient schrs and shamans who have delved into demons and spirits," Shinjin exined. "Not everyone can ess them and they''re not on the inte. Remember when you tried to find out about the demon, you couldn''t find much information on it? As a registered shaman, I can get ess to them for research purposes."


    "We''lle with you," Gayoon offered. "The more we all know about the demon, the better."


    "Alright," Shinjin said. "Let''s go then."


    All of them got into the car and drove off towards the city library. After an hour, Gayoon pulled up in front of the national library which was situated at the southernmost part of the city. With over twenty segments within the library, it was one of thergest national buildings in the country with documents and records dating back to over five centuries.


    "This is it," Shinjin stated. "We''ll be looking at the ult & Demonology section."


    "Demonology?" Minho frowned. "What the hell?"


    "It''s not how it sounds," Shinjin exined. "Unlike popr belief, the subject doesn''t deal with demon worship or cults. It exins a vast area of supernatural elements and how to harness their powers. It includes maths, science, history, geography etcetera. Basically, it has almost all subjects in it and exins them via the perspective of the supernatural elements. Demons are a big part of it. We''ll be looking for the ones which work directly in hell under the big boss called Devil."


    "Work?" Gayoon scoffed. "You''re making it sound like they are employed in hell or something. With employee benefits and all."


    "Do they get paid?" Minho joked. "Holiday bonuses and all?"


    "Aish!" Shinjin scowled. ""How am I supposed to know the benefit system of hell? It''s not like I''m keen to go there!"


    He grumbled as he led them towards the ult section. Thankfully, the library was kept open 24x7 because there were many universities nearby. Students from the neighboring dorms coulde and go anytime to collect materials for their research and hence it was decided by the state to keep the library essible to them at all times.


    Even though it was nearly midnight, there were many students who were up, working on their projects or researching. They quietly passed by the regr sections, trying not to disturb anyone. Shinjin led them to the fourth floor where the whole section was dedicated to ult & Demonology."


    "They actually have an entire floor dedicated to this?" Minho whispered, not believing his eyes. Hundreds of shelves stood in front of him, each shelf almost twenty feet high. They were full of carefully categorized books and documents of the study of ult and the supernatural, some dating back to the twelfth century.


    "Let''s split up," Shinjin suggested. "We''re looking at three sections. One is about the afterlife and spirits. The other is about hell and the third one is about demons. We''re gonna be here for a while so brace yourselves."


    Gayoon stared at therge collection of books and groaned. Minho was also exasperated at the amount of things they would have to study but there was no other choice.


    "Let''s go," he said.


    ..


    "You are an idiot!" Jina scolded Kanji, who was sulking in Haejong''s body. "Who told you to chase my aunt like that?"


    "I wanted to confess as soon as possible," he mumbled like a kid but Jina only scowled at him. They were in Haejong''s ward. The doctor had checked up on him and said that the progress was good so he could be discharged the next day alongside Mina.


    "I let you borrow my body to confess to her," Haejong said in his mind. "Not to scare her!"


    "I thought that what matters is the heart!" Kanji imed. "Even if I''m in someone else''s body, she should be able to sense me, right? I mean that''s how it goes in movies-"


    "Are you an idiot?" Haejong''s voice rang in his head.


    "Who taught you that nonsense?" Jina frowned. "All she saw was uncle mafia acting like an idiot. Thanks to you, she banned him from visiting her!"


    Kanji was dismayed. Hey on the bed, sad and heartbroken. All he wanted was to confess but it seemed that he kept on scaring Mina away. Am I ever gonna get the chance to express how I feel?


    "Umm"


    All of them looked around to find Mina standing there. Kanji or rather Haejong''s heart skipped a beat when she approached them, looking a little apprehensive.


    "Are you alright?" she asked in a timid tone. "Like really alright?"


    "I''m fine!" Kanji imed, jumping up. He winced in pain when he slightly pulled a muscle around the wound. A low voice hissed in his head.


    "Don''t harm my body!" Haejong snapped at him. Jina looked from Mina to Kanji who was still wincing. I should leave them alone, she decided.


    "I''ll go and find the old man!" she dered.


    "He''s at the cafeteria," Mina replied. "Tell one of the nurses to take you there."


    Jina nodded and exited the room, leaving them alone. Kanji was blushing furiously, tongue tied in front of her. It was awkward to see her after the things that had transpired. She sat next to him.


    "Does that hurt?" she asked. "Your injury?"


    She was a little concerned. The way he sat up, he must have pulled a muscle and it might cause the stitches toe off.


    "A-A little" he mumbled.


    "Turn around," she ordered. Kanji did as he was told and to his slight embarrassment, Mina lifted his hospital grub to check the wound. He felt her slender fingers on the wound, making his heart pound faster. Inside his head, Haejong was also silent, happy to feel her touch.


    "Doesn''t seem to be bleeding," she concluded. "Don''t jump around like that for a while otherwise the stitches will rip off."


    She lowered the grub, covering his back. Kanji hesitated before taking a deep breath.


    "I''m sorry for scaring you earlier," he apologized. "I...I just wanted to cheer you up."


    "Yeah, I know," she said. "But it was just weird to see you act like"


    She was about to say ''act like Kanji'' but stopped herself. It had been four days since she was admitted and he still did not visit her. Her eyes traveled to the door every time someone entered only for her heart to be disappointed.


    He really won''te, she kept on telling herself. Yet, she could not stop herself from hoping for a glimpse of him.


    Kanji looked at her sad face, his heart being torn to shreds. They were so close and yet, so far.


    "Thanks for trying to cheer me up," she went on. "But I''d like it if you don''t act like him. You are you and Kanji is...well, Kanji."


    "I was just trying to be your friend," he slightly snorted. "But I guess I have a long way to go."


    "No, you don''t."


    He looked at her in surprise. Mina was smiling at him.


    "You don''t have to try to be my friend," she said. "Because you already are a friend to me. But if you are my friend, then you''ll have to be Kanji''s friend too. You can''t hurt him. Ever. And he can''t hurt you either."

 Chapter 377: The Last Mission (2)

    Chapter 377: The Last Mission (2)


    Kanji was silently trying to gather his emotions. The pain he felt was unbearable. He wanted to reach out and touch her, tell her the truth but the thought of her reaction was preventing him. How would she feel when she learnt that he was dead and now stuck in a limbo as a ghost?


    She wanted to see him but once he confessed, they would never be able to see each other again. He would be gone to another world, far away from her whereas she would be left alone to live a long life without him.


    Haejong read his dilemma. For once, he pitied Kanji and there was a strange kinship he felt. With Kanji''s death, the way to Mina should have been clear for him but he knew that it was futile. Mina loved Kanji in a way she would never love someone else. He had learnt long ago that no matter how much he tried, he could never rece Kanji''s ce in her life.


    Mina was unaware of the dilemma the men were facing but her eyes were on the door. She was subconsciously waiting for the familiar figure who would pop up and annoy her to no end. So many things had happened in the past few days but her love for Kanji remained strong. The hope she held out was dashed every minute, yet she could not give up. Sometimes, she felt that he was nearby but simply out of sight.


    Are you in the same pain as I am? She wondered.


    "Once I''m gone," Kanji said to Haejong in his mind. "Will you take care of her?"


    "No," Haejong replied. "I can''t. Once you leave, no one can take care of her because she will be beyond broken. Even if I put back the pieces, the cracks in her heart will remain. And no one can fill them up, Jang Kanji."


    "I''m being selfish," Kanji told him. "Using your body to confess but also trying to prolong my time with her. Aren''t you afraid that I might want to stay here longer. Perhaps never give you back your body?"


    He heard Haejong sigh in his head. "You can try," he said to Kanji. "But you won''t. Remember what she just said. If you''re her friend, I''m her friend too. And as long as we''re her friends, we can''t hurt each other. If there''s one thing you can''t do, Jang Kanji, is say no to Mina."


    "You know me too well," Kanji muttered.


    "Did you say something?" Mina asked.


    "Nothing!" Kanji lied. "Have you eaten lunch?"


    "I was actually about to ask you the same thing," Mina replied. "The maid sent me homemade food. I see that you''ve been eating the meals prepared by the hospital. I know how terrible it tastes so I asked the maid to make some extra porridge for you as well. You want some?"


    "Yes!" Kanji eximed. "I do! I love the porridge made by Nanny Kim!"


    He spoke without any thought before realizing his folly. Inside his head, Haejong wanted to facepalm himself.


    "How do you know Nanny Kim makes good porridge?" Mina frowned. "I doubt you''ve even met her."


    "S-she was the one who cooked during the dinner, right?" Kanji asked, feigning to recall her. "On my way to the washroom, I bumped into her and asked what else she made. She mentioned porridge. I like to eat good food. I eat a lot!"


    Mina frowned. Since when did Lin Haejong eat a lot? Thest time they had a meal together, Haejong barely touched his food and preferred a light sd whereas Mina was chowing down a sloppy burger.


    "Uh huh" she said. "Anyways, the nurse is bringing the food in a tray."


    As soon as she said it, a nurse entered the room with arge tray. She put the tray on the bed and bowed before she left. Mina opened the covering from the food and put up a bowl in front of Kanji.


    "Come on, eat it all," she ordered. "Otherwise, you won''t heal quickly."


    Seeing her hold the bowl gave Kanji an idea.


    "Ah!" he yelped, pretending to be hurt in his wound. "My wound hurts if I move my hand."


    Mina frowned. "Your wound is on your left side," she pointed out. "You''ll eat with your right hand."


    "Yeah, well my right hand hurts now," he imed. "You''ll have to feed me."


    "What?" Mina scowled. "Feed yourself!"


    Kanji let out a fake sigh. "Is this what I get for saving you and your niece?" hemented. "The world is so cruel to good guys like me! And here I thought I was your friend."


    He faked another sigh which only confused Mina more. For some reason, Haejong seemed very different. He was more rxed and open, which was a strange sight. She was so used to him being cryptic and brooding that seeing him talk so casually made her perplexed.


    "Are you really alright?" she asked. "Did the bullet somehow hit your head and now you''re acting as if you''ve got a split personality?"


    "No," Kanji said, shaking his head. "Let''s just say that after my brush with death, I''ve realized that I shouldn''t be taking my regrets to the grave."


    He gazed directly at Mina with a serious yet intense look. "All of us have limited time on Earth, don''t you think? We waste this little time by letting our egos stop us from doing what we truly want. We chase so many things, leaving behind the ones we care for until one day, they''re no longer there. Only when we are on the verge of death, we see that one person whom we have hurt the most. The person whom we love more than our own lives but let our ego drive them away."


    Mina was speechless. The way he spoke was odd and yet, familiar. There was something about him which made her heart race but that was not possible. Only Kanji could make her heart feel that way.


    Then why...why was she feeling Kanji''s vibe emitting from Haejong?


    "That day, when I was lying in a pool of my own blood," he whispered. "There was one image which shed in my mind. It was brief and yet, I felt as if I had been staring at the image for years. The image of the person I love the most. The woman for whom I''m ready to kill. The woman for whom I''m ready to die with a smile on my face."


    Mina''s eyes were brimming with tears and she did not know why. What was this feeling of loss? Why was she suddenly feeling so sad? The inexplicable pain in her heart was rising and she did not even know why it hurt so much. It felt as if she had lost something precious but was unaware of it.


    "Do you know whose image it was?" Kanji whispered. Mina slowly shook her head.


    "Whose was it?" she slowly asked. This was it. This was Kanji''s moment to tell her the truth.


    "It was-"


    "Mina!"


    Both of them were startled and turned around. Their eyes widened in shock as a familiar figure stood at the doorway.


    "Mina" The figure stepped towards her with a dangerous smile ying on his lips. Mina stood up in shock while Kanji and Haejong were disgusted.


    "That''s" Haejong''s voice echoed in his mind. "Is that"


    "Kanji," Mina whispered. Anyal stood there in Kanji''s body, shing her a smile.


    "I''m back, Mina!" he eximed. "Only for you."

 Chapter 378: The Last Mission (3)

    Chapter 378: The Last Mission (3)


    "Ugh!" Gayoon eximed in frustration. "We''ve been here for over twelve hours!"


    Shey her head down on the book she had been reading. Her eyes were sleepy and at that moment, she craved for a bed. Minho also put down his book. Dark circles were appearing under his eyes, making him look like a panda.


    "We''ve been through so many books and no mention of that darn demon!" Minho cursed out loud.


    Shinjin, on the other hand, was going through the books like a robot. Other than being a shaman, he was also an asional guest lecturer in various universities which had courses on supernatural studies. Studying without sleeping for days is a norm for him.


    "We can''t give up now!" he snapped at them. "Just drink more coffee."


    Gayoon had fallen asleep while Minho was on the brink of copse. They had been sleep deprived for days due to Mina''s hospitalization and Kanji''s death. It was almost impossible to keep up with other work at that moment. They were already regretting to apany Shinjin.


    "We''ve gone through a hundred books," Minho sighed and put his book aside on the pile of discarded books. "Nothing!"


    "Maybe we''re looking at it the wrong way," Gayoon mumbled.


    "Meaning?" Shinjin asked, flipping the pages of his book.


    "Well, we can''t find the demon Anyal," she said. "But he''s associated with that princess right? The one who sold her soul? If we can''t find Anyal, then let''s look for his girlfriend instead. If she was a princess, then there must be some record of her. Maybe we should look up for royal family members who used to worship demons? Or were in that sort of voodoo."


    "Demonology is not voodoo!" Shinjin snapped. "It''s an articte subject on the psyche of the supernatural and how it controls the world-"


    "A bunch of voodoo!" Minho scowled. "Just look up the demon loving princess instead!"


    Shinjin pursed his lips and headed for the demonology section. He searched for any book which might be rted to the ancient kingdoms.


    "Ah hah!" he eximed. "Found this."


    He put arge book in front of Gayoon and Minho. It must weigh a ton because it was written on paper made of bamboo. The records were centuries old, written by schrs of that time in a very meticulous manner.


    "These look as if they''ve been printed," Gayoon remarked. "Look at their neat handwriting."


    "Definitely better than yours," Minho murmured. Gayoon jabbed him hard, causing him to yelp.


    "Stop it!" Shinjin said sharply. He flipped the pages until he came across one thing which interested him.


    "This!" he pointed at a passage. "Read this."


    Gayoon and Minho looked over his shoulder. Minho cleared his throat to read it out loud.


    "During the fifteenth century, the war between the two factions of the royal family had reached a breaking point," he read. "One faction was led by the heir to the throne, Prince Waeyong while the other faction was led by Princess Ahin, who imed to be the rightful heir to the throne. Waeyong was the Emperor''s illegitimate child but the Emperor had legitimized him which gave the boy precedence over his older half-sister Princess Ahin. As the Emperor''s eldest child, Princess Ahin led an army against Waeyong to im the throne."


    "However, she was not a militarymander like her brother and was losing the war. In desperation, the Princess turned to a dark shaman who promised her that she can win the war if she sold her soul to the devil."


    "The fuck?" Gayoon frowned. "She believed that?"


    "The shaman enticed the Princess and she ended up making the deal," Minho read on. "The Devil epted her deal despite warning her that once the allotted time was over, he woulde to take her to hell and there was no escape from it. The Princess did not heed to it and signed the deal, sealing her fate. She won the war and ruled the country."


    "But the Devil had sent his minion, a lesser known demon named Anyal, to keep an eye on her. This demon''s name is mostly lost in history but he was a ss A demon which meant that he worked directly under the ruler of hell. Anyal was supposed to collect her soul once her time was over but he fell in love with the Princess. However, there was no escape from the Devil''s deal so he sought the help of many demons to help him overthrow their lord."


    "However, the Devil knew of their ns and using his powers, he ughtered the traitors and snatched the Princess'' soul. Once the Princess'' soul was sent to hell, he proceeded to curse Anyal. What happened to Anyal after that, no one knows but stories have imed that he''s still looking for his love. There have been many rumors of him possessing people to try and open the Gates of Hell, but there has been no concrete evidence."


    All of them were quiet for a while. Shinjin re-read the part about Anyal.


    "ss A demon," he stated. "No wonder he was too powerful for us."


    "What''s a ss A demon?" Gayoon asked.


    "You know how in an organization, there are hierarchies?" Shinjin asked. "A CEO, then the Senior Managers, Managers then other employees? It''s simr to that."


    He took out a pen and paper to draw an organogram.


    "On the top of the hierarchy of hell, is the Devil," he stated. "He''s in what we call ss 0. Thenes the ss A demons. They work directly under him, following his orders. Sometimes theye out on Earth in order to collect the bad souls and throw them in hell. Most of the cults worship them so that they could get favors from the Devil. Pointless, really because in the end, they''ll just end up in hell. That''s their basic motive. Take as many people as they can in hell."


    "Thenes ss B demons," he exined, writing it on the paper. "Unlike the upper ss demons who have a mind and willpower, these are minions. They can talk andmunicate but carry out the orders of their bosses. Think of them as entry level workers who can never get promoted."


    "Sounds like Jongin to me," Minho muttered.


    "And in the end are the ss C people," Shinjin stated. "These aren''t demons but the souls who have been damned to hell. They receive daily punishment for selling their soul to the Devil. Burning, ying, dissection, Castration. You know, the usual stuff. And then there are even worse methods but I don''t know how true they are. But this is just the basic structure shamans like us follow. It''s important for exorcisms. You see, ss B is easy to exorcise but ss A isn''t. The Devil doesn''t possess people but rather makes his minions do the work. Most of the time, it''s the ss B who possesses others but if a ss A demon is summoned by a dark magic practitioner, then the process of exorcism is challenging. The person possessed might even die."


    "Since Anyal is possessing a dead person''s body now," he went on. "He must have gained a significant amount of powers over the years. It''s not easy to possess a deceased person''s corpse. In order to exorcise him, we''ll have tobine the exorcism method of ss A and also use his weakness against him. In this case"


    He pointed at Ahin''s name. "We''ll have to use this name in the ritual," he concluded. "To kick the son of a bitch into oblivion!"


    Gayoon was about to ask something when Minho''s phone rang up. It was Mina. He answered the call.


    "Mina, is everything alright?" he asked.


    "Brother" She started. Minho listened to what she was saying on the other line.


    Gayoon frowned when Minho''s expression changed and his eyes red up.


    "What did you just say?" he asked in a quiet tone. "Kanji is there to meet you?"


    "Yes!" Mina eximed. "And he''s saying that he wants to give our rtionship a chance!"

 Chapter 379: Last Mission (4)

    Chapter 379: Last Mission (4)


    Junho stormed into Mina''s ward where Anyal was sitting next to Mina. She looked up when her father entered and was surprised to see him in such rage.


    "Dad-" she began but Junho grabbed Anyal by the cor and mmed him against the wall.


    "You!" Junho barked. "How dare you show your face here?"


    "Dad!" Mina eximed, trying to separate her father from Anyal. "Dad, it''s Kanji! What are you doing?"


    "Stay out of this, Mina!" he yelled at her. He was so angry that he felt like ripping the demon into shreds. If he was not possessing Kanji''s body, Junho would have thrown the demon into hell himself but the thought of Jason''s family was holding him back.


    "Uncle, I know I wronged Mina!" Anyal imed. "But I want our rtionship to get another chance-"


    "SHUT IT!" Junho growled. "STAY AWAY FROM HER!"


    "Dad, please just let him go!" Mina begged. "This is the hospital!"


    "Mina, you don''t understand-"


    He wanted to tell her that the man she was waiting for was dead but he could not bring himself to say it. Mina would be crushed if she found out about Kanji''s death and it was thest thing they wanted.


    Jina came scurrying after her grandfather and her eyes fell on the fake Kanji who had appeared. Her mouth fell in shock.


    "W-what?" she stammered.


    Anyal also nced at the little girl, the one he had been targeting for a long time. Junho blocked the way but there was no denying it. The girl possessed a mixture of powers which made her more powerful than an average Seer or Transporter. She was still young but with time, she would harness a power which could break the barriers between all dimensions. He felt the raw and potent energy lurking within her and his hands were itching to possess her.


    Jina stood there, stunned by the thing she was seeing. Her mother was right. Seers could only sense a possession when there were two spirits residing in a body. Standing in front of her was Kanji, who was seemingly alive and well. She could not sense any lingering spirit nor see any pale figure possessing him.


    But there was an aura which emitted from the demon which was suffocating her. She held her breath, her heart pounding in fear. The man might have the face of Kanji but it was not Kanji. The way he was looking at her, it felt as if he would take her away forever. She wanted to run away but the sheer presence of the demon prevented her from doing so. Junho was still holding him against the wall but Jina knew that if the demon wanted, he could have easily flicked the old man aside and destroyed the entire hospital in seconds.


    She felt a strong pair of hands grab her from behind and pull her away. Startled, she looked up to see Haejong or rather, Kanji in Haejong''s body, was dragging her away. Mina was begging her father to stop hurting ''Kanji'' and listening to his daughter''s pleas, he let go of the demon.


    "Don''t you dare listen to him!" Junho warned his daughter. "He''s not the man you think he is-"


    "Dad, let me talk to him," Mina insisted. "Let''s just hear what he wants to say. Please"


    "I''ve changed, uncle!" Anyal butted in. "I love Mina and I want to be with her. I really do-"


    Junho was about to hit him but Mina stopped him. Kanji stood behind them, shielding Jina. He red at the demon who had dared to take over his body and was now trying to harm Mina.


    "I''ve learnt my lesson," Anyal went on with his lies. "I really love Mina."


    He turned to her and asked, "Don''t you think that we''ve been through enough? I realized that I really am in love with you-"


    "I think you should leave," Mina said clearly. Anyal raised his eyebrow while Kanji and Junho stared at her. Jina was still hiding behind Kanji, too scared to look at the demon.


    "Mina, you said that you love me!" Anyal gritted. "And I love you too! Why-"


    But Mina stood her ground. "Look, this is a hospital," she stressed. "We''ll talk after I''m discharged. Please don''t create a ruckus here especially when I''m a patient!"


    Just then, Minho and Gayoon came storming in. Minho rushed towards his sister while Gayoon ran to Jina and in the process, brushed against Haejong''s palm. She froze instantly and looked at the mafia lord.


    "Uncle Kanji is in there," Jina whispered to her.


    "What?" Gayoon hissed. She did not not say anything else but waspletely taken aback by the bizarre turn of events. What the hell?


    She kept a firm grip on Jina while Minho addressed Kanji.


    "Leave," he ordered. "If you know what''s best for you."


    Mina was slightly taken aback by the suppressed anger in Minho''s tone. She assumed her father was mad because Kanji hurt her but Minho would never be that angry with his friend. He was putting all his resources to bail Kanji out even after thetter rejected her. Then why was he so harsh now?


    "Minho, we''re friends!" Anyal pleaded, hiding his true intentions. "Don''t you want to give me one chance-"


    "I''d rather die than call you my friend!" he spat. Next to Gayoon, Kanji shifted a little. He was itching to tell the truth but the presence of Mina was keeping him from doing that.


    "Is this what our years of friendship have umted?" Anyal taunted him. "You''re abandoning your best friend? I''ve supported you all this time! My family raised you and your sister. And now, you''ll not let me be with your sister? You''re a cruel friend!"


    He was enjoying the angst on Minho''s face and the demon loved torturing his prey. Hwang Minho was pained upon seeing his best friend''s body being used by Anyal and tormented by the sight. It gave him great pleasure to hold these people in his sadistic death trap. Minho was about to punch Anyal for using Kanji as leverage against him when a voice stopped him.


    "Friendship?"


    Everyone turned to look at ''Haejong'' who spoke up. Mina frowned while Minho was trying to hold in his anger with great difficulty.


    "Friendship isn''t about asking for records of what you did for each other," Haejong said out loud. "It''s not about support or giving money. You can get all of that from even a random beggar on the street. Friendship is"


    He nced at Minho with aplicated look. "Is to be happily able to give away all your wealth for that one person whom you consider more than a brother," he said. "When they do something as stupid as pick up a gun, you can punch him in the face to knock sense into him. And if they do it a million times, you''ll punch them a million times. Yet, you won''t hesitate to throw away your humanity to protect them. That is friendship, you asshole."

 Chapter 380: The Last Mission (5)

    Chapter 380: The Last Mission (5)


    Minho was stunned to hear those wordsing out of Haejong''s mouth. He had never told anyone about the incident which took ce between him and Kanji all those years ago in CCK''s cave. Other than them, only Gayoon knew about it.


    Then were Haejong''s words a coincidence?


    But Haejong shed a brief smile at him which was enough to make Minho realize the truth. Beside Haejong, Gayoon gave a stiff nod.


    "Minho I-" Anyal tried to spew more lies but Mina cut through.


    "Leave, Kanji," she ordered. "Now."


    Anyal red at all of them. He had underestimated the Hwang''s once again. Kanji''s memories showed how crazy Mina was for him so he hoped to manipte her but it seemed that she was as formidable as the men in the family.


    I''ll have to change my strategy, he decided. He nced at the little girl who was still hiding behind Haejong for her safety. She, too, met his eyes and was very scared. The demon was unlike anything she had ever encountered and she knew that he woulde for her.


    Kanji felt Jina shaking behind him and he patted her head. His face was contorted in disgust to see that his body was being used by that monster to trap Mina.


    Anyal red at him as well before leaving the room. As soon as he was gone, Mina copsed on the bed, too shocked to fathom anything.


    Junho rushed to her while Minho held her. Gayoon picked up Jina in her arms, trying to calm her down while Kanji did not move.


    "Mina, listen to us," Junho said. "Kanji is dead-"


    Upon hearing what Junho was about to say, Kanji cut through.


    "Dead joking!" he imed. "He''s dead joking! Mina, you''ve said so yourself. Feelings don''t change in a fortnight. Just because he went to jail and was rattled by a case, he suddenly realized that he''s in love with you? Where was this love before?"


    Minho did not say anything while Junho frowned at Haejong. He was about to say something but Minho stopped him. He noticed that Mina had closed her eyes, trying to shut off all thoughts.


    "Let Mina rest," Minho said. "All of us will talk outside."


    He turned to Mina and added, "You did a good thing. Don''t fall for his tricks now. We all know that he''s not serious about you."


    Mina did not reply buty on the bed and turned the other way.


    "I''d like to sleep now," she mumbled. "Everyone, please leave."


    Junho wanted to protest but Minho grabbed his father by the arm and dragged him out. Gayoon followed them still carrying Jina while Kanji stared at Mina''s back. She felt his eyes on her but ignored him, trying toe to terms with her own thoughts.


    After a while, she heard him shuffling out of the room. She opened her eyes and stared at the wall in front of her.


    Kanji had admitted he loved her. He confessed to her and wanted to give their rtionship a chance. It was supposed to be a happy moment for her and she had waited many years for this.


    And yet


    She touched her heart which was beating hard against her chest. A strange feeling was erupting in her, adding to her confusion. It was a feeling of sadness and loss, as if she was only seeing a mirror image of him but it was not him. Did it even make sense?


    When he stood in front of her that day, she did not feel that love. Her eyes were on him but her heart was not beating the way it should have. The feelings did not evaporate but when Mina saw Kanji face to face, she felt nothing. Literally nothing. It was as if she was staring at a stranger with Kanji''s face.


    "What is going on?" she wondered out loud. She missed him and yet when he stood in front of her, she felt it was not him.


    Reaching out for her bag, she took out a ck credit card. It belonged to Kanji. She wanted to throw it away after he rejected her so brutally but could not bring herself to do it. Mina clutched it and held it close to her heart as if trying to feel his distant presence.


    "Kanji" she whispered to herself. "Return to me, please"


    Meanwhile, Minho had dragged Junho outside.


    "That bastard is now trying to screw with Mina!" Junho yelled. "Why didn''t you let me tell her the truth?"


    "Someone else should be answering that question," Minho said in a cryptic tone. "Isn''t it right"


    He turned around to face ''Haejong'' who was standing behind them. Gayoon caught up with them with Jina asleep in her arms.


    "What did you do?" Minho slowly demanded. He waited for ''Haejong'' to speak but the guy waspletely silent.


    "Was this really the right way?" Gayoon questioned him. Junho, on the other hand, was confused by what was going on.


    "Someone bloody tell me what the fuck is going on!" he eximed. ''Haejong'' took a deep breath and looked at everyone.


    "I''m not Haejong," he revealed. "I''m Kanji. I took over his body temporarily so that I can fulfill myst wish and move on."


    He went on to exin about how Casper requested for Haejong to help the Hwang''s and thetter allowed his body to be possessed. All of them were shocked by it.


    "Are you crazy?" Minho hissed. "Why would you go to that extent? And why didn''t you let us reveal the truth to Mina-"


    "I want to spend myst moments in this world with her!" Kanji insisted. "I don''t want to see her cry for me! If she spends ourst moments only crying at our inevitable separation, then I''ll never find peace. Before I leave, I want to see her only smiling. I want to do all the things with her which I couldn''t do while I was alive. And not through a Seer! I want to do them all on my own. I might not have my own body, but it doesn''t matter to me. She can think of me as someone else but I know it''ll be me. I''ll be the one to make her smile. I''ll make ourst moments special for her. Me! Not Haejong nor that demon, but me!"


    "Which is why none of you can tell her about my death until I''m gone!" he ordered.


    He was adamant on his wish and no one dared to challenge him. Minho wanted to make him understand that possessing someone''s body was not the way to do that but Junho stopped his son.


    "Let him do it," he said.


    "But-"


    "You don''t know how it feels to be desperate for your soulmate," Junhomented. "Kanji got hisst shot at making the person he loves the most smile. He''s lucky. Not all of us can get that chance. Don''t take it away from him."


    Minho sighed while Gayoon pitied Kanji for his state. He truly was suffering alone and yet, ready to make hisst moments with Mina the most memorable time of her life.


    "But you''ll have to hurry up," she finally said. "You have only five days."


    Junho and Kanji frowned at her.


    "Five days?" Kanji echoed.


    "Yes," Minho replied. "On the fifth day, there will be a red moon eclipse. Once the eclipse strikes, we''ll get only one chance to exorcise that demon from your original body. After that, Mina will..."


    He trailed off, unable to say anything more but Kanji understood what he meant. Once the demon was exorcised, Mina will find out the truth about his death. She will be traumatized after that and he will never be able to leave in peace.


    "Then let''s make these five days memorable," he decided. shing a sad smile at Minho, he asked, "Is your home free enough to amodate another freeloading spirit?"


    Minho returned the smile and said, "Sure. But you''ll have to pay rent."


    Eh?


    "Did you really think that I''ll spare you from paying rent even after death?" Minho asked jokingly. "A hundred million dors per day."


    Kanji was gaing but Minho simply hugged him. The body of his friend might not be the same, but he could feel Kanji''s warm spirit.


    "I''m gonna miss you, my brother," he whispered. "Not even all the wealth in the world can measure up to you."


    He could barely hold back his tears but remained strong for Kanji''s sake. This was about his friend and Minho would do everything to make sure his friend was sent off with a smile.


    Kanji hugged him back.


    "Thanks, my brother," he replied, feeling grateful.

 Chapter 381: Day 1 (1)

    Chapter 381: Day 1 (1)


    AUTHOR''S REQUEST: PLEASE SUPPORT MLC FOR THE LAST TIME IN WIN WIN BY BUYING THE PRIVILEGE CHAPTERS! THE MORE YOU UNLOCK, THE FASTER WE CAN REACH THE 2000 CHAPTER UNLOCK GOAL!


    ............


    Mina and Haejong were discharged from the hospital the next day. For reasons unknown to Mina, her brother allowed Haejong to recuperate in their house. Minho imed that this was to repay back Haejong''s debt for saving Jina''s life and also due to the fact that many of Youngdo''s supporters were still out for the blood of the Lin family heir. Hence, Gayoon put him under witness protection program until the danger had passed. After that, Haejong could go home.


    In reality, this was done to keep Kanji''s spirit as close to them as possible while he sorted out his issues with Mina. Junho also came to live with them for the next five days so that he could keep Anyal away from the family. Mina was still unaware of Kanji''s death but she was told about the demon who had possessed and killed her mother. Since she knew its name as well, it would not dare to possess her.


    "Slowly," Gayoon cautioned as she supported Mina up the stairs. They reached her bedroom and she gently made Mina sit on the bed. Haejong aka Kanji was given a room downstairs.


    "Did he settle in?" Mina asked. "Haejong?"


    "Yeah," Gayoon replied. "It''s just for a week. Once we catch all of Youngdo''s supporters, he''ll leave."


    "Oh."


    Mina did not reply but let out a sigh.


    "What happened?" Gayoon asked.


    "Just thinking about Kanji," Mina murmured. He had texted her many times and even called but she ignored all. The reason was unfathomable to her but something was not right. Her heart was screaming not to pick up the phone and her family''s behavior only increased her suspicions. Whenever she would ask about Kanji, Junho would look away while Minho changed the topic.


    "Gayoon, tell me the truth," she begged. "Did something happen to Kanji?"


    The detective shifted ufortably. "What makes you say that?" she asked in a casual tone.


    "I don''t know" Mina trailed off. "He seems so different."


    "You need to focus on your health," Gayoon said sharply. "Don''t let him get to you and your thoughts. Think about how lucky you are to have escaped death!"


    If Kanji had not forbidden her from telling the truth, Gayoon would have spilled the beans right there. But to respect his request, she was forced to hide it.


    For how long can we hide this? She wondered.


    Mina sensed that Gayoon was unwilling to tell her anything so she did not broach the subject again. Gayoon exited the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.


    Shey on the bed, trying to connect the dots but her mind was nk. Nothing made sense to her and no one wanted to tell her the truth. It was getting frustrating to be in this stuffy environment which seemed heavy with a mix of grief and anguish.


    Feeling irritated, she got off the bed and slowly headed for the stairs. Minho and Junho were out while Jina was at school. Gayoon was probably in her room, doing some work so there was no one else around. The staff were probably in the kitchen, preparing lunch.


    Carefully descending the stairs, Mina quietly made her way towards the ce where the car keys were kept.


    "What are you doing?"


    She almost yelped and turned back in fright. ''Haejong'' stood there, peering at her with suspicion.


    "Oh," she said in relief. "It''s just you."


    Kanji frowned at her. Mina picked out a key from the cab and was walking out of the door. Kanji followed her.


    "You shouldn''t be going out like this!" he told her.


    "I need to get away!" Mina said. "It''s too depressing inside the house!"


    Kanji caught Mina by the hand and stopped her. "What''s going on?" he demanded. "Why are you acting like this?"


    "I" Mina began but she could not exin it in words. "I just need to cool off. Somehow. Anyhow."


    She looked at him with her cat-like eyes, silently begging for something.


    "Can youe with me?" she whispered. "I can''t really trust myself right now."


    Her words rmed Kanji. What was she thinking? Did she find out? That was impossible!


    "Alright," he finally said. "I''ll go with you. Wherever you want to go."


    Mina felt grateful towards him for not asking too many questions. She led him towards her Porsche which was parked in the parking lot of the mansion. They got into the car and she drove off.


    She was very careful not to drive fast because the speed might hurt Haejong''s back but she lowered the hood of the car, letting the air p their faces. The cool wind felt nice as she drove towards the highway which led to the beach.


    "What is she doing?" Haejong''s voice rang in Kanji''s head. "Is she alright?"


    "She''s not," Kanji told him. "And somewhere in her heart, she knows it."


    Mina kept on driving towards the beach, not saying anything. Kanji simply watched her, memorizing every bit of her face and etching it into his heart. He did not know if he would be able to remember her face in the afterlife or wherever it was he would end up at. Could he fight to keep his memories of her? Or would he have to give up that as well?


    The thought of living in a limbo with nothing but her memories felt good to him. He had heard about the World of the Dead where all those who seek redemption end up at. If not the Afterlife, then maybe he would end up there. If he did, then he would wish for nothing else but to remember her. Just her image was enough for him.


    Mina stopped the car in front of the beach. It was a weekday so there were not many people at the beach. In fact, it was nearly empty.


    "The beach?" Kanji asked. "You want to cool off here?"


    "Kind of," she murmured. Without another word, she got out of the car and began to walk towards the sea, taking off her shoes while Kanji ran after her.


    "What happened?" he demanded. "Tell me. I''m here to listen."


    Mina stared at him with a nk expression before continuing to walk towards the sea. Stepping on the wet sand, she took a deep breath.


    Kanji and Haejong both were confused by her actions. What is she doing? They wondered in unison.


    Taking another deep breath, Mina stopped at the edge of the waves.


    And let out a loud scream.

 Chapter 382: Day-1 (2)

    Chapter 382: Day-1 (2)


    "AAAGHHHHHHHH!" Mina screamed on top of her lungs, startling Kanji. She kept on screaming loudly into nothingness. Some of the passersby stared at her in shock, wondering what the crazy woman was doing but she did not care.


    "YOU PUNY ASSHOLE!" She cursed out loud. "BASTARD! DO YOU ENJOY PLAYING WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAT? TAKE YOUR MAGAZINE AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS, YOU-"


    "Is she cursing you?" Haejong wondered.


    "Probably," Kanji muttered.


    Mina continued with her stream of curses, her heart dwindling between frustration and confusion until her voice gave out. She was coughing violently, her throat dry and wheezing.


    Kanji rushed towards her and pped her back as she coughed.


    "What the hell are you doing?" He scolded her. "Screaming like that?"


    "W-water!" she wheezed. Kanji shook his head and ran back to the car. He took out a water bottle from her bag before dashing back to her.


    Mina stood there, still coughing. She thanked him and drank from the bottle to calm her lungs.


    "What are you doing?" he asked warily. "You just got discharged! You shouldn''t be screaming like this"


    Mina did not reply but walked back to the dry sand and sat on it, not caring about dirtying her clothes. Kanji pursed his lips but sat next to her while she cleared her head. He waited for her to talk but she was gazing at the sunny horizon whichy ahead of them. Her eyes were unfocused as if she was in a deep thought but unable to express them to anyone.


    "Are you alright?" he finally asked.


    "No," she stated. "I''m not."


    She ran a hand through her damp hair, trying to seek answers to her dilemma.


    "You''re thinking of Kanji, aren''t you?" he asked.


    "Of course I am!" she snapped. "Why else would I be screaming in the middle of a beach? For kicks?"


    She scowled at him but Kanji was inwardly happy that she was questioning the fake Kanji''s motives.


    "Don''t be too happy," Haejong warned him. "She''s confused but that guy still has your memories. He might use them against you. Don''t let that happen."


    Right! Kanji realized. "But as you said," he went on. "Jang Kanji is toote. I mean, he didn''t evene to visit you until the very end. Do you really think that his feelings towards you changed?"


    Mina nced at him. She was studying him intently as if she was trying to read him like a book.


    "Feelings don''t change overnight," she admitted. "But I can''t deny that his words still have an effect on me. Ie out here quite often to let out my frustrations. Whenever I feel like screaming at Kanji, Ie here and just let it all out! Afterwards I go to a bar, get drunk and then go home."


    She spoke a little more freely now, feeling rxed now that she had cursed Kanji to her heart''s extent. Those curses do not mean anything; she would probably go running back to him again. But


    "Did you" she began but trailed off.


    "Go on," Kanji coaxed her.


    "Did you notice anything strange about Kanji?" she asked. "Like, he felt as if he was a different person?"


    Inside his head, Haejong was whispering, "She''s doubting him! Go ahead and make your move!"


    "W-what makes you say that?" Kanji asked her.


    Mina did not reply but merely shrugged. "I don''t know," she sighed. "It was like...the moment he came to visit me at the hospital, I just didn''t feel that way for him. Whenever he''s around, my heart would beat fast and I''d be flustered or look for a reason to be closer to him. But yesterday when he walked in, I felt nothing. Like really, nothing. It was as if he was a stranger"


    She did not borate on the exact reason but something in her was screaming that what she saw was not real. It was as if Kanji stood in front of her and yet, she could not see him.


    "Why is this happening?" Mina asked out loud. "He kept on rejecting me, brutally at times. Yet, he''d kill people to protect me. He pretends that he doesn''t love me and now, suddenly he wants to be with me. All his sides...it''s so confusing! I just wish that I could change him for the good. So that he stays with me only and does not make me so confused..."


    She curled up and hid her face in her knees, trying to coll off her head.


    "Who knows?" Kanji mused. "If we had all the answers, then the world would have been a better ce. Unfortunately, we don''t have the answers and people keep on unleashing their worst sides. We can''t change everyone."


