《The Love That Remains》


 Authors Note

    Author''s Note


    1. Formal Disimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, ces, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author''s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemnce to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.


    2. Please respect everyone and enjoy the story.


    3. Don''t forget to review/ratement/vote (._.) esp. If you like the novel.


    ****Full list of my novels*******


    Novels with Interconnected Worlds:


    1. The Love That Remains (Completed)


    2. His Mischievous Time-Traveler: How to capture a celebrity husband? (Completed)


    3. His Devious Harbinger: How To Tame A Wicked God? (Completed)


    4. Supernatural Investigation 101: Chronicles of Nakashima Wakana


    5. When A Ghoul Falls In Love


    6. Hunting for a Husband in a Vampire Apocalypse


    Standalone Novels:


    Her Wicked CEO: How To Seduce A Hikikomori Wife?


    Miss Chicken & Her Mister


    The Viinous Emperor is My Pet?


    Bad x Bad: My Dear Hana


    ******Other random information******


    Instagram: Koch_Norah


    Goodreads: /norah_koch

 Chapter 1: Dont you recognise me?

    Chapter 1: Don''t you recognise me?


    ''If you don''t have the strength to acquire something that you want from the depth of your soul, then you should try to acquire the strength to give up on that wish.''


    Those were the words of myte grandfather. It''s funny that I would remember thosest words during thest moments of my life. Death has arrived in the form of a car ident. Time is slowing down. I feel my warm blood rushing out of my body and reaching my outstretched hands. I wonder if that''s the only warmth that I am allowed to feel during myst moment. My body is going numb. I can''t feel pain. I can''t hear the people around me. In my blurry vision, I see a familiar figure running toward me.


    "Aisa"


    His voice is a distant dream that started with an evesting and ended with shattering pain. I had been lying to myself for my whole life. It is miserable how my shattered heart would be revived by his voice alone. My vision is darkening. I wish to see that smile again once more.


    ___


    He is standing right in front of me.


    He looks the same. Slender. Tall. Clear skin. Messy dark hair. He is a foot taller than me. His honey brown eyes have a hint of sadness and longing, but there is that almost smile on his lips. This is the moment I fell in love with his almost smile for the first time. It''s been nearly 20 years since this moment. I have never forgotten. I remember how much I wanted to make him smile. How much have I wanted to see him again?


    "Miss, do you know the way to H high school?"


    My dead heart flutters when I see his smile. I don''t reply. It''s just a dream. I want to stay in this moment forever. I don''t want anything else.


    "Miss?" His smile falters a bit. He waves his hands in front of my face. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?"


    I am sure that I am 30 years old. This is the moment when I met him for the first time at the age of 15. I don''t care whether this is a dream. I just want to stay in this moment forever. The boy keeps asking if something is wrong.


    "Umm..." This is awkward even in the dream. I foolishly question him. "Don''t you recognize me?"


    This is clearly not a reality. I am sure that I was in a car ident. There is a chance that I am lying unconscious in the hospital and dreaming about this moment. If it''s a y created by the mind, shouldn''t he recognize me or I should wake up by now?


    The boy looks into my eyes. "Have we met before?"


    "I..." There is something wrong here. Should I just tell him the way to high school? Usually, I wake up as soon as I realize that it''s a dream. Why I am not waking up?


    "It''s just a dream," I tell myself. I won''t worry about this. He has heard me. He looks confused at first. I let out a chuckle when I see him making his ''thinking'' face again.


    He pinches my cheeks and beams at me, "It''s not a dream."


    Wait, what?


    I cry out in pain. It hurts. It''s not a dream? It shouldn''t be hurting.


    "It''s not a dream." He pinches harder. "You are not dreaming, miss. Can you tell me the way to H high school now?"


    ""


    I stare hard at him. I am speechless beyond words.


    "Are you awake, miss?" He grins with eyes are full of mirth.


    I bite my lower lip. Why is he still pinching my cheeks? My cheeks are not for pinching. First love or not, he doesn''t have the right to pinch my cheeks like this even in the dreams, all right?


    Why did I forget about his cracked personality? Even in my dreams, he is slightly broken in the head.


    "Hey, you!"


    I recognize this voice. I look behind the boy who is still pinching my cheeks like they are rubber balls. "What are you doing to Aisa, you pervert?"


    I frown when I see her. It''s my friend, Wang Mei. This girl is the second daughter of the mafia head, Wang Feng. Her hair is dyed red. Her eyes are gray like rain clouds. She is also fifteen. She is a few inches shorter than me, but she can beat up people who are double her size.


    In the next moment, everything happens like a movie. It doesn''t follow the original memory of my life at all.


    "Pervert! Pervert! Pervert!" Wang Mei yells at the top of her lungs and runs toward us. I try to step back, but the boy is still holding my cheeks and looking at Wang Mei with a shocked expression.


    She lunges at us like a cheetah and aims her iron kick at the boy''s head. I widen my eyes. Everything is slowing down by ten times. Just before her foot can touch the boy''s head, the boy shifts his body and ites at my face instead.


    Wang Mei breaks my nose and my misunderstanding of the situation. It''s not a dream at all. Somehow, I have turned back the time and returned to the day I met him for the first time.


    ___


    "I was only asking for direction. She acted as if she knew me."


    "If you haven''t moved, she wouldn''t get hurt."


    "It was still your foot that broke her nose," He replies to Wang Mei''s usation with a calm voice.


    My nose is still hurting like hell. I wonder if it is broken. What if my nose is crooked? A woman''s face is important to her.


    "I wonder if we have ever met before." He mumbles. He is sitting quite close to me. This is the same boy who is the reason behind my broken nose. Sung Jun. He is 15 years old. He moved from K country to C Country with his mother after his parents'' divorce.


    I know because I am reliving my life. Somehow, I have turned back time. Wang Mei''s iron kick has broken my nose and awakened me to the harsh reality. No matter how real a dream feels, it cannot make you feel the pain that I am currently experiencing.


    So, I have concluded that I am not dreaming at all. I am reborn to the day I met him. Currently, we are fifteen years old. But I am mentally thirty.


    In my past life, I died in a car ident. In myst moment, I wished to see him again. The memories of past life are crystal clear. I don''t believe that my past life was a dream. I don''t know whether it was the devil or the god who granted my dying wish. I am not happy about this. I want to find that entity and beat him to death for doing this unnecessary thing.


    "I wonder if she was flirting with you," Wang Mei speaks with a curious tone. "She has never been out of this country. You have never been to this country before. Then, when will she get to meet you?"


    I want to choke this girl. Why can''t she think of me before speaking something like that?


    "My brother practices pick up lines like that," She adds.


    "Is that so, Miss Wang?" Sung Jun chuckles with low voice. "Miss Fang looks too innocent."


    I know what he is trying to imply. I look too innocent to flirt with him openly. Did I not know that he is secretly proud of his looks? Narcissist brat! If I have not known him from my past life, I would have fallen for his disguise like Wang Mei.


    "It must be your face," Wang Mei blurts out. "It''s too pretty."


    Wang Mei, my sweet Wang Mei! What did I ever do to you? Why are you saying this to the devil? Don''t believe his charade. He is the devil who can sell you without batting his eyes.


    I want to wake up and scream at them, but I am too embarrassed to do that. I don''t want to see their faces.


    In my past life, I was hurt and abandoned by both of them. Wang Mei decided to cut off the friendship without any exnation. Sung Jun went back to K country after our graduation without a single word.


    "Miss Fang." Jun pinches my cheek. "Open your eyes. I saw your lips twitch a while ago."


    I look at him when I feel his hot breath on my face. My eyes wander to his pink lips. I can''t help but remember our first kiss on the rooftop.


    That day, I heard that the president of my ss wanted to ask him out on a date. She was pretty and charming. I decided that I had no chance of winning against that girl who was perfect in studies and looks. I dragged him to the roof. I gathered my courage and kissed him. I told him arrogantly that I would take responsibility for him after eating his tofu.


    I wouldter learn that it was his n all along. He was not a pure white flower, but a devil incarnate.


    "Are you insane?" I push him away. I can''t stop myself from yelling at him.


    I always felt like I forced myself on him in my past life. Ever since I saw him, I chased him shamelessly while he treated me with kindness. Everyone hated my behavior. They thought that I forced him to be with me. But, Wang Mei stood by my side. She even threatened the people who spoke badly behind my back.


    I thought that I could move his heart if I forced him to be with me. We were in a rtionship for three years. When told me that he also loved me that night, I foolishly believed those words and surrendered to his embrace. Next morning, he was gone. He went back to K country. I called him so many times, but he never answered. I chased him to K country, but he never met me. Later, I learned that he was marrying his childhood sweetheart.


    That was when I gave up on him and returned to China. I was too tired. This guy never showed his face till the end. He must have hated every second that he spent with me.


    I have hated myself more than I hated him.


    He yed me to the end when we were together. Still, I wanted to see him once more at myst moment.


    I am reborn in the past because of that stupid wish.


    "Miss Fang?" Sung Jun touches my wet cheeks. "Why are you crying?"


    "Aisa," Wang Mei freaks out. "I am sorry. Are you in pain?"


    "Yes." I am in pain. It hurts to see both of them again. I don''t want to relive my life.


    "I am sorry, Aisa."


    Wang Mei stands to my right and blows on my nose. Her grey eyes are clear and honest. There is no fake emotion in her voice. She is genuinely worried about me. I don''t understand why she willter break all rtions with me.


    "Miss Fang, I am sorry. I am partially responsible for this situation." Jun smiles at me politely.


    I grit my teeth. I have known him enough to know when he is genuinely sorry. At this moment, this guy is not sorry at all.


    "My name is Sung Jun. I moved here from K countryst week." He lowers his head to look into my eyes. "I don''t remember ever meeting you. Can you tell me where we have met before?"


    ___


    She has long wavy hair and dark eyes. The girl has tanned skin and naturally red lips. Her gaze is steady and quiet. Sung Jun waits for her to answer. He is sure that he would remember if he has seen her somewhere before. There is a dark aura around her.


    She smiles at him mockingly, "I was mistaken. You looked like someone I knew. We don''t know each other"


    If that''s the case, then why does she still have that undisguised hate for him in her eyes?


    He notices the shadows around her. That''s the aura of death. People who are closer to death have that kind of aura around them. She doesn''t look sick. Is she going to have a close encounter with death soon?


    Fang Aisa gets down the bed, ignoring Wang Mei''s protests.


    Wang Mei frets around her. "Aisa, you should rest."


    Fang Aisa packs up her stuff. "I am going home."


    "But"


    Her cold eyes freeze Wang Mei on her spot. She warns her with a tone that sends a shiver down Wang Mei''s back. "Don''t bother me."


    She nces at him once. They hold each other gaze for less than a second. Then, she marches away without a word.


    Miss Fang is interesting.

 Chapter 2: I will marry you, Miss Fang

    Chapter 2: I will marry you, Miss Fang


    Wang Mei and Fang Aisa''s friendship was decided before they are even born. They met when they are toddlers. Ever since then, Wang Mei has been following Fang Aisa around. When Grandfather Wang met Little Aisa, he snorted and dered "Another one of that devil woman."


    The devildy in question was no other than Grandmother Fang.


    It''s well known in Fang and Wang families that Grandfather Fang hates Grandmother Wang and Grandfather Wang hates Grandmother Fang. The reason remains a mystery to this date. Though, Grandfather Fang and Grandfather Wang are good friends. Just like that, Fang Aisa and Wang Mei have also inherited that friendship.


    One can doubt the rtionship between the same bloods, but the friendship between Grandmother Fang and Grandmother Wang was thicker than blood. Even after Grandmother Fang died, Grandmother Wang treats Little Aisa like her true granddaughter. She loves her even more than she loves her real grandchildren.


    However, Wang Ying Ying never likes Fang Aisa. Wang Mei never understands why. Wang Ying Ying and Wang Mei are identical twins. Though they have the same faces, their temperaments are pr apart.


    Wang Ying Ying is as beautiful as a fairy. Her image is pure and feminine, unlike the fiery and tomboyish Wang Mei. To sum up her image, Wang Ying Ying is the traditional white lotus. She is not much different from Sung Jun. Even her father and mother are not aware of her true personality.


    Despite the differences between the two sisters, they are actually quite protective of each other. Wang Mei beats up any ''predator'' that try to eye her ''docile'' sister while Wang Ying Ying deals with her angry father and her distressed mother who are worried about ''delinquent'' Wang Mei''s future.


    On that day, Wang Ying Ying is taking her ''beauty'' nap when Wang Mei suddenly barges in not so quietly.


    "What do you want, Mei Mei?"


    "YiYi, there is an emergency."


    Wang Ying Ying narrows her grey eyes. She wonders how her twin angers their parents this time. Wang Ying Ying shakes her head slowly.


    "Yi Yi, it''s about Aisa," Wang Mei divulges slowly when she sees that her twin has no intention of helping her this time.


    "What?" Wang Ying Ying''s face twists after she hears her twin. Wang Mei and Fang Aisa are close friends. They are closer than the twin sisters. Wang Ying Ying is sometimes jealous of their rtionship, but she knows her limits.


    "I have hurt her." Wang Mei breaks into tears. When she finishes speaking, Wang Ying Ying is pping her younger twin''s head.


    "How could you hurt the Fang''s nose?" Wang Ying Ying yells, "The FANG NOSE!"


    Wang Mei covers her mouth to stop her from screaming. Heavens knows that Wang Mei would never hurt Fang Aisa intentionally. Even in her dreams, Wang Mei can never hurt Fang Aisa.


    "Don''t scream. What if Grandma hears us?" Wang Mei pleads with her twin to calm down. Wang Ying Ying starts to take deep breaths to calm down. She res at Wang Mei like she is her mortal enemy.


    Wang Mei knows that her twin never likes Fang Aisa.


    There was a time when Wang Ying Ying wanted to befriend Fang Aisa, but Fang Aisa was always cold and aloof to her. There was one time when she left Wang Ying Ying and Fang Aisa alone together in the yroom. When she returned, Wang Ying Ying has already left and Fang Aisa was leisurely reading theic book alone. To this day, Wang Ying Ying never approaches Fang Aisa. She evades her like a gue. Wang Ying Ying even avoids looking at Fang Aisa. Wang Mei often wonders what Fang Aisa did to her twin sister that day.


    "Oh my god!" Wang Ying Ying buries her fingers in her smooth and silky ink ck hair. "She will kill us."


    "Who?" Seeing that her twin is more scared than her, Wang Mei''s head clears a bit.


    "She is the devil girl." Wang Ying Ying starts to panic. "How could you? You are her friend. How could you make this mistake?"


    Now, Wang Mei is very curious what Fang Aisa did to her twin.


    "Please, don''t get angry Grandma Fang!" Wang Ying Ying looks up at the ceiling and prays.


    "We will fix her nose. I promise that I will fix her nose and punish my little sister."


    Wang Mei gulps.


    "Go and ask about her situation. Don''t say a word to anyone else. Ask Granny Lan to not say anything to anyone."


    Just like that, the twins start the emergency ''FIX FANG NOSE'' operation.


    Wang Mei nods and runs out of the house. She wants to cry when she hears Granny Lan say that Aisa doesn''t want to meet her. Wang Mei is scared, ashamed and sad. She''s scared because her grandmother will skin her alive if she finds out that Wang Mei hurt Aisa. She''s sad because her friend is clearly angry with her. She is extremely ashamed of what she did.


    "She has a scar on her nose. I hope it goes away." Grandma Lan doesn''t understand Wang Mei''s worries. She is worried about the scar, but not like Wang Mei.


    Wang Mei says goodbye to her life. Wang Mei runs back to her sister and tells her about the scar. Wang Ying Ying starts sobbing and acts like her twin is already dead.


    "YiYi, stop crying and tell me." Wang Mei points at her sister''s vanity table. "Don''t you have any magic cream or powder?"


    Wang Ying Ying feels that her twin is not as dumb as she thinks. She does have a scar removal cream. It is an expensive cream. Butpared to this catastrophe, it is nothing. She gives that cream to Wang Mei dly and asks her to deliver it to Granny Lan.


    Wang Mei does that exactly. Granny Lan is surprised to see that cream.


    "Actually," Granny Lan informs to the red-headed sweaty girl. "I am already using this cream on her. The scar is barely visible, but it is still there."


    After that, Granny Lan leaves with an excuse that she needs to prepare dinner.


    Wang Mei starts crying. She has no idea what to do. Her best friend refuses to meet her. Her sister is acting like she is dead. She has not faced her grandma yet. On top of that, why does she always meet the ''culprit'' whenever she runs to Aisa''s house? Why is he always here?


    "I stay there." The ''culprit'' points at the neighborhood building. "My t number is 523."


    "Aisa got hurt because of you." Wang Mei gnashes her teeth. "She''s mad at me because of you."


    "Let me remind you again. It wasn''t my foot that broke her nose." The ''culprit'' denies the mes shamelessly. "It was you who jumped to conclusions and decided to kick my head. I don''t want to imagine my fate if your foot had found its mark."


    "You would be slightly broken in the head." Wang Mei rolls her eyes. "You might have turned into an idiot. But, you are already an idiot. It wouldn''t be waste anyway."


    The ''culprit'' shrugs. "It''s still your fault."


    Wang Mei can''t refuse his words. It is indeed her foot that gave her the scar.


    "I am going to die." Wang Mei sits down on the road. "I deserve to die. I hurt my best friend."


    The ''culprit'' wants tough. He holds it in to keep his ''gentleman'' image. He sits down next to sobbing Wang Mei.


    "We shoulde here every day and show our sincerity. We will ask for her forgiveness. Maybe Granny Lan will convince her to meet us. Let''s work hard together."


    Wang Mei sees a ray of hope. Since that day, Wang Mei and the ''culprit''es twice a day. They often brought sweets and fruits. After a week, Granny Lan finally softens to the two young ''sincere'' friends of Fang Aisa and convinces her to meet them.


    ___


    "Young Miss, how are you feeling now?" Granny Lan examines my nose. The wound is healed and leaving a faint scar on the bridge of my nose.


    Grandma Lan has been with my grandmother for more than thirty years. After my grandmother passed away, she took care of me. This house is left to me by my grandmother after she died. There are only Granny Lan and me living here. Granny Lan''s son works at my grandfather''s ce. In my past life, Granny Lan was the only one who never left my side. Granny Lan passed way when I was twenty-three. At that time, I went abroad for a business deal. I found out after I came back. Nobody informed me of her demise when I was away.


    I have a lot of regrets.


    "Granny, I am okay."


    "Young miss, they are here again." Granny Lan informs me.


    It''s been two weeks. I didn''t go back to school after that day. My broken nose gave me an excuse to stay at home. Wang Mei and Sung Jun have been visiting every day for the past two weeks, but I refused to meet them every day.


    I don''t want to see their faces ever again. I don''t know what I will do or say if I meet them.


    "I don''t want to see them, Granny Lan."


    "I know what they did, young miss." Granny Lan strokes my hair gently. "You should not be angry with them anymore. It was an ident."


    In my past life, Granny Lan never stopped worrying about me. After Wang Mei refused to meet me, she often saw me crying. After I decided to chase Sung Jun to K country, she supported me despite my grandfather''s anger. Granny Lan was the only one who stood beside me until her death.


    "All right." I give in. I didn''t want her to worry about me anymore. In this life, I will treasure her. "I will meet them."


    I change into a loose white shirt and blue denim. In the reflection, I have an oval face, some fat on my cheeks and a faint scar on the bridge of my straight nose. My grandmother told me once that I inherited the fang nose. My great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father and I have the same straight and high nose. However, that''s where the resemnce ends. My grandmother never talked about my mother. I don''t know who she is. I don''t know whether she is dead or alive. She is a taboo topic in the fang house.


    I go to the living room. Sung Jun and Wang Mei are sitting on the couch. They stand up when they see me. Wang Mei is dressed in navy jeans and a brown shirt. Her red hair is tied into two braids. She gapes at me with nervousness.


    Sung Jun is dressed in a white shirt and ck trousers. Sung Jun has a lofty smile stered on his face. He knows his charms and effects on girls.


    "Aisa, how are you?" Wang Mei rushes to me and scrutinizes my nose. I purse my lips and say nothing. The concern in her eyes is not fake. Wang Mei never cares about scars. She is born pretty, but her knees and arms are full of scars because of her hard training. "If that scar doesn''t go away, you can marry my brother."


    I am not surprised. Wang Mei''s younger brother is only eleven at the time. It is not the first time that she offers her brother like that. When I scraped my knees once, my grandmother scolded me a lot. Wang Mei was there when she heard my grandmother said, "You won''t get married if you have scars."


    Ever since then, Wang Mei always offers her brother to marry me when I get scars.


    "Wang Mei, I don''t want to marry your brother."


    I sigh.


    I don''t know the reason why she broke the friendship with me in my past life. Currently, her love and care for me are authentic. Maybe, this time, I will find out why she left me.


    "You can marry him." Wang Mei points at Sung Jun. "Don''t worry, Aisa. I will ask my father to make this pretty boy marry you."


    Where did thate from? The boy is here and listening. I rub my forehead. Something is wrong with this girl''s head.


    "I don''t want to marry your brother."


    "Miss Wang, I said that I will take responsibility for Miss Fang." Sung Jun breaks his silence. He looks at me with amused eyes. "I will marry you, Miss Fang."

 Chapter 3: Men who know how to kiss

    Chapter 3: Men who know how to kiss


    Wang Mei is only scared of two people in the world: Grandmother Wang and her best friend, Fang Aisa. In her fifteen years of life, Wang Mei has seen her friend get angry twice.


    The first time, it''s when Wang Mei''s ssmate said something bad about Wang Mei. Fang Aisa stood up and red at those boys. She couldn''t see her friend''s expression because she was standing behind Fang Aisa. But she saw the boys wet their pants from Aisa''s deathly gaze alone.


    The second time, she saw her friend get angry at Grandmother Fang''s funeral. Fang Aisa was only 12. She kept her face expressionless throughout the day. Everyone in the Fang family ignored her. Outside the funeral hall, Fang Aisa beat up her cousin brother into bloody meat. Her cousin brother had said bad words about Grandmother Fang. When the adults asked both parties for the fight, Fang Aisa didn''t utter a word. It affected Fang Aisa''s reputation greatly.


    Wang Mei has been thinking that the ''culprit'' is her best friend''s friend or her crush. She has heard her younger brother practice those ''cheesy'' pick up lines at home. Even her twin sister speaks of simr pickup lines that one of her admirers used once. Now, she doesn''t know what to say.


    She starts sweating when she sees her best friend''s expression darken like the clouds. She steps back away from her and the ''culprit''. Wang Mei doesn''t know what''s going to follow. She keeps her distance to ''avoid'' what is going toe. She pities the pretty boy. A part of her also admires Sung Jun for not wetting his pants.


    Fang Aisaughs. Herugh is cold and prating like sharp ice. "What did you say?"


    "I will marry-" The ''culprit'' stops when he sees Fang Aisa step closer to him. Fang Aisa looks like a silent volcano ready to erupt. He smiles lightly. He didn''t imagine it. This girl hates him from every corner of her soul. He doesn''t know why, but he will find out the reason


    "You want to marry me?" Fang Aisa cracks her knuckles. She doesn''t notice the ''culprit'' leaning closer to her. Granny Lan is not there, else she would have warned her. Wang Mei is too scared to say anything.


    "What happened to your fiance?"


    Sung Jun looks confused. He doesn''t have a fiance. He is just fifteen. He is at an age when he is supposed to experience summer love. Even talking about marriage to Fang Aisa is heavy. Why did he ask her to marry him? He doesn''t know. He didn''t like it when Wang Mei suggested her brother for Fang Aisa.


    He starts questioning why he is even here and asking this odd girl to marry him. They are too young to talk about marriage. Shouldn''t he ask her to be his girlfriend instead? When he says that he will take responsibility, that''s only because he wants to know how this girl knows him. Her aura is another mystery. Why does she have dark shadows floating around her?


    And, why is this girl angry with the idea of marrying him? Does she not find him attractive? This is the first time when someone reacted this way.


    "I don''t have a fianc," Sung Jun says quietly. They are so close that their chests are almost touching. He inhales her sweet scent. His gaze falls on the girl''s lips. If he ''identally'' leans closer, he can kiss those cherry lips.


    "Liar!" Fang Aisa scowls at him darkly. "If you don''t have any fiance now, you will have one in the future."


    Does she not have any brain? Of course, he will have a fiance in the future. He will get married someday. "Miss Fang, do you want to be my fiance?"


    "Absolutely, Not! I don''t like your ugly face." Fang Aisa spits out the words with disgust. "Get out of here."


    Sung Jun is not affected. But, he is confused. The girl clearly knows him. He has never seen her before. He doesn''t remember evering across someone like her before.


    How does he manage to make her this angry? She clearly hates him.


    "Why are you not leaving?"


    Fang Aisa and Sung Jun are standing too close. Wang Mei wants to separate them, but she doesn''t dare to move. Fang Aisa is too scary right now. Wang Mei is the one who brought this ''culprit'' to her home. She fears that Fang Aisa will deal with her next.


    "Say," Sung Jun doesn''t smile anymore. He has had enough. His eyes have a cold glint. He is smiling, but he is emitting a dangerous aura. "How did I offend you, girl?"


    Just like that, Sung Jun shreds his ''gentlemanly'' image.


    "You offended me in our past life." Fang Aisa blurts out. "You are *$#@%"


    Sung Jun grabs her chin and carefully observes Fang Aisa''s face. The girl doesn''t seem to be lying or joking. But, she is speaking nonsense. What should he do with her, hmm?


    Several momentster, the girl and the boy are still ring at each other. Their noses are almost touching. Things are not looking good between them. Who will make the first move?


    Wang Mei wants to intervene. Her friend is in ''danger''. Sung Jun is definitely not Fang Aisa''s friend or crush. She should beat the guy for the crisis he has caused her and her friend.


    Before she can move, Fang Aisa waves her hand for her to stop. She doesn''t spare a nce to Wang Mei. Wang Mei doesn''t take another step. It''s the empress'' decree.


    "I don''t like you, Fang Aisa." Sung Jun professes. His ''almost'' smile doesn''t leave his face. Fang Aisa looks like she wants to break his teeth.


    "Hateful. Narcissistic. Lying Bastard." She utters the word with her clenched teeth.


    "I should show you how much of the bastard I am." So, he wants to teach this girl a lesson. He leans and kisses those cherry lips that he has been eyeing for a while.


    ___


    When his lips touch mine, it sends a static shock through my nerve. Before I can react, he pushes me back until my back hits the wall and pins my wrists on the wall. He presses me with his body to keep me from using my legs to kick his balls.


    It takes immense willpower to not kiss him back. I am too old to not understand what it means. I hate that my heart is crazily beating and my body is reacting to the kiss. I hate it that he can still make me feel the way I am feeling. I keep my eyes open to let him see how much I hate it. Despite that, he doesn''t let me go. He prods my lips with his tongue, trying to pry it open. I press them together harder. I see the amusement in his eyes as he nibbles my lower lip with his teeth. I will hold my breath. I won''t open my mouth to give him an opportunity to invade my mouth. I am aware of every trick.


    When he lets go of my lips, I step away and gasp for air. He has this winning smile on his face. This brat! I am supposed to be 30 years old mentally. How could a fifteen years old brat make me breathless? If I had known that I was going to be reborn in the past, I would have slept around after he left me and mentally prepare myself for this. Damn! I am ashamed of myself.


    Wang Mei opens her mouth to say something. Just then, Granny Lan knocks on the door andes in with a tray full of snacks and cups of tea.


    "Is something wrong, young miss?" She narrows her eyes suspiciously. Her eyes stop on my lips.


    "Nothing is wrong." I look away from Sung Jun. Looking anywhere else is better than looking at him. I am resisting the urge to beat him in front of Granny Lan.


    Granny Lan sets the table and asks us to sit down for the tea. Wang Mei and I sit together while Sung Jun takes a seat opposite of me. He picks up the cup of tea and drinks. His movements are sophisticated and precise. I don''t know who he is trying to impress. But, I want to pour the hot tea on his face.


    Granny Lan watches us quietly.


    "Are you staying for dinner?" Granny Lan asks them politely, breaking the heavy silence.


    "No," I answer for them. I want them to leave as soon as possible.


    "Yes." Sung Jun ignores me and invites himself shamelessly.


    "Yooonsh..." I have no idea what Wang Mei is trying to say with her mouth full of snacks. "Iamsahying~"


    Granny Lan nods at her. She seems to understand her.


    "I will make dinner." Granny Lan finally leaves us alone.


    With wronged and annoyed expression, Sung Jun says, "Miss Fang should apologize."


    I furrow my brows. Did this idiot just ask me to apologize to him?


    "Why should I?" I raise my brows.


    Sung Jun''s eyes twinkles. He smiles mockingly. "Just a while ago, Miss Fang tried to seduce me."


    "Sung Jun, You #$!#-" Sung Jun ignores my cursing and carries on with the farce.


    "You intentionally stood close to me when it''s inappropriate for a man and woman to stand that close." He takes another sip of tea and speaks like a headmaster is scolding his student. "That morning when I asked you the way to high school, you tried to flirt with me. You even said that I should recognize you when we have clearly never met before."


    I have had enough. This guy keeps breaking the limit of shamelessness. I can''t tolerate him.


    "I didn''t seduce you. I didn''t flirt with you. I don''t even like sissy boys like you."


    "What did you say?" Sung Jun growls.


    Ho Ho Ho! I know that it''s his sore spot. Sung Jun''s face is too pretty. Like a girl. He is tall but slender and lean. In my past life, when we went out on dates, he was often mistaken as a girl in boy''s clothes. There were even men who flirted with him in front of me. I had to ''save'' my ex-boyfriend from leering men. He yed me well in my past life.


    "Boy with a babyface." I gloat on my victory when I see him getting furious. "If you wear a wig and a dress, you can easily pass for a girl."


    "Fang Aisa!" He bellows.


    "Besides, I like older men. Well built men in suits. Not someone like you." His face gets darker with each word. "Manly man in their thirties Men who know how to kiss."


    "..."


    "Hmph! You think that I would ever try to seduce someone with a face like you?"


    "..."


    "Ah!" It''s Wang Mei who shouts suddenly. "Stop arguing. My head is hurting. I don''t understand at all. Aisa, is he your friend or enemy? Do you like him?"


    He and I stare into each other eyes. He is waiting for me to answer. What does he expect? I smile at Wang Me and answer her, "Enemy. He''s my enemy. He will always be."


    Sung Jun gets up and leaves.

 Chapter 4: Be my girlfriend

    Chapter 4: Be my girlfriend


    The sunbeams seep through the window ss and fall in the middle of the living room. On the television, the news channel is telecasting weather report. It''s going to be a bright day tonight.


    Another week has passed. I haven''t left the house in 3 weeks.


    I check my cell phone. There are fifteen messages and ten missed calls from Wang Mei, five missed calls from grandmother Wang, three calls and four warning emails from H high school. I send a short message to Grandmother Wang that I am fine. I turn my phone off.


    I don''t want to go back to H high school.


    Going back means seeing him again. I know that he and I are in the same ss. It''s funny how I have wanted to see him once more in my past life. Now, I want to do anything but see him again.


    I am afraid that my heart might waver again if I am close to him.


    Our hearts are like children. They don''t know what''s good or bad for them. They only know how to want. Just following heart is not enough. People should also use brains. I am determined to take a different path this time. I don''t have goals now.


    I am the illegitimate daughter. My mother is unknown. My father wanted to throw me away, but it was my grandmother who fought with her son and her husband to raise me. Because of that, she moved out of the main Fang House and lived here till her death. My father is married and has a legitimate heir to the F Corporation.


    I change the channels. Nothing is interesting. I check the business news.


    "Young miss?"


    "Yes, Granny Lan?"


    "Master Fang called this morning."


    The Fang shares are doing well. If they don''t invest in those corporations like thest time, there should not be any problem. Then, they should invest in those startups. They are new, but they are going to do well in the future.


    "Oh, why?"


    If I alert that old man, will he listen to me? Should I alert him? It will save the money though. I don''t think that he will trust me. That old man''s head is full of stic wastes that can''t be recycled. Let them lose money.


    "He wants you to visit him tomorrow." Her voice is clear and firm. I press the mute button and turn to look at Granny Lan who is chopping radishes on the table. I don''t like radishes.


    "Are we going to have meat tonight?"


    Granny Lan sighs. "You don''t eat vegetables without meat."


    "Granny Lan, I like spicy meat. Don''t put radishes. I am fine with meat only."


    I lick my lips. Spicy meat without vegetables is heaven. I missed the food cooked by Granny Lan.


    "Young miss, your school headmaster called him. Master is angry. He said if you don''t go, your name will be removed from the family register." Granny Lan eyes me coolly. "He won''t give you allowances either."


    "Did he threaten you? He won''t make you leave, would he?"


    "He did threaten me. He also threatened me with Yao-er."


    Lan Hui Yao is her only son. That old man probably threatened her that he will kick out Lan Hui Yao if she doesn''t convince me to go. Despite that, Granny Lan doesn''t show any distress or displeasure. She is calm and steady. She always supports me despite everything.


    "I will go, Granny Lan." I turn back to watch the numbers on the screen. "You should call me by my name. Calling me ''young miss'' is too formal."


    "As you wish, Little Aisa." Granny Lan sounds happy and content.


    I feel uneasy about tomorrow. Meeting that old man won''t be an easy task. Also, he will bring that up. How should I respond to this time? I turn off the TV and get up.


    "I am going out for a while."


    I should prepare for tomorrow. I am going to infuriate him so much that he will cry tears of blood.


    ___


    It''s warm and bright. I stretch my arms under the sunlight. I didn''t leave the house since I have been reborn. It feels good. It''s a new day. It''s a new life. I feel like singing.


    I start humming the song that''s going to be released after five years. I realize that there are some things that I am the only one know. I know that Wang Ying Ying is going to the next queen of the entertainment industry. Her younger brother Wang Yu will be a famous pianist. Of course, Wang Mei is going to be the next mafia head despite her wussy personality. I know where I should invest to get rich. I know who is going to be the next president. I know what will happen in the next 15 years.


    "Ring~ Ring~ Ring~" I sing loudly. "I have loved you for seven days~ I will love you for seven moooooore~ Then, we will paaaart waaaays~"


    The bystanders stare at me with weird expressions. Iugh at myself. I have never done this before. After experiencing death once, one starts to take things easy.


    What do you know, people? I have been reborn.


    "Miss Fang is a funny singer."


    I stop in my tracks and turn around. Sung Jun is walking toward me with that same ''almost'' smile. His hands are in his ripped jeans pockets. He is wearing the same in white shirt. As always, his dark hair is a bit messy. I wonder how much he has heard.


    It''s not a bright day anymore. My mood sours instantly.


    "Miss Fang, how are you doing?" He stands close to me intentionally.


    I step away, keeping an arms-length distance between us. We are standing in a public ce. There is never telling when this guy ims that I am seducing him or attack my lips again.


    "I was doing well," I answer him crisply.


    "Not doing well anymore?" He furrows his thin brows. I click my tongue. Did I lose all my quota of good luck in my past life? I leave the house and the first person I meet is him.


    "I was doing well until I saw you."


    Sung Jun ignore my words and ces his palm against my forehead.


    "Do you have a fever? Your skin is warm." He gives me a concerned look.


    My disloyal heart skips a beat. This yboy!


    I jerk his hand away."Who asked you to touch me? Don''t touch me without my permission."


    I wince when I see the iciness in those phoenix eyes. Even with cold expressions, this guy manages to look like a sculpted ice beauty. The ''beauty'' genes are wasted on a two-faced guy like him.


    "Miss Fang, do you hate me?" He asks me the obvious question.


    Haven''t I made it clear? If I admit it clearly, he will ask me why.


    "I don''t hate you. I just don''t like your face. I am prejudiced against a girly faced guy like you." I mentally give myself a high-five.


    I am surprised when Sung Jun doesn''t get angry likest time.


    He beams at me. "I understand, Miss Fang. You have a in face and a t chest. Now, you even have a scar on the top of your nose. You must be reminded of your ugliness each time you see yourself in the mirror. With that face, you can probably never marry a handsome guy. So, you hate me because I am naturally gifted with looks."


    His words hit me where it hurts. How long did he take to think of that response? My self-esteem is in crisis. Damn! I can''t win against him. He is too exasperating.


    "Sung Jun, why don''t we make a deal?" Let''s change strategies and make peace. "Let''s forget that we met and treat each other like strangers."


    He leans closer and looks into my eyes. I feel like hiding from those prating eyes. He can''t read my mind. Mind reading is impossible, right? Then, turning back time is also supposed to be impossible.


    "That is impossible." He puts the strand of my hair behind my ear yfully. "We are not strangers."


    He is shamelessly flirting with me.


    "I mistook you for someone else when we met for the first time." I smile at him and touch where he touched my hair uneasily, trying to wash away his touch with mine. I know that it doesn''t make sense. I don''t like this jittery feeling flowing through my body. "We should forget the past. We should forget meeting with each other. Let''s be strangers again."


    Let''s have the break up that we didn''t have in my past life. Let''s say goodbye.


    He pinches my cheeks. "You are interesting, Miss Fang."


    "Ow!" I p his hands. "Sung Jun, is something wrong with your head? Why do you keep pinching my cheeks? Do I look like a child to you?"


    He grins. "You are cute. You are funny. Your expressions are also quite entertaining to watch."


    "What does that got to do with anything?" I don''t feel good hearing him say all that. There must be something he wants. I have a bad feeling.


    "I like kissing you." The tips of his fingers trace the curve of my neck. "Be my girlfriend."


    ___


    "I like kissing you. Be my girlfriend."


    Talking politely to this guy is out of the question. He likes to do whatever he wants. When I was chasing him in my past life, he turned me away. In this life, I don''t want to do anything with him. He has already asked me to marry him and then, he asked me to be his fiance. Now, he is asking me to be his girlfriend. He has lost it.


    They say that women are tooplicated to understand. What about men? Men are not easy toprehend either.


    Before I can refuse his friendship offer, I am struck with a sickening waft of rotting mice. My stomach churns and bile rises in my throat. I resist the urge to throw up and cover my nose. A middle-aged bald man with beady eyes approaches and steals a nce at me.


    He stops behind Sung Jun and eyes us with mild interest.


    When did this man bathest time?


    Sung Jun follows my gaze. He is astonished to see that man. I don''t know their rtionship, but I can''t tolerate this bad smell. I turn around and run. Behind me, Sung Jun cusses loudly.


    I am relieved to find that Sung Jun isn''t following me. I don''t take a chance and keep running until I collide with something.


    The person I collide with is a small boy with dark hair and big round eyes. I scrunch my nose. He also smells like rotting eggs. What''s up with people these days? Why are they skipping baths? I ignore the smell and help him get up.


    "Are you hurt somewhere?" I ask the kid.


    The boy doesn''t answer me. He stares at me with his haunting eyes like he has seen a ghost. I guess that I look scary sometimes, but I don''t look like a witch.


    "Are you okay?" I ask again. The boy blinks his round brown eyes and sniffles. Why are children so hard to deal with? I only asked a simple question and he looks like I stole his toys.


    "Kid, where is your mother?" I try again.


    The boy starts crying and runs away from me. He screams for his mother. A woman in herte twentieses out of nowhere and picks him up. The boy points at me and says something to that woman. I don''t want to get into trouble. So, I run away before that woman could find me.


    What a troublesome day!


    I stop at the hair salon. I wanted to get a haircut and buy some makeup supplies. I already have a nice dress to wear tomorrow. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be an important day for me. If things go right, I will save myself from a well-made trap.


    I go inside the hair salon. The hairdresserdy gives me a weing smile. I give her a nod and take a seat.


    "You have nice hair." The hairdresserdy has dyed purple and blue hair. She is wearing purple lenses. I guess that it''s a trend these days. "Should I wash your hair before the haircut?"


    "Sure."


    She slowly massages the shampoo in my hair while I look at the catalog. Her fingers are soft and rxing. I start to doze off.


    ___


    It''s snowing. The man in the dark coat watches me with undisguised hate and disgust. He clenches his jaw and res his nostrils. Before I can introduce myself, he leans toward me and says, "You look just like your mother."


    "Father...?" I say softly. We are meeting for the first time. Today, I am wearing my favourite brown coat with a red dress and ck shoes. Is it bad to look like my mother?


    "I am not your father." That man snaps at me. He looks too scary. I bite my lower lip. Grandma said that he is my father. Why is he saying otherwise? I don''t understand. Did I do something to displease him?


    "But, grandma said that you are my father." I look into his unfathomable dark eyes. His face contorts with fury when he hears me.


    "You are disgusting just like your mother."


    ___


    I wake up and find myself in the hair salon. My eyes are blurry. My cheeks are wet. I realize that I have been crying in sleep.


    "Miss, are you okay?" I hear the hairstylist ask.


    "Yes." I rub the tears away. "I had a nightmare."


    "I am sorry to hear that." Shebs my hair carefully. "We just finished doing your hair."


    "I see." A young girl withplicated expressions looks back at me. Her shoulder-length hair, eyebrows, and eyshes are a neon pink colour. Her face is pale and her lips are red as cherries. Who is this girl?


    "What do you think?" She watches me with her sparkling eyes.


    "Why are my hair pink?" I gape at my reflection.


    "Isn''t that what you chose?" She shows me the catalogue. The hairstyle is called ''Pink Lollipop''. I don''t remember choosing something like that.


    "When did I tell you that I chose this?" I re at her.


    "You were asleep. I found your finger on that style." She replies nervously. "Miss, this is a trend among youngsters these days. Your hair will even glow in dark."


    Glow in dark...


    I try toprehend those words.


    "We will give you a fifty percent discount because today is Wednesday." She smiles at me professionally. "After the discount, it''s only two hundred dors."


    I smack my forehead. My bad luck is too strong in this life.

 Chapter 5: I...have a fianc茅

    Chapter 5: I...have a fianc¨¦


    The sky is filled with foreboding dark clouds.


    The woman in a red and golden dress is engrossed in her thoughts. She is standing right in the middle of the gate. Argh! Again, the smell of rotting eggs. It''s the third time. I don''t think that it''s the people who are saving bathwater. I wonder if my sense of smell is screwed by Wang Mei''s kick. I am going to see a doctor after meeting that old man.


    I cough loudly, hoping that she will move. She doesn''t pay me any attention. She is gazing at the iron gate with a vacant expression.


    "Excuse me?" If she wants to admire the design, she should do it away from the gate. She is obstructing my way.


    She doesn''t pay attention to me at all. She keeps staring like the in Iron Gate is of great value. Does she want to steal that door? She seems like she is from a good family. Her clothes don''t look cheap.


    "Hellody, Can you move? You are in the way."


    Her eyes widen in surprise. She moves out of the way clumsily. I don''t spare her another nce. But she follows me in. The heavens must be testing me for my patience these days.


    The Fang main house looks simple and elegant. There is a garden with a pond full of koi fishes. It must be nice to take strolls here in the morning.


    The maid leads us to the sitting room. She leaves after telling me that the old man will be here soon. Thedy in red sits opposite of me, eyeing me like I have grown three heads. I ignore her and observe the painted zodiac constetions on the ceiling. I imagine the lines connecting the painted stars to make the character ''Fang''.


    "What have you done to your hair and nose?" A tall man with white powder hair and wrinkled skin, dressed in a ck robe, enters the room. He bangs his cane on the floor impatiently and huffs when his eyes meet mine. He takes a seat next to thedy in red.


    I ignore his question. I hope to have a private chat with this old man. Thedy doesn''t leave. The old man doesn''t ask her to go either. Instead, the old man is leaning toward thedy. Their shoulders are touching. I make a face at him. This old man doesn''t know how to keep a distance from strange women.


    "Is it that Wang girl''s influence?" The old man snarls.


    Thedy taps his cheek with her long pale finger. The action is quite intimate. It''s only been three years since my grandma died. He already has another woman who is even younger than his daughter inw. This old man is losing teeth, but his lower part still dares to want exercise. Is he not afraid of dying from strenuous activities?


    I ignore his question again and wait. The old man res his nostrils. Thedy chuckles and yfully ces a kiss on that old man''s timeworn skin. I m my hands on the table in anger.


    He is surprised by my action. "How dare you! You can''t even respect your elders. You are the shame of the Fang family."


    "I am the shame, old man? You are one step away from your grave and you take another woman? It''s only been three years since she died. You dare to let her shamelessly flirt with you in front of me."


    The old man turnsical, first red and then, green. He stands up in rage and ms the table just like I did a moment ago. "Don''t nder me with your lies."


    "Lies?" Iugh at his face and point at the woman. "She even dares to kiss you in front of your granddaughter. How will you answer my grandma when you meet her? Her soul might be suffering from watching you... doing this."


    The woman giggles annoyingly. My grandfather thunders, "I was thinking about choosing you as the Fang heir because your grandmother loved you so much. But her eyes must have been blinded to raise a snake like you."


    "Heir? Don''t make meugh. You want me to take my father''s ce. When the timese, it will be my brother who will be the head. You can''t even raise your son right. He wants to push his responsibilities on me. That man doesn''t leave the house. He doesn''t want to take over thepany or wipe the parasites. I know that you want me to fight those who are eyeing Fang Corporation and make it a safe position for Fang Rui."


    In my past life, that''s exactly what happened. Back then, he knew about my rtionship with Sung Jun. He called me to meet him andid out the offer. He would help me break off the engagement with the Mu family''s eldest son. In return, I had to take the position of the fake heir. I took the offer. It was all for nothing. I worked for nearly a decade and got nothing. I never got married or dated. I kept myself busy with Fang Corporation to forget Sung Jun and I died wishing to see him again.


    The old man is whitened. He says weakly, "My son was fine. He was bright...if it wasn''t for your mother, he wouldn''t have turned out like this."


    "Excuses. What''s past is in the past. If one doesn''t want to move on, nobody can help." I nce at the slightly ajar door. "That man only knows how to feel high and mighty. He never treated me as a human being. Now, he wants to use me to take his responsibilities. I don''t know if there is any man worse than him."


    The door opens and a younger version of that old man walks in. His lifeless eyes move between me and her until they stop on me.


    "Son, don''t listen to her. This girl is vile and hateful," He tells his son with bitterness.


    My father, Fang Qi, looks at me calmly. "You can see her?"


    "My eyes are still working unlike this old man," I reply indignantly.


    "Son, what happened?"


    "She can see them, father."


    "It can''t be..." Old Fang stares at his son with horror in his eyes. He flops down on the chair and shakily sps his cane like a shield. His eyes are filled with horror. The temperature in the room drops down several degrees.


    "She is also...no...no..." Old Fang speaks like a broken radio, not finishing any sentences. He wobbles his head like a toy. I have never seen him like this before. Fang Qi looks like his tongue has tasted a hundred lemons all at once. His icy eyes are fixed the woman like he wants to freeze her with his eyes alone.


    He hates someone more than me. That''s refreshing.


    "Why are you here?" He doesn''t rify who is ''them''. I wonder what this need of mystery here is. I am frustrated with theirck of words. The woman props her chin in her hand and watches us with a coy smile and a twinkle in her eyes. He wrinkles his nose.


    "Will anyone cares to exin?" I ask impatiently.


    Nobody pays attention to me. This woman and Fang Qi are having a staring war. Old Fang keeps opening his mouth and then, closing his mouth dramatically. The woman is the only one who is enjoying this drama.


    "Should I tell her?" She bats her eyes coquettishly.


    "Leave." The iconic one-word replyced with abhorrence and rage. I am too familiar with this tone.


    "I don''t want to." Shezily stretches her arms like a cat. "You don''t care about me, Little Qi. I had to sleep on the street because of that shaman pest. It''s been so many days since I had a good sleep."


    "I will call that pest now if you don''t leave." The ck lines on the face of ''Little Qi'' get darker.


    "You are too cruel. It''s better if I show her. It''s faster that way." She puckers her lips.


    "Just tell me already." I lose my temper and shout.


    "I am going to call him." He takes out his phone. The woman furrows her delicate brows and stomps her feet on the ground. I wonder whom he is calling.


    "I am not leaving." The woman suddenly runs to him. She shoves him away from Old Fang. She bends her waist and plunges in her head in the chest of Old Fang.


    My eyes must be ying tricks on me. I need to see a doctor. My nose smells rotting eggs and eyes see strange things.


    I don''t know why. I wrap my arms around her slim waist tightly. I am mmed with the smell of dead mice. I ignore the feeling of touching a slippery cold python. I pull her out. Her heades out without any difficulty as it has never been in there.


    "Let me go, you stinky girl!" The woman screams and wiggles in my arms. Her back feels like a t block of ice against my chest. I feel goosebumps all over my body. I have the urge to throw up. I let her waist go and run away from her.


    "Howe you are not scared? Your father wet his pants when he saw me like that."


    "Lady, What the hell are you?" I can''t forget that feeling of hugging a snake drenched in poop.


    "Your reactions are so..." She wraps her arms around herself. "You even felt me up. Don''t tell me that you are into women?"


    I shiver when I hear her. The heavens must be trying my patience. I nce at the old man. He is watching me with horrified eyes. He mumbles something iprehensible. I remember the awkward scene where her head was inside Old Fang''s chest. It''s a scene straight out of a horror movie. Seeing such things in movies are different than seeing in reality. Normal people shouldn''t be able to do what she did. I forgot to be scared and tried to save that old man before I could think. I will never try to save this old man again.


    I have already died once. I have epted the fact that God exists. If God exists, other things must also exist. But, what is she?


    "What are you?" My voice is low, but she hears me anyway. She lies down on the couchzily.


    "You can see the dead, Aisa...Just like me...." It''s Fang Qi. I don''t see the familiar hate and disgust in Fang Qi''s eyes. Instead, I see pity. He said my name the first time in both lives.


    I don''t like it anyway. I can deal with hate. I don''t want pity. Pity is worse than hate especially when it ising from him.


    "Have you lost your mind?" I ask him quietly. He''s a shut-in man. He rarely goes outside. That''s one of the reasons why Old Fang wants me to be the fake heir and handle thepany.