    Mina slowly raised her head to look at him with a quizzical look. "Haejong" she began.


    "What?" Kanji asked. She stared at him for a while but then shook her head.


    "Nothing," she imed. "How''s your wound?"


    "It''s fine," he shrugged. Mina looked away from him, thinking hard. Suddenly, she stood up.


    "Let''s go back home," she suggested. "The air here isn''t good for the wound. Let''s go."


    Quickly turning away, she headed back to the car. She was still thinking something but Kanji did not notice the frown on her face. They slowly walked back towards the car and got into it. When she revved up the engine, Kanji decided to ask her something.


    "Why do you think that Jang Kanji was not acting like himself yesterday?" he queried, feeling curious. "I mean...it was him. He confessed to you. Shouldn''t you be happy?"


    Mina backed up the car and swerved it around. She stepped on the pedal and began to drive.


    "He wore a dark green shirt," she simply stated. "And if there''s one thing I''m sure about Jang Kanji is this: He never wears green shirts. He hates that color."


    Kanji smiled to himself as the car sped off. He thought that Mina would be swayed by Anyal''s fake words but it seemed that her feelings went beyond appearances and even she was beginning to sense a deceit.


    And then his smile faded. He nced at her ruefully, wondering what was going to happen once she found out that he was dead.


    "How are you going to handle her then, Jang Kanji?" Haejong asked in his head. "Will you be able to leave her like that?"


    "No" Kanji said in his mind. "Thest image I saw before my death was her crying face. So thest thing I want to see before I leave is her smile. That''s my only wish, Lin Haejong."

 Chapter 383: Day 1 (3)

    Chapter 383: Day 1 (3)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE FOR ALL THE HATE COMMENTORS:


    I AM SEEING A LOT OF HATE COMMENTS BECAUSE OF THE PLOTLINE. I KNOW YOU GUYS LOVE KANJI AS A CHARACTER AND ARE COMPLETELY SHOCKED BY HIS DEATH. IT''S OKAY TO GET ATTACHED TO A CHARACTER AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE SAD OVER IT. THAT''S FINE AND NORMAL. IT JUST SHOWS HOW YOU WERE AFFECTED BY A CHARACTER AND THAT MAKES ME HAPPY. I''M HAPPY TO HAVE CREATED SUCH A CHARACTER WHO MADE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE.


    BUT THE READERS WHO ARE SENDING CONTINUOUS THREATS LIKE ''I''M GONNA DROP THIS BOOK'' OR ''I''M HATING THIS PLOTLINE'' ''THE AUTHOR ISN''T FAIR'' ARE GOING TOO FAR. READERS COMPLAIN ABOUT GETTING THE SAME KINDS OF STORIES ON WEBNOVEL AND WHEN SOME OF US TRY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE GET THREATS AND OUR BOOKS GET DROPPED BECAUSE IT''S DEEMED AS ''NOT A GOOD BOOK'' OR ''AUTHOR KILLED CHARACTER SO WE''RE BOYCOTTING''.


    FIRST OF ALL, THIS BOOK DEALS WITH DEATH. THE THEME IS DEATH. IF I DON''T KEEP THE QUALITY OF THE BOOK AND THE THEME CONSISTENT, THEN I''M JUST A BAD AUTHOR. I CAN''T COMPROMISE THE STORY I''VE BUILT SIMPLY FOR FAN SERVICE. KANJI WAS MEANT TO DIE FROM THE VERY MOMENT I CREATED HIM AND I KEPT HIS STORY CONSISTENT. NO MATTER WHAT I DID OR HOW I PLOTTED, HIS FATE KEPT ON GOING THAT WAY.


    HIS AND MINA''S STORY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SAD BUT I WAS GOING TO COMPLETE IT WITH A BEAUTIFUL DEPARTURE. I WANT TO GIVE IT A NICE CLOSURE WITH MANY PROMISES SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE ON PROPERLY WITHOUT ANY SADNESS OR REGRET.


    UNFORTUNATELY, MOST READERS DIDN''T WANT TO SEE THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY BECAUSE ''LOVERS SHOULD BE TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.'' THAT''S NOT THE BEAUTY OF THEIR JOURNEY AT ALL. IT DOESN''T GO WITH THEM NOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT. LOVERS DON''T HAVE TO END TOGETHER BUT THEY CAN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CLOSURE WITH MANY PROMISES.


    IF AFTER READING THIS, ANY OF YOU WANT TO DROP THE NOVEL, THAT''S OKAY WITH ME. I WON''T MIND AT ALL. IT''S YOUR MONEY AND FP. YOU GUYS DESERVE A BOOK WHICH WILL CATER TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND I RESPECT THAT.


    WHAT I WILL MIND IS THE CONSTANT HATE AND BASHING WHICH SOME OF THE READERS ARE SUBJECTING ME TO. BEHIND THESE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS, IS A REAL PERSON WHO WORKED DAY AND NIGHT TO WRITE A GOOD STORY. MY STORY NEEDED A MAIN CHARACTER TO DIE FOR THE PLOT TO ADVANCE. OTHERWISE WHY DID I USE DEATH AS A THEME HERE? WHAT WAS THE POINT OF IT?


    BEING SAD FOR A CHARACTER IS FINE BUT WHY TRY TO FORCE THE AUTHOR TO CHANGE THE STORY THROUGH THREATS? WHY SEND ME THREATS TO DROP THE BOOK WITHOUT EVEN READING THE WHOLE ARC TILL THE END? I WOULDN''T MIND IF THE JUDGEMENT WAS MADE AT THE END OF THE BOOK BUT IT''S NOT EVEN COMPLETE YET. WHO KNOW MAYBE THEIR SEPARATION WILL BE MUCH BETTER? OR MAKE SENSE?


    THINK OF THIS. IF I BRING KANJI BACK TO LIFE, WOULD YOU HONESTLY SAY THAT THE PLOT WENT WITH THE THEME? OR WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE REST OF THE STORY? I''VE CONTINUOSLY PORTRAYED DEATH AS A JOURNEY BEYOND LIFE. THAT AS LONG AS OUR LOVED ONES REMEMBER THE DEPARTED, THE SPIRITS WILL BE IN PEACE.


    SEEING ALL THE HATE AND DEMOTIVATING COMMENTS WERE DISHEARTENING TO ME. I COULD HAVE GIVEN A HALF BAKED CLICHE CEO NOVEL WITH LONG MISUNDERSTANDINGS, WHITE LOTUSES AND CHEAP PLOT.


    BUT I DIDN''T. I WORKED HARD TO CREATE A WORLD WITH A FAMILY WHO WENT THROUGH A LOT BUT REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE, LIFE AND DEATH. THEY LOST PEOPLE BUT GAINED SOMETHING MORE VALUABLE THAN MONEY OR WEALTH: EMPATHY. THE DEATH OF A FRIEND ONLY MADE THIS FAMILY REALIZE THAT IT''S NOT THE END FOR KANJI. HE MIGHT DISAPPEAR BUT HE''LL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF KANJI''S JOURNEY.


    IF I BRING KANJI BACK TO LIFE, DON''T YOU THINK I''LL BE INSULTING THE STORY I CREATED? WON''T IT BE A SLAP TO THE JOURNEY WE''VE ALL BEEN ON FOR THE PAST ONE YEAR? I CAN GO AHEAD AND GIVE IN TO THE THREATS TO BRING HIM BACK. BUT THEN I''LL BE SACRIFICING THE QUALITY FOR FAN SERVICE.


    WILL THAT BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO?


    IF I STILL HAVE READERS AFTER THIS, I''LL BE GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL. I LOVE ALL MY READERS BUT EVEN I HAVE A LIMIT IN TOLERATING THE HATE I''M GETTING.


    I''LL MAKE A POINT TO MAKE ALL MY NEXT NOVELS A CLICHE PLOT WITH NO HEART. I CAN''T GUARANTEE THEY''LL BE GOOD, BUT AT LEAST READERS WON''T SEND ME ANY HATE FOR NOT CATERING TO THEIR NEEDS.


    I''M SORRY FOR TRYING TO WRITE A GOOD AND UNIQUE STORY. I''VE LEARNT MY LESSON.


    .....


    Jina was absentmindedly staring out of the window while the teacher rambled on and on. Her heart was no longer into her studies and she wanted to get out of there. But her parents forbade her from skipping school because they did not want her to get involved in whatever it is they were nning. Moreover, she was forced to wear more charms which the shaman had made for her in order to keep spirits away. The charms were so strong that even Yumi could not stay near her and was forced to stay back at home.


    Is aunt alright? She wondered.


    Turning back to her books, she doodled on it to kill time. The teacher was so engrossed in the lecture that she did not notice that Jina was barely paying any attention. The little girl kept on doodling idly, pressing her pencil hard against the paper. Her hand was working on its own as it sketched on and on.


    A strange sensation engulfed Jina but it wasing from within her. She was drawing and drawing without a thought, her mind in a trance while her hand was sketching like a mad person.


    "Jina"


    The teacher called out to her but Jina did not pay any attention. She continued to draw on the paper, her hand unwilling to stop. The students had now noticed what she was doing and whispered amongst themselves.


    "Jina!"


    The teacher eximed, making Jinae out of her trance.


    "Huh?" she asked. "What"


    "What the hell are you drawing?" The teacher scolded her. Jina looked down and to her surprise, she sketched the picture of a faceless woman wearing a long kimono and she held a scythe in her hands.


    "Eh?" Jina was utterly confused. Why did she draw that?


    "Stop wasting time and pay attention in ss!" the teacher snapped.


    "I"


    Jina gaped from the teacher to the drawing. What just happened? She could not recall drawing this at all! Thest thing she remembered was that she was looking at the sky. Moreover, the drawing was too articte and life-like. Her art was good but not this good. It was almost like a professionally drawn portrait and Jina had no recollection of drawing this.


    The hell? She wondered.


    "Now pay attention here!" the teacher barked at her. She tried to keep up with whatever the teacher was saying but her mind kept on drifting to the portrait. I should tell this to the old man, she decided.


    The bell rang, indicating the end of that period. Jina picked up her bag and slowly made her way towards the next ss, avoiding everyone''s gazes. Some of her friends wanted to talk to her but she politely turned them down, citing that she was feeling unwell. Taking a deep breath, she headed for the girl''s washroom which was situated on the far east corner.


    There was no one else in that dingy washroom at that time. There were only three stalls behind her and a series of sinks. The floor waspletely dry and cleaned but the light above her was flickering.


    She turned on the tap and let the water run. Her eyes were drooping with sleep and she sshed her face with water.


    A slow breeze wasing from somewhere but she did not notice much. The door to the washroom was beginning to move, slowly shutting the exit. Jina jumped in fright when the door mmed shut.


    "Huh?" she frowned. Walking towards it, she tried to open the door but it waspletely locked. But that was impossible. The door could only be locked from inside!


    Is it jammed? She wondered.


    Jina mmed on the door. "Can anyone hear me?" she shouted. "I''m stuck here!"


    She banged the door but her little palms were aching. "Help!" she screamed. "Someone!"


    The little girl was so engrossed in trying to figure a way to get out that she did not notice a slim, shadowy figure standing behind her. The shadow''s long hair was swaying around her, making the woman look more fearsome than any ghost. Her red lips were curled into an evil grin as she watched the child struggle to get out.


    "Help!" Jina yelled.


    "No one will help you unless I permit them to."


    Jina''s eyes widened in shock and she spun around to find a sultry looking woman. The woman was wearing a purple dress and her long hair was let loose. She wore high heels and slowly made her way towards Jina.


    "Y-you''re not a ghost!" Jina squeaked. "How did you get in?"


    "How rude," the womanmented. "Shouldn''t you greet your elders first?"


    But Jina stood there, defying her. "Who are you?" the child demanded.


    "Anna," the woman replied. "I''m sure you''ve heard of me."


    Anna


    Jina''s eyes widened in shock and she took out an amulet from her pocket. Holding it up, she used it as her defense.


    "You''re that woman who killed uncle Kanji!" she spat. "That demon''s ve!"


    "Willing partner," Anna corrected her and to Jina''s shock, she grabbed the amulet from her hand and tossed it aside.


    "Surprised?" Anna sneered. "Your parents and grandfather thought that I''m a spirit, huh?"


    She let out a girly yet shrillughter which made Jina''s spine chill. The woman wore a smile but it was hiding her sinister nature. Jina''s heart was pounding and she was backed up against the door. She was shaking in fear as the woman towered over her.


    "I''m human," Anna revealed. "Or rather, a shamanic witch. I''m adept in spells and witchcraft which I use tomunicate with demons. Unlike you Seers, we have to use enchantments to talk to the dead. The little camera footage at the police station was a mere illusion I had created to trick your parents into believing that I''m a spirit. These amulets and charms are useless against me"


    "I''ll tell them!" Jina whispered.


    "Go ahead," Anna challenged. "Tell them. But if you do that, then his blood will be on your hands."


    She took out her cell phone and held it up for Jina to watch the video in it. Kanji''s father was on screen with a nk expression. Jina watched as Jason raised his left hand and picked up a knife with his right. Without blinking, he was beginning to cut the nerve on his left wrist. Blood was flowing out of the wound, flooding the table in front of him red.


    "Stop it!" Jina begged but Anna onlyughed harder.


    "If you want to save him, then do as I say!" she hissed. "Otherwise, he''ll be dead meat. Just like your uncle Kanji. And it''ll all be your fault."


    She grabbed Jina''s face with one hand, snarling at the frightened little girl.


    "We''ll meet soon," Anna promised. "And don''t you dare say a word to your parents. I''ll know if you do."


    With that, she pushed Jina aside and disappeared in thin air. The door clicked open but Jina did not get up. She was too shocked to say anything, the fear in her heart rendering her unable to speak.


    Help us...she begged. Someone. Anyone!

 Chapter 384: Day 1 (4)

    Chapter 384: Day 1 (4)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE: DO CHECK OUT THE BOOK TRAILER I MADE FOR THE UPCOMING SEQUEL OF MLC ''DOCTOR DEMON''! AVAILABLE ON MY INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT.


    ID: tea_tae93


    ....


    Shinjin, Junho, Gayoon and Minho had gathered at the living room to discuss the next stage of the n.


    "So listen up!" Shinjin eximed. "The red moon night is exactly four days from today. The ss A demons can be exorcised in only one way."


    "We need its name and its weakness," he went on. "And we have both. The name is Anyal and his weakness was Princess Ahin. This is one of the reasons why he can''t temporarily possess us because we already have these two. So even if it ends up possessing any of us, we can exorcise it with ease but it won''t go away. Instead, it''ll go back to the steady body aka Kanji''s body."


    "What I don''t get is why do we need Kanji''s body to set him free?" Minho asked. "Casper and Yumi''s bodies were also buried or cremated and yet, they still roamed around as ghosts. Casper was able to leave after his wishes were fulfilled. Why is it different for Kanji?"


    "They were bound by their unfulfilled desires," Shinjin pointed out. "In order for a spirit to be set free, both the physical and spiritual bonds need to be broken. When I say breaking of physical bonds, I mean the cleansing of a spirit through the proper cremation or burial. While Casper and Yumi''s physical bonds to life were broken when their bodies were buried, their spiritual bonds remained. But that''s true even if a corpse is not buried or cremated with proper rituals. Then the spirit will still remain even if their wishes have been fulfilled. In short, if either of the bonds remain, a ghost will roam around. Once both are cut, they''re freed. In Kanji''s case, both bonds are still in ce. Once we sever both of them, he can be at peace. Hence, we need to separate his body from the demon."


    "But to exorcise it from the steady body, we''ll need to first cut off the connection the demon has with its servant."


    "The connection with the servant?" Minho frowned.


    "The servant gives the demon some of her energy," Shining winced. "ss A demons like Anyal can suck out the energy from the servant. After all, the servants are practicing dark magic and absorb a lot of that aura from the Devil himself. To sustain themselves, the demons also share that aura directly from their leader. However, since Anyal has been banished, he has to get that energy indirectly through his servant. So the connection between him and his servant is sustaining Kani''s body, preventing it from rotting off. After all, it''s merely a corpse now. It should have started to deteriorate by now but due to that aura the body is absorbing, the process is slow and will take years until Anyal decides to look for another vessel. As long as that connection remains, we can''t exorcise Anyal from Kanji''s body. Once that connection is halted, we can easily kick that demon out of Kanji''s body and reim it."


    "How are we going to cut the connection?" Gayoon asked.


    "Last time we tricked the servant and made her unconscious," Junho stated. "It temporarily halted the power sharing. But Anna is more powerful than the previous servant. She''ll be ready for our attacks."


    "I think I can handle her," Gayoon said, flexing her knuckles. "I''ll distract her for as long as possible."


    Junho nodded and turned to Minho. "You''ll have to convince Anyal that you''re ready to do what he wants," he told his son.


    "He won''t agree," Minho sighed. "That guy knows that we''re going to do something to get rid of him."


    "You''ll have to try," Shinjin stated. "There''s no other way. We can''t let him get to Jina so you''re his only option."


    Minho was not very sure about that part. Anyal seemed hellbent on getting Jina but with the charms put around her, it was nearly impossible for the demon or his servant to go near her.


    "I can make a deal," he said slowly. "If he lets uncle Jason go free, I''ll open the gates."


    "And we''ll be ready with the ring," Shinjin stated. "The energy should be enough to open the portal to World of the Dead at exactly 00:04 AM."


    Both Gayoon and Minho nodded. Just then, the front door opened and Jina entered the house. Her eyes fell on the adults who were still discussing what to do during the red moon night. They did not not notice her entering so she quietly went to her room andy on the bed.


    Yumi apparated into her room but was immediately hit by the shock of the amulets.


    "Ugh!" she scowled. "The amulets are too damn strong! I can''t even stay here for long."


    "Sorry," Jina mumbled. "I''ll put them away-"


    "Don''t!" Yumi said sharply. "I was just here to check up on you. I''ll go back to stalking my idols anyway. How are you doing?"


    She stood at a distance but was watching Jina very carefully. Jina forced a smile on her face to hide her dilemma.


    "I''m okay," she lied. "Just...bummed out over uncle Kanji. What''s aunt going to do once she finds out what happened to him?"


    Yumi was saddened by what happened too but she understood Kanji''s unwillingness to reveal the truth to Mina. After all, who would want to see their loved ones cry over their deaths? It was painful enough to live as a being which was neither alive nor dead. It was even more painful to see loved ones grieving over the deceased. As a ghost, it was torture for them to witness the sadness and grief they were inflicting on everyone.


    "He just wants to spend hisst moments on Earth with the woman he loves," Yumi echoed. "He knows that he''ll leave soon but that isn''t saddening him. What will sadden him, is if thest thing he has to witness is her tears. That will be even more painful for him."


    "It''s not fair," Jina mumbled. "The way he died. Why did he have to die? I mean...he was about to tell aunt how he felt! They were supposed to be together and live happily, right? That''s how it goes on in stories! Aren''t the good people supposed to live happily while bad people suffer? Then why did this happen to him?"


    "That''s the shitty thing about death," Yumi rued. "Ites suddenly. It makes no sense and it''s not supposed to be fair. Those of us who have numerous regrets are forced to stay back as ghosts until someday, a sheer miracle happens and ourst wishes are fulfilled. But not everyone is that lucky. I''ve met some ghosts who have been roaming the earth for centuries."


    "And uncle Kanji has only four days," Jinamented. "Four days"


    "I guess, he''s gonna make sure that he lives a lifetime with your aunt in these four days," Yumi sighed. "Only after death did I realize that life shouldn''t be long. It should be lived. Whether you''re alive or dead, human or ghost, as long as you''re living a big life with your loved ones, you''ll be happy. Look at that demon who wasted his long life chasing an useless wish. And look at Casper who, despite the things he did while he was alive, still spent a wonderful time with us after bing a ghost. So who do you think really lived? The thousand year old demon? Or the simple old ghost who showered love on everyone?"


    "But uncle Kanji will still leave" Jina said in a sad tone.


    "So it''s up to us to make sure he leaves with a smile, right?" Yumi smiled. "And give him a proper goodbye."


    "Yumi" Jina began. "What''s yourst wish? Why are you still here?"


    Yumi was quiet for a while, gathering her thoughts to answer that question.


    "I want to see my half-sister," she finally revealed. "My mom and dad divorced when I was really young but my mom remarried and moved to another town. I heard that she gave birth to my half sister, L,st year. I wanted to meet her but my anger towards my mom for abandoning me took precedence. And now, I want to meet my sister."


    She shed a small smile at Jina. "I hope she turns out to be a good kid just like you," Yumi said.


    They were quiet for a while, lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Yumi said, "I should go. Those annoying charms are seriously bing too much to handle. I''ll see youter!"


    With that, Yumi vanished in thin air, leaving Jina to her thoughts.


    Sending off uncle Kanji with a smile, she thought. She clenched her tiny palms.


    Yumi was right. They should send Kanji off with a smile and assure him that he would be in their hearts. And for that, they needed to give him a proper cremation. The only way to do that was to remove that demon from Kanji''s body.


    "Let''s kick that demon to hell, shall we?" she swore, flexing her knuckles.

 Chapter 385: Day 2 (1)

    Chapter 385: Day 2 (1)


    *Day 2*


    Mina was in her bedroom, manicuring her nails when there was a knock on the door.


    "Come in!" she said absentmindedly. Kanji burst in with a wide smile.


    "What''s up?" he asked cheerfully, making Mina raise an eyebrow.


    "Aren''t you being a little too happy nowadays?" she frowned. "You barely used to smile before."


    "Well, my brush with death showed me how beautiful life is!" Kanji imed. "It''s all colors and rainbows. I wanna live to the fullest without any regrets."


    "And I''m regretting my decision to let you stay here," Mina muttered. "I''ve had enough of one idiot and now I have to deal with two."


    "Ouch!" Kanji whined. "How mean!"


    Inside his head, Haejong was wincing. "Stop making such silly expressions with my face!" he snapped at Kanji. "I look terrible!"


    "I''m making you seem more fun," Kanji told him in a smug tone, making the mafia leader regret his own life decisions already.


    "What do you want?" Mina asked warily. "I''m very busy today."


    "Doing what?" Kanji asked. "Your nails?"


    "Yes."


    Mina went back to apply nail polish on her perfectly shaped nails and beamed in delight but the annoying new pet of hers was not going to let her live in peace.


    "Let''s go for a date," Kanji said boldly. Mina scowled at him.


    "Why would I go on a date with you?" she sneered. "I mean. Between you and my daily beauty routine, I choose thetter."


    "But between your daily routine and"


    He took out a couple of tickets to the market fair which made Mina''s eyes widen in excitement.


    "This," he went on. "You''ll choose to shop at the flea market. And as far as I know, this fair has everything at a bargain price."


    Without a word, Mina snatched the tickets from his hands and stared at them in glee. "Discount shopping!" she squealed. "I''m going!"


    Without a word, she grabbed her purse and coat before speeding out of the room while Kanji gaped at her. "Wait!" he yelled, running after her. "One of the tickets is mine! Take me with you!"


    He limped behind her as she ran towards her car. Getting into the car with her, he quickly buckled up his seat belt. Mina was so excited that she could barely hold in her happiness.


    "Could have waited for me," he grumbled.


    "I know that you''ll run after me anyway," Mina imed. "So I didn''t bother to wait."


    She stepped on the pedal and drove off. The fair was taking ce right on the outskirts of the town so it took them a couple of hours to get there. Once they reached the spot, Mina parked the car at an allocated spot and they got out of it.


    Mina sniffed the air around her. "I can just smell the bargain shops from a mile away," she said dreamily.


    "All I smell are decaying furniture and old stuff," Kanji muttered. But he smiled upon seeing how happy Mina was feeling. Haejong was also quiet in his head, giving Kanji some privacy with her.


    "Let''s go inside!" Mina eximed. "I wanna check out all the stuff they''re selling here!"


    To Kanji''s surprise, she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the fair which was proceeding with great fanfare. The whole area had been decorated with colorful stalls made of hay thatches and modeled like mini huts. There were many people at the fair, some with families, others with dates.


    They walked past the shops which were selling a variety of items ranging from clothes, furniture, rugs, organic items and many more. Mina was busy gazing at all the things on disy.


    "Oi!" Haejong hissed in Kanji''s head. "She''s more interested in shopping than in you! If you keep up like this, you''ll never be able to win her over."


    "I know!" Kanji hissed back. "Don''t worry, I have a n. I''ll show off my superior bargaining skills to impress her."


    "Do you know how to bargain?"


    "No," Kanji admitted. "But I read it in the magazine."


    "This can''t be good," Haejong muttered. Mina was checking out some jute rugs which were imported from abroad. The rugs were hand stitched and quite sturdy which would be perfect for her room and also her chamber back in the hospital.


    "How much are these?" She asked the seller. Before the seller could reply, Kanji butted in.


    "We''ll give you thirty dors for it!" he announced. "No more than that!"


    Mina stared at him in shock. What the hell was this guy doing?


    "Listen-" she began but Kanji stopped her.


    "I got this!" he muttered. "I''m a pro at bargaining!"


    "No but-"


    "Shh!" he hushed her lips with his finger. "I''m taking over. Let the man speak!"


    Mina shook her head in dismay and did not bother to say anything else. Kanji turned to the seller who looked as if Christmas had arrived early.


    "We''ll give you thirty dors for it," he said. But the seller decided to mess with the idiot who turned up.


    "No less than sixty!" he shot back.


    "Sixty?" Mina frowned. "Now wait a minute-"


    "Hush it woman!" Kanji snapped. "Let me handle this."


    I''d rather you not handle this, Mina thought but there was not stopping him. For some reason, the guy wanted to bargain on her behalf but would not let her help out. Oh well, she shrugged. I''d rather watch the drama.


    Suppressing herughter, she watched as the idiot bargained.


    "Thirty five," Kanji said. "Not more than this."


    "Fifty five!" the seller rebutted.


    "Forty!"


    "Deal!" the seller replied. "Forty it is."


    Kanji felt triumphant as he paid the money from Haejong''s wallet. Mina was still trying to suppress herughter with great difficulty. She just did not have the heart to tell him the truth but watched the show in amusement.


    The seller packed the rug for them and they thanked him before moving on to another stall. Once they were out of earshot, Mina burst outughing. Kanji was confused at why she wasughing so much but Mina could not help it.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked. "Why are youughing?"


    "I''mughing at you!" she giggled. "Oh man! I thought you were a smart guy but turns out, you''re kinda naive."


    Kanji could hear Haejong curse at him for ruining his cool image in front of Mina.


    "N-naive?" he echoed.


    "Do you know how much a jute rug really costs in a flea market?" she asked.


    "Er"


    Mina took out the rug and flipped it over to show him the price tag on it. "It''s just eight bucks!" sheughed. "I could''ve bought it for half the price. You just gave him five times the original amount!"


    She burst into another fit of giggles, enjoying the stupefied look on his face. Kanji''s mouth gaped open in shock at the whole situation.


    "E-Eight bucks?" he stammered. "Just eight bucks?"


    "You idiot," Haejong''s voice muttered at him. Kanji was too dumbfounded from shock to care but Mina patted his back, feeling sorry for the guy.


    "Leave all the bargaining to a pro like me, alright?" she said in a pitiful tone.


    "What am I going to do then?" he whined.


    "Carry my shopping bags of course!" she chirped and moved on to the next shop.


    ..


    Minho was in his office, going over some of the pending tenders. He was finishing off all his work quickly so that he could start working on their n to trap Anyal soon. They had merely three days left and there had been no movement from the demon''s end. There was no doubt that the monster was nning something but they must find out what it was.


    Jongin entered the room, carrying some files. He frowned a little at his CEO who was working at faster speed than usual.


    "Erm, sir?"


    Minho looked up to face Jongin who looked concerned.


    "Sir, are you alright?" his secretary asked.


    "I''m fine," Minho lied and went back to his files but Jongin did not move from his spot.


    "Sir, I don''t think you are fine," Jongin said firmly. Minho frowned at him but for the first time in his life, Jongin was voicing his opinion to his boss.


    "Why do you think so?"


    "We made 0.5 percent less profit thanst month," Jongin pointed out. "And you didn''t yell at us. You''re working faster than usual and not making us work around the clock. It''s a relief for us but we''re also concerned."


    When Minho did not reply, Jongin added, "Sir, we might get frustrated by your obsession with money, but we''re all very loyal to you. All the employees here care about you and your family. So, we would hate it if you''re overworking yourself when it''s clear that your heart is not into it. If you''re troubled and can''t say it to us, we''d understand it. But we''d rather have you entrust all work to us and let yourself at ease until you''re ready to be back at work. Till then, we''ll take care of thepany. It''s not just your brainchild. We consider it our second home as well."


    He paused before adding, "I don''t know how you know my mother, but she spoke very fondly about you. If she was well, she would''ve hated to see you pretend that everything is fine whereas it''s not. I think she''d rather have you deal with your thoughts first and then worry about work."


    Minho stared at him for a while before shing a small but grateful smile.


    "In that case," he said to Jongin. "You should take the day off and take your new girlfriend to a nice date today. Because from tomorrow, you''ll be the acting CEO for the next few days until I return. For today, I''ll handle the work."


    Jongin gaped at his boss, shocked by his words. He did not know what to say but held back his tears and lowered his head.


    "Thank you," he whispered. "I''ll not let you down, boss."

 Chapter 386: Day 2 (2)

    Chapter 386: Day 2 (2)


    The fair had picked up pace as the hours went by. Arge crowd had gathered by afternoon and more activities were beginning to take ce. There were some mascots who roamed around and yed with the kids while carnival rides were installed to increase the hype. As the sun began to set, soft fairy lights were lit to illuminate the area while people enjoyed their day off.


    Mina dragged Kanji to all the stalls she could find. The girl was quite energetic when it came to shopping, not eating nor stopping.


    "Oi!" she called at him when he sat down to rest. "Come on! We gotta check out the home appliance stalls!"


    "Five more minutes," Kanji begged. Even though he was not really tired, Haejong''s body was wearing out.


    "Her shopping has no end, huh?" Haejong remarked in a sardonic tone. "No wonder you''re always broke."


    "At least she spent her own money," Kanji replied. Mina had gone back to the jute shop earlier and haggled with the seller so much that the poor guy began to cry and gave back Kanji his money. In fact, Mina extorted even more from him to the point that the rug cost only a couple of dors.


    In return, Kanji was now carrying a dozen bags in his arms while Mina shopped to her heart''s content. She was beaming with joy and grabbed his arm.


    "Ohe on, youzy bum!" she eximed. "Think of this as practice for your new life."


    "What practice?" Kanji frowned.


    "Now that you''re no longer working in the mafia," she said. "You might as well get used to working hard! What''ll you do when you get a job and start earning? You''ll have to walk to ces, visit people and carry heavy stuff! Which is why, I am teaching you how to survive in the real world!"


    "By making me carry your shopping bags?" Kanji winced.


    "If you can carry the burden of my shopping bags, you can achieve anything in the world!" Mina imed. Kanji could hear Haejong going ''tsk tsk'' in his head.


    "All the best in handling her," he said and went quiet. Kanji gritted at his rival who was clearly enjoying his misery. But none of that mattered to him. All he cared about was to make every moment count with Mina.


    I have to make sure that I can make this moment memorable for her, he decided. Mina dragged him to a stall which was different from the others. Instead of a thatched hut, it was a red tent. A strong but pleasant smell of spices and flowers came from within and Mina was a little excited.


    "I think they sell herbal skincare stuff there!" she said. "I''ve been meaning to buy them!"


    "You already have all the expensive skincare products at home!" Kanji whined.


    "So? I''ll buy them for you," she shrugged. "Your skin is too dry."


    "Women love my skin!" Haejong''s angry voice rang in his head.


    "Except Mina," Kanji shot back at him. "And she''s right. Your skin is dry. Don''t you moisturize?"


    "That''s riching from someone who had oily skin," Haejong sneered.


    "It was moisturized!"


    "What the hell are you doing standing there?" Mina asked warily. "Come on!"


    She motioned him to follow her inside the tent. Kanji sighed and went after her. Mina was right; it was a small apothecary shop which sold herbs and spices but not just for skincare. There were different segments of herbsbeled for things like luck, knowledge, power etc. There were herbs like rosemary, cloves, tulsi and chillies along with flowers like roses, violets, tulips and many more. He could not recognize some of the unusual nts but the tent was giving him a very strange feeling.


    "Wee."


    Kanji yelped and spun around to find a woman in her forties. She wore heavy beads and a ck colored shawl. Her dark hair was tied in a bun and her beady eyes were gazing at the couple who just entered.


    Mina was also startled by the woman because when they had entered, there was no one inside the tent. She must have been hiding in the shadows, watching them enter.


    "Hi," Mina greeted. "We''re just looking around. Where are the skincare products?"


    "On your right," the woman said but her eyes were fixated on Kanji. Mina seemed to have not noticed but Kanji was unsettled by the woman. It felt as if she was seeing right through him and he looked away from her. The woman strode towards Mina and was showing her some of the organically made soaps and creams. Mina was busy checking them, choosing a few items for her collection.


    "Would you also like to have your fortune read?" the woman suddenly offered.


    "Fortune?" Mina frowned.


    "Whatys ahead for the two of you as a couple," the woman said in an ominous tone. Kanji shifted and did not answer while Mina was also ufortable.


    "We''re not a couple-" she began but the woman cut through her.


    "A rtionship with no name," the woman remarked. "Two souls tangled in different worlds. Can you sense the faint presence which you miss the most?"


    "Let''s go, Mina," Kanji said but she was rooted to her spot.


    "I say we try it," she insisted. "For fun! I know it''s all rubbish but still. Won''t it be fun to guess?"


    Kanji wanted to refuse but seeing Mina''s hopeful eyes, he simply could not refuse her outright.


    "That woman is weird," Haejong warned.


    "Let''s see what she does," Kanji told him.


    The woman led them to the back of the tent where three cushions had beenid on the ground. She motioned them to sit on one cushion.


    "I''ll prepare some tea for you," she offered. The woman walked towards a table and poured two mugs of tea for them and put the tray in front of them. Kanji handed Mina a cup before taking the other cup. The tea was cold so Mina downed it in one go.


    Kanji was about to drink his tea when Mina said, "I''m loving this tea! Gimme your cup as well!"


    "Eh?" Kanji frowned when she took his cup away from him and drank it all in one go. She smiled at him and put the cups away.


    What is it with her? He wondered but did not think too much into it. Mina always had a habit of taking his things and even if he was in someone else''s body, he still could not refuse her demands.


    The woman raised an eyebrow at Mina''s action but did not make anyment. She sat opposite to them and said, "Give me your palm."


    Mina extended her hand for the woman to read. The woman stared at her palm for a long time, reading the lines before looking up to face Mina.


    "You were born with a golden spoon in your mouth," she guessed. "But your childhood was anything but golden. You had a brush with death when you were young and you brushed it again in your twenty sixth year. Am I correct?"


    Mina shifted ufortably in her seat but thedy went on.


    "You have everything in life," she whispered. "Money, family and an empathy towards other people. However, the thing you seek right now is not written in your fate."


    Her eyes briefly shed towards Kanji who avoided her gaze. Mina was silent for a while before bursting into augh.


    "What I''m seeking right now, is a Pashmina!" she giggled. "You''re right. I''ve looked all over this ce but no luck."


    The woman pursed her lips, not amused by Mina''s remarks. "You do not understand the lines of fate," she whispered.


    "No, but I do understand that I need a Pashmina shawl," Minamented. "It''s the only thing I can''t find here."


    She turned to Kanji and said, "Let''s go to the other shop and search for a Pashmina shawl. I really need one. My old shawl was ripped off after it got caught on a nail."


    "I told you that all this is a bunch of bullshit!" he told her. "But you''re the one who insisted on having your palm read."


    "Just for fun," Mina shrugged. "You go and wait outside. I''ll pay for my stuff and join you."


    The woman shook her head in dismay and headed towards the counter. Kanji went out of the tent while Mina stayed back to pay for her things. As she took out her wallet, the woman was giving her a strange look.


    "You knew it was peach tea I had served," the woman revealed. "And you stopped him from drinking it."


    Mina froze in her actions but did notment and continued to count the cash in her purse.


    "You do realize that this is unnatural," the woman went on. "I''m a shaman. I can help your friend and exorcise the spirit-"


    "Thirty dors right?" Mina asked coldly. "I''m not paying for the awful tea. It was disgusting."


    She thrust the money into the woman''s palm and picked up the bag. As she turned to leave, the woman added onest warning.


    "Nothing wille out of this," she stated. "That spirit will have to leave someday. He doesn''t belong to this world! It''s unnatural!"


    Mina turned around to face the woman with a cold expression. "There are many monsters in this world which don''t deserve to live here," she said. "Yet, they''re roaming around freely, killing and torturing others while pure souls like him are the victims of those monsters."


    "He''s dead and he''ll leave soon," the woman pointed out.


    "Well, then I''ll spend the rest of our remaining days smiling so that he can leave in peace," Mina said in a sad tone. Her heart had been beating erratically around ''Haejong'' for a while but she was sure that something was amiss. It was not until their talk at the beach when she finally realized that the person she was speaking to was not Haejong but Kanji. She did not know how, but she knew it was Kanji.


    And the final nail in the coffin was the moment he tried to bargain with the seller in the morning. Only one idiot would buy a cheap rug for five times the price.


    The woman sighed and shook her head.


    "Good luck," she wished Mina. "When the timees, give him a proper goodbye."


    Mina turned away from her and slowly walked outside. Kanji stood there, busy scrolling through Haejong''s phone. She watched him with a sorrowful expression, trying to control the insane grief which was overwhelming her.


    It was almost impossible to hold back her tears and never had she used so much of her willpower to rein in her emotions. Mina''s limit was breaking but she knew that she could not fall weak. Her breath was getting heavier and she wanted to cry her heart out but if she did that, Kanji would be hurt. The love they shared had killed him and the guilt was eating Mina from the inside. How did they end up like this? Why did they end up like this?


    Kanji turned around to find Mina standing there. "What happened?" he asked in rm when he noticed that she looked sad.


    "I forgot to buy a matching table cloth with the jute rug!" she eximed, suppressing her tears. "We''ve got to go back to that shop!"


    She quickly turned away to hide her sadness and walked as fast as she could. Kanji sighed in relief, following her all the way back to the first stall.

 Chapter 387: Day 3 (1)

    Chapter 387: Day 3 (1)


    The leaves crunched under their feet as they made their way towards their destination. The sun was directly above their heads, shining brightly but there was barely any sunlight at the ce they were at. The thick trees loomed over them like monstrous shadows which were stalking them at every step.


    A dense foresty ahead devoid of any sounds. Not even the sounds of insects nor the chirping of birds could be heard. Animals avoided that ce like a gue and dead carcasses of many creaturesy around them as they ventured deeper into the forest. The little sunshine which followed them had disappeared, leaving nothing but an ominous darkness.


    "How much further, master?" Anna asked.


    Anyal did not reply to her but kept on walking ahead. His eyes were fixated on his goal which was not far away. Moving aside the vines in his way, he slowly approached a ce within the deepest part of the forest.


    Anna was curious about what her master was searching for but did not dare to question him again. If Anyal did not reply the first time around, it was wise not to ask him that question again. They kept on walking until he held up his hand, motioning her to stop. She abruptly halted and stared at the ce they had reached.


    It was arge clearing in the middle of the forest but the trees abovepletely blocked all light from entering. Still, the outlines of pirs were visible. Arge stone foundationy in front of them with several broken walls. It looked like an old fortress which had been left abandoned. The roof hadpletely caved in with stone bs scattered at random ces. A strange smell of mould and fungus lingered in the air along with a faint scent of


    "Sulphur," she muttered.


    "This ce" Anyal began. "This is the ce where it all began."


    He looked lost in his thoughts as he reminisced the things he had lost in this very ce.


    "Is this...is this from where she was taken, sir?" Anna whispered.


    Anyal slowly nodded his head. "Unlike the likes of you, Ahin was not a worshipper of the Devil," he revealed. "She was simply a person who made a deal with him to defeat her younger brother in war."


    "For power?" Anna asked.


    "For the greater good," Anyal stated. He walked towards arge b and jumped on it. Anna watched as he elegantly sat on the stone, still staring at the ruins of his beloved Ahin''s home.