    The pity in his eyes is reced instantly with the familiar expression. I think that he realizes what he has done. I wonder if he is going to cut his tongue for saying my name.


    "It''s up to you whether you believe me or not." He flicks his robe and storms off.


    "Aisa, please go home." Old Fang weakly follows his son.


    I guess that our conversation is over. I didn''t get what I want. Instead, I found out that I can see and touch the dead.


    "You don''t believe me, right?" The woman is still lying on the couch like she owns the house. She might be as well be. Who knows? Both father and son''s attitude toward her was unusual. I have had too many shocks today. My head is starting to hurt.


    "If you are dead, why can you sleep on that couch?"


    She submerges into the couch like she is taking a dip in the water. Only her head is showing. She has a proud expression on her face. I don''t know how manyws of physics are broken here.


    "Are you really dead?" I think that my brain is really malfunctioning. I won''t be surprised if someonees and say that I have acute schizophrenia. I have already dismissed the idea of being in a dream because of Wang Mei''s painful iron kick.


    "Yes."


    ___


    "Hey!"


    "Boooooooo!"


    "Stinky girl who can see dead people," The woman in red runs around me like a little child. "Are you not scared of me?"


    "Do you know how many horror movies I have seen?" I tilt my head to the right and cross my arms. "You are doing a poor job at being a dead person."


    "Argh!" The woman in red grits her teeth in anger. "Those movies are stealing our thunder. Nowadays, nobody is scared. Do you know how boring it is for us, ghosts?"


    "I don''t want to know." I keep walking. The unlucky thing is following me since I left the Fang main house. She is trying different antics to scare me. They are nothing but cheap parlor trickspared to the movies I have seen in movies. "Why are you following me?"


    "Your sweet father is calling that pest." Her lips curl downward. "It will be difficult for me to get inside the main house again."


    "Who is this pest?"


    Earlier, Fang Qi threatened this woman with that ''pest''. If that pest can scare her, I should call him too. That way, I can get rid of this chatterbox.


    "He is a shaman." She waves her hands. "A poor one. There have been many before him, but I am not a weak ghost. The effects of their chanting only remain for a month at most. It''s expected...h h h ....with time, people are...h h h ....culture and ---h h h--- This generation even dares to speak...h h h h....in front of their grandfathers...h...h...h...Nobody remembers filial piety...h h h...Are you paying attention to my words?"


    "No, I am not. I am starving and I am going to get food. I want to make ns for my future rather than hear a ghost lecture me on filial piety."


    She starts the lecture again. I feel like tearing my ears off. I ignore her and go to the street with food stalls. I remember a stall here with delicious dumplings.


    "Miss Fang?"


    Not again! If I keep walking, I can escape him right. It''s a crowded street. He won''t be able to find me if I run. Is it mature of me to run? It doesn''t matter. I am going to run.


    He grabs my hand firmly before I can sprint. It doesn''t hurt, but I can''t jerk it away. Why is this skinny guy so strong?


    "I missed you." It is barely a whisper, but I hear him clearly. Nope, it won''t work on me. I won''t fall for your words, devil boy!


    "You only saw me yesterday and you missed me?"


    "I did." He drags me along with him. I can''t free my hand from his grasp. Does all the food he eats turn into strength and no fat? It''s unfair. When I eat a lot, it turns into a lot of fat.


    "I don''t believe you." I give up on freeing my hand. I will take my chances. When he is careless, then I will escape.


    "It''s okay, Miss Fang." Sung Jun gives me a sunny smile with a gleam in his eyes. I notice that he is wearing a navy blue shirt and ck jeans. No matter what he wears, it looks good on him. He also smells good... No, don''t think that. Look away! Look at those dumplings. They smell really good. Sung Jun is nothingpares to them. It''s immoral to think that he smells good. He is the devil. Don''t repeat the mistake. Besides, you will probably go to hell for thinking like that for a brat who is mentally fifteen years younger than you.


    "Aisa?" He pinches my cheek. "You are lost in dreand again?"


    "I am no-" Before I can finish, he shoves a hot dumpling in my mouth. I can neither eat it nor throw it away. I let it burn my tongue with tears in my eyes.


    "Is it hot?" He doesn''t let go of my hand. Instead, he shifts closer and leans toward me.


    "Don''t worry." He whispers into my ear. His hot breath tickles. "I will cool your mouthter."


    "This boy is interesting." Suddenly, the woman in red emerges in front of me. "I wonder how he intends to cool your mouth... is he going to use his tongue?"


    I choke on the dumpling.


    ___


    When Fang Aisa chokes on the dumpling, her face turns blue. Sung doesn''t wait for a second and ms her back hard. The half-eaten dumpling falls out of her mouth, straight on to the ghostdy''s face. It passes right through her like she is nothing but air. The ghostdy doesn''t pay attention to the dumpling that passed through her. Instead, she holds Fang Aisa''s other hand and urges her to breathe. bbergasted, Sung Jun moves his hand away from Fang Aisa''s back.


    "Stinky girl, I don''t want you to die." She rubs her palm on Fang Aisa''s back in a circr motion. "If you die, I will be exorcised."


    Sung Jun pinches his lips and eyes them with wariness. So, she can see them too. The ghostdy appears like a semi-transparent being to him. He can see ghosts, but he has learned to ignore them like air. But...he has never seen any ghost being able to touch any human in broad daylight.


    He sneakily touches the ghostdy''s long hair on her back. The ghostdy is busy with Fang Aisa and doesn''t pay attention to Sung Jun''s actions. He doesn''t feel anything when his hand passes right through the ghost''s hair and her back.


    Why is it different for Fang Aisa? Who is she? He has never heard of anyone like her.


    "Are you okay?" Sung Jun ignores the irritating ghost and keeps pretending that he can''t see her.


    "I am okay." Fang Aisa turns to face him with a sly look in her eyes. He can guess that she will say something to antagonize him again. "I nearly died today. Something bad is always happening whenever you are around. I think that you are really unlucky for me."


    There, she goes again. He wants to chortle her sometimes. She is fine with ghosts, but she treats him like he is a cancer of her life. What''s wrong with her? She also knows exactly what words to make him lose his temper. He won''t be yed by her again.


    He can read her face like a newspaper. She thinks that she found another excuse to get away from him. She is trying to hold her premature victory grin like she is constipated. Her attempts are idiotic and not well nned. He really wants tough at her, but he gazes at her like he is offended.


    He will not let her get away from him.


    He smiles at her brightly and says, "Miss Fang, you are wrong again. Today, I saved your life. I think that I am really lucky for you. We should always hang out together. Also, you owe me your life."


    "..."


    He chuckles lightly. "You don''t have to be my ve for owing your life. Just treat me for a meal."


    She looks at him like a child who has lost a match against an adult. She looks like a doll with pink hair, pink eyshes, and pink brows. When Sung Jun saw those pink hair, he didn''t know what to think. Before, he thought that colorful hair suited only the clowns. Now, he actually likes them on her.


    It''s not that she didn''t look cute before.


    Did he admit that he likes her? Why does he like her? He has seen prettier girls than her and felt nothing. He runs his fingers through his dark hair. This girl knows how to say the exact words that can infuriate him. She is fine with this ghost holding her hand, but she runs away whenever she sees him.


    She prefers dumplings and ghosts over him. He doesn''t know what to feel about that.


    "We don''t owe each other anything." She res at him stubbornly.


    "I didn''t know that Miss Fang doesn''t like to return life favors." He isn''t going to let this go when she dug her own grave. "So, ungrateful."


    It''s the ghostdy who responds. "This boy is really something. I never have seen someone like him before. Little Aisa, you should stay away from ck-bellied characters like him. You should better marry Mu Qing. He''s your fianc."


    Fang Aisa doesn''t react to the ghostdy''s words. Instead, she sighs loudly like she lost a battle.


    "Mu Qing ising back next week. You should meet him. I have seen him once before he left. He is quite handsome. He is also gentle and honest. His family is also rich." The ghostdy doesn''t see the ck lines that are appearing on Sung Jun''s forehead. She dreamily remembers Mu Qing who looked a lot like someone she once loved. "He is the second handsome man that I have seen. You should believe me. I have seen a lot of men before and after my death."


    The ghostdy didn''t know that Sung Jun could hear her clearly. If she did, she wouldn''t have said it so carelessly. The boy wants to incinerate her because of her words.


    "I am not going to waste my time arguing." Fang Aisa seems tired of everything. "Try to understand that I don''t want to be associated with you. Leave me alone."


    ___


    I am tired. Too many things have happened today. My brain is overloaded with information. Somehow, Fang Qi and I can see and touch the dead. It''s not an ability that I want. Why did I not notice this in myst life?


    Fang Qi never leaves his home. His wife and Old Fang never force him to leave either. Grandma also never spoke of this matter. When I asked this to Granny Lan in my past life, she never answered me clearly. I found it odd, but I thought that he was just antisocial and weird.


    Now, I don''t know what to say.


    I won''t hide in the house to avoid the dead like him.


    Then, there is Sung Jun. I am not afraid of the dead. I am afraid of this human.


    "Aisa, take this." He calls my name and pushes a bag of dumplings into my hand. "Eat them at home."


    "Did you not hear what I said? Don''t talk to me casually. We are not close." I shove the bag back into his hands.


    He gives me a half smile and a sad look. "Take this."


    "I don''t want it."


    I refuse to take anything that he brought. I walk ahead of him with a strong resolve that I will ignore him from now on. I am not going to school. I am going to take a job and cut my ties with the Fang family. It''s my bad luck that I have this ability to see dead people. I don''t understand why I can see them now. I didn''t see them in myst life. Something probably changed during my rebirth.


    It makes sense. Everythinges with a price. Now, I can see the dead.


    The ghostdy quietly follows me. I am grateful that she isn''t talking anymore. But how do I get rid of her? I need to check on a local priest.


    Someone rushes to my other side. It''s Sung Jun. I frown at him. Why is he not leaving him alone? I want to be alone right now.


    "I will walk you home." He states his reason before I can ask.


    "I can walk myself home," I tell him tiredly. He looks straight ahead. He holds my hand again. Did this guy learn the meaning of personal space? People will get the wrong meaning if they see us holding hands.


    I cough and look away at thedy ghost who is enjoying the drama. I understand now why Fang Qi wants to avoid going out. There is no such thing as privacy when one can see ghosts.


    Is it how my life is going to be? Surrounded by ghosts?


    "With your pink hair, I have a feeling that you will attract weird people."


    "You are the weird one here." I guess that I still have some energy to say things.


    "Aisa," He squeezes my hand. My heart skips a beat. We used to walk like this once... in a different time... in a different life.


    I steal nces at his side-profile. In the future, he will grow to be a handsome man.


    "Hmm?" Beautiful people are distracting.


    I hear him sigh.


    "I can''t leave you alone." He whispers softly. I stop walking and stare at him. He gazes at me fervently and takes my both hands. I feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. I bite my lip nervously.


    This dangerous guy can kill me with a nce alone.


    "I won''t leave you alone. I don''t know why... but I like you. If I like you, then I like you. It''s simple as that. If you don''t tell me a good reason why you want to avoid me, I won''t leave."


    A part of my heart is euphoric. Another part is screaming for me to p his face. In any way, my head is a bit jammed at the moment to take any action. Why is he saying things like that? Can I believe him?


    "Aisa?"


    I find it disturbing when he says my name. It''s familiar and yet, I don''t like it at all.


    "Oh..." I look back at the Sung Jun. I try not to think about... our rtionship at a different time. I ignore my heart and listen to my brain.


    This guy betrayed you, Fang Aisa. He left you. He will do that again.


    "I don''t need to tell you why." I steel my heart and say, "I don''t like you. That''s a good enough reason for you to stay away from me. You can think whatever you want."


    Sung Jun looks like I have broken his heart. My chest hurts when I see him like this. I want to get away from him before I cry and ask him why he left me alone.


    "Tell me why," He asks again and stares into my eyes. I am scared that he can see through me.


    "I...have a fianc," I whisper softly.

 Chapter 6: Is he going to use his tongue?

    Chapter 6: Is he going to use his tongue?


    Thanks to the female ghost, Sung Jun already knows about her fianc. He doesn''t care. He is focused on a different matter. This girl has feelings for him. She is fighting her feelings for him. Despite being young, Sung Jun knows the difference between love and infatuation. This girl loves him, but she refuses to ept him.


    That''s not all of it. She also hates him.


    He isn''t unfamiliar with these tornadoes of emotions inside her eyes. He saw simr things in his mother''s eyes when his father left her. He never met this girl before. When did he hurt her? What did he do to receive her hate?


    Sung Jun may not feel the love for her the way she feels for him, but he likes her. When he doesn''t see her, he misses her. When he sees her angry, he wants to make her angrier. When he sees her hurt, he wants to take her pain away. When he sees her blushing, he wants to kiss her badly. He likes it when he is with her. If he wants to be with her, then she is going to be with him.


    It''s not that he wants to force her feelings. But she has feelings for him, right? He isn''t forcing anything.


    If she doesn''t want to tell him why she hates him, then so be it. He will make her forget the hate and ept him. He will love her so much that she will not resist him anymore.


    "What are you doing?" She fidgets when he cups her face with his face. Her skin is soft and warm. "Didn''t you hear that I have a fianc?"


    "Does it matter?" He asks her quietly. Her face turns hot when she hears him. Her cherry lips tremble with uneasiness. Her actions are quite seductive.


    "I am someone else''s woman." The emotions in her eyes change into defiance. She is like a child. When she can''t control something, she bes angry. "Stay away from me."


    "You have a fianc." He speaks in a straightforward manner. "But, you have feelings for me. I also have feelings for you. Do you want to cheat on your husband after you marry him?"


    She turns beet red and squirms to get away from him


    "You can have ten husbands," He tells her seriously.


    "What?" She stops squirming and looks up at him with surprise.


    "You can even have male escorts." He wraps his arm around her waist.


    "Hey Sung Jun, what kind of person do you think I am?" She is easily provoked.


    "You can even flirt with other men." He smiles at her. This girl is an idiot.


    "Sung Jun!" She throws a punch toward his face. He catches her punch with his left hand.


    "But, it''s only me who can touch you." He lowers his head and licks her lips. "Only me."


    He chuckles when he sees her startled expression. Her anger is gone and reced by a dumb expression. He takes this chance to lock her tightly in his arms. This time, he won''t let her run away. He will take those lips first.


    "Only me." He repeats and kisses her again. "Nail these words in your head. You can only be mine. I told you. If I like you, I like you. You are definitely mine."


    "Sung Jun, are you out of your mind?"


    He grips the back of her head and takes the opportunity to kiss her deeply. He explores the nook and cranny of her warm mouth with his tongue, tasting the sweetness. Lost in ecstasy, he slips his palms inside her shirt and runs it on her smooth back.


    He has forgotten that there is a ghostdy who is watching them with shock.


    "NO!" The ghostdy shrieks and grabs Aisa''s hands. She pulls her out of his arms.


    "Little Aisa, I will not let you get eaten by this pig." She deres hysterically. "I will protect your chastity, Little Aisa."


    The ghostdy escapes with Fang Aisa from the ''Pig'' as if dogs are chasing them.


    Someone has taken his favorite dish out of his mouth literally. He swears loudly. He is going to get someone to exorcise this ghost. The ''pig'' is currently mentally cursing the day she died and became a ghost. He will call the best exorcist to get rid of the ghosts in this city.


    The ''pig'' doesn''t run after the ghostdy and his girl. He has important things to do like calling a certain exorcist to kill a certain ghost.


    The ghosts of a certain city and a certain exorcist feel goosebumps all over them.


    ___


    A random pedestrian shivers when he passes by a certain young boy. The pedestrian wonders why it is cold on such a bright day. The certain boy, who was called a ''pig'' a while ago by a ghost, dials the number and waits for the person to pick up. The phone is picked up after three rings.


    Person: "Who?"


    Sung Jun: "Send Han Soo to H city."


    Person: "Jun? Is it you?"


    Sung Jun: "He should be getting here by tomorrow."


    Person: "Jun, where have you been? President is driving me crazy. I have to pull all-nighters since you disappeared. His underlings keep eyes on me like hawks. I can''t even read webtoons without looking over my shoulder. Your fangirls are harassing me every day for your phone number. I am going crazy here. Please save me. I will kill myself if you don''t."


    Sung Jun: "You cane here and live with me. But, there is something that I want you to do."


    Person: "I will do anything to get out of this hell hole."


    Sung Jun: "I want you to find information on the Fang family in H city."


    Person: "That''s easy. What else do you need?"


    Sung Jun: "Find information on the humans who can touch the dead."


    Person: "They are not troubling you, are they?''


    Sung Jun: "They are not troubling me. There is someone else."


    Person: "Someone who can touch ghosts? Are you sure that he is human? Seeing ghosts is bad enough, but touching them? I don''t know...I have never heard of it."


    Sung Jun: "That''s what I want you to find out. Use my ess Id to hack the database."


    Person: "Really? Tell me the password."


    Sung Jun: "The password is ******. Get all the information. Come to H city with Kyubok by tomorrow. "


    Person: "Are you sure that he wille? He is the president''s pet."


    Sung Jun: "Tell him that I called."


    Person: "But, the president will find out your whereabouts."


    Sung Jun: "He knows."


    Sung Jun ends the call and resumes walking to his home with satisfaction. The person on the other line stares at the phone for a long time before he swears at a certain president of the council. If the president knew where his son was, why did he make his life hell?


    ___


    In the eyes of onlookers, a certain girl with pink hair is running alone on the street. Her left arm is outstretched in front of her awkwardly. She is wearing a ck long dress with wide sleeves and ck sandals. The girl stops in front of a house and gasps for breaths. Her oval face is red with ayer of sweat on her forehead.


    The ghostdy releases a sigh of relief. They have reached the destination safely. This girl didn''t meet any other ghost on the way. She can protect this girl from the ghosts, but she can''t do much about humans. She is interested in seeing some drama among the youngsters. However, she firmly disapproves of these youngsters who don''t understand the sweetness of waiting and doing things after marriage.


    She understands that the ''pig'' likes this girl, but attacking her like that is not good. That ''pig'' was going to cook the rice right there and eat it on the spot.


    Then, she remembers the important matter. The daughter of Fang Qi has been taken advantage of. What will happen when that man finds out?


    The ghostdy has been hanging around the Fang family as long as she can remember. She has her reasons. She also knows some deepest secret of the Fang family.


    There are two existences who can silence the ghosts of H city: Fang Qi and the council.


    "Thanks." She hears the girl say.


    When Fang Qi found out that he could see the ghosts, he had colorful reactions. He was a bright man until... that happened.


    The girl is nothing like him. She is neither bright like young Fang Qi nor brooding and boring like the current Fang Qi. She doesn''t get scared or look at her with disgust. She almost treats her like a person.


    It''s not good. This girl will be in danger if this girl treats all ghosts the same way she treats her.


    "Little Aisa," The ghostdy calls out before the girl can enter the house.


    "What?" She looks back at her.


    "If you see any other ghost, pretend...that you can''t see them."


    "You are a ghost too."


    "I am." The ghostdy smiles sadly. "But there are bad ghosts and good ghosts. In your case, they can harm you because they can touch you. So, it''s better if you pretend not to see them. Be careful and take notice of the things around you."


    The girl nods her pink head obediently.


    "I need to go somewhere." The ghostdy likes this girl. "I wille back to find you soon."


    "Don''te," The girl replies in monotone. "My house will smell like sewage if youe here."


    The smile on the ghostdy''s face freezes. That sharp tongue! The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree.


    ___


    I take a deep breath and brace myself. I am going back to this ssroom after more than fifteen years. This feels both unnerving and awkward.


    Last night, I looked up the information on homeschooling and jobs. After meeting Fang Qi and Old Fang, I am a bit concerned about my future. The ability to see the dead is useless. It will only bring me problems.


    I find that there is barely anything legal that I can do without parental approval. My legal guardian was my grandmother before she died. Now, it''s Fang Qi. Asking him is out of the question. Life of a teenager is hard.


    The job market is tough. There is no way that I am going to be the fake heiress again. I will go to college and get a degree. I need a high school diploma first.


    For the sake of my bright future, I return to H high school.


    Here, we go!


    At first, nobody notices me. The ssroom is full of lively and young students. The bookworms have their noses in their notebooks. The ''wannabe rock stars'' have headphones on and the ''future journalists'' quietly taking notes of everything to reportter to teachers. The ''perverts'' are standing in a circle, talking in low voice with a suspicious redness on their faces with a magazine between them. It is not rocket science to guess what they are looking at. The ''popr'' ones are chatting about thetest fashion trends. The bullies and the delinquents are sitting on the back like predators waiting for their preys to appear. ''The ''strange'' ones are quiet and staring at the ceiling. There are the jealous ones who are gnashing their teeth while ring at a certain boy. There are shameless fangirls.


    Sung Jun is also sitting on the back among the troublemakers, but nobody dares to trouble this harmless looking boy. Well, they don''t dare to. His fangirls are quite threatening when theye to protect the boy who can smile like the sunshine in spring.


    Currently, his eyes are closed. He has a pure and serene celestial aura around him. The invisible halo around him acts as a barrier and stops from anyone toe and disturb his early morning nap.


    In my previous life, Sung Jun transferred in the middle of the semester. He had to take the empty seat next to me because it was the only one avable. Wang Mei and I were the only girls who sat on the back row with other delinquents.


    Must I have to share the same space with him?


    I quietly make my way to the ss president who is reading.


    "ss president."


    I don''t remember her name.


    "Who?" She frowns when she sees me. She doesn''t recognize me either. Fair enough!


    "I am Fang Aisa," I say quietly.


    She looks at me from top to down. "You are the girl who didn''te to ss for a month?"


    "Yes, it''s me."


    "Fang Aisa, do you know that it''s against the rules to dye hair?" The perfect school model decided to chastise me. I shake my head. Wang Mei and I chose H high school because nobody cares about rules here.


    "ss president," I put my hand on her desk and lean closer. "I am here to exchange my seat with you."


    She isn''t intimated. Instead, she stands up and loudly announces, "That''s against the rules."


    Everyone eyes turn to me. This girl likes to attract attention for sure. She wants to show that I am demanding something like a spoiled girl.


    "My seat is next to Sung Jun," I speak in a low voice. Her eyes go wide when she hears me. There is a faint blush on her face. It is gone like a flicker.


    "So?" She steals a nce at Sung Jun and then, at the delinquents and the fangirls. The seat is troublesome despite the advantages.


    "The doctor has asked me to take a lot of fresh air." My voice is loud this time. "Your seat is next to the window, ss president. I know that I am causing you a problem, but I am also one of your responsibilities. What will happen if you refuse me and I am sick again? You won''t like bad karma haunting you around."


    The ss president blinks, surprised and mumble something to herself. She looks behind me. There are infatuation, fear, and hesitation in her eyes. She needs a slight push.


    "ss president, it is a good opportunity to get close to him." I make sure that she is the only one who can hear me. "You are the prettiest girl with perfect records and background. There is no way that he will reject you. He just needs to see your good sides more."


    Her face turns into a deeper shade of red. She nervously looks at me and says in a low voice, "Fang Aisa, what will you gain by helping me?"


    "I will get a seat near the window and enjoy the scenery."


    "You were fine with that seat before."


    "The seat is troublesome. His fangirls are quite noisy. I won''t get sleep there."


    She nods. It seems like a good enough reason for her. The young girls in love are easiest to manipte.


    "You can take my seat." Her voice is loud enough for everyone. "I understand your situation, Fang Aisa. You should take care of your health."


    I hear whispers behind me and smile. Just like that, she maintains her image of being a good and considerate girl.


    Nevertheless, the deal is done. Both parties are satisfied. She won''t get the anger of the fangirls and still, get the seat next to her crush. With her good girl image, she can easily fool the obsessed fangirls. Heck! She might even be the head of those fangirls.


    I don''t have to sit near him. I also get a window seat.


    After a while, it''s a gloomy Wang Mei who enters the ssroom. Her eyes are swollen and red. She is surprised to see me, but her expression changes to coldness. She looks away and walks to her seat with an overbearing demeanour.


    "It starts again." I gaze out of the window. "This time, it''s a bit early."

 Chapter 7: You really solved it

    Chapter 7: You really solved it


    "My name is Wu Xiang. I am your new substitute mathematics teacher."


    The tall and willowy man in histe twenties with olive skin, dressed in an oversized blue shirt and navy trousers, deres to the ss. The duster falls off the table when he picks up the ss roster. He bends down to pick up the duster. The ss roster slips from his hand. He ignores theughing students. He stands up as nothing happened.


    "I have a Ph.D. in mathematics and a master degree from A University, London. I have a bachelor degree from C University, California." He looks at the students of ss B solemnly. "Your former mathematics teacher had to leave because of an emergency. I will be taking his duties from now on."


    "Our first lecture isnguage?" One boy in the front row asks. The other students also make faces. Clearly, nobody wants to study mathematics first in the morning.


    "There are changes in the lecture schedule." He frowns slightly. His nted eyes sh at a pink haired girl who iszily looking out of the window. He picks up the chalk and throws in her direction. The pink haired girl tilts the body to the right.


    "Ow!" The chalk hits the innocent boy behind her. There is a small bump on the boy''s forehead. He massages his forehead and curses the pink haired girl in his heart.


    "Your name?" She has fast reflexes. This girl is interesting.


    The girl cocks her head and watches him with her big almond eyes thoughtfully.


    "Fang Aisa."


    "I see." Teacher Wu mumbles to himself and doesn''t pay any more attention at the pink-haired girl. His expression is calm, but he is a bit annoyed at heart. He turns the pages of the ss roster in impatience.


    "Aren''t you overqualified to teach at H high school?"


    His face clouds with darkness when he hears the question. The questioner is Fang Aisa.


    "No, it is my privilege to teach students like you." His slight smile doesn''t meet his eyes. The girl chuckles quietly. His smile fades a bit. She can see through him.


    "With your degrees, you can be hired at N University." She has a lofty smile on her face. Wu Xiang finds it irritating like the sound of rubbing sandpaper on the board.


    "I like H High School." He releases forcedughter.


    "Really?" She grins at him. "I like you, Teacher Wu."


    He doesn''t know what to reply. Wu Xiang grimaces at the girl. This girl is trying to make him uneasy. Suddenly, he feels goosebumps on his back. His eyes shift to thest row of troublemakers. The red-headed girl is looking down at her hands with a conflicted expression. A slender boy is looking at the girl with an almost smile on his face. Others are waiting enthusiastically for him to reply to Fang Aisa.


    "Thank you, Fang Aisa." He doesn''t hide the annoyance in his tone this time. "I am going to teach you multi-variable integration today. "


    "That''s not in our sybus." Someonements. He doesn''t turn back to look at the person.


    "The sybus and the exam questions will be decided by me." He writes the equation on the ckboard. "Fang Aisa,e and solve this question on the board."


    "I don''t know how to solve it." Fang Aisa leans back, clearly amused. He doesn''t understand what''s wrong with her. "Teacher Wu, I have a question for you though."


    "Is it rted to mathematics?" He doesn''t like this girl. But then, he doesn''t like anyone.


    "Yes." She stands up with confidence and grace. She walks to the board and takes the chalk from Teacher Wu''s hand. Then, she writes aplicated equation on the board.


    "Solve this, Teacher Wu." She gives him the chalk and returns to her desk.


    Teacher Wu is surprised to look at the equation. This equation is actually part of his research. He hasn''t been able to solve it for years. His obsession with this equation has lost him everything.


    The students look at the equation on the board. They can''t make head or tail of it. Judging from Teacher Wu''s reaction, it is probably gibberish that Fang Aisa wrote on the board. Everyone knows that Fang Aisa is not good at studies. Her middle school record was bad. The mathematics score was even worse.


    "Fang Aisa, where did you find this equation?" Teacher Wu doesn''t think much. She must have seen it somewhere and decided to ask him. The equation has been unsolvable for years now. There have been several articles on him and his work. She must have read them. It is no wonder that this girl was cheeky earlier.


    "I know the solution," She replies in a rxed manner. "Teacher Wu, if will tell you the solution, what will you give me in return?"


    Teacher Wuughs genuinely after a long time. A fifteen years old girl can solve this equation?


    Right!


    "What do you want in return?" Teacher Wu finds it hrious, but he isn''t angry. He didn''t expect to find someone from a low-grade high school to recognize him or know about his work.


    "Will you give anything I ask for?"


    He points at the equation. "If you can solve it, I will do anything you want. I will give you anything you want."


    "All the students of ss B are witnesses that Teacher Wu agreed to do whatever I want if I solve this equation." Her eyes linger on the snickering students who are waiting for Fang Aisa to make fool of herself.


    Sheughs and says, "They hate to repeat themselves."


    "What?" The students didn''t expect to hear that. What kind of solution is that? She didn''t even pick up the chalk again. She is really a fool.


    "Hate to repeat?" Wu Xiang frowns a bit. He realizes something and nces back at the equation. He mentally does the numbers and mutters absentmindedly for the next five minutes. ss B looks at him with pity. Their new teacher is duped by Fang Aisa.


    "You really solved it." Wu Xiang''s next words shock the entire ss.

 Chapter 8: You are a feast to my eyes, Jun

    Chapter 8: You are a feast to my eyes, Jun


    Teacher Wu''s eyes shine like a child. He holds her hand and doesn''t let go. "You are a mathematical genius."


    He seems to have forgotten that she is the same girl who told him that she can''t solve a simple multi-variable integration problem.


    ss B has mixed reactions. They don''t know what to say. They can''t ept it. The girl who always ranks lowest in ss B is suddenly called a mathematical genius. They feel constipated. Their stomachs are ready to burst.


    There is someone who is eyeing the teacher-student duo with a familiar smile. His eyes are fixed on the hands that are holding her hands. If eyes could dig holes, Teacher Wu would have a thousand holes in his hands by now.


    "Teacher Wu, I am not a genius." Fang Aisa struggles to free her hands.


    "Of course, you are." Teacher Wu is too excited. He forgets that he is a male and she is a female. He has been obsessed with this equation for years. Finally, he understands why. The beauty of mathematics is truly blinding.


    There are people who find mathematics beautiful. Fang Aisa is not one of them. She is the one who cries when she sees mathematics. Teacher Wu doesn''t know that yet.


    The slender figure can''t take it anymore. He takes wide steps toward the excited teacher-awkward student duo and ps Teacher Wu hands away.


    "Ow!" Teacher Wu wakes up from his excitement. He is embarrassed when he sees the red marks on Fang Aisa''s pale wrist. He didn''t realize. He bows down to his mathematical genius and asks for her forgiveness.


    ss B turns their eyes away. In their eyes, Teacher Wu is an idiot and useless.


    "It''s okay." Fang Aisa smiles at him brightly. "Teacher Wu, don''t forget your promise."


    "I won''t." Teacher Wu promises her. "Anytime, you need anything. Please find me."


    Her eyes shine when she hears him. Teacher Wu doesn''t notice Sung Jun''s unfriendly eyes. He quietly takes her hands and massages the wrist softly. After thanking Fang Aisa again, he tells the ss that he will let them have free time since it''s their first day together. Then, he leaves the ssroom in a hurry to work on the solution.


    "You said that you like men in suits." Sung Jun is grumpy.


    Fang Aisa scowls at him. "Sung Jun, why are you thinking dirty? I like him as a person. I don''t have such feelings for him."


    Sung Jun doesn''t reply and drags her out of the ssroom. The fangirls and the others gape with open mouths.


    "Sung Jun likes Fang Aisa?" One ''popr'' girl asks the other.


    "That''s impossible." The other ''popr'' girl denies. "There must be something else between them. It can''t be like that. She is a freaking demon. "


    "But...they were holding hands?" One of the Sung Jun''s fan girls says in dismay. "Our idol Sung Jun likes that kind of person."


    "What should we do?"


    "Should we also get pink hair?"


    ***


    Sung Jun takes her to the infirmary. He doesn''t say anything on the way despite her protests. The first period is not over yet. The school nurse is not even in the infirmary.


    He makes her sit and wipes her hands with a cold cloth.


    "You are a girl." Sung Jun looks at her with a serious expression. "You shouldn''t let any male touch you."


    "Aren''t you a male?" She rolls her eyes at him.


    "I am." Sung Jun nods. "I am the only one who can touch you."


    "You can die believing that." Fang Aisa doesn''t get annoyed. She doesn''t yell. She doesn''t try to punch him. She is in a good mood surprisingly. She doesn''t fight with Sung Jun. So, she taunts him happily.


    "Sung Jun, even if you were to be thest male alive, I won''t be with you."


    "Fang Aisa." he strokes her cheek softly. "I will change your mind. Until then, don''t get close to other men."


    This time, put her arm around his shoulder. She holds his chin with other hand and smiles teasingly. "Jun, are you jealous of Teacher Wu?"


    She bats her eyes at him seductively.


    Sung Jun''s heart is erratic. He feels the heat rising inside him. A little move from this girl can make him wild. This girl is going to be the death of him.


    "I am." He sneakily puts his arms around her waist. Is she finally giving in?


    "Why?" Fang Aisa''s eyes have a flicker of emotions. She nibbles his lip with her thumb with a sad expression. "You are a feast to my eyes, Jun. You have a great prospect of bing a male gigolo."


    Sung Jun doesn''t mind her words. He treats them aspliments instead. It means that she wants him too.


    "I just want to be your gigolo." He licks her thumb. Fang Aisa doesn''t react. It disturbs him a bit.


    "I don''t have money." Fang Aisa''s lips curl downward. "In the future, I will buy you."


    He nts a kiss on her nose. "I only need you."


    "Pfft!" She pushes him away. "Sung Jun, you should have stayed away from me."


    She shows him her cell phone and ys the recording.

 Chapter 9: Do you really want to become his sugar mamma?

    Chapter 9: Do you really want to be his sugar mamma?


    "Sung Jun, You should have stayed away from me."


    [I just want to be your gigolo.]


    [I don''t have money...In the future, I will buy you.]


    Sung Jun bes stiff when he hears the recording. He eyes me with disappointment. I shrug and walk away before he can consider snatching the recording. I go todies washroom - the safe zone where men cannot enter. I hide into a stall.


    "I hope this works." I upload the recording on my Weibo and tag Sung Jun on it. It didn''t take even a second. My Weibo is full of spams from Sung Jun''s fangirls. I ignore thements. It''s time to make the next move.


    I leave the washroom. I find the broadcasting room open with a boy taking a nap on the chair. I don''t bother with him and broadcast the recording. The boy doesn''t wake up. This makes things easy.


    I make a copy of the recording and set it on loop for broadcasting. I nce at the sleeping boy once before leaving the broadcasting room. I grin when I find Sung Jun standing outside the broadcasting room with a grim look.


    "Sung Jun, you can''t pretend anymore."


    He stares at me sadly and whispers, "If this makes you happy, then I will dly ept it."


    "Fang Aisa, Sung Jun," A female teacher shouts when she sees us. "See the headmaster."


    I ignore Sung Jun and proceed toward the headmaster''s office.


    The headmaster doesn''t call us directly to his office. He makes us wait in the waiting room. There is the young female teacher watching us with rage.


    "Fang Aisa, it''s you who forced him." She pinpoints all the mes on me, I admit that I did wrong, but I didn''t force him to say anything. "It has to be you. Sung Jun never acted like this before. A fifteen years old girl can act promiscuously when she hasn''t even grown her all of her hair. Did your parents not teach you well?"


    I disregard her and check my Weibo to read thements from Sung Jun''s fangirls.


    "Teacher Li, you shouldn''t speak things like that." I cease scrolling the Weibo page when I hear Sung Jun. "She didn''t force me to say those things."


    Teacher Li''s gaze softens when she looks at Sung Jun. "Sung Jun, you shouldn''t try to protect her. I have seen her middle school records. Back then, she broke a boy''s hand because he didn''t submit to her demands. You don''t lie for her. Speak the truth in front of the Headmaster."


    "She is right. I broke someone''s hand because he didn''t submit to my demand." I keep my voice neutral. "My demand was that he should not make unwanted advances toward me."


    "Don''t lie!" Teacher Li yells at me. "You were always a characterless girl."


    Just because I broke his hand and I have a bad academic record, the boy is right and I am wrong. I don''t argue with this dull brain. Instead, I focus on my Weibo. Somements on my Weibo post are funny.


    GoneBoy99: I can''t blv it. u r a gigolo...


    GoneBoy99: ur father wl kill u.


    GoneBoy99: I m alrdy at ur home. whr r u?


    lv_u_mygod_jun: That''s a fake recording. Our god Jun will tell us the truth


    and many other fans: Joooooon, I will buy you. Don''t sell yourself to bad women. Keep your purity intact.


    PuppyGirl000: Who is this wicked witch who posted this to im him all for herself?


    "Send Sung Jun and Fang Aisa in." Teacher Wu glimpses at me meaningfully. Teacher Li huffs after he leaves. We go to the headmaster''s office and find two figures sitting in front of the headmaster.


    I have no idea why Fang Qi is here. This is not the first time when I got into trouble. It was Lan Hui Yao who came whenever there was a call from the school.


    He must have a motive behind this.


    There is a woman who resembles Sung Jun. I presume that she is his mother. She is draped formal suit, but her bearing is bright and warm.


    Fang Qi and Ms. Sung are the pr opposite - yin and yang.


    Now, I understand where Sung Jun got his temperament from.


    "What do you have to say for yourself?" The headmaster asks us sternly.


    "I will buy him in the future when I have a lot of money." I decided to speak first.


    I will take the me, but I will also ruin his image. I am not concerned. I just hope that he leaves me alone after this. They won''t expel Sung Jun because he has a perfect score to this date. I can just get homeschooled if they suspend me.


    I hope that I get suspended.


    "Sung Jun wants to be a gigolo. So, I suggested that I will buy him in the future if he keeps his chastity intact."


    The fangirls on Weibo gave me some ideas.


    The headmaster coughs hard when he listens. Teacher Li barks, "You shameless girl! How can you say things like that?"


    The headmaster peers at Fang Qi and wipes his sweat. Then, he scolds Teacher Li. "Mind yournguage, Miss Li."


    "But-" Teacher Li has more to say. She doesn''t notice Fang Qi''s cold gaze.


    "Leave." Headmaster shoos her away in hurry. "Send Teacher Wu. He said that he has something to say regarding Fang Aisa."


    She hmphs in my direction and leaves.


    "Fang Aisa, Sung Jun, were you just ying around?" The headmaster asks in a low voice. He inspects everyone. "You are a student. You shouldn''t say things like that."


    I realise that he is going to let go of the matter quickly. He doesn''t want to offend the two figures in front of him- Ms. Sunshine and Mr. Iceman.


    Sung Jun steps up at that moment.


    "I said those things. I want to be a gigolo in the future. With my looks, it shouldn''t be hard."


    There is a long pause. He could have stayed quiet and escape this without any problem.


    "Oh my!" Sung Jun''s mother exims with fake surprise. "My son, why do you want to be a gigolo when you can be an actor with those godly looks of yours? You will lose your stamina if you be a gigolo and turn into a useless man like your father."


    That...is unexpected.


    "I will be her gigolo, mother," Sung Jun replies earnestly. "She said that she will buy me in the future."


    "Is that so?" Her light brown eyes shift to me. "Miss Fang, do you really want to be his sugar mamma?"


    "..."


    What''s wrong with his mother?


    "I am an old-fashioned woman." She beams at me. "But, things are changing these days. We can''t impose our will on the younger generation. We will wait until you earn the money to buy him. I will make sure that he doesn''t lose his virginity."


    This Sung family...all of them are crazy.


    Suddenly, there is a heavy bang. Fang Qi scowls at me and asks, "Why do you say that you have no money? Can F Corporation not buy someone like him? How much money do you need?"


    People have lost their rationality today.

 Chapter 10: I hope you remember your words

    Chapter 10: I hope you remember your words


    I am surprised to hear Fang Qi say that. Does it mean that he thinks of me as a Fang for true?


    I scrutinize his face. His eyes are dark and hostile. There is that unchanging scowl on his face whenever he sees me. I am really an eyesore for him. My existence is a dark blot on his pristine reputation. I am his bastard daughter with an unknown woman. I don''t know who my mother is or what type of rtionship she had with my father. But I can guess that he never wanted me.


    He doesn''t think or care about me. He is probably saying that because his prestige is hurt.


    If he truly thought of me as his daughter, he would have cared about the fact that I am trying to buy a gigolo. Shouldn''t he? He just wants to show off that he has money and the Fang family isn''t treating me bad.


    "Fang Aisa!" Wu Xiang barges into the office with a bunch of papers. "I have called the professors at the university. The solution is correct."


    Of course, it is correct. I sigh. It''s not that I am a genius. I stole it from the future.


    In my previous life, Wu Xiang died of heart attack at the age of forty-three after finding the solution of a mathematical problem. The solution was significant because it was used to find a solution for another centuries-old mathematical problem by another mathematician.


    Wu Xiang was one of those people who was recognised for their work after their deaths. In his life, he was treated worse than beggars. He was obsessed to solve that mathematical problem. He didn''t care about his career or his life.


    He was kicked out from his job when he was in London because he offended a significant figure during a discussion on the mathematical problem. He didn''t get another job. Then, he came back to his homnd, hoping to find a job and a ce to continue his research.


    Things didn''t work out here either. After a few months, he was kicked out of the university. Then, he took a job of a substitute teacher at H High School.


    When I met him in my previous life, I didn''t have any impression of him. I only attended his ss once. After that, I didn''t attend his sses and hid on the rooftop. He never bothered me to attend either.


    When his case became popr, I got to know about him. Wu Xiang wrote the phrase on the solution, "They hate to repeat themselves" before he died. He was still holding a pen in his hand with a content smile on his face.


    When I read his biography, I realised that Wu Xiang loved mathematics deeply. He was simr to me. Even if I gave up on Sung Jun, I still wanted to see him again. Even my death couldn''t free me from my obsession.


    "I have told them about you." Wu Xiang beams at me. "We are going to test the solution with different conditions. We think that this solution can help us with another mathematical problem. They want you toe with me."


    I shake my head. I only told him the hint because I knew that he could solve it by himself after getting an idea. I didn''t want him to suffer like the way he did in hisst life. That doesn''t mean that I don''t want benefits. I am not a saint.


    Benefits. Like Money or Favours. Not this hassle. Mathematics and me? Never!


    "Who are you?" Fang Qi walks to Wu Xiang. "What are you talking about?"


    "Mr. Fang, he is the new substitute teacher for mathematics." The headmaster answers Fang Qi awkwardly.


    "Did I ask you?" Fang Qi glowers in his direction. The headmaster sinks down on his chair, trying to not stand out.


    "Mr. Fang, I am her new substitute teacher for mathematics," Wu Xiang replies thoughtfully. "I think that your daughter is a mathematical genius."


    Fang Qi looks at him strangely. I roll my eyes. Why is it so unbelievable to believe that I can be a genius? I am a genius in a way. I have been reborn and I know the future. That makes me an extraordinary existence. Aren''t geniuses are just people good at making the right decisions at the right time? Just having a high IQ doesn''t make anyone a genius. Just look at Wu Xiang. He is a genius in mathematics, but dumb at other things.


    "Where do you want to take her?" Surprisingly, it''s not Fang Qi. It''s Sung Jun. Though his face is expressionless, there is not a trace of warmth on his face.


    My life is difficult.


    "Teacher Wu, I am not interested in mathematics." I interfere before Wu Xiang could reply.


    Wu Xiang doesn''t pay any attention to Sung Jun or Fang Qi. He ignores their deathly res like it got nothing to do with him. He looks at me with desperate eyes and tightly grabs my hands. I frown. Teacher Wu requires teaching in some areas.


    "Fang Aisa, you have toe. Your talent will be wasted here."


    Sung Jun flicks Wu Xiang hands. He takes my hands and massages them intimately. I have no idea how to deal with this boy anymore. Does he think that I am his property? Why is he open about it like this? Even Ms. Sung is looking at me strangely.


    "Teacher Wu, do you think that you could solve it if I didn''t give you any hint?" I ignore Sung Jun''s actions.


    "I don''t know..." Teacher Wu''s eyes are full of doubts.


    "Teacher Wu, you are passionate and hardworking. Someone like you would have found the solution despite my help." I smile at him. "Your heart is clear and set on your goal. I am not your hope. Your hope is your heart that can''t give up on your dream."


    He stares at me nkly. Then, tears fall out of his eyes silently. The man covers his eyes with his arm.


    "Someone like me is not as strong as you are. I can''t keep on chasing like you. I want an ordinary life."


    "Are you sure?" He blinks at me.


    "I am." I grin at him. "Go, Teacher Wu. They will realize your worth this time."


    Teacher Wu nods quietly. I like this about him. He never tries to force his opinions or desires on other people.


    "Please don''t mention my name anywhere," I tell him. "I don''t want to attract attention."


    "I will do as you wish." Teacher Wu bows in front of me. "Fang Aisa, if you want anything, please find me. I will give you anything you want, even if it is my life. If you change your mind in the future, please find me."


    "I hope you remember your words, Teacher Wu." I feel satisfied with this oue. Teacher Wu is a man with an honest heart. He will never cheat me on this promise. He might be useful in the future.


    "Will you tell me what this is about?" An ''irritated'' Fang Qi asks me.


    I shrug and turn away from him.


    "Headmaster, please tell me the punishment when you decide. I am leaving."


    I leave before anyone can say anything.

 Chapter 11: She didnt come out

    Chapter 11: She didn''te out


    I don''t feel like going home or going to ss. Most of all, I don''t want to see Fang Qi or Sung Jun. In my former life, Sung Jun was rather...


    He always treated me well.


    Despite being the way he was, he was not bad to me until he disappeared. He would make me wait, but he woulde. He would make me pay on the dates, but he never said no whenever I asked him to go on a date with me. He would always ept my gifts with a warm smile and he would eat whatever I cooked for him.


    Though, my cooking was really bad.


    In my past life, I might not be his sugar mamma. But, I was definitely a rich girlfriend.


    I was duped, wasn''t I? He never said anything, but I assumed that he wasn''t rich. I found out the truth when I chased him to Korea. He is practically a prince - handsome, famous and the only son.


    I will never forgive this man. How much of my time and money did I waste on someone like him? I am not going to get tricked by his antics again.


    "Meow!"


    I am startled when I hear the cat. Is it stuck there? I walk to the edge of the roof and look down. There is no one there. I can only see the swimming pool. Odd.


    "PEEK A BOO!" Someone yells behind me. I turn around to see a flying ghosting at me iling arms. His face is the ugliest thing that I have seen in my life.


    I grab his arm before he shoves me off the roof.


    "Woman, let me goooo!" The ugly ghost tries to fling me off his arm. I don''t let go despite the urge to throw up. If I let go, I will fall. If I fall on the ground, I will be mincemeat. If I survive by any chance, I don''t think that my bones will.


    "If I die, I will be a ghost and torture you every day," I scream on the top of my lungs. Damn, why do I have this ability! Why can''t I get super cool abilities like walking through the wall or eating as much as I want without getting fat?


    The ugly ghost''s face deforms. "Do you think that everyone bes a ghost?"


    "I will be one and break each of your bone. I will throw you off this very roof a thousand times a day. I will break your male parts and make you eunuch ghost. If I survive, I will beat you into a ghosty pulp."


    The ugly ghost tries strenuously to free himself from me. I don''t let go. My life depends on my grip and my capability to endure the smell.


    We struggle for a while. He keeps trying to throw me off until he gives up.


    "I can''t keep hovering while you are holding onto me." He looks at me his bulging red eyes.


    "Slowly, glide to the window." I hiss at him. The third floor''s window to the corridor is the closest to us. If I go there, I can climb over.


    "Just jump to the swimming pool."


    "Damn you, ghost! If something happens to me, I will make you drink holy water from the church."


    The ghost bespletely white. "Church? You have faith?"


    "I will bring a priest, you damn thing."


    "Aisa?"


    "Wang Mei?" I find Wang Mei standing near the window. My attention flicker for a second and the ugly ghost uses this opportunity to throw me off. His smelly arm slips away from my grip.


    Damn!


    I close my eyes.


    ***


    She watches Fang Aisa suddenly fall to the swimming pool. She nkly stares at the swimming pool before realizing something is wrong.


    "FANG AISA!!!"


    The teachers and studentse out of the ssrooms when they hear the screaming following a loud ssh. Did someone attempt suicide?


    They find a distraught redheaded girl near the window. She doesn''t notice the crowd behind her. She is crying madly while pointing at the swimming pool.


    "She didn''te out." She mumbles in shock. "She knows how to swim...but she didn''te out."


    Suddenly, a figure rushes past everyone and jumps off the window before anyone could react. There is another loud ssh. Everyone nkly looks at the window.


    Did someone just jump?


    They all look down.

 Chapter 12: He did something

    Chapter 12: He did something


    Somehow, I fall to the water by sheer luck.


    And then, my bad luck decided to act up. I find two pale arms wrap around me. Another dead ghost. She holds me tightly in my arm. Unlike the ghost, I can''t breathe underwater. I struggle hard, but she is as strong as Hercules. I use my elbow to hit her and try to scream for help.


    Wrong move! The water fills my lungs. I cough and close my mouth.


    She doesn''t let me go no matter how much I try to free myself. We sink deeper into the water. I see more pale ghostly arms in the bottom. If she takes me down with her, they will not even find my body. I dig my nails in her arms and thrash my legs hard. Each second feels like an eternity.


    I am going to die here. I don''t want to be these damn things in my afterlife.


    ***


    Sung Jun finds her in the arms of a demon. Beneath them in the dark, there are at least ten water demon''s spawns crying for their mother to bring back the ''food''.


    He swiftly makes a seal in the direction of the water demon holding Aisa. It hits both of them. The demon let go of Aisa and snarls at him. He makes another seal and throws it again toward the water demon. The water demon avoids it but doesn''t fight. It knows the difference between their levels and swims back to the bottom before another seal can find the mark.