    "Her brother was a cruel tyrant who had killed many people in his quest for power," he went on. "Ahin watched helplessly as he was favored for being the Emperor simply because he was the male heir. The Emperor knew of his son''s deeds but overlooked all of them for the sake of his lineage. Ahin was cast aside, humiliated and forgotten until she decided to raise an army of peasants against the Crown Prince. Once she started the rebellion, a civil war broke out between the siblings"


    "But the Crown Prince used underhanded methods to win. He knew that his sister was popr so he bribed her officials to kill her. Luckily for her, a shaman who was loyal to the people warned her on time and she was able to save herself. That was when Ahin finally decided to make a deal with the Devil"


    "But that cost her her life," Anna whispered.


    "It did," Anyal said in a morose tone. "She called him and promised that if he helped her to kill her brother, she would sell him his soul within a year. The Devil agreed and they made the pact. To help her, I was sent to kill her brother. And I did. I killed him without mercy and also stayed by her side to make sure that she was not going to run away. She couldn''t have anyway."


    "Did she try to run?" Anna asked.


    "No," Anyal revealed. "She didn''t. She was ready to give up her soul but before that, she was determined to make her country a prosperous one. Within a few months of her ascending the throne, she transformed the country from a poor one to one with great economic power. She was almost unstoppable in her goals and I was there to help her until it was time for her to go to hell."


    His eyes wentpletely white while his mind drifted back hundreds of years ago when he stood by his beloved, watching her smile widely as she helped people without any hesitation. In his entire existence, he had never seen someone who epted her fate with such grace and yet, went on toplete her work. Ahin''s smile was etched in his memory, never leaving nor letting him live.


    Was it the intense feelings a demon felt or was it obsession? He never knew.


    "Everyday, I watched her grow," he whispered. "I watched her shine, knowing that it would all be gone within a few months. She just wanted her people to be happy before she left."


    "But whispers began to echo in the kingdom as rumors of her involvement with the dark arts were spreading. The remainingrades of her dead brother were fueling the rumors and began to brainwash the peasants against her. You see, in those days, people were afraid of the demons. We were the creatures of the dark, evil and corrupted. They feared us so anything rted to demons was sphemy for them."


    "Meanwhile, I was nning my own move," he stated. "On how to escape the contract.You see, it''s not easy to escape the contract with the Devil."


    Anna read through his words. "It''s not easy but not impossible either," she guessed.


    Anyal''s lips curved into a smile. "It''s not impossible," he affirmed. "I''lle to that in a while. So you see, I was trying to break the contract but it was nearly impossible at that time. Ahin tried to stop me but I was determined. It became an obsession for me because I couldn''t let the woman I love go to hell. I''ve seen hell. I was created there! The horrors are unimaginable for anyone and to see a pure soul like Ahin go there"


    He clenched his fists and snarled. "I couldn''t let her suffer," he whispered. "So I tried to take her and hide. We hid here until I could find a way out"


    "But on thest day of the year, the people of the kingdom gathered around this ce and demanded for Ahin''s head," he said in a bitter tone. "I''ll never forget that night. The Empress they had once loved was now beingbeled a witch and sorceress. I grabbed Ahin and we ran but the exits were all blocked. Some people put salt around the ce, making it impossible for us to leave. I held her in my arms as she trembled in fear. Never had she thought that the people she fought for would kill her"


    "They burst into the fortress. I fought back but they had holy water and salt which paralyzed me. One of her brother''s supporters was a demon exorcist. He forced me into a salt circle and poured holy water on me. But he did not fully exorcise me from the body I was upying at that point. Instead, he shrouded me with a holy cloth and charms, while forcing me to watch as they burnt Ahin."


    Anna was visibly ufortable to hear her master''s story but Anyal continued with his tale.


    "I watched her burn," he said in a hoarse tone. "I heard her screams which haunt me to this day. She used to im that people had goodness in their hearts but at that time, I was wondering who the true demons were. Us, who simply follow orders of others? Or humans who have the willpower to choose their actions?"


    "As she was burning, I saw a shadow approaching her, slowly extracting her soul. The shadow whispered the curse into my ears. I won''t have my own body anymore and Hell was closed for me. I''ll roam around the Earth, fixated with my obsession but will find no solution. I''ll suffer all eternity for Ahin. That''s my curse. But there is a way to break the contract between Ahin and the Devil. It took me centuries but I finally found that one key which could break this contract for once and for all."


    "Do you know why this red moon night is special?" he asked Anna. "And why am I determined to have this little girl for the ritual? Her father could open the portal too, right? But why this girl?"


    Anna slowly shook her head.


    "This girl is a special one," he revealed. "The powers of a Seer and a Transporter. It''s rare to have thisbination. Only one person before her possessed both these powers and she was one of the most powerful shamans to exist on this earth. It was her power which had been bestowed to two families who had served her with utmost loyalty. And now that this girl possesses both the powers, she can change the course of all dimensions if she wanted."


    "What my old master seeks," he went on. "Is someone as powerful as her. To escape from the Devil''s contract, you''ll have to offer him an even bigger prize. The souls of humans are worth nothing to him. They''re mere servants in hell. He keeps them as his ves and nothing more. Once the gates of hell open, many souls will escape for sure but they''ll eventually be caught. Might take years but they''ll be sent back to hell. So even if Ahin escapes, she''ll be caught and taken back."


    "So" Anna began. "You''ll make a deal with the Devil! Give him that girl in return for Princess Ahin''s soul!"


    "The red moon night is the only time when one can directly make a deal with the Devil," Anyal revealed. "The eclipse will weaken the gates. And once I pull out Ahin from there, I''ll hand over the girl to the Devil. That''llplete my mission"


    He turned to Anna with a threatening look in his eyes. "It''ll be your only chance too," he warned. "To break your own contract. I only agreed to add your soul to be freed as well because you''ve proven yourself to be a worthy servant. But if you fail, your soul will be gone within this month. After all, you have made a deal too."


    Anna gulped nervously. "I won''t fail you," she promised.


    "You better not," he stated. "Now, it''s time for you to pay our little friend another visit."

 Chapter 388: Day 3 (2)

    Chapter 388: Day 3 (2)


    Gayoon was on theptop, looking for more information on Anna Kirishima while Junho and Shinjin pored over the books they had brought from the library. They had only two days in hand and they still did not know where Anyal would conduct the ritual. Sitting in Minho''s study, they were researching the demon.


    "Found anything?" she asked the men.


    "Nope," Junho sighed. "Nothing! Even the books on demons don''t mention Anyal much."


    "And what about the Gates of Hell?" she asked.


    "Just that the gates are located within the World of the Dead but not exactly where," Shinjin muttered.


    Gayoon was now frustrated. "Minho said that in the World of the Dead, the deceased souls were stuck in the ce where they died," she pointed out. "Is it the same for people who are taken to hell? What if they are kept captive in a dimension at the spot they died in?"


    "Possible," Shinjin stated. "But there''s no mention of this sted princess nor where she died. In fact, other than that one paragraph, there''s no other evidence of her existence at all!"


    "It wasmon back in those days," Junho informed them. "If my guess is correct, she must have been pretty unpopr for some reason. If her brother''s faction took over the throne after her death, they might have removed all traces of hers."


    "But there must be some clue!" Gayoon insisted. "What about the shaman who conducted the ritual?"


    "No name," Shinjin said. "What about Anna Kirishima? Found anything on her?"


    "No," Gayoon sighed. "Her name is obviously a fake one. She''s been changing her identity in order to be with Anyal. I tried to call uncle Jason and ask but he''s totally under their spell. I''m sure he won''t talk."


    Junho shook his head in dismay. Minho had gone to drop Jina off at school while Kanji headed off to Haejong''s old ce to settle some of the Lin family matters on Haejong''s behalf. Mina was in her room, probably resting.


    "You said that you met Anna when she was working with one of Minho''s business associates," he pointed out. "Maybe he knows her?"


    "I tried asking him," Gayoon said. "But no luck. He''s in no condition to say anything."


    "Why not?" Shinjin asked.


    "Coz, a few weeks after he was imprisoned, he killed himself," she revealed. "This was hushed up by the prison because it will cause a big scandal. Prisoners are not supposed to be in possession of even a pen let alone arge kitchen knife."


    "Anna must have bewitched him," Shinjin muttered. "To cover up her tracks."


    "Yep," Gayoon said. "That much is clear. I''ve asked a rookie officer to look her up and he''ll let me know in a while. I just hope that we get her"


    "She''s our only clue," Junho said. "She''s that demon''s servant and with him all the time. If Anyal took over Kanji''s body, that means that they had targeted him for a long time. Possibly had their eyes on someone close to the Hwang''s ever since you guys met her in that meeting. Kanji fits their bill perfectly."


    As they were speaking, a shadow stood outside the door, listening to them. Mina slowly backed out and went back to her room. She sat on her bed, trying to piece the small puzzles she had been gathering over the past few days. Even though everyone was trying to act normal in front of her, she knew that they were working secretly against whatever it was possessing Kanji''s body.


    She clenched her fists, balling the bed sheets. Kanji...her Kanji, was still suffering. Even in death, he was receiving no escape from his own demons.


    A single tear rolled down her cheek but she wiped it away. She fought back her grief with every inch of her willpower, not allowing herself to be weak. Not when she needed to be stronger than everyone else.


    "Kirishima Anna," she whispered. "It''s time to meet you."


    She picked up her bag and quietly headed for the main door. Taking out her phone, she called Haejong''s number which was now being used by Kanji. He picked up in one ring.


    "Is everything alright?" he asked from the other end.


    "Where are you?" she asked. "I need to meet you right now."


    "I''m at my old mansion," he told her.


    "Okay," she said. "I''ming over."


    She hung up the phone and rushed towards her car when she noticed an officer standing at the main gate of the mansion, talking to a guard.


    Is that one of Gayoon''s rookies? She wondered. The officer was walking towards the mansion when Mina stopped him.


    "Officer!" she called out. The man turned around and faced her.


    "Hello," he greeted. "I wanted to meet Detective Jeon. She asked for some information from me. I called her but her phone was switched off."


    "I''m her sister-inw," Mina told him. "Hwang Mina. I''m afraid she''s out right now. But I can hand it over to her if you want!"


    She took out her ID card and showed it to him as proof. The rookie read her credentials and nodded.


    "Alright," he said, handing over the file to her. "Please tell Detective Jeon that the information she wanted is in here."


    Mina thanked him and waited until he left. Quickly taking out the documents, she took pictures of them. The papers contained all the information on a sultry looking woman in herte twenties and Mina guessed that this must be Anna. She quickly put the papers back into the file and handed the papers to the guard.


    "Give this to Gayoon," she instructed. "But don''t tell her that I read them."


    The guard was confused but bowed in obedience before heading into the mansion. Mina got into her car and drove off to meet Kanji at the Lin mansion. Half an hourter, she pulled up in front of the mansion.


    Kanji stood outside the mansion, wondering what Mina wanted.


    "She didn''t tell you?" Haejong''s voice asked him.


    "She sounded very disturbed," he muttered. "There''s something wrong"


    "There she is!" Haejong said. Mina was rushing towards Kanji with a worried look on her face. Even though Mina was pretending that the man standing in front of her was Haejong, she knew that it would be best to enlist the help of someone who knew that demon well.


    And who else would know him better than Kanji himself?


    But she must be careful not to let the truth slip. She did not want him to disappear forever. The moment hisst wish was fulfilled, Mina knew that Kanji would be gone. To keep him with her, she was ready to pretend ignorance as long as possible. But that did not mean she was going to let a monster reside in his original body.


    She slowly walked up to him, her face impassive.


    "I need your help," she said. "I think Kanji is cheating on me and I need to know the identity of his mistress!"

 Chapter 389: Day 3 (3)

    Chapter 389: Day 3 (3)


    Minho stopped in front of Jina''s school. The little girl sat on the passenger''s seat, looking a little lost. He knew that she was still upset over what happened with Kanji and even though he wanted tofort her, he did not know how. How could hefort her when he himself could not ept reality?


    "Are you alright?" he finally asked.


    "No," Jina admitted in a thick voice. "It''s...it''s just hard! Seeing uncle Kanji like that"


    If his death was hard on them, knowing that his spirit was going to leave within two days was even harder to digest. How were they going to live without him?


    As long as she could remember, Kanji was always there. Even if her father constantlyined about him, she knew that Kanji was his best friend and almost like a brother to him. In all their family pictures and events, her uncle Kanji was always there.


    But after two days, he would not be around anymore. How were they going to cope with that?


    Minho patted her head. "That idiot will never be able to go if you''re sad," he said in a soft tone. "I know him very well. He''d rather like it if I kick him into the afterlife in annoyance rather than be sad about it. At least he''ll know we''ll be alright."


    "Will we be alright?" Jina asked. She looked at him with herrge doey eyes, seeking answers. If there was one thing Minho could not do, was lie to his daughter.


    "No," he finally said. "But we''ll have to try."


    He lovingly poked her forehead. Jina could not help but lean over and hug her father. She tried not to cry but the damn tears would not stop. Minho let her cry for a while, patting her back as the little girl tried toe to terms with their loss.


    Finally, he let her go and wiped her tears with a tissue. "Fix yourself before going to ss," he instructed in a thick tone. "Focus on your studies and don''t think of anything else. If any spirites around you, don''t talk to them. We can''t trust any ghosts right now. What if that demon tries to hurt you? Keep those amulets with you, alright?"


    Jina nodded, averting her gaze from him. She still did not tell her parents about that witch who had threatened her but she had toe up with something fast. The witch woulde for her and Jina would have no choice but to go with her. Otherwise not only they would lose Kanji''s body to the demon but also grandpa Jason would be killed off.


    She got out of the car and slowly walked towards her school. The kids around her were chattering in excitement but Jina kept her distance from them. She could not stand their happy faces when her own heart was so sad. It astounded her that while her family was living in misery, everyone around them was oblivious to their sufferings. Was that how the world worked? In a blissful oblivion? Why were everyone else happy while they suffered?


    For the first time in her life, Jina felt a sense of resentment towards others. It was strange because she never thought ill of anyone but at that moment, even in the crowd, she feltpletely alone and numb.


    Her mind was scathingly cursing the people who were smiling andughing. The sight of their cheerful faces was making her nauseous. She clutched the straps of her bag and stood there, observing the kids. Her heart was racing fast and she felt suffocated in the crowd.


    Smiles. Smiles everywhere. The children brushed past her, uncaring and unaware of what was going on in her mind. Her feet refused to move while the images of the smiling faces were slowly turning into surreal ones. They were all now turning towards her but instead of happy smiles, they shed mockingughters at her.


    Her head was spinning wild images. The kids were taunting her, gloating their smiles in front of her, making Jina nervous and scared. She was finding it heavy to breathe, their whispers echoing in her ears.


    "You''ll never be happy" someone spoke in her ears, the voice almost like a wisp.


    "The dead do note back"


    "You failed him."


    "You''re nothing but a weakling"


    The whispers were getting louder. Jina shut her ears but she could still hear the taunts and jeers. The kids were now gathered around her, mockingly smiling. She could no longer distinguish their faces; all were like dark shadows with bright smiles etched on them. They were engulfing her, making her ufortable. Their hands reached out to her, poking and grabbing her.


    "Let me go" she moaned weakly. Her feet would not move, her muscles still like a statue. She wanted to run and escape their clutches but it was impossible.


    "Please...let me go" she begged.


    "You''re a monster" the whispers were getting louder. "A freak and a failure! He died because of you"


    "No"


    Jina lost all sense of time and space as the dark faces closed in on her, their sinister smiles etched on their faces. It was impossible to tell who were her friends and who were her foes because everyone looked the same.


    "We''re happy but you...you deserve to be in hell"


    No...she thought weakly. This is a dream! Just a...dream


    Her senses gave away and she fell on the ground, unconscious. As soon as she fainted, all the dark shadows were gone, reced back with the children who were simply chatting or ying amongst themselves. They turned around to find Jina unconscious in front of the field and they rushed to help her. A few of the teachers also ran towards the little girl.


    "What happened?" a teacher demanded from one of the students.


    "W-we don''t know, teacher!" she imed. "We saw Jina standing here and wereing to invite her to y with us when she suddenly fainted!"


    The teacher checked Jina''s pulse and breathing. Thankfully, she was still breathing.


    "I''ll take her to the nurse''s office," she dered. "If she''s not awake within half an hour, we''ll inform her parents!"


    She carried the little girl to the nurse''s office. Jina was half-conscious and aware that she was being carried away by someone. In her daze, she slightly opened her eyes to see what was going on. Her senses were muddled but in her confused state, she thought she saw a familiar slim figure with long dark hair. The figure stared back at her with an evil smile on her face.


    "I am waiting," Anna mouthed at Jina, smirking in delight.

 Chapter 390: Day 3 (4)

    Chapter 390: Day 3 (4)


    Mina stopped outside of the Jang mansion. Kanji sat next to her, worried about what she was up to. She told him that ''Kanji'' was living with a woman named Anna and she was determined to find out if he was ying with Mina''s feelings again.


    On the other hand, Mina deliberately lied to Kanji so that he would remain clueless that she knew about his death. She had to make up an excuse on why she was suddenly interested in this Anna Kirishima so she lied to him about her being the mistress of the demon presumed to be Kanji.


    "How did you find out that this Anna is Jang Kanji''s mistress?" Kanji asked.


    "A friend of mine saw them together at the mall and told me," Mina lied smoothly. She brought a pair of binocrs and was peering at Kanji''s bedroom from afar. For precaution, she had secretly brought a jar of salt but Kanji did not know that. She just hoped she would not have to use it.


    "I had a friend dig up information on this Anna," she went on. Handing him her phone, she added, "Check the picture gallery. You''ll find the images of the file she sent me."


    Kanji scrolled through the documents, interested to know about that bitch who killed him.


    "Her real name is Makoto Ara," he frowned. "Half Japanese and was born in this country. Her father was the owner of an ounting firm and mother was a"


    "Prostitute," Mina finished for him. "Isn''t it strange? An owner of a wealthy firm married someone like her?"


    "Maybe they fell in love," Kanji suggested.


    "Love my foot!" Mina snapped. "The woman was apparently part of some cult. I wouldn''t be surprised if she had bewitched him. After meeting that shaman my dad hangs out with, I''m sure that many of these folks charm others to do their bidding."


    Kanji read more about Anna. She was born only a few months after her parents'' marriage. Her father died in a mysterious ident when she was only five years old and her mother went back to her old profession to support her daughter. Soon, her mother got a variety of wealthy lovers who for some reason, paid for their extravagant lifestyle.


    There''s no doubt that she was one of the Devil worshippers, Kanji concluded. Minho and Gayoon kept him updated with all the things they had found out and how Anyal was going to target either Minho or Jina. But the demon had specifically asked for Jina


    "That''s her!" Mina suddenly hissed. Kanji leaned over to see Anna Kirishima entering the mansion.


    "We need to spy on them," Mina muttered. "But how"


    "Should we wait out here until one of themes out?" Kanji asked. He was also curious to know what the demon and his minion were up to.


    "Let''s do that," Mina agreed. She rolled up the window of the car and turned on the AC. They sat in silence, waiting for one of them toe out.


    "You really think he''s cheating on you?" Kanji finally asked her. "I thought you''d be happy upon hearing his confession."


    "I was surprised to hear his confession," Mina stated carefully. "Happy? I''m not too sure."


    Kanji frowned a little at her. "Why not? You''ve loved him for years. I thought you''d be more happy about it."


    "I love Jang Kanji," she said in a clear tone. "There''s no doubt about that."


    She slightly turned to face him. "Nothing in this world would make me let go of my love for Kanji. Whether in life or in death, he''ll remain the man I love"


    Kanji''s heart skipped several beats. He was not sure how to respond to her words. For a moment, he wanted to tell her everything. Confess that he was Kanji and he was there for her. That it was her love which kept him tied to the world of the living and he wanted to hold her in her arms, never letting go.


    But he held himself back with great difficulty. If he said that, he would have to reveal to her that he was dead and once their time was over, he would leave forever.


    Mina looked away from him. She read his thoughts and like him, held herself back from telling him the truth. It was not the time to fall weak but to make that demon pay for what it did to her beloved Kanji. Never had she hated someone so much and the fact that the demon was unting Kanji''s face all over the world, possessing his body like some kind of prize, was intolerable for her.


    Kanji was silent for a long time, gathering his thoughts while Mina kept on staring at the mansion.


    "If I know something about Jang Kanji," he began. "Is that there''s only one woman he could love."


    Mina turned to face him with aplicated expression. Both of their hearts were in turmoil, wanting to say many things but unable to say anything at all.


    "I know," she said before turning away to hide her unshed tears. She took a deep breath, not breaking down in front of him. Kanji was troubled by her actions, wondering what would happen if she caught Anyal and Anna together.


    "There they are!" Mina gasped. Kanji looked around and saw that Anyal and Anna wereing out of the mansion together. They got into a car and drove off.


    "Let''s follow them!" Kanji urged. Mina revved up the engine and slowly followed them from a distance.


    "Where are they going?" Kanji frowned after a while. They were following the car which was heading to the outskirts of the city. Mina tailed the car, keeping a distance as it sped through the secluded forest path. A fog was beginning to set in as they drove on for hours. The sun was almost setting and thest rays of sunlight were beginning to disappear.


    "Why are they driving towards the forest?" Mina wondered.


    "This is so weird," he muttered. The car had been driving on for hours without stopping. It was as if the vehicle was driving aimlessly


    "There''s something wrong!" Kanji imed.


    "What?" Mina frowned.


    "Stop this car!" he ordered. "And turn back!"


    Mina did as he told her to do and to their surprise, the car ahead also stopped.


    "Should we approach it?" she asked nervously. She clutched her bag and stealthily took out a handful of salt and stuffed it in her pocket.


    "Let''s go but stay right behind me," he ordered.


    They got out of the car. Mina grabbed Kanji''s arm and stayed behind him. They slowly approached the car in front of them and stopped. Kanji reached out to open the door while Mina kept a firm grip on him.


    He slowly opened the door and to their shock, the seats were empty!


    "What the hell?" Mina muttered in shock but Kanji was sensing danger. Something was not right


    "NO!" he yelled and before Mina could even yelp, he jumped on her and rolled away.


    A loud explosion shattered the silence of the night, the force of it throwing them further backwards. Both of them looked in shock as the car burst into mes all on its own.


    "What the hell?" Both of them eximed but that was not the end to their shock.


    Walking out of the mes was


    "Anna!" Kanji gritted as the sly woman smirked at him.


    "Hello again," she greeted smugly. "Time for the next phase of our n."


    Before either of them could move, Anna snapped her fingers. Branches from the trees reached out and grabbed Mina''s limbs, dragging her away.


    "AHHHHHH!" She screamed.


    "Mina!" Kanji yelled but another pair of branches twisted around his limbs and dragged him into the forest with her. Both of their screams were drowned out by Anna''s magic and she watched in delight as both her prey were being taken away.


    "Now," she said softly. "Time to send a message."

 Chapter 391: Day 3 (5)

    Chapter 391: Day 3 (5)


    Minho pulled up in front of the dested construction site. It was past midnight so the workers had gone home to rest. He stepped out of the car to inspect the building which he had purchased for his NGO project. It was Gayoon''s old school which had been under construction for months.


    He did not really know where else to go. They needed more information on the Gates of Hell and only one ce came to his head where he might get some sort of information. He could have gone anywhere and opened a portal to the World of the Dead but there was no guarantee he would not run into a reaper elsewhere.


    At least he knew someone in that school''s portal.


    Slowly making his way through the gate, Minho headed straight for Building B which had been kept rtively untouched by the construction. He climbed the stairs, the sounds of his footsteps echoing loudly throughout the corridors. Even though it was springtime, there was a chill in the air. Minho felt as if there were several eyes watching him but he ignored them. The ce was full of wandering spirits but he did not have time to deal with them.


    Finally, he reached the top floor where ssroom number 12A was situated. Standing in front of it, he took a deep breath and raised a finger to make a circle in the air. He concentrated on the face of the curly haired girl and muttered, "Patentibus."


    Instantly, red sparks erupted from his fingers and a portal gaped open. He stepped inside the familiar yet unsettling silence, finding himself in the middle of a football field this time.


    "You."


    He turned around to find the curly haired girl sitting on one of the benches, watching him. She was far but her voice was very clear. It was hard not to hear her even from that distance because the whole ce was so goddamn quiet.


    "Me," Minho shrugged. The Girl stared at him for a while before disapparating from her spot and appearing right in front of Minho within a span of a second.


    "I told you not toe back here," she said in a t tone.


    "I need to know something," he said. He was about to speak but the girl held up a finger.


    "I think the reapers wille here," she warned. "Let''s go to the Assembly Hall."


    Minho nodded and concentrated hard on the picture of the hall where Gayoon''s reunion party had taken ce. Another portal opened and they entered the Assembly Hall.


    "Speak," shemanded in a soft yet authoritative tone.


    "Mr. A," Minho began. "His real name is Anyal and he''s a demon."


    Minho quickly briefed her on what happened and how the demon was upying his friend''s body. The Girl sat on the floor, listening to everything with apt attention.


    "Hmm" she began once he finished his tale. "My guess about him was right. He''s trying to skew the bnce of life and death. If those gates are opened, then souls from both hell and this realm will be able to escape."


    "But where will we find those gates?" Minho asked. "There must be some ce from where they open."


    "The gates will open wherever you want them to be," The Girl simply said. "I''ve never seen the gates myself and I hope I''ll never have to. But I have heard about it from some passing spirits. The ones who used to be able to talk anyway. They''re now reaper meat, but you get the gist."


    "Anyways," she went on, ignoring Minho''s difort. "If the Gates of Hell are located in this realm, then chances are that they work the same way as the portals do. The gates will open wherever the Devil''s targets are so that he could swoop on them and take the souls easily. The souls are probably taken from the spot of their death and kept in that ce. Only difference is, they''re hidden in a dimension away from the clutches of humans or even that of spirits. They''re tortured in that ce but no one hears their screams."


    "So that Princess'' soul is stuck in the ce where she died?" Minho asked. "And in order to bring her out, that demon will have to open the Gates of Hell located at that spot?"


    "Probably," the girl said. "It''s all theory but if the gates are in the World of the Dead, the rules of this ce should apply to the gates as well."


    She let out a sigh and nced at Minho. "Is that why you''re really here?" she asked. "To know about the gates?"


    "Yes and no," Minho admitted. He sat next to her and fidgeted with his fingers. "It was too noisy outside," he said. "I wanted toe here away from the noise. Also, to see if this is where Kanji will end up after..."


    He trailed off, unable to say anything more. The girl understood what he implied.


    "Your friend might not end up here," the girl assured him. "Only those who have no remorse or those who choose toe here, like me, will end up in this ce. If your friend feels any remorse, he''ll not be sent here. He''ll probably be sent to the Afterlife."


    "What about you?" he asked her. "Are you gonna stay here forever?"


    "I" she began. "I got my memories back."


    Minho was slightly surprised but waited for her to borate.


    "It happened after you and your girlfriend left," she said. "I began to slowly remember my past. This is a sign that my time here ising to an end. Once I get all my memories back, I''ll be able to move on to the Afterlife."


    "That can happen?" he asked in surprise.


    "It''s rare but happens," she confirmed. She shed a sad smile at him and added, "This might be thest time you''ll see me here. I can''t guarantee that I''ll be here if you visit again."


    Minho returned her smile. "That''s okay," he said. "After the red moon night, I won''t return to this cursed ce either. Nor do I have any intention ofing here after my own death."


    "Then keep on being a good person," she told him. "Be happy and make your loved ones happy. Be a good dad to your daughter and also"


    She turned to face him, "Be a kindpanion to Gayoon," she requested. "She''s a good person and deserves someone who would love her with all his heart. All her life, she couldn''t get much affection from others. I hope you''ll be able to give her that."


    The Girl kept on smiling at him, her solemn face looking more fresh. For once, she seemed more like an excited teenager with hopes and dreams rather than a lost soul.


    "I will," he promised. "Do you recall your name?"


    "I do," she simply said. Minho smiled but did not ask her anything more. They sat in silence, letting their thoughts run free. For once the silence was weing and Minho was finally able to collect his awry thoughts. Kanji''s death had made him numb and unfeeling but after hugging Jina that day, he realized that being sad was not going to give his friend any peace.


    Sitting there in the deafening silence, Minho only recalled the moments he had with his friend and he knew that The Girl was also doing the same. She, too, was remembering her moments with the only person she was able to consider as a friend even if it was for a brief while.


    "Tell her to remember me often," she finally said. "That''s all I''d like."


    He nodded, feeling grateful for her silent presence. "I will," he vowed. They settled into another silence, thinking of everything.


    And of nothing.

 Chapter 392: Day 4 (1)

    Chapter 392: Day 4 (1)


    *Day 4*


    "Mina!" Kanji called her name in a hoarse tone but she waspletely out cold and tied to a tree. He tried to walk towards her but he could not do so. There was a salt circle around him which prevented him from going out of it and his hands were tied with peach branches. The branches cut into his skin in a painful manner and he felt the skin burning.


    "Don''t overexert yourself!" Haejong scolded him. "The more you''ll move, the deeper they''ll cut into the skin."


    "But"


    "Just calm down and think!"


    Kanji could not calm down but Haejong was right. He must calm down. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked around.


    They were in the middle of a thick forest which waspletely dark and eerily silent. They had been kept there for hours but no animals came their way. The trees were looming above them, blocking all light while an unsettling fog engulfed them. The ground was damp underneath his feet and the air stank of rotten woods and animal carcasses. The thick set of trees blocked him from seeing anything beyond a few feet. Long tresses of branches hung from the trees but Kanji tried not to let them touch him in case they were poisonous and harmed Haejong''s body.


    "This looks like a very deep part of the forest past the highway," Haejongmented.


    "Why did they bring us here?" Kanji wondered.


    He could feel Haejong was thinking hard. "Don''t you think it''s too quiet?" Haejong finally asked.


    "It''s a forest," Kanji shrugged. "I doubt people woulde here."


    "No no," Haejng said. "Listen! Do you hear anything at all? Any cries of insects or animals? Birds? Can you hear at all?"


    Kanji frowned and listened hard. To his surprise, Haejong was right. There were no sounds at all. In fact, it waspletely silent. Were forests supposed to be like that?


    He recalled his own experience when he went to search for the CCK with Minho. Even if it waste at night, there were some sounds like cicadas crying or owls hooting. But here, there were no sounds. None at all.


    "No living beingse this way," he realized. The fog was thickening with every minute, swirling like a white nket around them. Mina was still unconscious and unaware of their situation.


    "The salt is stuck to the ground," Kanji gritted. He tried to blow on it to create an opening but that damn bitch Anna was well prepared. Their phones were taken away and he had no idea how deep they were inside the forest.


    Mina moaned a little and fluttered her eyes open.


    "Mina!" Kanji called out. "Are you alright?"


    She peered around in confusion. "Where are we?" she asked.


    "I don''t know," Kanji whispered. Mina tried to let herself loose but the more she tried, the tighter her binds got. She nced at him and noticed that Kanji was locked inside a salt circle only a few feet away from her.


    "Salt" she moaned. Kanji frowned for a moment before it hit him. Salt! She would find out he was a spirit!


    To his surprise, she did not ask him anything but was trying to reach for the salt with her foot to push it a little.


    "What are you doing?" he asked slowly.


    "Trying to move some of the salt with my foot," she exined. Mina pushed her foot further but it was still a few inches far. Kanji frowned but he stepped ahead to push the salt with his foot but as soon as he touched it, an electric shock coursed through his body and he fell backwards.


    "AGH!" he yelled. Something slightly ripped on his back and he felt his shirt getting soaked.


    "Don''t touch it you idiot!" Mina scolded him. "Salt will hurt you and Haejong''s stitches will be ripped!"


    Kanji froze upon hearing her words. Ignoring the pain on his back, he sat up to face her, his mind full of questions.


    "You" he began but Mina sighed.


    "You should really stop repeating your advice," she said in a sad tone. "What you told me on the beach, is something only Kanji had told me. Only an idiot would miss out on those words."


    "You...you knew it was me?" he whispered.


    Mina shed him a sad smile, her eyes tearing up. "Jang Kanji showing up in the hospital to visit me in a green shirt and no gifts?" she slightly snorted. "That demon doesn''t know you at all. Very sloppy work. Why else do you think I didn''t address you as Haejong after our trip to the beach?"


    Kanji could not believe what he heard. Now that he reflected on their short time together, he realized that after their beach trip, she never addressed him as Haejong. And at the fair, she also snatched away the tea from his hands. It struck him as odd but she must have tasted peach vor in it. The woman at the fair had figured out he was a spirit and tried to harm him but Mina saved him.


    Like she always did.


    There was a long stretch of silence between them as they braced themselves to face the reality hovering ahead of them. They did not dare to express their feelings out loud this time. What would they express? A promise of love? Or the pain of separation?


    Kanji was about to say something when they heard the crunching of leaves and several footsteps approaching them.


    "A sad love story"


    Anna''s twisted smile was taunting them as she stepped forward. Jason was with her, still under her spell. He was giving them a nk stare, unthinking and uncaring.


    "Don''t worry," Anna told them. "Once we open the Gates of Hell, we''ll make sure that you two are sent off together to the Afterlife. It''s not a bad deal, right? If both of you are dead, then you won''t be separated!"


    Kanji snarled at her. "You really think that demon is gonna let you live?" he demanded. "He cares about no one but himself! He''ll kill you too-"


    "My master knows I have served him faithfully," Anan imed in a soft tone. "And I''ll keep on serving him until I get what I want. He promised me and demons are bound to keep their promise"


    "Let''s see," Mina said coolly. "We don''t fear death but it seems that you do. I wonder what sort of deal you made with him and what he''s gonna take from you."


    "From me or from you?" Anna snickered. Behind her, Jason still stood like a statue.


    "What do you mean?" Mina hissed.


    "Oh honey"


    Anna stooped down and touched Mina''s stray strand of hair. Mina flinched her face away but Anna grabbed her chin and looked directly into her eyes.


    "Listen here, Miss Doctor," Anna said in a threatening tone. "What we seek is beyond yourprehension. To cancel a deal with the Devil, once has to give him something even greater in value to exchange. And we have the perfect soul to exchange. So if you want to live, just behave. Got it?"


    She shook Mina away and turned around to leave. Jason was about to follow her when Kanji yelled out.


    "Dad!" he cried. "Dad, it''s me! It''s your Kanji! Dad, she''s the one who killed me and turned me into a ghost! You''re helping the wrong person! Help Minho find us!"


    When Jason did not reply, Kanji went on. "Dad, she was the one who tricked me and killed me! The ''Kanji'' in your mansion isn''t me! That''s the demon who''s her master! Talk to Minho, dad! He''ll tell you the truth!"


    His father waspletely under Anna''s spell and did not even nce at him. Kanji felt his hopes being crushed but he still prayed that his father would at least acknowledge his words. But he waspletely under Anna''s mercy.


    Kanji stared at Jason''s back but the man did not turn around. Instead, he kept on following Anna, not heeding to his son''s pleas.


    "Dad" Kanji whispered. Mina was also staring at Jason''s back, feeling all their hope disappear. But Anna''s words were also ringing in her ears.


    "Kanji" she said slowly. "What did that hoe mean when she said that in order to cancel a deal with the Devil, they''ll have to give something even greater in value to exchange?"


    He frowned a little. "After they killed me, Anyal told me to tell the Hwang''s that he wanted Jina," he recalled. "And as far as I know, Anyal''s dead girlfriend made some deal with the Devil and when it wasplete, the Devil took her soul. So Anyal is opening the Gates of Hell to bring back his gal."


    Mina was suddenly frightened. "We''ll have to tell the others!" she eximed. "This deal...this isn''t simply to rescue his girlfriend! He''s plotting something else!"


    "Then what is it?"


    "It''s an exchange!" Mina realized. "He''s exchanging the soul of his girlfriend for Jina!"

 Chapter 393: Day 4 (2)

    Chapter 393: Day 4 (2)


    Gayoon was trying to reach Mina over the phone for hours but it was not connecting. Junho and Shinjin were sitting on the couch, worried about both Mina and Kanji.


    "Did you reach through?" Junho asked.


    "No," she replied. "Her phone is switched off!"


    Junho cursed out loud. Minho was unavable too but he had told them he was going back to Gayoon''s school to talk to the soul he had encountered in his trip to the World of the Dead. He had been out all night and they could not even tell him that Mina and Kanji were missing.


    "Do you think that Anyal might have struck?" Shinjin asked.


    "That''s possible," Gayoon said. "There''s just one day left for the ritual. It''d be odd if he didn''t strike yet. We''ve put Jina under so much protection that I''m sure he''s now resorting to this"


    "But we''ve given amulets to Mina as well," Junho pointed out. "He shouldn''t be able to touch her!"


    "What about his servant though?" Gayoon frowned. "She''s a spirit too, right? We couldn''t see her on the CCTV camera!"


    "It seems like she is a spirit," Shinjin said but his voice was full of uncertainty. "Did you find anything about her?"


    "The rookie officer was supposed to give the file to me but I didn''t receive it yet" Gayoon trailed off. She dialed the rookie''s number. He picked up in one ring.


    "Yes ma''am!" he greeted her. "Did you receive the file?"


    "You sent the file?" Gayoon frowned. "When?"


    "I handed it over to your sister-inw," the officer frowned. "Didn''t you receive it from her? I gave it to her right outside the mansion."


    Gayoon was shocked. Mina had the file?


    "I''ll be back!" she eximed at the men. She hung up the phone and rushed to the main gate. The guard was startled to see Gayoon panting heavily.


    "Did you see Mina receiving any file yesterday?" she demanded from the guard. The guard frowned before recalling something.


    "Yes!" he remembered. "She took pictures of the file and handed it to me to give it to you. But someone called me and then I forgot."


    "Forgot?" Gayoon yelled at him. "That''s an important file! How can you just forget?"


    The guard was apologetic and hurried back into his station. A few secondster, he emerged out of it, carrying a file.


    "This is the file, ma''am!" he squeaked. "I''m so sorry-"


    Gayoon did not bother to listen to his excuses and sprinted back inside. Junho and Shinjin were surprised to see her looking so angry.


    "The dumb guard forgot to hand over the file to me!" she revealed. "I''m going to have a talk with all the household staff after this mess is over!"


    She opened the file and ced the documents on a coffee table for the men to read.


    "Makoto Ara" Shinjin read. "But there''s no mention of her being dead.


    "Which means she''s not dead," Junho gritted. "She''s alive! FU-"


    He let out a stream of curses which confused Gayoon. "So you''re saying she''s not a spirit?" she demanded.


    "No!" Shinjin eximed. "She''s not a spirit! That bitch is human!"


    The two men were now worried. The CCTV part was an illusion. They thought that Anyal must have used some magic to make Anna visible to everyone. Or maybe she was a demon, not a spirit, so she could be seen by the naked eye as per her will. The magic she used was iprehensible for a regr human and certainly not practiced widely even by witches.


    "She must have learnt a lot of tricks from him," Junho said in a bitter tone.


    "But what the hell does all this mean?" Gayoon asked. "Why are you so worried about the fact that she''s alive?"


    "The amulets are designed to keep away spirits," Shinjin sighed. "Not humans. She''s just a very powerful witch and not a spirit. So she can evade charms and amulets just like any other human being."


    "WHAT?" Gayoon yelled. "UGH!"


    Just then, Minho entered the house to find everyone in a panicked state. "What the hell happened?" he demanded.


    "A lot of things," Gayoon scowled. She narrated everything to him, leaving him shell shocked.


    "This is bad," he said in a worried tone. "We''ll have to keep an eye on Jina and prepare for the exorcism!"


    "But we don''t even know where the gates are," Junho said.


    "The gates will be at the ce where that princess died," Minho informed them. "I talked to that spirit in the World of the Dead. She told me that if the gates are in there, then those gates will also follow the rules of that world. So if Anyal needs to take out the Princess'' soul from hell, he''ll have to open the gates from the spot where she died."


    "How do we find out where the spot is?" Gayoon asked.


    "There''s no other option," Minho gritted. "I''ll have to talk to Anyal and make the deal. Make an exchange. I''ll tell him that I''ll open the gate if he returns Mina and Kanji to us."


    "But it might be a trap!" Gayoon argued. "How do we know he''s gonna believe us?"


    "We''ll have to try," Junho said. The adults entered into a discussion about the next course of action. Unbeknownst to them, Jina was upstairs, listening to them. Yumi was also with her, worried about what was going to happen.


    "Your aunt and Kanji are in trouble," Yumi remarked. "Will they be alright?"


    Jina was thinking hard. The witch was going toe for her any moment but if the grown ups and Yumi were there, she would not be able to save Mina and Kanji


    "I''ve heard that grandpa Jason is under a spell," she said slowly. She looked up to face Yumi.


    "Yumi, follow him from a distance and see what he does!" Jina instructed. "If you see him anywhere suspicious, inform us immediately."


    But the ghost was frowning at her. "Who''ll protect you then?" she asked. "What if the witches for you?"


    "She won''t enter this house," Jina imed. "After all, the adults are here! That funny shaman is here too! He can get rid of her. I''m safe at home."


    "True," Yumi agreed. "Alright. I''ll keep an eye on Jang Jason and let you know."


    With that, Yumi disappeared in thin air toplete her mission. As soon as she was gone, Jina braced herself. The witch woulde for her anytime and Jina had no other choice but to go with her. Otherwise her aunt and uncle Kanji would be tortured.


    I just hope mom and dad will be able to find me, she prayed.

 Chapter 394: Day 4 (3)

    Chapter 394: Day 4 (3)


    Anyal was sitting next to the firece, sipping a ss of wine. His eyes were staring into the mes which had once consumed his beloved Ahin. For centuries, he had been burning in the grief of losing her, not being able to think of anything else but bring her back to him. His master, the Lord of Hell, had sealed off all entrances for him but he was determined to bring Ahin back.


    Raising his finger, he made a circle. A portal burst open and he stepped into the World of the Dead. Unlike Transporters, he did not need a spell to enter it.


    The zing fire disappeared and an ominous silence fell all around him. The grand mansion was empty and devoid of all people. He knew that despite the dark history of the Jang family, none of their victims died in that mansion. Moreover, the spirits of their ancestors had moved on to the Afterlife, so the Jang mansion in the World of the Dead was rtively empty except for the asional reapers who sometimes wandered around.


    "I wonder what Ahin is doing now," he said out loud. The mansion was too quiet. There was a time when he was used to the silence but after living in the human world for so long, theck of sounds was making him feel uneasy.


    Anyal sat on the floor, staring at therge window. He could not see anything beyond the gates of the mansion but he kept on staring into the nothingness, his mindpletely focused on what he was about to do.


    A shadow glided past him but he did not pay any attention to it. He knew who it was and why he was there.


    "You''re here" he said softly. Turning around, he found Minho. The mighty CEO had called him and asked him to meet in the other realm situated in the Jang Mansion.


    "Return Kanji and Mina," he demanded. "And I''ll perform the ritual for you."


    "I can''t return your friend," Anyal said with a sadistic smile. "He''s dead already."


    "His spirit is in the body of the Lin family''s head!" Minho snapped. "And you know it! Return all of them to us and I''ll open the gates for you."


    Anyal was still staring outside the window. "How do I know you''re not going to betray me?" he asked. "Your father is an exorcist. He''s been after me for years"


    He slowly turned to face Minho, who tried to control his anger. It was Kanji''s face which stared back at him with that sinister smile. Anyal was doing it on purpose to torment him.


    "Aren''t you affected at all?" the demon smirked. "Seeing your best friend like this? Possessed by the demon who killed your mother?"


    "You might have his face but you can''t possess his soul," Minho said tly. "You can wear the masks of all the people I love and I can still tell that it''s you. You see, you have a nasty stink."


    "The sulphur?" Anyal asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "No, it''s your soul," Minho shrugged. "It stinks."


    They stared directly at each other for a while, not talking nor flinching. A fire was burning in Minho as he looked at the demon with hate and disgust. How many people lost their lives for his madness? What did he gain from it? Could he really get his lover back from hell if he opened the gates to it?


    "You want to destroy me, but you can''t," Anyal imed. "A demon can''t be killed."


    "I just want my sister and friend back," Minho said. "I''ll open the gates once they''re safely back home."


    "Hmm" Anyal was lost in thought. Minho watched the demon carefully. He knew that Anyal would not agree so easily especially when Junho was involved. The demon must be deceived somehow.


    "Fine," Anyal said much to Minho''s surprise. "You can be the substitute for your daughter."


    Minho did not let out any sigh of relief but was rather skeptical. Why did the demon agree so easily? There was something amiss. Someone like Anyal would definitely see his words as a trap.


    "But you''re not going to leave this ce until the night of the red moon," the demon added. "You''ll stay in this spot. You can''t go out into the world of the living."


    Anyal smirked at him. "Is that a deal, Hwang Minho?"


    Minho was now in a dilemma. Gayoon knew that he was at Kanji''s ce but if he was stuck in the World of the Dead until the night of the red moon, then how was he going to alert them about the ce of the ritual?


    "Is that a deal, Hwang Minho?" the demon asked. "I''ll tell my servant to let your friend and sister go right before the ritual. Until then, they''ll be under my custody. Just like you."


    "How do I know you''re telling the truth?" Minho demanded.


    "They''re in the forest right off the highway," Anyal revealed. "Deep in the forest. Ten miles south from the entrance next to therge sign at the highway. There''s a fortress there which is in ruins."


    Minho let out a sharp breath as Anyal grinned. "Now that you know the exact location," he went on. "I can''t let you go. You''re stuck here with me, Hwang Minho. I''ll be guarding you until it''s time for the ritual."


    .


    "Where the hell is Minho?" Gayoon asked, feeling worried. She wanted to go with him but he insisted on going alone iming that the demon could not harm him but he would not hesitate to hurt Gayoon.


    "He went to meet Anyal all by his own!" Junho cursed. They could not go with him otherwise the demon would have been on alert.


    "What if he took Minho hostage?" Gayoon asked nervously. "I"


    She ran her fingers through her hair, unable to think at all. First it was Mina and Kanji who were abducted. Now Minho had been gone for hours. Anyal must have kept him hostage as well so that he would not be able to tell them the location of the ritual. In the meantime, Shinjin had gone back to his house to connect with other spirits who might be able to give information on Anyal''s former lover. It was going to take a long time but it was their only chance.


    "Where''s Jina?" Junho asked.


    "I put her to bed," Gayoon replied. "I checked on her just five minutes ago. She''s still sleeping."


    "Keep an eye on her," Junho advised. "She''s in the most danger. That demon and his servant mighte for her."


    Gayoon nodded and rushed back upstairs to check on Jina again. The little girl was sleeping soundly on her bed, lying on her back. Gayoon let out a sigh of relief and pulled the nket on top of her before kissing the girl''s forehead.


    Just then, Junho entered the bedroom.


    "Gayoon, there''s a call for you!" he hissed. "It''s Jason!"


    "Uncle Jason?" she frowned and quickly followed him out. As soon as they left, Jina opened her eyes and sat up. Her eyes were on the window which was closed tight. She watched as thetch on it began to loosen on its own until it waspletely unlocked.


    Jina slowly got out of bed and stood at the windowsill. Anna''s tall figure was standing at the carefully trimmedwn, smirking.


    "Come to me, little bird," Anna mouthed at her. "It''s time to go."

 Chapter 395: Day 4 (4)

    Chapter 395: Day 4 (4)


    Shinjin''s eyes were closed in concentration. He was in a room which hadpletely red wallpaper stered on the walls. The windows were shut tight and the door behind him was also locked from the inside. He sat on the edge of a circle with a pentagon drawn in it. At the center was another smaller circle.


    A candle stood on each corner of the pentagon, burning brightly. The lights were turned off but the mes from the candles illuminated the room in a reddish hue, emitting an eerie sense of istion. Sweat dripped from Shinjin''s face due to the heat but he kept his concentration intact as he chanted under his breath.


    "Oh you wandering spirits," he muttered. "I invite you to talk about Anyal. Share your wisdom and guide us to the right path."


    He continued to chant the spell, summoning any spirit which would help him. The room was beginning to get darker as several shadows whooshed by. mes on the candles were flickering but not going out. As Shinjin continued the summoning spell, the windows rattled hard and there were noisy poundings on the door.


    Someone was trying to break into the room but Shinjin did not let the noise distract his spell. A wind was blowing around him and yet, the candles were firmly rooted to the ce, not being snuffed out by the air.


    "Oh you wandering spirits," he kept on chanting. "I invite you to talk about Anyal. Share your wisdom and guide us to the right path."


    Suddenly, themotion stopped. The windows burst open on their own and the wind ceased to blow. Shinjin felt the temperature of the room drop. He heard a whoosh of air and a pair of eyes were looking at him, possibly out of disgust.


    "You dare to summon me, shaman."


    Shinjin slowly opened his eyes. In front of him was a pale, ghostly woman in her early twenties. She was lying on the floor with half of her torso; her legs were missing from waist down and instead, ck tar-like substance was dripping from that area as if she was bleeding. The woman''s once beautiful ck hair was now rough and damaged, browned by dirt. Half of her face was squashed but her hands were intact. She carried a knife in her hand and was looking at the shaman with hate.


    "Ugh," Shinjin scowled. "The Train Girl."


    The girl hissed at him. She was part of an urban story which became popr in thete 60''s. There were many versions but the mostmon one was that she was a college student named Chun Wonji who was waiting for the train one night at a secluded station. A pair of men came up to her and tried to mug the girl. In her defense, she fought back and managed to grab one of their knives but the other mugger pushed her on the tracks and got stabbed by the knife she was holding. Her feet were on the tracks but she was too injured to get up. Just then, the train arrived and squashed her legs, killing her on the spot.


    Since then, she had been haunting the stations all over the country, randomly popping up wherever she wanted. Her angry and vengeful spirit would attack any person who was unfortunate enough to pass by. The woman hated human beings because she felt cheated that she had to die so early while others lived which is why she killed as many people as possible. Many shamans tried to get rid of her but she would simply escape their clutches. The woman might be missing legs but she was damn fast in crawling.


    "Of all the ghosts who could have heeded to my summons!" Shinjinmented. " I just had to invite the most violent one."


    "What the fuck do you want, shaman?" the woman cursed. "I''ll kill you if you don''t let me go!"


    "Rx," he told her in a wary tone. "I''m just going to ask you some questions about someone and then you can go."


    The seance Shinjin had conducted was a special one and quite different from the one he performed at Minho''s old mansion. At that time, he had a name of the spirit so he was able to call Suna specifically for the ritual. But this time, he had to summon a spirit who would know more about Anyal or at least knew him somehow.


    Unfortunately, he did not have a name so he had to stab in the dark by using Anyal''s name to attract a spirit who might have heard his name.


    "Anyal," Shinjin said. Hearing that name made the Train Girl hiss in anger.


    "That cheating bastard!" she growled. "He promised me that he''ll give me all the wealth in the world"


    "You were his servant?" Shinjin frowned.


    "Yes," the Train Girl said in a bitter tone. "I was once his devoted servant but the guy betrayed me! I found a Transporter for him who was able to open the Gates of Hell! Tormented that Transporter so much that she got enticed into opening the gates for her beloved son. You see, I had Anyal possess her and then killed her son. We lied to the Transporter that we can bring back the son if she opens the gates. We forced that Transporter to do our bidding. But just before she was about to open the gates, Anyal betrayed me and opened a portal which led to the railway tracks and I died when the train ran over me!"


    That Transporter must be Kim Suna''s grandmother then, Shinjin realized.


    "The reality is that the sacrifice isn''t part of the ritual to open the gates," she went on. "It''s part of the ritual to cancel a deal with the devil."


    "Cancel a deal with the devil?" Shinjin frowned.


    "Yes," the Train Girl said. "To cancel the deal with the Devil, you''ll need to open the Gates of Hell. Simply taking out a soul won''t do. The Transporter who''s opening the gates, has to offer the Devil a sacrifice first. Once the soul is in the sp of Anyal, he used to force the Transporter to open the gates. Only a Transporter who has opened the portal to the World of the Dead can open the Gates of Hell. And his or her sacrifice will be epted. But the sacrifice must be something valuable. Not any soul was going to work. The soul which needs to be sacrificed must be of good value. Anyal miscalcted the ritual all these years but now he''s finally gotten the hang of it. He must have found that special soul."


    "A special sacrifice" Shinjin drifted off.


    "The person to be sacrificed must have powers which will be enough to entice even the Devil into breaking the contract," the Train Girl hissed. "Someone who can change the course of the dimensions of both living and the dead. So when the previous Transporter tried to open the gates, the Devil wasn''t interested in her son''s soul and the ritual to cancel the deal failed. Feeling betrayed, the Transporter closed the gates again so that Anyal couldn''t take out his lover''s soul."


    Shinjin''s eyes widened in shock. There was one person who did fulfill that criteria.


    "You''re free to go," he suddenly said. Before the Train Girl could say anything else, he muttered something under his breath and threw a pinch of salt at her. The ghost shrieked in pain and disappeared.


    Instantly, the candles were snuffed out and the red room was nketed by darkness. Shinjin quickly picked up his phone and rushed out. He dialed Junho''s number but the guy was not picking up.


    "Pick up!" Shinjin snarled but his calls went unanswered. He quickly got into his car, not even changing out of his slippers and sped off towards the Hwang Mansion.


    "Just be safe," he whispered.

 Chapter 396: Day 4 (5)

    Chapter 396: Day 4 (5)


    Gayoon was on the phone with Jason while Junho was listening in. She had put the call on speaker so that both of them could talk to Jason.


    "Hello, uncle Jason," she greeted. "Is everything alright?"


    A hoarse breath could be heard from the other side as if Jason was trying to collect his thoughts.


    "Gayoon...is my son...is Kanji really dead?" he whispered.


    She nced at Junho who looked troubled. What should they tell him? Was it really Jason or was it one of Anyal''s tricks?


    "Today, at the forest, I heard that boy, Lin Haejong, im that he''s Kanji," Jason said in a tone which sounded like he was about to cry. "That the person staying with me is not Kanji but someone else. It all sounded bizarre but he sounded like my son! The way he spoke and pleaded at me. Even Mina was with him and she didn''t refute it! She begged for help from me. At that moment, I felt as if I was snapped out of a spell"


    "Jason," Junho finally spoke up. "Jason, do you remember me?"


    From the other side, Jason froze. That voice! It was


    "Junho?" he frowned. "Why are you with Gayoon? What''s going on?"


    "Are you really awake from Anna''s spell?" Junho asked.


    "What?"


    "What''s the name of my high school ex with whom I broke up because she spent all my pocket money on cupcakes?" Junho demanded.


    "That Choo Eunji?" Jason asked.


    Junho looked at Gayoon and said, "He''s out of the spell."


    "Listen to me," Junho began, turning back to the phone. "That boy, Lin Haejong, he''s telling the truth. Kanji is dead and now his spirit is possessing Haejong''s body. The person who spoke was your son''s spirit! You might not believe all this but I know that as a father, you sensed your son was there. Your heart believes that he''s speaking the truth!"


    "You killed your own wife and abandoned your children!" Jason shot back."How do I know you''re telling the truth?"


    "Uncle Jason, we don''t have time at all!" Gayoon snapped at him. "Long story short. The Hwang''s have reconciled but I''ll tell you everythingter. Right now, Mina has been kidnapped and there''s no sign of Minho either! Anna Kirishima, she''s behind it all! You said so yourself that you felt as if a spell had been lifted from you. Please tell us where you saw Mina and Haejong or Kanji. Ugh! Whatever. Just tell us where they are!"


    There was a long pause on the other end.


    "You know the forest off the highway?" Jason asked.


    "Yeah," both Gayoon and Junho said in unison.


    "From the entrance near the highway''s sign, go south until you see a fortress which is in ruins," he instructed. "You''ll find them there."


    "Jason, listen to me very carefully," Junho ordered. "Continue pretending to obey Anna. Do whatever she tells you to. Don''t talk to Mina and Kan-Haejong right now. Let them keep thinking that you''re working for Anna. Think of it as some kinda...mafia spy mission!"


    Jason was still confused but he replied, "Okay. I''ll keep Gayoon posted on what''s happening here."


    With that he hung up the phone. Gayoon was now worried.


    "Ahjusshi, I''ll go ahead," she said. "You stay here and take care of Jina."


    "Are you crazy?" he scolded her. "I should go and you stay back with Jina! Minho is already missing and she needs her mother here."


    "But-"


    She was interrupted by a loud bang on the door. "That must be Shinjin," Junho said.


    He got up to answer the door but the shaman barged right into the house and sprinted upstairs.


    "What''s going on?" Gayoon asked.


    "I have no idea," Junho muttered. They followed the shaman to Jina''s room. As soon as they entered it, Gayoon almost copsed in shock.


    "J-Jina!" she shrieked. "W-where''s my daughter?"


    "She was here just five minutes ago!" Junho yelled. "Where"


    "Anna Kirishima," Shinjin revealed. "She must have taken her. This was the n all along!"


    "But Anyal already has Minho to conduct the ritual!" Gayoon eximed. She was beyond herself. First Minho and now Jina. Where were they and what was that demon doing to them?


    "Tell me!" She shrieked at the shaman, grabbing his cor. Shinjin looked a little guilty but Gayoon was beyond herself.


    "WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO TO HER?" she yelled, shaking him hard. "TELL ME!"


    "That rat bastard of a demon tricked all of us!" Shinjin gritted. "It''s not just a transporter he needs to open the Gates. He also needs an additional sacrifice to break the Ahin''s deal with the Devil. A sacrifice who possessed enough powers for the Devil to ept the new deal."


    "You mean to say that..." Junho slowly said as realization dawned on him.


    "He''ll make Minho open the gates and give my daughter as the sacrifice," Gayoon gasped. Her mind waspletely in shock and she swayed sideways before falling to the ground, fainting on the spot.


    ....


    Jina''s eyes fluttered open. Her vision was a little blurry but she blinked several times to take a clear look at her surroundings.


    The ceiling above her was made of stone and the walls surrounding the room were partially broken. There was a stench of rotten wood and mushy fungi in the air which was almost nauseating her. She could see hints of a forest outside but her vision was limited.


    She looked down and realized that her hands and feet were tied in an X position. Anna had ced her on a stone b which looked like a dial. But her strange situation did not scare her.


    What scared her, was theplete silence. Even in the middle of a ruined building, there should have been some kind of sound. Insects, animals. Something should have made sounds.


    But it felt as if she had gone deaf or the world had died and she was thest person alive. It was so quiet, that Jina could almost hear her own heartbeats.


    "Where am I?" she asked out loud. "Mom...mommy!"


    She was now crying in fear. All she could recall was that once she opened the window, Anna apprarated through it and hit her head to make her unconscious.


    "Mom!" she cried. Jina was now crying hysterically.


    "No one will hear your cries here."


    Jina looked to her side and saw Anna standing there with a smile curved on her lips.


    "This is the World of the Dead," she informed the frightened little child. "In a few hours, your dad will arrive and open the gates."


    "Dad?" Jina frowned. "But...but I''m here! You don''t need my dad!"


    "Oh you poor, innocent little idiot"


    Anna stepped closer and whispered into her ears, "You''re not going to open the gates. You''re going to be sent through it as an exchange. A life for a life. A soul for a soul."

 Chapter 397: Day 5 (1)

    Chapter 397: Day 5 (1)


    "UGH!" Mina was still struggling to kick the salt away with her foot but it was too far for her to reach. Her face was red and she was sweating hard from trying to remove the salt barrier. Kanji shook his head.


    "Stop it!" he said sharply. "You''re only hurting yourself."


    He noticed that her binds had only tightened around her wrists, cutting deep into her skin. But Mina did not care; she had to destroy that barrier.


    "Just...a bit...more... " she panted but her foot would not reach it. She barely scraped some of the dalt but it was not enough.


    "Stop it!" he yelled. "It''s no use! We''re stuck here until someonees here!"


    "Who''s gonnae here?" she snapped. ""Do you see anyone here? Your dad is under their spell and my family probably doesn''t know where we are!"


    "Still...stop," he insisted. "I don''t want ourst days to be spent like this!"


    Mina grunted and gave up in her pursuit. She leaned back against the bark of the tree she was tied to, helpless and sad.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Kanji asked. "Why didn''t you tell me that you knew?"


    "Why didn''t you tell me that you died?" Mina countered.


    "I didn''t want to hurt you," he admitted. "I just wanted to spend a few days of peace with you. Even if it was in someone else''s body."


    He shed her a small smile. "I''m really pathetic, huh?" he mused. "I hid the truth from you at every step. First about my profession and then about my death. I only hurt you. And yet, you kept oning back to me as if nothing happened."


    "My heart isn''t that big," Mina said in a soft tone. "There were times when I wanted to ditch you but the thought of not seeing you was more painful than anything else"


    Her eyes were welling up with tears but she looked away from him.


    "You''re so mean!" she whispered. "Not even telling me about what happened to you. Did you really think that by possessing someone else, you can hide your presence? I''ve known you all my life, Jang Kanji. I know you too well. You can go on to possess as many people as you want. You can hide in the midst of millions of people and I''ll still know which one you are. You can''t hide from me!"


    She was now openly crying which made Kanji feel even more guilty. He had thought that he would spend a few peaceful days with her and quietly leave so that she would never know the truth. All he wanted was to confess his feelings to her through his actions, hoping that she would think it was Haejong who was doing everything for her. It did not matter to him as long as she was not crying for him.


    But all his hard work was a waste. She found out anyway and was now crying for him. That was not what he wanted. He hated to see her cry and yet, he was the reason for her tears.


    "We really are idiots, huh?" he asked out loud.


    "We are," Mina sniffed. "Always running towards each other but also away from each other. Why?"


    "Now that I''m dead, I''m wondering the same question," Kanji said. "Why? Why did we run away? Where did we go wrong? Why didn''t I muster the courage to admit my feelings for you sooner? Why didn''t I leave everything behind like you had asked me to and run away with you?"


    He gazed at her with love and sadness, his heart wrenching in pain. "In death I realized that all of it did not matter at all," he said. "Because thest image I saw before dying was your face. Thest thing I wanted to do was to wipe those tears from your eyes. As I felt my soul leave my body, I only wanted to hold you in my arms and confess to you the feelings I''ve hidden away."


    Mina closed her eyes, waiting for the words she had been pining to listen to for so many years. The words which, once would have given her more happiness than all the wealth in the world.


    And now those very words were going to create a barrier between them which could not be broken until the day Mina herself would die.


    "I''m in love with you, Hwang Mina," Kanji finally confessed. "I don''t know when I started to love you. Was it when I saw you going off to medical college to fight your fears. Or was it when you came back after the long battle. Was it when I saw you crying for the first time or was it when I saw you smile after your constant shopping sprees"


    Mina let out a sadugh at that.


    "But I''m in love with you," he went on. "And even death can''t stop me from loving you."


    The tears rolled from her cheeks, falling onto the ground. She lowered her head, trying to hide her face but she could stop her damn heart from beating so fast. Was it possible for someone to feel infinite happiness and unending sadness at the same time?


    "We really are stupid," she sobbed.


    "We are," Kanji admitted. "Very, very stupid."


    Five feet. Kanji counted the distance between them. It was just a matter of five feet. But that five feet was the crossing between life and death. It was a bridge he could never cross and he would never let her cross it either. He used to think that they had plenty of time together. If not today, then tomorrow woulde when they could be together.


    Who knew that tomorrow would nevere?


    Mina took a deep breath and looked up at him with her teary face. "Living or dead," she said. "None of that shit matters anymore. So what if we werete? Betterte than never, right?"


    She gave him a small smile and shifted to move her foot again to continue kicking the salt barrier.


    "It''s of no use!" Kanji told her.


    "We can either keep being stupid and do noathing as usual," she said, her voice filled with determination. "Or we can kick that demon back to hell and reim your body from him. You might be alright with him possessing your body, but I''m not! I''ll never let him get away with this!"


    She struggled to push her foot forward, using every inch of her willpower to break the barrier. No matter how much her body hurt, she could not let that demon win. It took away too many things from her but she was not going to let it win.


    "Just a little more" She grunted as her foot touched a bit of the salt. The binds were now cutting so deep into her skin that they were bleeding but she did not care.


    "Mina" Kanji warned but she lunged violently until a little bit of the salt was scraped. She kept on pushing at that spot until a small crack formed.


    "Yes!" she eximed, kicking away part of the barrier, creating a path for Kanji. Grabbing the chance, Kanji quickly jumped out of the barrier and rushed towards her.


    His hands burned as soon as he touched her binds. The ropes wereced with peach water but he ignored the pain.


    "Kanji, your hands!" Mina warned but he kept on pulling at them until he undid them. Blisters formed on his hands because of the peach essence and they hurt him. Being a ghost was literally painful too!


    "Forget about it!" he hissed. "We''ll have to get to that fortress!"


    "Why the fortress?" Mina asked. "What does it have to do with anything?"


    "Because," he began. "I can''t be too sure about it but I think I feel Jina''s presence in there!"

 Chapter 398: Day 5 (2)

    Chapter 398: Day 5 (2)


    Minho was patiently observing the demon in front of him. Anyal was also smirking at him, not flinching from his site. They were locked in a silent battle, each trying to read through the other''s thoughts. The ce waspletely empty. Not even a single spirit was roaming there and for some reason, Minho did not even spot a reaper.


    He had been locked in there for hours and it was probably the fifth day already. Only a few hours remained for the ritual and Minho still could not figure out what Anyal was really nning.


    "You''re not afraid at all, Hwang Minho," Anyalmented. "As if you''re not afraid of losing."


    "I won''t lose to you," Minho said as if stating a fact.


    "The mighty Hwang Minho!" Anyal sighed. "The richest man in the country is helpless against a poor demon like me. How interesting"


    "Yes, you are quite poor," Minhomented. "Spending so many years after a futile dream. I get it that what happened to your girl was terrible but why didn''t you just go back to hell instead of wasting so many years here? Could have just merrily burned there with her."


    "Once a demon is cast out of hell, he''s not allowed back in," Anyal revealed. "The Devil wants only those who can serve him. Demons like me who fall in love with humans are weak. We are weakened by our feelings for them. But the mortality of humans prevents us from being together. They''ll live and die one day. Even if they reincarnate, they''ll forget us and find new love whereas we are stuck in our endless existence. The grief sucks out our abilities until one day, we''re reduced to nothing but empty shells of our old selves"


    "And taking out your girlfriend from hell is going to guarantee what?" Minho shot back. "Even if you pull out her soul, you do realize she''s no longer human! Just a wandering soul with no body, no life and no meaning! If there''s one thing I''ve learnt is that when someone dies, whether they go to the Afterlife or not, their souls no longer belong to this world! They won''t be happy with a lifeless existence. Seeing others happy and alive will make them suffer even more! They deserve to rest in peace, not be pulled into more misery!"


    "That''s for us to decide," Anyal said quietly. "Not you."


    "You really think your girlfriend will be able to live amongst the living?" Minho sneered. "Get real! You''ve killed so many people for a woman who probably doesn''t even want toe back!"


    "Anyone who''s been in hell would want toe back!" Anyal imed.


    "They''d want to get out," Minho agreed. "But not return to life. They''d rather move on peacefully! That''s the cycle of life and death. No one can change it. Not even a demon like you!"


    Anyal did not react to Minho''s goading. He knew that Minho was trying to rile him up and provoke him into doing something stupid but the demon was several steps ahead.


    "It doesn''t matter if her existence isn''t the same as before," Anyal stated. "As long as we''re together, nothing else matters. But if I were you, I wouldn''t worry about anything else other than my daughter."


    Minho raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked in a cold tone.


    "Where''s your daughter, Hwang Minho?" Anyal taunted him.


    "With Gayoon and my father," Minho replied but there was uncertainty in his voice. Jina was safe at home. He was sure of it. They had put-


    "Protection?" Anyal finished his thoughts for him. He paused for a moment before letting out a hystericalughter. Minho was now scared but tried to keep his cool.


    "What do you mean?" Minho slowly demanded.


    "Oh you fool!" Anyal sneered at him. "Those amulets and charms work on spirits and demons, not on humans! You see, Anna is a human. A witch but still human. She can easily cross those charms with ease. Why else do you think I keep these servants? For pleasure?"


    He let out a wheezingughter. Minho let out a sharp breath but Anyal went on.


    "You really thought that I kept you here without leverage?" the demonughed. "As long as I have your daughter, I know that you''ll be forced to do my bidding. I''ll make sure that you open the gates otherwise you can say goodbye to your daughter!"


    .


    Jina was very scared. The ce she was kept in looked like a fortress of some sort with decaying walls. She could smell a foul stench of sulphur from somewhere which was making her nauseous.


    The sun had set already which meant that she had been there for a few hours.


    "Mom" she sobbed. "Dad"


    What were they going to do to her? Could her parents find her on time?


    Just then, she heard someone calling out her name.


    "Jina!" It was her aunt Mina''s shrill voice. Mina entered the fortress and looked around for her niece.


    "Jina!" she yelled but there was no response. Jina saw her entering the fort and she let out a sigh of relief.


    "Aunt, I''m here!" Jina called for her but to her surprise, Mina was not looking her way. She was ncing here and there as if Jina was invisible.


    "Jina!" Mina called out but there was no response. The fort waspletely empty and there was no sign of life at all. Kanji came in and was carefully examining the ce. He was sure that he could feel Jina''s presence


    "Kanji, where is she?" Mina cried. "I can''t find her!"


    "She''s here," Kanji said firmly. "I can sense her. My spirit senses are tingling. Whenever Jina is around, I can feel a strange maic pull. When I died and became a ghost, I saw that every living person had a dull greyish color but Jina was different. She had this white light which attracted ghosts to her! I can feel the warmth of that light. She''s here."


    "But where?" Mina asked in dismay. "Where is she?"


    Kanji was still examining and was frowning until his eyes fell on an empty space a few feet away from them. There was something strange about that ce. Even though it was empty, he could hear a buzzing sound as if the air in that particr spot was somehow...distorted.


    "That spot," he said, pointing at a seemingly empty hall. "There''s something there."

 Chapter 399: Day 5 (3)

    Chapter 399: Day 5 (3)


    Jina was trying to get her aunt''s attention but Mina seemed not to have noticed her despite standing only a few feet away.


    "Aunt, I''m here!" she yelled. Mina was still looking elsewhere when Kanji entered and instantly froze. Did he see me? She hoped.


    "Uncle Kanji!" Jina cried out but Kanji was also not responding. However, he seemed to have sensed something strange about the ce. He was saying something to Mina and whispered something to Mina who looked shocked. She also nced at the spot Jina was at but it looked as if she could not see Jina at all.


    "I''m here!" Jina called out and she tried to loosen the knots on her hands and feet but they only tightened. The more she moved, the tighter the binds wrapped around her. The witch Anna must have put some kind of spell on it to subdue her and also hide her from existence so that people could not see her.


    Jina tried to hear what Kanji and Mina were saying but to her horror, she could not hear them at all.


    "Save me" She sobbed. "Mom...dad"


    Meanwhile, Mina stepped forward towards the ce Kanji pointed. She continued to walk until the very end and then came back.


    "I don''t feel anything," she whispered but Kanji was thinking hard. He raised his hand to touch the ce where he felt the slight electric drizzle from. A slight shock made him jump and step back.


    "That ce is enchanted," he concluded. "You''re human so you can''t feel nor see anything. But spirits have high senses. Which is why I can sense the spell. But I can''t enter because it''s too powerful. I might end up hurting Haejong''s body in the process."


    "What do we do?" Mina asked, thinking hard. Then an idea hit her.


    "I know!" she eximed and rushed outside. Within a few seconds, she sprinted back with a scoop of salt in her hands.


    "I picked them up from the spot where you were locked," she exined. "Salt weakens spirits, right? What if it can work against spells too?"


    "It''s worth a try" Kanji said with uncertainty. He stepped back while Mina began to sprinkle the salt at the spot he pointed at.


    To their surprise, sparks of electricity erupted as soon as the salt touched the barrier but did not break it down. But Mina kept on sprinkling until she realized that the barrier was put around a particr spot. A salt border was created, showing a rectangr area which indicated that something was there.


    "That''s where Jina is," Kanji deduced. "She''s been hidden from view somehow but she''s there. I can feel her energy. It''s her."


    Mina nodded and turned to that spot. "Jina," she began. "Don''t be scared, okay? We''re here. We''ll have to wait until your parents find us"


    She rubbed the ground to hide the salt particles until they were gone. Kanji was analysing the ce around him. There was an eerie sensation which had been bothering him ever since he woke up in the forest. The fortress reeked of death but that was not all. He was familiar with death but the fortress was...evil.


    It was hard to pinpoint the exact reason why he thought like that. All he knew was that the fortress somehow felt as if it was breathing. There was life in it and it was simply like a sleeping dragon which was waiting to be awake.


    "Mina," he began. "Do you sense anything weird about this ce?"


    Mina thought of his words and scanned the ce. At one nce, it was like any old ruin with broken walls and mouldy floors with fungus and weeds. No doubt it was a symbol of grandeur at one point in time but now, it was seemingly just an old rundown building.


    However, now that Kanji mentioned it, Mina was also feeling that eerie sensation as if the ce was alive. She felt eyes on her, watching her closely and these did not seem to be from spirits but rather a feeling that the walls were spying on her. As if they could literally hear everything she was saying, seeing all her actions.


    "This ce is a gateway to Hell," she whispered. "What if...what if the demons in hells can somehow see us? I know it''s insane but that can happen, right? If there''s a World of the Dead which looks exactly like our world, then who knows? Maybe the demons are invisible to us but we''re visible to them here?"


    "That''s not all" Kanji said but trailed off.


    Suddenly, there were footsteps approaching their way. Mina and Kanji panicked, thinking about what to do.


    "It must be Anna!" Kanji muttered. "We''ll have to hide!"


    "But she''ll sense your presence!" Mina reminded him.


    "I doubt it," he said. "This ce...it has an uneasy energy. Several souls are probably wandering around here. She might not be able to sense my energy among these souls."


    The footsteps were getting closer and they had little time. They quickly scrambled towards a staircase and hid beneath it, keeping an eye on the entrance. Anna entered the ce with Kanji''s dad who followed closely behind. She seemed to be walking straight for the ce where Jina was kept and to Mina''s surprise, as soon as Anna stepped into that ce, she disappeared.


    Kanji was right. There was an invisible ce there and Jina must have been kept there. Also, it really did seem that she could not sense Kanji inside that fort because she did not look their way at all.


    "What is she doing?" Mina muttered


    "Preparing for the ritual," Kanji muttered back. "I''m sure she''s readying Jina up for the sacrifice. But how are we going to inform the others? We can''t leave Jina behind! And going back to the mansion will take several hours. It''ll be toote by the time we reach here again"


    "Shhh!" Mina shushed as Anan stepped out of the portal where Jina was kept. She was now addressing Jason.


    "Have you checked on our prisoners?" she asked him in a cold tone.


    "Yes, ma''am," Jason said in a hollow tone. "They are still there."


    Kanji and Mina nced at each other. Jason was lying! Did that mean he was out of the spell?"


    "Keep an eye on them," she ordered. "The exorcist, Junho, must not reach here. And if that other woman, Gayoon,es with him, she''ll be able to break her daughter out of there. Only a Seer can enter the temporary portal I have created. Since she still has some of her powers, she''ll be able to enter it."


    "Yes, ma''am," Jason said and bowed. He was confused by what the woman was saying but kept on pretending to be under her spell. He just wanted the truth about his son.


    "I''ll go back to the Jang Mansion," Anna told him. "There are only two hours left for the red moon eclipse and I''ll have to let Master know that he''ll need to bring the Transporter here. He already has Hwang Minho in his grasp. Once the ritual starts, Hwang Minho has to do exactly what we want. He''ll do anything for his daughter"


    She turned back to the portal and smirked, knowing that Minho would only push Jina to the hands of the Devil himself.


    "Once she has been sacrificed to the Lord of Hell, I''ll get what I want" she murmured. The damn Devil made a deal with her and she unknowingly put her own soul on the line. Her time was running out and it was her only chance to bring back her soul from his grasp. Anyal had promised her many things and even though she did not trust himpletely, she had no choice.


    With that, she snapped her fingers and disappeared. Jason, who was still bowing, got up and looked around.


    "Dad?"


    He spun to see Haejong standing there with a confused look on his face. Mina crept up behind him with a confused expression on her face.


    "Junho and Gayoon are on their way," Jason told them in a shaky voice but his eyes did not leave ''Haejong''. He was still in a fix, wondering what to believe. His son was dead and now, this man was iming to be possessed by Kanji''s spirit. It was a bizarre turn of events and hard to believe. He was a rational man and yet, there was a pull he felt towards the person who was iming to be Kanji.


    Was it his grief? Or was it his hope to see his son again which made him believe even the most ridiculous nonsense?


    "Dad, I-"


    "I...I don''t know if you''re telling the truth or not," Jason said. "But I don''t think your intentions are bad."


    "Uncle, this really is Kanji!" Mina told him. "I know it because he-"


    But Kanji held her back and shook his head. Jason was already too confused by the turn of events and revealing too many things at once would only increase his confusion. Thest thing Kanji wanted was for his father to be confused in his grief stricken state.


    "My son will nevere back," Jason said in a heavy voice. "And even if I can''tpletely believe you, I''m sure you have your reasons to make that im. I''ll try to help you in any way I can in getting out of this ce-"


    "No," Kanji said. "We can''t get out of this ce now. We''ll have to wait for uncle Junho and Gayoon to get here!"


    "Why?" Jason frowned. Kanji pointed at the spot where Anna stood only moments ago.


    "Jina is in there," he revealed. "And they''ll kill her if we don''t save her!"

 Chapter 400: Day 5 (4)

    Chapter 400: Day 5 (4)


    Gayoon slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry but the ground beneath her was moving which made her very confused.


    "Lady Cop!"


    She heard Yumi''s voice which sounded very anxious. Shinjin and Junho in the front seat, driving the car they were all in.


    "Check if Gayoon is awake!" Junho eximed.


    "She is," Shinjin informed him. Gayoon was groggy. She sat up and blinked.


    "Where are we?" she asked.


    "Heading for the fort Jason mentioned to us," Junho replied. "You fainted after finding out that Jina was kidnapped. We didn''t have time to wake you up so we brought you along and waited for you to wake up on your own!"


    "Jina"


    Gayoon suddenly remembered. Her daughter was in grave danger!


    "Ahjusshi, how are we going to rescue her?" she demanded.


    "Jason just called us," Shinjin told her. "We talked to Kanji over the phone. Anna has put a dimensional spell around Jina."


    "What''s that?"


    "It basically means that she made Jina invisible to other people''s eyes by creating a temporary dimension," Shinjin exined. "Since Jina is a Seer, ghosts can sense her presence but they can''t see her. Which is why Kanji could feel her unusual presence even in that hellish fort. But Anna is still around there somewhere so they''re hiding from her."


    "How are we going to get her out of there?" Gayoon asked.


    "Not us," Junho said. "Only you can do that."


    Huh?


    Gayoon was dumbfounded so Shinjin exined it to her.


    "This is a charm only a powerful witch can do," he stated. "When a dimensional charm is in ce, the witch cannot put it on the specific person but rather on a direct bloodline. Which means that the dimension Anna created around Jina can be crossed over only by people who directly share Jina''s blood. Which means that as her parents, only you or Minho can enter that dimension and try to rescue her. Since Minho is not avable, you''re the only option. But if the spell is too powerful, you might not be able toe out."


    "Which is why, we''ll have to tweak the n a little," Junho added. "We''ll need Anna to take down the spell first. Otherwise, they might transport Jina off into hell directly from there."


    "Did he call at all?" Gayoon asked in desperation.


    "No," Shinjin said in a grim tone. "But he''s definitely safe. Anyal needs him for the ritual. So he has to keep Minho under watch. Otherwise everything will be wasted."


    Yumi, who was quietly listening all along, spoke up.


    "Lady Cop, they''ll be alright," she reassured her. "Jina is stronger than she looks. I''m sure she''ll be fine. Just don''t panic otherwise she''ll be scared too!"


    Gayon bit her mail, feeling tense. Her heart was unsettled at the uncertainty of the n. So much of it depended on luck and she did not even know where Minho was!


    They kept on driving through the empty road. The sun had set a few hours ago and night had already fallen. The ominous moon was hovering above them, the reddish hue beginning to show. The light emitting from it was shrouding the night with the crimson shadow which scared Gayoon. This moon was going to swallow her family and she was still so far away from them!