    The pale hands disappear like they were never there. Sung Jun drags Aisa''s lifeless like body to the ground. His heart drops to his stomach when he realizes that she isn''t breathing.


    He pinches her nose and covers her mouth with his. Her lips are so cold that he flinches.


    At this point, people have gathered around them. Even Fang Qi, Ms. Sung, and the headmaster are there. Someone calls the ambnce. The next few moments are silent and heavy.


    When Fang Aisa starts breathing, everyone releases their breaths. Sung Jun doesn''t feel the same relief. She hasn''t regained consciousness.


    "Move!" Someone pushes him away. Sung Jun res at the paramedic. He apologizes to Sung Jun when he notices his red eyes.


    "We are here to help her."


    He doesn''t leave her side no matter what. He holds her cold hand and makes a vow. He will never leave her side. He will exterminate all the things that can harm her. Those filthy things will pay for this.


    "We have to take her to the hospital." The lead paramedic softly speaks to Sung Jun. "She isn''t out of the danger yet."


    "I wille with her." His eyes never leave Aisa.


    "But..." The paramedic stops his next words when he sees Sung Jun''s expression. The boy looks like a ruthless warlord who will cut down anyone who dares to stop him. He suddenly feels that the girl is lucky to have someone like this boy.


    "Let hime." Another cold voice hits the lead paramedic. He feels goosebumps on his back and looks at the cold-eyed man.


    "If something happened to her due to your tardiness, don''t me me."


    The lead paramedic vigorously nods. He and his fellows put Fang Aisa on the stretcher gently. They don''t dy for another second. Sung Jun enters the ambnce with Fang Aisa and the paramedics while Fang Qi and Ms. Sung follow them in their cars.


    In the hospital, Sung Jun doesn''t leave for a second. He nkly stares at the pale girl. The girl''s situation is stable, but she still hasn''t regained her consciousness. Though his expression is cid, his mind is in chaos.


    Why does she have this supernatural ability?


    He left Korea because he didn''t want to follow the path of his ancestors. His mother fought with his father for him because he didn''t want to be what his father wanted him to be. The disagreement between their parents grew like a tumor and finally, it turned to divorce. Though his father loved his mother, he left her because of his decision. Sung Jun was selfish. He knew that he was the reason behind divorce and still, he dared to choose his own future. All he wanted was an ordinary life.


    A life without supernatural things. Life of an ordinary person.


    He came here to build an ordinary life away from his father. Here, he falls in love with this girl who can see and touch the things that normal humans can''t see.


    Today, she nearly died because of those vile things.


    "It''s odd." He hears the doctor speak to Fang Qi''s father. "She experienced an electric shock in the water."


    Sung Jun stiffens and stares at the white-coat doctor. His mother is watching him intently.


    "How did she get the electric shock?" Fang Qi is confused. "She fell into the water."


    "Perhaps, before she fell...she got an electric shock." The doctor eyes the report in his hands. "But...I don''t understand why she can''t wake up. She should wake up by now."


    "Useless!" Fang Qi is furious. This doctor doesn''t even know what''s wrong with his daughter. How can he treat her? He will shut down this hospital.


    "Fang Qi, calm down," Ms. Sung says softly. "Doctor Li, what do you mean?"


    "We have to wait for her test results before I can say anything." Doctor Li''s face is grave. He knows that Fang Qi can ruin his career. Despite that, he doesn''t lose his calm. "Mr. Fang, please wait for a while."


    He goes to the patient to check her pulse again.


    "What did you do to my daughter?" Fang Qi turns to Sung Jun. "I know who you are. What happened in there?"


    Ms. Sung protectively shields Sung Jun. "Fang Qi, my son saved your daughter."


    "He did something." Fang Qi clenches his fingers. "Speak now before it''s toote."


    Sung Jun already knows what happened in the pool. He doesn''t understand why Fang Aisa is also affected.


    "Water demon." He replies in a low voice. "There is a water demon''s nest in the bottom of the swimming pool. They tried to drag her to the bottom."


    After a pause, Sung Jun looks into Fang Qi''s eyes.


    "I used the banishing seals on them."

 Chapter 13: Peek-A-Boo

    Chapter 13: Peek-A-Boo


    I have been walking in loops for hours.


    I am not tired of walking. The walls keep shifting colours and patterns. Sometimes, there are even words innguages that I can''t read. I guess that those are hints, but the person forgot to write them in Chinese or English.


    I listen to the sound of ticking. With each tick, I feel heavier. I nce at my hands that have lost all colours. I am slowly dying.


    How long have I been here?


    I scratch the back of my neck and find it sweaty. When I look at my hand, I find blood.


    Well...this is not good.


    Someone isughing at my situation.


    I look up at the ck ceiling to find the owner of the voice. I find two giant purple eyes painted on the ceiling. Those creepy eyes blink at me with surprise andugh again.


    "You can see me?" I hear a voice.


    "Why I am here?" I ask nonchntly.


    "This is a prison." The ''creepy eyes'' snickers. I am sure that this thing has a bad habit of giggling non-stop.


    "My master brought you here," It speaks with expectant voice.


    I have no idea who this master is. I have been walking around for hours. The maze keeps changing, but this is the first time that I find someone to talk to...though, this person doesn''t have a mouth. It''s not even a person. It doesn''t matter. I willpromise.


    At least, I can speak to this thing.


    "So, what type of creature are you?" I sit down on the floor and lean on the wall. I rest my arm on my knees and wait for the ''creepy eyes'' to answer.


    It doesn''t reply. The eyes shift to the right and left. It''s strange. I am surprised that I didn''t have a heart attack yet. It seems to be watching out for something. Is it afraid of its master?


    "Why are you not asking about the master?"


    "Your master isn''t as interesting as you." I smile at it. "You have pretty eyes."


    "Really?" The ''creepy eyes'' perks up. "You are the first prisoner to say that. The others always scream when they see me."


    Can you me them?


    "They don''t have good eyes." I chuckle softly. "It takes good eyes to measure the value of a beauty. You have beautiful eyes."


    I can lie to save my life.


    "I know." The ''creepy eyes'' is proud.


    "My master doesn''t understand my value. I am the only one of my kind. I am the watcher and the guard of this prison. No prisoner ever escaped this prison under my eyes."


    I don''t know whether it''s trying to be funny. I am literally under its eyes.


    "They tried so hard. Some of them even broke down the walls." The ''creepy eyes''ughs like a maniac. "They don''t know."


    "What do you mean?" I look up innocently.


    "The only way to escape is prison is...." The ''creepy eyes'' pauses for a moment and squints. I wait quietly and try to look like a fool.


    "By saying the passcode. There is no door in this dimension. If the person speaks the passcode, then they will immediately teleport out of this ce."


    It narrows the eyes on me, waiting for me to ask the passcode.


    "Don''t you get bored of this ce?" I change the topic.


    There is an immediate change in the atmosphere. The creepy eyes are full of tears. "I do. It''s boring here. It''s only fun if someone is here. But master only brings someone when he wants. The prisoners don''t evenst for a week. I live here alone for a long time...waiting for the master to bring something."


    I guess it''s hard for this thing. I will also get bored like this.


    "Why don''t you leave?" My neck is itching again. I don''t scratch. The blood on my hand is dry.


    "I can''t...My master will kill me..." It starts to rain suddenly. I am wet in the tears of ''creepy eyes''. I can even taste the salty tears. Why the hell is it crying?


    "Don''t cry." I try to stop it from crying. If it keeps crying, I will drown in salty tears. "How about this? You say the passcode and leave for a while. I will stay here and guard the prison. If your masteres, I will take the me."


    The ''creepy eyes'' stops crying, but the eyes are still moist. "Why do you want to do this?"


    "I feel bad for you. You have such pretty eyes. Someone like you should see the world. There are a lot of interesting things...You should go to Paris. It''s a romantic city."


    I feel a little bad for the people of Paris.


    "You will really take the me?" The dumb ''creepy eyes'' is surprised and excited at the same time.


    "You are my best friend from today." It suddenly blurts out.


    In your dreams!


    I grin at it and say, "Yeah, we are best friends. Tell me about Paris when youe back."


    So easy to trick...


    "I will tell you everything about Paris." The creepy eyes are full of triumph. "I will be quick. Master will not know that I am not even here. Just stay put and don''t attract attention."


    Like I will be here when youe back.


    "Go and have the fun of your life." I wave my hand. "I will be waiting for you."


    "See you soon, Best friend."


    I hear it mumble.


    "Peek-A-Boo."


    It disappears from the ceiling.

 Chapter 14: You nearly killed me

    Chapter 14: You nearly killed me


    I wake up and see the white ceiling. I can smell the aseptic smell of the hospital. I sit up groggily and find Sung Jun beside me in disheveled school uniform. There are dark circles under his eyes and his skin is pale. He looks tired and ready to drop anytime.


    What is he doing here?


    "You are finally awake." He cups my face and looks into my eyes. "I have been waiting."


    "Jun, did you have a bath today?" He smiles tiredly when he hears my question and closes his eyes. He puts his arms around my waist and falls asleep.


    "I am not letting you go this time." He murmurs after gettingfortable with myp.


    "Hey, what are you doing? I am the patient here." I yell and try to push him away. His hold is tighter than an iron lock. I lightly p his cheek. He doesn''t respond at all. I put my finger under his nose to check whether he is breathing.


    This guy is just sleeping.


    "Hey, I need to go to the bathroom...."


    He doesn''t respond at all. I pinch his cheek. Soft... I will love to ogle him right now, but my need to pee is a grave emergency.


    I sigh and press the button to call a nurse. It''s barely a minute when a nurse with short hair and blue uniform rushes in.


    "You are awake." She looks at me and then, at Sung Jun. "Did he sleep? Thank God, he didn''t sleep for thest four days."


    "Can you wake him up?" I can''t afford to care about his sleep. I need to pee.


    "No, I need to call the doctor." She runs away before I can stop her.


    Hold it, Fang Aisa. You can''t wet your pants. This idiot is sleeping in yourp.


    "Jun!" I p his cheek again. "Wake up, I need to pee."


    He doesn''t wake up at all. I can hear the sound of light snoring.


    "Are you kidding me? Who told you to not sleep?" I can''t even move my waist. What if it leaks out. "Wake up, Jun."


    "If you wake up, I will do anything you ask." I am on the verge of crying. I don''t want to lose my ''left-over'' dignity.


    Just then, Sung Jun let me go. I don''t think much about it and jump off the bed. But my feet don''t cooperate and I fall on the floor, wetting my pants before I stop. Damn!


    Just then, a haggard man in a white coat walks into the room. I assume that this man is the doctor who has been treating me.


    He nces at me and says, "Miss Fang, you woke up finally."


    And he starts bawling like a child.


    "Thank God, you are awake."


    His face is full of grievances. I am dumbfounded. Are doctors supposed to get this emotional at this level for a random patient? Why he is wailing?


    Suddenly, I am no longer on the floor. I get dizzy by sudden momentum and grab his shoulder. I am being carried to the bathroom in a princess style.


    "Let me down." I wriggle in his arm. "You lying pretentious fox!" He was just pretending to be asleep earlier, wasn''t he?


    He doesn''t stop despite my protest. He lightly kicks the door of the bathroom and gets in. Then, he put me down on the floor. I notice that his shirt is wet too. Looking at my wet pants, I don''t have to guess. I am embarrassed. Both of us smell like urine.


    "Don''t you need help?" He asks me quietly. I feel like crying. Why is this devil here? He isn''t even my family. Howe the hospital administration is letting him stay?


    "Get out!" Please leave me a bit of privacy.


    He nods like a robot. "I will bring you clothes."


    "Jun."


    He stops and looks back at me. He doesn''t look anything like his usual self. There is something in his eyes that I can''t recognize. I am a bit worried. Just a bit. This is just humanity. It is just a little bit of worry a human can feel for another human. It''s not anything deep.


    "Go home and rest...I will be fine." I resist the urge to hug him and say that I am here for him


    He sighs softly and pats my head.


    "Aisa, you nearly killed me." He nts a kiss on my cheek and leaves without saying another word. It''s hard not to feel anything.

 Chapter 15: You are a bad man

    Chapter 15: You are a bad man


    The nurse is cleaning the floor and the doctor is gone. She stares at the wet patch on his shirt.


    "Your clothes are ruined. Should I bring a set of clothes for you?"


    "Bring food and new clothes." Sung Jun can tell that the nurse is interested in him. This is not the first time. It won''t best time with his unearthly looks. Does it matter to have this face when a certain someone is unaffected? His pride is repetitively shattered whenever she ignores him.


    He nces at the bathroom door. Even if it takes a lifetime...


    The nurse returns with a set of clothes. She sighs when she finds Sung Jun asleep. For thest four days, they have been harassed by this boy and the girl''s father. The doctor is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The boy refuses to leave her room and fiercely guards the room. They are sure that they will lose their jobs if the girl doesn''t wake up within a week.


    She puts a pair of clothes near Sung Jun and takes another pair to the bathroom. The girl is currently washing her face.


    "Miss Fang, I have brought you the clothes," The nurse says with a professional smile.


    The girl takes the clothes without a word.


    "We have called your father. He will be here soon."


    The pink headed girl looks at the nurse darkly. "Is that so? Tell him that I don''t want to be disturbed."


    The nurse''s ever smiling face cracks down under the pressure from that girl. Why does she have to do this? The nurse calms down when she thinks about the bonus and the trip that the hospital director has promised her and Doctor Li.


    "We will do as you wish, Miss Fang." She will only pass the message to Doctor Li. It will be Doctor Li who will take the heat. Nobody can stop Mr. Fang from doing what he wants anyway. If Doctor Li can survive this, she will take Doctor Li on that trip.


    After the nurse leaves, Sung Jun opens his eyes and stares at the kid near the bed. The semi-transparent kid is dressed in the hospital gown and there are stitch marks on his bald head.


    He doesn''t leave her here because of this vexing entities. He hates hospital and cemeteries. He even avoids visiting the beaches. These ces are houses of random ghosts and other entities. For thest four days, he has been banishing these ghosts with the only seal that he knows. He deeply regrets not learning more.


    He makes the hand seal at the foolish looking ghost kid. Just before the final move, the kid runs toward the bathroom. He runs after the boy, trying to stop him. His hand passes right through him. The kid goes right through the wall. In the next moment, there is a loud shriek.


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" There is a sound of falling. After that, there is the only sound of the shower.


    He tries to open the bathroom door. He doesn''t wait and kicks the door open. He finds Fang Aisa with a towel clumsily covering her in the bathroom''s corner. Her pink hair is dripping wet. Her skin is fair and smooth. There are droplets of water on her face and shoulder. He can''t move his eyes from her.


    "Am I alive again?" He steps closer to her. "I can touch you."


    The ghost kid is standing in the middle of the room and making a shocked face. Sung Jun suddenly remembers the ghost. His mood turns bitter when he realizes that the ghost has seen her naked.


    "Get out of here." Sung Jun growls at the ghost kid.


    The kid doesn''t leave. He gazes at him suspiciously and says, "Aren''t you the demon who hurt Aunty Zhao?"


    "I am not a demon," Sung Jun answers in a low voice. He is running out of patience.


    Fang Aisa stares at the two boys in front of her with wide eyes. One is the ghost and another is human. What''s going on?


    "You are a liar." The kid points at him with his little finger. "You are a bad man."


    Sung Jun is tired. In his eyes, ghosts are just ghosts. There is no kid or woman ghost in his eyes. Why is he dying the inevitable? So, he makes the seal again and points in the kid''s direction. But the kid has done his homework well. He runs away through the open door before the seal can bepleted.


    Sung Jun curses at his ipetence. The little kids are fast on their feet.


    "Jun, why can you see them?" Fang Aisa asks him in a grave tone.

 Chapter 16: So dumb

    Chapter 16: So dumb


    "We will talk about thister."


    He doesn''t meet my eyes and faces the mirror. The shower is still on. He is wet from the top to down. His face is red. I touch his forehead to check and find that it''s warm. Sure enough, he has a fever.


    "You have a fever."


    "So dumb..."


    "I am." I sigh when I hear the familiar words. I never knew that he can see the ghosts. Not even in my past life. How much about his life that I don''t know? Was it because of the ghosts that he suddenly left me on that day in my past life?


    He kisses me on my lips. "You are really dumb."


    It takes me a while to understand what he means. We are in the shower. I am draped in a towel. I forgot about this because of that ghost kid and Sung Jun.


    "Toote..." He presses me against the wall. The towel falls on the bathroom floor. The shower is still on. My protests are lost in his ravenous kisses. His fingers start touching me everywhere. I feel my legs weakening by his touch. This isn''t good. Will I lose my virginity again to this man?


    "Stop, you pervert!"


    "No." He licks my neck. "Be mine, Aisa."


    When I hear the familiar words, I don''t feel anything other than emptiness.


    "If you don''t stop, I will scream and call you a rapist."


    He suddenly stops and let go. His eyes are like the wolf eyeing a prey. I ignore the twirling feeling in my stomach. I pick up and towel and cover myself. I am feeling sick.


    "Do you hate my touch that much?" His voice is dangerously low. His jaw is clenched. There is only dark fury in his eyes. I have seen him like this before.


    "I do." I step away from him in hurry. That ghost is right. This boy is evil. A demon.


    "Liar." I hear him say before he walks out in long strides.


    I don''t feel relieved. I turn off the shower first. I wear the clothes in hurry. Sung Jun isn''t there when I get out. A pair of clean clothes is on the bed. I take them and put them on the chair. I take the bowl full of fruits from the table and ce it on the bed. I sit down and eat it while my mind wanders to the past.


    It''s the day before the graduation day. The ss B decides to organise a party at a hotel. Everyone is there including Sung Jun and I. I don''t feel good because of the loud noises. I leave Sung Jun with the boys and go to the washroom.


    I hide in the bathroom stall for a while. My ankles hurt because of the heels. I am not used to wearing them. But Sung Jun keeps getting hit on by the girls. He is also taller than before while I am the same. I don''t want to look like an ugly midget next to him.


    I look at the wristwatch. It''s 9:10 PM. I want to leave this stupid party now. I hope that Sung Jun doesn''t find me annoying to leave early.


    "ss President is daring, isn''t she?" I hear a girl. "To actually mix aphrodisiac in Sung Jun''s drink."


    "Looks are deceiving." I hear a second girl. "I don''t know where is that shameless girl hiding. Her boy is going to get eaten like this. Serve her right, doesn''t it?"


    I push the door and step in front of the girls. They are horrified when they see me. Good! I like this effect on people.


    "Tell me everything." I re down the girls to their knees.


    I rush to the second floor of the hotel and find the room. It''s unlocked. I find the ss president half naked on the floor and sobbing. Sung Jun is standing tall and upright while looking at the ss president with hate and disgust. His face is slightly red.


    "Leave."


    The ss president doesn''t forget to scream obscenities in my direction before running out of the room. I guess that the beauty doesn''t need any help to ward off perverts.


    "Lock the door."


    I ept the Emperor''s decree and lock the door. I don''t get close to him. I wipe my sweaty palms on my skirt.


    "Why are you standing there?" He eyes me impatiently.


    "Jun, let''s go to the hospital."


    "No, I don''t like hospitals." He plops down on the bed. "I hate girls when they do this."


    "I am sorry. I should have watched for it." I can guess that Sung Jun has gone through a lot because of his fangirls in Korea. Nobody knows, but he hates girls who are obsessed with him. It''s also one of the reasons why he is with me. Because I can scare off his fangirls, he thinks that it''s better to keep me with him as his shield.


    At first, I thought that I was the one who forced myself on him. After a year, when I realise the truth ande to know his real personality, I didn''t mind. People are full of secrets. He has his own reasons. Perhaps, I am too blind. If I can stay with him like this, I am fine.


    I sit down next to him and touch his forehead. "Jun, you have a fever."


    "So dumb..." He sps my hand. "Fang Aisa, do you love me?"


    "I do," I say without any hesitation.


    "Let''s get married after graduation day." He smirks at me


    "You are serious?" I am surprised. This is the first time when he is saying anything like this.


    "Yes." His voice is soft but firm.


    "Do you love me?" I dare to ask the question.


    "Idiot, do I have to say the words?" He suddenly pushes me down beneath him. He kisses me fervently. This is the first time when he is kissing me like this. I am surprised and happy. Did my love finally win? He finally sees me.


    "I won''t say this again. So, hear this carefully." He pinches my cheek. "I love you. Only you, understand?"


    My mouth is sealed with his lips before I can reply.

 Chapter 17: Its a nightmare

    Chapter 17: It''s a nightmare


    When I wake up, I don''t see him. My body is aching in pain. I wait for a while before I climb down the bed. I see a red patch on the bed. I take a bath and wear my clothes. Sung Jun is still not back. His things are also not there. Now, I feel anxious. Did something happen to him? I pick up my phone and dial his number. It doesn''t get through.


    Probably, it''s thework problem. I take my bag and go downstairs. My ssmates are also gone. I find the receptionist.


    "Miss Fang?" The receptionist looks at me with surprise. "Do you want to book the room for one more day?"


    "No..." I blush and look away. "Did you see Sung Jun? He is tall and good looking. He has honey brown eyes."


    "Yes, he left three hours ago." She eyes me with pity. "He paid for the room."


    "He didn''t leave any message?" What is this feeling in my heart?


    "No...Miss Fang, you should call him."


    I leave the hotel and reach home. I change my clothes and call Wang Mei. She didn''t pick up the phone as usual. I try to call Sung Jun again.


    Sung Jun never told me his address or any other phone number. Half a day is gone and there is no message. I check his social media.


    He is in Korea.


    I message him there and wait. After a while, I find that I am blocked.


    What''s going on?


    The day passes by and I don''t get any message or call. I am restless and worried. I can''t eat or sleep. Something must have happened to him. Granny Lan is also worried about me. She asks me to see him in Korea.


    "Go and find answers." She says. "It''s better to face him than worry about it here."


    Next day, I leave for Korea.


    Through his social media, I have some idea where he lives in Korea. His fangirls are a great help and a bit scary. I go to his house and get turn away at the gate.


    This goes on for three months until his butler decides to tell me the truth.


    "Miss Fang, Sung Jun has a fiance."


    There is a pity in his eyes. I hate seeing that.


    "He is getting married next month."


    "Oh!" Iugh at his butler. "Tell me, your master can''t evene out himself and tell me that? What a coward!"


    "Miss Fang, he has arranged for you to go back to your home." I hear his butler say nervously. "You should hurry back home. Your family is worried about you."


    "I should." I get up and smile at him. "Tell him, I will never love him again. In this life or next, I will never ever love him again."


    On my way back to the hotel, I copse in the taxi. When I wake up, I am lying in the hospital.


    "What''s going on?" I ask the doctor in confusion.


    "Miss Fang, you had a miscarriage," The doctor replies in English, "You have not been taking care of your body. Recently, you must have experienced a shock."


    ***


    My bowl in my hand is broken. The porcin shards pierce my skin and bring my mind back to the present. Some things cannot return. Some things cannot go back to the way it was. I don''t care whether he can see ghosts or demons. My child cannote back.


    I am tired of everything. I don''t want this second chance. I don''t want revenge. I don''t want to see these people. I just want peace. If possible, send me back to my child. Bring me back to that time when I can save my child.


    The doctor and the nursee in. They see the blood in my hand and asks me questions. I can''t respond. Their words sound like background noises.


    "Aisa?" A familiar touch.


    "Come back from the dreand." Same soft but firm voice.


    "Look at me." He waves his finger in front of my face. "This is not a dream."


    "I know...it''s a nightmare."


    He caresses my cheeks. "I am here in this nightmare with you."


    Iugh at him. "You called me a liar earlier. Did you ever look at yourself? You are worse than the worst. I will never forgive you."


    His face pales.


    "Leave. I don''t want to see you ever again." I push him away. I turn to face Lan Hui Yao. I don''t know when he came, but he is always like this. "Get me out of this ce. I hate hospitals. I hate him. Get me out of this city. Send me somewhere far away."


    "Even going to mental asylum is better than being here. I can''t even breathe. I can''t deal with this reality. I don''t want to exist here. If Fang Qi can''t even do this, he should cut my name out of the family register. I am not a Fang anyway. I will never im that I am his daughter."


    "And, tell Wang Mei. I don''t care why she refuses to talk to me. I will not forgive her either. I am leaving this ce whether you people let me or not. I will go somewhere far away. Away from anyone who makes me remember the past."


    Everything breaks out like the overflowing dam. I take a deep breath. My tears are falling on my bandaged hands. I have been broken for a long time.

 Chapter 18: Is she into kinky stuff

    Chapter 18: Is she into kinky stuff


    Sung Jun returns home and finds his friend lying on the couch. His mother is not at home. His friend is watching theedy show andughing like an idiot. He doesn''t even notice Sung Jun standing behind him quietly. Sung Jun smacks his oblivious friend''s blonde head.


    His friends fall off the couch and cry out in pain. He res at Sung Jun. When he can''t win at the ring game, he pouts and makes a face.


    "I have been here for four days." He sits on the floor cross-legged. "I didn''t even see your shadow. You suddenly appear and hit me. When I asked aunty, she said that you are with your future wife. Who is this sister inw of mine?"


    Sung Jun says nothing. He goes into his room and shuts the door. After twenty minutes, he returns after a bath.


    "I am not getting up until you tell me about my future sister inw." His friend yells when Sung Jun ignores him and goes to the kitchen. "When did you be a gigolo? Did my future sister inw agree to let you sell yourself? I thought that you were asexual."


    "Jae, shut up."


    Bae Jaemin crosses his arms over his chest. "I have been harassed for days after you left. Who told you to be handsome and rich? Your father made my life hell. Say, am I not your cousin? Aren''t we friends? "


    "First, decide whether you are my friend or cousin." Sung Jun sits down at the couch while taking a bite from the apple.


    "Jun, I am d to see you." Bae Jaemin changes his tune and hugs Jun''s knees with tears in his eyes.


    "You don''t know how I spent each day of my life after you left. Your fangirls are super scary. They bullied me every day. Once they stole my clothes when I was at the swimming pool. Other time, they tried to break into my apartment. In particr, In-ha is crazy. "


    Sung Jun shrugs nonchntly.


    "Your father is crazy, Jun. He gave me the night shifts. Would anyone believe that he is rted to me?"


    "I don''t think that he cares." Sung Jun''s words are not without reasons. Bae Jaemin is Sung Jun''s distant cousin. Bae Jaemin''s mother is a niece of Sung Jun''s grandfather. Sung Jun is sure that his father doesn''t even care about this rtion.


    Bae Jaemin doesn''t care about it either. He is three years older than Sung Jun, but they are practically raised together because of Bae Jaemin''s mother. She wants Sung Jun and Bae Jaemin to be close. Though his mother''s motives are selfish, Bae Jaemin genuinely cares about his friend.


    "Jun, why did you leave me? Am I not your friend? I always had your back. Why did you leave me there and became a gigolo here? Are you showing your hidden side after leaving Seoul?"


    Sung Jun stands up abruptly and kicks his stomach. "You are not allowed to call me that."


    "Everyone on the inte is calling you that." Bae Jaemin retaliates.


    "Who is that daredevil? Does future sister inw knows her?"


    "They are the same person." He takes another bite from the apple. He is feeling bitter and frustrated. Her empty eyes scared him at that time. She responded after hours. At that time, he was scared to death. He never felt that helpless.


    He can''t understand why he is worried about a crazy girl like this.


    What''s she doing now? Is she still crying? What if the ghosts are troubling her at her home? Han Soo has exorcised the ghosts around her house, but there are always random ghosts appearing out of nowhere.


    "Howe?" Bae Jaemin doesn''t notice the changes in Sung Jun''s face. "Is she into kinky stuff?"


    He gets another kick from Sung Jun.


    "Why would she try to make you her gigolo when you are her boyfriend?" He lies t on his back and rubs the ce where Sung Jun''s kicked. He is too interested in gossip to care about the pain.


    Sung Jun sighs and says, "She tricked me."


    "Tricked?" Bae Jaemin thumps up. "My future sister inw is something. She has my approval if she can outwit a person like you."


    "Did you bring the information?" He changes the topic.


    "The story of the Fang family is not anything new. There was evil and insane sorcerer once. Hemitted a lot of atrocities. Later, he was killed by a great Taoist master." Bae Jaemin makes a serious face.


    "The story doesn''t end there. That ck wizard had a son. The great Taoist master sealed the child''s powers. The Fang family of H city is the descendant of that evil sorcerer. Over the years, the council noticed that only one child of each generation inherits the sorcerer''s powers along with the seal."


    Sung Jun didn''t have to guess that Fang Qi and Fang Aisa are the ones who inherited the dark sorcerer''s powers.


    "Twenty years ago, thest descendant went through a life and death experience during a trip. The seal was broken at that time. Since then, he can see ghosts."


    Sung Jun intently listens. He finds it odd, but he doesn''t question Bae Jaemin.


    "Thankfully, he is thest one. His son didn''t inherit the dark sorcerer''s blood."


    Sung Jun frowns slightly. Fang Qi has two children. Fang Aisa obviously has the ability to see and touch ghosts.


    "Good riddance!" Bae Jaemin stretches his arms. "The council are paranoid about these people. We can never tell when the seal is broken and they join the dark side."


    "He has two children."


    "No, Fang Qi has only one son. That''s what the records show." Bae Jaemin brings out his tablet and taps a few times on the screen. "See, Fang Qi only has one son. His name is Fang Rui."


    Sung Jun speaks nothing as he eyes the screen. This is odd. Why would council hide this information?

 Chapter 19: How should I end your life

    Chapter 19: How should I end your life


    I take the sip of my second coffee and wait. It''s been three days since my outburst at the hospital. Lan Hui Yao brought me home on the same day. Next day, he called and told me that he can send me somewhere far away if I still wish to. I haven''t answered him yet.


    Yesterday, I received an unexpected message from an unknown number. That person told me that I should meet him at the spot where I was reborn.


    I was suspicious of the message first. Why suddenly? It''s been more than a month since I am reborn. Who can this person be? Not anyone normal. Anyway, I want to see this person. If this person is rted to my rebirth, he is getting a beating. If it is a prank, he is still getting a beating. After this, I am going to the school to find that ghost at the rooftop,


    A white cat jumps on the table. I am startled. The coffee cup falls on myp but doesn''t spill over my clothes. A miracle. I tightly hold the cup and frown at the cat.


    "Yo! Finally, found you."


    I look around. The coffee shop is not crowded. I am sitting alone on the table near the window. I can see the corner where Sung Jun and I met for the first time in my both lives. That''s also the ce where I was reborn.


    "We were supposed to meet there." The white cat with beautiful heterochromia eyes is licking its paw. Its one eye is yellow and another eye is blue.


    I turn my gaze away. This cat is beautiful, but I am not a cat person or a dog person. I am immune to beautiful people or animal after being around Sung Jun for a long time.


    "Hey!" The cat''s paw is up. "Why are you ignoring me?"


    I don''t answer. I stare at the cat nkly. I look around the coffee shop. Nobody is paying attention to the talking cat. Am I going crazy? What is this disease called? Shit! I was not serious when I said that going to mental asylum was better than living like this. Dear God, please don''t take me seriously. I don''t want to go to a mental asylum. Seeing ghost is enough insanity.


    "Don''t worry. They won''t notice me." The cat sits down on the table, yfully moving its tail. "We were supposed to meet at that ce." It points at the ce where Sung Jun and I met for first time with its paw.


    "What the hell are you?" I whisper to the cat.


    "I am the god of time." The white cat blinks once. "You don''t recognise your benefactor?"


    "What benefactor?"


    "I am the one who gave you another life," The cat answers me arrogantly. "I am the one who turned back time. I am the one who granted your wish. I am your sponsor, Rene Reis."


    I leave the money for the coffee on the table. I pick that cat by his scruff.


    "Hey, what are you doing? I am a god. Kneel on the floor and apologise." The cat screams and tries to scratch my face. The waitress looks at me with confusion.


    "It''s my pet. It follows me everywhere."


    "Lies! I am not your pet. Puny human! I am a god. How can you do this to me? Put me down this instant or I will incinerate you into ashes."


    I don''t reply. The people in the coffee shop looks in our direction, but they aren''t get astonished by this talking cat. I assume that they can''t hear what I can hear.


    "FANG AISA! YOU WILL REGRET THIS."


    I take the cat with me to an isted alley and throw it on the ground. The white ball rolls and jumps on its four feet. It eyes me with fury.


    "Before you start..." I crack my knuckles. "Let me tell you this. If you are really a god, I don''t appreciate your help. I didn''t want you to turn back time and give me this life."


    The cat blinks again. I have to admit. This cat with heterochromia eyes is beautiful. It can be a cat model. If I raise it, I can take its picture and put them on social media. I will gain followers and opportunities to earn money. This kind of thing is a trend in the future.


    But it''s a talking cat who thinks that it''s a god.


    "Second, if you are truly a god, I don''t think that you will be a cat. You would have incinerated me into ashes the moment I grabbed you."


    Suddenly, the catunches itself on my face. I shift to the left. The cat falls into the dumpster behind me with a crash. In the next moment, there is another loud crash right at the spot where I was standing.


    When the dust clears, I can see a boy around seventeen in a long ck coat and a mask. In his hand, there is a bare sword half dug into the spot where I was standing a moment ago.


    Cosyer? Isn''t he into his role too much?


    He stands up straight and points his sword at me. His thin lips curl downward.


    "What are you?" He asks me in English.


    "Do you know that it''s illegal to walk around with a real sword?" The tip of the sword moves an inch closer to my throat. "A foreigner like you will end up in a major problem if you attack a civilian."


    "What are you?" He repeats the question.


    "Move this sword first." I frown at the cosyer. He isn''t a psychopath who kills young girls in alleys, is he?


    "What are you?" He doesn''t move the sword.


    Behind him, the cat is making weird gestures. I don''t understand what the cat is trying to say. I smile at the boy. I must an opening.


    "Homo sapien." I put my hand in my pocket and find a coin.


    At the same time, Wang Mei appears out of nowhere. This time, her foot finds its mark. I flinch when I hear the crack. The sword falls on the ground. The boy''s wrist is broken. That must have hurt.


    To my surprise, the boy doesn''t cry or show any pain. Wang Mei doesn''t waste any time and picks up the sword.


    "Say, how should I end your life?"

 Chapter 20: If I break the oath, she will die

    Chapter 20: If I break the oath, she will die


    Three days ago...


    Sung Jun leaves Fang Aisa''s room in anger. He ispletely drenched to the skin. Water is dripping from his hair. He finds Wang Mei sitting outside Fang Aisa''s room


    "Why are you here?" He asks coldly.


    "How is she?" She doesn''t look up at him.


    "Why don''t you go in?" Why the women of this country areplicated?


    "I can''t." Her lips quiver while her eyes are full of tears. "If I go, she will be in danger."


    Sung Jun bes alert when he heard the word ''danger''. He narrows his eyes on her.


    "Why?"


    She doesn''t answer. Her shoulders are shivering. "Did she wake up?"


    "She is awake...but I can''t say if her brain is doing well." Sung Jun grits his teeth when he remembers Fang Aisa''s words. She always treats him like he is her mortal enemy.


    "What?" Wang Mei''s tears roll down on her cheeks. "Did she lose her brain? Will she die?"


    Is this woman dumb? Sung Jun shakes his head tiredly. Fang Aisa and this woman are the same. Idiots!


    "Yes, people can live without brains." He rolls his eyes. "Like you are living without the brain."


    "What? I have my brain intact in my head." Wang Mei stands up in anger. "You are joking in this situation. Tell me how she is."


    "She is awake, but she is still weak."


    "It''s my fault." Wang Mei sits down again and holds her head. "I must have done something."


    Sung Jun doesn''t want to talk to this girl anymore. His head is hurting from hearing nonsense. Fang Aisa isn''t easy to deal with. He is too angry to see her ever again.


    "It''s not your fault." He quietly tells the depressed girl. "At least, you tell me what''s the problem."


    "You can at least stay beside her." Wang Mei mumbles in low voice. "My grandmother made me take an oath to stay away from her. If I break the oath, she will die."


    He frowns. Oath? Did her grandmother not like Fang Aisa? This girl is quite close to Fang Aisa, isn''t she? She must know about her. Maybe she knows why Fang Aisa hates him.


    He sits beside the girl. He ignores the stares from the nurses and waits for this dumb girl to speak her heart out. This girl is quite simple.


    "It''s because of her grandfather. He doesn''t like me. He called my grandmother and threatened her. He said that Fang Aisa can see dead people now. If my grandmother wants Fang Aisa to live a normal life, she must never let me get close to Fang Aisa again."


    Wang Mei rubs away the tears. He has seen this girl always crying whenever it is about Fang Aisa. He doesn''t like women who always cry.


    "If I keep the friendship with her, he will not protect her anymore. Then, Fang Aisa will be taken away by evil people. I don''t understand. I was keeping my oath. Why did she fall to the swimming pool? Her fall wasn''t natural. I saw her stuck mid-air and talking to something."


    His anger has already vanished. Right now, he must find what evil wants to take Fang Aisa away. Who dares to take her away from him?


    "It is true that she can see ghosts." He nces at her. "She can also touch the ghosts. That''s not all. In the swimming pool, the demons caught her."


    Wang Mei''s grey eyes be wide in shock.


    "Demons? Wait, how do you know it all?"


    "I can see ghosts too." He sighs. This woman is truly an idiot.


    "Why am I the only one who can''t see them?" Wang Mei covers her face with her palms. "I am so useless. If I could see them, I would have killed them all."


    "You are lucky, Wang Mei." His voice is sad and regretful. "Listen, it is not your fault. I think that you should talk to your grandmother. If the Fang family could protect her, she would have never reached the hospital like this."


    Wang Mei sees the light in the tunnel. "You are right!"


    "You should also talk to her. I don''t think that she is doing good without you." If he wants to keep an eye on Fang Aisa, this girl will be quite helpful.


    "Sung Jun, thank you for saving Fang Aisa," Wang Mei replies gratefully. "Thank you for opening my eyes. Please protect her from the ghosts and demons. I will talk to my grandmother to free me from this oath."


    She nces once toward Fang Aisa''s room and bites her lips. Her eyes are resolved. She must get freed from this oath even if it takes her life. She nods at Sung Jun and leaves.


    Sung jun sighs and wonders why Fang Aisa isn''t simple like Wang Mei. Then, he might not have liked her this much if she was a simple girl.


    Only time will tell the truth.


    ***


    After Wang Mei leaves the hospital, she goes to meet her grandmother. Though she is scared of her grandmother, she dares to speak out her mind. She kneels in front of her grandmother for a day before her grandmother takes her seriously. Next day, her grandmother calls Fang Aisa''s grandfather and they have a long argument.


    Her grandmother is furious after the calls. She visits the Fang main house. She rages storms there. Grandfather Fang nearly has a stroke. After a lot of effort, Madam Fang manages to calm grandmother wang and grandfather Fang.


    Madam Fang cries when she sees Fang Qi. Fang Qi talks to grandmother Wang. He finds out about his father''s conspiracy. Everything bes clear. Grandmother Wang''s anger doesn''t go down. She abuses grandfather Fang for lying to her and using her to hurt Fang Aisa like this. It seems like a well-designed ploy. Grandmother Wang isn''t a fool. She understands that grandfather Fang wants to make Fang Aisa feel alone and submit to the Fang familypletely.


    On the third day, Wang Mei visits Fang Aisa. But, she is turned away. She waits near the door, but Fang Aisa refuses to see her. After waiting for the whole day, she leaves with a sad face.


    All of this is her fault.


    After a few days, she receives a call from Granny Lan. Granny Lan tells her that Fang Aisa is going out. Wang Mei calls her underlings to find if they have seen a pink-haired girl in the area. It takes a while, but Wang Mei finds her in the isted alley with a shady guy.


    She immediately sends a text to her new friend, Sung Jun.


    After Sung Jun has saved Fang Aisa, he has her approval. After he makes her realize the truth, she already thinks of him as a friend.


    She points the sword at the shady guy with dark wavy hair tied into a ponytail. He has pale skin and lithe figure. He has hooded eyes and high cheekbones. Wang Mei stares at his plump lips and wonders if he has been bitten by honey bee been there.


    Suddenly, a coin dashes toward the guy. He catches it with his left hand before it can hit his forehead. Wang Mei hears the cat meowing wildly and turns to look at Fang Aisa. She finds her holding a cat by its neck. Fang Aisa throws the cat right at the guy''s face.


    Unfortunately, the guy is a bit distracted by the coin and doesn''t see the cating. It hits his face at an extraordinary speed. Both the cat and the guy falls to the ground and passes out.


    Fang Aisa takes Wang Mei''s hand and runs out of there.

 Chapter 21: Let it come

    Chapter 21: Let ite


    "This is marvelous." Bae Jaemin pokes the guy lying t on the ground in an isted alley. "This country is wonderful."


    Sung Jun nces at him awkwardly bent hand. He notices that the sword is gone. "Did he meet a tier-three demon here?"


    "I don''t think so," Bae Jaemin replies cheerfully. He clicks pictures of Han Soo from different angles using his phone. "See, there are no residues of negative energy here."


    Sung Jun looks around to see the signs of demons. He can''t tell much. He regrets somewhat that he didn''t focus on learning the art of shamanism. He nces at two boys. Bae Jaemin is taking a selfie with unconscious Han Soo. He reads Wang Mei''s text again.


    [ Aisa in trouble...Alley, coffee shop, H high school.]


    There has been no other text or call from her.


    He has some idea what may have happened in this alley.


    "Han Soo, the first ranked ghost hunter of our academy, is reduced to this state. He even lost his family heirloom." Someone is happy at other''s misfortune. "What goes around,es around."


    Han Soo wants to gain the highest points in the council by hunting the ghosts and demons. While Han Soo is hardworking and upright, Jaemin is easy going and humorous. Jaemin doesn''t want status or fame. He works in the IT department of the council and he is happy and content with the desk job. Their personalities are like oil and water.


    "Jae, take him home." He has some questions. He leaves the grinning Bae Jaemin with unconscious Han Soo.


    "Hey, where are you going?" Jaemin stands up quickly. "It''s not safe. If something can harm Kyubok, it can also hurt you. What if this thing is targeting you?"


    ***


    When they cease running, Wang Mei realizes that they havee to H high school. Because it''s off today, the gates are locked. The atmosphere around the school is quiet and heavy. Fang Aisa let go of Wang Mei''s hand and walks away.


    "Aisa, I am sorry." She runs to Fang Aisa. Without any dy, she tells her everything. Fang Aisa''s face is impassive. There is a strange light in her eyes. Wang Mei is stunned to see her like that.


    "Wang Mei, thank you for proving me wrong." Fang Aisa breaks her silence after a long moment andughs loudly.


    "What do you mean?" Wang Mei is truly afraid. This is not how she imagined it. She can take her beating, but she has no idea what to do now. Fang Aisa isughing, but her eyes are full of anger and loathing.


    "I should have known. That old man is good at maniption. He will go to any extent to get what he wants."


    "Do you forgive me?" Wang Mei asks shakily.


    "It''s not your fault." Fang Aisa holds Wang Mei''s hands and smiles brightly. "You were just a fool like me."


    "No, you are not a fool."


    In Wang Mei''s eyes, Fang Aisa is the smartest person on earth.


    Fang Aisa grins at Wang Mei. "You are really naive. You should havee to me first. If you get easily manipted like this, how will you be the next head of the Wang family?"


    Wang Mei shrugs. "You are there, aren''t you? I don''t have to use my brain. I am stronger than you are. Plus, my fists can break any bone."


    "What would you have done if Sung Jun didn''t talk to you?" Fang Aisa is smiling, but her smile isn''t meeting her eyes. Wang Mei sees darkness shrouding her figure. It is barely a glimpse. Wang Mei gapes at her. Is she seeing things?


    "I..." She scratches her head and ignores it. "Aisa, your life is important. I want you to live a long and happy life. What if the evil thing finds you? Grandmother told me that your life is in danger because you can see ghosts now."


    "If the eviles, let ite." Fang Aisa gazes the sky. "Wang Mei, I will find that evil thing before it finds me."


    Wang Mei quietly observes Fang Aisa. Fang Aisa is not the same person. She can''t understand the swirling emotions in her eyes.


    Wang Mei ignores the soggy feeling in her heart and deres, "If you want to do that, you have me with you."


    Fang Aisa shrugs and nces at the locked gate of H high school. Wang Mei''s phone starts ringing. She picks up the call.


    "We are near the H high school."


    "We are okay. Aisa and I took care of the weirdo with a sword... Yes, he was wearing a ck coat. I took his sword... We will wait for you here."


    Wang Mei ends the call and looks up. She discovers that Fang Aisa is already gone.

 Chapter 22: You are warm and comfortable

    Chapter 22: You are warm andfortable


    It is rxing to ride the swing when the wind is cool and yful. The sky is getting dark. But I don''t want to go back home for a while.


    I understand why Wang Mei did what she did in my past life. Grandmother Wang and Wang Mei were yed by that old man. It was not their faults. Yet, I don''t know how to ept this. Have I been ignorant in my past life? I didn''t know about Fang Qi''s ability. I didn''t know why Wang Mei stopped talking to me. I didn''t know that Sung Jun could also see ghosts.


    I don''t know why Sung Jun left that day. I don''t know why that old man and Fang Qi hates my existence. If they hate my existence, why do they want to protect me from that evil thing? Did that old man make it up? If there is an evil thing that wants me, it should also want Fang Qi since our abilities are the same.


    Unless there is something more.


    It could be that old man who might have forced him to leave or he could have really left because he was tired of me. I can''t find out. Things are different now. It''s not like I can pretend to be in love with Sung Jun and see what that old man or Sung Jun would do in this life. Besides, I can''t trick Sung Jun twice. He is too smart to mess with.


    Everything is changing because I can see and touch the dead now.


    "Yo!" The white cat appears out of nowhere in front of me. "I found you again."


    "How did you find me?" I stop swinging on the swing. "I want to know how did you get my phone number and send a text." I can''t imagine the cat using a phone to text me. That image is too hard to digest.


    "I am a god. You are not privy to my secrets." He states it proudly and climbs the empty swing beside me.


    This cat is interesting anyway. I guess that I am the only one who can understand him. There is a possibility that I amatose after my ident in myst life. I could be in the hospital, breathing on machines and dreaming of this. This could be just a dream.


    I recall Wang Mei''s kick and scratch that thought away. I don''t have such high imagination to think of things like this anyway.


    "Why did you send me back in time?" It''s a bit absurd to talk to a cat. Talking to the dead is weird too. Gods, ghosts, demons, and humans. What''s next? Fairies?


    "It''s a long story." The cat climbs the empty swing beside me and sits down. "Your ancestor was a sorcerer. He yed with forbidden arts andmitted great sins. The firstborns of his descendants are paying the price for his mistakes. "


    There is nothing surprising anymore.


    "After a great master defeated and killed your ancestor, he sealed the first born''s abilities. Since then, the seal is passed to the first born child of each generation of that sorcerer. In your father''s case, it was broken when he went through a life and death experience. Only the firstborns carry the curse. It was supposed to end with your father, but he didn''t die when the death came for him."


    The cat stares at me strangely. "You also died once."


    "That doesn''t answer my question."


    "I sent you back in time because I chose you as my chesspiece." The cat tilts his head and wags his tail. His heterochromia eyes are shining brightly. "You are thest descendant with the curse. It means, if you die, the curse will end."


    "You want to use me," I mutter under my breath.


    "Yes." The cat mewls and blinks in my direction. When it doesn''t work, it jumps in myp and rubs his head on my hands. It''s trying to act cute, isn''t? It''s a cat no matter how I see it. Just a talking cat. Who can believe that it''s a god? A cat god or a god cat?


    "If you are a god, at least act like a god." I shove him off myp and stand up. He falls on the ground on his paws. "Why do you act like a freaking cat?"


    "I don''t have control." The cat huffs. "I can''t resist the urges, woman. Bear with it."


    "What?"


    "I am currently stuck in the body of a cat." The cat grimaces. "You are warm andfortable."


    "..." It''s notfortable to hear it from a talking cat god.

 Chapter 23: I dont want to take advantage of a fool like you

    Chapter 23: I don''t want to take advantage of a fool like you


    "I don''t care whether you are a cat or a god." I stare hard at the talking cat. "Stay away from me. I don''t want to be anyone''s pawn."


    The cat mutters something to himself and raises its paw. It points toward the bushes at the edges of the yground. I nce at the direction and see shadows standing on the other side of the bushes.


    Ghosts or demons. I can''t tell what they are. I am not close enough to see their faces.


    "They will be attracted to you like moths are attracted to mes." I hear the cat say. "Do you have the confidence that you can live an easy life?"


    I sigh. I have met ghosts, demons, a talking cat and a creature like ''creepy eyes''. What''s next? fairies? I hope that they are nice like in children''s books.


    "You are not like your father or any other Fang firstborn before you." The cat slowly walks to my side. "There are shadows around you. It is getting stronger with time. Soon, It won''t just be humans or the dead. Even death will seek you soon."


    His words are eerie and hair-raising.


    "What do you mean by death?"


    "My brother, Death, doesn''t like cheaters like you. He wille to take your soul." The cat looks sideways. "Since I helped you, he wille."


    I am speechless by his words. Death is his brother and he will seek me because this cat helped me. It means that I am going to die anyway. What kind of life is this?


    "I gave you a chance at life." The cunning cat seems to have read my mind. Heughs. "It''s up to you whether you want to waste it or make use of it."


    "The price is being used by you?" I yell at the cat.


    "I will give you what you want." The cat rolls his eyes. "Humans don''t like to do anything without benefits."


    "Screw it!" I grab the cat''s throat. "Send me back to my original life."


    "Let go!" It growls.


    "I don''t want any death god or ghosts running on my trail." I squeeze its neck. "Send me back to my original life." The cat screams and struggles against my grasp. I don''t let it go. I hope that nobody is watching me and secretly making a video. I don''t want to go to jail for animal cruelty. It''s not a real cat. It''s a god. I doubt that I can prove it in court.


    Suddenly, there is a sh of light. I close my eyes and let go of the cat''s neck because of the heat. I fall on my back. Back of my head hits the ground hard. I cry in pain. I open my eyes when I feel a pair of hands around my throat.


    A boy...no, a man. I can''t guess his age. He has milky porcin skin, wavy silver hair, and high cheekbones. There is an aura around him... like he is a moon in the dark sky. Despite the anger and obvious disgust in his enchanting heterochromia eyes, I can''t stop ogling at him.


    "Weak!" He tightens his fingers around my neck. "If I kill you now, you won''t resist."


    I don''t respond. I feel like something is wrong, but I am fine with it. A part of my mind is screaming something, but I ignore it.


    "Say, will you follow me?" The man smirks at me. "Will you do anything I say?"


    I open my mouth to agree. I naturally want to follow him. He is like a sun and I am the light. Even if he wants me to follow him to eternity, I will follow him.


    An image of a familiar boy appears in my mind. Sung Jun is beaming at me, saying something. But the words don''t make sense.


    "Not so weak." He let go of my neck. "Woman, you have some potential."


    He clicks his tongue and presses his index finger between my eyebrows. I try to keep my eyes open, but my eyelids get heavier with time. Before I fall asleep, I hear the words.


    "I don''t want to take advantage of a fool like you."

 Chapter 24: You are the only one for me

    Chapter 24: You are the only one for me


    On the other side, a mysterious blind young woman in a white long flowing dress is sitting on the highest electric pole of the city. Her long golden tresses are being yed by the wind in the dead of the night. Her thin lips are pursed into a thin line. She slightly tilts her head and sighs.


    "You never learn."


    There is a distantugh. The woman frowns and says, "Why are you here?"


    "It''s nice to see you too." After a pause, the deep voice rings again. "Little sister."


    "Tsk!" The woman furrows her delicate brows in annoyance. "You are not needed here."


    "I will fix your mistakes." The woman feels a strong pressure on her body. "You can''t control him, but I can."


    "Let me handle this." She grits her teeth in anger. The invisible force is holding her down.


    "You are too weak, Kismet." The voice mocks her. "You are easily swayed by emotions. You forget that you are a god too."


    "I have a n." Kismet hides her emotions and steady her voice.


    "This is yourst chance." The invisible presence disappears. Kismet lets out a sigh of relief. She jumps down andnds in the middle of the crowded street. Nobody notices the woman. They ignore her existence like she is air.


    "Reis, you went too far this time." She mumbles to herself and runs her fingers through her golden hair. She tilts her head to hear the whispers that nobody can hear and counts using her fingers.


    ***


    Sung Jun is leaning against the wall, cross-armed. His expression is serene while his eyes are fixed on the floor. Wang Mei is pacing in front of him impatiently. She nces at him once, then at the door of Fang Aisa''s house. Then, she looks at her phone. Fang Aisa didn''t return home. She didn''t pick up her phone either. They can''t find her anywhere.


    "Sung Jun, why are you calm?" Wang Mei is strongly resisting the urge to sh down this boy using the sword that she stole.


    Sung Jun doesn''t reply. His quiet and unfathomable dark eyes give an ufortable feeling Wang Mei. She naturally looks away, gripping the hilt of the sword.


    "You go inside and wait for her." Sung Jun tells her in a deadpan voice. "If shees back, call me."


    "Are you going to look for her?" Wang Mei asks uneasily. He looks sort of angry, doesn''t he?


    He doesn''t reply and leaves Wang Mei in front of Fang Aisa''s house. Sung Jun might look calm, but that''s a facade. Only he knows what he is feeling at the moment. He is sure that he will either die of anger or worry because of a certain girl.


    It''s already 10 PM and there is no sign of her. Granny Lan has called the main house. There are people looking for her. But there has been no news. This is the second time when he is feeling helpless.


    "Sung Jun."


    Sung Jun turns around and sees no one. Just when he is about to turn, he sees Fang Aisa near the side wall. He rushes to her side and checks on her to make sure that she isn''t harmed.


    Howe a person appears out of nowhere?


    "Fang Aisa." He calls her name softly to wake her up. She responds by grunting in her sleep. He quietly observes her sleeping face and caresses her cheeks. He rubs his thumb on her lips. This girl keeps meeting creatures that are not human. What did she meet this time? How can he protect this woman if he is this weak?


    "Jun..." Fang Aisa murmurs in her sleep. "Jun."


    "I am here." He whispers in her ear.


    "When will youe back?" She wraps her arms around his neck and asks in a sleepy voice. He can''t understand what she is speaking about. He pinches her soft cheeks and says, "Fang Aisa, wake up."


    Fang Aisa grumbles in annoyance and half opens her eyes. Her mind is in a drunken state. She res at Sung Jun and bites his lower lip.


    Sung Jun is too surprised to react.


    "You are mine." Fang Aisa proims. "Sung Jun, even if you have broken my heart, you are mine. Understand? In this lifetime, I will chop your little man into a thousand pieces if you dare to look at another woman or leave me again."


    Sung Jun opens his mouth, but the little devil kisses him again. She forced her tongue into his mouth and takes full advantage of his shocked state. Fang Aisa gets angry when he tries to push her away and kiss him harder.


    He holds her jaw away from his face and scolds, "Fang Aisa, don''t y with fire."


    "If you are fire, then I am oxygen." She slurs and grips his cor. "You are my gigolo, understand? These marks on your lips are my seals. When they disappear, I will make them again. I will see what that Korean woman can do. I will punish you in this lifetime by keeping you away from that woman."


    "Who is that woman?" He sniffs her breath to check if she is drunk.


    "Your fiancee...the woman you married." She tightly holds Sung Jun''s arm. "Jun, is she prettier than me? Is she richer than me? Is she feminine? Can she walk like a model in heels? Did you feel nothing toward me?"


    He sits down next to her and quietly listens to her questions. He doesn''t have an answer. He looks into her drunken watery eyes that shine brighter than the sun. Her skin is soft as cotton. Her cheeks are blushing red. Her lips are red and enticing.


    "Aisa, you are the only one for me." He puts the lock of pink hair behind her ear. "You will always be the one for me. I won''t ever recognize anyone else as my girl."

 Chapter 25: Who said that my revenge is over?

    Chapter 25: Who said that my revenge is over?


    Under his right eye, there is a tiny beauty mark. I trace it with my index finger and wonder why I am with him in his bed. His arms are tightly wrapped around me like I am his pillow. He is deeply asleep,pletely unaware of my light pokes on his face. He looks a lot innocent when he is asleep. I touch his long dark eyshes. This is not the first time that I have seen him asleep. It''s just that it has been a long time since I have seen him like this. I notice the bite mark on his lips. It looks like a love bite.


    I hope that it''s a mosquito bite.


    There are holes in my memory. I remember the talking cat in the yground. I also remember a sh of light and a man. But I can''t exactly remember his face. It''s like there is censored blurring on his face portion in my memories. Then, I remember that we have talked about something. I remember falling asleep. I don''t remember meeting Sung Jun.


    I certainly don''t remember going to bed with him.


    I am still wearing yesterday''s clothes. It means that nothing happened between us. I am relieved. Thest thing I want is to repeat the same mistakes.


    "You are awake." Sung Jun doesn''t open his eyes. "Sleep, it''s early morning. There is no school today."


    "Did you kidnap me?" I don''t think that I would have willingly followed him.


    He looks at me calmly. "You are back to your usual self."


    "Yes..." I have a bad feeling. "Do you live alone?"


    "No, my mother lives here too." He sits up and climbs off the bed smoothly. "Are you hungry?"


    "Your mother let me stay in your room?" Did she forget that I am a female? What''s wrong with her?


    "You wouldn''t sleep in any other room." He looks at me with amusement. "You were quite a handfulst night."


    What did I dost night? I don''t remember drinking yesterday. Sung Jun smirks at me. He is definitely enjoying this.


    He throws my phone at me. "Check your weibo."


    Now, I feel reluctant to check it.


    There is a video uploaded at 11:25 PMst night. Thements are countless. I am being bashed by Sung Jun''s fangirls without a trace of pity. I ignore thements and click on the video.


    In the video, my one arm is wrapped around Sung Jun''s neck and another arm is carrying the phone to make a video. I look like I am drunk while Sung Jun looks like he is being bullied.


    "Listen up, this man is mine. He is officially my gigolo," The ''me'' in the video says in a drunk manner. "He is my boyfriend. In the future, he will be my husband. He will stay at home while I work. He will be the father of my children. He will cook and wait for me at home. He will only seduce me in his life."


    I want to die.


    "You shameless boyfriend stealer!" The ''me'' in the video yells. "If you dare to even take a look at him or enjoy his beauty with your eyes, I will make sure that you never ever see the light again."


    I didn''t say that. That can''t be me. I can''t say things like that. I didn''t do it.


    "All women must stay away from him." The ''me'' turns to look at ''pitiable'' Sung Jun in the video. "Say, will you ever touch anyone other than me?"


    "I won''t." ''Sung Jun'' in the video looks at me like a maiden who is being threatened by a thug.


    "Sung Jun, would you ever leave me?"


    "I wouldn''t dare." ''Sung Jun'' trembles and bows his head.


    "Would you ever marry another woman?"


    "I wouldn''t dare." His skinny body ''shakes'' in fear.


    "Look at the camera." The ''me'' in the video grabs his chin. "Everyone, do you see this bite mark on his lip? This is my seal. This man''s purity is taken. He can only be mine. Understood? I will show you once more."


    The ''me'' in the video bends her head and kisses Sung Jun hard. The camera falls and the video ends.


    "What just happenedst night?"


    The devil hears my question and grins. Heughs and says, "What do you think?"


    "I don''t remember doing this at all?" I nkly stare at the phone. "Did you manipte this video?"


    "Not at all." He frowns a bit. "That''s all you. You wanted to tell my supposed fiancee that she can''t steal me from you in this lifetime."


    "That''s just drunk talk...haha..." I try to act like it''s just a mistake. "We are even, right? My reputation is ruined after this. I am sure that I will never get married. How about we go on our way? You had your revenge..."


    Sung Jun smiles at me brightly. He leans close to my face and pinches my cheeks. "Who said that my revenge is over?"

 Chapter 26: I should leave as many as I can

    Chapter 26: I should leave as many as I can


    "There''s more?" There can''t be anything worse than this video. My fate is sealed as a female thug who forces men to be her ything. No man will like a woman like me.


    "Yes." He takes my phone and types something. He returns the phone to me when he is finished. "Take a look."


    I don''t know what I am expecting. A news blog appears on the screen. I feel like my blood is draining out with each word that I read.


    ''Back on F Corporation, Fang Aisa, the wayward and illegitimate daughter of the only heir of F Corporation chased her fellow student and forced him to say that he wanted to be her personal ything. She uploaded the audio recording on her social media ounts and also misused the school broadcasting system to y the audio in her school. This has left a huge scar on the poor boy and her fellow students. She tried to attempt suicide when the headmaster of H High School and the parents opposed the idea. After spending some days at the hospital, she found the boy again and made that video. In the video, the boy is bullied and traumatized by her. The F Corporation has denied the usations and imed that the boy is actually her fiance. This doesn''t exin Fang Aisa''s actions. However, the mother of the boy has also confirmed the news and stated that the wedding willmence when both children are adults.''


    Crap!


    "But, I already have a fiance." I force the words out.


    "The Mu family broke the arrangement after they saw the video." Sung Jun pats my back lightly. "I asked someone to make sure that they get the video."


    "You!" I push his chest. "How could you do this? Nobody will believe that you are my fiance on your own volition. Besides, we are only fifteen."


    "F Corporation wants to save its reputation." Sung Jun lies down on the bed. "They contacted my motherst night after Mu family broke the arrangement. My mother agreed on the condition that you will give her grandchildren as soon as possible."


    His mother is scarier than him.


    "But..." I might have wanted this in my previous life. But things are not the same anymore. "I don''t love you."


    He blinks at me with surprise. "You still say something like that after taking advantage of mest night."


    "It was just a kiss." You are the one who bullied me countless times.


    "Yes, I wonder where did you learn to kiss like that?" He pulls me close to him. "Fang Aisa, who did you kiss other than me?"


    "Why would I tell you?" I try to free myself. "I can kiss anyone I want."


    "No." He presses me down with his body. His face is so close that I can feel his breath on my face. Involuntarily, my heart starts to beat rapidly. "Who said that my body is only yours? In that case, I should do my job seriously. You will never be free for anyone else."


    I shouldn''t have provoked this devil.


    "I am hungry." I try to change the topic.


    "You can eat me." He sucks my earlobe. I let out a moan before I can stop myself. This doesn''t help with a dangerous situation. He bites my earlobe.


    I steel myself against the things that I am feeling. "What the hell are you doing? Let me go."


    "This is my ''mark'' on you." He bites me on the neck. "I should leave as many as I can."


    "Noooo!"


    ***


    Sung Jun is taking a bath. I take this chance to escape. A boy in histe teens falls on his face when I open the door.


    "That hurts..." The boy cries in pain.


    "Who are you?" Sung Jun said that there was only his mother in the apartment. Where did this clowne from?


    "You speak Korean?" The boy jumps on his feet like a monkey. "Sister inw, I am Sung Jun''s cousin and friend. My name is Bae Jaemin. It is a pleasure to meet a great personality like you. Not only that you managed to woo Sung Jun, but you also outsmarted him multiple times. You even managed to force him to be your fiance."


    That''s not the truth, you dimwit.


    "I am super lucky to have a sister inw like you." His eyes are shining like a dog. "I will support you no matter what. You have tamed the devil himself. You are the queen."


    "..."


    "Sister inw, what do you want to eat? I can cook anything you want." He straightens his back. "I am professionally trained."


    Professionally trained to cook?


    "I have to leave now." I chuckle and close the door behind me. "Tell Sung Jun and Aunty that I went home."


    It''s better if I leave before they notice.


    "Sister inw, are you not going to spend time with me? I will show you Sung Jun''s childhood photos." He looks at me sadly. "I also know about his fangirls. I will tell you all about them."


    The offer is really tempting, but I want to save myself from the devil himself.


    "Next time." I make my way to the front door in a hurry. "You can ask my number from Sung Jun and send me the pictures."


    "I will, Sister inw," The happy boy reply while showing his teeth.


    "Goodbye, Bae Jaemin."

 Chapter 27: You will always be my daughter

    Chapter 27: You will always be my daughter


    Why was I drunkst night?


    I scratch my head. I don''t remember drinking. Heck! I only met a talking cat god. When he turned into a human being, he said something to me. I can''t recall his words no matter how hard I think. My head hurts whenever I try to recall.


    Ghosts. Gods. Secrets. Among them all, there is Sung Jun. In this life, I have turned into his fiancee. I can''t ept it. I don''t want to fall into his trap again. I am not marrying him.


    I don''t go straight to my home. I want to meet my father. How could he decide my marriage without my permission?


    I hail a cab to the fang main house. The first person I see after entering the vicinity is thedy ghost.


    "Aisa!" She is excited to see me. "You are back. I have missed you."


    "Lady, we have only met once. Stop acting familiar." I make a face. "Where is my father?"


    "Boohoo~" She ignores my question and circles around me. "Your grandfather is furious. The Mu family broke the engagement. Do you think that it''s a good idea toe here today?"


    Who cares if that old man is furious? What about me? I am dead furious. If this ghost doesn''t want to tell me, I will find Fang Qi myself.


    I notice that the servants are eyeing me peculiarly. I shrug my shoulders. I might have beenbeled as a crazy one by now. I keep walking. The ghostdy is following me while babbling about how my grandfather reacted. Her obsession with my grandfather is serious. Good! She should keep haunting that old man.


    "Young miss?" Lan Hui Yao finds me at the door. He is surprised to see me. "Are you feeling well?"


    After that day at the hospital, he called me a few times to ask me if I was doing well. I didn''t hear Fang Qi''s response to my outburst. I haven''t been kicked out of the family despite asking it out loud at the hospital.


    They can''t threaten me with the same thing again.


    "Where is Fang Qi?" I can''t hide the anger in my tone. Losing my temper might not be an answer, but I can''t control it now.


    "Young Miss, you shouldn''t call him by his name. He''s still your father." He eyes me solemnly. Lan Hui Yao and Fang Qi have been raised together. He''s also Fang Qi''s right hand. "Please wait. I will tell master about you."


    I pinch my lips tightly. I shouldn''t be throwing my temper at the wrong person. But, I won''t call him my father. He''s the one who rejected me as his daughter that day. In my past life, our rtionship was like that. We barely spoke to each other. I wouldn''t visit the main house unless it was important.


    I feel someone''s gaze on me. I turn around and find a little kid standing near the door. Half of his body is hidden behind the door. He is staring at me curiously. Fang Rui is only five at the moment. He''s my stepbrother.


    In my past life, I didn''t see him much. I was too busy with work after graduating from high school. He and I barely knew each other. I am sure that he was aware of my existence. But, he didn''t try to contact me. I think that everyone from the Fang Family was prohibited to contact me. I mostly talked to Lan Hui Yao whenever I wanted to send a message to the Fang main house.


    "Rui-er."


    A petite woman walks to him. Chang Meng. She''s my stepmother. She''s a stranger to me. I don''t think that we have ever exchanged words.


    She gives me a gentle nod before dragging Fang Rui away from the spot.


    "Mother, I want to talk to my sister."


    "Your father won''t like it."


    "Why I can''t talk to her? She is not a bad person."


    Their voices be faint. I don''t hear how she answered him. It must have been Fang Qi who prohibited everyone from talking to me. This family is not my family. I am just an unwanted stranger in this family.


    Fang Qi steps inside the room. His expression is neither cold nor warm. He sighs as he takes a seat opposite me. I wait for him to say something first. He doesn''t say anything. The air around us turns gloomy.


    "Cut me out of the Fang family register." I give myself a mental p for keeping my voice that calm. "I don''t want to be called your child in public."


    He narrows his eyes at me. The anger in his eyes is evident. Why he is angry though? I am giving him what he wants.


    "Is that you want to discuss?" He scoffs at me. "You will always be my daughter. I am not cutting your name out of the family register."


    Iugh at him. "Mr. Fang, I don''t intend to be the dog who guards the house while waiting for the right master to grow up. Fang Rui is your son. You should be the one who takes care of thepany. Stop being a coward."


    Both of us can see the dead. It doesn''t mean that I will stop living my life. I won''t hide inside my house. If the deade to pick on me again, I am going to teach them all a lesson.

 Chapter 28: did you do it with her?

    Chapter 28: did you do it with her?


    "Come and live at the main house." He ignores my sarcastic remark. "From now on, you will get all the rights that you should have as a daughter of mine. I am choosing you as the heir of the F corporation."


    I can''t help butugh at his words. This man has never treated me as his daughter. I ask him to cut me out of the family register and he changes his tune. He is saying that he will recognize me as his daughter from now on. If I believe his words, then I am a dog.


    "You want to dupe me?" I raise my brow. "I don''t want F corporation. You can''t entice me with the position of the heir."


    Who wants his money? Taking this offer means getting a cor around my neck.


    "What do you want then?" His expression turns grave. "You seem interested in that boy. It''s not legal to buy him as a... "


    He bes silent. He looks away, slightly embarrassed. He didn''t seem to be embarrassed when he offered to buy the gigolo in the headmaster''s office. He must have lost his reasons due to anger at that time. Why he is still uttering nonsense now?


    "Gigolo." I help him with the words. "Male prostitute."


    He clears his throat awkwardly. He doesn''t meet my eyes. "I tried to pay for him. His mother denied it by saying that it''s not legal to sell an underaged boy. It''s okay to book him unofficially. When he bes an adult, he wille to the Fang family and be yours permanently. Until then, she asked me to engage you to him to take care of the media."


    I stare at him. Is he normal? Sung Jun''s mother doesn''t seem normal either. Are both of them conspiring against me? What kind of mother agrees to sell her son? What kind of father buys a gigolo for his daughter? I just can''t wrap my head around it.


    I can''t make sense of what they are actually thinking. Seeing ghosts make more sense. I prefer dealing with my grandfather most. At least, he acts like a normal selfish old man.


    "I don''t want that boy. I don''t want to be engaged to him."


    "It''s already done." He doesn''t nce at me. His shoulders are tensed. "If you want something else, tell me directly. Move to the main house."


    I get it. These are just tactics to keep me in the family. Until I be legally adult, I have no choice.


    It doesn''t matter what I say. He''s going to keep me tied to the Fang family.


    "You want to know what I want?" I cross my arms. It''s annoying to see that he''s not meeting my eyes. "I will break all ties with you when I be an adult. You can''t stop me then."


    "Fang Aisa." Fang Qi res at me. "You don''t understand anything. Just do as I say."


    I let out augh. If I don''tugh, I will end up screaming at him. I don''t want to understand ''anything''.


    "You rejected me that day as your daughter. Today, I reject you as my father."


    I leave the room before he can say anything more. He is the one who severed it first. Does he think that I will ept the rights as his daughter just because he says so?


    ***


    Sung Junes out of the room after the bath. Fang Aisa is gone. He runs his fingers through his wet hair. Bae Jaemin is lying on the couch and looking at the phone''s screen with a perverted grin on his face. Heughs like an idiot as he reads thements on the video.


    Sung Jun throws the wet towel on his face. "Why didn''t you stop her?"


    "Who?" Bae Jaemin removes the towel from his face. "Oh, you mean her. I didn''t know that I was supposed to stop her. By the way, did you do it with her?"


    Sung Jun ignores his question and goes to the kitchen. He didn''t have breakfast. He wonders if Fang Aisa had breakfast. He calls her phone. He hears the sound of ringing from his bedroom. He sighs and disconnects the call.


    "Jun, look." Bae Jaemin runs to him and shows him the screen of his phone. "You and sister-inw have be quite famous. They are making up interesting stories. Even your ssmates from the academy havemented. I am surprised that there isn''t a single response from In-Ha."


    Sung Jun and Fang Aisa have be popr. He is the boy who is forced to be engaged with Fang Aisa. Some people arementing that he is actually a male escort and they have brought his services. Simrly, Fang Aisa is called a spoilt girl. There are some disturbingments, but Sung Jun ignores them.


    "Why are you checking on In-Ha?" Sung Jun prepares the breakfast for himself. His mother is not at home. Since she has started working as awyer again, she''s busy most of the time. He knows that his mother is happy after returning as awyer.


    "She is the one who bothered me the most." Bae Jaemin shivers when he recalls how many times Park In-Ha has threatened him. She''s the one who antagonized Sung Jun''s fans against Bae Jaemin. It is natural to keep an eye on a troublesome person. It''s strange that she hasn''t reacted to the news yet.


    Sung Jun finishes the food. He has no interest in talking about Park In-Ha. "I am leaving."


    "Where are you going?" Bae Jaemin follows him to the door. "Can Ie with you?"


    "No."

 Chapter 29: Goodbye

    Chapter 29: Goodbye


    Fang Aisa never reaches home. Her body is recovered after ten days of search in the river. It is ruled out as suicide because of her history of suicides. Fang Aisa sent three text messages from her phone before she was seen jumping off the bridge by the passerby.


    Her first text message is sent to Fang Qi.


    ''Dear Father,


    This is probably the first time andst time I am calling you my father from my heart. I am taking Fang''s curse with me. After this day, you will no longer suffer because of the curse. Live your life. Take care of your family. Tell Granny Lan that I have decided this on my own. Nobody is to be med for my disappearance. Goodbye.


    Your daughter,


    Fang Aisa''


    Her second text message is sent to Wang Mei.


    ''Live well. Be a good leader. Don''t be afraid of Grandmother Wang.''


    Her third text message is sent to Sung Jun:


    ''Thank you for loving me. I cannot ask for anything more. I hope that you live your dream after I am gone. Don''t choose the path of your ancestors. Live the ordinary life that you wanted to live. Marry a good woman who can make you happy. Make a family. I wish you a happy life.''


    After reading the goodbye texts, Fang Qi tries to contact Fang Aisa. Nobody picks up the call. Sung Jun and Wang Mei also try to call her, but their calls are disconnected. They try to find Fang Aisa. They find the phone near the bridge.


    When Fang Aisa''s body is recovered, her body is barely recognizable. Her family and friends confirm the identity of the body by her clothes, her wallet, and her hot pink hair.


    On her funeral, Fang Qies with his wife and son. Her grandfather alsoes for the sake of his son. Granny Lan doesn''t attend the funeral because she is hospitalized from the shock. The Wang family, Bae Jaemin and Ms. Sung also attend the funeral.


    When everyone is gone, Sung Junes with a bouquet of lilies. He put the flowers on her coffin and stares at her unsmiling picture for a long time.


    "You would rather die than be with me, is it?" He asks the picture, almost hoping to see her ghost arising from her coffin. But even her ghost refuses to answer his question.


    "The woman who could make me happy was only you."


    Sung Jun doesn''t say anything anymore. He leaves the funeral hall. He is sure that his heart also died with Fang Aisa.

 Chapter 30: Your heart wants him

    Chapter 30: Your heart wants him


    It''s a radiant day. There is a fresh and sweet fragrance of spring in the air. I take a sip from my coffee and gaze out of the window. The valley is full of plum blossom. The streets are being decorated for the spring festival. Everything is vibrant and bursting of colors.


    The cat in myp purrs and swings its white tail. I snicker and put it up on the table. It''s my eighth death anniversary. I can''t help but feel amused at the thought.


    "Do you regret it?" The cat opens its yellow eye and asks me again on my death anniversary like it''s a custom.


    "No." I keep my voice steadfast and confident. There is no room for regret or doubt.


    "That''s good." The cat shuts its one eye. "When you take this path, there is no return."


    "Or you won''t let me return." I glower at the cat. "I know our deal. I won''t go back or contact them again. I even changed my name and faked my age. I am pretending to be three years older than I am." Reis managed to get me a fake identity card. When I asked him how he did it, he replied that he could do anything because he was a god.


    If he could do anything, he wouldn''t need me. Would he?


    Since then, he always states that he is a god when he doesn''t want to answer a question or reveal his secrets. Whenever I tried to press him to tell me his secrets, he would take his human form. His human form has a special undesirable effect. It would turn off the logical part of the human brain off. That''s the reason why I acted like a drunk girl and made that video with Sung Jun that night.


    The cat yawns and gets down from the table. With a sh of light, he changes into his human form. I look away instinctively and take out my sunsses from my pocket. I wear them and avoid looking at him.


    "It''s been eight years, Eshe." I hear him speak in his deep and maic voice. I am still not used to my new name. "You are still mentally weak."


    I had gone through a lot because of his human form''s enchanting effect. Heughs at me because I am not immune to it. He made me do exercise every day at five of the morning to be physically and mentally fit for thest eight years. I wonder if this is my personal hell.


    "Tsk!" I shift in my chair. "You are a god of time. Why do you age with me?" Surprisingly, he looks somewhere in histe twenties. I am currently twenty-three, but my age is twenty-six in the papers. I thought that the gods were immortal.


    "I don''t want to make you jealous of my anti-ageing ability." He takes the chair opposite me. His silver hair covers most of his forehead. He is wearing a dark blue shirt and grey trousers. The rays of the sun fall on his face, making him look like an angel. He has a special aura around him.


    I look away again. The sky is blue and cloudless. Five months ago, we came to this vige. Tomorrow, we are leaving. Living here is quite peaceful. Maybe, when everything is over, I wille and remain here permanently.


    "Your heart wants him." Reis makes another unwantedment. "After learning the truth, you could have gone to him and yet, you chose to follow me."


    "The truth didn''t change the circumstances back then." I finish my coffee. "Cook roasted meat for lunch today. I am going for a walk."


    "I dare you to take off the sunsses andmand me again, woman" Reis yells behind me. "I am a god. I am not a cook. Come back here. You didn''t do the cleaning."


    I run out of the front door before he can catch me. If he takes my sunsses off, he can make me do anything.


    I ride my bike to the vige. Today, It is myst bike ride on these mountain slopes. I don''t know where I will go after today. I know that I am not going back to H City. Sometimes, I wonder how they are doing. Because I have been investing in some businesses, I have news on the Fang Corporation. Fang Qi, my father, has taken the position of CEO. My grandfather is already dead. I wonder if Granny Lan is doing well.


    The Wang family are doing well too. Wang Mei has taken the role of the family head three years ago. I heard that she married Bae Jaemin two years ago. I didn''t expect that. That''s not what happened in my past life. Both of them are too different to be together. Anything is possible in this world.


    I don''t know how Sung Jun is doing. I never check his news. I don''t think that I have the courage. When I learned why he left me in my past life, I could only me myself. Learning the truth doesn''t change anything. I could only leave them before the circumstances force them to leave me eventually. Probably, my reasoning is wed and my decisions are wrong. At least, my fake death closed all the loose ends.


    I stop in front of thendy''s house. I need to get back the deposit. Reis never interacts anyone other than me in human form. Everyone knows him as Rene, the cat. So, it''s my job to deal with these chores except for cooking. Reis handles the cooking because he hates anything that I cook except coffee.


    Currently, Reis is going through a heavenly trial because he broke severalws. So, he must eat despite being an immortal. In short, the god of time and the god of fate are fighting. Reis doesn''t remember what started the fight because it happened some indefinite time ago. Now, it''s a matter of pride to give up now. To annoy the god of fate, he turned back time and brought me back to the past. This way, he changed my ''fate'' and screwed up the fate''s design. He chose me because of my lineage. It''s my misfortune that I am mixed up in their mess.


    What we can expect when a cat is a god?

 Chapter 31: I am Eshe Yu

    Chapter 31: I am Eshe Yu


    "Eshe?" Thendy calls out my name before I can knock. Thendy tells someone, "She''s here."


    "Yes, Aunty, it''s me." I push open the door and ask the question for the umpteenth time. "How do you always know before I knock?"


    Thendy doesn''t answer my question as always. Instead, she speaks to the guest. "You can talk to her and tell me what you have decidedter."


    Her guest is twenty-something, dressed in khaki clothes with her dark hair tied up in a ponytail. From her get up, I guess that she is a wildlife photographer. She might be the new tenant.


    She narrows her eyes and points her finger at me. "Fang Aisa!"


    Crap!


    "The mentally unstable girl whomitted suicide eight years ago? She was quite famous back then. You are not the first person to mistake me for her."


    "But you look exactly like her." The woman walks to me to take a closer look. "She would have looked just like you if she was your age."


    "I am Eshe Yu." It''s been eight years. I am on the other side of the country. What are the chances of running into someone who knows Fang Aisa?


    "Yes, it''s not possible. Fang Aisa died eight years ago. There was even a funeral." There is a fake pity in her eyes. She does look strangely familiar.


    The ss president.


    Of all the people in the world, it''s her from my past who meets me after my fake death.


    "That''s sad." I want to leave this vige right at this instant. I don''t want the deposit anymore. "Do you need me for something?"


    "My name is Wei Su Su. I am an anthropologist. I am here for work." She smiles at me politely. "I need a quiet ce for my studies. I learned about the ce that you are currently renting. I heard that you will leave tomorrow. I don''t have a ce to stay tonight. Can I stay at your ce?"


    "No." Her face ashen when she hears my reply. "I am leaving today. Actually, I am here to take the deposit. I need to pick up my cat from the cottage. After that, it''s all yours."


    "This is wonderful." She chimes happily. I go to myndy. She hands me an envelope before I can say anything.


    "I will miss you, Eshe." Thendy''s words don''t meet her stiff facial expressions. "Don''t forget your cat."


    "Thanks for the reminder, Aunty. I will miss you too." I turn to my former ss president. "Wei Su Su, can you wait here for a while? I will give you the keys when I am back from the cottage."


    "Sure."


    I hurry back to the cottage. I can smell the roasted chicken when I get closer to the cottage. I stop in front of the cottage and wear my sunsses. The delicious smell of roasted chicken waters my mouth. It''s a pity that I won''t be able to eat it now.


    "Wee back." Reis is sprinkling something on the roasted chicken. His beautiful heterochromia eyes are focused on the chicken. He looks like a normal person right now.


    "Reis, we have to leave now," I tell the god of time. "Someone from my school is here."


    He stops sprinkling and frowns at me. "Did that person recognize you?"


    "Yes, but I handled it." I pick up the bags. I have already done the packing to avoid the rush at thest minute. "She is the new tenant. She will stay with us overnight if we don''t leave. It''s better to sleep on the street than live with that person."


    "As you wish then." With a sh, Reis turns back into Rene, the cat. "Pack the chicken. We will eat it on the road."


    I nod and pack the chicken. We lock the house and put the bags on the bike. Rene sits atop the bags. We rush to thendy''s house. I leave Rene with the bike and the bags. I go inside and find Wei Su Su and thendy chatting while drinking tea.


    "Eshe, you are leaving?" Thendy doesn''t look surprised to see me.


    "Yes, Aunty." I give her the keys and take a nce at Wei Su Su. She is texting on her phone. I guess that she isn''t suspicious. After all, dead people don''te back to life.


    "Have a safe journey." Thendy smiles at me stiffly.


    "Take care, Aunty." I nod at her.


    "Eshe?" Wei Su Su clicks a picture of me. "I hope you don''t mind."


    "Please delete that." I scowl at her. "I don''t like anyone taking my pictures without my permission."


    "Oh, I am sorry." She furrows her brows and deletes the picture. She shows me the screen. "See, it''s deleted."


    "Good." I let out a sigh of relief. I bid them goodbye and get the hell out of that ce.

 Chapter 32: You dared to fool me

    Chapter 32: You dared to fool me


    To the world, Fang Aisa died eight years ago. Before her death, Fang Aisa was considerably famous among her ssmates. Her actions left a profound impression on the people around her. First, it was Wu Xiang, the substitute math teacher, who imed her to be a genius. Next, there was a strange broadcast where the hottest boy of the school dered to be her ything. She even jumped from the roof into the swimming pool on that same day. Finally, the same hottest boy in the school jumped from the window to save her from drowning.


    Her ssmates got another shock when they saw the video on her Weibo. Then, they heard the news of her death. Because of these series of events, nobody from her ss can forget her to this day.


    On her eighth death anniversary, the school group on the chatting app stays quiet for all day. Nobody dares to say a joke or send a funny meme. After all, the hottest boy in the ss and Fang Aisa''s best friend are also in the group.


    The ss president suddenly uploads a picture with a text in the group.


    [Found Fang Aisa''s doppelganger]


    In the picture, a tawny-skinned woman in her early twenties is seen. She has an oval face and dark eyes. She is dressed in a ck t-shirt and jeans. Her long dark hair is free and untamed. The woman is quite attractive. She resembles young Fang Aisa a lot, especially the nose.


    [Oh my god! She looks exactly like her.]


    [I thought the same, but she isn''t her. Her name is Eshe Yu. She is three years older than us. She is a travel blogger.]


    [Really? This is amazing. I guess the legends are true. There are many people in the world with the same face.]


    [She is way hotter than Fang Aisa.]


    [ss President, where are you?]


    [I am in the XX Vige. It''s quite far away from H City.]


    [Is she there with you? I want to ask her out.]


    [No, she left the vige a while ago.]


    [That''s a pity. I always had a crush on Fang Aisa.]


    [He Yong, aren''t you forgetting Sung Jun and Wang Mei?]


    He Yong goes offline.


    [Let''s pray that Fang Aisa''s soul finds peace.]


    [ss President is right. We should pray for Fang Aisa''s soul.]


    The group goes quiet.


    Wang Mei reads the messages quietly after four hours. She is stunned to see the resemnce in the picture.


    "She looks just like her." Wang Mei shows the image to Bae Jaemin. "isn''t?"


    Bae Jaemin pushes the spectacles on his nose. "You are right. She looks just like my sister inw. We should send this picture to Sung Jun."


    "I don''t think so." Wang Mei stares at the screen. "Fang Aisa is dead. He needs to move on."


    Bae Jaemin takes the phone away from Wang Mei and forwards the picture to Sung Jun. "If my brother wants to move on, this picture will never affect him. If he doesn''t, then it is good that there is someone who looks just like her."


    When Wang Mei understands his meaning, she is angry. "Will you take any woman who looks like me as your next wife after I am dead?"


    Bae Jaemin purses his lips. He wants to say yes, but he is afraid that his gangster wife would break all of his bones if he tells the truth. "Wife, there can never be anyone who looks like you."


    "Did you forget that I have a twin sister?" Wang Mei points her fist at him. "Wang Ying Yue is my identical twin."


    Bae Jaemin mentally curses himself. How can he forget this little detail? Ayer of sweat forms on his forehead. "Wife, she might be your identical twin, but she doesn''t look anything like you. Your mboyant red hair and your murderous aura are unique. She can never kick like you." How can he forget that she was the one who beat up the infamous Kyubok with a kick? It was also the reason why he noticed her.


    Meanwhile, Sung Jun is standing at the bridge in H City. In his hand, there is a packet of savory dumplings. He throws the packet in the river. There is a lingering regret in his eyes.


    He gets the text from Wang Mei and sees the picture along with two words.


    [School Group]


    He opens the school group in the chatting app. He reads all the messages quietly. His lips curl up into a yful smile. His eyes light up.


    "You dared to fool me." He murmurs to himself while keeping his eyes on the screen. "Fang Aisa, how should I punish you for tormenting me like this?"

 Chapter 33: Did his boss just get abducted?

    Chapter 33: Did his boss just get abducted?


    A woman, dressed in a backless sequin sea green mini dress and ck stiletto ankle boots, is sitting alone in the club. Her silky ck hair is waist long and wavy. Her long legs and narrow waist attract many lustful looks. However, the woman isn''t paying attention to anyone. Her listless gaze is fixed on the drink while she swirls it in her hand.


    The bartender gives her another drink and whispers some words to her. He points at the back of the bar. The woman with dark eyes looks over her shoulder and smiles at the man. The man smirks back and casually walks over. He takes the seat next to the woman.


    "Cai Xuan always picks up the best one." One of the drunk men on the second floor takes the bet money from the other. "He never loses the bet."


    "Tch! All women are the same. They always pick up the bad boys." The other middle-aged man grumbles. "I thought that she was here for only drinks. She rejected every man other than him for thest four hours."


    "Cai Xuan has the charm." The third manughs loudly. "He always gets the woman."


    "She has tits." The middle-aged man goggles up at the woman. "And those long legs."


    There is a loud crash from the next room. The three men shut up in surprise. The second floor is full of private rooms. It''s four in the morning. Most people are gone or too drunk to sit straight. They didn''t expect someone to be in the next room at this time. When they look downstairs, Cai Xuan and the woman are nowhere to be seen.


    In the private room, the attendant nervously cleans the shattered ss from the floor. She trembles in fear when the man suddenly gets up. She doesn''t dare to look up. When the man walks out of the room, the attendant feels like her soul has returned to her body.


    The man''s expression is calm. There is a slight smile on his lips. His deep ck eyes have a mischievous glint. However, the people in the bar visualize him as a devil is walking in a human form and he is ready to bring forth hell for the people who have wronged him.


    "Which pool soul managed to offend this great devil?" The bartender mumbles to himself as he watches the man leave the club.


    In the car, Cai Xuan hands over a water bottle to the woman. The woman takes the water bottle and signals him to drive the car.


    "I didn''t recognize you, Miss Yu." His tone is mellow and submissive.


    "Cai Xuan, I didn''t expect you to be a Casanova after I left."


    Cai Xuanughs submissively when he hears the woman. "Miss Yu, your appearance has changed a lot after five years." And the way she dresses too.


    "A ve should recognize his master regardless of master''s appearance." Her tone is cold and hair-raising. Cai Xuan doesn''t dare to look at her seducing legs. He can''t forget the first time when he met this woman. She broke his five bones just because he dared to grab her shoulder. He still feels dull aches in the parts that she broke five years ago.


    "Miss Yu, what brings you back to C city?" After she disappeared five years ago, he lived heavenly life. The real owner of the business was gone. The business was flourishing. He earned a lot and he spent a lot. The time for paying back hase for him. To be honest, he didn''t think that she would ever return.


    "I am here for a task." Miss Yuzily stretches in the seat.


    Cai Xuan scratches the back of his neck. His eyes keep wandering to the low cut neckline of her dress. Cai Xuan is a man too. This is certainly the test for him by his boss. He knows that his boss will turn him into a eunuch if he even touches her once.


    "Drive me to Hotel G." Miss Yu''s voice ismanding.


    "I will, Miss Yu." Cai Xuan''s heart is beating rapidly. The atmosphere is too tense for him. Why would she dress like that? He doesn''t dare to think that she wanted to seduce him. He won''t take that risk.


    "Cai Xuan, are you okay?" Miss Yu''s voice is half drunk and half sleepy.


    "I am fine, Miss Yu." He coughs twice and keeps his eyes on the road. There is a long silence. Cai Xuan doesn''t dare to steal another nce. He is sure that the woman would stab his eyes if she finds out that the desires in his eyes. He stops his car in front of Hotel G and let out a sigh of relief. It''s still early in the morning.


    "We have reached, Miss Yu."


    Cai Xuan dares to look at the woman when there is no response from her. Miss Yu has fallen asleep. He gently calls out her name several times, but she is sleeping like a pig. He is in dilemma. Should he touch her or not?


    No, he loves his hands. He doesn''t want them broken.


    He decides that it is better to wait until she wakes up. He parks the car in the parking lot and gets out of the car. He doesn''t want to risk being in the car with his hot boss. He lights up his cigarette and takes a smoke. He turns around when hears the sound of the car door opening.


    "Miss Yu, do you want coffee?"


    But it''s not Miss Yu. It''s a dark-haired man who is carrying the sleeping Miss Yu. Before Cai Xuan can ask anything, the man puts Miss Yu in his car and drives off. Cai Xuan is speechless at the speed.


    Did his boss just get abducted?

 Chapter 34: A man should not make a woman wait (NSFW)

    Chapter 34: A man should not make a woman wait (NSFW)


    | NSFW | ONLY 18+ PROCEED | YOU CAN SKIP THIS CHAPTER IF YOU WANT |


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    The woman sleeps like a ko during the whole drive. She doesn''t stir once when he picks up again and takes her to his hotel room. He throws her on the bed without any mercy. The suddennding finally wakes up the woman from her deep sleep. She sits up and rubs her eyes. He goes to lock the door. Tonight, he will teach this woman the lesson.


    When he turns around, he is stunned by the view. What lesson? This woman is always one step ahead of him.


    Fang Aisa slips out of her dress easily and throws it on the ground. She sits on the bed and struggles with boots a bit before taking them off and throwing them to the corner of the room. She runs her fingers through her hair before smiling seductively at him.


    She summons him close by wiggling her index finger. He walks to her. She is a foot shorter than him. She smirks at him and starts unbuttoning his shirt. Though her full breasts are distracting, he grabs her jaw and makes her meet his eyes. Her intoxicated eyes are enough to make his anger disappear. However, she reeks of alcohol and it reminds him of something.


    "Fang Aisa, how many men have you slept with?" He can''t forget that she was picked up by Cai Xuan in the club.


    "Me?" Fang Aisa giggles and drunkenly shakes her head. "Don''t you know who I slept with before?"


    His eyes linger on her face to find the signs if she is lying. "No."


    "Dumb!" Sheughs again and leans closer. Her breasts rub his chest, searing him.


    "What are you waiting for? Take your clothes off." Fang Aisa kisses his hard jaw. She stands up on her toes to reach his ear and whispers, "A man should not make a woman wait."


    He shoves her to the bed and pins her underneath him. He bites her lower lip in anger and stops when she lets out a cry which is mixed with both pain and ecstasy. He sucks her lips ravenously and touches her everywhere until she cannot hold back her low moans.


    "You are mine." He deres possessively.


    She is looking at him fervently, dazed and breathless. Her lips are parted slightly, red and swollen. She quivers under his heated gaze. His kisses trail downward, leaving a trail of soft red marks. He steals a nce at her before parting her legs and kissing her there. He trails the outline of her entrance with the tip of his tongue. She moans and calls out his name loudly, asking him to stop.


    He holds her waist fiercely. "Fang Aisa, I will never let you disappear from my eyes again." He positions himself between her legs. He teases her entrance with his fingers.


    "Jun...I can''t wait."


    He chuckles when he hears her. He doesn''t stop teasing and asks, "Say that you are mine."


    Instead of fulfilling his wish, Fang Aisa tries to get up in the middle of the act. "Do you want to do it or should I ride on the top?"


    "..." Sung Jun''s temper res up. He plunges deep into her without a shred of mercy.


    ***


    Sung Jun watches her roll on her back and fall asleep without a care for the world. The red patch on the sheet removes any possibility of her being with any other man. He wonders why did she lie to him. Was she trying to make him jealous?


    Whenever he tries to find an answer from this woman, he gets more questions.


    It makes him furious when he thinks that Cai Xuan could be with her tonight instead of him. This woman drank like a man in the club earlier and left with Cai Xuan. He clearly remembers the night from eight years ago. He wonders if she will remember tonight when she wakes up. This woman is like a slippery fish. Tighter he holds, faster she slips from his hands.


    Sung Jun devises a n in his head to capture this woman. He gets up and locks the window and the door. He hides the keys. When he is sure that there is no ce to escape from, he calls the hotel receptionist and asks her not to disturb him unless he calls for services. He lies next to her and pushes the hair away from her face and kisses her forehead.


    "I will see how you escape from me again."

 Chapter 35: My fiance was a flat board

    Chapter 35: My fiance was a t board


    I feel like a truck ran over my body.


    My head is still groggy when I realize that I have four arms. I can move two, but the other two arms are holding me tightly. Wait, these are not my arms. I can''t have four arms.


    Crap!


    This pain is strangely familiar.


    I realize that there is a man behind me. His ''something'' is probing me from behind. His one leg is wrapped over mine, using me as a pillow. Did I sleep with someone? Did I sleep with Cai Xuan? No! Anybody but that man with countless STDs.


    Suddenly, the man lets me go and rolls over. I can breathe now. I sit up and take a peek at his face. It''s better not be Cai Xuan. If it''s him, I will make sure that he never uses his male part again.


    He looks like Sung Jun. I p my face and look again. It is still Sung Jun. Why him? The history keeps repeating. Of all the people in the world, why is it him again? How did he find me? At least, it''s not Cai Xuan. I am both relieved and scared. Did he use protection? Will I get pregnant again? No!


    I notice the red marks on his body. His back is full of scratches. I look at my nails. Did I do it? Was I that desperate? I can''t remember a single thing. I check my body. My body is full of bruises and love bites. He did whatever he wanted, didn''t he?


    That''s not the worst part. What will I do when he wakes up? I must leave before he wakes up. I can''t be with him anyway. I will ask Reis to get me another identity. I will leave this country. I have enough money to get stic surgery.


    I climb down from the bed. My dress and shoes are thrown in the corner. I silently cuss at Sung Jun for eating me like a wolf. Even walking is a chore. Did he not know that I was a virgin? I wear my dress and mentally curse his ancestors. I grab my shoes and walks on my toes. I freeze when I hear him moan in his sleep. I turn around to see whether he is awake. He is still asleep.


    I resume my walk of shame on my toes. When I reach the door, I take a nce at his sleeping form. Reis is right about one thing. Fate is cruel.


    I find the door locked. He did it intentionally.


    "You are awake?"


    I don''t want to turn around.


    "Eshe Yu?"


    My shoes fall on the ground. I frown and look at him, fully exhibiting his body on the bed. Why is he looking at me like that? Did he not recognize me?


    "My name is Sung Jun." He grins at me. "You look just like my dead fiance."


    ***


    As expected, Fang Aisa pretends not to know him.


    He wasn''t asleep when she woke up or when she was trying to squirm out of bed. He wasn''t asleep when she put on the dress or peeped at him to see if he was asleep. He was not asleep when she tried to escape.


    He can tell that she doesn''t rememberst night. She can only guess what happenedst night between them. She will never ept that she is Fang Aisa. Even if he forces her to, she will find a way to escape.


    "Eshe Yu?" She stops when she hears him. She turns around stiffly. In her eyes, emotions run rampant. Sung Jun feels a sadness in his heart and says, "My name is Sung Jun. You look just like my dead fiance."


    She is surprised and confused. "Your fiance?" Her eyes wander to his lower body once before she looks away at the ceiling.


    "Her name was Fang Aisa." He doesn''t cover himself despite the obvious flush on her face. "She died eight years ago."


    She isn''t fidgeting anymore. She tries to hide her emotions, but he can see them clearly. Her face is calm, but her hands are forming fists. "I see."


    "Do you want to leave now?" He asks quietly. She is pretending to be Eshe Yu. He is pretending to believe that Fang Aisa is dead. It''s a game between them now.


    "Yes...the door is locked." There is awkwardness in her voice. "How did we meet?"


    "You bumped into me and asked me for one night stand." He blurts out.


    She covers her face. "I am sorry. I was drunk yesterday night."


    "It''s okay." He stands up and covers himself with the bedsheet. "I was drunk too. I thought that you were my fiance. But the dead can''te back to life. Besides, you are different from her."


    She blinks at him hard. "How am I different?"


    "My fiance was a t board." He is satisfied to see the color drain from her face. "You are prettier than her."

 Chapter 36: What kind of plaything are you?

    Chapter 36: What kind of ything are you?


    What love? This man doesn''t love me at all. He doesn''t even recognize me. He thinks that I only have the same face as his ''dead fiance''. He is even daring to call me a t board. Who was it that almost ate me in the shower at a hospital? Was I a t board that day? My hands are itching to strangle him.


    "You want to go out looking like that, Miss Yu?" Sung Jun looks at me thoughtfully. There is no familiarity in his eyes. He is looking at me like a stranger. A stranger he slept with.


    I can''t help but feel empty.


    "Miss Yu, take a bath. I will arrange some new clothes for you." He gets up and wraps the sheet around his waist. I feel a tinge of disappointment. I can no longer enjoy the view. Secretly.


    I guess I am a pervert. It can''t be helped. I am a human too.


    "It''s almost lunchtime." He picks up the phone. "What do you want to eat?"