    Never had she felt so helpless in her life. Her daughter and lover were in anger and she could do nothing to stop their suffering


    Tears welled up in her eyes and she began to sob hard, startling everyone in the car. She could not think rationally anymore, her mindpletely at a loss. Criminals were easy to fight against and ghosts could be dealt with. But how could someone battle with life and death?


    "Gayoon, don''t lose hope!" Junho told her in a calm tone. "We''re still trying our best."


    "I can''t help it!" she sobbed. "My daughter and Minho...I"


    She only cried harder, unable to control herself. So many things had happened over the past few days that her mind could not even absorb everything. How were they going to cope with so many changes? The demon was out to kill her family for his own obsession and yet, she could not do anything. It was worse than how she felt with the CCK or even her crazy stalker. The fear and guilt was eating her alive, making her more helpless than ever.


    "Gayoon, listen to me," Junho said. He turned around to face her. "If you''re going to fall weak, Minho and Jina will have no chance! They''ll also fall apart. You''ll have to pull yourself together and think rationally."


    He paused before adding, "I know better than anyone what you''re going through! I also suffered this helplessness when I saw Suna dying slowly in front of me. At that time, I couldn''t do anything to stop it. But now, I''ve learnt a lot of things. I know now that this demon wants us to feel desperate and lost. This is his biggest strength. He thinks that by separating all of us, he''ll make us weak."


    "But he doesn''t realize that physical separation isn''t going to work," Junho went on. "We''re connected by our hearts and this determination will help us to defeat him. I was alone all those years ago but you have us! We''ll defeat that demon at all costs. Understand?"


    "He''s right," Yumi told Gayoon. "Lady Cop, Jina put her trust in you and Mr. Hwang. She knows that you''ll go to rescue her. So don''t break down like this. It''ll only weaken her resolve. You gotta be strong!"


    Gayoon closed her eyes, trying to push out all the negative thoughts from her mind. It took her every ounce of her willpower to do that but everyone was right. If she fell apart, her daughter and lover stood no chance. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her tears.


    "You''re right," she said. "I''ll have to stop acting like a crying idiot and think rationally."


    If there was someone who knew more about deaths and spirits, it was her. Gayoon must now use her abilities to figure out what the demon was going to do. She was imagining him as a highly advanced criminal and it was now a silent match between them. Putting up her detective skills to use, she began to break down Anyal''s ns using her assumptions.


    "We''ve been doing it all wrong," she said. "Anyal used our fears against us and let us have our way, allowing us to think that we''ve uncovered his ns. In reality, he was hiding the true n in in sight."


    Shinjin, who was driving the car, nodded in agreement. "The ritual is in two folds," he stated. "First step is to open the gates. Second step is to send the sacrifice through the gates and pull out the intended soul."


    "Correct," Gayoon said. "He only let us find out about the first step so that we''d assume that was it. But he hid the second step very carefully. Now"


    She thought hard. "He has Minho in his grasp," she slowly said. "Which can result in two things."


    "One," she continued. "Anyal will tell Minho that Jina is the intended sacrifice and she''ll be killed during the ritual for Ahin''s soul toe out. In that case, Minho will outright refuse to perform the ritual. Why would he throw his daughter into hell for this guy? He''d rather die."


    "Which brings us to the second possibility. Anyal will lie to Minho that if he performs the ritual, then Jina will be let go. Minho, having no option of contacting anyone while he''s with Anyal, will be in a dilemma. He won''t be stupid enough to believe Anyal but given the circumstances he''s in, he''ll have to oblige. There''s no other way for him to find out."


    "By creating the dimensional spell, Anna ns to take Jina directly into the World of the Dead," Gayoon concluded. "Without our interference. Once the eclipse starts at midnight, Jina will be taken there and when the gates open fully, Anyal will trick Minho and throw Jina into hell while Ahin will be pulled out. That''s his real n. Minho will not even realize that he was forced to sacrifice Jina in the process."


    "This sounds like the most likely possibility," Junho agreed. "Might even be the only way."


    "We''ll need Anna to diffuse that dimensional spell," Shinjin gritted. "She won''t agree easily"


    "Then I''ll make her," Gayoon swore. "That bitch isn''t gonna get away with this!"


    She was now furious. After analysing the whole situation, Anna and Anyal were nothing more than petty criminals to her. Witch or demon did not matter to her anymore. They were a menace to her family like weeds were to a garden. And now that these weeds had spread into her home, she must pull them out with her bare hands.


    "We''ll get them," Junho promised her. "I won''t let them get away with this either."


    Just you wait, Suna, he added in his thoughts. I''lle to meet you only after our family has been rescued. I promise!


    They kept on driving in silence while the red moon shone above their heads, reminding them of the dangerous path whichy ahead of them.

 Chapter 401: Day 5 (5)

    Chapter 401: Day 5 (5)


    Minho was staring at Anyal with a cold anger but he did not say anything. The demon was smirking and still drinking his wine, enjoying the torment he was inflicting on his enemy. But Minho knew that it was not the time to be angry or afraid.


    He was sure that Anyal was hiding something from him. The ritual, there was something more to it than merely opening the gates. His great grandmother died opening and closing the gates but as far as Minho knew, something had happened midway which caused her to close the gates again. Even though she nearlypleted the ritual, something made her disobey Anyal at the cost of her life.


    If Minho went through with this, he would not survive but there was no other choice. He could not figure out Anyal''s puzzle. Only one piece was missing and he needed it to stop the demon.


    "You have no choice," Anyal said, reading his mind. "Your daughter is with me. Your friend''s body is under my control. You really have no choice, famous Money Lover."


    Anyal''s smirk was beginning to irritate Minho but he kept his cool.


    "Let''s get on with it," Minho said in a hollow tone. "What do I have to do? Utter a bunch of hocus pocus? Throw in some money to the Devil? Will credit cards do?"


    Anyal sighed and put his drink away. He sat on a table with his legs crossed and looked at Minho with Kanji''szy eyes.


    "I''ll be the one to conduct the ceremony," he said. "When it''ll start, you can''t leave. I''ll have your daughter brought in at exactly 11:59 PM so that you''ll be assured she''s under our custody and alive. At exactly midnight, you''ll start to open the portals by repeatedly saying ''Patentibus''. As soon as it''s 12:04, the gates will open. If you break the rhythm, I''ll kill your daughter on the spot!"


    Minho did not give in to the threats but remained silent.


    "Good," Anyal said. "You''re being obedient."


    He checked his watch which read 21:00 PM. "In two hours, we''ll be going to the Fort," he told Minho. "Unlike you Transporters who can''t move from one location to another without a loop, demons can move wherever they want in the World of the Dead. All I have to do is, open a portal and we''ll reach there."


    "You seem to know a lot about Transporters," Minho said warily.


    "You really don''t have any idea about your powers and their origins, do you?" Anyal scoffed. Minho frowned but the demon only kept on smirking.


    "Then again, if you knew," Anyal went on. "You wouldn''t have fallen in this predicament. After all, you had the key in your hands and yet, you kept on looking at other ces."


    "What do you-"


    "Enough chit chat!" Anyal snapped. "Now, we will only wait."


    Minho sensed that the demon knew something that they had missed out on but did not ask him anything else. The key was in their hands? What was he talking about?


    He looked at his own watch. Two hours...two more hours and they would have to start the ritual. Jina was in Anyal''s grasp and Gayoon must be hysterical. But he was putting all his hopes on Gayoon.


    Please figure out the puzzle, he prayed. Just figure it out and stop him!


    The clock was ticking and they were nowhere. Could they survive this ordeal?


    ..


    "Keep going south!" Yumi ordered Gayoon. They had entered the jungle and slowly drove towards the fort where Jason had told them to go. Despite the full moon above them, the route was darkened by therge trees hauntingly looming above them. The road was a little rocky but it was faster by car than on foot. Junho was checking the map on his phone.


    "There''s no waterbody in this jungle," he muttered.


    "This ce feels really spooky," Yumi said.


    "Yumi thinks htis ce is spooky," Gayoon interpreted.


    "A ghost talking about spookiness?" Junho muttered. But Gayoon understood what Yumi meant. The energy in that part of the jungle was unbelievably crazy. There were no living beings at all. However, what struck her the most was theck of dead spirits as well. Instead, she felt a daunting sense of istion in that forest stalking them like a predator.


    "Lady Cop, I hate to ask this out loud, but do you feel that we''re being...watched?" Yumi whispered.


    "Watched?" Gayoon echoed. "Yumi is saying that she feels we''re being watched."


    "She''s right," Shinjin said in a grim tone. "I''m having the same feeling."


    "But there are no ghosts here other than Yumi," Gayoon said. "Yet"


    "They ain''t ghosts," Shinjin stated. "They''re souls. Remember, this ce is directly linked to hell thanks to what happened to Anyal''s lover. A gate was opened here and that pulled hell closer to this very spot. It''s a theory but maybe, the souls trapped in hell are forced to watch the living. Kind of like a punishment."


    "Punishment?" Yumi and Gayoon asked.


    "They''re forced to watch people live," Shinjin exined. "The demons are sadistically showing them that they had given up their souls for useless pursuits. What those souls wanted was to live happily but by selling off their souls, they''ve damned themselves. It''s a punishment for them to see others live and do normal things which those souls are aching to do. At least ghosts wandering amongst the living have ways tomunicate with others while the spirits in World of the Dead arepletely shut out from the living world. It''s the souls in hell who are being tormented. Can''tmunicate nor be shut out from the living world. They''re suffering a cursed existence."


    "Psychological pain," Gayoon muttered. "That''s worse than anything else."


    "True," Junho agreed. "The sooner we finish our work here, the better. What''s the time?"


    "It''s nine o''clock," Shinjin replied. "Within two hours, the demon will have to start the ritual and at midnight, the gates will begin to open."


    Junho nodded and they kept on driving ahead. After half an hour, a fort came into view.


    "Is that it?" Gayoon whispered. Shinjin parked the car behind a bush and they all got out to observe the ce.


    "Seems to be it," Shinjin said.


    "Where''s Anna?" Yumi asked.


    "I don''t see Anna," Gayoon said.


    "Jason said she''s around here somewhere but put him in charge of guarding Kanji and Mina," Junho informed them. "But she doesn''t know that Jason broke the spell. Something in this area is hindering her senses. She couldn''t even sense Kanji in the fort."


    "The energy of hell is disturbing her powers," Shinjin agreed. "This might work to our advantage. Let''s go in and meet up with the others!"


    They quietly strolled through the forest to enter the ruins. Silently walking through the once magnificent hallway, they reached the middle of the first where Kanji, Mina and Jason stood, talking amongst themselves.


    "Mina!" Gayoon hissed. Startled, all of them looked around.


    "Gayoon!" Mina eximed softly and ran towards her. "Jina...she''s in there!"


    She pointed at a hollow spot where Kanji told her that Jina was kept. Gayoon stared at the ce before nodding.


    "Where''s Anna now?" she asked Jason.


    "She said she''ll be here in five minutes," he stated.


    "Good," Gayoon said. "Because I have a n."

 Chapter 402: Day 5 (6)

    Chapter 402: Day 5 (6)


    Anna was cursing under her breath. The forest they were conducting the ceremony at had been silently sucking out her energy because of the heavy atmosphere. She was walking along the path towards the fort. The materials needed for the ritual were already with Anyal; he had opened a portal to take the bag from her. She caught a glimpse of the money lover who ignored her gaze.


    Anyal then told her to go back to the fort and make sure that Jina is sent to the World of the Dead once he opens the portal at midnight. She must guard the other hostages and keep the detective away from there at all costs. The spell she put on Jason was very powerful and it should keep a hold on him for a long time.


    But the forest had weakened her powers drastically and Anna was a little skeptical of whether Jason could be controlled for long.


    We''ll have to finish off the ritual fast, she decided. The fort stood in front of her like a giant monster waiting to devour her. Muttering under her breath, she carefully made her way to it. There was no one in sight.


    Maybe the detective and the shamans don''t know where we are, she thought. Good. Even if they find out, it would take them hours to reach there and they would be toote anyway.


    Anna entered therge hall and saw that it waspletely empty.


    "Jason?" she called out but there was no response. Is he with the prisoners? She wondered.


    Mina and Kanji were kept a few meters away from the fort in a more secluded area. With the peach leaves tightening with every movement and the salt circle, it would be impossible for them to escape the trap.


    Just then, Jason came hurling into the fort.


    "Ma''am!" he eximed. "T-The prisoners! They have escaped!"


    "WHAT?" Anna yelled. "HOW?"


    "That girl, Mina!" Jason said. "She somehow broke the salt circle and let the other guy out! And now they''re missing!"


    Anna let out a string of curses and followed Jason outside. He led her to the spot where Kanji and Mina were kept. Once they reached there, Anna strode forward to see the empty space. They really were gone!


    "FUCK!" she screamed. "FIND THEM!"


    She was furious at the oue. If those two escape, then they might inform Hwang Junho and they woulde here!


    Jason was standing a good distance away from her, watching the woman go mad with fury.


    "I''ll have to use my powers to locate them," she whispered. Closing her eyes in concentration, Anna muttered a spell to locate Kanji''s presence. But the energy from hell was interfering with her senses and the spell was of no use. No matter how hard she tried, it was impossible to locate them.


    "UGH!" she shrieked. "Go and find them!"


    She was ordering Jason but to her slight surprise, he stood at his spot with a cold look on his face.


    "You killed my son" he whispered.


    "What?" Anna snapped. "How-"


    She froze. Jason was no longer looking lost and enchanted. In fact, he seemed to be in his senses


    "NOW!" he yelled.


    Instantly, a circle of fire erupted around Anna, making her scream. She stood in the middle of the circle while the mes danced around the border, making it impossible for her to escape.


    "LET ME OUT OF HERE!" she begged in fear. The mes were merrily dancing at her, tormenting her as she tried to escape but could not do so. Fire was the weakness of witches who sold their souls to the Devil and they had to be careful when using it. Even the slightest touch could kill her.


    Sparks were flying towards her but she yelped and moved to the side but it was bing more difficult to avoid them.


    "I was just stabbing in the dark but it seems like we really did find your weakness."


    Anna spun around and growled. Gayoon was standing on the other side, staring at her coldly with anger and disgust. The moment she entered the fort, she noticed the burnt walls which meant that Anyal''s lover was burned alive in that ce. Moreover, ording to the books they had been reading, witches were almost always burnt on the altar which meant that maybe fire was their weakness. It was a theory but she decided to apply it anyway.


    "Let me go!" Anna begged. "I don''t wanna die!"


    "Should have thought of that when you killed our friend and took my family hostage!" Gayoon barked at her. Kanji and Mina stood next to her while Junho and Shinjin surrounded the circle, prepared to catch Anna if she tried to escape.


    "I just want to live!" Anna imed. "I had to follow Anyal! Only he can bring my soul back from the Devil-"


    "Anyal has no intention of doing anything like that!" Shinjin told her. "The servant who managed to help him open the gatesst time, died after Anyal pushed her through a portal and made a train run over her. He can''t just make portals in the dead world but in this world too. He''s a demon after all! You can''t trust them!"


    "Lies!" Anna shrieked.


    "Who cares?" Shinjin sneered. "You can die now, or you can dieter. Either way, that fire is gonna kill ya!"


    Anna looked fearfully around her. They had trapped her with her weakness and there was no way out. She stared at their hateful gazes, wondering how to get out of the mess but her powers were already weakened in that forest.


    "Where''s my daughter?" Gayoon demanded. "And how can we get her out of that dimensional spell?"


    "You can''t!" Anna revealed. "There''s only one way in but no way to get out of there. Jina has to create a portal to the World of the Dead and then another portal to the living world so that she can escape that ce! That''s the only way. But as soon as she enters the dead world, Anyal will trap and sacrifice her to hell before bringing out his lover."


    "Gayoon, I think she''s telling the truth," Shinjin said. "Even if she knew how to break the spell, her powers are still too weak. It won''t be enough to bring Jina back directly to this dimension."


    Gayoon checked her watch. It was 9:45 PM which meant they had less time in their hands.


    "Take me into that dimension," she ordered Anna. "If you try anything funny, we''ll burn you down without any hesitation!"


    Anna was panting hard. The smoke was filling up her lungs and the fire got warmed by the second. If she did not agree, she would die and that was thest thing she wanted.


    "Okay!" she eximed. "I''ll take you there!"

 Chapter 403: Day 5 (7)

    Chapter 403: Day 5 (7)


    Shinjin and Junho burnt a bunch of wood to hold them as burning torches to scare Anna with. They were on her sides, keeping an eye on her as she led them back to the fort. Yumi apparated next to Gayoon.


    "Lady Cop, the whole area is clear!" she informed them. "I''ll keep on wandering around and make sure that no one strays this way!"


    "Alright," Gayoon muttered. Yumi disappeared in thin air. Mina and Kanji weregging a little behind, talking to each other in hushed tones.


    "Are you okay?" Mina asked. "This ce is affecting Anna and perhaps Yumi too. But what about you?"


    "We can''t stay here for long," Kanji agreed. "I"


    "What happened?" she asked in a worried tone. Kanji took a deep breath.


    "I can''t hear Haejong''s voice," he muttered. "He was talking to me in my headst night but since this morning, I can''t hear him at all! It''s as if he vanished but I can feel his faint presence. I think the energy from Hell is affecting him as much as it''s affecting me. But his body is already weakening from the possession. If I keep upying his body for long, he might even die"


    Kanji trailed off. He did not say out loud that if his spirit did not leave Haejong''s body, thetter might die. But Mina understood his unspoken words.


    "Guess we have only a few hours together, huh?" she sadly mused.


    She reached out and held his hand, grasping it firmly. They kept on holding their hands, their hearts aching by the inevitable separation which awaited them. Gayoon nced at them from ahead and was saddened to see their conditions.


    "You guys should stay here," she told them. Mina and Kanji nced at her.


    "No, we''ll-" Mina began but Gayoon cut her off.


    "Stay with each other," she said. "Let us deal with the ghosts. You guys...you guys need to spend as much time together as possible. We''ll bring back Kanji''s body. I promise."


    Mina wanted to argue but her desire to stay with Kanji in hisst moments was stronger. She could not let him go like this, not without spending more time with him. There were so many things she still had left to say to him, so many memories yet to create with him.


    How could she let him go without saying them?


    "We''ll stay," Kanji said, still gripping her hand. "And wait for you all. Pleasee back, alive."


    Gayoon nodded and they left Kanji and Mina at the forest. Jason nced back at the man who imed to be his son and for some reason, his heart was tormented by his plight. He was having a hard time to believe Haejong''s ims and yet, a part of him was feeling Kanji''s presence nearby.


    Was it all a mere coincidence or just the imagination of a bereaved father?


    Is he really my son? Jason wondered. For once, he hoped that Haejong was telling the truth and that he really was Kanji''s spirit.


    The old man tore his eyes away from them and followed Junho and the rest of the gang to the fort. They had re-entered the hall where Jina had supposedly been kept but she was nowhere in sight. Anna took a deep breath.


    "She''s at that spot," she said, pointing at a hollow space. Junho raised the fiery torch and brandished it in front of her.


    "Take Gayoon in there," he ordered.


    "Wait" Gayoon said. She turned to Anna, taking off her own jacket. "Give me your hoodie," she ordered.


    Anna hesitantly took off her hoodie and gave it to Gayoon who wore it over her shirt. She put on the hoodie and added, "Let me enter the dimension. Now. Any funny business and we''ll burn you alive!"


    The witch gulped and muttered something under her breath. She blew some breath on Gayoon who felt the wind blow in a synchronized direction towards the ce where Jina was allegedly at.


    "Follow the wind and you''ll enter the dimension," Anna gritted, still fearful of the fire in front of her.


    "Wait!" Junho said. He stepped forward and gave the ring to Gayoon.


    "Keep this," he said. "Use it exactly at 12:04 AM to open the portal. Unlike Transporters, you won''t be able to survive in that world for more than an hour so your body will weaken quickly. You must finish off everything in a span of five minutes. Got it?"


    "Got it," she said. She took the ring and turned around, ready to enter the temporary dimension.


    Gayoon did as she was told and followed the wind. She felt a chill as she passed through what felt like cold water, leaving the warmth behind and entering an icy altar.


    Junho, Shinjin and Jason watched in awe as Gayoon disappeared in thin air.


    "Did this witch send her to Jina?" Shinjin whispered.


    "I did!" Anna imed. "I''m not strong enough to create another dimension spell! She has gone to meet her daughter. I swear!"


    "We have no other choice but to believe her," Junho gritted. "Tie her hands and feet to that pir! Cover her hands with an oil soaked sack. If she tries anything funny, we can burn her instantly."


    Jason and Shinjin dragged Anna to a pir and tied a sack around her hands. They poured oil on it and then proceeded to tie her feet.


    "Put a sack around her face as well!" Jason suggested. Shinjin put a sack over her face, rendering her unable to see anything. Anna whimpered as she felt Jason sit next to her, holding a pyre to keep her from doing anything. They hadpletely trapped her.


    "Let''s start the ritual," Shinjin dered.


    .


    Outside, Mina and Kanji were sitting under a tree, wondering how to broach the painful topic in hand.


    "Why didn''t you agree to give up the life of crime?" Mina whispered. "Even when you had the chance to run away with me, you refused and even lied to me. Why?"


    "I had too many enemies," Kanji said in a bitter tone. "Even if the Lin''s spared me, there are tons of other enemies out there who want to kill me. I could give up being a mafia leader but those people will continue to haunt me. And you would be in danger"


    He turned to face her. "I couldn''t lose you," he admitted. "If something had happened to you, I couldn''t have lived with myself."


    "None of that mattered!" Mina eximed. "As long as you were with me, I was safe! I''d rather have lived my life happily with you than think about who''s going to kill me or not!"


    "I just didn''t want to endanger you!" Kanji protested.


    "Kanji, people die everyday!" she eximed. "Some are killed and some die of natural causes. Some people die with their loved ones by their side while others die alone. Nevertheless, everyone has to die someday. But that does not mean we''ll stop living! Death is unexpected. It''ll hit us when we least expect it but should we stop living because of it? Stay fearful all the time? Or should we grab this chance and live a life without regrets?"


    Mina gazed at him with her tearful eyes, silently demanding answers. "Look where we are now," she whispered. "Look what happened to us now"


    Kanji did not say anything but took off his jacket and put it over her head. Shepletely broke down underneath it, unable to hold back her tears anymore. He was tormented by her wails of sadness, his own grief overshadowed by Mina''s overwhelming emotions.


    Minay her head on his shoulder, still crying. The silence of the hellish forest was torn apart by her cries, making even the souls of the dead feel sad for the couple whose time was shortened by fate.

 Chapter 404: Day 5 (8)

    Chapter 404: Day 5 (8)


    Gayoon passed through the cold curtain and stepped into a silent world which reminded her of the World of the Dead. It was so quiet that she could almost hear her heart beating rapidly against her chest. Not even the sound of the wind whoosh by her ears, making her feel as if the whole world had gone deaf.


    "Jina?" she called out.


    "Mom!"


    Gayoon scanned around and saw arge altar up ahead. It stood on a flight of stairs but Jina''s voice came from that ce.


    "Jina!" she cried and dashed towards the altar, climbing the stairs to find her daughter tied on therge dial. Jina was crying hard, confused and dazed by the strange ce she had been kept in.


    "Mommy!" she cried hysterically. "Mommy, I''m scared!"


    "I''m here, sweetie!" Gayoon assured her and quickly untied her daughter. As soon as she was free, Jina leapt and hugged her mother tightly, not letting go.


    "Mommy, that woman has my dad!" she eximed. "They''re going to make him open the gates!"


    "Honey, I know," Gayoon assured her. "But you need to stop crying. We can''t rescue him if we don''t go to the World of the Dead and stop that ritual"


    "B-but mommy, it''ll be too dangerous for you to go!" Jina squeaked. "You can''t stay in there for long!"


    "One hour," Gayoon stated. "More than enough time. We''ll have to finish off everything in five minutes anyway. Besides"


    She took out the ring. "This is going to help us close the gates," she dered.


    Gayoon checked the watch. It was now 11 o''clock. They had only one hour.


    "Minho and that demon must have arrived at the dead realm by now," she muttered. "Alright, Jina. Listen to me very carefully. You must do exactly as I tell you to."


    Jina nodded and said, "Okay! What do we have to do?"


    Gayoon whispered the instructions to her and the little girl nodded. A lot of it depended on luck but they had no option. They must rescue Minho at all costs.


    "Understood?" Gayoon asked once she was done.


    "Yes mom!" Jina eximed. "I can take you there at the exact time. All you have to do is gimme the signal!"


    "Good girl," Gayoon said, patting Jina''s head. "Now, we wait for the clock to strike 11:59."


    .


    "It''s time," Anyal dered. Minho raised an eyebrow, watching his opponent as he stepped forward. The demon raised his hand and muttered, "Patentibus."


    To Minho''s shock, a portal opened but it was not leading to any ce within the Jang Mansion. Instead, he could see an unfamiliar hallway which was modeled after some kind of pce or fortress. It was not a ce he could recognize because such buildings were made hundreds of years ago and were in ruins at the current time.


    "Enter," Anyal ordered.


    "What is that ce?" Minho asked suspiciously.


    "I told you, Hwang Minho," Anyal smirked. "Unlike you Transporters who cannot leave one particr building within the World of the Dead, demons can wander anywhere we want in here. We can even take someone with us if we want. I can take you directly to the ce where Ahin was killed. After all, we are also part of this world"


    "Now, enter," he ordered. Minho slowly got to his feet and hesitantly stepped through the portal. Instantly, he was transported to the fort which was probably miles away from the Jang mansion. He scanned the ce carefully, trying to figure out where they were.


    The walls were covered with red tapestry on which golden dragons were painted. The corridor he stood at was quite long and broad, lined with statues of warriors in heavy metal armor and swords. There were paintings on the walls too which Minho immediately recognized as famous historical figures from his old textbooks. Unlike the imitation paintings sold at the markets, Minho''s expert eyes could discern that these were authentic works. The brushstrokes were done delicately with precision and he knew that these originals were probably lost with time.


    Then howe these were situated in this strange fort?


    It felt as if he had traveled back in time by hundreds of years but instead of a noisy and buzzed court, it was only silence. There were no people, not even the souls of the dead were around. The portal in Gayoon''s school had a simr silence but Minho was not scared by it. Rather, the quiet atmosphere there was even weing at times, albeit mostly disturbing.


    But this ce...it was not simply quiet. He felt as if it was cursed. The pictures on the walls seemed to be...breathing. Minho was not sure if it was his imagination or was it all read but the motionless eyes of the paintings were following him. They were not moving and yet, he felt as if they were observing everything and they would stalk him until he went crazy in that ce.


    "Interesting what happens to a ce where the gates are located," Anyal remarked as if he was talking about the weather. "You''re feeling the stares too, aren''t you?"


    He let out a snort and went on. "The souls in hell can see the worlds of both living and dead," Anyal revealed. "It''s their punishment. Wherever a gate has been opened, the souls of hell are made to constantly see the two worlds where they can no longer go to. It''s only a small punishment from the millions they have to endure but it''s still one of the worst ones. Not being able to live nor redeem themselves. No ce in the World of the Living nor in the World of the Dead. Cannot even reincarnate. They are doomed forever."


    He paused before adding, "This is what a pure person like Ahin is suffering. She doesn''t belong there and yet, she''s forced to be a part of Hell! How can I let her stay there and suffer?"


    "Now you know my pain, Hwang Minho," he murmured. "I want her back. I want her to get out of hell ande back to me"


    "Poor gal," Minho said warily. "Either be with the Devil or with a monster like you. Personally, I feel she''s better off where she is considering the fact that she doesn''t want to return. If taken out of hell, she won''t be alive nor dead. She can''t even reincarnate! For hundreds of years, she''s been living in hell and by now, it''s the only ce she can im she belongs to. It''s bad and torturous but that''s the only ce she can live in! Just let her rest in peace! Tell your master to take you back so that you can at least see her everyday-"


    "Have you seen hell, Hwang Minho?" Anyal retorted. "You have no idea what it feels like-"


    "Seeing my best friend''s body taken over by the killer of my mother is worse than hell," Minho said. "You think hellfire is the worst thing in the world? Then you have no idea what true hell is. One doesn''t have to die to experience it."


    Anyal was quiet for a while before suddenly raising his hand. Minho felt immense pain spurting throughout his body but bit his tongue to keep himself from screaming. His insides felt like they were literally on fire, making him use all his willpower to not beg for life.


    It''s a trick...he told himself. Just a trick.


    But the pain was bing unbearable. Anyal forced his muscles to bend in front of the demon while Minho tried to fight it. However, the demon had control over his body, making Minho obey hismands.


    "Your arrogance will be the end of you, Hwang Minho," Anyal said. "You think you''re experiencing hell?"


    A crazed mania appeared in the eyes which once belonged to Kanji. Minho was trying to fight the demon''s grip but Anyal was tormenting him to his heart''s content.


    "I''ll show you what hell is," Anyal promised. "And you''ll never forget it until your dying breath, Hwang Minho!"

 Chapter 405: A Foolish Wish

    Chapter 405: A Foolish Wish


    Kanji winced when a sharp pain pounded his heart. Mina was startled at him when his face went all pale and his eyes were closed.


    "What''s going on?" she eximed. "Are you alright?"


    "I''m...not," he confessed. "I don''t know why but Heajong''s heart felt a strange pain. As if something stabbed it. I think...I think he''s getting weaker!"


    Mina bit her lip and touched his chest, trying to feel any irregrity.


    "The heart beat feels a little faster than usual," she muttered. Taking the pulse, she manually tried to count the rate.


    "I think he is getting weaker," she murmured. "He won''t have much time left if this possession goes on for too long"


    They looked at each other, feeling torn. Haejong''s body was already beginning to weaken and if Kanji kept on upying it, it would only endanger him.


    "Just an hour more and then I''ll be gone," Kanji said. "I''ll try not to"


    He trailed off. Kanji did not want to be the cause of Haejong''s death. The man had allowed him to take over his body so that he could spend time with Mina. It was not out of any selfless deed but rather out of debt to his grandfather. Yet, Haejong''s actions made Kanji feel only more guilty for intruding on his life like this.


    Mina held his hand and said, "We''ll get through this. We''ll get your body out of there and defeat that demon. Don''t worry at all."


    She fought back her tears, knowing very well that their time together was limited. Kanji hugged her, feeling a strange sense of peace even in the midst of the hellish forest. He did not care whether there were souls watching them nor did he give a damn about anyone else.


    The woman in his arms was more important to him than life or death. He did not know when and how he fell in love with her. But he did. He fell crazily in love with her and the pain of separation was tearing him apart.


    "Kanji...talk to me please," she moaned. "I can''t tolerate this silence anymore. I want to know everything."


    "Know what?"


    "What do you love about me?" she whispered, her head leaning against his chest. "What did you feel all this time? Everything. Say anything. I don''t care how stupid or mundane it is. I just want to listen to you."


    She closed her eyes, her tears continuing to fall but she did not let go. The body was different but his warmth was still the same. Whenever he was with her, she felt happy and safe. This was her home and she wanted to stay there for a little bit more. For a few moments, she just wanted to forget about everything else and listen to him.


    "I" he began. "I like your persistence. You''ll haggle to death with the shopkeepers but in the end, you''ll get what you want. People think you''re greedy for shopping a lot-"


    She pinched his arm, feeling slightly annoyed. "Say good things!" she demanded.


    "I am saying good things!" he imed. "I''m getting there."


    Mina pouted a little but Kanji wrapped his arms around her and went on.


    "But the excitement on your face whenever you buy something new is precious," he whispered. "And you''ll never waste the things you buy. You''ll finish every bit of them, reusing the items until they''re over. You''re harsh with people but that''s only when you''re trying to understand their true feelings. When someone hurts the people you care about, you''ll put that person down for their deeds. Yet, you''ll ept good people with an open heart"


    Mina listened to him, not saying anything at all. Her heart was wrenched in agony but his true feelings were ebbing the pain she felt.


    "And even if you love money, you love your patients more," Kanji said, reminiscing the times Mina had saved the lives of her patients. "You''ll keep on trying to save them and won''t give up no matter what. And when you lose a patient to death, you''ll keep on remembering them every year. I know about the small shrine you have in your room for your deceased patients"


    Mina was surprised. "How did you know about that?" She asked softly. "I''ve hidden it away even from my family!"


    It was true. She had made a makeshift shrine for her deceased patients and every year on their death anniversaries, she prayed for their souls. It was a secret she kept from everyone but this man...he knew. He always knew everything about her.


    "I...I was once hiding from Minho," he admitted in a sheepish tone. "You see, I had tried to set him up on a date with one of the rich heiresses and he was so annoyed by the woman that as soon as he was done with the date, he chased me across the house. So I hid in your cupboard and found the shrine."


    In spite of her grief, Mina let out augh. Kanji pouted when she did not stopughing and pointed at him.


    "Stupid Kanji!" sheughed. "You really think my brother would have ever fallen for thosezy women? Get a grip! He''s got the best girl now!"


    "Aish!" Kanji scowled. "The guy was so hard to set up on dates with. All the girls who went on blind dates with him, came to curse me! They imed that it was like their bank statements were talking back to them. I don''t know how the guy will survive without me! After all, it was my magazine which helped him win Gayoon! Otherwise, the guy probably didn''t even know which hole to put it in-"


    Mian smacked his head.


    "OW!" he whined like a child.


    "Stop ndering my brother!" she scolded him.


    "He''s my best friend!" Kanji protested. "It''s my job to nder him! After all, only I can do that. I know all his dirty secrets!"


    He was beaming with pride while Mina shook her head in dismay. She smiled a little, both of their moods lightening up as they reminisced the past.


    "My brother is an idiot at times," she said. "But he loves all of us."


    She paused before adding, "He loves you too. Maybe he doesn''t show it but he really does. He never told me the whole story, but once he mentioned that you had saved him. I''ve never seen him look so ashamed of himself but he was d that you were there with him."


    Kanji realized that Minho was probably talking about the time when he had stopped thetter from taking up arms against his enemies. He would hate to see his friend taint his soul with other people''s blood. Kanji had seen enough bloodshed and even participated in it but it was to protect the people he loved. Which is why he would never let Minho take up a weapon to kill someone.


    "He said that whenever he''ll do something stupid, Knji will be there to stop him," Mina went on. "Which is why he was always kept in line. Weird, huh?"


    "Very," Kanji agreed.


    "He''s not going to do well without you," Mina said. "He''s trying to be strong but I know he''ll be lost without his best friend."


    "I''ll always watch over him," Kanji mused. "Whether in life or death. I don''t think anything can stop that guy from ripping apart my wallet."


    Heughed at his joke. Mina smiled at him, trying to picture his face. In her eyes, even if he was in another body, she always kept seeing his face in front of her. All this time, she did not feel awkward around his borrowed body because it was Kanji''s soul in there.


    What would happen once he was gone? Could they survive without him?


    "I can''t survive either" she confessed. All this time, she was still in his arms, buried in his chest as they talked. "I tried to smile around you but I can''t anymore. None of us can survive without you."


    Kanji blinked back his own tears but was determined to keep on making Mina smile.


    "You know," he began. "The reason why I covered your face whenever you cried is because you look ugly when you cry."


    To his surprise, Mina did not react. "Liar," she muttered. "You covered my face because you hated to see me cry. I know you too well, Jang Kanji. You might consider yourself a killer but you can''t hide your gentle heart from me."


    Kanji held her even more tightly, etching this moment into his soul. This was probably theirst hug and he would not let this memory be wiped off. He did not know if he would be sent off to the Afterlife or elsewhere but wherever he would go, this was the memory he would cherish the most.


    "I''m in love with you, Jang Kanji," Mina whispered. "I don''t want you to go. Can''t you stay here with me? Can''t we run away?"


    Kanji wanted to say yes. He wanted to be selfish and run away with her. It was his wish too.


    A foolish wish.


    "Where I''ll go, I can''t take you," he said in a soft tone, patting her head. "But wherever I''ll be, I know that your love will reach me. So it''s okay. We don''t have to run away. Our moments together were short but we''ve lived a thousand lives within these moments. That''s enough for us in this lifetime."


    Mina did not say anything else but kept on hugging him, not letting him go. The red moon above them shone its scarlet hue on them, the hellish forest bing their safe haven for a shirt while. For a brief second, she thought she heard the souls of hell, crying for them as they watched the couple with great sadness.


    So this is the real Hell, huh? She wondered.

 Chapter 406: The Final Ritual (1)

    Chapter 406: The Final Ritual (1)


    Anyal led Minho to a magnificent hall which was lit with golden lights. A grand staircase was in the middle with a gold coated railing decorated in the shape of a dragon. The hallway was mostly empty sans arge circle in the center with a hexagon drawn in it. The hexagon was drawn to be perfectly symmetric and was cut through the middle.


    "This represents the two worlds," Anyal said. "The living and the dead world. Two worlds which look the same but are not. And in the center"


    He pointed at a point in the middle where a point was made with red ink. "That''s where you''ll sit," the demon went on. "The powers of a Transporter remain in the line between life and death. Your job is to ferry the spirits to their destination and here as well, you''ll act as the passage for Ahin toe back to me"


    Minho did not say anything but sullenly headed towards the ce Anyal had pointed and sat there.


    "Let''s get this over with," he gritted. It was 11 PM and he still could not guess what Anyal was nning. This was the first time Minho felt trapped and could not figure out a way to get out of it.


    On top of it all, Jina''s life was also at stake. The demon must have kidnapped her for some other reason but what was it?


    Anyal stood on the border of the circle. Minho waited for the demon to say something but he stood there, staring at the circle.


    Many emotions were rushing through the demon''s head and he was overwhelmed. How many years and centuries did he wait for this moment? Even though Ahin died hundreds of years ago, he still recalled her face as if it was yesterday. Her smile and her kind nature stuck with him, making even a vile creature like Anyal fall in tabooed love with a human.


    Minho could read the demon''s feelings and if the creature was not a murderous psychopath, he would have sympathized with him. No matter how much the demon loved his lover, all his deeds outweigh his emotions.


    "Soon, Ahin will be mine," Anyal murmured.


    "What a selfish wish," Minho remarked, shaking his head.


    "Love isn''t selfish," Anyal imed.


    "What you''re feeling isn''t love!" Minho shot back. "It''s an obsession! You think you''re in love with her but in reality, you''re in love with the idea of having her by your side. You want yourself to feel good, you want your own happiness and you''ll get what you want. This isn''t about her. This is about you trying to fulfill your own desires."


    "I desire the same thing as her," Anyal stated. "She wants to be with me and I want to be with her."


    "You can keep deluding yourself," Minho said in a cold tone. "But in reality, she''s gone. She''s dead and even if she''s in hell, she knows she won''t be happy here. This is not her ce to be."


    "I''ll give you another aneurysm if you don''t shut up!" Anyal hissed. Minho did not say anything else but simply shook his head. The demon was clearly delusional. Shinjin was right. The love of a demon was simply an obsession and this obsession is the reason for their ultimate end.


    How pathetic, he thought.


    Anyal did not pay attention but closed his eyes and began to chant. Minho stared at the demon with a frown, wondering what was going to happen.


    For a few minutes, nothing happened and everything remained uneventful. But Anyal kept on chanting under his breath without a care. Minho was confused at the calm atmosphere. He had expected some kind of activity. Maybe reapers bursting through or the ground to shake.


    But nothing. It waspletely a nd affair. Anyal did not seem to care because he kept on muttering under his breath.


    "What-" Minho began but suddenly, he felt something grab his hands.


    "What the hell?" he cursed. The circle was beginning to spin around him and invisible forces grabbed his hands, raising them forward. A high squeaky noise was piercing his eardrums, giving him goosebumps and the room around him was slowly turning red.


    The temperature of the ce was rapidly rising and Minho wanted to throw away his jacket in the heat but the unseen forces kept his handspletely locked.


    A loud roar echoed through the hallways and a strong gale burst into the room out of nowhere. The wind was so strong that Minho was almost toppled backwards but the invisible grasp on his limbs kept him rooted to his spot.


    "UGH!" he yelled, trying to free himself but it was no use. The golden hall was turning into a strange hue of scarlet and from one of therge windows, a full red moon peeked through it. Minho felt the wind pping him and no matter how much he tried to free himself from his invisible captor, it was to no avail.


    Anyal was unfazed and kept on chanting. He did not even move an inch, unaffected by the winds. ck ink was forming on his skin, snaking from top to bottom, giving him the appearance of a heavily tattooed man.


    "What are you doing?" Minho demanded but his voice was broken by the wind. The halls were nowpletely red and to Minho''s horror, thousands of eyes appeared on the walls, starting from the floor all the way to the ceiling. The eyes were rotating around them in a circr motion, watching them.


    "AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"


    The screams of hundreds of thousands of people were heard throughout the whole fort. Minho feared that his ears would bleed from the screeches but the World of the Dead was not physically hurting him at all. Instead, it was psychologically scarring him with the screeches and stares from those damned in hell. He wanted to shut his ears but it was impossible.


    "Save me! Save me!"


    The pleas and cries of the souls were now torturing him. They bagged him, cursed him and demanded him to free them. Minho closed his eyes but it was almost impossible to shut them off. He felt several gushes of wind as if they were touching him, pushing and pulling at him to make him hear theirmands.


    Anyal smirked as he continued to chant. This torture was going to get worse for Minho and only five minutes had passed.


    Real hell ising soon, Hwang Minho, he thought with glee.

 Chapter 407: The Final Ritual (2)

    Chapter 407: The Final Ritual (2)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    MLC ends tomorrow! I''ll be giving a mass release tomorrow with some fun epilogue for our leads


    *Be ready for twin trouble and also another cute little bun*


    Also, I will be entering the spirity contest with two books:


    1. Doctor Demon (Sequel to MLC): Follow our adult Jina''s journey as a detective as she battles spirits, demons and...love? What''ll happen when she meets a psychometric doctor who reminds her of her first love?


    3. Trials of Fire and Love: A dark mafia romance between two people who have aplicated past. Can the gentle yet determined Lillian fall in love with the dreaded Mafia Lord, Lucas? Or will their love bring upon their doom?


    Both books will start serializing from tomorrow! Do support them


    ...


    Junho and Shinjin created a red circle with a star in the middle of it. The moon was glowering above them, still emitting the reddish hue on the world below. Jason stood at a corner, guarding Anna. He had hit her hard on the head so that she would be unconscious and not interfere in anything Junho was doing.


    The duo sat on either side of the circle and closed their eyes. Candles were lit on four corners of the circle while a bag of sandy by each of their sides.


    "We''ll have to chant the spell nonstop until 12:04 AM," Shinjin reminded Junho.


    "I know," Junho muttered. "SJust start the damn thing already."


    Shinjin took a deep breath and began.


    "Oh you bereaved demon drowning in the fires of obsession and desire, leave the body of Jang Kanji and begone!" Shinjin chanted and whooshed a bunch of salt in the middle of the circle. Junho repeated with him and copied his spell. Both of them kept on brandishing the salt with Jason sometimes recing the bags with more salt whenever the supply depleted.


    The air around them was getting heavier and the stares from the souls of hell were bing scarce. They could sense that there was a disturbance somewhere but it was hard to pinpoint the ce. The strong feeling they had of being watched was decreasing and shifting elsewhere.


    The candles were burning more brightly than ever while the moon seemed to be getting distorted. Their watches struck 11:30 PM, indicating they had only twenty nine minutes until Jina would be taken to the World of the Dead for the final task.


    "Oh you bereaved demon drowning in the fires of obsession and desire, leave the body of Jang Kanji and begone!" The two of them chanted without a pause. Jason was astonished to see their perfect synchronization.


    Is this really Hwang Junho? He wondered. The man he knew as a money lover and rational tycoon was now determined to fight unseen forces for the sake of his family. It was strange and Jason was having a hard time to believe it.


    But the incidents of the past few days had rattled him and he was scared of what was happening. First, his son died and now, the man who was supposed to be his enemy, imed to be hosting his son''s spirit. Even Mina believed him which made Jason more confused.


    Mina knew Kanji well and she would never go along with this ridiculous story unless she was hundred percent sure about it.


    What the hell is happening? He wondered


    Outside, Mina and Kanji sat up, scared and fearful of what was happening. Kanji was feeling a strange sensation as if he was being pulled away from Haejong''s body.


    "Ugh!" he cried, clutching his heart.


    "Kanji!" Mina eximed. "What''s going on?"


    "Heart...pain" he moaned, unable to say anything with coherence. Mina immediately checked his heart and pulse but there was nothing particrly wrong with it.


    "Are you feeling anything on your left arm?" she asked. He weakly shook his head.


    "This isn''t a heart attack" Mina said. She nced at the fort which was now glowing red. The moon was not just shining over it; it was shining only at the fort. The rest of the forest had gonepletely dark and only the fort was illuminated with its red rays. The fort looked like a monstrous creature which had been awoken by unnatural forces and now, it was out for blood.


    "Kanji, you must hold on!" she whispered. She clutched his hand and began to massage his palms.


    "If you leave now, Haejong will also die!" she eximed. "Both of you must hold on, alright?"


    "I''ll...try" Kanji gasped but his hold on Haejong was weakening. The contrasting spells cast in the living and dead worlds were affecting every ghost in the vicinity. Mina kept on massaging his palms, whispering encouraging words in his ears to keep Kanji and Haejong alive.


    "Don''t you dare give up now, Jang Kanji!" she threatened. "Just a little more, and it''ll all be over!"


    She was holding back her tears with great difficulty because it was not the time to cry. They had cried enough and now, they must stand united against the demon which had destroyed so many lives.


    "Stay with me!" shemanded. "You hear me?"


    Kanji was only holding onto her voice. He refused to give up so easily like he had done during his death. This time, he was holding onto his lifeline not only for himself but for Mina and Haejong. If he leaves Haejong''s body at that moment, the man might die and Kanji was done killing others.


    A little bit more! He ordered himself. Hold on!


    Mina checked her watch. It was now 11:45. Only fourteen more minutes left until Jina will be taken to the other realm and everything after that depended on luck. Her whole family was fighting between life and death and she was helpless to do anything.


    "Please help us," she prayed. "Just help us, please!"


    .


    The ground below them was shaking and Jina was terrified. She hugged her mother, scared and confused. Gayoon kept a firm grip on her and tried to assure her.


    "Nothing''s gonna go wrong, okay?" she murmured in a soothing tone. "Just don''t be scared."


    "But mommy, I''m really scared!" Jina sobbed. "I can...I can feel them looking at me! I''m scared!"


    She was crying loudly in her mother''s arms, afraid of what was going to happen. The clock was ticking and she was sure her father was in grave danger.


    "We''ll defeat the demon, but I need you to be strong," Gayoon said firmly. "I know it''s scary and hard but if you cry, your dad will be sad. Don''t fall apart. We need to rescue him, right?"


    Jina choked up her tears and wiped them off. She wanted to be strong and not cry but it was so damn hard!


    Gayoon kept on hugging her, assuring her that they would be alright and get out of there safely. She was chanting a prayer in her head to calm down her own nerves. Her heart was also fraught with fear and worry over what was happening with Minho in the World of the Dead. The evil energy they felt which was resonating throughout the numerous dimensions was going to make anyone crazy. If Anyal was summoning such madness, then Minho was going through literal hell at that very moment.


    Please keep him safe, she prayed. Please return him to me safe and sound. Please!


    She kissed Jina''s forehead to pacify the scared child. They felt the stares from hell on them while the ground slid underneath their feet, making them fear for their lives. Gayoon nervously nced at her watch and gulped.


    "Jina" she whispered. "It''s 11:58 PM. Almost time for us to go in there. Do you remember what you have to do?"


    Jina slowly nodded. "Can we pull this off?" she whispered.


    "We''ll have to try," Gayoon said. "It''s all we can do."

 Chapter 408: The Final Ritual (3)

    Chapter 408: The Final Ritual (3)


    Minho fell on the ground, sweating and panting hard. The voices were still crying for help, their pleas echoing in his mind until he felt like he was going crazy. He could hear Anyal chanting some gibberish but he did not bother to listen. The demon was inflicting psychological pain on him and Minho did not know how much longer he could bear it.


    "AAAGH!" he cried in agony when a sharp pain jabbed his brain as if someone was squeezing it until it would burst.


    It''s a trick! He told himself. It''s all a trick! Don''t give in!


    The invisible hands were still pinning down his limbs and he could not move a muscle. He did not know for how many minutes, hours or days he was enduring this because he lost all sense of time and ce. Eyes were following him, voices were whispering at him and the wind was pping at him from all sides.


    Red light was glowing all around him to the point he thought he would go blind. It was not the brightness but the light was aching his pupils, dting them and he could not even close them anymore. He felt as if the entire ce was live and participating in Anyal''s n to torture him.


    The demon was unleashing years of pain and anguish on Minho, hoping to suppress him but thetter kept his senses awake.


    I must not give in! Minho shouted in his mind. He felt his energy being drained from his body but he was using every ounce of his willpower to remain strong. If he gave up, then his family was going to suffer and he had no intention of putting them through anymore pain.


    I can''t die here! He told himself. I''m not dying here!


    Anyal was still chanting but also enjoying the pain Minho was going through. Seeing Hwang Minho at his mercy was giving him an odd satisfaction because their silent rivalry was nowing to a head. The demon watched his nemesis being tormented by the souls of hell. They had been pulled so near to the World of the Dead that the souls could not resist in using their powers to torment Minho.


    Years of living in hell made them as sadistic as the demons and they enjoyed inflicting pain on others now. They wanted the human before them to suffer the pain they went through. It rejoiced them to see how much Minho was struggling to keep himself alive and they wanted to break his spirit beyond repair.


    "Save us" they kept on whispering. "Save us...save us"


    Minho shook his head in refusal but the souls were adamant on punishing their prey. The lights were now shining more ominously, making Minho''s pupils wider as they tortured him.


    Somewhere, he heard a clock chime loudly. One...two...three...four


    Minho counted until it struck eleven and as soon as it was going to strike twelve, a portal opened to his right.


    He looked up as two figures stepped into the World of the Dead. One was Jina and another was a hooded figure who was undoubtedly Anna.


    "Dad" Jina whispered and was about to run towards him but the hooded figure behind her stopped her and harshly pulled her back. Anyal was so engrossed in the spell that he could no longer distinguish between the energies of people and spirit. The atmosphere in there was heavy with hell''s energy, distorting everything else. He did not even look at Anna but motioned at her to ce the little girl on one side of the circle.


    The clock struck twelve, indicating that it was midnight. Jina felt the hand on her shoulder guide her towards the side of the circle.


    Inside the hoodie, Gayoon was feeling very weak. She had greatly overestimated her own ability to stay still in World of the Dead despite knowing that a living human like her would be sucked out of all their life if they stayed there. Her head was spinning but she kept herself awake by secretly pinching herself.


    Jina could feel her mother being affected by the bad energy of the World of the Living but there was nothing she could do at that moment. They must somehow tough it out till 12:04 AM so that her grandfather could stop the demon and exorcise him out of her uncle Kanji''s body.


    "Sit," Gayoon said in a deeper voice than usual, attempting to mimic Anna. Jina sat down on the border of the circle. As soon as she sat, the invisible forces grabbed her as well, pinning her down on the floor.


    "DAD!" she yelled. Her cries snapped Minho out of his torment and he struggled to reach his daughter.


    "JINA!" he screamed but his captors would not let him go. He struggled to be free only for it all to be in vain. Jina''s limbs were being stretched in an X-shape and she kept on screaming.


    Seeing them in pain was tormenting Gayoon but she could not move otherwise Anyal would be suspicious. He still did not sense her and she must use it to her advantage. But Minho was in so much pain already. It achd her to see him like this and he looked as if he had been tormented for hours. The souls were hellbent on making him suffer because they sensed that he was the middleman between life and death. Those vile creatures knew he could open the gates of hell and let them loose.


    Gayoon kept her cool with great difficulty. She nced at the watch on her hand.


    12:01 AM.


    Anyal slowly looked outside the window. The moon was being covered by a dark shadow. The eclipse was urring at that very moment, slowly engulfing the blood red moon. Gayoon watched as the light began to dim and an eerie darkness fell over them.


    Minho felt the whispers die down until it was silent again. The unseen forces kept a firm grasp on him but he was weakened by the ordeal. His eyes were on Jina who was also looking at him, crying. She was scared and calling for him but he could not even reach his own daughter.


    He tried to reach out his hand in vain. As her cries haunted him, he was reminded of a recurring nightmare he had when she was born. It was always the same dream where he was in a dark corridor. Jina was crying out for him but he could not reach her.


    "Dad" he used to hear her whisper. "Dad...save me...dad"


    No matter where he used to look, he could not find his daughter. The fear in his heart felt so real that whenever he woke up, he used to hold Jina close to him and would not fall asleep for many nights. He was afraid that if he fell asleep, his daughter would be gone just like in his nightmare.


    For the first time in many years, he felt as if his nightmare had returned. His daughter was calling out for him but he could not reach her at all.


    "Jina" he whispered.


    Gayoon heard his helpless longing for his daughter and she wanted to tell him that it was going to be alright. Peeking at Anyal, she saw that he had closed his eyes. Within a sh, she took out the ring from her pocket and shed it secretly to Minho.


    For a moment, his eyes fell on the hooded Anna who was shing something at him but when he saw the ring in her hand, realization finally dawned on him.


    Gayoon!


    She immediately put the ring back and focused on Anyal again. The demon was now drawing a circle in the air and opened his eyes.


    "The Gates of Hell which locks away the souls of the damned!" he dered. "I nowmand this Transporter to open your realm and in return, the Lord of Hell will be presented with the ultimate gift!"


    Gift? Minho thought in rm but before he could say anything, his hands moved on their own and began to draw circles in the air.


    "Say it Transporter, otherwise your daughter will die!" Anyal threatened. "Open the gates!"


    Minho was torn between everything and turned to Gayoon. She gave a stiff nod, silently assuring him to trust her.


    He turned back to Anyal and whispered, "Patentibus."


    The ceiling above them was beginning to shake and a crack was appearing. They watched in horror as a ck tar-like substance was slowly dripping from it, sliding down the walls. The crack was increasing in width and a strong smell of sulfur was engulfing the area, reminding them of the awful smell which came from dead corpses.


    Gayoon and Minho almost gagged while Jina was out cold. Only Anyal was unaffected by the pungent stench.


    The cracks widened and liquidva was now flowing out and several eyes peeked through the hole, as if waiting to get out of there. Minho and Gayoon could see hints of evil smiles on their faces, the souls waiting for the gate to open fully.


    "Are you ready to see hell, Hwang Minho?" Anyal whispered with a smirk.

 Chapter 409: The Final Ritual (4)

    Chapter 409: The Final Ritual (4)


    "Kanji!" Mina yelled. Haejong''s body was going cold and the souls inside were being tormented by whatever was happening inside the fort. The moon above them waspletely overshadowed by the eclipse and a very foul smell of sulphur was filling the area.


    She gagged in disgust and moved away to throw up on the ground. Mina belched, the smell getting unbearable by the minute. Even though she did not eat anything for more than a day, the stench was so bad that she could help but throw up whatever liquids her stomach would churn out.


    Wiping her mouth, she crawled back to Kanji. His eyes were unfocused and she hugged him with all her might as if trying to protect him from whatever the hellish forest was throwing at them.


    "Please, stay strong!" she begged. "Don''t go! Please...please"


    In his dazed state, Kanji felt her tears falling on his forehead. He wanted to hold her but the body was bing weaker by the second.


    "It''s okay" he whispered. "It''s okay...You''ll be okay"


    "No" she sobbed. "I won''t be okay! I''m not ready to be okay! Don''t go. Just don''t go! Not now! Not ever! Please...please"


    She cried hard but it was of no use. No matter what she did, she would not be able to stop him from leaving.


    .


    Junho and Shinjin were chanting nonstop for the past hour. Their faces were all red and sweaty but they did not give up which made even Jason astonished. The men were adamant on this spell, trying to finish it perfectly as if their lives depended on it.


    "Oh you bereaved demon drowning in the fires of obsession and desire, leave the body of Jang Kanji and begone!" They said in unison.


    "Oh you bereaved demon drowning in the fires of obsession and desire, leave the body of Jang Kanji and begone!"


    Their chants were being drowned out by the strong gale which hit the fort. The whole ce was curtained by darkness because the moon was hidden behind the dark eclipse. Junho, still repeating the chant, motioned at Jason''s watch.


    "12:03 AM!" he yelled over the loud wind. Anna was still out cold and had been thankfully unconscious throughout the whole event. She could not interfere even if she wanted to because no one there would hesitate to kill her on the spot.


    "Oh you bereaved demon drowning in the fires of obsession and desire, leave the body of Jang Kanji and begone! BEGONE!"


    The seconds weret ticking and the spell was beginning to gain dominance. The battle between two dimensions heated up as everyone geared up against the demon who was hellbent on destroying their lives.


    I''ll save my children! Junho vowed inwardly, throwing more salt into the center.


    "Oh you bereaved demon drowning in the fires of obsession and desire, leave the body of Jang Kanji and begone!"


    ...


    Gayoon was trying not to gasp out loud as the crack above their heads widened and several hands began to creep out of it. The hands were marred with tar and soot because of the years of fiery hellfire the souls were burnt in. Rotting and burnt to a crisp, the hands were almost reaching out towards Gayoon, as if determined to pull her into hell with them.


    Minho was also gaping at the dead hands which were desperate to touch them. He used up all his energy and pulled at the invisible hands which held him captive.


    "Bring me Ahin!" Anyal ordered. "Bring me Ahin and take this child! I offer you her as a sacrifice, oh Lord of Hell! She''s the child who treads between life and death. She''s the one who holds the powers of the Blue Priestess! You know you''ll never get another one like her!"


    "What the fuck are you bbing?" Minho cursed but Anyal''s lips curled into a smirk.


    "I told you, Hwang Minho, you had the key to destroying any demon," he revealed. "Your daughter is the key! You really don''t know the truth about her, do you?"


    The demon let out a shrillughter because he had sensed it from the very beginning. There was no mistaking the girl and the soul hidden in her. It was only a matter of time when they would find out but he was not going to tell them anything more.


    "You''re a liar!" Minho shouted. "I don''t care about any of your bullshit! I''m taking my daughter! Let me go! You got what you wanted!"


    "But that''s not all," Anyal said. "The ritual isn''tplete without a...sacrifice."


    Minho froze. Sacrifice?


    "The Lord of Hell isn''t that generous," Anyal revealed. "Even if I take Ahin away, he''lle after us. So I''ll have to break Ahin''s contract with him and give him something even more valuable than her soul! A soul he can''t refuse. And that soul is your daughter''s one!"


    The final piece of the puzzle fell in its ce. Minho slowly turned towards his daughter who was unconscious. She...she was the puzzle. Anyal was not after just a Transporter. He was also looking for a soul to sacrifice.


    "If she wasn''t around, your detective lover''s soul would have done the trick as well," Anyal went on. "But a hybrid making up of the powers of a Seer and Transporter is a rare one. Only one person in history had this mix and that was the Butterfly Priestess. Now, this girl has it too. The Lord of Hell will be pleased"


    The crack above them was only increasing. Gayoon had inched closer to Anyal in the meantime, hiding her face. The demon was so engaged with finding Ahin that he did not notice her at all.


    "Ahin" he whispered. "Ahin,e to me"


    Anyal''s eyes scanned the numerous souls above them which were wailing to be let free. He searched for her until his eyes fell on a particr rotting corpse-like soul which was looking straight at him.


    "An...yal" it whispered. "An...yal"


    "Ahin!" he whispered. Minho was still as a statue, not speaking nor reacting. The crack was now wide open and several spirits were pushing the gate ever further, trying toe out.


    A long hand reached out to grab the little girl whoy unconscious. Minho watched the hand descending towards her.


    "No" he whispered. "No"


    His eyes briefly met Gayoon''s, who was now behind Anyal. The demon was still watching his dear Ahin. Suddenly, his senses were alert and he remembered his servant.


    "Anna," he began. "I''m supposed to reward you for your hard work."


    The demon was secretly creating another circle to create a portal and throw his servant off a cliff but he needed to trick her first. Gayoon checked her watch. Only 15 seconds to go.


    "Your soul will be freed too," he imed, still creating the circle. "I-"


    "NOW!" Gayoon shouted and before Anyal could react, she grabbed the demon from behind, tackling him to the ground.


    In a sh, she struck the ring in thin air and used its remaining powers. Jina immediately woke up, having pretended to be unconscious this whole time and threw a handful of salt at the hand which was about to grab her. The hand temporarily halted, giving her enough time to run towards her father. Jina threw salt on Minho''s hands and instantly the invisible hands let go of him.


    "Patentibus!" Gayoon shouted. A portal erupted and Junho''s face came from behind it.


    Anyal was trying to fight off Gayoon but she hadced her own hands with salt. She was well prepared with salt and peach leaves to fight the demon if needed.


    "You, the demon named Anyal, who is in love with Princess Ahin, has sinned and killed many innocents!" Junho boomed in a thunderous tone. "Oh you bereaved demon drowning in the fires of obsession and desire, leave the body of Jang Kanji and begone!"


    Junho threw a mixture of peach and salt at Anyal who hissed in pain.


    "Gayoon!" Minho rushed to her side with Jina, holding down the demon. Junho threw more of the mixture at Anyal, not stopping the chant while Shinjin purified the air.


    The gates of hell were beginning to close and a loud cry was heard. Anyal looked up to see that Ahin was being pulled back to hell as the gates closed on her face.


    "NOOOOOO!" he screamed, watching his beloved being thrown back into hell.


    "The demon Anyal, you are to leave Jang Kanji''s body and are condemned to that of a mindless being!" Junho cursed. "Come out! COME OUT!"


    Anyal''s face distorted and the body was shaking. Gayoon, Minho and Jina kept a hold on Kanji''s body as the demon was being sucked out by Junho''s chant.


    "NOOOOO!" the demon kept on screaming. In the struggle, Minho nced behind Gayoon.


    A line of reapers were racing towards them, hungry to cut down anyone in their way. Instantly, he grabbed Jina and pushed her out of the portal.


    "AAAAH!" Jina yelled as she fell on the other side. She looked around and saw that Minho and Gayoon had grabbed Kanji''s body and within a split second, they jumped out of the portal. Jina caught a brief nce of a red and ck humanoid creature trying to reach out from the spot where Anyal was casted out but before it could do anything more than raise its hand, a swarm of reapers pounced on it.


    Minho did not waste any moment and closed the portal. Anyal''s faint cries of pain echoed in their ears until they disappeared.


    "Is it all over?" Jina whispered.


    Her parents did not reply but automatically reached out to hug her. Junho and Shinjin copsed to the ground while Jason was stupefied by all the things that had transpired.


    "It''s over," Minho whispered.


    "It is," Gayoon sighed, wiping a tear from her eye.

 Chapter 410: The Final Ritual-Conclusion

    Chapter 410: The Final Ritual-Conclusion


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    MLC ends today! But no worries [3


    ''Doctor Demon'' has been published already! Add it to your library now and support me for spirity 2021


    Link: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    .....


    Mina half carried Kanji towards the fort. It was past 12:05 AM. A few moments ago, they heard the cries of what sounded like a wolf crying in grief. Kanji was still too weak and was nearly losing consciousness.


    When she entered the fort with Kanji, she was met with grim gazes.


    "Brother" she whispered. Minho gave her a pained look while Gayoon was consoling Jina in her arms. Junho and Shinjin were sitting on the floor while Jason was next to


    "You brought my body back," Kanji whispered. He smiled at Minho who could not meet his friend''s sad eyes. Kanji let go of Mina and slowly staggered towards Minho. Mina, on the other hand, waspletely numb upon seeing Kanji''s still body on the ground. As if in a trance, she walked towards it and stooped down. She put her head on its chest and closed her eyes. Jason was still as a statue upon seeing his son''s body, unsure of what to say.


    "You''re a bad person," Minho said to Kanji. "I thought you promised that you''ll annoy me forever!"


    Kanji faked a wide smile, hiding the pain in his heart. "I thought you hated me! Are you telling me that you actually love me as a friend, Hwang Minho? I''m blushing!"


    Instead of showing his usual annoyance at Kanji, Minho pulled him to a hug.


    "I can''t stay without you," Minho confessed, trying hard not to cry. "Who am I gonna rip off now?"


    "Ugh!" Kanji mockingly scowled. "My wallet has gone empty! All thanks to you! You should worry about who''s gonna be your wingman now. I mean, my rules of love helped you win over Gayoon-"


    "Those useless rules should burn in hell with all demons!" Minho imed. "Who the hell is the editor of that dumb magazine anyway?"


    "Me!" Kanji said in a cheery tone. "It''s one of my many secret projects! And quite popr with thedies too. Will you take over my precious magazine after I''m gone?"


    Minho now scowled for real. "Never!" he said in disgust.


    Kanji''s shoulders fell in sadness. Gayoon and Jina came to see him off onest time. Jina was still finding it hard to believe that Kanji would be gone.


    "I''m gonna miss all of you," he whispered. "Especially my little niece here. Who''s gonna teach her about romance once I''m gone?"


    "Stay with us!" Jina insisted. "I can help youmunicate with others."


    "I can''t stay here forever," Kanji said in a sad tone. "Uncle Haejong let me stay in his body but I''ve extended my stay for too long. It''s time for me to leave."


    "You can stay for a while," Gayoon said. "Not in Haejong''s body but at least with us."


    "No."


    Everyone looked around to see Junho standing up. He sighed at them.


    "The longer a spirit stays in this world, the more in pain he will be in," Junho whispered. "Not being able to talk to his loved ones. Also, seeing his loved ones grow old while he''ll be stuck like this. It''s a painful existence."


    "Junho is right," Shinjin added. "No matter how painful it is, we must ept death as part of a journey. It''s not the end but the beginning of something beautiful."


    Jason, who was still in shock all this time, looked at the man with Haejong''s face. He slowly got up and walked towards him.


    "Are you...are you really Kanji?" he whispered. He touched Kanji''s cheek, as if he was beginning to see his son clearly for the first time in days.


    "Dad" Kanji whispered in a teary tone. He hugged his father, unable to hold back his tears anymore. He had missed his father so much and was not able to tell him the truth for a while. It was killing Kanji from the inside. The torment of not being able to address his father was even worse than death.


    "Stay," Jason begged, crying for his son. "Stay with me. We''re here! You belong here!"


    "I can''t," Kanji said. "Besides, my scary looks might frighten Jina!"


    "But you''re not scary looking at all!" Jina sobbed. "You didn''t even seem like you were a ghost when I first met you. No injuries, nothing at all."


    Junho, who was sad, froze and looked at Jina.


    "What did you say?" he asked in suspicion. "He had no injuries?"


    "None," Jina said, startled by the change in her grandfather''s tone. "I told you. He looked alive."


    Junho and Shinjin looked at each other. Minho and Gayoon were also looking at Kanji with suspicion.


    "Kanji, didn''t you say that Anna first injured you and then choked you to death?" Minho gritted, his sadness gone in an instant. Now, it was reced with his usual annoyance, his nostrils ring up. Jason was also confused while Gayoon rushed towards Kanji''s body to check the pulse.


    Mina also slowly got up and met Gayoon''s eyes.


    "W-what is going on?" Kanji asked in confusion.


    "Jang Kanji," Minho began. "When a person dies and bes a ghost, his spirites in the form of how he died. Like Yumi appears in bits and pieces. Casper''s head was bashed in."


    "So?" Kanji asked slowly. "What does it mean?"


    "It means," Mina spoke up, slowly flexing her knuckles. "That you are alive and your body fell into aa after Anna tried to kill you."


    "Which is why you never appeared as a full fledged ghost," Gayoon supplied. "Just like how CCK was. But he was a dark shadow because he had killed many people out of malice whereas you only killed to protect your friends. Your soul is still intact, Kanji. And your body isn''t dead. It''s just in aa."


    "So...I''m...alive?" Kanji asked, shocked by the turn of events. From within his consciousness another voice spoke up.


    "You really are an idiot, aren''t you?" Haejong asked in a deadpan tone.


    Kanji looked around, gulping at everyone''s deathly stares. Even Jason shook his head at his son''s idiocy. Mina''s temper was now at an all time high.


    "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU MORON?" she yelled. "GET BACK IN YOUR BODY BEFORE I KICK YOU TO HELL MYSELF!"

 Chapter 411: Stupid Kanji

    Chapter 411: Stupid Kanji


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    MLC ends today! But no worries [3


    ''Doctor Demon'' has been published already! Add it to your library now and support me for spirity 2021


    Link: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ........


    Mina drove Shinjin''s car at full speed, making the shaman curse at her.


    "You''re gonna destroy my car!" heined.


    "Shut it!" she snapped at him as she sped past the several signals, not caring about traffic rules. After Kanji''s spirit went back to its body, Haejong''s body also copsed. ording to Junho, Anyal was able to take over Kanji''satose body because the spirit left it and still carried out his activities. The only reason the body remained alive was because Anyal had healed it for usage using his powers. But if the demon had stayed in it for a few more days, Kanji could have really died.


    But even though Kanji''s spirit had re-entered its body, he was still in aa and needed medical attention.


    "Stupid Kanji!" Minho growled. "Making us waste all those tears!"


    "Is he really a mafia leader?" Gayoon wondered in dismay. Jina, on the other hand, was d that her uncle Kanji was alive. Even if he was stupid, it was better to have the moron alive than dead.


    "What the hell happened?" Yumi wondered out loud. When the ceremony started, the forest had created a strange energy barrier which kept her away and by the time the barrier was gone, she saw the rest of the gang hurrying to the exit, with Mina driving like a maniac.


    "The dumbass is in aa and alive!" Mina gritted. She honked the horn loudly at an old woman who was about to cross the road. The woman was so frightened that she yelped and jumped back.


    "OUT OF MY WAY YOU OLD HAG!" Mina yelled at her.


    "Your daughter is gonna kill half the country today!" Shinjin remarked.


    "me it all on this moron!" Jason sighed. He was the one carrying Kanji''s body in that stuffy car, checking the vitals every minute.


    Thanks to Mina''s rash driving, they reached the hospital earlier than they had expected. Instantly, Mina barked at the paramedics to take Kanji and Haejong to the emergency wards. Kanji was rushed into the operation theater where the doctors began to operate on him.


    Mina changed into her scrubs and rushed into surgery while the others waited outside. Jason kept vigil, waiting for his son to be healed. Haejong was in another ward, unconscious but out of danger. Jina sat with her parents who were also tense.


    She knew that even though they were pretending to be annoyed at Kanji, they were d that he was still alive. Gayooned held Minho''s palm to support him while he held her hand too, seekingfort.


    "He''ll be okay," she whispered.


    "He better be," Minho said. "Otherwise, I''m gonna destroy thousands of dimensions to bring him back."


    And he meant it. Over the past few days, seeing Kanji as a lost spirit had nearly broken him. Even though Anyal had killed his mother, it was not until Kanji''s supposed death when Minho finally decided to seek out that monster. No one could take his brother away from him. Not even a demon.


    Junho sat beside Jason, patting him on the shoulder.


    "I don''t know what I''ll do without him," Jason whispered. "My son...my only son"


    "He made it this far," Junho said. "And let''s face it. He''s a fighter. He now has a reason to fight. So, we shouldn''t give up hope."


    "I couldn''t live without Kanji for even a few moments," Jason remarked. "And yet, you stayed away from your family for so many years. You''re...you''re really something, my friend."


    "Don''t think about all that," Junho said in a stern tone. "I did what I had to for my family. And you did too. None of that matters now. What matters is that we''re alive and well. And so is Kanji."


    Jason nodded and stared at the operation theater. Shinjin had gone to buy coffee for everyone, deciding to give privacy to everyone. Yumi stood at a corner watching over the family with a small smile. They had gone through so much pain that it was unthinkable. Now, she only hoped they would get some happiness.


    After many hours, Mina came out of the operation theater. Jason and the others rushed to her.


    "How is he?" Jason demanded.


    "He''s in a deepa," Mina said in a grim tone. "His internal injuries were untreated for five days! Even though the demon healed a lot of it, he had lost a lot of blood and was barely holding on. He''s out of danger but we''ll monitor him."


    Jason lowered his head. He was not sure whether to be happy that his son was out of danger or should he be sad that Kanji was unresponsive.


    "At least he''s alive," he finally said. "And that''s what matters the most."


    Minho patted Mina''s head. "You did good, kiddo," he smiled. Mina smiled back and hugged her brother.


    Gayoon walked up to them with Jina in her arms. Minho reached out an arm and hugged them too. Junho watched his family from afar, holding back his own tears.


    "Our children have grown up to be really good people, Suna," Junho whispered. He wished his wife to see this scene and be happy to witness their family. Both of them were unable to raise their kids but he was so proud of Minho and Mina at that moment.


    .


    Haejong slowly opened his eyes only to find himself back at the hospital. Sitting next to him was the little girl, Jina.


    "Are you alright?" she asked.


    "I''m fine, kid," he said in a gruff tone and tried to get up but winced.


    "Aunt said that they had to redo your stitches," Jina said. "They got a little ripped."


    "Okay," Haejong sighed. He looked at his hands, as if trying to figure out if his body was really his or not.


    "Uncle Kanji went back to his body," Jina told him. "He''s sleeping though. Mom and dad said he''ll only be sleeping for a while. They don''t know for how long though."


    The girl lowered her head, feeling sad. She was d that Kanji was alive but she really hoped that he would wake up soon.


    Haejong patted her head. "He''ll wake up," he groaned. "And do something stupid again. So don''t worry."


    "Will you be okay?" she whispered. "You don''t have a family here. What will you do?"


    She was looking at him with herrge, innocent eyes. Even Haejong could help but smile at the girl.


    "I''ll do what my grandfather wanted," he said. "Be happy."


    "Promise?" Jina asked, holding out her pinky finger. "If you make a pinky promise, you can''t break it!"


    "Pinky promise," Haejong said, touching her pinky with his own little finger. "And you better not get into any more trouble, alright? My grandfather and your friend, Casper, will be very sad if you do."


    Jina nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!" she eximed. "I promise not to fall into any kind of trouble anymore!"


    There was a knock on the door. They looked up to see Mina standing there.


    "Jina, your mom is looking for you," Mina informed her. "She''s in Kanji''s room."


    "Okay!" Jina chirped and got off. "I''ll see youter, Mr. Mafia!"


    Haejong gave her a slight wave as she sprinted off. Mina stood there for a while.


    "We need to talk," she finally said.

 Chapter 412: A Smile He Treasured

    Chapter 412: A Smile He Treasured


    Haejong scooted over to let her sit next to him. Mina smiled and to his surprise, hugged him.


    "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."


    Haejong was quiet, simply listening to her. He knew this was the only time she would hug him and even if it was not as a lover, the fact that she considered him special enough for this rare gesture was enough for him.


    "Thanks for helping Kanji finally confront his feelings," she went on. "And also for being a friend to me."


    "I didn''t do it for him," Haejong said. "I did it"


    He trailed off, not saying the real reason why he followed his grandfather''s wish. It was to see her smile. Even if he was not the one to make her smile, he just wanted to see her happy for once.


    "You''re lucky," he remarked in a sad tone. "Not everyone gets this second chance."


    Mina let go of him and nodded. "He''ll be in aa for a while," she said in a thick voice. "I don''t know for how long but at least he''ll be here with us."


    "Jang Kanji came this far," Haejong said. "He''ll wake up."


    He paused before adding, "The time he spent possessing my body, I''ve read his memories. The guy only thinks of you and your family. In fact, I doubt he has any other life outside your family. But he cares for you."


    "I''ve seen the pain and anguish he felt whenever he saw us together," he went on. "He didn''t mean any of those things he said that day. You know, the day when he saw us together and made stpid remarks? That was his jealousy talking. He didn''t mean it."


    "Doesn''t matter coz he''s gonna get a whack in the head the moment he wakes up!" Mina joked.


    Haejong snickered but then fell silent. "When will I be discharged?" he asked. "I''m kinda sick of seeing the hospital."


    "I think tomorrow morning," Mina replied. "After that, you can visit as an outpatient. But"


    She looked directly at him with a wide smile. "Friends don''t need a reason to visit me. You can stop by anytime you want."


    But Haejong shook his head. "Nah," he said. "I''ll be leaving town."


    Mina was surprised to hear that. "Leave?" she echoed. "Why?"


    "I''ve decided to take my men and go abroad after a few weeks," Haejong revealed. "You see, we have too many enemies here. So I''ll take them abroad with me. Those who want toe with me that is. There, we can run our own business, away from all this mafia stuff. I''ve talked to them already and many of them agreed. Those who want to stay back and remain as a gangster, I''ve asked some of the mafia families I was friendly with to take them in. You see, they might have chosen a life of crime but it''s all they know. I can''t force them to be something they don''t want to be. But I can take care of the ones who remain loyal to me and my grandfather. So I''ll take them with me and we can start something. Maybe a restaurant or a cafe. Who knows."


    "Mafia running restaurants?" Mina scoffed. "That''ll be a sight to see! People who don''t pay up, get shot!"


    She giggled and Haejong also smiled. "Exactly why we suit the restaurant business," he imed. "We''ll make sure no one can dine and dash without paying!"


    Mina shook her head but was d that at least Haejong was turning a new leaf.


    "Your grandfather would have been proud of you," she added. "I''m sure he''s happy in the Afterlife."


    "That guy is probably taking care of all the children''s souls there," he sighed. "I should have known he had a soft spot for children because he refused to kill any. Adults he''d kill without any hesitation but never children."


    "He was a good man," Mina said in a soft tone. "Even if we couldn''t see him, he was kind to Jina and protected her. And he loved you the most. So don''t worry and live the life you want to live. Away from crime and terrors. Find a good person and settle down. Who knows, someday you''ll find someone who''ll love you for your heart."


    But she won''t be you, Haejong said in his mind but he did not voice it out loud. Some things were better left unsaid. He would never regret falling in love with this crazy woman and even though it ached his heart to see her love someone else, he was fine to let her go. It was just not meant to be.


    "I''ll meet youter," she promised. "For now, you need to rest."


    Mina smiled more widely at him and left the room. Haejong stared after her for a long time, his heart aching with a strange mixture of pain and happiness. He was hurting because he could not have her but was also happy that she got what she wanted.


    As long as she was happy, he was happy.


    .


    Mina went straight towards the room where Kanji was kept. He was plugged to a life support and a heart monitor which was showing his heart beats. Thankfully, his heart was beating strongly and other than a few injuries, he waspletely fine. The demon had healed most of his major wounds to keep itself sustained inside his body but it still took a toll on him.


    She gazed at his pale face. He looked as if he was merely sleeping.


    "Hi hi," she whispered. "Are you listening to me?"


    He was still motionless. Ever since his soul went back into his body, Jina could not see him anywhere around but they assumed that he was safely back in his own body now.


    Mina sat on the bed and held his palm.


    "If you''re listening to me," she whispered. "I want to let you know that I''m always going to wait for you. It doesn''t matter if you wake up today, tomorrow or after many years. The moment you wake up, you''ll find me standing here. And then, we''ll be together forever."


    She leaned over and kissed his warm cheek.


    "So get well soon, okay?" she softly ordered, tears forming in her eyes. She stroked his hair and kept a vigil next to him, waiting for any response.


    But Kanji kept on sleeping peacefully, oblivious to her presence.

 Chapter 413: The Perfect Gift!

    Chapter 413: The Perfect Gift!


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ...........


    The rest of the week passed by quite peacefully. Kanji was still in aa but his health was improving. Shijin had tried to purify the fort but the hellish energy was too strong for him so they had to leave the ce as it was.


    Junho went back to live with Gayoon''s grandmother, iming that the old woman needed someone to take care of her but in reality, he had be ustomed to living in anonymity. Mina stayed at the hospital most of the time, watching over Kanji while Haejong had been discharged. He also visited Kanji at times but was mostly busy preparing to move abroad without a fuss.


    As for Anna, she had been caught and arrested. She was currently under police custody for attempted murder. The police managed to find her car and they even discovered Kanji''s blood below the passenger seat. It was enough to convict her. But Shinjin said that Anna had also made a deal with the Devil and she had only a month to live. No matter where she would try to run, he was going toe for her soul and they would not be able to stop her.


    "Keep her in an isted cell," he had advised. "That''ll be the best for everyone in the vicinity."


    Meanwhile, at the Hwang Tower, Jongin was sweating profusely. He gulped as his CEO was reading the financial reports of the year.


    Please let it be more thanst year! He prayed. He nced at Minho whose face was impassive.


    "20 percent" Minho muttered. He looked up with his sharp eyes, making Jongin wince.