    "Anything you want, Mr. Sung" I say in a low voice. It''s just lunch. An hour at most. After that, I will leave. We might never see each other again. I have not seen him for eight years. I have spent the night with him like it''s fate. A few more hours can''t hurt. He can''t recognize me anyway.


    He gives me nods and orders. I feel awkward standing there near the door. I am Fang Aisa, pretending to be Eshe Yu. He thinks that I am someone who looks like Fang Aisa. Even after eight years, he still feels for me. In this lifetime, we didn''t spend much time together before I faked my death and left from his life.


    I love him. He loves me. Still, I can''t be with this person. I can''t go and tell him that I am Fang Aisa. I can''t love him. I can''t wake up next to him every day.


    I don''t want him to see me like this. I go to the bathroom and lock the door.


    "Miss Yu?" Sung Jun knocks the door. "I am putting clean clothes near the door."


    "Okay," I yell back loudly. After two minutes, I open the door slightly and peep. He is not in the room. I take the clothes from the floor and lock the door again. I stare at the clothes - in blue shirt, white skirt, and undergarments. How does he know my size? Does he have experience in buying undergarments? He didn''t mistake other women like me and slept with them, did he? He could have a girlfriend by now andmittedst night mistake because he was drunk. Last night doesn''t mean anything to him, does it? Should it? To him, I am not Fang Aisa. I don''t understand what I am feeling. I am happy and sad.


    When Ie out, he is still not in the room. I guess that he left me alone to avoid me. I should leave before hees. I find my shoes and wear them. I hear the door click.


    "You are done?" He is holding a bottle of wine.


    "Do you want to drink in the daytime?" When did he be an alcoholic? I am not the cause, am I? He didn''t be an alcoholic because of my death, right? Probably, I am overthinking.


    His eyes sparkle when heughs. "It''s not wine. It''s grape juice."


    I suspiciously stare at the bottle. "If you say so."


    "If you don''t believe it, take a sip." He pulls out the cork and hands it over to me.


    "Okay." If he really drinks in the daytime, he needs help. I take a sip. It tastes like grape.


    "Come." He holds out his hand. "Let''s not waste this bottle."


    "I am not sure." I hand him the bottle. "I have to be somewhere."


    "Just for a little while." He smiles at me casually. "I don''t want you to leave on empty stomach after our..." He pauses and blushes a bit. His eyes linger on my body before he looks away. He is acting like a new bride. If I was someone else, I wouldn''t have mistaken him as a shy boy.


    "Wait for a while." He hands me the bottle back. "I want to take a bath before lunch. Don''t leave, alright?"


    "Okay."


    ***


    After Sung Junes out of the shower, he finds her drinking the ''special wine'''' from the bottle while sitting on the ground. The food is already set on the table, but it''s not touched. He is pleased that his n worked.


    She gives him a dreamy smile when she sees him. "Sung Jun, you $#@%! You don''t even recognize your master. What kind of ything are you?"


    He sits next to her and takes the empty bottle away. "What do you want me to do? You left for eight years."


    "It''s just eight years." She pokes his chest. "But I forgive you. You have taken care of your body well. Did you let someone else touch you?"


    "No." He caresses her cheeks. "I can''t promise you about the future though."


    Fang Aisa bes agitated. "What do you mean? I will give you everything. You can''t leave me."


    "I won''t leave you..." He gives her a kiss on her fingers. "If you sign some papers."


    "What papers?" Fang Aisa climbs on hisp possessively. "Why do I need to sign some papers?"


    "There are people who want to buy me and take me away from you." He makes a pitiful expression. "If you sign these papers, they can never take me away."


    "Is that so?" She smirks at him. "I will sign all the papers. Bring them to me. Let me see who can take you away from me."


    Just like that, Fang Aisa signs the papers. She doesn''t even read a single paper once. After she is done with the signing, she looks up at Sung Jun andmands him to take her to bed.


    He obliges like a gentleman. He carries her to bed andy her down on the bed. After Fang Aisa is too tired to stay awake, he gets up from the bed and calls someone.


    "The papers are ready." He tells the other person on the phone.

 Chapter 37: You will admit that you are Fang Aisa (NSFW)

    Chapter 37: You will admit that you are Fang Aisa (NSFW)


    WARNING !! NSFW!!!!! ONLY 18+ PROCEED! You can skip the chapter if you want.


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    I am naked, again. On his bed. With him.


    I can''t remember what happened after I started drinking the grape juice. Again. How is it that I end up in bed with him like this with no recollection of ever doing that?


    "What are you thinking?" Sung Jun asks me softly.


    "Mr. Sung, did you spike the grape juice?" I ask him sternly.


    He smirks at me. "I didn''t spike your juice."


    I realize that he is back to his real self. I swifts to the other side of the bed. He chuckles when I cover myself with the nket.


    He grabs the nket and throws it away. "I didn''t technically lie. Grapes juices are turned into wines."


    I pick the pillow and throw it on his face. Sung Jun catches it with ease andughs loudly. He pounces on me with a devilish smirk. "Fang Aisa, how are you going to pay up for leaving me hungry for eight long years?"


    "Hungry? If you didn''t eat for eight years, how are you still alive?" The change in his attitude isplete 180 degrees from yesterday. He didn''t recognize me yesterday. What changed in one night? Did I say something yesterday? He clearly believed that Fang Aisa died until yesterday. I am never ever drinking again.


    "Oh? You want me to die, isn''t?" He pins my arms above my head when I try to push him away. "I should die as a celibate while you pick other men at the nightclub."


    I blush when I realize what''s poking my stomach. The devil is eyeing me darkly with a cunning smile on his luscious lips, enjoying my difort.


    "Stop doing that. I am not Fang Aisa," " I yell at the top of my lungs. "I am Eshe Yu. We did it once...twice or...Let me go now. Move on. Get another woman. Are you drunk or did you lose your memories? Fang Aisa died eight years ago. It''s not healthy to mistake any woman for her."


    "Is that so?" He narrows his eyes dangerously. I gulp, afraid. I know him well enough to know that it''s not good.


    "I know that you are not easy." He pinches my jaw. I don''t understand this guy''s obsession with pinching. "You will admit that you are Fang Aisa."


    "No, I will never admit that." I stubbornly shake my head. "I am Eshe Yu. I am Eshe Yu. I am Eshe Yu."


    Sung Jun gives me a smile that is not a smile. He suddenly lets go of my hand. I am relieved. I try to get up, but he grabs the back of my head and presses his mouth over mine. His tongue explores my mouth furiously. I try to push him away, but I can''t make him budge an inch. He digs his nails in my skin. Before I could understand what''s happening, he shoves his thing inside me.


    I gasp in pain. Instead, he quickens his pace, ruthlessly.


    "Nooo..." I feel like I am losing my sanity in pleasure mixed with pain. "Stop...stop...please..."


    "You know what to do." He plunges deeper into me with each shove. "Say it."


    "Please stop...please...I am Fang Aisa. Please s-stop...I can''t..I...can''t..."


    He chuckles and stops. I take a deep breath and closes my eyes. I feel like my soul is on the verge of flying away. He leans close to my ear and whispers, "Fang Aisa, you are cruel."


    "You are the one who is cruel." I lift my hand to p his face, but he grabs my wrist.


    "Even if you keep breaking my heart, I can''t stop loving you." His husky voice stirs something in me. Pain. Sadness. Lust. Anger. Love. Pride. "I am d that you are alive. Even if you are cruel to me, I don''t want to live a life without you."


    I will be lying to myself if I say that I am not moved.


    "Eight years." His eyes turn dark with desires. Crap! My attempt to run is futile. He locks me within his arms.


    "I like taking my dues with interest."


    Damn, this devil!

 Chapter 38: Do you know your wrongs?

    Chapter 38: Do you know your wrongs?


    | 18+ | Warning | NSFW | SKIP to second part if you don''t want to read NSFW part. |


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    Sung Jun''s heart almost stops when he doesn''t see her next to him. It shouldn''t be possible for her to run away. He looks around and finds her near the door, trying to pick a lock with a pin.


    He lips form a thin line. Just what kind of life did she live in thest eight years? Where did she learn to pick locks like a thief? He is enraged to see that she is still trying to escape even after everything. He won''t let her disappear even if he has to tie her legs to the bed.


    She is too focussed on the lock to notice that the devil is standing behind her. He slips his hand into her shirt and pinches the peak of her ample mounts. He hears her gasp out loud. He doesn''t let her turn around. He presses her from behind. His other hand crawls between her legs, rubbing her there. Her moans make his heart erratic.


    "Ah!" Fang Aisa tries to resists him "Jun, don''t do it...please...aaah..."


    "Do you know your wrongs?" He increases the pace of his fingers in her wetness. She shuts her eyes close in ecstasy, moaning and begging for him to stop. Her voice is arousing to his ears. He tears the troublesome clothes into pieces, not even leaving the undergarments unscathed. She can''t possibly run away if she doesn''t have clothes, right?


    Fang Aisa is trembling, crossing her arms over her chest in a useless attempt to stop him. Her watery eyes are fixed on his huge bulge. He observes the desires in her eyes.


    "Jun, if you want to do it, at least wear a condom." She blurts out after long two minutes.


    Sung Jun''s anger res up. But he smiles at her in ''understanding'' manner and asks her, "You don'' t want to have my children?"


    She stammers with her words when she sees him being ''nice'' suddenly. "It''s better if...there are noplications...in the future."


    "Oh, I understand." He turns her around and gropes her. He thrusts his shaft inside her, locking her in the position. "I will make sure that there areplications in the future."


    "NOT AGAIN, YOU DEMON!" The devil eats his prey right at the spot.


    *


    *


    *


    *


    ------------------------------------


    *


    *


    *


    *


    "Are you silently protesting?" Sung Jun wipes her hair with the towel. "Won''t speak a word to me?"


    He has been eating her non-stop for thest three days. He won''t even let her shower alone. If she moves even once, he wakes up. When she refuses to eat, he will take her to bed and pounds her until she agrees to eat.


    "We can go back to bed and carry on with the lesson." He watches her back stiffen.


    "Jun, is this your revenge?" Fang Aisa res at him.


    "Perhaps." He beams at her.


    "You just want my body." She whispers melodramatically. "I will die for real this time if you keep hurting me like this."


    He massages her chest. "Does it hurt here? I will give you the best massage."


    "Stop, you pervert!" Just then, someone knocks the door. He goes to the door. Fang Aisa shakes her head as she watches him talk to someone at the door. He shuts the door closed and returns with a food trolley. He is also carrying a big envelope in his hand.


    He notices the curiosity in her eyes and chuckles. He can guess her reactions. He sits across her and sets the table. "Eat."


    "What''s that?" She ignores the food and stares at the envelope suspiciously.


    "Eat first." He wants her to get energy for what''sing. This woman is quite weak. She doesn''tst long in bed, leaving him hanging before he can have hisplete fill.


    Her eyes switch between the food and the envelope. He watches her make a decision. She picks up the spoon while keeping her eyes on the envelope.


    "You should eat too." Fang Aisa frowns at him. "How do you have so much energy when you don''t even eat much?"


    Her words make him smile. He is quite happy that his woman is worried about his health after vigorous activities.


    The two silently eat the food, never once stop looking at each other''s eyes. Fang Aisa is practically ring at him while Sung Jun is happily watching her and nning their future.


    "Now, tell me what''s that." She points at the envelope.


    He brings out the first paper and puts it in front of her. "Our marriage is approved by the council."

 Chapter 39: That was my dream once

    Chapter 39: That was my dream once


    "What the $%#!" My eyes widen in surprise. This is entirely impossible. We can''t get married without my consent. At least, it will require me actually signing or attending the wedding ceremony.


    The certificate has a stamp of Council of Supernatural Extant. The same council that I am hiding from.


    "How did...no...when did...how..." When my tongue is no longer supporting me with words, I gesticte wildly at the certificate.


    Sung Jun puts another piece of paper over that one. It''s a normal one....registered from the civil affairs office. Two marriage certificates. I don''t remember signing or consenting with either one. How can one get married like this? I met him three days ago...and we have not left this hotel room for thest three days.


    I notice the dates. The marriage dates are wrong.


    In the marriage certificate by the Council of Supernatural Extant, the marriage date is seven years old while the registration and approval date is two days old. It doesn''t make sense to me. In the other one from the civil affairs office, the date is five years old.


    These certificates are fake. It has to be. We could not have possibly get married at sixteen. It is not even legal to get married at sixteen. At eighteen, I didn''t even meet him. How could he have to get married to me without me ever being there? It''s impossible. Besides, he didn''t even know that I was alive.


    I snort. "Sung Jun, if you want to get fake certificates, at least get the dates right."


    He gives me a knowing smile and hands me a third marriage certificate. This certificate ispletely red with golden words. I check the date. This date is also seven years old. My and Sung Jun''s name are written in golden block letters with a huge seal that says ''MARRIED'' in cursive letters. It is signed and stamped by...


    I rub my eyes and read it again. I must be seeing things these days. It is signed and stamped by the god of marriage himself.


    "..." I am speechless. Completely speechless. The god of marriage himself certified our marriage. This man will go to any extent...going as far as even creating a fake certificate with the signature of a god.


    The gods are real. Is he not afraid of offending one?


    "The supernatural world is different from the human world." Amused, he taps his fingers on the table. "The council has set the legal age to be thirteen."


    I didn''t know that. Alright, still, I am sure that the council or any government would require both people to be there to get married. Legally.


    "I belong to the family of shamans. My father is the president of the council." He adds. His eyes are searching for something on my face. I look away. I know that already. I have never met his father, but he and I already have a deep enmity. I just don''t know what I should do to him because he is his father.


    "Because I am not an ordinary human, the rules applied to me too." He lifts my chin to meet his eyes. "Eight years ago, I thought that I was the reason why you killed yourself. I wandered the streets to find your soul. I even learned the shaman art to see you again once more."


    I am shocked. Even in this life, he took the same path. "Why...I asked you to live an ordinary life...didn''t you want that too?"


    "That was my dream once." He appears to be lost and haunted as if recalling a nightmare.


    ---


    [Eight years ago]


    Park In Ha is sitting across Sung Jun. His eyes are empty and dead. There is no will to live in his eyes. He doesn''t even look at her when Park In Ha shows him an envelope.


    "Your father sent this." She is uneasy to see him like this. She is missing his bright smile. His soft but firm voice. The way his eyes twinkles each time he smiles genuinely. Even his passive coldness toward her. He never said the words, but Park In Ha knows that Sung Jun didn''t like her.


    She was fine but now...she sees him heartbroken and lost. Like he has lost something precious.


    What kind of woman was Fang Aisa? It has been three months since she died. From what she heard from the people at school, they were not together for long. Fang Aisa was an illegitimate child. Her mother died when she was born. On top of it, she didn''t have the background or looks to be Sung Jun''s equal. Compared to her, Park In Ha is better. She is the top student. She is from an elite family like Sung Jun. She might not be extraordinary like Sung Jun when ites to the spiritual powers, but she is still the youngest female exorcist of her generation. Everyone thinks that she is perfect for him.


    Except him, of course.


    Fang Aisa even harassed him. She ruined his reputation in both the human and supernatural worlds.


    Then, why is he still thinking about her? He didn''t even nce at her. He didn''t close the door on her face when she turned up. He is treating her like...he isn''t even seeing her.


    Instead, she is seeing longing and grief in his eyes. Pain. Each moment of life is heavy for him.


    When his father asked her to go to him, she was ted. Now, she doesn''t know. Before hees here, there was no woman in his life who could make him show this expression. She was fine with that. If there was no woman, she could still find a ce. He didn''t have to love her. It''s fine if she was with him.


    Now, how can she ept this?

 Chapter 40: Your father sent a letter for you

    Chapter 40: Your father sent a letter for you


    [Eight Years Ago]


    An hour passes by Ms. Sung brings them snacks. Bae Jaemin also joins them, acts goofy and trying to cheer him up. No response. He is listlessly looking out of the window.


    "Han Soo didn''t win any of the matches between him and Wang Mei." Bae Jaeminughs and ps Sung Jun''s back. "Not one, Jun. Finally, he is going back to Korea without his prized sword."


    "How is Wang Mei?" Sung Jun suddenly asks. It''s been days since Jaemin heard him say a word. He can''t help but be sarcastic at his friend. "She is better. Han Soo kept challenging her to win the sword back. His action helped her in some way." Bae Jaemin met Wang Mei when she visited Sung Jun with questions. Like Sung Jun, she looked like she lost a piece of her soul. The person is dead, but she left behind two living deads.


    Wang Mei and Sung Jun stopped going to school. Wang Mei keeps getting into street fights while Sung Jun walks around the city at midnight to find her soul. Bae Jaemin doesn''t know how to save these two. He already quitted his job. He can''t leave these two broken ones alone here.


    "When did you get here?" Park In Ha is startled when she hears Sung Jun''s question..


    She replies, "Sung Jun, you were the one who opened the door."


    "Oh!" He blinks at her. "My apologies." There is a long silence that is broken by Ms. Sung''s sob. She gets up and runs to her bedroom. Bae Jaemin covers his face with his palm to hide his tears.


    "Your father sent a letter to you." She pushes the letter on the table toward Sung Jun. "I don''t know what it is about. He asked me to stay here with you..."


    Sung Jun isn''t paying attention to her words. He tears open the envelope and reads the letter. His eyes turn sad when he finishes. He puts the letter back on the table and leaves them alone.


    Bae Jaemin reads the letter after he has left.


    "What is it about?" Park In Ha asks anxiously.


    "His application for ghost marriage with Fang Aisa is rejected." Bae Jaemin''s tone is emotionless. "In the personal note, the president has dered you as his fiance."


    Park In Ha isn''t happy to hear these words. She is sure that Sung Jun doesn''t need to hear these words right now. President is heartless to his son. She is genuinely worried about Sung Jun''s well being.


    For the ghost marriage, the fiance or the lover needs three things. The first thing is proof that both parties loved and wanted to marry each other. The second thing is proof of engagement. Thest thing is the approval of the council.


    In the ghost marriage, the living partner lives as the widower or widow of the dead person. The person will join his or her partner after they die. It doesn''t matter if the dead partner has already joined the reincarnation cycle.


    In the human world, ghost marriage is not a serious affair. But it is not the same in the supernatural world. The ritual is taken seriously.


    There is no way that the President will ever approve such a request.


    "I will never forgive her." Bae Jaemin grabs his hair and closes his eyes in frustration. "That woman only thought about herself. She never thought of others. She was selfish and heartless."


    Park In Ha is crying silently. She won''t forgive Fang Aisa either. If that girl didn''t want to live with Sung Jun, she should have never yed with his heart. She doesn''t know how to bear seeing him like this. It''s not even him anymore. Just his shell walking around.


    Since that day, Park In Ha is apanying Sung Jun. Telling him stories. Telling him about their homes and ssmates. Even singing to him. But he never pays attention to her. He would leave at the dead hours and search for her ghost near the bridge. Bae Jaemin and Park In Ha always follow him quietly. When he is done, he bes disappointed and stares at the dark water with great pain. For months, this goes on. Until one day, she loses her patience and asks him, "Sung Jun, do you want to marry that woman this much?"


    He turns around and sees her for the first time since that day. "I love her."


    Her heart is shattered.


    "I am sorry." He takes a deep breath. "Park In Ha, I understand what it''s like to love someone now. I also understand what it is like to have a broken heart. I want you to go back home."


    She falls to her knees and sobs loudly. "You are heartless, Jun. I have loved you since we were children. She is dead and yet, you can''t forget her. What about me? How can I carry on living when you are here and suffering because of a selfish girl? What did she have that I don''t have? I am prettier and better than her in every respect."


    He looks down at her. There is only hurt in his eyes. He tries to look at Park In Ha. Thinking if he can love her. If he can move on. Can he? Can Park In Ha rece Fang Aisa in his heart?

 Chapter 41: You still want the ghost marriage?

    Chapter 41: You still want the ghost marriage?


    [Eight Years Ago]


    He met Park In Ha when he was five. His parents wanted him to get a ymate around his age. Ever since they met, Park In Ha followed him around like a pet. When they grew older, she became the leader of the annoying girls who kept calling him cute. Then, she formed a squad with them and kept them in control. After they turned thirteen, she confessed to him. However, Sung Jun rejected her.


    To the people around them, they were meant to be together. Park In Ha is not a bad girl. She is quite talented. She is tall and slender. Her dark hair is long and silky. She looks like a doll with her creamy porcin skin and doe eyes. Her legs are long. She dresses like a girl. She acts like a girl. Feminine. Cute. Soft. She has good foundations. She will be a beautiful woman in the future.


    On the contrary, Fang Aisa was short. Her hair was dyed pink. She wasn''t pretty like Park In Ha. She talked roughly and loudly. She knew exactly how to tick his buttons. She knew his real side and yet, she confronted him repetitively. She even tricked him into saying things that ruined his reputation and tore open his facade to the world. She opposed him in everything. She never needed him. She always stood up for herself. She was strong headed and stubborn.


    Despite everything, she made him feel like he belonged to her. Like she was his home. Even after she rejected him, there was no one else who could make him feel the way she did. After he met her, he realized what it was like to love someone.


    He can''t feel the same for Park In Ha.


    Still, her image can''t rece Fang Aisa in his heart. Sung Jun might have been with Fang Aisa for a short time, but he loves her. Still. He wants to see her there again. He wants to see those lively eyes again. That smile again. He wants to hold her again.


    Without her, his life is not a life anymore. It has to be love if it hurts this much after she is gone.


    Heforts Park In Ha silently. His silence makes her sob harder. Bae Jaemin watches them thoughtfully and sighs. He looks up at the sky and wonders if Fang Aisa is watching them currently and regretting her decision.


    The next few months also passes like this. Park In Ha has already left. Wang Mei visits them sometimes. She is covered in cuts and bruises each time she visits. Sometimes, she stays for dinner. With time, she ising to terms with Fang Aisa''s suicide. He can''t say the same about Sung Jun.


    During those times, Bae Jaemin and Wang Mei get close. Wang Mei doesn''t know how it happened. Bae Jaemin is too different from her. They didn''t even talk the samenguage. He would usually ask Sung Jun or Ms Sung to trante or he would speak in funny broken Chinese. His selfless love and care for Sung Jun is the first thing she notices about him. He is kind and pure-hearted. He makes herugh all the times. It just happens like this. She doesn''t understand what love is. But she likes hearing him even when he is talking aboutputers because he likesputers...though, she doesn''t understandputers much.


    One day, Bae Jaemin is too tired. He ps Sung Jun''s head and says, "What do you want, Jun? You can''t slowly die because of her. She wanted you to live an ordinary life. You don''t even go to school. How do you want to fulfil herst wish?"


    Sung Jun stares at him. His expression is nk. There are dark circles around his eyes. "Jae, I don''t know..."


    "What about us? What about me or Ms Sung?" He punches him. Sung Jun doesn''t resist and falls on his butt. His head is hung low.


    "Are we not your family? Is she your only family? Did you think about us for a second? Do you want to leave us just like her? How will we live without you? Tell me, is there anyone who didn''t lose a loved one? Aunty only has you. Think about her at least."


    Sung Jun looks up at him. "I won''t die. I will live...Jaemin, I will live."


    "I hope you keep your words." Bae Jaemin sighs.


    Sung Jun doesn''t enrol for school. Instead, he focuses on learning the shaman arts. He keeps himself busy to not think about her. He lives normally as much as he can. Bae Jaemin and his mother are relieved to see him properly eating again.


    One day, Park In Ha sends him a text. To this date, Sung Jun doesn''t know why she would do this.


    [There is a rumor that the god of marriage lives at this address.] She attached an address along with the text.


    After a week, he speaks to Bae Jaemin.


    "You still want the ghost marriage?" Bae Jaemin is exasperated when he hears Sung Jun''s intention.


    "Yes."


    "I wille with you then."

 Chapter 42: I will marry a gangster wife

    Chapter 42: I will marry a gangster wife


    [Eight Years Ago]


    Bae Jaemin is lost for words when they reach the address that Park In Ha sent. It''s a rundown shop on one of the busiest streets in S city. The shop has a red banner with huge silver words printed on it.


    YUE LAO MATCH MAKING SHOP


    FIND YOUR MARRIAGE PARTNER.


    WILL YOUR MARRIAGE BE SUCCESSFUL? GET THE READING.


    SINGLE AND LOOKING? GET A BLESSING AND FIND THE DESIRED PARTNER.


    DON''T KNOW WHY ISN''T YOUR MARRIAGE WORKING? GET THE READING BY EXPERT.


    After reading it thrice, Bae Jaemin thinks that it is a scam and they should get the hell out of this ce.


    "We should check it out once." Sung Jun''s eyes are clear and resolved.


    "I don''t feel anything." Bae Jaemin can''t believe that a god can scam people like this. The ce is in,cking any heavenly aura. "God of marriage is rich and moody. In any case, he won''t live in a house with a roof that can fall at any second."


    Honestly, he believes that even walking into that shop is risky because it can copse at any time.


    "He could be hiding his aura." Sung Jun walks into the shop without a second thought. Bae Jaemin follows him. He can''t let his brother get scammed by anyone.


    When they enter the shop, they find is cleaner and well kept. The decoration is simple and old styled. There is a table in the middle of the room. A silver-haired old man with a long silver beard is sitting behind the table and...snoring.


    Sung Jun raps the table several times, but there is no response. He picks up the jar of wine from the table and pours it on the old man. The old man wakes up with a jolt. He looks to the right and left. Then, he looks up at Sung Jun holding the jar, pouring the wine on him to thest drop


    He raises his silver brows. "You are here again?"


    "I am here for the first time." Sung Jun narrows his eyes at the old man. "You are the god of marriage?"


    "I am." The old man yawns and scratches his head. "Those two...the time has already changed. I am so tired. I have to rewrite the marriage names again."


    Sung Jun takes a seat without asking. Bae Jaemin also takes a seat. He still can''t believe that they have really found the god of marriage. The halo behind the old man belongs to a god.


    "That boy went too far this time." God of marriage mumbles to himself. "I am too old. No pity! No Pity!"


    Sung Jun and Bae Jaemin are quiet. Gods are always unpredictable. Bae Jaemin is cussing Sung Jun in his head. Why did he use that method to wake a god? What kind of personal use such method on a god? His brother is a fool.


    "I don''t like you." God of marriage points at Sung Jun. "You are a fool. Why do you seek that woman? I can give you a good wife."


    "Only her." Sung Jun''s reply is short.


    "Tsk! Fool." Suddenly, a piece of red paper appears in the hands of God of marriage. He thrusts the seal on the paper and signs it clumsily. "Leave now. I don''t want to see your face."


    "Don''t you want something in return?" Bae Jaemin dares to ask. He doesn''t want his brother to be in a debt with a god. Who knows when this old manes back and asks for something?


    The god of marriage holds up his hands. "He already paid."


    Sung Jun is confused. "When did I pay you?"


    "Humans forget, but the gods remember." The god of marriage speaks in an ominous tone. "Before the god of time turned back time, you met me just like today. Although, you were older. You wanted to meet this woman again in your next lifetime and marry her."


    Sung Jun and Bae Jaemin turn quiet. The god of time turned back the time. It is huge news. They didn''t hear anything like this in the supernatural world. Only gods are unaffected by events like this.


    "He turned back time. You got another chance just like your wife." The god of marriage is distant like he is looking ahead at some other era. "She had to bear a huge burden."


    The audience is more confused. What burden?


    The god of marriage suddenlyughs and looks at Bae Jaemin. "The woman with the red hair and sharp de will be your wife."


    Bae Jaemin opens his mouth and then, closes again. He knows this woman and yes, he likes her. But things are not like that. Having a god of marriage tell it to him without any warning is hard to ept.


    "Our debt is clear." The god of marriage turns to Sung Jun. "Leave. I don''t want to see your face again."


    "What did you mean by burden?" Sung Jun probes.


    "When you meet her, ask her yourself." The god of marriage scowls at Sung Jun. His patience is running out. He waves his hands. In the next instant, Sung Jun and Bae Jaemin find themselves back in the apartment in H city.


    Traveled from S city to H city just like that.


    "I will marry Wang Mei..." Bae Jaemin is still in shock. Sung Jun sighs.


    "I will marry a gangster wife." Bae Jaemin is hyperventting.


    "...."


    "I am such a lucky man."


    "..."

 Chapter 43: The pig is here again

    Chapter 43: The pig is here again


    [Eight Year Ago]


    The words by the God of marriage never leave his mind. Next day, he goes to the Fang main house. He follows Lan Hui Yao to the sitting room where Fang Qi is waiting for him. The same annoyingdy ghost, who had once ''disturbed'' his time with Fang Aisa and dragged her away from him, is sitting beside Fang Qi and banging her head on the table in frustration. Fang Qi ispletely ignoring her existence.


    She lifts her head and peeks at him. "The pig is here again."


    Sung Jun doesn''t have any patience for her. He snaps and draws a seal in the air. In the next instant, thedy ghost is tied by an invisible. She can''t break free no matter what she does.


    "You can see me?" Her eyes widen in shock and horror. "You are a shaman?"


    She recalls the words that she said that day and deeply regrets. Sung Jun doesn''t reply to her questions.


    "Don''t kill me." Thedy ghost shouts wildly when she sees him drawing another seal in the air. "I know who killed Fang Aisa. Please don''t kill me."


    He pauses halfway. Thedy ghost takes this as a good sign and lets out a sigh of relief.


    "Speak the truth."


    Fang Qi, who cannot see any ghosts anymore, understands that there is one with them. It must be that samedy ghost who has been haunting the Fang family for decades.


    "I heard from other ghosts." Thedy ghost bows her head when she notices Sung Jun''s cold looks. "After her ident at the school, all ghosts knew about her awakening abilities. When she returned home, her mother sent people after her to take her away."


    "Her mother has taken her away?" There is hope in his voice. Maybe she is alive. She was abducted. They must find her as soon as possible.


    "No." Thedy ghost also notices the hope in Sung Jun''s eyes. "Before her people could, she met a god."


    Sung Jun frowns. A god approached her?


    "She was seen meeting with a god...a powerful god." Thedy ghost''s voice is low. "Her mother''s people couldn''t approach her. The ghosts were also afraid. They saw her meeting him at the children''s yground. Next day, they saw her meeting him again near her house."


    He clenches his fingers. Is it a god who harmed her?


    "They couldn''t hear what they talked about. Fang Aisa disappeared for hours with the god before she reappeared. They followed her to the bridge and saw her jumping into the river."


    The hope in his eyes dies again. So, she really died.


    "Why didn''t you tell us before?" He asks her slowly, but nobody can mistake the chills in the room.


    "I didn''t know you could see ghosts." Thedy ghost kowtows on the floor. "I tried to tell Fang Qi, but he cannot see us anymore. His curse is gone since the day she died."


    Sung Jun releases her from the bindings. She doesn''t take a second and runs away from them, afraid that the pig...shaman will change his mind and send her to the afterlife.


    He turns to Fang Qi and questions mildly, "Your curse is gone?"


    Fang Qi nods and looks dejected. "She sent me a message that she would take the curse along with her. I didn''t understand her meaning at that time...I wish I could tell her...I would rather see her live."


    Sung Jun doesn''t offer any word of sympathy. It''s not a secret that Fang Aisa and Fang Qi never saw each other eye to eye. She was raised by her grandmother because her father didn''t want her.


    Only a few people know that it''s a lie to keep her safe.


    "Why did you put up spirit shield around her house?"


    Fang Qi doesn''t answer his question. His shoulders are slouched down. He looks like he aged a lot in thest months.


    "She is my wife now." Sung Jun shows him the red marriage certificate. "Even if she is dead, she is my wife. I want to know everything about her."


    The council hid the information about Fang Aisa. Her family background is extraordinary. If Sung Jun belongs to a family of the powerful shaman, Fang Aisa is a descendant of a dark sorcerer. In reality, she should be registered formally as a member of the supernaturalmunity just like her father. There is not a single information about her like someone deliberately hid it. It couldn''t be done without his father''s approval.


    Kyubok had told him that he attacked Fang Aisa because he had mistaken her to be a demon. Her aura was dark as the death itself as if she was dead for a long time. Fang Aisa never met a life and death situation. But the aura of death around her was real.


    Kyubok had visited her houseter to check if she was influenced by a dark ghost inmitting suicide. He found that Fang Aisa''s house had a spirit shield, preventing any supernatural creature like a demon or ghosts to enter. The spirit shield is provided by the council only at hefty prices.


    The god of time has turned back time. When the gods break thew, they suffer and have to go through trials and punishments.


    Fang Aisa already knew him when they met. She also spoke of their past lives. Her behavior was odd. There was hate in her eyes. She hated him. She loved him. She confused him all the time.


    Now he knows that Fang Aisa''s mother is not an ordinary person. Fang Aisa has also met a god before she died.


    Fang Qi doesn''t take a look. He sighs and says, "Your father knows this?"


    Sung Jung shrugs. "Not yet."


    "My daughter is dead."


    Sung Jun doesn''t reply. A look of understanding is exchanged between them. Fang Qi makes a decision after seeing the determination in his eyes.


    "I will tell you everything."

 Chapter 44: Her name was Xia Fengnian

    Chapter 44: Her name was Xia Fengnian


    Fang Qi takes a deep breath and begins the tale.


    "When I was studying in college abroad, I met with an ident. After that ident, my life changed. I started seeing ghosts. I could even touch them." Fang Qi sighs again. With each sigh, he seems to be growing older. "It was the toughest phase of my life. I didn''t tell anything to my father. I was worried that I was going crazy."


    Fang Qi takes a sip from his cold tea. His expression is stiff as fear fills his eyes.


    "One day, I met her. She was a beautiful woman. Her name was Xia Fengnian. She was charming and funny. She knew how to make meugh. Her smile reminded me of spring. She told me that she could also see them and I was not crazy. We started to meet frequently. I don''t know when I fell in love with her."


    He pauses for a moment, meeting Sung Jun''s eyes. When Sung Jun doesn''t utter a word, he continues with the story. "I imagined having a family with her."


    Fang Qi clenches and then, unclenches his fist when he gets to the next part of his story.


    "I never knew her real side." Fang Qi shuts his eyes. "One day, she told me that she was a witch. She said that I had great potential. I was unique even in the supernatural world. If I joined her coven, she could summon the god of death himself on earth."


    This time, there is a flicker of change in Sung Jun''s eyes. He furrows his brows. Witch covens are not rare, but the one who can summon a god on earth is. They are not good news.


    "She was fanatical about it. I didn''t want to join that insanity. I asked her to choose between me or the coven." Fang Qi bows his head down in shame. "When I opposed her, she showed her true self. She abducted me to her coven. She told me that she approached me because of my curse. She was the actual leader of the coven."


    Fang Qi takes another sip from the cold tea, trying to calm himself. He keeps his eyes shut to hide his chaotic emotions from Sung Jun. He stays quiet for a long time to find the mental fortitude to speak again.


    "After nearly three weeks, I was saved by the council. They caught a few members of the coven, but she managed to escape. The council questioned me. They told me that the woman was more than a hundred years old and she was known as Dabria in the supernaturalmunity."


    Sung Jun sucks in cold breath when he hears the name. Dabria, the ck-hearted witch leader of the deranged coven called ''The circle of phantoms'', is famous for her notorious and heinous deeds in the supernaturalmunity. It is not a surprise that she approached Fang Qi to use him in her ns. Her crimes have been numerous ranging from sacrificing infants and children at the altar to cause mass death. Even her children don''t escape being sacrificed by her to gain powers.


    The council has been trying to catch the witch and her coven for a long time, but she always manages to escape.


    Dabria is not aplete human. Her father was a demon who ate Dabria''s mother right in front of her before Dabria escaped. When Dabria grew up, she hunted down her demon father and ate his heart. Later, she founded the coven, ''The circle of phantoms''.


    "After fifteen months of that incident, Fang Aisa showed up at my door," Fang Qi speaks in a grave voice. He shows a sad smile and shakes his head slightly. "On that day, Imitted a grave mistake. I contacted the council."


    Sung Jun knits his brows further. He can imagine what could have happened.


    "They wanted to take her away. My father and I wanted her gone. I didn''t even consider her as a human being. She looked so much like that woman. Looking at her reminded me of the things that woman did to me. My mother was the only one who was sane at that time."

 Chapter 45: After she was gone, I realized my mistake

    Chapter 45: After she was gone, I realized my mistake


    "When they were taking her away, she cried... as any baby would. She should be around six months old at that time. I didn''t stop them. I watched them take her away while my mother cried and asked me to stop them."


    Fang Qi''s gaze is unfocused. He covers his face with his palms and lowers his head dejectedly. His voice is full of regrets.


    "After she was gone, I realized my mistake. She was my blood. My daughter. I realized thiste. The council didn''t want to return her. They enlisted her as a dangerous creature. They said that she was like a human because her powers were sealed due to the seal on the Fang curse. Dabria sent her away because the baby was useless to her due to the seal."


    Sung Jun juts his jaws. The spells might not have worked on Fang Aisa due to the seal. The seal also protected Fang Aisa from Dabria''s dark magic. He can''t imagine the things Fang Aisa had to go through as a child.


    "They found that Dabria had tried to undo the seal countless times since Aisa was born. They found several leftover dark spells on her. The seal couldn''t be undone. They would not return her no matter what I did. I was paying for my mistakes. After two years of constant battle in the council court, the council decided to return her. They gave us two conditions. The first condition was that the council would take her back if the seal was ever undone."


    Sung Jun is tensed after he hears it. He is suspicious of the council now. The council isn''t clean. They are always paranoid. Did they have their hands in her death? Her death is too sudden to ept.


    "The second condition was that she must never have any children. The Fang curse and the Dabria''s blood should end with her."


    "She had an engagement with Mu Qing." Sung Jun raises his brow.


    "It was arranged by the council." Fang Qi sighs. "Mu Family''s eldest son is not a man."


    "Why did the council hide her information? She was not listed as your child."


    "Because they don''t consider to be a human being." Fang Qi stares at him and adds, "I knew who you were. I thought that you could convince your father that Fang Aisa could live a normal life. I knew that her seal was undone. I was worried that the council would take her away. I was nning to send her somewhere faraway before she...died."


    Sung Jun purses his lips. His father is not an easy man. His father would have never agreed with him. In any case, he would have never let his father win.


    It doesn''t mean anything. Fang Aisa is not alive.


    "We were being watched by both the council and the coven. I had to treat her like I hated her...when I wanted to love her as my daughter, I couldn''t. I didn''t want Dabria to think that she could use her against me. I was worried that she would harm Fang Aisa to get me. I kept her far away. I got the council to set up a spirit shield where she and my mother lived. It was all for nothing. I couldn''t save her. I didn''t think that she would ever do this."


    Fang Qi is desperately trying to convince himself that he did everything. He looks like he is carrying an enormous weight. Fang Aisa is dead, but Fang Qi cannot forgive himself.


    "Fang Aisa wouldn''t want you to go on like this. She took your curse with her. She wanted you to live and be happy with your family."


    Sung Jun leaves after saying those words to the broken man.

 Chapter 46: Its a male god?

    Chapter 46: It''s a male god?


    [Eight Years Later | Venue: Hotel Room]


    Sung Jun skips the details, but he tells her about how he got the marriage certificate and how he got her signatures on documents for their marriage registration with the council when she was drunk. He also mentions how the council had to approve their marriage because of the certificate from the god of marriage. How their marriage was automatically registered in the human world because of their registration with the council. Finally, marriage dates different because humans cannot legally get married before eighteen.


    Finally, he tells her about her mother to see her reaction. But Fang Aisa is oddly quiet. She isn''t surprised at all. She isn''t angry either. She is calm. She probably already knows about her mother.


    Too calm for his likings.


    "Wife, are you angry?" He asks. He cannot see her expression. Her head is low. It feels like she is emitting hot angry waves from her body. It is probably not a good question to ask an already angry woman.


    Suddenly, she gets up and lifts the chair over her head. She tosses it in Sung Jun''s direction.


    He leaps to his right, narrowing escaping a ''his near-death'' thanks to quick reflex. He can barely manage to understand what''s going on before his angry wife picks up the table like it weighs nothing and throws it in his direction.


    He escapes his death again. His forehead beads with perspiration. His wife is rather violent.


    He smiles at her brightly. "Wife, are we having our first marital fight?"


    Fang Aisa suddenly squats down and covers her head with her hands. She doesn''t move or speak. He ruffles her hair and waits.


    "You are an idiot."


    "For you."


    "So cheesy." She peeks at him. "Jun, are you out of your mind? You should have lived on happily without me. You and I stand on the other ends of the spectrum. You are a freaking shaman and I am the daughter of evil wanted witch."


    "Is that why you left?" He cocks his head. "Did that god tell you these things?"


    She hides her face again and doesn''t answer him. He pats her head lightly. Her anger is long gone.


    "Did you make a deal with that god to take your father''s curse away?"


    Fang Aisa nces sideways. "I did, but he didn''t force me."


    "He?" He stops smiling abruptly. "It''s a male god?"


    She blinks at him at the sudden change. A chill runs down her spine. "He is a male cat most of the times, but he can take human forms. He is stuck in cat form because of the god of fate. God of time and god of fate have an old feud."


    "You left me and spent eight years with a god?" He takes her face in his palms. He looks into her eyes.


    Fang Aisa furrows her brows and wonders why he is looking at her like that. It is sort of scary. "Yes."


    "Good...Good..." He pinches her cheeks. "My wife was cheating on me."


    Just as he speaks these words, the grey thundering clouds suddenly show up with lightenings ready to strike them at any moment. Sung Jun stands up and crosses his arm. He looks down at her like an emperor who is ready tomand execution. Fang Aisa is frightened.


    "Jun, we have to get out of here." When she tries to get up, a bolt of lightning strikes the empty floor. She shrieks and wraps her arms around his waist. "It''s the apocalypse, isn''t?"


    He is partly smug that she is clinging on him and partly vexed because she stayed with a male god for eight years while leaving him alone like that.


    "This is the punishment by the god of marriage for not fulfilling your duties as a wife and cheating on me for thest eight years." His cold voice adds the required dread in the air.


    "What nonsense are you sprouting?" She yells at him. It looks like the clouds are getting angrier with time. "We should be escaping by now."


    "They won''t go away. They are here for you." He narrows her eyes at her. "They are sent by the god of marriage."


    This man has lost his head. Fang Aisa gathers her courage and points at him.


    "Sung Jun, I didn''t even know that I was married. This is unfair. Why are there clouds inside our room? It should be me punishing you and your god of marriage for marrying us without my permission."


    As soon as she speaks the logical words, the clouds disappear like they were never there in the first ce. Fang Aisa let go of Sung Jun and res at him. He can''t help but feel displeased anyway. It''s not like he would let her get harmed, but it would have been fun if they stayed for a while longer. He is still jealous and annoyed by the fact that a male god stole her from him and was with her for thest eight years instead of him. Well, he would be with her from now on.


    "I guess, I should be the one disciplining my wife."

 Chapter 47: Are you not going to stop them?

    Chapter 47: Are you not going to stop them?


    Just at that moment, the door is shoved open. Sung Jun furrows his brows and puts down Fang Aisa. He stands in front of her, trying to shield her from the views of the uninvited guests.


    "Brother, I am sorry." Bae Jaemin looks at him with tearful eyes. "I tried to...keep this a secret as long as I could."


    Sung Jun sighs. Bae Jaemin found out about Fang Aisa when he sent the documents to the council. It is not like it could remain a secret forever. Though Park Inha, Bae Jaemin and others have helped him registering the marriage secretly, his father must have found out by now.


    "Fang Aisa!" Behind Bae Jaemin, a woman with bright red hair, dressed in a ck sweatsuit, barges in and roars madly, "I will kill you."


    "Crap!" Fang Aisa shouts aloud and pushes Sung Jun away as Wang Mei runs in their direction with a familiar sword. She dodges Wang Mei''s not-so-hesitant attack and runs to the right. Sung Jun lets out slight sigh when he watches a raging Wang Mei chasing Fang Aisa around and destroying the hotel room.


    "Are you not going to stop them?" Bae Jaemin questions Sung Jun.


    Before Sung Jun can open his mouth to reply, Fang Aisa dashes out of the room with Wang Mei on her tail.


    Bae Jaemin nkly stares at the door. His wife is gone. His sister inw is gone. Sung Jun scowls at him darkly and cracks his knuckles.


    Bae Jaemin notices the room. Broken furniture. It''s like there was a tornado here a while ago.


    Bae Jaemin has a lot of questions, but he doesn''t dare to ask them when he sees Sung Jun''s expressions.


    ***


    Wang Mei pursues the fleeing figure in and white robe. There is only blood in her head. She is going to kill Fang Aisa today. Nothing can stop her.


    Bae Jaemin has been acting suspiciously forst three days. He has been avoiding her. She has been worried. He wouldn''t open his mouth no matter what she did. Last night, he finally told her after she warned him that she would divorce him if he didn''t speak. After learning the truth, she immediately left her house. Though Sung Jun is good at hiding, she is not without means to find him.


    Wang Mei''s people have surrounded the hotel. There is no escape. Sheughs like a lunatic. Today, Fang Aisa has to answer.


    "Fang Aisa, you can''t run away this time." Wang Mei yells in victory.


    Fang Aisa stops and turns around. There is a little smirk on her proud face. "Wang Mei, you have turned out well."


    It doesn''t help with the situation. Wang Mei is bitter. She attempts to sh Fang Aisa in half, but Fang Aisa avoids it by an inch. The smile doesn''t leave her lips. It adds to Wang Mei''s wrath.


    "Wife, please stop. You can''t kill her." Bae Jaemin''s voice rings in the hallway.


    Fang Aisa chuckles and shakes her head. She runs toward the window and climbs over. Before she jumps down, she waves at Wang Mei and says cheerfully, "Time to go. Thanks for the help, Wang Mei."


    Wang Mei runs to the window, but there is nobody below. Her people are still standing down there with a nk expression. It is like Fang Aisa disappeared out of the air.


    "What the hell!" She strikes the wall. "Howe people disappear like that?"


    "Magic." Sung Jun leisurely walks behind them. He is dressed in casual clothes. "My wife is a witch."


    "What?" Wang Mei asks with mixed emotions. "Witch?"


    "She couldn''t use it in the room because of me." Sung Jun looks down from the window. "The room has a barrier that cancels the dark magic."


    "That''s not good," Bae Jaemin says with aplicated expression. "The council will never ept her."


    There is a faint smile on Sung Jun''s lips. His honey brown eyes shine in amusement. "She is my wife. Whether they like it or not, they have to ept her."


    "But...where did she go?" Wang Mei takes a deep breath. She is still angry and itching to beat the crap out of someone. Of course, her target ran away. She nces at Sung Jun. How dare he hide that Fang Aisa is alive for so many days?


    Sung Jun shrugs his shoulder in a non-nonchnt way. He can feel the heat raysing from Wang Mei, but he disregards her. He knows that she will never attack him. There is a tacit agreement between them.


    "Can she really leave like that this time?" He mumbles as he walks away from the window. "Let''s see where you can hide, Fang Aisa."

 Chapter 48: You are one of my people

    Chapter 48: You are one of my people


    I find myself in a parking lot. I hide behind the car. Reis taught this teleportation spell once. I am supposed to use it in emergency cases. Running away from a mad Wang Mei and the devilish Sung Jun rules out to be an emergency.


    The magic doesn''te naturally to me. I have some magic from Reis'' secret collection of books. I could only learn dark magic because I have an affinity with dark magic. My mother is a dark witch. Her father was a demon. Because my spiritual energy is extremely low because of my rebirth, a part of the magic rebounds on my body.


    "You are here." The cat suddenly appears in front of me. His blue and yellow eyes pierce me with usation. I cough up blood in response. A few drops of blood fall on its white face. The feline creature blinks at me with surprise and disgust. I am too tired to care.


    "How did you find me?" I wipe the blood off my mouth. Wang Mei''s sword has managed to slice my shoulder a bit. It is not a deep cut, but my white robe is bloodied.


    "You used magic." The cat ces its paw against my chest. "Were you near someone with high spiritual power?"


    Sung Jun. I almost say, but decides against it. "Let''s leave."


    "It''s time that we leave." Rene, the cat nods his head. There is a sh of light and I close my eyes.


    "So weak!" Reis wraps his arms around me, letting me lean on his shoulder. "Woman, have you been ying with someone? Why are you dressed in a flimsy robe?"


    "What the hell are you saying?" I struggle to keep my eyes closed. He puts me in the car. I wonder whose car we are stealing this time. Though he can just teleport us out of here, he can''t because of me. It is never smooth for me.


    "I must be wrong. Who can touch a rowdy woman like you?" Reis starts the car.


    I almost say that there is someone who can touch a rowdy woman like me. Then, I close my mouth. It''s not convenient to be around a god.


    "Did someone hold you captive for thest three days?" Reis'' voice is chilling to the bone. "It must be someone who knows about gods. He knew how to hide you from me. Did he hurt you?"


    "I am fine."


    "Let''s get you somewhere safe first." I hear him say. "He has touched something that is mine. I can''t promise if he will live long."


    I open my eyes and looks at him. "You won''t harm him."


    He stops the car. His eyes meet mine. We re hard at each other until we realize that I am still clearheaded.


    "How is this possible?" I can see him. I mean, I could see him before too...but now, I am not crazy anymore. I can see him without being enchanted by him. Did I raise my spiritual powers identally?


    Reis frowns. Even his frown is beautiful. He is sculpted art. Beautiful blue and yellow eyes which are simr to his cat form. I have seen him many times, but this is the first time when I am not losing my mind.


    His cool fingers hold my jaw while he carefully looks into my eyes for a long moment. I feel slightly awkward. I finally look away.


    "Bound..." He whispers. "Married...His imprint is on you."


    "Huh?" I gawk at him. "Imprint?"


    He clicks his tongue. "His spiritual power is wrapped around you like a nket. You are married to him by the god of marriage himself."


    I purse my lips. Reis doesn''t look too happy. I guess, it is surprising.


    "The same shield is harming you. Whenever you use your magic, you will be harmed four times harder than before." His tightens his fingers around my jaw. "You also slept with him."