    "20 percent more thanst year!" Minho said with a smile. "20 percent more profit means a hundred billion more than what we madest year!"


    Thank god! Jongin was relieved.


    "You know what this means, Jongin?" Minho asked with a devilish grin. He mmed his hands on the table in excitement.


    "We can purchase morend and build more malls across the country!" he eximed in glee. "At least five morends! More malls means my profit will increase and next year, we can make fifty percent more profit than what we made this year!"


    "Our team worked hard," Jongin agreed.


    "Now you''ll work harder!" Minho said in a happy tone. Eh? Jongin''s relief was gone in seconds. Work harder?


    "Purchase thends and start preparing for the projects!" Minho ordered, his eyes lit up like a demon who was about to make them work in hell. "I want the ns by next week. I wanna see at least fifteen proposals! Cancel all dates coz you''ll be leading the team!"


    Jongin''s shoulders fell in disappointment. He just got a new girlfriend and the CEO was making him work through the week?


    Bye bye new girlfriend, he cried in his thoughts.


    "Yes sir," he said in a dull tone. Minho was already counting the money in his head and how much richer he was going to be in theing years.


    "I''m happy," hemented. "I should call my little pet and share the good news."


    He picked up his phone and dialed Gayoon''s number. It was probably her lunchtime. She picked up instantly.


    "Minho!" she gasped. "I was just about to call you!"


    Minho was smiling stupidly, blushing at her words. "Are you missing me?"


    Gayoon frowned. Missing him? They just saw each other a few hours ago.


    "No!" she said. "I want to know what gift I should get for Jina? She''s turning nine tomorrow!"


    Gayoon was very nervous. This was the first time she was celebrating her daughter''s birthday and she had nned the birthday party with a lot of care. She was nervous because after all the things they went through that year, she wanted to throw her daughter a very big party so that Jina could enjoy it with her friends. In fact, Minho even handed Gayoon his ck credit card and told her to spend as much as she wanted.


    "Where are you now?" Minho asked.


    "I...I''m at the mall," she pouted. "I managed to get out of work early. The Chief was feeling guilty for not listening to my advice so he let me off for today and tomorrow."


    "I''ming," he said. "Wait for me!"


    "But-" Gayoon was about to say that she could find something on her own but he hung up. Minho texted Jongin that he was going to be away for the rest of the day. His secretary merely groaned and wanted to cry under the immense workload.


    Thankfully, his current girlfriend understood his dilemma because she had a busy job herself. She was quite secretive about her work but whenever Jongin asked her what she did, she merely replied, "I drink with the dead all day."


    Half an hourter, Minho pulled up in front of the mall. He headed straight for the food court at the topmost level where Gayoon was waiting for him.


    "I could have done it myself!" she said but was happy to have him there with her. She put her hand around his arm and snuggled up to him.


    "It''s our daughter''s birthday!" Minho eximed. "And for the first time, both her parents will be celebrating it with her. We''ll find a great gift for her!"


    "Let''s look in those shops," he suggested, pointing at some toy shops. They wandered around the mall, gazing at the toys, clothes and everything they could find at the kids'' sections but nothing clicked with Gayoon.


    "This is so hard!" she moaned in dismay. "Jina has almost everything! I don''t even know what to buy her!"


    She pouted in disappointment, making Minho sigh. He patted her head.


    "I''m sure you''ll find something," he consoled her. Gayoon lowered her head and was about to give up when her eyes fell on a particr store. Her face lit up when she realized something.


    "That!" she eximed. Minho followed the direction she was pointing at and groaned.


    "No!" he protested. "Nuh uh! Anything but that! Not that!"


    "Please!" Gayoon begged. "You know how much she loves this!"


    "No way!" Minho said, shaking his head. "Anything but that!"


    But seeing his girlfriend''srge eyes pleading with him, he could not refuse her.


    "Fine!" he conceded. "Just so you know, I''m doing this for Jina! But, I also have a condition."


    "What condition?" Gayoon asked curiously. Minho fidgeted a little before putting on a nonchnt expression.


    "I have to attend a private dinner tonight and they have asked me to bring my partner," he said in a casual tone. "You''ll have to apany me."


    "Business dinner?" she frowned.


    "Yes," Minho said. "I''ve already had your dress delivered at the mansion."


    "Alright!" she happily agreed. "Now can we buy that pug for her?"


    The shop she was pointing at was a pet store and there was a pug puppy in one of the disys there. It reminded Minho painfully of the one Ahn Jaewan owned. He had nothing against dogs but anything which reminded him of Ahn Jaewan was a pain.


    But Gayoon ran towards the store and picked up the tiny little pug which was only a few weeks old. She was so happy to see it and the tiny mutt wagged its tail, happily barking at her.


    "Isn''t it cute?" she squealed. Minho examined the little puppy which hadrge dark eyes. Its muzzled snout was sniffing him and seemed to be cheerfully wagging its tail at him as well.


    "I guess it is," he slowly said. Gayoon was about to put the puppy down but it jumped off and ran towards one of the shelves.


    "What is he doing?" Minho frowned. The dog was searching for something and finally ran back to them. He was carrying something silver in his mouth and dropped it near Minho''s foot. It was a coin.


    For a moment, none of them spoke. The dog looked proud of itself, still wagging its tail.


    "I like him now," Minho said while Gayoon facepalmed herself.


    Not another money lover! She thought in dismay.

 Chapter 414: Goodbye Boo

    Chapter 414: Goodbye Boo


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ........


    Junho pulled up in front of a small one storey house which Jina had directed him to. She sat next to him with Yumi in the backseat.


    "This is it," he sighed. "Are you sure you want to do this?"


    His question was directed at Yumi who was nervous. She whispered something in Jina''s ears.


    "She''s saying that she wants to do this," Jina interpreted. "If she doesn''t do it today, she''ll never be able to do it."


    Junho pursed his lips. "Fine," he finally said. "Let''s go."


    All of them got out of the car and slowly walked towards the suburban house in front of them. Junho knocked on the door.


    A thin woman in herte forties opened the door. She had the same wavy hair and dark eyes as Yumi albeit they were wrinkled with age.


    "Yes?" she asked. "How may I help you?"


    "Are you Wang Sunmi?" Junho asked in a kind tone.


    "Yes," Sunmi replied, feeling suspicious of the old man and girl who had showed up at her doorstep. "Who are you?"


    "We want to talk about your daughter, Yumi," Junho said. Sunmi''s face contorted into that of grief and pain.


    "My daughter Yumi passed away a few months ago-" she began but Jina interrupted her.


    "We know," she said. "My mother, Jeon Gayoon, was the detective of the case."


    "Jeon Gayoon" Sunmi recalled. "She did stop by to talk to me. But why are you two here? What''s wrong? Her killer was caught, right?"


    Sunmi was now panicking. She had divorced Yumi''s father a long time ago and even though she lost contact with him, she had always worried about Yumi. But her ex-husband and former inws would not let her meet her daughter. The court also barred her from meeting Yumi because at that time, Sunmi had drinking problems. She becamepletely sober but by that time, it was toote.


    "Yumi" Jina began. "Yumi is with us right now."


    The woman frowned. "What nonsense!" she snapped. "What do you mean by that?"


    "I can see Yumi''s ghost!" Jina imed. "In fact, she''s with us right now! And she wants to talk to you-"


    "What the hell is this kid yapping?" Sunmi barked at Junho. "Is she right in the head?"


    "We know it sounds absurd but please listen to us," Junho said in a calm tone.


    "I lost my daughter!" Sunmi eximed. "And now, you two con artists are trying to feed on my grief? I can''t let that happen-"


    "You should look behind you," Jina said, pointing at a wall behind Sunmi. Thetter spu around and yelped in shock. Written on the wall with ck ink was a message.


    "Hello mom. This is Yumi."


    Sunmi stared at the message in shock. How was this possible? Yumi was dead! Did the two strangers fake the message? But there was no one else in the house. How could they have written this?


    Before she could say anything, another message was beginning to appear on the wall as if someone invisible was writing it.


    "Mom, I want to meet you and Lily," Yumi wrote. She was standing in front of the wall with tears in her eyes as she wrote the message. Her mother, her beloved mother, was standing next to her and she could not help shedding her tears. As if in a daze, Sunmi stepped forward to touch the wall, still unable to believe what she had just witnessed.


    "I know it''s hard to believe," Junho said. "But Yumi really is here with us. And she wants to be freed so that she could move on to the Afterlife. Herst wish is to meet you and Lily just once."


    "I" Sunmi trailed off. She was conflicted. Was she hallucinating? Or was it really her daughter? What if it was some kind of trick?


    She felt a tiny hand touching her palm. "Auntie," Jina began. "Yumi misses you a lot. She sometimeses here to see you and your family. Seeing Lily really makes her happy but she couldn''te any closer because she felt really guilty for hating you all these years. Yumi told me about a memory she had of you."


    "You were wearing a red t-shirt and green pants," Jina interpreted on behalf of Yumi. "And sang a luby for her. It was something like ''sleep little birdie''. Whenever she heard it, she used to fall asleep."


    "Sleep little birdie, see the dreams of stars," Sunmi sang in a thick tone. "Mommy will love you all the...time"


    She choked up her own tears.


    "Mom!" Yumi cried and hugged her mother. Sunmi felt a cold yet familiar sensation engulfing her which made her heart ache more.


    "Is she really here?" Sunmi sobbed. "My Yumi...is she here?"


    "She''s hugging you," Jina said with a sad smile. Sunmi was unsure how to react to that but she stood there, letting the cold air hold her. She thought she heard someone quietly crying. Maybe it was her mother''s instinct but she wanted tofort that person, hold her and say that it was going to be okay.


    "Mommy, I''m so...so happy" Yumi cried.


    "Is she happy?" Sunmi asked Jina. The little girl nodded, making Sunmipletely break down into tears. Junho and Jina watched as Yumi had an emotional reunion with her mother.


    Sunmi asked many questions via Jina about Yumi and how she lived her life.


    "Did she do well in school?" Sunmi asked. "And did she have friends? Was she polite with others?"


    "She was a dud in studies but loved idols," Jina said. "She had many friends and even though she wasn''t always polite, she had a good heart. Yumi helped my family a lot and was there for me whenever I needed her. She was like an elder sister to me and missed Lily a lot."


    Yumi pouted at Jina but Sunmi only chuckled. "Yumi was always a stubborn yet kind child," she sniffed. "That sounds like her. Would she like to meet Lily? I think she''s awake now."


    "I do!" Yumi said. "I want to meet her so much!"


    "She does," Jina confirmed.


    "Follow me," Sunmi said. Jina, Junho and Yumi obeyed her, following her upstairs to the nursery. Sunmi led them to a cot where a baby was resting. She had just woken up and was blinking as she observed everything around her.


    "This is Lily," Sunmi said. The baby was curiously looking at the new entrants. Particrly at the pale looking teenager who was teary eyed. Lily blinked several times before reaching out a chubby palm to point at Yumi.


    "Boo boo!" she eximed with a wide smile. "Boo!"


    She was still pointing and smiling at Yumi.


    "I think she can see Yumi!" Jina gasped.


    "Babies less than three years old have a natural ability to see ghosts," Junho exined. "They are sharper and more sensitive than adults. Unlike Seers like yourself, they eventually lose this ability. Which is why Lily can see Yumi. Her instincts are telling her that Yumi is not dangerous which is why she''s smiling."


    "She can see me?" Yumi whispered. She reached out a pale hand and stroked her sister''s cheek. Lily happily pped and cooed at her elder sister.


    "Boo!" she eximed. "Boo!"


    "I think she''s calling Yumi as Boo," Jina guessed.


    "I showed her some pictures of Yumi after my ex-husband agreed to share some albums with me," Sunmi revealed. "And she addresses Yumi as Boo. I think she recognized her"


    Yumi was overwhelmed with emotions. She was not only able to meet her sister but thetter also recognized her!


    "Yes, Lilly!" she said. "I''m your Boo!"


    "Boo!" Lily said happily. Junho and Jina stepped back, letting Yumi have her moment with her family. The usually cheeky ghost waspletely overwhelmed by the emotional reunion with her mother and sister.


    Jina felt a hollow feeling in her heart. Now that Yumi''s wish was fulfilled, she was going to leave as well. The little girl sped her grandfather''s hand who patted her palm.


    "She''s happy," he said. "Let her have her moment."


    Jina nodded, her eyes still on the happy family who had reunited under such strange circumstances.


    That day, Jina finally learnt something about herself. Sometimes, the powers she possessed were too much to handle. She attracted spirits of all kinds whether good or bad. They sought her out, begging her to help them. It was tiresome and scary.


    But she would never stop helping them. No matter how good or bad the spirits were, she would try to help them move on so that they could get a chance at redemption. The peace and happiness each soul brought to her was irreceable.


    .


    It was quitete by the time they left Sunmi''s house. Thetter offered them to stay the night but Junho politely declined. Yumi left her mother''s house with a heavy heart but also content. She bid an emotional goodbye to Sunmi and Lily, unable to stay there any longer. Junho was in the car, preferring to give all of them some time alone with Yumi.


    "Can you tell mom to make chicken dumpling soup every year on my birthday?" Yumi asked Jina. "I''d love that."


    Jina interpreted her request to Sunmi who smiled and said, "Silly girl! I''ve been preparing that every year on your birthday. You really think I''ll stop making it?"


    Yumi happily nodded. Lily was in her mother''s arms, still smiling at her sister.


    "I guess, it''s time to say goodbye," Yumi whispered.


    "Yumi" Jina choked on her own tears. "Yumi is going to move on now. She''ll go to the ce where all spirits go. She''s thankful to you for loving her"


    Sunmi was now crying hard, aggrieved over the short time she spent with her daughter.


    "Stay," she begged. "Stay with us!"


    "No," Yumi said. "I''ll have to go. It''s hard but it''s the right thing to do. As long as you remember me, I''ll be with you."


    Jina interpreted her words with great difficulty, trying not to cry but the damn tears betrayed her. Lily, as if sensing that something was wrong, began to cry as well.


    "Boo!" she cried. "Boo!"


    "Sorry Lily," Yumi whispered. "Boo has to leave. But always remember, that I love you the most. So be good, okay?"


    "Boo!" Lily yelled, still crying. Yumi tore her eyes away from her sister and turned to Jina.


    "Aish, are you trying to be strong?" she teased. "You know that you''re a crybaby!"


    "I''m not a crybaby!" Jina protested but she really was crying like a baby.


    Yumi hugged her. "I''ll miss you," Jina sobbed.


    "Me too," Yumi breathed. "Don''t fall into trouble, okay? Be a kickass detective and make criminals cry!"


    Jina nodded, hugging Yumi even more tightly.


    A white light began to glow from within Yumi, engulfing her. Tiny orbs floated in the air as Yumi''s pale figure began to slowly disappear. Sunmi was crying while Lily called for her sister, crying wildly. Jina felt Yumi''s cold body vanishing but she kept on hugging her until there was nothing but air left.


    Yumi was gone. Forever.

 Chapter 415: Dinner Date (1)

    Chapter 415: Dinner Date (1)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ........


    Gayoon stepped out of the shower to find a package on the bed. Minho was at work and she was supposed to meet him directly at the hotel for dinner that night.


    "I wonder who this important guest is," she said out loud. Wrapping a towel around herself, she unwrapped the box and was stunned.


    Out fell a silver colored gown adorned with dazzling stones stitched on it. It was a sleeveless, low neck dress with a freely floating helm and seemed like the perfect fit for her. The dress was undoubtedly made by some high profile designer because a pink note fell out of it.


    "Thank you for the generous tip, Monsieur Hwang," Gayoon read. "This is an exclusive dress as per your orders. My designers worked hard on it and have crafted this gem for yourdy love. Enjoy!


    -Madame Ariana Dumas"


    Ariana Dumas? Even a fashion dud like Gayoon knew her! She was a famous French designer who only made three dresses per year but her designs were always the trend of the season. Even with the little amount of work, she was known to cater only to a few selected people including some famous celebrities!


    She made a dress for me? Gayoon was shocked. Why would a famous designer make a dress for a small-time detective like her? That too for a normal dinner?


    And to top it all off, Minho gave her a generous tip? Minho? Gave a generous tip?


    "Maybe the woman got a few cents and thought it was generous enough," Gayoon muttered. Or maybe this really is an important client, she thought. I should make myself look good then!


    She carefullyid the dress out on the bed and began to get ready. Blow drying her hair, she moisturized her skin before putting on the dress. Thankfully, it was easy to wear unlike most of the evening dresses she had. The gown was a perfect fit and Gayoon checked herself out in the mirror.


    "Woah!" she gasped. "This thing will make anyone look like a fairytale princess!"


    And Minho got this for me?


    She smiled and blushed hard. Putting on light makeup, she brushed her hair. There were also matching shoes in the package which Madame Dumas had sent in as aplimentary gift for Gayoon.


    "These shoes probably cost as much as my six months'' sry," she moaned. Putting on the shoes, she once again saw herself in the mirror.


    "Do I look okay?" she wondered out loud. "I really hope Minho''s clients don''t think that he''s dating someone unworthy."


    She pouted and felt quite nervous. With the amount of effort Minho put into this, she was sure it was some kind of important investment and the other people would also bring their partners as well. What if she messed up? Or became too awkward and jittery?


    "Don''t worry!" she assured herself. "It''ll be fine! Just be normal."


    Be normal, she chanted. Picking up her cell phone and purse, she slowly walked out of the room. On her way out, she received a text from Junho.


    "Jina and I are at your grandma''s ce. The old hag is insisting on keeping Jina overnight because she wants to pamper her a lot tonight. Is that okay?"


    Gayoon sighed and inwardly hoped that the two of them would not drive Junho crazy. She texted back.


    "Ok."


    Putting her phone away, she headed for the car. Driver Jung greeted her and held out the door for her. Gayoon thanked him and got into the car.


    "Mr. Jung, did Minho tell you anything about the client he''s supposed to meet today?" Gayoon asked.


    Jung cleared his throat. He knew what his employer was up to because he was the one who drove Minho to the ring store and other ces when thetter was nning for this night. But Minho made him swear not to tell Gayoon which the old man happily obliged.


    "A foreign client and his partner," he lied. "Who''s going to invest in the ten additional malls Mr. Hwang will open within the year."


    "Ten malls?" Gayoon gasped. "He''s a very important client!"


    "Yes," Jung lied through his teeth. "Very."


    This made Gayoon even more nervous. She was scared of what was about to happen. What if she messed up? Said something dumb or talked too much? Talked too less? What should she talk about?


    Ugh! She moaned in her thoughts. Jung watched her through the rearview mirror and felt guilty for the lie. The poor woman looked so nervous that it seemed she would pass out of anxiety.


    "Madam, don''t worry at all," he reassured her. "You will enjoy this evening. Master Minho is there to help you."


    "He''ll be too busy counting money," she muttered. Jung sighed and shook his head.


    Young love! He mused. They drove on in silence but Gayoon''s head was already concocting ways this dinner would end. And all of her scenarios ended in disasters.


    I''m screwed, she thought in dismay.


    .


    "We''re here," Jung announced. Gayoon gulped and nodded. They were at one of the many hotels Minho owned and Gayoon felt really jittery. A valet opened the car for her and a concierge politely showed her the way to the lobby.


    A receptionist greeted her at the front desk.


    "I''m here to meet Mr. Hwang Minho," Gayoon said. "I''m Jeon Gayoon. I think he''s waiting for me."


    "He is waiting for you in suite number 801," the receptionist replied. "Here is the key card. Enjoy your stay, ma''am."


    Stay? She wondered. It''s just dinner though. And do formal dinners take ce inside hotel rooms?


    She thanked the receptionist and slowly walked towards the elevator. Pressing the button for the eighth floor, she waited as the lift ascended up.


    "It''ll be fine," she told herself. "Just a normal dinner! It''s not like you''re facing a serial killer!"


    But then again, facing a serial killer seemed like a better prospect. At least she could defend herself against a psycho murderer by beating him to a pulp. Dinner with high society snooty people was worse.


    The lift stopped at the eighth floor. Stepping out of the elevator, she slowly walked towards suite room number 801. Using the keycard, she unlocked the door.


    You can do this, Jeon Gayoon! She tried to motivate herself.


    Slowly opening the door, she stepped into the dark threshold.


    "Minho?" she called out. Why is it so dark in here?


    "Turn on the lights," his deep voice echoed through the room. Gayoon found a light switch to her right and flicked it.


    As soon as the room lit up, her mouth fell in shock.

 Chapter 416: Dinner Date (2)

    Chapter 416: Dinner Date (2)


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ........


    The room was illuminated with several fairy lights which hung from the ceiling, shining like fireflies. In front of hery a narrow path made of petals from daffodils with battery lit candles bordering the route. The path led to a poolside ahead.


    She followed the path to the pool to find an archway decorated with green and pink vines, tangled intorge semi circles, giving the feel of an enchanted forest. There were tiny lights hidden in them, adding a magical touch to the scene. Gayoon was awestruck at the detailed decor as she passed by, her long silver dress flowing behind her.


    At the end of the archway was a table adorned with wine and fine food along with a small basket which had something shiny sitting on top of it.


    Minho stood next to it, wearing a dapper blue suit and white shirt without a tie. His hair was back brushed and he looked ethereal like a prince who was waiting for her. Gayoon blushed hard as she realized that this was no ordinary dinner but something more.


    Is he...


    The moment Minho saw her, he felt as if he had stopped breathing. With her long silky hair loosely swaying in the gentle breeze and the silver gown whichplemented her perfectly, Gayoon looked like a pure fairy who had descended to the Earth just for him. Every time he thought that she could not look any more beautiful, he had been proven wrong. Seeing her soft smile made him a little nervous but he was too stunned to care about anything else at that moment.


    Gayoon wanted to jump into his arms but restrained herself with great difficulty. Instead, she took slow, agonizing steps towards him which felt like an eternity.


    Finally, she stood in front of him, blushing like a shy bride.


    "Looks like someone prepared an borate surprise!" she joked.


    Minho smirked and held out his hand. "Will Ms. Detective have a romantic dinner with me tonight?" he winked.


    "I guess I can spare some time for you Mr. Money Lover!" sheughed and took his hand.


    He led her to the table and sat her down. Gayoon was not really hungry but eager to know what he was nning.


    Is he going to she thought with a blush. Is it in this basket?


    She peeked at the basket which was right next to her. There was a small box in it with a shiny pink ribbon. Is it in there?


    "What are you looking at?" Minho asked with a frown.


    "Nothing!" she imed. He smiled and took off the cover from the food tray in front of them. He had ordered an borate set of Italian dishes but Gayoon was not interested in them. Her eyes flickered to the basket every now and then.


    "You''re not eating," Minho observed. "Is it not good?"


    "It''s great!" Gayoon said, scooping some food into her mouth. "Delicious. The chef is really good!"


    She rambled on but was very nervous. Her eyes kept darting towards the box where the ring was and she could not wait for him to pop the question.


    Is he dying on purpose to torment me? She bemoaned.


    Minho, on the other hand, pretended to bepletely oblivious. He enjoyed seeing her so anxious and had put the basket in front of her on purpose to see her reaction. Pleased to see her eager reaction, he decided to carry out the rest of his n.


    I''ll tease her for a little longer, he smirked.


    They finished their dinner with Minho making small talk on histest investments. Gayoon only half listened, still staring at the box.


    Open it! She screamed. Open it and ask!


    The tension was killing her and she wanted to straight up demand him to ask her ''that question'' but she would feel like a thug if she did that.


    Finally, they were done with dinner and Minho took a deep breath. Gayoon stiffened in anticipation as he took out the box and held it in his hands.


    "Gayoon" he began. "I have something for you."


    "Okay" she said, her heart beating hard. He slowly opened the box and she glimpsed at something sparkly inside.


    "Do you like this locket?" Minho asked. "I got it for Jina''s birthday. I know she''s too young to wear it but it has a silver teddy pendant!"


    Gayoon stared at the bear pendant he shed in front of her. That was it? The box had a dumb bear?


    "It''s nice," she said with a smile, cursing herself for being so stupid. Why did I expect a ring? She wondered. Of course it''ll be something for Jina''s birthday!


    She felt really guilty for expecting too much. The borate decoration fooled her and she wanted to bury herself somewhere.


    "Are you okay?" Minho frowned.


    "I''m fine!" she assured him with a smile. "I''m just a little tired. We''re staying here tonight?"


    "Yeah," Minho said. "There''s nightgown in the bedroom-"


    Without a word, Gayoon dashed off. Minho sat there, sighing loudly.


    "This is fun," he grinned.


    .


    Gayoon slumped out of the bathroom, wearing a nightgown which she found folded on the bed. Minho had nned such a nice surprise and yet, she could not enjoy it the way he wanted.


    Why did she expect him to propose to her? Yes, their rtionship was serious but what if it was just in her eyes? Was he ever going to marry her?


    We haven''t even talked about all that, she realized. She then quickly shook her head.


    "What had gotten into my head?" she wondered. "Why did I expect him to propose? He said it was just a dinner!"


    I''m gonna stop reading all romantic novels from now on, she swore. She had already washed up and stood in front of the mirror, pouting. Just a few hours ago, she was worried about the night and now that it was finally over, she felt even more dejected.


    The door opened and Minho entered the room. Gayoon was so lost in her thoughts that when he hugged her from the back, she yelped.


    "What in the-" she almost yelled in shock but his arms had her locked in ce.


    He had already taken off his coat and was more rxed now. Gayoon felt his lips on her neck, gently pecking her while his left arm was ying with her fingers.


    "What''s on your mind, Jeon Gayoon?" he murmured into her ears.


    "Nothing," she lied.


    "Liar," he smiled. He held her chin and made her look into the mirror. She blushed as her eyes fell on their reflections tangled in that position.


    "Jeon Gayoon," he whispered into her ears. "Sorry for teasing you for so long. Enough ying around."


    Gayoon felt something cold pressing against her finger. She saw a small, sparkling gem in the mirror and gasped.


    "It was a strange journey," he whispered. "Sometimes fun, sometimes sad. But in this madness, we found things which truly matter to us. Our family."


    Gayoon did not say anything but was one the verge of tears.


    "Thank you for our beautiful daughter," Minho murmured, his deep voice touching her soul. "Thank you for piecing back my family. And most importantly"


    He kissed her neck again. "Thank you for falling in love with me," he whispered. "I can''t imagine my life without you anymore."


    "Jeon Gayoon," he stressed, smiling at their reflections. Gayoon was now openly crying but also smiling in happiness. Minho was hovering the flower ring around her ring finger but not putting it on her yet.


    "Will you marry me?" Minho finally asked.


    "Yes!" she eximed. "Yes! Always yes!"


    Instantly, he put the ring around her finger and sped their hands together. Their hearts beat in unison as they stared at the ring on her delicate finger, shining brightly.


    "It''s beautiful," she said, still weeping.


    "I''ll be cheesy and say, not as beautiful as you," Minho winked. Gayoon turned around and ced a small peck on him. But he held her closer and deepened their kiss.


    "Now that a wedding is about to take ce, we need to rehearse," Minho whispered.


    "Rehearse?" Gayoon echoed.


    "Yes," he said in a serious tone. "To make more babies. I want more daughters. Twins. Triplets. All daughters."


    "What if they''re sons?" Gayoon asked.


    "No pocket money for them!" Minho dered. Gayoon was about to tell him off but was interrupted by more kisses.


    "Wait" she gasped in between their kisses. "There''s...one...more thing"


    "What?" he mumbled against her lips.


    "You gotta take ahjusshi''s permission," she reminded him.


    "Who cares about him?" Minho moaned.


    "You have to ask him otherwise I''ll be sad!" she protested.


    "If he says, no, we''ll run away to another country and get married!" Minho dered.


    "But there are many preparations!" Gayoon eximed. "The venue, food, guests and so much more-"


    "All will be taken care of!" Minho imed. "All that''s left is our wedding night rehearsal and your hubby is getting impatient!"


    Before Gayoon could speak, Minho carried her to bed, eager to ''rehearse'' for the wedding night.

 Chapter 417: The Father-In-Law

    Chapter 417: The Father-In-Law


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ........


    Junho was peering from Gayoon to Minho with a stern gaze while Grandma Shujin was beaming in delight. Jina was confused at the strange atmosphere. That morning, her parents had arrived at Grandma Shujin''s house to fetch her but they had some news for everyone.


    When they entered the house earlier, Gayoon wanted to ease into the topic but upon seeing Junho, Shujin and Jina at the breakfast table together, she got tongue tied.


    To her horror, Minho''s no filter mouth dered, "We''re getting married and came to seek your blessings."


    Shujin eximed with happiness while Junho''s mouth opened in shock and he dropped the spoon he was holding. Only Jina was confused about what was going on.


    Now they were sitting in the living room with Junho ring at the couple like an evil demon while Shujin was gushing over a ring Gayoon was wearing on her finger.


    "Agh!" she squealed, studying the ring. "I never thought I''d see this day! My granddaughter is getting married!"


    "What married?" Junho growled. "I still haven''t given my approval to this!"


    "But you treat Gayoon as your own daughter," Minho frowned.


    "I''m talking about approving you for her!" Junho snapped. He was sitting cross legged on a sofa with a long stick next to him.


    "What happens when someone gets married?" Jina asked.


    "When two people get married, they promise to love and care for each other forever," Shujin exined. "Have babies and live together-"


    "But mom and dad already live together and they have me!" Jina pointed out. "Aren''t they married already?"


    "They are not legally husband and wife," Shujin said.


    Jina pouted. "But my friends at school said that only married couples can have children," she said. "If my mom and dad aren''t married, then how was I born?"


    "You were the result of medical science and a test tube!" Junho growled. "But these two"


    Test tube? Jina wondered. Is that how babies are born?


    Junho turned to the couple. Gayoon winced while Minho was silently daring his father to speak.


    "You!" Junho pointed the stick at Minho. "What''s your monthly ie?"


    "He''s the richest guy in the country!" Shujin barked. "He can probably buy this entire neighborhood!"


    "I need numbers and facts!" Junho shot back. "Anything less than one billion is a no no."


    "Three billion a month," Minho said coolly. Jina looked from her father to her grandfather. Are they morons? She wondered.


    "What about mortgages?" Junho pressed. "Profit margin? How many businesses do you have? Are you going to let our Gayoon work after marriage? What will you buy her? Will you be faithful to her? Answer me dammit!"


    "First of all, move that stick away," Minho said in a wary tone. "It ain''t scaring anyone. Second of all, I have prepared a file with all those useless questions you have asked."


    "Heh?" Gayoon scowled as Minho handed the file to Junho who grudgingly took it.


    "Are you two idiots?" Shujin growled. "Talking about money and ie before a wedding?"


    "Are my parents ever gonna get married?" Jina asked out loud.


    "What the hell is this, a business transaction?" Gayoon snapped.


    "I handed the same file to my father when I asked for his permission to marry Suna!" Junho imed.


    "You handed her financial information to him?" Gayoon gasped.


    "Not hers," Junho said. "Mine. My old man threatened to disown me if I don''t earn at least five hundred million per month and pay for all the expenses of his beloved daughter-inw. Even chased me out of the house for showing him a monthly ie of four hundred million dors! It was only when the figure hit five hundred did he allow me to marry her."


    "What did he chase you with?" Jina asked, feeling curious.


    "His walking stick," Junho shivered. The memory of his father throwing him out of the house for not being worthy of Suna at that time was causing his temper to rise.


    "Thanks to that old man, my wedding got dyed by five months," Junho moaned. "And Suna was nearing giving birth as well."


    "Eh?" Jina eximed. "My dad was born before you married grandma? Was he made in the test tube too?"


    "No, your grandma and I did it like a normal couple-" Junho bragged but Minho cut him off.


    "Stop revealing too much information to a kid!" Minho snapped.


    What am I marrying into? Gayoon thought in dismay.


    Did it? Jina wondered. Did what?


    Junho eyed Minho with skepticism. "This one should be lucky I''m not throwing him out of my sight," he muttered.


    Minho smugly smirked andid back.


    "What about your past girlfriends?" Junho demanded.


    "I have none," Minho said, shaking his head.


    "Liar!" Junho imed. "I''m sure you''ve dated other women! What''ll happen if some hussyes and tries to seduce you?"


    "I wouldn''t worry about that because I know Gayoon will chase them away before I will," Minho shrugged.


    "I agree with that part," Gayoon shamelessly agreed. Shujin hit Junho on the head.


    "What was that for?" he groaned, rubbing his head.


    "Stop making a fuss and give your blessing!" she yelled at him. "Otherwise I''ll chase you out of the house with my sandals! My granddaughter is getting married and your son is a good man. Look how happy they are. You want Jina''s parents to remain unmarried? And what about their future children? You want them to be born out of wedlock?"


    Junho grumbled and looked at the couple. In reality, he was inwardly very happy to see Gayoon and Minho engaged but as a father figure to Gayoon, he also felt a little sad to see her all grown up and ready to get married.


    Jina got up and stood in front of him. She held his hands in her small palms and looked straight at him with her innocent eyes pleading at her old man.


    "Old man, please say yes," she requested. "It''ll make me happy."


    Gayoon reached over, falling to her knees while holding his hand.


    "Ahjusshi," she begged with the eyes which looked so much like her daughter''s ones. "Please"


    Junho looked from the mother to the daughter and sighed.


    "Fine, " he finally said with a smile. "You have my blessings. But I have a condition."


    "Now what?" Shujin growled but Minho knew what the condition was.


    "You want us to get mom''s blessings too," he guessed.


    "Yes," Junho said in a thick tone. He took a deep breath and sighed. The next step was going to be even more difficult than exorcising demons but he had to do it.


    Jina patted his hand and smiled. "Let''s go meet grandma!" she said.

 Chapter 418: Their Final Goodbye

    Chapter 418: Their Final Goodbye


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ........


    "So, are we going to do another seance?" Minho asked. He had arrived with Gayoon, Jina and Junho at their old mansion while Mina was on her way.


    "No," Junho said. "I think it''s best this way. I don''t wanna speak to my wife''s spirit while she''s upying the body of some smelly old man."


    They waited outside for Mina. They did not have to wait long; she pulled up in front of the mansion after a few minutes. She was carrying a bouquet of hyacinths which ording to Minho were her mother''s favorite flowers.


    "L-let''s go in," she stammered. Mina was unsure of what to feel because she had only seen her mother in pictures. She did not have any memories with her and was nervous about what to tell her.


    Junho put an arm around her shoulder. "She just wants to see everyone onest time," he said. "Especially you. You were so young when she died. She is feeling sad that she couldn''t love you the way she wanted to."


    "She probably missed you the most," Mina murmured. Minho also patted her head while Gayoon and Jina simply watched them. The trio tried not to be emotional but Mina was finding it difficult to bottle up her feelings. Minho was also trying to be strong and while not as nervous as Mina, his eyes were a little moist.


    Junho was impassive but Gayoon knew that it was just a facade. The old man was in the most turmoil but he was holding it together for his kids.


    "Let''s go," Gayoon nudged. They slowly entered the dpidated mansion. Jina was curiously scanning the dusty surroundings. The ce was a little smaller than their mansion but nheless, was once an impressive sight.


    Now the walls were stained ck while cobwebs and dust surrounded the area. The furniture was also very dusty; she could seeyers of dust on them. Either she was following Ahn Jaewan too much or Gayoon instilled some sense of responsibility in her but the little girl suddenly had an urge to clean the ce.


    Suddenly, she felt a cold presence approaching their way. Someone was watching them from a distance.


    "Someone is here," she informed her parents. "Upstairs."


    "Yes," Gayoon nodded. "She''s up there. I think the poltergeist is around there as well."


    Upon hearing that, Junho turned away. He knew who it was but even after so many years, he could not face her. Instead, he silently walked towards the bedroom he once shared with Suna, letting his children have a moment with her.


    Minho did not stop his father because he knew that Junho still felt guilty over his inability to save his wife all those years ago. He sighed and turned to Jina.


    "Where is she?" he asked.


    "There," Jina said, pointing at a room upstairs which Minho recognized at Mina''s old nursery. She led the others to the room where the entity was. Slowly opening the door, she saw a pale woman standing next to a broken crib, staring at it.


    She looked a lot like Mina except with darker hair and her eyes were simr to Minho''s.


    "Beautiful!" Jina whispered without knowing. The woman heard her and turned to face her, smiling a little. Minho and the others stood behind Jina but the little girl was walking towards her grandmother, awestruck.


    "You came to me in my dreams!" Jina gasped. "You saved me that night!"


    She remembered clearly. This was the woman who rescued her from the poltergeist which was trying to take her away. At first, Jina thought it was a nightmare but it felt very real to her.


    "Jina," the woman smiled. "You''ve turned out to be very smart and kind. Just like your parents"


    She lovingly stroked the child''s cheek. Even though Suna''s hands were cold, Jina found them to have a certain warmth in them. It was hard to exin but there was afort in that touch which made her feel very warm.


    "Is she here?"


    Mina''s voice made Suna look up. The ghost gasped and instantly recognized her daughter. Minho nudged Mina to step forward. She walked towards the spot where Jina stood, unable to see her mother but still trying tomunicate with her.


    The mother-daughter stood only inches apart while Jina looked from one to the other.


    "Is...is she saying anything?" Mina asked.


    Suna stood there, trying to memorize Mina''s face. She was overwhelmed by many emotions at that moment. There were a lot of things she wanted to say but upon the sight of her daughter, she could only smile and cry in silence. The baby who used to fit in her one arm was now a grown woman.


    "She''s smiling," Jina whispered.


    "I" Mina began. "I never got to spend much time with you. But I''ve heard a lot about you. My brother always told me that you were a kind and beautiful person"


    She took a deep breath and continued. "I''m sorry if I couldn''t be the person you wanted me to be," she confessed. "But I''ll try to be a better person from now on."


    As she said the words, Mina felt a cold air engulf her. She was a little startled but Jina was beaming.


    "She''s hugging you," Jins whispered.


    "Oh," Mina realized.


    "You''ve turned out even better than I had hoped," Suna whispered. "Maybe a little too much like your dad and brother but still a beautiful human being. Work hard and find a good guy to love you. I''m sorry for not being with you but always remember, that your mommy loves you. So don''t worry and live."


    Jina repeated the words to Mina. Thetter was sobbing but not in sadness. Rather, they were happy tears because Mina was finally d that she was able to ry what she wanted to her mother.


    "I will," she promised. "So don''t worry about me anymore and rest."


    Gayoon, who was standing with Minho, poked him.


    "Go and talk to your mom," she said. He smiled and grabbed her palm, pulling her with him.


    Suna let go of Mina and turned to her son. She noticed the sparkly ring on Gayoon''s finger and gasped.


    "We''re getting married," Minho told her. "Please bless us so that we can be happy forever."


    Suna smiled and whispered something in Jina''s ears.


    "She''s asking whether Grandpa Junho chased you out of the house like his dad had done!" Jinaughed.


    "He tried but failed," Minho replied while Gayoon hid her face behind him in embarrassment. Suna stepped forward to pat Gayoon''s head. Thetter felt her cool touch and smiled.


    "I''m d that you''re going to be his wife," Suna told her. "Don''t worry about anything. I hope my son will keep you happy. If not, whack him on the head! And if he talks too much about money, give him another whack. Also, if you end up having sons, make sure that he pays them a good amount of pocket money. I don''t want him to be stingy like his dad."


    "I will," Gayoon winked while Minho frowned. Why do I have a feeling that they''re trashing me? He wondered.


    "Tell Minho, that I love him," she whispered. "And also that I''m very proud of him."


    Gayoon interpreted her words to Minho who smiled slightly.


    "We miss you, mom," he finally said. Suna touched his cheek.


    "I miss you too," she replied. "Now...where''s my useless husband?"


    .


    Junho entered the bedroom he had once shared with Suna. The once airy and magnificent room was now moldy. The bed had been removed while the mirror was broken into pieces. Floors were sticky with fungi and weeds while the windows were covered with dust and soot. Thankfully, the stench of sulphur no longer lingered in the air. Was it because the demon was gone or due to the fact that many years had passed, he did not know.


    He felt a cold breeze pass by. His wife was probably standing nearby, watching him. Even though Gayoon had offered to mediate between them, he refused. There was no need for anyone to interpret Suna''sst words to him.


    "I can''t see nor hear you," he said out loud. "But even after all these years, I know exactly what you''ll say to me. In fact, you''ve already told me everything you wanted to that night."


    Suna was ruefully watching her husband. Both of them had suffered a lot over the years and despite the separation, it felt as if they could still understand each other. She did not speak but he knew her unspoken words.


    "I''m sorry I couldn''t raise our kids," he admitted. "I was blinded by my obsession to avenge your death. And I was guilty as well, for failing to protect you. Yeeun had warned me many times but I didn''t believe her"


    "I know you''ll say it was not my fault but it was," he went on. His voice was croaking, almost on the verge of crying.


    "But they''ve grown up to be very good people," Junho mused. "And even though I don''t say it a lot, I''m very proud of them. And I know you are as well."


    "Last time, we couldn''t tell each other goodbye. But now that our entire family is here, I just want to say that all of us love you. There isn''t a single day when we don''t miss you. Our family will be iplete without you but we''ll be okay. For your sake, we''ll be happy. So don''t worry and rest. One day, I''ll join you up there and together, we can watch over our children together."


    Suna did not say anything but stepped towards her husband. Junho felt the cold air swirling around him.


    In a slow motion, Suna leaned up to ce a kiss on his lips. Junho could not see her but felt something cold pressing against his lips. They stood there for a while, kissing in silence.


    After a few moments, Suna backed off and whispered, "You''ve grown old, hubby. I wish I could have grown old with you. I''m sorry for leaving you all alone like this. But you still have to care for many more grandchildren. So don''t think about joining me too soon, okay?"


    Junho could not hear her but the emotions she conveyed were very much apparent. Slowly, a slight wind was circling around them as Suna began to fade.


    "Take care of them," she whispered, her voice bing hollow. Junho knew that it was her time to leave but he smiled at her.


    "I love you, hubby," she said.


    Just as she was about to vanish, Junho whispered, "I love you too, wifey."


    The cold breeze disappeared, leaving behind nothing but an emptiness in his heart. It was their final goodbye.

 Chapter 419: Dollar

    Chapter 419: Dor


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ........


    The little girl was sleeping peacefully on her bed, hugging a teddy bear. There was a slight creak as the door to her room was opening and a few people were silently entering it.


    "You''ll wake her up!" Gayoon hissed.


    "Rx, she''s sleeping," Minho assured her. Gayoon had insisted that they should be the ones to wish her a birthday first so she had nned this surprise for days. She had even asked the pet store to deliver the puppy to their home at exactly 6.30 AM that day. Thanks to the generous tip she paid them, the store owners had delivered the dog at exactly the right time and was currently in Gayoon''s arms, curiously scanning its new home.


    Gayoon crept to her daughter''s bed but the puppy jumped out of her arms andnded on Jina''s chest.


    "Arf!" he barked, happily wagging its tail. His barking caused Jina to open her eyes in confusion.


    "Eh?" she frowned. Her eyes widened in glee as the puppy came to her view.


    "Puppy!" she squealed.


    "Agh! The damn dog ruined the surprise!" Gayoon moaned while Minho shrugged.


    "Is he ours?" Jina asked. "Can I keep him?"


    "Yes dear," Minho nodded. "He''s your birthday present."


    "Happy birthday sweetheart!" Gayoon eximed and kissed and hugged her daughter. Jina hugged her mom, d that finally after so many years, her mother would celebrate her birthday with them.


    "Happy birthday, Jina," Minho smiled and hugged her as well. "You liked the present?"


    "I loved it!" Jina eximed, picking up the pug. The puppy was also happy to see her, attracted to her natural warmth. Jina hugged the puppy and it settled into her arms, nuzzling its head against her chin.


    "What are you going to call him?" Gayoon asked.


    "Er"


    Jina held him up in front of her. He was looking at her longingly as if waiting for her to name him.


    "Dor!" She squealed. "Goes with our family theme as well!"


    "Dor Hwang," Minho approved. "He does have a knack to find money."


    The dog barked happily while Gayoon groaned. She forgot that Jina was a Hwang too and Hwang''s always put money before everything else.


    Save me, shemented.


    "Anyways," Gayoon said loudly. "Jina, you turned nine years old today! Tell us, what else do you want? A new dress? A game? Dolls?"


    "Maybe a bank ount," Minho suggested. "Or shares in apany. Or-"


    "She''s a child not an investment!" Gayoon snapped at him making Minho pout.


    Jina thought for a while. What did she want?


    She looked from Gayoon to Minho before smiling. "I think I''ve got everything I want," she finally replied. "I''m okay with whatever I get today because as long as my parents are together, I don''t really need anything else."


    Then something struck her. "I do want a sibling," she realized. "How can I get one? Will he be made in a test tube like I was?"


    Minho snickered while Gayoon looked flustered.


    "Siblings will take a long time!" she imed. "We can''t make any babies today!"


    "Why not?" Minho asked innocently. "Why can''t we make a baby today?"


    "Yeah mom?" Jina frowned. "Why can''t I have a sibling today?"


    Gayoon threw an angry re at Minho who was stillughing.


    "It takes a while for a baby to be born," Gayoon tried to exin. "A few months."


    "You''ll get one after a few months," Minho nodded but Gayoon pinched his arm, making him yelp. He pouted while Jina was confused.


    I want a sibling, she wished.


    "Jina, you should freshen up," Gayoon said, changing the topic. "There''s a lot to do for tonight''s party so everyone will be busy. You don''t have school today so you can y with Dor, okay?"


    "Alright!" Jina said. Gayoon pulled Minho away.


    Jina got off the bed as soon as her parents left. Dor followed her everywhere from the bathroom then back to her room. She sat at her desk to open a drawer. The puppy jumped on herp, curious to see what she was doing.


    She took out a picture of Shinho, the same one they used during the feeding ceremony. Dor whimpered as tears fell from Jina''s eyes. The puppy gently licked her cheek, trying to appease her.


    "Don''t worry," she whispered to the dog. "I''m not sad. I just miss my friend a lot."


    She ced the photo on her desk and ced some candy bars in front of it. Will hee to eat them? She wondered.


    Jina waited for a while but the picture and candies remained the same, untouched. There was no cold wind nor any unearthly presence.


    "I wonder if they''re doing well," she asked out loud. "Casper, Shinho and Yumi. Will they be alright?"


    "Arf!" the dog barked as if trying to tell her that they were okay. Jina patted him, her eyes still on the uneaten candies.


    Will you reallye back? She wondered.


    ..


    Once out of Jina''s room, Minho grabbed Gayoon''s arm and led her towards their bedroom instead.


    "W-what are you doing?" Gayoon stammered.


    "Fulfilling Jina''s wish," Minho said, feigning a nonchnt tone. "She wants siblings."


    "There''s a party tonight and a lot of work!" Gayoon protested.


    Minho took out his phone, still gripping Gayoon''s arm.


    Jongin was shy and awkward. He was at a restaurant, waiting for his new girlfriend to arrive. They barely got any time to have a proper date thanks to both of their jobs so she suggested that they could meet up for breakfast that morning. His current girlfriend was a few years older than him but she was surprisingly understanding of his busy schedule. Moreover, she had a hectic job herself so she knew his pain.


    He saw her entering the cafe. She was carrying ab coat on one arm and looked exhausted. Upon seeing him, she shed a smile.


    "Jaein!" Jongin greeted her.


    "Did you wait for long?" Jaein asked. "Sorry, I got caught up at theb. There was an identst night and I was held back."


    "Jaein, what is it that you do?" Jongin asked curiously. "You never told me in detail."


    "I drink with the dead," Jaein shrugged. She enjoyed seeing his expression whenever she said that because whenever she told that to any date, they would be freaked out. Jongin, on the other hand, only scratched his head like an innocent kid.


    "Eh?" he was confused.


    Jaein sighed and was about to answer him when his phone rang up. Jongin saw the name on the caller ID and groaned.


    "Boss again?" Jaein guessed.


    "Yes," he sighed. There goes another one of my girlfriends, he wept inwardly.


    "Hello, sir," he greeted over the phone.


    "Jongin, arrange everything for the party tonight!" Minho ordered. "Gayoon and I will be upied for a while with Jina. Take over the arrangements."


    "Yes"


    Jongin hung up the phone and sighed. "I''ll have to help out with a party at my boss'' hotel," he informed Jaein. "I guess our date will be cut short today as well."


    "I can help," Jaein shrugged. "I don''t have any more bodies to cut up today anyway."


    Bodies? Cut up? Eh?

 Chapter 420: A Long Way**

    Chapter 420: A Long Way**


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ALSO, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOK ''TRIALS OF FIRE & LOVE''. IT''S A CONTEMPORARY MAFIA ROMANCE BETWEEN A MAFIA KINGPIN WITH A TERRIBLE SECRET AND THE WOMAN WHOM HE CAN''T EVER FALL IN LOVE WITH.


    LINK: /book/trials-of-fire-love_20554444905405205


    .....


    Meanwhile at the Hwang mansion, Minho hung up the phone and turned to his fiance. Gayoon was blushing hard as he looked at her like a predator about to pounce on his prey.


    "Everything has been taken care of," he whispered, snaking his arm around her waist. "Let''s go!"


    Gayoon giggled as he carried her into their bedroom, locking it behind them. He pushed her against the wall, cing butterfly kisses all over her neck.


    "Minho...the party" she moaned but he blocked her lips with his.


    Blood hummed in her veins, coursing the heat through her body as his furious kisses engulfed her. He bit her lower lip, making her moan. Her sweet vani scent was driving him crazy while his tongue pried into her mouth to mesh their lips together.


    His fingers were busy undoing her pajamas and it fell to the floor. Gayoon reached for his pants, unzipping his jeans to fondle his rod with her hands. Her agile fingers slipped into his boxers, stroking his manhood.


    Minho groaned when he felt her soft fingers caressing him. His member was getting harder under her touch while his lips were busy kissing her. She rubbed his balls, causing him to deepen their kiss, both of them drowning in the frenzied heat.


    Gayoon undid his boxers, letting his erection out so that she could coddle it more. Breaking their kiss, she shyly smiled and bent down. Minho let out a sharp breath when she took his rod in her mouth.


    "Gayoon" he moaned. "You''ll be the death of me."


    Hearing his words, she licked his erection, bobbing back and forth to taste him. Minho let out a series of curse words when she fondled his balls, hardening his manhood even more. He slowly humped into her mouth to give her more ess. Gayoon closed her eyes, enjoying the effect she had on him. His salty precum was dripping into her mouth.


    Minho was leaning on the wall for support while his vixen of a lover tasted his essence. Gayoon licked the tip of his rod, letting it glide in and out of her mouth. Her face waspletely red with lust and when she nced up, she was d to see that his face was also beetroot red. His rod vibrated in her mouth and sticky liquid oozed out of it as he reached his climax. She drank it all and slowly stood up, sexily wiping her mouth.


    "Wifey, you''re really something," Minho whispered with a smirk. Gayoon winked which broke hisst restraint.


    Minho grabbed her by the waist and picked her up beforeying her on the bed. Gayoon purred as he took off his t-shirt. Her hands slowly reached for the button of her shirt, opening them in an agonizingly slow manner to entice him.


    He watched her like a lion eyeing its prey. His intense gaze was unfurling even deeperyers of her lust and she finally took off her shirt, leaving herself only in her bra and panties. Gayoon wanted to tease him even more but Minho was impatient. He leaned on her, pushing her against the pillows.


    His hand reached the hook of her bra and undid it to reveal her twin globes while his other hand ripped apart her panties.


    "Those were my favorite pair!" Gayoon whined.


    "You''ll need a lot more," Minho grinned. "Because for the next few months, we''ll be rehearsing very thoroughly for the wedding night."


    Before Gayoon could scold him, he attacked her breast with bold caresses of his tongue.


    "Ahhh!" she purred, heaving her chest forward. His mouth closed in on her left breast, sucking on it while his hand was rubbing her clit in a circr motion. She wrapped her legs around him, clutching his hair into her fists.


    Minho was fiercely yearning for her, biting into her soft flesh. His mouth was sped on her nipple while he pressed her bud with his fingers. Gayoon wriggled under him, the familiar sensation beginning to build up within her. She let out low, sultry mewls of pleasure as he attacked her other breast, suckling on her nub.


    "Oh god!" she mewled when he inserted his two fingers into her hole, caressing her inner walls. He bent his fingers to massage her while repeatedly pressing her clit to make her moan harder. His mouth was tasting every bit of her, leaving possessive red marks on her. Trailing the kisses lower, he reached her hole.


    With his fingers still dipped in her honeypot, he slowly licked her wet flesh. Gayoon was enjoying the ripples of pleasure pulsing through her and she widened her legs to let him taste more of her. Minho took out his fingers and instantly tortured her with his mouth as he savored her. His greedy mouth took bold possession of her hole, his tongue stroking her insides.


    Gayoon pulsated against his mouth, her fingers ying with his hair. She was in seventh heaven, focused on the sensation of his tongue doing unspeakable things to her. Minho licked and gently bit her, inserting his fingers into her again while simultaneously attacking her.


    "A little more!" she begged, feeling the tension in her about to burst. Minho sped up his actions, licking and prodding until she convulsed and her hot juices came flowing out. He licked them up and slowly crept up.


    Gayoon was still reeling from her orgasm when he pulled her towards him, straddling her on hisp with his hard rod poking her entrance. She was in a wild heat haze which made Minho smirk.


    "Impatient," he murmured.


    "Yes!" she whispered and without another word, crashed her lips onto his. While their lips fought it out, she lifted her waist up to let the mushroom tip of his member get ess to her hole. But she was too impatient and jerked so abruptly that she fell on hisp, taking his member in at one go.


    "Ohhh!" she winced against his lips.


    "You okay?" he whispered in between their kisses.


    "Give it a couple of seconds to get adjusted," she gasped. Minho let her muscles get ustomed to his hardness.


    "Ready?" he asked. Gayoon nodded and he began to move inside her.


    "Faster!" she breathed. Minho chuckled and humped faster into her. They bumped their waist in sync, his rod being cupped by her warmth.


    Minho pushed her against the pillows again and put her one leg on his shoulder to widen her muscles more. Gayoon was moaning and purring underneath him, her hands pinned by his. He captured her lips in a heated kiss while his member filled her with sheer ecstasy. She felt it vibrate within her, hitting her g-spot over and over again.


    Gayoon nibbled on his lips, his flesh fused with hers. The sounds of their skins pping were music to her ears, their climaxes reaching the limit.


    "I love you, Jeon Gayoon," he whispered in his husky tone. "Thank you for everything."


    Gayoon panted, their sweaty bodies still engaged in their intimate love making.


    "I love you too, Hwang Minho," she whispered back, pecking him with a smile. "Thank you for being my family."


    With that, she felt his warm liquids prate her insides, filling her up. He continued to ravage her until her muscles contracted around his member and she, too, came atst.


    Minho slowed down his tempo until he stopped. Theyy on the bed, next to each other, reflecting on their past. To think, exactly nine years ago on that day, both of them were blessed with a beautiful angel. At that time, neither of them thought that they would see each other again, let alone make a family.


    "We''vee a long way," Gayoon mused.


    "We did" Minho agreed. So many things had happened. It was hard to imagine a time without Gayoon in his life. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.


    Then his smile faded a little. "I just wish Kanji wakes up," he said out loud.


    "Me too," Gayoon said. "He will. After all, we have to beat him up for making us cry over him!"


    "True," Minho sighed. "And also"


    He turned to hug her. "I don''t know what I''ll do without my best man at the wedding," he admitted.


    Gayoon did not reply but hugged him back, letting him grieve for his friend who was still at the hospital.


    "He will wake up," Minho affirmed. "I know he will."

 Chapter 421: Charge His Cards

    Chapter 421: Charge His Cards


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ALSO, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOK ''TRIALS OF FIRE & LOVE''. IT''S A CONTEMPORARY MAFIA ROMANCE BETWEEN A MAFIA KINGPIN WITH A TERRIBLE SECRET AND THE WOMAN WHOM HE CAN''T EVER FALL IN LOVE WITH.


    LINK: /book/trials-of-fire-love_20554444905405205


    ......


    *One Month Later*


    Mina had just finished her shift and changed into casual clothes. Instead of going back home, she headed straight for Kanji''s ward for the night. For the past few weeks, she rarely went back home other than to grab some essentials for her stay at the hospital. When she was not on duty she stayed with Kanji, looking after him. Sometimes her uncle Jason woulde over while Minho also stopped by everyday to check on him.


    But he was still in aa, unaware of their anxiousness. Physically he was fine but for some reason, his mind was still not awake. Mina had asked Junho about whether there was a disconnect between his body and his soul but even he was not fully sure about what was going on.


    "We can only pray for him to wake up," Junho sighed.


    Does he even want to wake up? Mina wondered as she made her way towards the ward. Upon entering, she found Jason was sitting next to the bed. He was drowsy, his head hanging to his side while his eyes were shutting and opening.


    "Uncle," Mina called him, gently nudging him. Jason awoke with a start and looked around.


    "Huh?" he mumbled.


    "I''ll stay over tonight," she said. "You can go home for tonight."


    "No," Jason insisted. "I''ll stay-"


    But Mina stopped him. "No," she said in a firm tone. "You''ve been here all day. You''re tired. Please go home. We don''t want you to get sick as well."


    Jason sighed and nced at his son who was still as a statue. "Why isn''t he waking up?" hemented. "They said he''s back from the dead and that I should be happy about it. But seeing him like this feels even worse. Not knowing if he''ll ever wake up or not"


    "He will," Mina said softly. "We''ll have to keep our faith in him. He might be stupid but he knows how toe back home. Eventually."


    Jason smiled and patted her head.


    "I''ll be off then," he said in a tired tone. "See you tomorrow."


    Mina nodded and watched him leave. As soon as the door closed, she turned back to Kanji.


    The monitor attached to his heart showed that his heart rates were steady. Best of the best doctors were attending to him, trying to wake him up but everything seemed to be in vain.


    She held his palm, circling it with her thumb. His skin was warm. It became a habit of hers to keep holding his hand every time she was with him as if she was afraid that his touch would turn cold any minute.


    "Stupid Kanji," she muttered sadly. "Just wake up already!"


    She stared at their interlocked hands, trying not to cry. Even though she promised herself she would not cry, it was impossible to stop her tears. The moron did not confess his feelings to her when he was healthy and well but poured her with all the love after his spirit left his body. And now that he was back again, he was lost in a dreamnd.


    "Remember when I was in high school and all of us went camping with your family?" she mused. "And we were apanied by your dad''s partner and his family? I was so jealous when you were flirting with his daughter. Ugh! Miss big busty white lotus bitch! You went off with her into the forest to flirt more. I couldn''t help but follow the two of you. When I saw you underneath that tree...touching her face, I lost it."


    "So I picked up a bunch of worms and secretly climbed that tree," she went on snickering to herself. "And when she was about to kiss you, I threw all the worms on you guys. I still remember how she was screaming and running off with worms in her hair!"


    Minaughed as she recalled Kanji''s stupefied expression as the girl had sprinted off faster than light. He never knew how those worms fell from the sky while Mina pretended ignorance.


    "You''re really bad," she mumbled. "Chasing all those women while I worked hard to be worthy of you! Dummy!"


    Just thinking about it was making her irritated. She pinched his arm, hoping that he would whine but he was still sleeping.


    "Just wake up," she pleaded. "Please"


    Emotionally exhausted, shey beside him. She looked at his pale face while gently stroking his cheek. Snuggling closer to rest her head on his shoulder, she quietly listened to the beeping of his heartbeat on the machine. Their hands were still sped together, unwilling to be separated.


    "Come back to me" her gentle voice whispered to him. "Come back and never leave"


    She closed her eyes, feeling his warmth engulf her. The touch of his hand soothed her aching heart and the twitching of his fingers around hers made her rx as if she was finally home.


    Twitching of his fingers


    Her eyes shot open and to her shock, so did Kanji''s. His pupils were moving and the heart rates on the monitor began to beep loudly.


    "K-Kanji?" she whispered. He could not move but his eyes looked at her while his fingers were fidgeting. Mina quickly reached for the emergency call button.


    "I NEED A DOCTOR HERE RIGHT NOW!" She eximed. "JANG KANJI IS AWAKE!"


    .


    Minho and Gayoon rushed to the hospital as soon as they got the news. They barged into the ward to find Jason and Mina were standing next to Kanji''s bed. Kanji was still lying on the bed but his gaze fell on them and he smiled.


    "M-Minho" he stammered. "G-Gayoon"


    Minho stood there for a while before slowly walking over to Kanji''s bed. Kanji was paler and skinnier than before. His lips were dry but it was the same lopsided grin.


    "Hi hi" Kanji managed to greet.


    "Since he''s been in aa, it''ll take him a few months to regain proper mobility," Mina stated. "He''ll need a lot of physical therapy but he''ll recover."


    "Good," Minho began. "That means, he''ll be paying us back, right?"


    Eh?


    When Kanji looked confused, Gayoon stepped up to say, "He''ll be charging your ount for the hospital fees."


    "M-Minho!" Kanji yelped. "Aren''t you gonna go easy on your friend?"


    But Minho''s eyes were lit with a sadistic beam.


    "Making us all waste our tears," he gritted. "We thought you''d be gone forever, moron! Do you even know how much that hurts? Damn it, I even cried for you! Only for it all to turn out to be your stupid assumptions again?"


    He turned to Mina and added, "Charge him for our food as well! This''ll teach him not to die again!"


    "I''ll buy food for the entire hospital and charge his cards," Mina nodded.


    "You have my approval," Jason agreed.


    "B-b-but I didn''t know I wasn''t dead!" Kanji weakly protested. "I swear-"


    His words were interrupted by Minho who bent over to hug him. "Wee back," Minho said. "Don''t you dare die again. You''ve still got a lot of things left to do. And I can''t get married without my best man."


    He let go of Kanji who was frowning. "Married?" he echoed.


    Gayoon shed the ring on her finger to him. Kanji was so shocked that he tried to get up but his sore muscles ached in agony.


    "OW OW OW!" he winced, earning him a pinch from Mina.


    "Don''t get up, moron!" she scolded him. "Your muscles need to be rxed through therapy!"


    But Kanji was too happy to care. "Just wait for my recovery!" he eximed. "I''m gonna throw you the best bachelor''s party! I''ll announce to the entire world that my best friend is getting married! Mina, hand out gifts to all the staff and patients here. Charge whatever you want! It''s on me!"


    Minho smiled at his stupid best friend. Seeing Kanji give up his criminal activities anding back to life only to turn a new leaf was all they needed toplete their happiness. He watched as Kanji spouted nonsense while Mina scolded him as if they were back to their childhood days when everything was simpler.


    Gayoon held his hand and smiled.


    "Thank you, wifey," Minho beamed, kissing her cheek. "For everything."

 Chapter 422: The Richest Person In The World

    Chapter 422: The Richest Person In The World


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ALSO, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOK ''TRIALS OF FIRE & LOVE''. IT''S A CONTEMPORARY MAFIA ROMANCE BETWEEN A MAFIA KINGPIN WITH A TERRIBLE SECRET AND THE WOMAN WHOM HE CAN''T EVER FALL IN LOVE WITH.


    LINK: /book/trials-of-fire-love_20554444905405205


    ......


    Junho stood outside the bride''s dressing room, feeling nervous. It was already 6 PM and the guests had arrived. The ceremony was about to start in an hour and Gayoon was still getting dressed up. Even though Junho was supposed to arrive at that spot around 6:55, he came earlier than the allotted time because of his jittery nerves.


    Shujin came out of the room to see him standing outside all awkward and stiff.


    "What''s wrong?" she frowned. "Why are you acting so weird?"


    "Nothing!" he imed. "Just...agh! I guess I''m just a little nervous."


    He sighed and sat on a bench which had been ced nearby. Shujin sat next to him, listening to his rant. Ever since Gayoon asked him to walk her down the aisle, Junho could not help but feel overwhelmed and also scared.


    "I know I''m technically her father-inw," he said. "But I''ve raised her ever since she was a baby. Maybe I''m just overwhelmed to see her grow up and get married."


    "All fathers feel like that," Shujin consoled him. "You might not be her real father but she considers you more than that."


    "I still remember when she was born and she could fit into my one arm!" Junho mused, his eyes a little moist. "And now, she''ll be holding my arm while I walk her down the aisle."


    "She''s getting married to your son!" Shujinughed. "She''ll join your household. You should be happy about it."


    "Agh, old woman!" he scowled. "Let me be sad that I''m giving her away to my worthless son!"


    Shujin shook her head. Junho was feeling all the mixed emotions of a loving father who was seeing the daughter he raised getting married.


    "Children grow up fast," he sighed, dabbing his eyes.


    "They do," she agreed. "Today, it''s Gayoon. And in the blink of an eye, it''ll be Jina''s turn."


    Junho nodded. "She''ll turn out to be a fine woman," he predicted. "And a damn good cop. I''m sure of it."


    "She will," Shujin agreed. She patted his palm, waiting outside with him. Junho looked down, trying to hide his tears but it was the wedding of the two people he loved and cared for the most. How could he not cry?


    The sun was setting while seconds turned to minutes. Finally at 6:55 PM, the dressing room''s door opened and they heard the nking of heels as someone emerged from it.


    "Ahjusshi"


    Junho and Shujin looked up. For a moment they were stunned before their lips burst into wide smiles. Junho held out his arm for the beautiful woman who was waiting for him to take her to her Prince Charming. She took his arm and smiled back.


    "Let''s go," he said.


    .


    "The bride ising!" Mina spoke into her walkie talkie. "Tell the bandmaster to be ready with the song!"


    "I''m ready," Jaewan''s deadpan voice came from the other end. "Can I sing Marry Me Not Him?"


    "No!"


    There was a slight "Tch!" from the other end before he hung up. Mina shed a thumbs up to the bridesmaids. Jina stood at the entrance, wearing a pretty pink dress with cloud patterns on it. Her brown hair was braided and she wore a matching tiara. She would be leading the bridal procession while throwing flower petals at the guests.


    "This dog wouldn''t stop sniffing my pocket for coins!" Kanjiined. "What if he pickpockets someone?"


    He was holding Dor who kept on peeking into Kanji''s pockets or tickling him.


    "Rx," Mina gritted. "He''s been trained to pick only your pocket!"


    Kanji scowled at her and went back to his spot beside the altar. The guests had sat down, awaiting the arrival of the bride but many of the girls were ogling at the groom.


    Minho stood at the altar, wearing a ck tuxedo which hugged his fit body. His hair was brushed back, giving him a sleek and stylish look while his usually sharp brown eyes were softer under the fading daylight. The front pocket was attached with a blue corsage. His eyes were fixed on the archway entrance through which Gayoon would soon emerge.


    Mina signaled the men in charge of the lights.


    Slowly, the dim lights were turned up, illuminating the whole venue. Faint smokes emitted from the spake, warming up the cool weather. A pleasant aroma of herbs also engulfed the air. Shinjin had created the scent and was using a spray bottle to sprinkle the purifying essence around the venue.


    The guests were awed by the magical charm of the wedding. One of the bridesmaids noticed that a table was keptpletely empty. It had five empty seats. She nudged at Mina.


    "Why is that table empty?" she whispered.


    Mina nced at the table and gave a sad smile. "It''s for the guests who couldn''t make it to the ceremony but will remain in our hearts."


    The bridesmaid did not understand what she meant but kept on eyeing the table. From a distance, Jina was also staring at the empty table. It was a small tribute to her two grandmothers, Casper, Yumi and Shinho. They might not be there that day but as long as they were remembered, their presence would be felt.


    The clock struck 7 PM. Jina took her position and stood in the middle of the archway. Looking behind her, she saw two figures approaching and smiled before stepping forward, walking towards the altar. She threw the flowers as she led the procession with Junho leading Gayoon slowly towards Minho. Jaewan was ying his acoustic music, a soft melody, mesmerizing the guests as the bride came to view.


    As soon as Gayoon entered, everyone was awestruck. Her sleeveless white dress was a perfect fit for her petite figure. It was embroidered with flowerces, the helm of the gown flowing gently as she walked. Her long hair was loosely tied into a mermaid braid, held together by a blue butterfly clip made of shiny stones which was borrowed from her grandmother.


    Her skin was radiant, shining under the soft lights while her eyes were sparkling in joy. The slight smile on her face made her look like an innocent angel spreading happiness all around her. She nced at all her colleagues who hade.


    Junwan was smiling at her while Taejoon looked a little annoyed but nodded. To her surprise, Jongin was seated next to Jaein and they were holding hands.


    And then her eyes darted towards Minho.


    He stood there, unable to believe what he was seeing. It was the first time he was seeing her in the wedding dress and even though he knew she would look beautiful, he was still blown away. He was still finding it hard to believe that someone as precious as Gayoon was going to marry him.


    His heart was beating erratically, aching to run towards her and carry her to the altar. It was impossible to wait any longer. Even the few remaining seconds were testing his patience but he did not want to ruin this day.


    She finally reached the altar. Junho let go of Gayoon''s hand and kissed her on the cheek. He smiled at his son and went back to the audience to sit down beside Shujin and Shinjin who patted his back.


    "You look beautiful," Minho whispered into her ears. "Are you sure you wanna marry me?"


    Gayoon shyly took his arm and replied, "You can ask me that question a million times and I''ll still say yes!"


    Jina watched as her parents began to exchange vows. She smiled at them, thinking about all the things they had experienced as a family. Her innocent mind might not be aware of many things, but she knew that her parents were soulmates.


    Minho used to tell her that someone who did not earn their own money through hard work could never be a rich man and Jina even believed him for a long time.


    But now that she saw her parents finally getting married, she realized that her father was wrong. The richest person was not the one who worked for money. Only the person who worked for love could attain true wealth.


    And at that point, Jina felt like she was the richest person in the world.

 Chapter 423: Epilogue-18 Years Later

    Chapter 423: Epilogue-18 Years Later


    AUTHOR''S NOTE:


    DOCTOR DEMON IS OUT NOW


    LINK: /book/doctor-demon_20493883605820405


    ALSO, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOK ''TRIALS OF FIRE & LOVE''. IT''S A CONTEMPORARY MAFIA ROMANCE BETWEEN A MAFIA KINGPIN WITH A TERRIBLE SECRET AND THE WOMAN WHOM HE CAN''T EVER FALL IN LOVE WITH.


    LINK: /book/trials-of-fire-love_20554444905405205


    Also, do read my heartfelt gratitude in the auxry chapter. A letter to all my beloved readers [3


    ...


    *Eighteen Years Later*


    A ck Maybach stopped in front of the hospital. As soon as it stopped, a handsome man in his mid fifties dashed out of it while his secretary followed suit. The man looked much younger than his age but had a few grey streaks on his hair. His face was worried as he ran through the corridor towards the maternity ward.


    "Sir, slow down!" his secretary Jongin called after him. "The madam is fine-"


    But Minho did not listen to him. He cursed himself for listening to his wife! If she had not insisted him to attend the meeting, he would have never left her side. All throughout the nine months, he had been constantly fussing over her and stayed with her but just a few days ago, some investors insisted on having an out of country meeting to see some sites.


    "Just go and attend the meeting!" Gayoon had insisted. "This one will not be out for another two weeks! And you''ll only be gone for five days."


    She patted her bulging belly and shed her smile at him, knowing very well that he could never refuse her when she smiled like that!


    Minho grudgingly agreed but as soon as hended in Country H, he got news that Gayoon had gone intobor. By the time hended back in the country, she had already given birth.


    "Out of my way!" he barked at the patients who cursed at him. But he did not care.


    As soon as he stepped on the pediatrics'' corridor, he saw a group of people standing near the baby ward, cooing through the ss.


    "She''s so tiny!" a ten year old boy squealed. He had brown hair and dark eyes which resembled a doe. His innocent face was pressed against the ss, staring at a baby who was born only a few hours ago.


    "Of course she''s tiny!" another boy piped up. He looked exactly like the other boy to the point that it was impossible to tell them apart. "She''s a baby!"


    "Were we that small when we were born?" his twin asked an old man in histe seventies.


    "Small and crying loudly!" the old man imed.


    "Don''t lie, old man!" twin number two eximed. "Mom said that you were the one crying when we were born because you were very happy."


    "Oi, Hwang Minyoon!" Junho scowled. "Who''re you calling an old man?"


    "I''m Yoonmin," the twin said. "That''s Minyoon!"


    "You still can''t tell us apart?" Minyoon teased him. "How many coins are you gonna lose to us?"


    "I AIN''T GIVE YOU ANY MORE COINS!" their grandfather growled.


    "You promised us!" Yoonmin pointed out. "Every time you call us by the wrong name, you gotta pay a dor to us!"


    "I think we''ve made five thousand dors already," Minyoon added. "This''ll make five thousand and one!"


    "WHY YOU TWO LITTLE MIDGET-" Junho yelled at them but Minho interrupted them.


    "Move!" He ordered the others. "Let me see her!"


    "You''rete!" Yoonmin said.


    "me your mother for sending me away!" Minho grumbled.


    "We already named our sister!" Minyoon imed. "Penny!"


    Upon hearing that, someone whacked his head.


    "Ow!" heined and turned around to see Mina standing there.


    "Stop naming people after money!" she scolded him. "Her name has been decided already!"


    She turned to Minho and added, "Bro, you can go and check up on her. Be sure to wear scrubs."


    "How''s Gayoon?" Minho demanded.


    "She''s fine," Mina assured her. "She''s resting. Jina is also here. She stepped out to bring snacks for everyone. Oh! There she is!"


    They turned around to find a slim girl in herte twenties approaching them, carrying a bunch of snacks. Her long brown hair was tied in a messy bun. She was exhausted from all the work she had to do while her mother was inbor but she did not care about her own exhaustion.


    Minho beamed upon seeing his daughter. "Dad!" she squealed, giving him a hug. "When did you get here?"


    "Just a few minutes ago," he sighed. "And do you have to wear that all the time?"


    He was referring to her police uniform which Jina wore almost all the time.


    "It''s quite useful," she nodded. "Gets me through the shopping queues. Besides, I''m still on duty. The Chief was just nice enough to let me patrol around the hospital for the past few nights."


    Minho sighed and smiled at his daughter. He patted her lovingly and said, "Don''t overexert yourself. Otherwise, your mother will barge into the station and give your Chief a piece of her mind."


    Jina giggled and said, "Yes dad!"


    "Take care of these devils," he said. "I''ll go and see the baby."


    "I''ll go with you," Junho said, following them.


    "Sis, did you get us soda pops?" Minyoon asked.


    "You just got your cavity filled," she said in a stern tone. "No carbs for you!"


    The twins were pouting while Jina handed them rice balls and soup. But they listened to their sister without much fuss. They nced at their sister through the ss again.


    "Oi, is that a boy baby next to her?" Yoonmin asked. Minyoon nced that way and scowled.


    "Why is that boy baby next to our sister?" Minyoon demanded. "What if he flirts with our baby Miyoo?"


    "How?" Jina scoffed. "In their babynguage?"


    "Uncle Kanji said that all men are born scum," Minyoon said, feeling very wise. "This is why he doesn''t let sister Haemi mix with boys."


    "Haemi is too busy ripping off his wallet," Jina muttered. "He could only wish that she cared about boys."


    She sat them down on a bench as they nibbled on their snacks. In the past eighteen years, their family had grown big. The twins were born ten years after Minho and Gayoon''s marriage. Jina had just graduated high school that time and even though she was much older than them, she insisted on taking care of the boys herself. Despite the grueling police training, she managed to make time for the twins during the weekends.


    They inherited the Hwang genes and chased money as much as their father did. Minho might scold them a lot but he was overly protective of them, even teaching them many methods to bankrupt their grandfather. Sometimes, it backfired on Minho though.


    Her aunt Mina and uncle Kanji got married two years after her parents did and by next year, her cousin Haemi was born. Junho still lived at Gayoon''s old house, still exorcising ghosts with Shinjin. Even though everyone insisted that he live with them, he would not leave that house because Shujin had entrusted it to him.


    Grandma Shujin passed away peacefully due to old age a few months after the twins were born. They were all sad by her passing but she lived a long and happy life. That was what mattered to them the most. Gayoon still had her sandals as keepsake. ording to her, if her grandma had not thrown those sandals at her, she would have never gotten the courage to fall in love.


    Jina still saw ghosts. They would asionallye to her for help. Some were scary while others were adamant but she got a better hang of her powers now. If she did not want to help a ghost, she could chase them away using some exorcism tricks she picked up over the years. Others, she would happily help.


    As for Gayoon. She lost her powers after the birth of the twins. Even though the twins did not inherit the powers, any woman born from their bloodline would get the power. The twins did not care though. They would rather focus on making money.


    But her sister would inherit the ability and even though her parents said everything would be okay, she knew they were worried. Could Miyoo handle the invasion of ghosts?


    She nced through the ss. Her father and grandfather were now holding the baby. But Jina frowned a little before giggling. The twins looked up.


    "What happened, sis?" Minyoon asked.


    "Nothing," she sighed.


    .


    Inside the nursery, Minho was gently holding his newborn in his arms. She felt so delicate and fragile as if the slightest touch would break her. She was wrapped in a nket, her eyes cloud and she sucked on her thumb as she slept.


    "Miyoo," he gently called her. "Can you recognize your dad?"


    The baby slowly opened her eyes and was ncing around.


    "She has Gayoon''s eyes," Junho said.


    "Yeah" Minho nodded. He was cradling her while she looked around curiously before her eyes fell on something behind Minho. She stared at it for a while before giving a toothless smile.


    "Is she smiling?" Junho asked in awe. Even Minho was surprised. Do babies smile a few hours after they are born?


    "Maybe it''s a fluke," Minho said, still cooing at his daughter.


    Unbeknownst to them, an invisible figure was making funny faces at the child. The ghost was that of a clown who was passing by and upon seeing the child, he was simply making gestures to make herugh. The baby stared at him, shing lopsided smiles while being adored by her father.


    She raised a thick palm to point at the ghost but Minho had turned around to talk to Junho.


    "Ask Mina if we can take her to meet Gayoon yet," he said, not noticing that his daughter was enjoying the funny antics of a ghost clown.


    ..


    Gayoon slowly opened her eyes to find Minho sitting beside her. He kissed her forehead and held her palm.


    "You''re back," she mumbled.


    "Yes," he said, kissing her hand.


    "Where''s Miyoo?" she weakly asked. Minho pointed at a crib.


    "She''s there," he softly said. "You want to meet her?"


    Gayoon nodded. He helped her to sit up straight before heading over to the crib. Picking up the baby, he gently handed her to Gayoon who was in tears.


    "Hi" she whispered. "Miyoo."


    Minho put his arm around his wife, rubbing her back as she gushed over their newborn. They watched their angel sleeping peacefully.


    "She looks like you," Minho said.


    "I think she resembles you," Gayoon remarked.


    "No, she looks like me!" a cheerful voice imed.


    They looked up to see Jina, Junho and the twins had just entered. Gayoon beamed as her children gathered around her to fawn over the child. Mina and Kanji stood at the entrance, happily watching them.


    "Where''s Haemi?" Gayoon asked Mina.


    "Haemi is crying at camp because they wouldn''t let her return early," she sighed. "She even tried to bribe them but to no use."


    "Damn those counselors for keeping my Haemi away from her sister!" Kanji cursed. "I''ll sue them!"


    Mina shook her head and turned to her family. Jina and the twins gushed over their sister while Junho was on the verge of tears.


    "Old man, how long will you cry?" Minyoon snickered.


    "Shut it!" Junho growled, wiping his eyes. "Someone''s just cutting onions-"


    "You''ve been cutting onions since the past nine months," Yoonmin muttered, earning the ire of his grandfather.


    "Don''t you two have work?" Gayoon asked Jina and Minho.


    "Got a day off to see my sister!" she imed.


    "And I put Jongin in charge again," Minho shrugged. Gayoon sighed and turned her attention back to her daughter. Everyone was overjoyed with the birth of another angel in their family and even though she would inherit the same powers as her mother and sister, they would make sure that she was going to turn into a good human being.


    As she watched her family''s happiness, Jina prayed that they could remain happy.


    Just then, she noticed a blue butterfly fluttering on the windowsill. It hovered in the air, as if watching her before flying away.


    Huh?


    "Jina!"


    The sound of her name brought her out of her reverie. Gayoon and Minho were looking at her.


    "You wanna hold Miyoo for a while?" Minho asked.


    "Yes!" Jina eximed, reaching out to hold her sister, pushing away all other thoughts.


    That''s right, she thought as her gaze fell on her beloved sister. This is a time to be happy.


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