    I blush hard. This is the invasion of my privacy. He rubs the corner of my lips with his thumb, wiping away the blood.


    He asks me in a low tone, "It''s him, isn''t?"


    I nod. There is a long silence between us before he restarts the car and drives quietly. I sigh and looks at the passing buildings, people and the trees. The car speeds up.


    "You are one of my people."


    His words are a warning to me. Eight years ago, he and I made a deal. I cannot be free until that deal isplete and I have paid my dues.

 Chapter 49: She will hate me for this

    Chapter 49: She will hate me for this


    "She will hate me for this," Reis mumbles to himself beforeing to a decision. Running away isn''t an option. Eliminating Sung Jun isn''t his style either. He is the god of time. He isn''t sadistic like his brother, the god of death, who likes to y with weaklings.


    He is relying on this weird woman temporarily.


    Thest eight years doesn''t mean anything to him. It is just that he likes her happy face when she eats the food he cooks. Just a bit. She is still annoying. Less bothersome than Fate, his archenemy, but more vexatious than most mortals.


    Eight years ago, he didn''t show her the whole truth because she didn''t need to know. He offered her the truth. She was keen to ept. But he chose to reveal her the truth that answered all of her questions. The reason behind the sudden silence of Wang Mei. The reason why her father hated her. The truth about her mother. The reason why Sung Jun left her in her past life.


    That was enough to manipte her and she left with him. For thest eight years, they have changed people''s fates and changed the future. It reduced the fate''s strength. She had helped him in regaining his power.


    He has been ying the game with the god of fate for a long time. But this game created an imbnce in the powers of the three gods. The god of fate and the god of death has be powerful than him. He is tired and bored. The god of fate is too proud to give up. He isn''t willing either. Giving up means being imprisoned back to his realm since the gods cannot die. That''s not a choice.


    Reis isn''t a saint. He doesn''t care about anything much. He just wants to rx a bit. He wants a bit of peace. Without the interference of the gods, the world is going to end anyway. But it will take longer.


    He peeps at the sleeping woman. He needs her toe with him again. Willingly. Forcing a woman isn''t his style. Sung Jun will find them soon anyway. Fate is behind him. He needs her to choose him over Sung Jun.


    "It will hurt a bit, woman." Reis hesitates a bit before he ces his index finger between her brows. The tip of his finger shines.


    "She will hate me for this," Reis mumbles to himself beforeing to a decision. Running away isn''t an option. Eliminating Sung Jun isn''t his style either. He is the god of time. He isn''t sadistic like his brother, the god of death, who likes to y with weaklings.


    He is relying on this weird woman temporarily.


    Thest eight years doesn''t mean anything to him. It is just that he likes her happy face when she eats the food he cooks. Just a bit. She is still annoying. Less bothersome than Fate, his archenemy, but more vexatious than most mortals.


    Eight years ago, he didn''t show her the whole truth because she didn''t need to know. He offered her the truth. She was keen to ept. But he chose to reveal her the truth that answered all of her questions. The reason behind the sudden silence of Wang Mei. The reason why her father hated her. The truth about her mother. The reason why Sung Jun left her in her past life.


    That was enough to manipte her and she left with him. For thest eight years, they have changed people''s fates and changed the future. It reduced the fate''s strength. She had helped him in regaining his power.


    He has been ying the game with the god of fate for a long time. But this game created an imbnce in the powers of the three gods. The god of fate and the god of death has be powerful than him. He is tired and bored. The god of fate is too proud to give up. He isn''t willing either. Giving up means being imprisoned back to his realm since the gods cannot die. That''s not a choice.


    Reis isn''t a saint. He doesn''t care about anything much. He just wants to rx a bit. He wants a bit of peace. Without the interference of the gods, the world is going to end anyway. But it will take longer.


    He peeps at the sleeping woman. He needs her toe with him again. Willingly. Forcing a woman isn''t his style. Sung Jun will find them soon anyway. Fate is behind him. He needs her to choose him over Sung Jun.


    "It will hurt a bit, woman." Reis hesitates a bit before he ces his index finger between her brows. The tip of his finger shines.


    ***


    I find myself sitting on the roof of a bus. I don''t know where I am going or where this bus is going. There is nobody beside me. I have no idea about the driver, but his driving is reckless. It is odd because I don''t remember climbing the roof of the bus. I look around and find only the green fields with no ends. Where is this ce? It is nowhere.


    I blink twice. The scene has changed. I am not on the roof of the bus. I am in a hotel room. This scene is too familiar to me. This is the memory of my previous life. Sung Jun is sitting on the bed and holding a phone. My naked body is sprawled on the bed without any shame. His other hand is patting my head.


    "Have you arrived there, Mother? Is father really sick?" He sounds a bit annoyed. "He isn''t pretending, is he?"


    "In that case, I will leave right now."


    "No, I don''t want her to get tangled in this."


    "No, she won''t leave me after learning about my ability to see ghosts or the council."


    "Alright."


    He ends the phone call. He kisses my head. I hear myselfining in sleep and his chuckle. He gets ready in front of me. Before he leaves, he writes a note and sticks it on themp near the bed.


    The words written on the note are ''I wille back. Stay out of trouble.''


    After he is gone, a strange breezees from nowhere. The note falls on the floor. I see the red thread of the god of fate that came along with the breeze and pushing the note underneath the table.


    I have seen it all before. Now, I wonder if I am dreaming.


    The stage shifts. Sung Jun is sitting across his father. Both of them are keeping poker faces. The butler looks like he is going to have an anxiety attack.


    I sit on the floor. This is a long conversation. It''s not fun to see this dream. It would have been fun if I could set this office on fire. They can''t see or hear me. This is a thing of past.


    "Where is my mother?" Sung asks in a bitter tone.


    "After she found out that I tricked her, she was quite mad." His father seems amused and throws in front of Sung Jun. "It was her temper that attracted me to her once. Anyway, She is fine. I have locked her in the room."


    Sung Jun doesn''t pay any heed to his father. He takes the file and opens it. He stares at my picture in the file.


    "This is a lie." Sung Jun scowls at his father.


    "Is it? Have you not wondered why she is living with a nanny? Who is her mother?" There is a twinkle in his father''s eyes. "You can ask Jaemin if you think that I am lying."


    "What do you want?" Sung Jun scorns at his father.


    "I want you to leave her," He tells him cheerfully.


    "That won''t do."


    "Then, I will have her imprisoned."


    "You can''t do that."


    "You underestimate me, my son."


    His father flinches when he sees the undisguised hate in his son''s eyes. But his smile doesn''t falter.


    "The seal is protecting her from her mother, isn''t? What if I tell her how to undo that seal? Or maybe, I should break the seal myself and bring her here as a specimen. She is only living child of Dabria." He adds, "Dabria must have some feelings for her."


    After a long silence, Sung Jun says in an emotionless voice, "You are not fit to be the president of the council."

 Chapter 50: Make it look like an accident

    Chapter 50: Make it look like an ident


    His father doesn''t refute his words. Instead, heys down the terms.


    "Let me be straightforward." His father stands up and walks around the table. "I see that you have grown to care about that...thing. I can let you take her as a pet...but you must marry Park Inha and give an heir to the Sung family. You must be a shaman and train yourself. You have to work from the bottom and reach my position before you are thirty if you want to see her live."


    "She isn''t a thing." Sung Jun closes his eyes and curls his fingers into a fist. He looks like he is going to explode.


    "You can y with her until you are satisfied, but she can never have your children. If she gets pregnant, it must be taken care of."


    "She.Is.Not.A.Thing!" Sung Jun''s voice is low and cold. I cannot look at them anymore. I have seen it all before. But seeing it for the second time doesn''t make it any easy. The Wang family was ckmailed by my grandfather. Sung Jun was ckmailed by his father.


    The reason is my lineage. Because I am the daughter of infamous Dabria. Because I am part demon. Because I bear the curse of being able to touch the dead. Because they are afraid of what I can be.


    The choice was never mine. Nobody asked me whether I wanted to be protected this way. They never talked to me. They left me alone.


    "You have another choice." His father ignores Sung Jun and carries on. "You can marry her and give her the respect that you want to give her. If you want her this much, I can be...lenient. If you want to choose her, then you must never contact her until you can take my position when you are thirty. Once you are a president of the council, nobody can stop you from doing what you want. Your words will bew."


    I see the effects of his words. I see Sung Jun falling into a trap. The scene changes again. This time, it''s only the butler and Sung Jun''s father standing in the office.


    "What''s wrong?" Mr. Sung asks calmly and takes a sip from the coffee cup.


    "Master, I have told her that the young master has a fiance." The old butler is troubled. "She has already left, but..."


    "But?"


    "Miss Fang has lost consciousness in the cab." The old butler creases his forehead. "She was taken to the hospital by our people. They have found out that she is nearly three months pregnant. She hasn''t gained consciousness."


    Mr. Sung''s twists into an ugly expression. "Tell the hospital to get rid of it."


    "Master, that child is young master''s." The butler pales and speaks uneasily. "Miss Fang is a gooddy. I think that..."


    "Tell the hospital to take care of it. My grandchild cannot have her blood in their veins. " Mr. Sung grimaces. "She must never have children again. Do you understand?"


    "As per your wish, Master." The butler bows his head.


    I didn''t see this memory before. I don''t even have the time to calm myself before the scene change again. It''s the same office. Same characters. Mr. Sung and the butler are older this time.


    "He will be the president tomorrow," Mr. Sung tells his butler proudly. "Even without my help, he has the majority vote in the council."


    The butler is also happy. "Master, your dream came true."


    "Yes." Mr. Sungughs and hugs his butler. Suddenly, his expression turns serious when he recalls something. "Did that thing married Mu Qing?"


    The old butler turns white when he hears Mr. Sung. "No, the Fang family broke the engagement."


    Mr. Sung clicks his tongue. "The Fang family...there is not enough time now. Get rid of her by tomorrow."


    The old butler widens his eyes. "Master, you promised young master that..."


    "I promised that I won''t bring her to the council or tell Dabria how to get rid of the seal. I promised that I will let him marry her if he bes the president." Mr. Sung taps the table impatiently. "There is no time. She must die now before he bes the president. The news shouldn''t reach him until he takes the position. Make it look like an ident."


    My miscarriage. My ident. All were lies.

 Chapter 51: Yet, you are still hopeless

    Chapter 51: Yet, you are still hopeless


    Sung Jun senses the link between Fang Aisa and him growing stronger as he drives. It''s a good idea to ce a spiritual imprint on his wife who appears to be running away a lot. It seems like she hasn''t realized it or she can''t remove it yet.


    Even if she removes it, there is another link between them. Sung Jun is rather prepared for any consequence. He has made sure that he can track her easily if she decides to disappear. First, the spiritual imprint. Then, the fact that they are married by the god of marriage himself. Because he is quite good at what he does for a living, tracing her using the marriage between is also easy. Last, he registered her as a special human at the council. Because he is a member of the council of supernatural extent, he can find her easily. Though the status must be changed now since she is a witch. He isn''t exactly his wife''s choices for her profession, but he can do nothing but ept.


    Besides, he needs to find her before the council or his father makes a move. Dabria must have found out by now. He doubts that the god will let any harme to her as long as he needs her. But he can''t rest until she is in front of his eyes.


    She gets weird ideas all the times and chooses to run away from him rather than share her ideas.


    Suddenly, a familiar song ys on the radio. He has heard it a lot of time before. He heard Fang Aisa sing this song on the street once. She seemed quite smug while singing this song with strange lyrics. He always recalls her funny expression when he hears this song.


    [Ring!Ring!Ring! I have loved you for seven days...I will love you for seven more...Then we will part ways...But I miss you anyway...I want you anyway...I have loved you for seven days...]


    This song was released six years ago. When he heard it for the first time, he thought that it was a coincidence. After seeing Fang Aisa again, he can connect the dots.


    Her actions. Her odd words. Her hate. Her love. Her Anger. Her choices.


    He is rather sure now.


    Since she is not going to tell him anyway, he will find out himself.


    Sung Jun finds them just at the outskirt of the city. The white-haired god has been expecting him. He steps out of the car and heads toward the sleeping Fang Aisa. After seeing her, he feels relieved. The god doesn''t stop him or say a word.


    Fang Aisa wakes up as soon as he touches her shoulder. She stares at him with her dark eyes and then, wraps her arms around his neck. He hugs her back and nts a kiss on her head. She takes several long breaths as if she is trying to calm herself down.


    "Aisa...let''s go home." He whispers in her ear. He doesn''t care about gods or demons. He just wants her with him. The past or future doesn''t matter. The will of the gods doesn''t matter.


    Fang Aisa''s eyes are full of sorrows when she kisses him on his cheek. She gives him a faint smile. She takes his hand and gets out of the car. Then, she walks to the god and ps him hard.


    "You deserve it, Reis." Her voice is empty and quiet.


    Sung Jun drags her away from the spot and activates a spiritual shield around them. He is ready to attack the god in case he attacks them. He has no idea what happened between Fang Aisa and the god, but he will kill a god if she wants.


    "Tch!" The god lets out an eerieugh. He watches them with his yellow and blue eyes. "You dare to be mad at me?"


    "You should have shown everything to me that day." Fang Aisa yells aloud.


    "If I did, then what?" The god nces at Sung Jun. "Choose this idiot? He is a useless one. Isn''t he the reason behind the death of your and your unborn child? How can you still let him hold you after what happened in your previous life?"


    Sung Jun is frozen when the words hit him.


    "It''s not his fault." Fang Aisa doesn''t look at Sung Jun. She is too angry to take any notice. She steps closer to the god and curls her fingers into fists. "He didn''t know anything."


    "He didn''t know anything." The god repeats her words and smiles coldly. "Woman, I gave you a new life. I have a chance that people die wishing for. You got to turn back time and restart your life again. Yet, you are still hopeless."

 Chapter 52: You can decide your future

    Chapter 52: You can decide your future


    Sung Jun''s is having a tough time epting the information. He already figured that Fang Aisa remembered her life before the time was turned back, but he could never imagine that he was the reason behind her and her unborn child''s death.


    Judging from her reaction and words, he was directly or indirectly involved.


    He could never imagine doing something like this to her. He would never hurt her. Her death? He went crazy when she died. How could he cause her death?


    What about her unborn child? Who was the father? Was she married to someone in her previous? He can understand why she hated him back then, but...who was the father? Who did she marry? Does she still love and care about that man? It can''t be the fiance she had. That person couldn''t have children.


    "You did everything for yourself."


    "Woman, you can''t say that you didn''t get benefitted by what I did."


    "So what?" Fang Aisa crosses her arms over her chest. "Did I ask you to turn back time for me?"


    "I saved you from the clutches of death and your mother." The white-haired fool points at her. "She already sent people after you back then. Even god of fate sent a sorcerer after you to kill you. You know that it wasn''t an ident. The ghost was sent to push you off the roof. The demons were supposed to eat you alive. The sorcerer even imprisoned your soul. If you didn''t manage to escape, you wouldn''t be alive right now."


    "Then, did you save me?" Fang Aisa smiles faintly. "You knew everything...did youe to that maze and save me? No! You send me a text after I woke up. You came to me as a damn cat."


    "That''s not the problem here." The white-haired fool''s voice is a notch higher. "You shouldn''t be choosing this good-for-nothing man. He is a catastrophe. The only thing that awaits you in the future is heartbreak."


    "Screw it!" Fang Aisa stomps her foot. "What I choose is my decision. Besides, I am still getting heartbreaks, aren''t I? I thought of you as my friend. I trusted you."


    While they are arguing, Sung Jun finds something that he doesn''t like at all. The two of them seem dependent on each other. There is an invisible bond between them. Friendship? Sung Jun suddenly recalls that Fang Aisa and this white-haired fool spent eight years together.


    Eight years. He has no idea where they were for eight years or what happened between them. But Fang Aisa trusted that white-haired fool. She still cares about him.


    That''s not eptable. Why does his wife have a spot for someone else? Why can''t she trust him instead of a god? Gods are never trustworthy. This white-haired-god took her away from him.


    The white-haired fool didn''t reply this time. He seems to be in shock. Fang Aisa clutches her hair. Tears run down her clear cheeks. She closes her eyes.


    "I am sorry." The white-haired fool suddenly utters in monotone. "I am a god. I am not a friend or family."


    "I know, Reis." Fang Aisa covers her face. "I don''t know. I am tired. My past life was built around lies. Everyone yed me. People left me. I had no say in anything. Even my child was killed and I always med myself. I thought that my child died because of my selfishness. My child...I can never bring my child back."


    The words are piercing to Sung Jun. Fang Aisa falls on her knees. He has seen her cry like that before. He bends down on one knee and pulls her up by her arm.


    "We will have children." He cleans her face by his hand. "As much as you want. Your past life was the past. The god turned back time. It meant that it didn''t happen. He is right about one thing. You can decide your future. The past, you are crying for, will not happen in this life."


    She takes a long nce at him. In her eyes, he cannot see any faith or dependence on him. This stings him, but his wife needs care.


    The memories of her past life make her who she is. The memories of her past life are also her burden.


    "I don''t know how I hurt you in our past lives. But give me a chance this time. I am not a fool like me from our past lives."

 Chapter 53: Behave!

    Chapter 53: Behave!


    I push Sung Jun away. I want to ask him. If your father suddenly ckmails you with me again, will you leave me?


    Because I cannot change what I am. Can I?


    Sung Jun looks hurt, but I steel my heart. I walk away from him. On my middle finger, I have a ring which is only visible to me. It was given to me by Reis once. It was supposed to help me control my dark powers and hide me away from the supernatural world. It helped me with my curse. I could not see ghosts or smell them. The ghosts were not attracted to me either.


    When he took away Fang Qi''s curse, someone had to pay the price. He couldn''t take away my curse or didn''t want to. I would never know. I had known that he was selfish. But I am also selfish, aren''t I?


    I chose to go with him anyway. One way or another, he would have taken me with him anyway. But the ghosts were troublesome. Though they wouldn''te near me when he was there because they were afraid of him, they followed me around. At that time, he gave me this ring.


    I don''t want it anymore. I take it off and throw it on the ground. The ring evaporates before it can touch the ground. I purse my lips. I didn''t see thating.


    The air around me turns dark. I can sense the ghosts and the other dark creatures. Good! I need this.


    "Woman, you don''t know what is good for you." Reis ps his forehead. "Why would you take it off? It was one of its kind. The ring is summoned back by heaven."


    I don''t answer his questions. "I will fulfill the terms of the contract, but I need to finish something else first."


    "What are you thinking?" Reis steps closer to me. I shrug my shoulder and turn to Sung Jun.


    "Let''s go home."


    Sung Jun is surprised, but he doesn''t ask me questions. He takes my hand and pulls me along with him. I look over my shoulder. Reis is standing alone, looking conflicted. Very human and fragile. I don''t understand this cat. I guess that I don''t care anymore.


    I spend the next hours in a daze. We didn''t speak a word. I have no idea what''s on Sung Jun''s head. I should care. But I don''t.


    At the airport, Wang Mei and Bae Jaemin meet us. I hug Wang Mei when I see her. After some hesitation, she hugs me back. She doesn''t ask me questions. On the flight, she sits next to me, holding my hand the whole time. I fall asleep while looking at the clouds.


    When I wake up, I am drooling on Sung Jun''s shirt. I am embarrassed. I drooled on his shirt during a flight.


    He gives me a gentle smile and squeezes my hand. There isughter in his eyes.


    "I am sorry about this." I wipe the drool off with my sleeves.


    "Are you hungry?" He asks me softly.


    "No." I don''t meet his eyes.


    "We will be in Seoul in fifteen minutes," He informs me.


    "I think you will regret taking me there in the future."


    "Will I?" Jun rubs his thumb in a circr manner on the back of my hand. The corners of his lips curl up. "If you are devising an evil n, you should just tell me. I am a good strategist."


    "...." That''s not what you are supposed to say. You know that I want to use you for something. Still...why are you taking me with you?


    "If you want to overthrow the council, I can help you with that too." He whispers in my ears. "If you want to hunt down Dabria, I can help you with that." Then, he softly bites my earlobe. I catch the eyes of the flight attendant watching us. She turns her head away when her eyes meet mine. Her eyes clearly saying silently, ''get a room!''.


    I feel my face burn. We are on a flight. Damn you, Sung Jun!


    "Wife, if you hate me and want to kill me, I won''t fight you." I feel his mouth sucking my ear. I re at him and try to push him away, but he puts his other arm on me to stop me from moving. His actions do not match his words. I want to kill him right now.


    "I don''t hate you." I am annoyed. Super annoyed. This guy is out of his mind. There are passengers on this flight. "But I want to kill you, husband." I grab his crotch and squeeze it hard. He let me go in that instant, surprised.


    I smirk at him and whisper, "Behave." I squeeze harder. I can''t but feel happy when I see his face contort in pain.

 Chapter 54: Dont unzip my pants

    Chapter 54: Don''t unzip my pants


    When I try to let go of his crotch, he put his hand over mine. I look up and my heart stops when I see his devilish glint on his face.


    Crap!


    "Wife, we can''t do it here..." His voice is not low or high, but it''s enough for the whole aircraft to hear. He sounds embarrassed and clearly wronged. I can feel everyone eyes on us. Even Bae Jaemin and Wang Mei''s. I don''t dare to look around. My current goal is to get my hand away from his crotch. I resist the urge to use the teleportation spell again.


    "My darling." He lowers his head. "I know....we can do it in the car while on our way home. It''s only ten minutes before we reach Seoul."


    I gnash my teeth and say, "Let go of my hand."


    The cunning smile appears on his face. I brace myself for the next disaster.


    "Don''t unzip my pants. There are children on this flight," He speaks in a not-so-low voice and loudly sighs. He lets go of my hand. I shrink lower in my seat and hide my face with my palms. Now, I am a lustful and shameless woman to everyone on this flight.


    Even to my childhood friend.


    "Let go!"


    "Wife is too demanding,"


    "But I like your hand there." This time, he speaks in a low voice. "Wife is a pervert."


    "Sung Jun, did I ever offend you?"


    "Countless times," He answers me without batting his eyes.


    "...." I regreting with him.


    The next thirty minutes follows with a dense air of embarrassment for me. It''s too awkward when we leave the airport. I sense people looking at me strangely and whispering something among themselves. I didn''t try to listen or speak back. It''s useless to argue with strangers when the mastermind is showing off an innocent smile.


    10 PM. There is a limousine waiting for us. The driver is dressed in all white with a poker face. Even at night, he is wearing sunsses. I find it weird but decide against saying anything.


    "I will visit you tomorrow," Wang Mei tells me solemnly before hurrying off with Bae Jaemin.


    "It''s not what you think..." I try to exin. She doesn''t stop. She keeps running away while dragging Bae Jaemin who waves back at us.


    "Give your best, Brother." Bae Jaemin yells. "I want a cute niece."


    "..." Again, I feel all the eyes on us. Sung Jun shrugs and pulls me along with him to the limousine. I wonder how he is cool while being stared like this.


    As soon as the limousine starts, Sung Jun takes my hand and ces on his crotch. "You like touching me there, isn''t?"


    I pull my hand. The driver doesn''t pay attention. Can he hear us?


    "Sung Jun, we are in the car... Why are you always in the heat? Are you a dog?"


    The corner of his lips twitch. "A dog?"


    "It slipped out..." I cough lightly and look away. I should have said ''pervert''.


    "You want to do it in doggy style?" I hear him say. That''s not what I meant. Before I can turn around to refute his words, he pulls me in his embrace, immobilizing me in his grasp.


    "There is a someone else in the...car." I keep my voice low.


    "Does it matter?" He whispers in my ears and kisses the nape of my neck. This guy is really a dog in heat.


    "I don''t want someone to hear or see us..." I whisper back. "This is not decent..." Why do I have to teach this stuff to you?


    "Wife likes privacy." His flutters his eyshes at me. His beautiful honey brown eyes are deep and beautiful. I find myself losing in those eyes.


    His wayward hand wanders between my legs, bringing me back on the earth.


    "But this dog is in heat." He pins me down beneath him in a blink of an eye.


    "Sung Jun, did you sell your self-respect in the flea market?" I can''t stop myself from yelling.


    "You call me a dog and then, you ask me if you have ever offended me?"


    "It''s not like you didn''t make me mad, Sung Jun." I re at him. "In our both lives, you made me crazy."


    Sung Jun raises his sharp brows. "So, you are crazy for me in both of our lives. It''s disappointing that I don''t remember anything and you are the only ones who do."


    I close my mouth. He already knows, isn''t? He heard stuff earlier. But he doesn''t know what I know. I should have the advantage here.


    "And I killed you, isn''t?" He asks quietly, but he doesn''t let me go.


    "You didn''t kill me," I tell him. "You shouldn''t believe Reis. He was trying to manipte you and me." I don''t know how this conversation turned serious. But he has me pinned down underneath him. His face is too close to mine.


    "I know." He scrutinizes my face for the hints that I am lying. I don''t know what he sees. I believe that he isn''t the reason behind my death and our unborn child''s death. Sung Jun is also the victim. He never knew. I will make sure that he doesn''t know. He doesn''t need this kind of burden.

 Chapter 55: Welcome back

    Chapter 55: Wee back


    "Who was the father?"


    Sung Jun has been holding himself back. Fang Aisa''s past hasn''t happened in this life. He would make sure that it would never happen. He didn''t want to ask her the name of the father of her unborn child. It was her another life. In this life, she is his woman.


    But...he couldn''t ask. What if she still has a feeling for him? What if he appears in future and she leaves him? He needs to be prepared.


    There is another possibility. He could be the father. Sung Jun hopes that he was. But what did it make him? Fang Aisa has said that he had left her for someone else. He had a fiance. Sung Jun could guess who it was. Did he really leave Fang Aisa pregnant and alone?


    The worst part was that he couldn''t even protect her. Someone killed her and her unborn child. Fang Aisa knows who it was. What would she do? Who was that murderer?


    Some things haven''t happened yet. What is stopping it from repeating?


    He needs to know. Even if it hurts him, he wants to know.


    "I had a one night stand." Fang Aisa stares at him. Her face doesn''t betray any feeling. "You and I had been in a rtionship in our previous lives, but you left me for some reasons. I was upset and drunk one night and slept with a stranger for revenge. That man left before I could see him the next day. I don''t know who was the father of my child."


    Sung Jun narrows his eyes. One night stand? Then, he recalls her drunk behaviour. He is a bit relieved to know that she didn''t have feelings for someone else. But he is also annoyed by her recklessness. Sleeping with a stranger for revenge? He didn''t like the idea that there was someone else other than him. Then, she doesn''t even remember that man. Still, Sung Jun finds himself envious. Fang Aisa had that stranger''s child. Not his. For Fang Aisa, that child would always be her first child.


    "You are not allowed to drink anymore." He lets go of her hands.


    "Hey...it was another life." Fang Aisa looks away from him. "The car has already stopped. Where are we?"


    Sung Jun doesn''t answer her. They get out of the car in front of a manor. He takes her hand. Warm hands. Fang Aisa''s eyes widened in pleasant surprise.


    "This is our home." Sung Jun wraps his arm around her shoulder. "Just you and me."


    "That...is ours only?" She seems too surprised for some reason.


    "Yes, I brought it five days ago."


    Her mouth forms an ''O'' and she blinks several times before she asks again, "You randomly brought it? Your father agreed?"


    He frowns. "I didn''t ask him?" She knows a lot about him and his father, doesn''t she?


    "No..wait...five days ago? You didn''t even know that I was alive." She steps away from him.


    "Dumb wife." He flicks her forehead. "I already knew. Wei Si Si sent your photo to the school group."


    Her lips form a thin line. Heughs when he sees her reaction. "I had everything prepared since the moment I saw your picture."


    "I can never win against you." She covers her face with her palms. "You even brought a house... How were you sure that I woulde with you?"


    "You didn''t have a choice, my wife."


    "It''s really ours?" She asks again. "Our home?"


    "Yes." He confirms.


    She happily jumps on her feet and hugs him tightly. "Jun, let''s build a home together."


    He is surprised to hear her words. He didn''t think that she would be this happy. She came with him in strange circumstances.


    "Stay with me forever." He whispers to her ear.


    "I will," Fang Aisa replies. "We will find happiness this time."


    He feels the warmth spreading in his heart when he hears her say that. Finally, she is epting him. He hopes that she isn''t tricking him. She kisses him on his lips and says, "Let''s go inside."


    He nods and takes her hand again. Together, they step inside the house, thinking of their bright future.


    But a different sight greets them inside. The manor is full of people dressed invish clothes. It''s decorated with flowers and sparkling lights. In the middle, Sung Jun''s father is standing with the family butler. He has a stic smile on his face.


    "Wee back, my dear son," He speaks in a loud voice. "and my lovely daughter-inw."

 Chapter 56: Father, there is a ghost behind you.

    Chapter 56: Father, there is a ghost behind you.


    It feels like I have walked into a fairytale with a dragon standing at the center. The walls are decorated with flowers and twinkling little lights. All of the guests are dressed in fancy clothes and masks. In the center, my father inw is standing with a giant wedding cake. He isn''t wearing a mask. Behind him, a mermaid is singing a song in an aquarium. I can''t understand thenguage of her song. Her voice is both distracting and rxing.


    I turn my head around and look at the mermaid again. Green shiny fishtail, upper silver-blue half body. She is wearing a ne of shells, pearls and other beautiful sea stones that somehow covers her upper body. She has an irresistible allure. I nce at Sung Jun. He isn''t looking there. That''s good.


    I notice Ms. Sung standing behind Mr. Sung with aplicated face. Even after eight years, she looks the same. She smiles at me when she notices me watching her. I return her smile.


    "My beautiful daughter inw." My father inw walks to me. I feel goosebumps all over my body when he hugs me. This man killed me and my unborn child in my previous life. I had no doubt that he would do it again. Some people never change.


    He lets me go and beams at me. I start to notice the simrities between him and Sung Jun. Sung Jun has inherited most of his features. It seems that he also learned how to have a fake personality from his father. They have the same fake smile when they are hiding something unpleasant. But Sung Jun isn''t like his father.


    "Father, thank you for the surprise," I say to him with the same stic smile on my face. Sung Jun squeezes my hand reassuringly. "You have a ghost behind you."


    My father inw''s smile freezes on his face. He turns around to take a look. There is a ghost standing only three feet away. I have seen it the moment I stepped into the house. I am sure that everyone in the hall could see it. A shaman has a ghost following him around. The world is getting funnier these days.


    "He is a guest." He gives me a tight smile. Something flickers in his eyes. Ah! He wanted to confirm whether I could see the dead or not. Well, dear father inw, I am making you regret meeting me every day from now on.


    "Sung Jun!" A tall female walks between us. Suddenly, I am wondering why everyone is taller than me here. She is dressed in a blue long dress. Her hair is ck and waist long. She looks like a model. She smiles too warmly at Sung Jun and says, "It''s been so long. I was dying to see you again."


    "Inha, it''s great to see you again." Sung Jun smiles back. He lets go of my hand and gives her a half hug.


    "You must be the famous Fang Aisa," She says to me.


    "My poprity precedes me. I wonder what I have done so great." I can''t help being sarcastic.


    "Yes, it''s not every day we meet someone who can fake her own death at the age of fifteen and disappears for more than eight years." Park Inha''s voice is both sweet and grating to my ears. "Our Jun was crazy about you. I am interested to know what kind of woman Fang Aisa is.


    "Inha is Jun''s closest friend." I hear his father say. There is something in his voice that gives me a bad feeling. She must be the fiance. She is too beautiful. I decide that I don''t like her. She doesn''t like me either.


    "Inha, when did you arrive in the city?" Sung Jun changes the subject.


    "Oh, around five days ago." Park Inha''s eyes are full of warmth when she looks at Sung Jun. I sigh when I realize that she likes him. It was never easy dealing with Sung Jun''s fangirls in the past, but this one is rather someone who is close to him. I need a drink.


    "Daughter inw,e with me. I want to introduce you to some people." He drags me along with him. Sung Jun wants toe, but Park Inha stops him. Her arm is wrapped around his arm. She is slightly leaning on him. She winks at him andughs about something.


    Damn! I need a drink.

 Chapter 57: Wife needs to cut her nails

    Chapter 57: Wife needs to cut her nails


    "Inha, what are you ying?" Sung Jun asks with a brilliant smile and a dangerous tone. The chill in his voice is enough to freeze entire inferno.


    Park Inha''s teasing tone doesn''t change either. "Hello, you can''t me me. She stole my first love."


    "How did my father know that we areing today?" He studies at Fang Aisa from the corners of his eyes. She is keeping a perfect poker face. Not a single emotion is leaving her eyes. She doesn''t look nervous or scared. She has been smiling and talking to his father and the people around her with ease. He realises that his hot-tempered wife has been taught some bad things by that useless god.


    "He knew everything from his sources. I had no part." Park Inha follows his eyes. She scrutinizes Fang Aisa from top to bottom. Shements, "She isn''t prettier than me."


    "She is the most beautiful woman in the room."


    Park Inha narrows her eyes at Sung Jun and doesn''t smile anymore. This man is too insensitive.


    "Is she even interested in you? She faked her death and left you alone. She isn''t least bit bothered about you and me." Park Inha leans closer to him and winks. "She is looking at us, but she isn''t jealous. Does she even love you?"


    Sung Jun smirks at her. "You are trying to make her jealous, Inha. That''s foolish. She knows that I am hers."


    Park Inha hides the anger in her heart and sticks closer. "Even if you are married to her, she should still be jealous. A woman knows when another woman eyes her husband."


    Sung Junughs. "Park Inha, how would your fiance feel if he sees us like this?"


    She raises her brow and answers teasingly, "He knows that I belong to him."


    This time, both of themugh. Theirugh reverberates like a bell and attracts a lot of stares. Fang Aisa also gazes at the beautiful man and woman. They look like they belong to each other. Sung Ki-Woong also sees them and feels happy that Park Inha and Sung Jun are growing close. He knows about Park Inha''s engagement, but he doesn''t care. Park Inha has been in love with his son for years. His son must realise that. Eliminating Fang Aisa from his life is easy.


    He discerns Fang Aisa''s reaction. He expects to see her upset. Instead, he finds her smiling ear to ear.


    "Ah!" One of thedies exims. "They look beautiful together." She voices the thoughts of many guests at the party.


    "She was his fiance, but he has his eyes on someone else," Anotherdy informs her, not caring about Fang Aisa being in earshot.


    "You mean...she is the one who broke their engagement?" The firstdy questions. They look at Fang Aisa like she is a viin.


    "Yes...She must be a witch like her evil mother," The thirddy chimes in. "Don''t you know who her mother is?"


    "Who is it?" The seconddy asks.


    "It''s the Phantom Witch, Dabria." This receives multiple gasps from thedies. They cover their mouth with their gloved hands and stares at Fang Aisa like she is an abomination.


    "I am also a witch," Fang Aisa chuckles and informs thedies. "I am really lucky that I have a husband who still loves me despite my origins."


    Sung Ki-Woong grinds his teeth together when he hears that. Even having her standing so close to him is testing his endurance. A woman like her can never be epted in the Sung Family. Either this woman will die or she will disappear.


    "I am the lucky one." Another voice joins them. Sung Jun kisses the back of Fang Aisa''s hand. "Darling, are you tired?"


    When she looks at him, he notices that she is somewhat annoyed. But it''sst for barely a second. Not jealous? Not angry? She gives him a nod with a tight smile. But her nails are digging his palm.


    "Wife, were you jealous of Inha?" He whispers to her ears.


    "Why would I be? She is just a childhood friend. I am your wife for life," Fang Aisa replies in mocking voice.


    "Wife needs to cut her nails."


    When Sung Ki-Woong sees them whispering to each other intimately in front of the guests without any shame, he is on the verge of seizing Fang Aisa by her hair and cast her in the dungeon for the rest of her life. He should have kept her in the council''s prison instead of returning her to her father back then. How dare she touch his only son? She is a despicable creature like her mother.


    He takes out his phone and sends a message. It''s time.

 Chapter 58: You cannot abandon him again

    Chapter 58: You cannot abandon him again


    We have cut the cake. What''s up with these masks anyway? Sung Jun, his father, Ms. Sung and I are the only one not wearing the mask. Then, Sung Jun''s ex-fiance isn''t wearing one either.


    I have no idea what we are celebrating. Is it our arrival or is it bted wedding celebration? We didn''t even have a wedding. I am overthinking. I want to sleep.


    Sung Jun is whisked away by people. His sunshine personality is switched on. He is talking and greeting people like they are his closest friends. Everyone seems to want to talk to him about something. He is the sun who belong to the sky. I don''t know what to feel about myself.


    "Hello, Ms. Sung." The ghost has been tailing me around. He even sits next to me.


    "Tell me, does pretending to sit like this hurt you?" I ignore the smell of rotting eggs. There have been perks of living with Reis. Not smelling dead things takes the top position on the list.


    The ghost is wearing traditional ck clothes. His skin is white and nched. His eyes and lips arepletely ck. He looks worse than thedy ghost I have met at the Fang main house. He gazes at me woodenly and replies, "If I act like a ghost, it might scare people."


    "So, you attend a shaman''s party and follow etiquette?" I am rather curious. Sung Jun''s father is a shaman and the president of the council. Why would a ghoste?


    The ghost sighs. "I have been dead for a long time. I have seen my children and grandchildren die. They passed on while I couldn''t. A shaman can free the dead from the world of the living. President Sung understands that well."


    "I see. Why don''t you find a different shaman? Sung Jun can help you." I nce Sung Jun. He is talking to Ms. Sung about something. She appears to be anxious. I wonder what''s going on.


    The ghost doesn''t answer my question.


    "Can you really touch the dead?"


    "Yes." I know that I cannot hide this. He only needs to touch me to confirm.


    "You are special, child."


    "I agree." Currently, I am the only one in the world who has this ability. I am not happy about it.


    "Your mother wants to see you."


    The words hit me like a thunderbolt. The ghost has simply vanished. I look around to find him, but I cannot see him anymore. The smell of the dead is also gone. Why would a ghoste to a shaman''s party? Dabria must have sent him to confirm. Sung Jun''s father must have allowed the ghost toe as her messenger. I don''t know what he wants to prove.


    I didn''t have any good feeling for Dabria. If Reis hasn''t shown me what kind of person she is, I might have wanted to see her as my mother. After I was born, she did everything that she could to wake my ability. When she failed because of the Fang seal, she wanted to sacrifice me to obtain youth, beauty, and longevity. She performed the sacrificial rituals to the god of death. At thest moment, she changed her mind and sent me to my father. She thought that I might rouse my curseter in life. She also wanted to use me to control him in the future. When she saw that Fang Qi had no interest in me, she also lost interest.


    "Aisa?" I open my eyes. It''s Ms. Sung. She takes the seat next to me. She hasn''t changed at all.


    "You have grown to be a beautiful woman." She takes my hand.


    "You are the most beautiful one, Ms Sung," I tell her genuinely.


    She chuckles and pinches my cheek. I finally find out where Sung Jun got his pinching habit from.


    "I heard you calling him father. Why are you not calling me mother?" She sounds unhappy. "Am I not good enough?"


    "I was trying to irritate him." I blurt out. I bite my tongue. She grins. The hurt expressions are gone. "Ki-Woong is stubborn as an old bull."


    I don''t know whether tough or not. He is her ex-husband, but she didn''t change her surname after the divorce. I don''t know whether she still likes him or not. I can''t tell her that I agree with her.


    "I am leaving for H City tomorrow." She is looking at Sung Jun with concerned eyes. She is upset about something.


    "What''s wrong, Mother?" I ask.


    "Aisa, Sung Jun loves you with his whole heart...After you were gone, I have seen him fall into the abyss. I thought that I lost him. For thest eight years, I didn''t see him happy once. I know that you had reasons for what you did...but I am afraid..." She shifts her eyes uneasily.


    I understand what she is trying to say. Sung Jun''s father will never ept me. She is probably worried that Sung Jun will get hurt.


    "You are wise, Fang Aisa. You should be wary of Ki-Woong. Remember that you took his responsibility when you were in school." She looks at me strictly. "He is sold to you, isn''t?"


    "....Sold?" Her personality changes like the wind. She was just looking aggrieved a moment ago. Now, she is looking at me like I am someone who is going back on my words.


    Are you kidding me? That''s so random I open my mouth to say something, but no wordse out.


    "My son has refused to marry someone else or give me grandchildren because of you." She narrows her eyes at me andmands me. "Aisa, deal with Ki-Woong and give me grandchildren within a year."


    "Mother, you...I...what?" She doesn''t wait anymore. Her charming facade is back. She gives me a hug and tells me, "Aisa, remember that he is your gigolo. You cannot abandon him again. If you do, you are breaking the terms. If you do it again, my son and I will find you and lock you in the house."


    "..." Now, I know where Sung Jun inherited his devilish personality from. Ms. Sung is scary.

 Chapter 59: I am a black witch

    Chapter 59: I am a ck witch


    A group of men in a ck uniform with a crest of Council of Supernatural Extant walk into the party. An eerie silence descends in the hall. A few female guests gasp loudly when they see them go to where Fang Aisa is sitting and pointing the metal guns at her.


    "Pleasee with us." The leader requests her ''politely''.


    Fang Aisa stands up and res at the leader. "Who are you?"


    "We are from the council." The leader is the tallest man among the group. Fang Aisa looks like a small mousepares to him. Still, he can''t help but feel intimidated when Fang Aisa looks at him coldly. "You have a powerful curse upon you and you also have demon blood flowing inside you. Twenty-three years ago, your father and the council came to an agreement. If you ever break your seal, you muste to the council and live in istion. You are too dangerous to live free in society."


    Sung Ki-Woong sees this and smiles internally. He walks to the council''sw enforcers and Fang Aisa. He nods at the leader once.


    "Fang Aisa, I am sorry...but you have to go to the council. Thews arews. You might be my daughter inw, but I cannot bend the council''sws for you," He tells her ''helplessly''. "I wanted the council to take you after the party. Other councilmen are notfortable with you walking around freely for one more moment. You have also broken a fewws by faking your death to run away from the council. If you had informed the council that your seal was broken like a responsible citizen, we could let you go after a few days of observation. But now, the council does not trust you. There have been witnesses that you are practicing ck witch arts."


    Fang Aisa''s red lips curl up in a contemptuous smile. She didn''t show any fear or worry. She sits back down on the chair like she is watching a show. Sung Ki-Woong is angry to see her careless attitude.


    "I know that...you love my son. But thew is thew...," Sung Ki-Woong adds. After hearing Sung Ki-Woong''s words, the guests start to make their own theories.


    "She must have seduced the president''s son to escape her punishment."


    "What a wretch woman! Just like her mother."


    "Someone like her shouldn''t walk free. Her mother killed my sister''s son."


    "Who didn''t suffer by Dabria''s hands? She is a cruel and heartless creature. Her daughter is the same."


    "Dabria''s offspring cannot be normal. Didn''t you hear the president? She also practices the ck art. She is also cursed. She looks so innocent and young."


    "Have you seen Dabria? She looks just like her. Innocent and young. But her heart is ck and venomous."


    Sung Jun can also hear this. He doesn''t respond to the guests. He makes a note of the people who are badmouthing Fang Aisa. His eyes are fixed on his father. He didn''t think that his father would do something like this. He is aware of his father''s schemes and way of doing things. He didn''t think that his father would do this to his wife. He did think that the supernatural society might not ept Fang Aisa because of her mother easily. But Sung Jun has a prominent identity in the supernatural society. He is an advocate of the bar council of the supernatural world.


    Sung Jun nces at his mother once who doesn''t look surprised. She is well aware of Sung Ki-Woong''s true personality. She has already warned Sung Jun. She gives him a nod to carry on.


    "President, are you sure that you can take me?" Fang Aisa''s voice reverberates the hall. Everyone bes quiet when they hear her.


    "Fang Aisa, you have toe," Sung Ki-Woong looks at her solemnly. "If you don''te on your own, the council have to take you by force."


    When Fang Aisa doesn''t move, Sung Ki-Woong gestures the leader. The leaderes forth and tries to grab Fang Aisa''s wrist. She flicks her fingers. A strong ck aura surrounds her and the leader. When the ck fog clears, the leader is writhing on the ground. He can barely breathe. The others do not dare to get close to her. At that moment, Sung Ki-Woong and the guests can''t tell whether Fang Aisa is Dabria herself or not.


    "Fang Aisa, what are you doing?" Sung Ki-Woong yells at Fang Aisa.


    "Punishing." Fang Aisa cocks her head arrogantly. "He dared to touch the god''s representative."


    Sung Jun cannot help but smile when he sees her like that. She is aware. God representatives are above thews of the council. They are treated like royal members by the council.


    "A god''s representative?" Sung Ki-Woong frowns at her. "Where is the god representative?"


    Fang Aisa lifts her left hand and reveals the glowing purple mark on her wrist. "Here."


    The glowing purple mark is the hourss symbol with changing moons surrounding the hourss. A god''s representative can hide or reveal the symbol at will. The guests can also see and recognize the symbol. It belongs to the prime god of time. There is no room for doubt. They immediately bend their knees and touch their foreheads on the ground. They silently regret in their hearts.


    "That''s impossible..." Sung Ki-Woong doesn''t want to ept that a vile thing like her is the chosen representative of time god. "You can''t be...you are a ck witch."


    "I am a ck witch." Fang Aisa smiles at him coldly. "I was taught the ck witch art by the god of time himself. I faked my death because hemanded me to do so. Tell me, President Sung, did I still break thew?"

 Chapter 60: The strings of fate are in her hands again

    Chapter 60: The strings of fate are in her hands again


    Sung Ki-Woong is speechless. He could never guess this in his dream. The person who taught her the ck art is a god.


    He curses the gods in his mind. Gods usually didn''t interfere in the worldly matters unless there is something big involved. Now, he knows that Fang Aisa is a god''s representative. He is even more against the idea of her as his only son''s wife.


    She is Dabria''s daughter. She has demon blood running through her veins. She carries a curse.


    Her firstborn child will also carry that curse and the Fang seal. She practices dark arts. She is a god''s representative. She is too arrogant. She isn''t beautiful. She is not good enough for his perfect son. Now, he thinks that being a god''s person is a hundred times worse than being Dabria''s daughter. How can he let his only son being involved in the schemes of gods? He will never allow it.


    Sung Ki-Woong has no idea that his son is already involved in the schemes of gods whether Fang Aisa remains in his life or not. In the battle between two gods, Sung Jun and Fang Aisa are pawns. Though Sung Jun is not in contract with Fate, her fingers hold the strings of his fates


    Nobody can see the blind woman standing on the top of the stairs and watching them with a sadistic smile.


    Eight years ago, it was her who tried to kill Fang Aisa when she found out that she was chosen by Reis.


    Things didn''t go out as nned back then. Fang Aisa fell into the pool as the sorcerer nned. But her body couldn''t be eaten by the water demon. It was Sung who saved her. The sorcerer had managed to obtain her soul, but he had used a lot of magic in the ordeal. However, Fang Aisa managed to escape the prison. She even sent his precious sentient being away.


    When the sorcerer was mad and useless to Fate, she did what she had to do. She twisted the threads and he met an ugly fate. Leaving a loose end was uneptable to her.


    Reis had ruined everything for her when he turned back time. The end was so close. The world could be wiped clean and started over. That''s all she wanted. Death also thought that it was better if all the living died and the world could restart again. The world needed a reset button. But Reis was against it. That''s what started the war game between Fate and Time.


    The solution was simple. She had to make him weak. If he was weak, he would obey her. If he didn''t obey, she could force him to fall asleep for a while. A human can sleep for a few hours. When gods fall asleep, eras have passed in the human world before they wake up. If Reis go to sleep, she could proceed with her ns at that time.


    In the original timeline, she was really close. Sung Jun was one of the main characters in her y. A great war between human and the supernatural world that would have cleaned the world.


    In the original timeline, Sung Jun was the council''s president. After Fang Aisa died, his story was a tragic one. An excellent king ranked shaman president who made both supernatural beings and humans bow to him. When the war broke up due to her little instigation, he tried his best to calm the situation. She didn''t need to do much. In the end, he was betrayed and killed. That fueled war and divided the world more. The world was divided into two groups: those who supported Sung Jun''s idea of peace and those who were against his ideal. These also fought among themselves. Cleaning up the world became way easier.


    Reis destroyed everything. He had found the soul of Fang Aisa and turned back time. Everything changed then. Fang Aisa''s strings of fate were already broken when she made the contract with him. Before that, she tried to kill her using the rogue sorcerer, but she failed. It was Sung Jun who saved her from the demons in the pool. Fang Aisa also managed to escape the sorcerer''s prison. When the sorcerer became useless, she twisted the strings of his fate and sent him to the afterlife.


    She decided to reconnect Fang Aisa''s broken string of fate. The price was high and she would have received retribution. As long as her strings were reconnected, Fang Aisa was easy to control. Back then, Dabria and her people wereing for Fang Aisa anyway. In one way or another, Fang Aisa would have met a gruesome death. In that case, Sung jun would have chosen the shaman path again. History would repeat.


    Before she could get her hands on her again, Reis stole her away. She already knew that Fang Aisa faked her death, but she was satisfied because Sung Jun chose the same path. She found outter that Fang Aisa and Reis had been targeting the people who would y important roles in the future. They changed their fates and their paths in lives. Some people never met the tragedies that they should have met. Others didn''t meet the people they should have met. Some misunderstandings never happened. Some idents never happened. Whether it was good or bad, some people''s lives were changed forever. In any case, most strings of fates were broken forever. There was nothing that she could do. Reis'' next moves were always unpredictable. She could never catch up to him. She couldn''t directly confront him either because she was getting weak with each broken string of fate. That left her with one option. Bringing Fang Aisa back to Sung Jun''s life to control her and Reis.


    To reconnect a broken string, what was better than marriage? It was easier. In both lives, Sung Jun couldn''t forget Fang Aisa. He wanted to perform a ghost marriage. Even if they spent little time together in this life, Sung Jun and Fang Aisa are destined to fall in love. In the original timeline, Sung Jun found the god of marriage easily because he was a king ranked shaman and the president of the council. However, it was not easy for him in this life. She had to help him indirectly. She used her strings for Park Inha toe across the information as a ''coincidence''. Park Inha sent the information to Sung Jun. Once Sung Jun and Fang Aisa have married in this life again, it was easier to find Fang Aisa again.


    For thest eight years, she couldn''t directly interfere. She had to control many people from Fang Aisa''s past. She tried to use Wu Xiang, but he turned out to be a failure because he failed to recognize Fang Aisa when he met her once in Country Z. She was so upset that she also killed him by making him meet an ident. To let him live was troublesome.


    Wei Si Si was better than Wu Xiang. It was a lot of work to make their paths cross. In the end, it was worth it. Not only that she recognized her, but she also clicked her picture and sent it to her old ssmates. The picture managed to reach Sung Jun. After that, she didn''t have to do anything.


    Fang Aisa walked into the trap herself. In one way or another, Fang Aisa would meet her tragic fate and Sung Jun would be the president of the council. Nobody can stop the war.


    The strings of fate are in her hands again.

 Chapter 61: She will kill him

    Chapter 61: She will kill him


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    *[FLASH BACK - 7 YEARS AGO]*


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    A boy is standing in front of a house. Azy cat is sitting on his shoulder. His face is half hidden. He is wearing ck sunsses and a red baseball cap. The door of the house is currently locked. A trail of ck smoke escapes from his finger and enters into the door''s keyhole. With a click, the door is unlocked. The boy walks into the house as it belongs to him.


    The living room is full of garbage and broken items. The windows are closed. It''s difficult to breathe in the house because of the smell. The boy moves the couch with great difficulty and finds a chained secret door. He waits for a moment. There is no sound. A whisker of smoke is released from his index finger again. This time, it snaps the chain in half.


    He lifts up the door and sees adder going into the darkness below. He climbs down thedder without any fear. The cat on his shoulder opens its mismatched eyes. The boy walks deeper into the dark hidden room. The hidden room smells like faeces, blood and urine. The boy covers his nose. Something cracks under his feet. Surprised, he chants a spell. A ball of purple fire with faint light appears in his hand. He sees piles of bones everywhere.


    "You could have warned me." Fang Aisa, who is dressed up as a boy, says to Rene Reis.


    "Let''s get moving. We don''t have much time." The cat''s voice is rather calm. "Find the kid."


    Fang Aisa walks on the piles of bones without any hesitation. In thest few months, she has seen the worse. Now, a secret basement with full of bones is not surprising to her anymore. This is the house of a man-eater who is away at the moment. Fang Aisa is not keen to meet him.


    Fang Aisa has been trying to track the man-eater for months. He never stays in one ce for long. He is a human organ trafficker who sells the organs that he doesn''t eat. It doesn''t take her long to find the unconscious boy on the pile of the bones. When she touches his face, she finds that he is cold and barely breathing.


    "As I suspected, this boy is a fae." The cat climbs off her shoulder. "Hurry, we have to return the child soon."


    "What about the man-eater human?" Fang Aisa asks him.


    "Don''t worry. She will kill him," Reis replies. "Why should we get our hands dirty? Kismet will do the deed. When she is angry, she takes it out on her pawns. He will meet his appropriate fate."


    Kismet is the other name of Fate. Fang Aisa purses her lips. Reis has been right so far. She picks up the boy who is light as a feather on her shoulder. She rushes out of the house. Before she leaves, she sets the house on fire. The bones burn in the fire along with the rest of the house.


    They get out of the city as fast as possible. When the boy doesn''t wake up, Fang Aisa is worried.


    "You have to drop him at the edge of the forest," Reis tells her with his eyes closed. "His people will find him."


    "Are you sure?" Fang Aisa is uneasy. The boy has brown hair and pale skin. Currently, they are in Country D. "He is just a boy..."


    "He is a Fae." Reis flicks his tail. "A two hundred and fifty-year-old fae, but yes, he is still a child in Fae terms."


    "How did the man find him?"


    "He must have wandered far and picked up by that man. Fae bes weak when they are out of the forest. The metals make them weak. The man must have lured this child with something."


    "Fae lured by a human? How odd!" Fang Aisa can''t help but sigh.


    "When a god-like Kismet is involved, anything is possible."


    "Why is she doing this? Can''t she do her job normally?" Fang Aisa has learned a thing or two about gods. Just like human beings, there are good gods and bad gods. They also have ranks. Gods like god of fortune or god of marriage are low ranked gods. Gods like god of fate or god of fire or god of water are mid-ranked gods. Then, there are high tier gods like Reis or Death or Power. Lastly, there is the supreme one. One who is all. All who is one. Supreme one is currently asleep or in limbo. No god heard him since the beginning of the world and creation.


    "She is blind." Reis'' voice is low. They reach the edge of the forest. Fang Aisa can see some shadows hiding behind the trees. She drops the boy on the ground and walks away. After walking some distance, she turns around and finds the boy gone.


    "What do you mean?" Fang Aisa asks when they reach the road. "She is really blind?"


    "She is," Reis mutters. "I scratched her eyes because she was annoying. She could never see after that incident."


    "..." Fang Aisa shakes her head.


    "After losing her eyes, she has lost her mind a bit. She has been corrupted." The cat looks up at the sky with a lonely gaze. "She found some loopholes in the heavenlyw and started manipting the strings of fate for her gain. Now, she wants to clean the messy world to start the world anew."


    "Destroy the world because it is messy?" Fang Aisa has aplicated feeling in her heart. "Are you kidding me?"


    "Power is addictive." Reis jumps on her shoulder. "If the boy has been killed by that man, the Fae would have used this reason to go against the human world in the future. But now, a human has returned their child."


    "I am not human," She mumbles in confusion.


    "In their eyes, you are." Reis sighs. "Since you have human blood in you."


    "Humans don''t think that I am human though..." Fang Aisa''s brows crease deeper. "These otherworldly creatures do not think of me as one of them either. Then, where do I belong?"


    "Not my problem." Reis closes his eyes and yawnszily. "In the eyes of the gods, you are all the same. You are a living being who can even defeat a god if you want."

 Chapter 62: You have my sympathy

    Chapter 62: You have my sympathy


    "I am a ck Witch."


    I repeat my words to the audience. My father-inw looks at me solemnly, but I know that storms are raging in his head. He wants to deal with me just like my previous life. I have other ns for him.


    He manipted Sung Jun for twelve years. He took away my child. He killed me in the end. I had to suffer so much because hebeled me ''evil''.


    I thought about killing him. But then, he is Sung Jun''s father. Killing a person like this is too easy anyway. How can I let him have an easy life?


    Because of the spell, I can already feel the repercussions in my body. Sung Jun''s spiritual nket is adding to my pain. My body feels like being wrapped with a nket of thorns. I don''t want to fall now. I will not show them my weakness. I have to talk to Sung Junter.


    "You have misused your powers. You have harmed the council''s man." He nces at the leader of the ck-uniformed men. The leader is lying on the ground, unconscious and blue. He is alive, but the spell might have harmed a bit. It was nothing that the council couldn''t handle.


    "President Sung, you are mistaken." Sung Jun walks in front of me. "It''s not Fang Aisa who hurt the council''s people. It''s the council that overstepped its boundaries and hurt her."


    I frown at Sung Jun. I can fight my own battle. He doesn''t have to interfere. He winks at me when he notices my stare, gesturing me to stay quiet with his finger. I roll my eyes at him.


    "Sung Jun, who are you to question the council?" Sung Ki-Woong loses hisposure. His eyes betray his emotions.


    "I am herwyer." Sung Jun blinks in mock surprise. "I am her husband. Don''t tell me that you already forgot this, President Sung?"


    He is his son, right? I can''t help but look at Ms. Sung. She gives me a smile and nods to confirm when she finds me looking in her direction.


    "..." Please don''t read my mind that easily.


    "I know that you are her..." Sung Ki-Woong purses his lips tightly before opening them again. I see that he even find it disgusting to say the word ''husband''. This is good.


    "President Sung, do you know the punishment of offending a God''s representative? How is the council going to answer for this mistake? Your enforcers tried to harm her." Sung Jun throws a pointed look at the guests. "Some of you have even ndered a god''s representative. The president of the council and the other councilmen heard and saw, but they took no action. Do you know the punishment?"


    With his every word, I saw Sung Ki-Woong''s face color changing from green to blue to purple. I couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "The council has no responsibility," He tells Sung Jun. "She didn''t inform the council that she is a god''s representative. She didn''t even enlist herself as a ck witch. The gods are fair. How is it council''s fault?"


    Sung Jun gives him a smile that is not a smile. He takes out a card from his pocket and shows it to his father. "She registered herself. On the day we informed about our marriage to the council, she has also informed and registered herself as a member of the supernaturalmunity. Earlier today, she has also informed the council in written words that she is a ck witch and a God''s representative after receiving approval from her contracted god."


    Sung Jun hasn''t given the card to his father, but his father can see and read the words on the card clearly. It''s a violet card with silver letters to represent her extraordinary status. Sung Ki-Woong didn''t have any idea. Usually, information like this has to get his approval first. If he had any idea that Fang Aisa is a God''s representative, he would have never treated her this way.


    "This is fake." He mumbles and tries to snatch the card. But Sung Jun is fast and moves his hand away.


    "Park Inha!" He calls out. Park Inha stands up and walks to him.


    "Is it take?" He shows the card to Park Inha.


    She takes the card and looks at it carefully. "This isn''t fake."


    "You...did this." Sung Ki-Woong yells at Park Inha. "You hid this information away from me."


    Park Inha shows confusion on her face. "President, you signed her documents yourself. You already knew that she is the god''s representative. Didn''t you n this party after seeing her status?"


    "....." I am speechless. I can see that Sung Ki-Woong''s expressions are real. He had no idea. Did Sung Jun scam his father? I see the light smile on his lips. The same almost smile. One before the victory.


    He scammed his father. Just like me. He must have found some way...


    "You are my assistant, Park Inha." Sung Ki-Woong''s tone is threatening. "You never told me that those papers were for the registration of an S-ss member."


    "President, you were busy on the phone. So, I didn''t disturb you and put the papers on the table. You just signed and gave them back to me. You didn''t ask me any question." Park Inha frowns. "I thought that you read the papers. Howe you sign anything without reading?"


    "I thought that those were the documents rted to the construction of the new academy branch."


    I sigh. Park Inha helped Sung Jun in fooling his father, the president of the council. Just like me.


    You have my sympathy, Father-inw. Your son also fooled me and got me married to him. I had no idea.

 Chapter 63: You cant possibly do that

    Chapter 63: You can''t possibly do that


    Fate smiles when she sees Sung Jun defending Fang Aisa in front of his father. Finally, it''s almost there. Two lifetimes, same fate. Fang Aisa looks smug, but she has no idea.


    Just when she is about to pull the string, a white w suddenly appears out of nowhere and scratch her pale wrist quite mercilessly. The red string of fate slips through her hand. She screams and pulls away. Fate shows undisguised hate toward the feline creature who iszily looking down at her.


    "Reis, I didn''t think that you would dare to show your face to me." At this moment, she wants nothing but to throttle his neck with her own hands.


    "Kismet, I thought that you would be happy to see me." Reis chins up proudly. "After all, you have been chasing me for...I lost the track of time."


    "Tch!" Kismet stands up and shakes off the unseen dust from her clothes. "It''s quite funny that the god of time will lose track of the time."


    "Time will keep going until the world ends." Reis stares at her thoughtfully. "The living might disappear, but time will not disappear as long as there is the universe."


    Kismet chuckles when she hears him. "Are you calling yourself the eternal god now? Even a god meet his fate and dies, Reis."


    He rolls his eyes at her. "You have been chatting with Death, isn''t?"


    "At least, he is honest about his motives." Kismet spats at him.


    "You have always been an emotional one." Reis gets up and gracefully walks toward the god of fate. "Among us three, you were also the one who made the most messes."


    Kismet opens her grey and translucent eyes. She is a blind god, thanks to him. Her only offence? She questioned his work ethics once. So, he decided to turn into a cat and scratched her eyes off. After that incident, he was struck by the heavenly punishment and forced to stay in cat form for a long time.


    "I am taking care of my messes. I am responsible for what I have created."


    "Is that so? Is this how you take care of your mess?" Reis steps closer to the god of fate. She takes a step back, keeping a distance from him and his unpredictable ws. Her wrists are bleeding. "By making more mess?"


    "One war will lead to another one. When the unsecured and paranoid humans find out about the supernatural world, they will never ept it. When the war starts, it won''t stop even after a hundred years." Kismet smirks at him. "Humans are like that, Reis. They will always seek power. They have turned this world into a hell. Even fate is useless against these greedy creatures. That''s why it is better if the world is wiped clean of these sinful creatures. Then, it can start anew."


    "I have a question." He yawns andzily his paw up. "Are you not afraid of the supreme will?"


    The corner of Kismet''s lips is curled downward. "What is there to be afraid of? I am not directly breaking anyw. I didn''t get directly involved in human lives like you. I am only doing my job. If she tries to change the person''s fate, it is easier for me to kill them. I will never get punished that way by the heavenlyw for being directly involved with that person. You have been using her for thest eight years. Doesn''t her actions create more victims?"


    "You are toozy to kill them all. So, I was never worried." He sighs when he sees her self-satisfied expression. "It is better for them to die. That way, you cannot use or torture them. Besides, if they are personally killed by a god, their karma is cleaned and they get a heavenly life in their next lifetime. But you, my sister, get their karma added to your ount. Yes, you won''t be punished by the heavenlyw for directly getting involved with a human. But you have to suffer for their karma."


    She is whitened when the words hit her. She forgot about that. Even god has karma points. She grits her teeth and looks into her karma points. The numbers are buzzing red on the threshold. If she kills more humans, she will be dissolved back to nothingness. That''s a death for a god. When a god reappears after being dissolved, he is never ever the same.


    "Since you broke the heavenlyw by turning back the time, she has a part in your sin. She is also a sinner. After her death, she cannot go to heaven or hell. She cannot take part in the reincarnation cycle. Have you told her about this?"


    After a long pause, Reis replies, "She doesn''t need to go to heaven or hell or reborn again in this world."


    Kismet furrows her brows deeply. She asks with confusion, "What do you mean?"


    Reis shrugs his shoulders nonchntly. He watches Fang Aisa with his mismatched eyes. Her dark eyes are fixed on Sung Jun. She is curious and amazed by his actions. The guests are bing tenser as each second pass.


    "So easy to get bullied," Reis mutters under his breath.


    "Reis, what are you nning?" Kismet cannot ignore his words. If Fang Aisa cannot go to the afterlife, where will she go? What did he do to her? Is he nning to take her with him?


    Is he in love with a human?


    "I am too selfish to be in love with anyone. The only person I love is myself." Reis can easily read what''s going inside her head. "As for what I am nning, why don''t you try to use your brain for once? Are you even a god?"


    She is enraged by his words. Enough of this filthy feline creature! Looking at him makes her want to throw up. She is ready to cut him to pieces.


    "My sister is too stupid." Reis jumps away and narrowly escapes her strings that could slice any living in half. "Does a god need to go to hell or heaven? Does a god have an afterlife?"


    Kismet stops attacking Reis. She is too shocked to move anymore.


    "You can''t possibly do that."


    Reis didn''t reply to her. He smiles to himself as he walks down the stairs to join the drama.

 Chapter 64: I can tell you your future

    Chapter 64: I can tell you your future


    "Park Inha, You are fired!"


    A horrifying silence descends in the hall. All the eyes are fixed on Park Inha. What will she do?


    "President, you cannot fire someone who is already not working for you." Park Inha is unfazed by Sung Ki-Woong''s re. "I already submitted my resignation letter in the council. I thought that you already knew, President."


    "What?" Sung Ki-Woong is having a headache. Howe he knows nothing?


    "President, you know..." She shows him her engagement ring on her finger. "I am getting married next month. I want to be a happy housewife with three cute children after my wedding."


    She winks at Sung Jun who only smiles back.


    "You are the one who orchestrated this." Sung Ki-Woong suddenly starts feeling unwell. He checks his neck and finds a spirit cor around him. The spiritual energy is pure and strong. A king-ranked shaman?


    "Yes, I did this." Sung Jun shrugs his shoulders. "I also put the spirit cor on your and your guests that you just noticed, President."


    "What?" The guests start to check their necks for the spirit cors Does it mean that Sung Jun is a king-ranked shaman? Did they offend him?


    A shaman''s spirit cor is simr to a dog cor. The control of the cor is always on the shaman''s hand. The shaman can also easily snap the neck if he is not happy.


    "You are a king-ranked shaman and you didn''t think that it was important to tell me?" Though Sung Ki-Woong is proud of his son achievement, he can''t help but feel unhappy especially because of the spirit cor. Sung Jun is simr to his wife. He always has an almost smile on his face. Sung Ki-Woong can never read his son''s or his wife''s minds.


    "It''s my personal decision, President."


    Sung Ki-Woongughs and says, "Remove this cor now. I will forget this offense for once."


    "Offense?" Sung Jun is smiling, but his tone is extremely cold. "Ah, right! Offense. The council and your guests are the ones who offended God''s representative. The council and your guests offended the wife of a king-ranked shaman."


    Fang Aisa squeezes his hand, slightly pulling him down to bring him closer. Sung Jun turns to look at her. His cold eyes are filled with warmth again when his eyes met hers.


    "You are doing this for her?" Sung Ki-Woong points at Fang Aisa. "You are a king-ranked shaman. You are special, my son. You have proven it now. Bing a king-ranked shaman in only eight years is impossible for an average human. You were born with a rare talent. I have always known this."


    Sung Ki-Woong was just a knight-ranked shaman. He was already revered being in the supernatural world. Most creatures are afraid of him because of his rank. But a king-ranked shaman is an entirely different level.


    "You don''t deserve someone like this." Sung Ki-Woong takes a deep breath. "I am your father. I will never want to see you stand next to a vile and disgust-" The cor around his thick neck tightens. He chokes, shocked by Sung Jun''s actions. The cor stops tightening around her neck.


    "This is the only time that I will tolerate it." Sung Jun looks down at her father indifferently. Then, he nces at the trembling guests. Even Park Inha and Fang Aisa are surprised to see Sung Jun''s actions toward his father. Only Ms. Sung is the only one who is not surprised.


    "You...to your father...for a woman..."


    "She is not just any woman," He says in a clear voice. "She is my wife. I love her."


    "You said that you love me." Fang Aisa mutters. "Finally, I hear you say that you love me."


    Sung Jun can hear her clearly. He blinks in surprise. On the other hand, Park Inha is impatient. She finds the man she is going to marry. Though he is kneeling on the ground, his eyes are on her. She chuckles and goes to him. She pulls him up and kisses him in front of all the guests.


    Even Sung Jun is surprised by her bold and random action.


    "What? We are going to get married," She tells him loudly. "Remove this dog cor around his neck. Only I can put one on his neck, do you understand?"


    Sung Jun flicks his finger. The cor is gone from the man''s neck. The man shakes his head andughs. "Wife of Sung Jun, thank you for taking his heart."


    Park Inha and her fiance do not stay anymore. They leave while holding hands and whispering to each other.


    "So, how are all going topensate me and my wife?" Sung Jun crosses his arms and looks over everyone. "I will make it simple. We can do it in a hard and legal way. I am sure that you have heard of my reputation. You will never win. Even if I have to go to war, I will make sure that each one of you pays up."


    "High Lord!" One of the guests stands up abruptly. "Take this gift. This is a rare treasure that can attenuate the negative energies. I am sure that it will be beneficial for madam."


    "Ah!" Sung Jun''s eyes shine like a cat who has seen a mouse. "That will do! That will do!"


    After seeing the first guest, other guests also stand up with a treasure on their bodies or in secret pockets. Each one gives it to Sung Jun''s wife who is staring at Sung Jun with aplicated expression. In a while, there is a pile of treasures next to Fang Aisa.


    "Wife, are you happy?" Sung Jun asks her. "We are rich. We never have to work in our lives with these treasures. We can spend our time doing the fun stuff."


    The guests haven''t left the hall yet. They feel like their hearts are bleeding after being parted from their treasures. They will never be involved with this man again.


    After the guests are gone, thest guest is a teenager dressed in ck. Shees to Fang Aisa and says, "I don''t have any treasure. I took part in the president''s scheme because I was curious about you."


    "That''s alright...," Fang Aisa replies awkwardly. At the moment, she can''t help but feel like she is the wife of a cheater.


    "I can tell you your future." She looks into Fang Aisa''s eyes.


    "No, don''t do it..." Sung Jun tries to pull Fang Aisa away from the girl, but a barrier appears around the girl and Fang Aisa. It burns Sung Jun''s hands away.


    "Don''t go near the barrier!" Sung Ki-Woong yells. "She is not from this world. She is already an immortal."

 Chapter 65: Time to go

    Chapter 65: Time to go


    I take her hands. "Though you have a teenage girl look, you are more than a thousand years old, right?"


    Her hands are small and pale. She has ancient tattoos on the back of her hands. She grins at me and says, "We are already friends?"


    "I am not a friend of oracles." I twist her hands. "Why are you here?"


    "It hurts, friend." She leans closer to me. Her cheeks blush red. "You can hurt me more. I do not mind at all."


    I let go of her hand right away. She is a masochist!


    "Look, your husband is still trying to fight his way into the barrier." She cocks her head proudly. "He is just a king-ranked. An ant in front of a demon."


    I stomp on her foot. She cries in pain and kneels. Her face turns redder and she looks up with misty eyes.


    "Hurt me more please."


    She is a lost cause.


    "Please! Please!" She grabs my foot and wails, "More...More.."


    I ignore her pleas and look at Sung Jun. He is chanting and summoning freaking lightening on the barrier. His father is yelling at him to stop. Ms. Sung suddenly appears behind his father and knocks him down.


    "Son, I will help you." She creates signs with her finger in the air. The invisible sign turns a giant golden letter and falls toward the barrier. It sts on the barrier.


    "She is good, considering that she is just a violet level magician." The Oracle let go of my leg. "But not good enough."


    "Mother, please stop," I say to Ms. Sung. "Sung Jun, you also stop. She isn''t hurting me."


    They stop when they hear me. Sung Jun moves closer to the barrier. His hands are already healed. I have no idea when he became a king-ranked shaman. It was probably before we met again. What did he eat as a child? Bing a king-ranked shaman in modern times is nearly impossible. There are not enough pure spiritual energy or resources. Reis mentioned once that cultivating was tough for humans. Only those who were greatly chosen and blessed by heaven can ever surpass the impossible.


    As for me, I can''t cultivate because my body cannot store spiritual energy. I have already taken a different path to be strong.


    "Woman, you can''t even break this barrier."


    I find the owner of the voice sitting on the floor behind me inside the barrier. I have not seen Reising or going. Where did he just pop up from?


    "Oh, you are a god!" The girl crawls away from me. "Apologies! I was just curious about her."


    Reis licks his paws casually. He doesn''t spare a nce at her.


    "What the hell are you doing here?" I crack my knuckles. "I told you that I willplete your taskter."


    "Woman, you cannot expect me, your sponsor, to let you walk into the domain of the other god alone." Reis rolls his mismatched eyes. "Your well being is my responsibility. Besides, it is not your choice. It''s me who will decide."


    "Reis!"


    He looks at Sung Jun. "I didn''t expect that a mortal could hide his true rank from a god. You surpassed my expectations, but this makes you dangerous to my ve. I cannot let her stay in the vicinity of someone like you."


    "What are going to do?" Sung Jun ms the barrier. It burns his skin, but he doesn''t care.


    "Stop it!" I try to run to him, but a force pulls me back. I fall on my butt. No matter what, I can''t get up. When I try to use my magic, I find it blocked.


    "What''s going on?" I stare at Reis. "Why are you doing this to me?"


    "You have to use it plentyter. So, save your energy." Reis put his w on my lips. "Stay quiet."


    "Hey, swindling oracle, tell him his future and about his previous life."


    The oracle lifts her head slightly. "As you wish, as you wish, my god."


    I open my mouth, but no wordse out of my mouth.


    "Oracle, break the barrier...let me in..." Sung Jun screams at us.


    He changes his form and turns human with a sh of light. I can''t move an inch while I watch him open the dimension gate right there.


    "If you want her back, better listen to what this oracle has to say," He says to Sung Jun. "Or better see what she has to show."


    He picks me up in his arms. I can''t even fight him back. My voice, my magic, and even my movements are blocked by him. I try to look back at Sung Jun, even my neck doesn''t follow my wishes. I ampletely paralyzed.


    "Time to go."

 Chapter 66: He will make a good demon

    Chapter 66: He will make a good demon


    The dimension gate shuts behind Reis and Fang Aisa. It evaporates into the air, leaving everyone amazed by the events. In the furthest corner of the hall, Fate has been quietly hearing everything. There is little she can do right now. She can''t constrain an immortal demon oracle from doing what she will do next. The immortal demons are the people who have sumbed to the darkness. After bing the king or queen ranked semi-mortal, the person has to cross Dante''s Inferno to shed his mortality and be an immortal. After crossing Dante''s Inferno, they be immortal. However, most of those people have lost their minds or they are tainted by the darkness. If their heart is still impure after crossing Dante''s circles of hell, they can never be epted by heaven.


    Reis is smart. Even now, he used someone like this oracle against her. A god is using a demon immortal. How ridiculous is that! A god and a demon stand on the opposite side of the line. She clutches her dress in frustration. She needs to cleanse herself of the karma she umted before she cane back here. If Reis is really trying to transform Fang Aisa into a god, everything is going out of hand.


    "Hey, Shaman King!" The immortal demon oracle sits cross-legged on the floor. Though she is immortal, she is still afraid of death. Seeing a real god scared her out of wits earlier. Else, who bows down to a god, eh? Her friends are going to make fun of her if they find out. The cat is cute though.


    She bowed to a cute cat. There is no harm in that.


    Sung Jun stares her like she is a dead woman. The immortal demon flinches when she sees his expression. He looks scarier than the demon lord. She is too scared to remove the barrier. A demon is afraid of a half-mortal. Ah! He will make a good demon. Already a king-ranked shaman, huh? His future is rather bright. Should she take him and throw him in hell? If he survives, he wille out as an immortal. Maybe he can beat down the cocky demon lord for her?


    "Hey Shaman King, how about you follow me and be a demon?


    "Come out of the barrier." Sung Junmands her in a low voice.


    "You dare tomand me, sweetheart?" The teen girl raises her green brow. "Do you know who I am?"


    "If you are an immortal, what are you afraid of?" Sung Jun asks in an unkind tone.


    "What I am afraid of?" The demon jumps on her feet. "Hah! Mortal, I am not afraid of anything.


    "Remove the barrier." He lips curl up into a mocking smile. "Come out if you are a real demon."


    "Jun, do not worry." Ms Sung puts her hand on his shoulder. "I have called a priest. He ising with holy water. The barrier will be ineffective once he is here."


    "Hey, how could you call a priest?" The demon is truly scared this time. The heaven knows. The hell knows. The infinite number of gods and demons knows. Strong faith can even bend down a god''s will. What are demons in front of a true priest with pure faith?


    "Are you afraid?" Sung Jun is untroubled after hearing Ms Sung''s words. "As I said earlier, we can do it in a hard way."


    "What hard way?" The demon''s eyes turned neon green. "That damn god told me to show your previous lifetime and your future to you. Do you want to see or not?"


    "I am not interested." He crosses his arms. "I am interested to know where he took her."


    "Did I look like his buddy?" The demon spats in anger. "I am a freaking demon. An immortal demon. I chose to be a demon after crossing the nine circles of hell. Do you understand this, mortal? I chose the path of darkness. My dream is to be the empress of hell."


    Sung Jun is unfazed. He looks toward the door, evidently waiting for the priest to arrive.


    "I can just leave now. You can do nothing to stop me, Mortal." The demon clicks her tongue.


    "If you go to hell, I will summon you right back."


    "Haha! You can try..." The demon is baffled, but she stillughs. "Since it is like this, I will tell you this. That god is the god of time. He is a primordial god. He is certainly high ss. You can never win against him. Earlier, I tried to see her future. But there is only darkness ahead of her. It means two things. Either she broke the heavenw and she is abandoned by heaven. She joins me in the hell in future after her death or she is already dead. Teehee!"


    She waits for Sung Jun to probe. But he doesn''t respond. He seems bored by her words.


    "Tch!" She shakes her head. "What kind of person are you? How you are not surprised?"


    "I already know that he is the god of time. I also know why you can''t see her future."


    "Oh!" The demon nods thoughtfully. "Did shemit a grave sin already or is she already dead? Dead people have no future."


    "None." Sung Jun doesn''t tell her the reason. Fang Aisa''s future is ck because she is chosen as the god''s representative. She is touched by a god. She also remembers her other life. Because of her special situation, she might not have a written future ahead of her. It is not necessarily bad.


    The demon''s eyes be big and round. "Even if she breaks a heaven''sw, she can''t have a nk future just yet. She doesn''t look dead either. I certainly sniffed...she did die once. Still, she shouldn''t have a ck future. Then, why? Should I ask the demon lord? hmm...hmm...why?"


    Sung Jun has never met anyone who could talk this much. Even bright Ms Sung darkens after hearing the demon''s non-stop words. President Sung is still knocked out.


    "My head hurts!" The demon grabs her hair. "Why would a god support a person who is already abandoned by heaven? Why is her future ck? I am a demon oracle. What will happen to my reputation if other demons hear that I couldn''t see the future? Is he trying to create an....Hah! That must be it."


    Sung Jun rubs his forehead. Where is the priest with his holy water? He wants to burn this demon to smithereens.


    "Hey Shaman King!" The demon looks smug. "You are already a semi-mortal. But crossing a king-rank to immortality, do you know how to do that?"


    "Not interested." He just wants to have a peaceful life with his wife on earth. Without interfering demons and gods.


    "You should be." The demon''s eyes be bright red. "I am in a hurry. I have to give this news to my friends and the demon lord." She throws a pill that passes through the barrier and falls near Sung Jun''s feet. "It''s not poison. I would hate to kill a good looking man like you when there is a high chance that you will be one of us."


    "Are you out of your mind?" Sung Jun is losing his patience. If he could break this barrier, he would make her shut her mouth first.


    "I am," The demon replies cheerfully. "I lost my mind a long time ago. I was a princess once. Then, I was sacrificed by my father as a gift to the enemy nation. I was killed by a thousand cut after the king of the enemy nation, his general and his soldiers had fun with me. I lost my mind before I died. Before I died, I was not a good human. I hurt my siblings and my stepmothers. I killed people with my bare hands. I was a jealous woman. Ah! I do not regret. I dare not regret. I found myself in hell. I survived and crossed the circles of hell to be who I am today. How easy it is for us to be who we are after we die, huh? You mortals work hard and cultivate. Even you, who is probably the genius of this era, have toe to hell to achieve the immortality. Why not just sin and die? Why do you work hard when you can directlye there?"


    "I havee." The priest hurries into the hall. "I have holy water."


    The demon''s expression distorts. "Tch! I am going to leave. If you want to know the truth, take the pill. At most, you will lose your mind like me ande to the darkness. Don''t be afraid. Darkness epts everyone whether they like it or not."


    She disappears into smoke. The barrier disappears after she is gone. The priest''s feet be weak and he falls on his knees. He has never seen a real demon in his life.


    "It''s gone..." The priest closes his eyes and lets out a sigh of relief. He is nevering if they ever call him again.


    "Are you going to summon this demon again?" Ms Sung asks Sung Jun. The priest is scared when he hears her. Summoning a demon? Have these people lost their mind?


    Sung Jun nods. He takes the vial of holy water from the priest''s hand. "Send more vialster."


    The priest doesn''t dare to ask why. He runs away from these maniacs.


    "What about that pill?" She looks at Sung Jun''s hand. She doesn''t trust the demon. The demons are lying creatures.


    "It''s not poison." Sung Jun gives it to her to check. "It is not malevolent."


    "Don''t take this." Ms. Sung is even more doubtful of this pill now. "Why must you remember your previous life? It''s forgotten for a reason. I don''t understand that god. Gods are not supposed to do things like this."


    Sung Jun sighs. "He didn''t directly break thew. The memories of my previous life must be important. I have to know because Fang Aisa also remembers. For some reasons, gods are involved in our lives and they have turned us into their chess pieces. If I don''t find out why I can''t move forward with Fang Aisa. Our lives will always be manipted by these gods."

 Chapter 67: Am I dead, mister?

    Chapter 67: Am I dead, mister?


    These days, whenever I wake up, I always find myself in odd positions. This one certainly wins over all the times when I woke up and found myself in weird ces.


    I remember that Reis picked me up. There was a dimension gate. I have seen him used it once or twice before but he let me go along with him to wherever he went. As soon as he entered the gate, I fell into unconsciousness. I don''t know why.


    When I wake up, I find myself in a freaking boat with a cloaked figure rowing the boat. I can''t see anything else in this mist. Not even the river that we are supposed to cross. I mean, the boat is floating in something, right? It can''t just fly in the sky.


    I try to look under his cloak, but the tall man is always out of my reach. I figure that he is a spirit. I sit back down on the cramped boat. It''s wooden and old. I dip my hand in the mist. The water under the mist is freezing. I plunge my hand out. The part of the hand that I dipped into the water turns into a shiny white skeleton. My mouth bes dry when I see this. I can count the bones.


    This is a river of death.


    "Am I dead, mister?" I ask the boatman. Reis, you! Let me get my hands on you first. You damn god! Did you just kill me? I die again just like this. This is insane. What did I do to you, Reis?


    The boatman shakes his head surprisingly. I am surprised. Why am I crossing the infamous river of death if I am not dead yet? Is it because I already died?


    "Why I am here if I am not dead?"


    The shadow cloaked boatman looks up and down. Then, he looks to the right and left. Then, he funnily tilts his head.


    "Do you speak?"


    He shakes his head.


    "Do you know signnguage?"


    He shakes his head.


    "Did Reis throw me in this boat?"


    He nods his head.


    "Am I going to the afterlife?"


    He shakes his head.


    "Am I going to heaven?"


    He shakes his head.


    "Hell?"


    He nods.


    Damn you, Reis! Let me find you for once. I will show you where is the true hell.


    "Can I jump in the river and swim to the shore?"


    He pauses rowing. His eyes gleam red under the hood. He slowly shakes his head. I gulp down. I guess, swimming in the Styx river is out of the question. I might not have any skin left after I swim to the shore. The skin of my hand didn''t grow back. My right hand is still a skeleton.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t jump." Iugh nervously. "I will go to hell instead. How bad can it be? Is it worse than my imagination?"


    He nods his head.


    Crap!


    I look at my clothes. I am still wearing the ck dress. I check my pockets in case Reis was being generous. There is nothing except for a big silver coin. I guess, it is the boat man''s payment. Is Reis punishing me for going against his wishes?


    What''s Sung Jun doing? We have to part again like this. I lived, but now I am going to hell even though I am not dead. Does it even make sense? I am not a cultivator either. There is not an ounce of spiritual energy inside my body. I check for Sung Jun''s spiritual nket. I find that Reis has removed it along with Sung Jun''s imprint.


    I take a deep breath. If I survive hell, I will find Reis and burn him alive. At least now, we do not owe each other anything. He is supposed to keep me alive and well since he is my contracted god. Instead, he threw me in hell. He is unbelievable.


    He broke the contract first. I am sure that he is getting struck by the heavenlyws somewhere. He deserves it. Dear supreme one, if you are listening, make sure that he stays in his cat form forever.


    ***


    Somewhere on a beach in California, Reis is sunbathing with sunsses on. This is heaven. Even in heaven, there are always the messengers of the supreme one who are nagging him. Here, he can easily breathe freedom and do nothing.


    "The weather is good." The slender dark-haired man puts his arms behind his head. "The sun is bright. The air is cool. The sea is refreshing. It is nice to take a vacation."


    Reis slowly turns his head and looks at the fellow. His eyes are hidden under his sunsses. "What are you doing here?"


    "Say, Reis, is it really wise to abandon your contractor in hell without any preparation?" The man smiles at Reis. "When Fate came to me, I was surprised to hear her. Your Aisa is a part-demon. A person like her cannot be a god."


    "We never know." Reis turns back face toward the sea.


    "Are you experimenting, my brother?" Death asks with augh.


    "Are you allowed to wander the mortal world, Arius?"


    "Of course, if I don''t cause trouble," Death tells him. "It is really boring down there. But your person is crossing my river right now. I can hear her thoughts, you know. She is cursing you to death."


    "She isn''t the first one or thest one," Reis mutters under his breath.


    "You are right, Reis." Death closes his aquamarine eyes. "I find her interesting though. You have trained her well in the demonic arts. I wonder if she can use it against the demons. That is like fighting water with water. But her body won''t trouble her anymore because there is no spiritual energy or heavenlyw to hurt her there."


    Reis doesn''t answer him.


    "Have you wonder which path she will choose?"


    There is no answer. Reis is already gone. Death chuckles when he finds him gone. It seems that his brother does not like hispany much.


    "Will she survive or lose to the darkness of the hell?" Death asks, nobody answers him. "It''s a long path to godhood for a mortal unlike us. Even as a god of death, I am not selfish like you, brother. I would rather let her live a short life of happiness than live a lonely life of an immortal."

 Chapter 68: I will find her again

    Chapter 68: I will find her again


    "So, the god of time turned back the time. Fang Aisa remembers everything from a different timeline." Bae Jaemin slowly speaks to understand. "Your father also invited an immortal demon. Are they not banned from the council?"


    "I have already raised the issue to the council. The other councilmen had no idea that he called a demon. If people find out that the president of the council is friendly to demons, they will never trust the council again." Sung Jun sounds tired. "It''s not like they trust the council now."


    "Will they vote to remove your father?" Bae Jaemin is aware of Sung''s legacy. The reason who a Sung is always chosen as the president of the council since it was formed is that the shamans are seen as the gatekeepers between the spirit world and the mortal world. It''s also because the Sung family is known to have the rarest talents in their bloodlines. They are also blessed by heaven itself to take the task of protecting the human world and the supernatural world within the human world from each other.


    "Does not it mean that you will be the president?" Bae Jaemin voices out his thought hesitantly. He knows that Sung Jun doesn''t want to be the president of the council. Now, Sung Jun is already a king-ranked shaman. He will be the first choice. "What will you do?"


    "I don''t know." He looks like he has grown a decade. "I am worried about Fang Aisa. I can''t think of anything else. For some reasons, I feel like she is in danger." He can''t forget the look that Reis gave him before he disappeared. There was something in Reis'' eyes that''s still disturbing him to his core.


    "Where is Wang Mei?"


    "After she heard that Fang Aisa was kidnapped, she immobilized her people to look for her. She even forced her famous sister to share Fang Aisa''s photo along with a message. Her sister and brother are holding a meeting with the leading news channel''s reporters."


    Sung Jun looks at him with approval. "She is doing a good job."


    "Fang Aisa''s father is also helping Wang Mei," Bae Jaemin adds. "It''s quite sad that he couldn''t even meet his daughter before she disappeared again."


    "She wille back." Sung Jun furrows his brows. "I will find her again."


    Bae Jaemin sees the same haunting look in his eyes that he once saw around eight years ago. Finding the person to lose again, what kind of fate is this?


    "Jun, do not lose hope." Bae Jaemin pats his shoulder reassuringly. Sung Jun nods slowly. He is tired. The pill is still in his pocket, but he is afraid to see his past. He thinks that he will see something worse than his present situation.


    "Where is your father right now?"


    "He was noisy after he realized that he would lose his president seat soon. The councilmen banned him froming to the council. Right now, he is house locked. Uncle Kim is looking after him."


    Uncle Kim is the family butler. He has been a close confidante of Sung Ki-Woong. Sung Jun is sure that he also knows about his father involvement with demons and other dark creatures.


    "No councilman is clean though."


    "I know."


    "How is Aunty Sung?" Bae Jaemin didn''t see Aunty Sung today.


    After a short chat, Bae Jaemin leaves. He is going to use his contacts in the supernatural world to find information on Fang Aisa. Sung Jun has already informed all his sources. He even asked the councilmen who were already treating his requests as hismands as the president. The enforcers and the hunters are in search of Fang Aisa.


    Sung Jun locks his room. Heys down on the bed. He is still wearingst nightclothes. He fiddles with the pill and repeats all the words that Fang Aisa has ever said to him. From her words, he can guess that they have been in a rtionship in their other lives too before he left her.


    This is the burden that she was holding inside her heart. He has to know even if it changes everything. Maybe he will find clues for whereabouts.


    Sung Jun takes the pill and falls asleep.

 Chapter 69: There are no rules.

    Chapter 69: There are no rules.


    After what feels like an eternity, we finally manage to reach the shore. As soon as I climb off the shore, the boatman spreads his skeleton hand for the coin. I give it the silver coin and bow to him respectfully. He never speaks, but he leaves a certain impression that he must never be messed with.


    When I lift my head, the boat and the boatman are already gone. I take a breath of relief. The river is also gone. I am the only one standing in front of a ck door with no doorknob. There is no wall or anything around the door. This must be the entry to the hell. I can wait here for eternity, but the door won''t go or change. I push the door and enter.


    "Wee to the Limbo!" Someone shouts as soon as I enter the office. It''s a man dressed in corporate clothes. He is short, fat, and wearing thick sses. His eyes are brown. He looks quite human to me.


    I can''t help but feel weird. Is it supposed to be like this?


    "Let''s see." The corporate man sits opposite to me and puts my document on the table. "You are a special case, aren''t you? That''s why the higher up decided to send me."


    "Who are you?" I ask.


    "My name is JJ. I am your counselor. " He winks at me "We do not share our true names in hell."


    "You know my name?" I point at the document.


    "That''s not your true name. It''s your given name. Unlike us, you humans have many names. So, you can tell your name or not. It''s up to you."


    He picks up the first sheet and adjusts his sses.


    "You have died once, but you were taken by a god before you could go to the afterlife. Then, he decided to turn back time and chose you as his representative. You do not have any original sin. Just a minor here and there, nothing that can''t be resolved in a few hundred years of hell. But you didn''t die this time. You came here to challenge hell to achieve immortality?"


    He raises his eyebrow. I shake my head.


    "I didn''te here to challenge. I was sent here without my permission."


    "I see," He pushes his sses again. "In any case, you are enlisted as a challenger. Since you do not have any original sin, You will start here. But there is oneplication."


    "What might that be?" I sigh.


    He narrows his eyes at me. "You are also a part demon. We don''t like to hurt our kind. We can ignore your human part and ept you as one of us, but the child in the womb is also blessed by heaven."


    "Child in my womb?" I look at my t stomach. When did I get a child in my womb? How did it happen? It''s only been a few days that Sung Jun and I...Ah! Last time, I got pregnant after one night.


    "I am pregnant again?" I ask in horror. I am in hell while I am pregnant. Crap! This is too bad.


    "Ah, yes." JJ looks at me solemnly. "I guess, I am the first one to give you this news. Did your sponsor god not tell you? He might not have known it at the time."


    "How could he not know? Isn''t he a god?" I press my palm together.


    "He sent you here in a hurry. He might not have noticed. Besides, times run differently in hell. In the human world, it might have been a day, but here it can be months or years."


    He nces down at the paper thoughtfully.


    "As a challenger, your body is frozen in your current state. It means that neither you or your child will grow as long as you are a challenger and do not fail. If you fail, nothing is guaranteed even if you are a part demon."


    "I can''t lose this child again. Please send me back."


    JJ bes quiet. He rereads the papers and says, "You have lost your child in your previous life. I am sympathetic with your case, but...um...there is only one way out of the hell. That is, you have to cross the nine circles of the hell and achieve immortality."


    "What will happen to my child?" I touch my stomach. I can''t lose my baby again.


    "You can give up on being a challenger and be the citizen of the hell," JJ speaks in a solemn voice. "Your child will lose the heavenly blessing. You and your child will be given a home and a job here. See those doors?" He points behind me. I find five grey doors on the wall.


    "Four of them goes to the four cities of Limbo where demons and the souls are currently residing. You will find your kind there. You can also stay there with your son and live a good life. In hell, Limbo is only ced where there is no violence or pain."


    "Is it like heaven?" I ask him mockingly.


    "Of course not, it is just like any other human city. The citizens of the cities vary. Your child will be a demon here and have a life like any other human. He will be born as a lower demon. You will also slowly turn into a full-fledged demon. But your lives will be good. Limbo demons are more epting than the demons of the deeper levels of hell."


    Giving birth in the hell is out of the question. I have to get out of here as soon as possible. I cannot let my child grow up with freaking demons.


    "Thank you for the offer," I tell him. I have decided that I will cross hell and go back to my world."


    "I see." JJ takes back the orange tag and gives me a ck one. "You and your child will be in a frozen state. If you survive and cross hell, you and your child will achieve immortality. If you fail, you will lose your body and soul to the depth of hell. If you are lucky, you might be a lower demon. Your child has no chance in this case. I will inform you about the rules of the contest."


    He pauses for a moment before he tells me,


    "There are no rules."

 Chapter 70: Memories of other life (1)

    Chapter 70: Memories of other life (1)


    The memories do not return at once as he expected. He finds himself standing on the road where he met Fang Aisa for the first time. It feels like his body has been sent back in time.


    Soon, he sees a teen girl with ck hair and dark eyes with an emotionless look in her eyes. He recognizes her right away. She looks like she is fifteen. It seems like he is really back in time.


    He is about to stop her when he feels someone passing through him like he is the air. The boy is a younger version of him with an almost smile and a sad look in his eyes. He still remembers what he was thinking that day. His parents'' divorce. He left South Korea to live in this country. Though he knew Chinese because his mother taught him by herself, he couldn''t easily amodate himself as his mother did. His mother was originally from here, but it was new for Sung Jun.


    The boy asks the girl a question. She blinks at him in surprise before she answers him. She points in the direction ahead. The younger Sung Jun nods and thanks to her. He doesn''t give her another nce before he runs to the school. Soon after, Wang Mei finds Fang Aisa. Things are happening differently from his real memories.


    "What''s wrong, Aisa?" Wang Mei asks curiously.


    "Nothing." Fang Aisa stares ahead in the road, slightly dazed. Sung Jun cannot help but feel jealous of his younger self. She has that kind of expression for his younger self. She never showed it to him.


    Sung Jun receives another set of mundane memories of his other life. It didn''t interest him much. He watches them meet in the ssroom again. Younger Sung Jun takes the seat next to Fang Aisa. She is surprised to see him again, but she doesn''t greet him. The younger Sung Jun is also surprised to see her again. He decides to treat her as a stranger. In his eyes, girls are troublesome creatures.


    Like the bees are attracted to flowers, the girls in the ss also gather around the new student. Fang Aisa and Wang Mei are the ones who are most bothered. Their peaceful sleep is disturbed by these giggling and whispering girls. The younger Sung Jun already has a habit of this.


    After three weeks, Fang Aisa decides to take the matter in her hands. She turns around and res at the group of the girls.


    "If I ever see you here again, I will pull out your tongues." Her cold voice is enough to freeze hell.


    "Fang Aisa, you...why don''t you skip school like you used to?" One of the girls yells at Fang Aisa.


    "Why? Are you paying my school fees? If you don''t like to see me, just close your eyes." Fang Aisa gets up from her seat. "Besides, if you like seeing him so much, why don''t you take a picture and make a portrait of him? You can see him as much as you want without embarrassing yourself or him."


    The younger Sung Jun is impressed by her words. He has never seen anyone like her. Most girls either join these fangirl groups or they are too afraid to stand up to him. For the first time, a girl enters his eyes.


    The older Sung Jun is watching this all from sidelines. He sees his younger self falling in love with Fang Aisa at that moment, though his younger self has not realized this yet. He looks at the other Fang Aisa who is also different from the one he knows. What has changed this girl into the one he knows?


    Because Fang Aisa catches younger Sung Jun''s attention, he starts to notice her more. He even starts observing her when she is asleep and drooling on her desk. After school, he finds her with Wang Mei most of the time. It''s a sheer coincidence that they also live in the same area. He sees her making gangs with Wang Mei, fighting other gangs, and beating the crap out of anyone who offends her. She feeds stray cats and dogs when nobody is watching. She rarely does her homework and she hates math. After the math teacher Wu Xiang appears, she didn''t take his any lecture after his first lecture. She spends most of her time in school at the rooftop. Sometimes, she would sleep there without any care for the world.


    The younger Sung Jun doesn''t know-how. He starts to find her cute. Though she keeps her face expressionless most of the time, he sees her smiling from time to time. He starts greeting her every day. He leaves food on her desk sometimes when she is not around. She always takes the food and eats them. He once leaves a flower. She stares at it for a long minute when she finds it. Then, she puts it inside her book.


    Little by little, he finds out about her habit. She isn''t serious about her studies. Her handwriting is really bad. She cannot keep her concentration on math problems for a second. She likes sweets and sour dumplings. She likes to visit the local market frequently to eat there. The older Sung Jun quietly watches his younger self stalking Fang Aisa.


    On the day of the math test, Fang Aisa falls asleep. The younger Sung Jun shakes his head and acts as the eraser falls from his hand. In the pretext of picking up the eraser, he pinches Fang Aisa''s leg to wake her up. Fang Aisa wakes up with a jolt. Before she can catch the culprit, he is already doing the math. She stares at him doubtfully.


    When the ss president confesses to the younger Sung Jun, Fang Aisa pops out of nowhere and drags him out of there. She stops when they reach the rooftop. Without thinking for a second, she kisses his lips. It is nothing more than a peck. The younger Sung Jun widens his eyes in shock because he doesn''t dislike this feeling.


    "I will take your responsibility," she says proudly. The older Sung Jun remembers saying the exact words to her one time.

 Chapter 71: Memories of other life (2)

    Chapter 71: Memories of other life (2)


    The two starts to date. Fang Aisa works hard every day to make him fall in love with her. She has no idea that he already loves her. He doesn''t show it either because he likes that she is trying so hard to make him like her. Things do not go as they went in Older Sung Jun''s life. Fang Aisa cannot see the ghost in this life. Things are too different in this life.


    It''s only the younger Sung Jun who is that he belongs to a shaman family and he can see the dead. It''s a slow and sweet life with small memories. Herugh. Her expressions. Her funny way of warding off the females and the males. Her attempts at cooking and flirting with him. This Fang Aisa is pure and young. She is untainted by the future tragedies. When she smiles, nothing is holding her back. When she looks at his younger self, there is no hate or resentment. She is as bright as the sun. She is the girl who is in love and unhurt.


    This is supposed to be their lives. That''s what the older Sung Jun wanted. A life of memories like these with her heart open to him.


    On the night of graduation, everything unfolds to him. He sees the ss president mixing the aphrodisiac in his drink when Fang Aisa is gone. She finds him in time though. The older Sung Jun can''t stay in the bedroom for long. He leaves after the younger Sung Jun kisses Fang Aisa. Even it''s his other him, he doesn''t have it easy.


    While he waits outside the room, he remembers something crucial. Did she lie to him? He is the one she slept within her past life. Then, the unborn child must be his.


    Why did she lie to him? Who killed her and his unborn child? Why was he not there to protect her?


    The younger Sung Jun suddenly leaves the hotel room. Older Sung Jun goes inside and finds her on the bed,pletely covered by the nket. He frowns when he finds the note. When he is about to leave, he senses another presence in the room. The silvery threads appear and take away the note.


    A god did this.


    He leaves in a hurry to find the younger Sung Jun. Suddenly, memory changes again. He finds himself in his father''s office. He finds out why he left Fang Aisa that day.


    The younger Sung Jun goes to train as a shaman, but the older Sung Jun stays there to listen to his father''s conservation. He sees Fang Aisae every day to his house. His father and Butler Kim never tell this to the younger Sung Jun. After Butler Kim lies to her, she copses in the taxi. In the hospital, the child is taken away under his father''s instruction.


    Now, he knows why she lied to him. She didn''t want him to me himself. That god was right. He is the reason behind her pain.


    That doesn''t end there. Fang Aisa changes after that day. She is cold and emotionless. She bes a workaholic to bring Fang Corporation back to life. She cleans away herpetitors and cleans the path for her stepbrother. Sometimes, he sees his younger self visit the city and watch her from the afar in secret. The younger Sung Jun is waiting until he bes the president toe back to her.


    On the night, the older Sung Jun watches her cry silently. Sometimes, she would curse him. On other times, she whispers his name in the air like it is the only thing that belongs to her in the world. The older Sung Jun sits next to her and tries to hold her hand, but his hand passes through her. This is just a memory. This already happened to her in the past. He is the one who caused her this much pain.


    On the day he bes the president, Fang Aisa dies in the ident. But the older Sung Jun has seen the truth. His father is the one who killed her. He never feels more helpless when he sees her dying in the car crash. In herst moments, she smiles in his direction and calls his name. He falls on his knees beside her.


    "Aisa, I am sorry."


    But it doesn''t end. As much as he wants it to end, the memories do not stop. He soon finds out the fact that the god of fate is controlling his life for her gains. She controlled his father''s actions in indirect ways and also, she is indirectly the cause behind Fang Aisa''s death. The younger Sung Jun looks for Fang Aisa''s ghost-like a vagabond. But he never sees her again. He never finds the truth behind her death either.


    "I will perform the ghost marriage for you," the god of marriage said to him. "Do you have the ability to pay me?"


    The other Sung Jun ces a rare gem on the table. His expression doesn''t change when he gives away the rare gem like it''s garbage.


    "S-grade healing stone for a ghost marriage?" The god of the marriage pushes the purple stone away from him. "I don''t want it. This is over-payment for a small task. Why do you want to marry a ghost? You are still young and full of vitality. You can never be happy with a ghost."


    "I want to see her again...even if it is for once." He looks out of the window. "Even if she hates me, I just want to see her again."


    "A fool in love." The god clicks his tongue. "Alright, I will do it. But, I will tell you this. You might not be able to see her again. The ghost might have gone to the afterlife. If you perform a ghost marriage, you can never touch another woman ever."


    "Fine."


    "In all of your next lives, you have to marry her." The god raises his white brows.


    "That''s good."


    The god of marriage do not ask any more questions. He writes down the names and stamps the certificate, officially marrying a ghost to a human.


    "I hope that you do not regret it."


    "Never," Both Sung Jun replies at the same time. The god of marriage smiles at the one who is sitting in front of him.


    When he wakes up with the memories of his other life, he is not the same person anymore. He has seen things that he could never forget. He has to ept that his father killed her and his unborn child because of him. In the original lifetime, he never found out what happened. His father and Butler Kim died with this secret. His mother had no idea.


    In this lifetime, they have not done it yet. If he punishes them, they won''t even know why. How did Fang Aisa live with these memories for thest eight years? How will he live knowing this now? Will she forgive him?


    "You are awake?" Ms. Sung is standing on the door. "Do you remember your past life?"


    "Yes." Sung Jun stares at her. He barelyposes himself. "I have to go to the council."


    "Do you want to be the president?" She observes him. Sung Jun seems like a different person. How bad were those memories? She wants to ask, but she knows that he won''t tell her.


    "Yes," Sung Jun replies with a sad smile. "Mother, why did you marry father?"


    Ms. Sung takes a seat next to him and holds his hands. "I know that you do not like your father. He wasn''t always this kind of person. There was a time when he was honest and upright. He wanted to help people. The council changed him into something else. I don''t know when he started to abuse his powers. If I had noticed it before, I could stop him before he changed into this person that he is now."


    Sung Jun squeezes his eyes. "Mother, forgive me."


    "Why are you asking for forgiveness?" She looks into his eyes, searching for him. "Is something wrong, Jun?"


    "I will stop him now," He tells her quietly.


    Though she doesn''t know why he changed his mind this soon, she understands that it must be due to his past life memories. She nods her head. "I will support you."

 Chapter 72: You have killed her a long time ago.

    Chapter 72: You have killed her a long time ago.


    Sung Jun stands in front of the crowd. He watches them with a haunting emptiness. It''s his second time, standing here and watching them. He doesn''t smile or say a word for a long time.


    "Everyone is here?" He ignores the councilman and asks Bae Jaemin who has been standing by his side since he came to the council.


    "Yes," Bae Jaemin replies after a pause. Sung Jun doesn''t look good. There is something in his eyes that scares him a bit. He can guess that something bad is going to happen.


    "The previous president has been found guilty of colluding with the demons andwless dark practitioners. All of you are charged guilty. Nobody is allowed to leave the vicinity until the person is proven not guilty."


    Dead silence.


    "That''s...a bit..." One of the councilmen tries to speak up, but he shuts his mouth when he meets Sung Jun''s cold eyes. He touches his neck subconsciously. Offending a kind-ranked shaman is a death sentence.


    "President Sung, you cannot use everyone here." A daring council member steps forward. She is somewhere in her 40s and a mid-ranked councilwoman. Sung Jun remembers her from his other life. He smiles at her. She is one of the few people who didn''t break his trust.


    The guilty ones are sweating and thinking about how to get away without seeming suspicious.


    "It will barely take a minute." He chuckles when he sees the faces of some people turning white. "To keep it fair, I am taking it too."


    Before anyone else could protest or react, his honey brown eyes turn silver as a silvery threades out of his fingers. The pure silver threads spread into beautiful silvery ribbons, weaving itself into a mesh on the ceiling. In less than a minute, everyone in the hall is standing under a glowing woven spirit.


    "What''s this?"


    "I have never seen anything like that..."


    "That energy is pure...almost godly."


    "A king ranked shaman can summon a heavenly artifact." Sung Jun informs the shocked crowd. "This is the overseeing sky of judgment. As we speak, it is inspecting everyone in this room. Anyone guilty will be taken to the unbreakable prison."


    "No!" An old man screamed. "I can''t go."


    He tried to run, but he couldn''t move an inch. His body was already paralyzed. Simrly, other people were also frozen on the spot. They screamed in horror when they saw people disappear one by one. By the end, out of three thousand council members, only forty remained including Sung Jun and Bae Jaemin.


    The spirit mesh disappears from the ceiling.


    ---


    "So, this is the first thing that you do after bing the president of the council," Sung Jun''s father pauses for a moment. His eyes shine wickedly as he looks at his son standing on the other side of the invisible wall. Sung Jun doesn''t reply.


    "How long have you been collecting the evidence against me?"


    "I found out how the council mistreated Fang Aisa and what she had to go through when she wasn''t even a year old. But she wasn''t the first. She wasn''t thest either. Because of her, I could no longer ignore your actions. I have always known what kind of person you are, Father. That is the main reason why I didn''t want to be a shaman."


    His fatherughs at him.


    "What changed your mind? If you hate being a shaman and the president, why did you be one?"


    "Because I wanted to fix your mistakes," Sung Jun smiles sadly. "I became awyer to help the people who were wronged by the council. Now, I need you to stop. I am sending you along with Butler Kim to the unbreakable prison."


    His father doesn''t react. He shows him a solemn smile. It''s impossible to return from an unbreakable prison. It''s a separate dimension built to keep the prisoners who havemitted grave sins.


    "You should kill us instead."


    Sung Jun looks at him with emptiness in his eyes. He wants to be angry with his father. He wants to hate him. He can''t. Opposite of love isn''t hate. When he met her for the first time in this life, she loved him and also, hated him. He didn''t understand why. In his previous life, he abandoned her to protect her. He couldn''t protect her anyway. Their lives are entangled with gods because of him.


    It feels like a lifetime has gone by. All he wants is to see her again.


    "It''s because of her." He hears his father speak in an amused tone. "That cursed child...I should have killed her a long time ago."


    "You have killed her a long time ago."


    "Huh?" His father looks up at him with confusion on his face.


    "I am here for something else." Sung Jun doesn''t rify. "I want to know about Dabria."


    Xia Fengnian, alias Dabria, ys a significant role in his previous life. She is the reason who colluded with the dark creatures to cause the war. She must be caught and sent to the unbreakable prison at once. Though he prefers her to be dead, he knows well that Xia Fengnian will cause troubles as an evil spirit. It''s better if she bes an evil spirit in the unbreakable prison.


    "Why should I tell you?" His father smirks. "Aren''t you capable of finding her by yourself?"


    "I am, but that will take some time." Sung Jun watches him coldly. "Father, I am a king ranked shaman. I don''t even have to blink to make you speak. But, I want to give you a chance to keep your dignity before you leave."


    They stare at each other. His father wonders how did his son change so much. He is both proud and upset. A part of him is happy that his son didn''t turn out like him. Another part of him is full of regrets. The past cannot be changed. But, these regrets mean nothing. If he could, he would still follow the same path. He sighs before answers his son.


    "You will find the information in the hidden locker behind the painting of the god of fire."

 Chapter 73: You know why I cant let her go

    Chapter 73: You know why I can''t let her go


    "What''s this?"


    Bae Jaemin looks at the file in his hand and then, he nces at Sung Jun.


    "The changes I want to be done in my absence."


    "What do you mean?" His friend has been acting strangely since morning. His wife has been acting crazy ever since Fang Aisa went missing. Bae Jaemin feels like both of them forgot him because of a certain someone.


    "I am going away for a while." Sung Jun leans back in his chair. "I am making you president in my absence."


    "What!" He drops the file. Everything is happening too fast. "Jun, you can''t."


    "You will take care of the council until I return." Sung Jun ignores his friend''s hyperventting reaction. "You must teach Wang Mei to cultivate. You should also focus on cultivating and improving your rank."


    "Where are you going?" Bae Jaemin yells at him. "Jun, what happened to you?"


    Sung Jun bes quiet. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He wants to find Fang Aisa right now. But he must find Dabria before its toote. This world should be safe for Fang Aisa before she reappears.


    That god must take care of her until then.


    "I don''t know when I will return." I don''t know whether I will return. "I have assigned you the tasks. Bring Wang Mei to the council. She should be able to protect you."


    "Wang Mei?" Wang Mei is a human without any spiritual energy. How could she protect Bae Jaemin against the other world? She will be in danger too. Sung Jun could read his thoughts.


    "That''s why you must teach her to cultivate." He puts a pill bottle on the table. "This will improve your cultivation rate. Her fighting skills and physical attributes are extraordinary. She will advance faster than you."


    Bae Jaemin picks up the pill bottle. "Isn''t this spirit advancement pills? Why do you have it?"


    "I borrowed them from the council''s treasury." Sung Jun doesn''t blink once when he answers him. Bae Jaemin feels cold sweats on his back.


    "Isn''t that stealing?" He still can''t ept that. "These are too precious and only meant to be used in an emergency by the president."


    "I am the president. It''s an emergency. Only forty council members are remaining. We need more man powers." He raises his brows. "I don''t need it. King rank is the highest rank that I can achieve on earth. You need it more than me."


    Bae Jaemin does not want to hear that. He doesn''t even want to ept those pills or include Wang Mei in this world of his.


    "Jaemin, you will need this." Sung Jun stands up. "In the future, it is important that you and your wife bes strong and ready to face what''sing. I want to see you when Ie back. Fang Aisa would want the same."


    He puts the pill bottle in his pocket and picks up the file. "How long?"


    "I don''t know." Sung Jun turns his back to him and looks at the painting of the god of fire. "Ask Wang Mei to stop looking for Fang Aisa. I will bring her back."


    "You know where she is?"


    Sung Jun doesn''t answer his question.


    "Jun." Bae Jaemin grabs his shoulder. "You have to answer me. Wang Mei is getting crazy. I can''t see her like that. She is an important person to her."


    "Things are moreplicated than you and I can imagine." Sung Jun sighs. "She is alive, but she is being held by a god. Can a human find her when a god is hiding her? I have to find that god first."


    "You are going against a god?" Bae Jaemin''s heart palpitates. "Are you insane?"


    "If they wanted to kill me, I would be dead already." Sung Jun pats his shoulder. "I am too precious to die."


    "Jun, you are going too far..." He shakes him. "Can''t you let her go?"


    "Can you let Wang Mei go?" Sung Jun stares at him intently. Bae Jaemin doesn''t say it, but he can see the answer.


    "You know why I can''t let her go." Sung Jun chuckles. "One who loves more in a rtionship is the loser. I used to think that I was the one who loved her more. That''s why I lost her. Fate was against us. My father was against us. Even gods were against us. Now, I know that I was wrong. The one who loved more was her. It was always her. She was the first one to fall in love with me. She chased me to a strange country. Even after everything that happened to her because of me, she still loved me."


    "What are you saying, Jun?" Bae Jaemin couldn''t understand the meaning behind his words. As much as he knows, Fang Aisa is the one who faked her death and left Sung Jun. She has been always rejecting Sung Jun''s advances.


    "Two lifetimes...and I am still here like this without her," Sung Jun says. Whether his words are meant for Bae Jaemin or himself, it can''t be guessed.


    "Fine." Bae Jaemin gives in when he sees the look in his eyes. "Don''t worry about anything here. All the troublesome characters are gone to the unbreakable prison. The leftovers are nice people, I think. You take your time and bring her back. This time, take care of the pesky gods. You better not die."


    "Thank you, brother." Sung Jun smiles warmly at his friend. "My mother will help you too. I have already informed my mother to return to the council."


    "Don''t thank me. I will take advantage of the power and live a luxurious life in your absence." Bae Jaemin presses file against his chest. "If Aunty Sung is here, I am afraid of nothing."


    Sung Junughs when he hears his words. "I wonder if you will get the time."


    "What do you mean?" He opens the file. "What kind of tasks did you leave?"


    Sung Jun picks up his coat. "I am leaving now. Take your time. Good Bye, Brother."


    "Wait...Jun!" Bae Jaemin lifts his head to stop Sung Jun. The first page of the file contains a crazy change in the academy. But Sung Jun is already gone, leaving Bae Jaemin alone with the file and his questions.


    "Whoa!" Bae Jaemin looks at the closed door. "Could he always disappear into thin air? Is this the power of a king ranked shaman? Show off!"

 Chapter 74: You can read mind?

    Chapter 74: You can read mind?


    When I open the door, I walk into another white room. I see four figures standing in the middle of the room. A kid around ten years old smiles at me. He has dragon eyes and a foxy smile. A monk is standing right next to him with a peaceful expression. His eyes are closed.


    The third person is a tall and muscr guy with short-cropped blonder hair. He has icy blue eyes and olive skin. He is holding a wooden staff with inscribed runes. A magician.


    "Hello, my name is Christian." He introduces himself first.


    I give him a polite nod. "Fang Aisa."


    The monk doesn''t introduce himself or say any word. He just smiles and nods back at me. The fourth person is a tall woman. She has red hair and yellow-green eyes upturned eyes. No eyebrows. Thin pale lips. She nces at me once, then she looks away in distaste. A fae.


    Okay, dislike at first sight.


    "Pretty Noona, I didn''t introduce myself." The little kides forward. "My name is Choi Minho. I am not a magic-user or spiritual energy maniptor. I am an esper."


    I blink at him with surprise. "Esper?"


    "Haven''t you seen those movies about people with psychic abilities?" He takes my hand. "Noona is pretty. So, I will exin. There are magic users, demons, priests and the fae. Then, how can humans stay behind? Nature has a funny way of doing things. So, there we are. The espers. We are the ones with psychic ability. We can''t do magic, but we have one or two special talents like being able to read the mind or move things at will."


    I feel like I am hearing an esper advertisement.


    Then, he looks at the monk. "He asked me to tell you that you are not pregnant."


    "WHAT!" I yell at the monk. "I am not?"


    The monk nods again with a peaceful smile.


    "Noona, the limbo demon is a liar. Ites up best lie to make you stay there instead of moving on to the next level." The kid looks at me with sympathy. "He told me that my brother was waiting for me in that city. He always exploits a person''s weakness."


    I feel slightly disappointed. It''s a lie if I say that I didn''t feel happy about not being pregnant. This is not a good time to be pregnant.


    "Don''t be disheartened." The kid eyes the monk. "He asked me to tell you."


    "You can read the mind?" I ask the kid. I find him interesting. Before meeting him, I didn''t know that there are people like him in the world. Among all the people here, the kid seems honest and least dangerous.


    "I can read the mind and see the other world." He gives me a knowing smile. "And a bunch of other things."


    I wonder what those other things mean.


    "You are amazing!" I ruffle his hair. "And cute."


    He blushes under my gaze. "Noona, if we leave this ce, will you leave your husband and marry me when I grow up?"


    I can''t help butugh. This is the cutest proposal. "You are an interesting kid, Choi Minho."


    He rubs his nose shyly and looks down at his feet shyly. Christianughs. The monks give me a broad smile. I feel goosebumps when I notice the fae woman staring at me.


    "You are here now." Christian steps forward and speaks loudly. "We have been waiting for the fifth member for more than a hundred years. Now, we can move forward."


    Before I can ask what he is talking about, Choi Minho squeezes my hand.


    "Pretty Noona, we are standing in the nk space between Limbo and Lust." He exins. I guess, he read my mind before I can even ask. "To go into Lust, we need to have a team of five people. Else, the door won''t show."


    "So, you have been waiting for someone toe?" A hundred year is a long wait.


    "I came here around three years ago." He looks at the Fae. "She has been here for more than three hundred years. The magician man is here for more than a hundred years. The monk came somewhere around twenty years ago. Now, you are here. We can move forward."


    I pity the Fae. It''s no wonder that she is like that.


    "Do you agree to join our team?" Choi Minho asks with a solemn gaze.


    "Okay." I hope that they aren''t tricking me. Choi Minho grins. I realize that the kid has read my mind, but he says nothing. I decide to take a chance on them.


    A door appears as it appears in Limbo. It''s a ck door with a white knob. We don''t go immediately.


    "The next level is Lust." It seems that Christian has taken the role of the leader. "There are nine circles of hell. First three levels are easiest because it depends on our will only. Lust is the toughest of the first three levels. Gluttony is significantly easy. We are a team. Do not forget that."


    "Okay," I mumble.


    "We are Team Awesome!" Choi Minho raises his hand happily. The monk nods in agreement. The Fae ignores everyone.


    "Team Awesome is a cool name, kid." Christian pats his head. "You must always stay beside me. I will help you get out."


    Choi Minho runs to my side and grabs my hand. "Thank you, Hyung. But I will stay with pretty Noona. She is my first love."


    Christianughs heartily. I smile at the kid. "I am taken though."


    "Love is love~" He winks at me. "Hell is a long time. I want to protect my first love."


    "Fine." I don''t know why I like this cheesy kid. I have a good feeling about him. I pinch his cheek. "When we get out, I will treat you to a meal."


    "It''s a promise." He raises his pinkie finger.


    I curl my pinkie finger around his."Promise."


    ********AUTHOR''S NOTE********


    Read Choi Minho''s Novel :- SUPERNATURAL INVESTIGATION 101: CHRONICLES OF NAKASHIMA WAKANA

 Chapter 75: Dont let go of my hand

    Chapter 75: Don''t let go of my hand


    "So, we have to pass through this door?" I ask Christian.


    "Yes, this is the door to the domain of lust." Christian sighs. "Don''t underestimate lust. These demons are unlikely to be violent, but they are quite...handy in other ways."


    He takes a nce a Choi Min Ho before sighing again. I understand his meaning. This kid shouldn''t be hearing or seeing things. I wonder why he is here. Did he get thrown here by someone unpleasant like me?


    "Don''t worry about me." Choi Min Ho beams at me. "I am a mind reader, Noona. I am also a boy. I have been hearing the minds of adults. I know things."


    "How long?" Hearing thoughts doesn''t sound like a good thing. "Does it not bother you?"


    "I have better control now." He looks away from me. "Don''t let go of my hand."


    I won''t let go of your hand.


    I don''t say those words, but I know that he can hear them.


    "We should go ahead." Christian turns the knob.


    "Fighting!!!" Choi Min Ho yells when he sees Christian disappears when he walks through the door. The Monk and the Fae follow after him wordlessly. I take a deep breath.


    "Don''t worry, Noona." Choi Min Ho nudges me softly. "This isn''t the worst."


    His voice is ominous. I frown at him. "You know what lies ahead?"


    "I have some idea." He stares ahead.


    "How do you know?"


    "I am a mind reader." He pulls me along with him. "I have read some demons'' minds beforeing here. I know what to expect, Noona."


    "Okay." Perks of being a mind reader, I guess. We walk through the door. This time, it feels like walking through a sheet of an energy field. It''s an eerie sensation.


    What the...


    I should have expected this. The circle''s name is lust. I look at Choi Min Ho who is unperturbed by the scene. I shake my head in horror. I cast a spell to make him temporarily blind and deaf.


    "Noona, what are you doing?" Choi Min Ho looks like he expected this. "I know about the matter between men and women."


    Argh! It doesn''t mean that I can let a ten years old kid see an orgy for god''s sake.


    "Noona, we are in hell." Choi Min Ho has read my thoughts. "You should not let them touch you or me. If they touch us, we can never get out."


    As far as I can see, I can only see men and women entangled. There is a nauseating sweet scent in the air. My body is heating up with each passing second. My throat is dry and knees are weak. This scene should feel disgusting, but my body feels like it has been drowned in aphrodisiac.


    "Noona, resist." The kid pinches my hand. "This is the doing of the lust demon. Create a defence field around you. If they touch you, you are doomed."


    Nobody can resist the touch of a lust demon.


    I close my eyes. I try to recall the spells. It''s hard to think and harder to remember.


    Sung Jun, I have to see him again. Not these demons. That''s the only person who can ever touch me. I want to burn these demons alive for making me like this. If I cross hell, I will find him again. I will never let him go. Screw gods. Screw the fate and the world. Screw Reis or Dabria.


    My world will make sense if I can embrace him again.


    "[Chaos]" A thinyer of chaotic energy surrounds us. The lust demons near us stand up and look at us ferociously. They surround uspletely. I can''t see the Monk or the Fae. I can''t see Christian either. There are only lust demons looking at us hungrily. It sends a shiver down my spine.


    Choi Min Ho takes a deep breath of relief. Is he really a kid? "You did well, Noona."


    ''Do you have any idea how we can get out of this?'' I ask him in my head.


    I realize that I can breathe properly now. I have a grip on my mind. My body is also cooling down. Who said that crossing Lust is easy?


    "I don''t know," Choi Min Ho replies in a small voice. "Right now, these stupid demons are only thinking of seducing us."


    ''Even you? You are a kid.''


    "So, I am." He turns his head to me. "Why would that matter to the demons?"


    Ah, right.


    "Your chaos defense is strong." He lifts his head as if he is listening to something. "The demons can feel it. You are a part-demon. Blood of a wrath demon."


    "Wrath demon?" I mumble to myself. Dabria''s father was a demon. Was he a wrath demon? I am not happy to hear the news.


    "They can''t break the barrier because of your blood," He tells me quietly. "Noona, whoever your grandfather was, he was a strong demon. A wrath demon is a high tier demon. They are afraid to offend you."


    I would have never guessed that being a granddaughter of a demon could be helpful to me ever. Still, it doesn''t make me feel good. A wrath demon, huh? Am I an angry person, then? I think that I am quite peaceful.


    "Hello."


    My body jolts when I hear the voice. It''s Sung Jun, standing in front of the crowd and watching me with his familiar almost smiling eyes. I take a step back.


    "Noona, hold yourself. He is the high lord of this domain." Choi Min Ho squeezes my hand. "He sees you as prey. He won''t let go of you."


    Though his voice is calm, his hand is sweating. I hold his hand tighter and smile at the person in front of me.


    "You are the demon lord of this ce?" I ask him.


    "I am." He walks until he is only an inch away from my chaos shield. "Why must you create this obstacle between you and me, Darling?"


    "Well, I am not interested in getting raped." I chuckle. "I am not interested in letting this kid go through horrible experiences either. Why don''t you tell me how to get to the next level?"


    The demon with Sung Jun''s face smiles at me. The exact same smile. Exact same expression when he is nning something.


    "I will tell you if you remove this shield." His voice is smooth and silky. Sung Jun never talks like this.


    "What do I have to do to get to the next level?" I raise my finger. I don''t have the patience anymore to see these naked demons. "If you don''t answer me in the next five seconds, I am wiping your existence."


    "Is that so?" The demon lord cocks his head. "Why should we fight? I see the desire in your eyes. Come to me. You want me, isn''t?"


    "I want my husband." I draw the spiral in the air. The chaos shield rapidly turns into a whirlpool. "After seeing you, I havee to a realization. My husband''s looks are too perfect to copy. You are just a cheap copy of his."


    In the next instant, the chaotic winds rapidly chopped the demons in half. It can''t kill them especially when they are in hell. But, it can incapacitate them for a while.


    "Noona, you are awesome." Choi Min Ho shouts with happiness. "You are cool!"


    ''I know, right?''

 Chapter 76: You should also turn away

    Chapter 76: You should also turn away


    "The trick is to defeat the demon lord." I look around. After a few minutes, we have been transported out of the lust domain. This nk space is the region between the lust domain and the next one. I have not seen the monk and the others. It looks like we have been transported to different locations when we entered the lust domain. I don''t know whether they survived or not.


    "I think, there are no rules to get out of the circle. You just have to get out by hook or crook. But, it seems that defeating the boss is directly breaking the circle''s lock." My young fellow pokes the spongy wall. "This ce is different from thest one."


    "What''s that?" I point at his upper arm.


    "Noona, it''s proof that we crossed two circles of hell." He points at my arm. "You have those too."


    I pull up my sleeve. There are two simr rings on my upper arm. "Will we get nine of them?"


    "Maybe." He looks up at the ceiling. He seems to be concentrating on something.


    "Can you hear someone else?" There is only two of us here. The door to the next circle hasn''t appeared. For a ce that has no rule, this ''five people rule'' is rather weird.


    "I can''t hear anyone," He tells me. "Noona, the five people rule is just a way to dy us from getting to the next level. It makes no sense that we can''t even fight as a team when we pass through the door."


    "You knew that they would separate us?" I narrow my eyes on him. The kid is young, but he is smart and mature. "Is that why you decided to hold my hand?"


    "Yes." The kid keeps poking the spongy wall. It makes funny ''Oink-Oink'' sound like the pigs. "I knew that the magician has a weakness for women. The Fae doesn''t like humans. The monk was a good option, but I would rather stay beside you. It looked like you needed my help. You are someone who can''t cultivate heaven''s energy. However, why aren''t you cultivating the dark energy here?"


    "Oh!" I seem to have forgotten. This is hell. It''s full of demons. It should be my yground. I should be able to raise my rank here. I p my forehead. It will be tough when we reach deeper levels of hell.


    "You should be stronger, Noona." He sits down the floor. "I am relying on you."


    I give him a nod and sit down on the floor. The floor is spongy, warm, andfortable. I have never imagined hell to befortable. I can sense the dark energy around me. If there is spiritual energy, there is something that is opposite to it. This energy is wild and chaotic, unlike the spiritual energy that is calm and serene. The flow of this energy is smooth. It flows inside me, rushing through my veins like a river and filling me. It doesn''t take long before my energy sea is full. I stop before it leaks out. Adding more will hurt my human side.


    A cultivator can be a demon or a god depending on what he chooses after crossing the hell. If he chooses the path of darkness, he bes a demon and cultivates the dark energy. If he chooses the path of the light, he bes a sage and cultivates heaven''s energy.


    Things are different for a part demon. Rather than one big bucket to hold spiritual energy, a part-demon has two smaller buckets. One bucket can carry the spiritual energy and the second bucket can carry the dark energy. Only demons can cultivate this dark energy. My demon side can let me cultivate this energy, but the real problem is that my human side cannot store heaven''s energy.


    It''s more like heaven doesn''t want its energy to stay inside my body. Instead, spiritual energy hurts me more than anything. I have been abandoned by heaven because I am awbreaker like Reis. He turned back the time. I am someone who came back from death. In heaven''s eyes, I should have stayed dead and the time shouldn''t have been turned back. Though Reis has done his penance and taken responsibility, things are difficult for me.


    When I use your powers too much, there is nothing to take the recoil of the dark energy. It''s my human side that''s hurt because the human side cannot bear the intensity of that energy. It''s like punching someone, then hurting my hand because you used too much strength. If I break my fingers each time I punch someone, my hand might be useless someday.


    "Noona, you think that the spiritual energy can protect your body with from the recoil of your demonic energy. How about this? You fill your both buckets with the dark energy and create a shield of dark energy that can take the recoil. Then, you can use your powers without any limitation."


    "But, my human side cannot tolerate dark energy." I frown at him. "If I fill both buckets, then my human side should get hurt."


    "Have you tried it though?" He turns his head to me. "You have been cultivating slowly, but you have not died. Instead, the spiritual energy can hurt you because of the heaven''s will. If heaven has abandoned you, you should also turn away."


    It makes sense. Why didn''t this ur to me before? "Are you really ten years old?"


    "I should be thirteen years old by now. I have been stuck here for thest three years. I have not grown at all..." He looks bored. "Noona, have you thought what would happen if you are stuck here for years? The time flows differently here. Your husband might be dead already. He might turn into an old geezer when you go back. If that''s the case, you should marry me after we leave."


    Iugh at his words. "He is a cultivator. He has already reached the king rank. I am sure that he will be alive when I go back."


    If I can survive until the end, I will be able to see you again. You better not die, Sung Jun.

 Chapter 77: I was merely taking a stroll

    Chapter 77: I was merely taking a stroll


    Since there is life, there is death.


    Arius is the god of death. A primordial god. A high tier god. Even the other gods are afraid of him. He hates anyone who cheats him i.e. the Death itself. Recently, he came out of his home to check out the earthlings. It''s been fun so far.


    He has been keeping watch on things. His aloof brother who keeps disappearing. His crazy sister who is currently cleansing the umted karma in heaven. In hell, he sees his brother''s pawn diligently cultivating. It looks like she has found a solution to her problem. The esper boy is interesting.


    But, there is another character who turned out to be interesting. Reis has nned this. What is it that his brother want? Now, Sung Jun has memories of other life. He didn''t follow Fang Aisa as Arius expected him to. He is actually going to meet Dabria.


    Arius doesn''t like Dabria, though she is his ardent worshiper. He is death. She keeps cheating him. That doesn''t mean that he would let a measly human kill his precious, but an annoying follower. He will take care of her by himself.


    "This..." Arius looks down at his feet. He has walked into a trap. A trap to catch a god. Sung Jun stops walking and turns around with a straight face.


    "You caught me." The mouse has caught the cat.


    "It was easier than I thought it to be." Sung Jun crosses his arm. "Why is the god of death following me?"


    "I was merely taking a stroll." Arius tries to break free of the trap, but he can''t. Heaven''s energy is blocking his path like a barricade of thorns. That''s why he strongly dislikes heavenly blessed individual. Heaven is unfair. It gives them too much power. They can even trap a god and make them do whatever they want. Heaven bends itsws for its beloved and blessed individuals.


    "I see." Sung Jun turns around. "Carry on."


    "Wait!" If this boy leaves like this, he can never get out of this trap. Sung family has been heavenly blessed for centuries. This boy is born with extra blessings and love from heaven. The trap has a pure and angry spiritual energy. If he tries to fight it, it will be stronger. The other gods can''t free him either.


    "Aren''t you going release me before you leave?" Arius asks with a bright smile.


    "No." Sung Jun''s answer is straightforward and short. He takes another step.


    "I will tell you about Fang Aisa," Arius yells. "I will tell you about my siblings'' ns."


    Yes, he will rat out his siblings. Anything for freedom. He has no interest in being stuck in this trap until moody heaven decides to free him.


    Sung Jun turns around and shows him the same bright smile. "Now, we are talking."


    Arius is death. God of death. He usually creeps other people out. His siblings are afraid of him. This is the first time that someone''s smile is creeping him out. This is how it feels. He won''t try to creep others out...much.


    Sung Jun looks at him with expectation. His looks are clearly saying, ''Start talking. Why are you staring at me and wasting my time? I have to go and take care of my evil mother inw. I don''t have much time to y with a God who has infinite free time on his hand.''


    ''I am a god of death.'' Arius'' lips twitch in annoyance. ''A measly human is treating me like this. If he wasn''t heavenly blessed, I would have taken his soul and threw him in the deepest pit of hell.''


    "Will you talk?"


    "Yes." Arius takes a deep breath. Patience. "Fang Aisa is in hell. She has passed the two circles of hell."


    Sung Jun nods after hearing him. He has expected something like this. He has tried to trace her energy in the world, but he couldn''t find her anywhere. After getting his memories of other life, he understands somethings. The gods are deeply involved in their lives.


    Arius tries to read Sung Jun''s emotions, but he can''t sense anything. This guy is blocking him from reading.


    "Why did the god of time send her to hell?" Sung Jun asks with a quiet voice. "She wasn''t prepared. He made the decision suddenly."


    "He didn''t want her tomit sins. Dabria had sent someone to observe her. If they met, there was a high chance that Fang Aisa wouldmit a mistake identally. My dear sister was also nning to use Fang Aisa to kill your father to make you the council''s president faster," Arius tells him nonchntly.


    "Fang Aisa was perfect for that role. She was nning to kill her after she killed your father. Heaven has already abandoned your wife. If there was another mistake, it would be impossible for her to enter heaventer."


    "Fate." Sung Jun remembers her from the other life. "She is the one."


    "Yes, she is the one who screwed your life. You see, Fang Aisa was not supposed to be born. Fang Qi should have died in the ident. But, my sister cheated me and Fang Qi survived. The seal was broken. He met Dabria and she was born. Your father hated her because of her demonic blood. Then, it was a tragic love story...." Arius makes a sad face. He likes tragic love stories.


    "It''s easier to control a heartbroken tragic hero. Your previous life was entirely orchestrated by her. She gave me a quite a show...until Reis interfered and turned back time."


    Arius shows him a toothy grin when he sees his pained expression.


    "He protected Fang Aisa. He is even sponsoring her to be a god. You know what that means, right? If she survives and crosses the hell, she won''t be able toe back to earth before she reaches godhood. If she fails, she will die and her soul will disappearpletely. That''s the contract between her and Reis."


    Sung Jun sucks the cold air. "She doesn''t know that yet, does she?"


    "He didn''t tell her the termspletely. I will tell you why she agreed to the contract."


    Arius is delighted to see the distress in Sung Jun''s eyes. Finally, he is showing that he is only a human.


    "Eight years ago, she agreed to the contract in rush. She wanted to run away from the council and her mother before they found out about her broken seal. If Dabria came, she would use the people who are close to Fang Aisa. " He adds, "She asked Reis to take the curse away from the Fang bloodline and show her the truth of her previous life. In return for something that small, she agreed to such a contract. "


    If she fails to be a god, her soul will dissolve into the oblivion. She willpletely disappear.

 Chapter 78: We cant leave you alone

    Chapter 78: We can''t leave you alone


    Reis yawns and scratches his neck with his white furry paw. His tail oscites like the pendulum while he keeps his mismatched eyes fixed on Sung Jun and Arius. He has been keeping watch on his brother and the king-ranked shaman. They have not noticed him. Things are calm after Kismet has gone to heaven for karma cleansing. It will keep her busy there. But, she will return. She is quite obsessed with this shaman and the end of the world.


    Arius is not anything good either. It seems that he is entering the game after Kismet is gone temporarily. He wants to use Sung Jun. He is good at guessing.


    When Reis chose Fang Aisa as his pawn, he only knew her as someone who was an important chess piece in Fate''s game. When he made the contract with her, he didn''t care much about her. To him, she saw a thing that he needed. If she couldn''t be a god and get out of Kismet''s schemes, it was better for her not to exist and keep being used by Kismet.


    After spending eight years with that moron, he regrets some things. But, he is a god. He is perfect. He has prepared her well to be a God. It''s not a mistake to choose her to be a God.


    There are two reasons why Reis sent her to hell. The first reason is that he didn''t want her to umte any more karma directly or indirectly. If he let her stay here and take care of Sung Jun''s father with her petty ways, she would gain karma that will make her way through the hell harder. She is a part-demon. In each step, she will be tempted to give up and let her demonic side win. If she umtes more karma, she will be tempted more.


    If a person just exists in this world, he or she will umte karma just by staying. How can a person not react to the things that are happening? If a person lives in the world, he has to participate. Good Karma. Bad Karma. It will umte. Then, the person will be stuck in the cycles of birth...to enjoy the fruits of good karma or get punishments for his bad karma.


    Going through hell to be an immortal is the fastest and toughest path. There is no rank or rule for one to enter the hell. There is no rule for fight or win. One has to survive...or rather, not give up till the end. Bing a demon is easy. Giving up is easy.


    The second reason is that his sister went to heaven for karma cleansing. She won''t interfere with his ns temporarily.


    There is a third reason. He doesn''t want to admit that reason. Never mind! There are only two reasons. TWO. That woman betteres out of the hell. He doesn''t like waiting. He has trained her well. He is confident in her abilities, but the girlcks a certain degree of intelligence.


    If she uses her brain more, going through hell is easy.


    "If she chooses to give up her humanity and be a demon, she will disappear," Arius informs Sung Jun. "If she chooses to be an immortal ande back to earth to see you, she will disappear. Fang Aisa cannote back before she bes a God. What will you do now, Boy?"


    Sung Jun narrows his eyes. "Why can''t you gods leave us alone?"


    "We can''t leave you alone." Arius cocks his head and smirks. "Do you leave us alone? We are the eternal employees of the supreme one. We are the managers of the many worlds that he created. Do you know what it likes to be a God? Imagine you are at your home. There are constant voices in your head...asking for this and that... ming us for this and that... It''s never-ending. When we help at the cost of pain that your karma gives us, you repeat the same mistakes. Of all the creatures in this world, humans are the worst. My sister kept trying to help you until she became what she is today. She has been trying to help humans, but they always repeat the same mistakes. They say that they will change, but it''s always the same. If we want to stay out of your mess, you keep dragging us back here. If we interfere and stop things from getting worse, you always ruin it. How many times should we do it, then?"


    How many times, indeed? Reis sighs. His sister''s ways are not correct. It''s not them who can judge these humans. The Gods are also messed up. This current mess is created by the Gods.


    Sung Jun shakes his head. "Still, you have no right to take our lives for granted."


    "Then, why don''t you be a God too?" Arius grins at him. He is contented to see his aggrieved expression. Sung Jun looks like he is troubled and in emotional pain. "Follow Fang Aisa. Stop her from choosing the wrong option. Be a God with her. Then, you can show us how not to take human lives for granted."


    Reis yawns again and rolls on his back. There, he goes. Arius is putting his bets on Sung Jun. But, the God of death doesn''t know that it''s Sung Jun who is tricking him.

 Chapter 79: He is tastier than the food

    Chapter 79: He is tastier than the food


    "Finished!!!" I squeal with happiness.


    Min Ho sits up, shocked. "Noona, don''t scare me like that."


    "Min Ho, do you see it?" I stand up and whirl around on my heels. "Do I look intimidating now?"


    "What are you saying, Noona?" The kid carefully examines me from the top to bottom. "You are the same."


    "Min Ho, you are no good."


    "Noona, have you seeded?"


    "YES!" I jump with happiness. I have crossed the queen rank. My demon side has reached a low tier demon rank. I have not given up on my human side. When I reached the queen rank, I realize that I could give up my humanity and be a full demon here. But, I have chosen to not be a full demon. "It is time to leave this godforsaken ce."


    "We can leave." His fox eyes be big. "Noona, we need more people. If we don''t get more people, the door to the next circle won''t appear."


    "Is that so?" I give him a smirk. "The Limbo demon told me that there aren''t any rules. If that''s the case, then we shouldn''t need five people for a team. I am sure that they came up with that to deceive us and make us stay in hell for a longer period."


    Min Ho strokes his chin like an old person. "That makes sense."


    "Wait for a moment." I touch the white spongy wall. I can sense the flow of energy. There is a spell that Reis taught me a long time ago.


    "[Reveal]" I whisper.


    As I have predicted, a green door appears on the wall. Min Ho screams with happiness.


    "Noona, you are super cool." His eyes are full of awe.


    I cross my arms and chin up proudly. "Let''s go to the next one. I wonder what kind of demon Gluttony is."


    "Don''t worry, Noona." Min Ho smacks his chest. "I will look for the demon lord first. I will read his mind and find his weakness. You can leave it to me. We will cross Gluttony faster than we crossed Lust."


    "Good boy!" I pat his shoulders. "Team Awesome is ready."


    "Ready!"


    Min Ho grabs my hand. I turn the knob and step into Gluttony. The scent of delicious meals fills my nose. Delicious meals are presented with wonderful decoration on a long table. On both sides, I see peopleughing and eating happily.


    My mouth is filled with saliva when I see the dumplings. It''s been so long since I have eaten them. It''s been so long since I have eaten anything. My stomach roars without shame. I need to eat. Min Ho looks paler than me. He licks his lips and drools at the sight of honey-vored ice cream.


    Min Ho swallows down his saliva. "I am allergic to honey. If I eat it, I will get sick."


    "I want to eat dumplings..." Sweet and sour dumpling with hot sauce. I close my eyes. My head is getting foggy. Didn''t Sung Jun buy them for me once? When was it? How long has it been? I want to eat dumplings with him. If he feeds it to me by his hand, I will reach heaven on earth. I want to eat him. I didn''t get to love him enough. I am already in hell. Sung Jun, where are you? This woman is lonely without you. My eyes, my heart, my soul, and my body are starving without you, Sung Jun.


    How long will it take to cross hell? What if you be old before I enjoy your youth? Reis, I want to kill you for separating me from my precious husband. Nothing is more important than Sung Jun. I want to see him again.


    "Noona..." Min Ho chides me with annoyance. "You are thinking loudly. Why do you want your husband to feed you? Don''t you have hands? Why do you want to eat him? Are you a carnivore?"


    "Food is tastier when I am with him." I take a deep breath of the delicious scent. "He is tastier than the food."


    "Noona, you are delirious." Min Ho clutches my hand tightly. "Thanks to your lewd thoughts, my head is cleared now. We can''t eat this food."


    "What?" I open my eyes. The dumplings are lying in front of me, waiting for me to put them inside my mouth. I can hear them say, ''Fang Aisa, our life is iplete if you don''t eat e..." I drool and pick up one.


    Min Ho grabs the dumpling out of my hand and throws it on the ground. "Noona, you can''t eat this. Howe you can''t resist gluttony when you have dealt with lust without any problem? It''s food only."


    "What are you saying?" My head can''t register his words. "Min Ho, I want to eat. It''s been ages....those dumplings are waiting for me."


    "Noona, close your eyes." I close my eyes again like a simpleton. "Think about your husband and how much you want to eat dumplings with him. Think about how much you want to...eat him. You can think lewdly without any limit. I will take you to the demon lord."


    Sung Juuuuuun!


    "Noona, don''t scream in your head."


    I want to seeeeeeeeeeeee you!


    "Noona, just a bit more."


    Sung Jun, where are you? I am starving for you.


    "At a time like this, I hate hearing thoughts."


    Jun, my beloved hubby, I am waiting for you.


    "Noona, how could a lustful woman like you cross lust easily? Why are you mixing food and your husband? I feel bad for him."


    Aaaaaaah...this is frustrating. I am hungry to see your warm smile.


    "Where is this demon lord hiding? Only he can remove this illusion."


    Jun, you are not doing a good job as my private male escort.


    "There, he is." Min Ho pulls my arm down. "Noona, you can open your eyes. We have found the demon lord."


    I open my eyes. We have reached thest person on the table. It is a skinny man with long ash brown hair and caramel skin. His eyes are dull and indifferent. He doesn''t react when his eyes meet mine. I feel my head clear a bit. What is going on here? What have I been doing?


    "Min Ho, you heard all of my thoughts?" I want to dig a hole and disappear.


    "Noona, it is better if I don''t answer you." He sighs. "I have had worse. Now, defeat that demon lord."


    "That is a demon lord?" The skinny man isn''t wearing a shirt. I can count his bones that are sticking out. "He needs to eat."


    "Noona, he is the demon lord. I can''t find a way out."


    "You want to get out?" Gluttony demon suddenly speaks with his mouth full.


    "Ah....yes...." I answer him awkwardly. A door forms on the wall behind him.


    "Get out of here. I don''t want to see people who disrespect food in such a way."


    That''s too easy. Is there a catch?


    Min Ho sighs. "Let''s go, Noona. He is not lying."


    I can''t trust a demon, but I can trust the mind reader.

 Chapter 80: Oh, Heavenly Blessed Devil Incarnate

    Chapter 80: Oh, Heavenly Blessed Devil Incarnate


    JJ, the Limbo demon is lying upside down and swinging from right to left like a pendulum by a spirit rope. He is screaming on the top of his lungs. When he screams louder, the swinging bes faster. He is sure that his brain will leak out of his mouth if he continues to be hanged by his feet.


    "Have mercy." He presses his palms together and cries the blood of tears. This man must be the devil incarnate. "Oh, Heavenly Blessed Devil Incarnate, I have done a grave sin by trying to fool you. I will tell you the truth. Please let go of me."


    "Where is she?" Sung Jun is flipping pages of the file. This demon''s work is quite detailed. The information about him is through.


    "She left the Limbo circle." JJ struggles to not cry. "I don''t know where she is. I need to make a call."


    "What are you waiting for?" Sung Jun reads about the part where it is mentioned that Fang Aisa is his wife. There is some information about her with a recent picture of her. It''s been a long time since he has seen her. "Call whoever you want to call."


    "My phone...I can''t reach for it." JJ''s phone is lying on the floor. It has fallen when he has been swung around mercilessly by Sung Jun. Sung Jun doesn''t lookup. A thread of spiritual energy leaves his finger. The end of that thread wraps around the smartphone and picks it up. JJ watches it with awe and fear. A mortal like him is carrying such pure spiritual energy. Even in hell, it is not weak. The phone appears in front of JJ''s face. He takes the phone after some hesitation. The spiritual thread disappears.


    JJ dials the Lust demon''s number first.


    "Hello, Lord Lust! Can you hear me?" He yells loudly. "No, I don''t need a woman. No, I don''t need a man. No, I don''t need a...I am not into those things. No... No... I don''t want you to do that to me. Aish! Let me speak first."


    Sung Jun flips the page impatiently.


    JJ wipes his sweat with his left hand. "Lord Lust, is Fang Aisa there?"


    "What do you mean? You failed to seduce her. Oh, she wounded you a lot. She has sliced your intimate parts too... That must have hurt... She has left your domain? Is she stuck in the waiting room? No? Do you have no idea? Okay, I will ask Gluttony."


    That sounds like his wife. Now, Sung Jun knows that the demon is speaking the truth. He wants to see these demons who tried to seduce his wife. He wants to see his wife as soon as possible. He will deal with those demons on some other day.


    "Gluttony, is that you? No, I don''t want to eat. No, I don''t want to eat pasta. The red ginseng? No, I don''t want wine. No... No, I don''t eat a demon''s meat. Yes, you can send me cheese pizza with mushroom toppings at any time. What? You have gotten your hands on a bottle of wine from heaven. An angel sold it to you? Haha... who would have thought! Did he sell anything else? You have that too? I will drop for a visitter. We can call Lust with his entertainers. Yes, it''s been a long time since we hung out."


    Suddenly, the spiritual rope starts swinging. It takes JJ for the ride.


    "Wait! Wait! Wait!" The swinging stops when JJ yells. "Oh, no, no! Nothing happened, Lord Gluttony. I have an important question to ask you... Yes... Have you seen a girl called Fang Aisa?"


    After a pause. "You have thrown her out of your domain because she and the boy resisted all of your food... You hate her existence... There hasn''t been anyone who... I understand, Gluttony. It is disrespectful to not eat anything when you have worked so hard... Don''t worry, I aming to... You don''t want me toe now? Your mood is bad because... No, No... She should be in the waiting room? You aren''t sure? She might be in greed?"


    JJ stops the call and looks at Sung Jun. "Heavenly Blessed Devil Incarnate, your wife is in the domain of Greed."


    "Send me there."


    "That might be...." JJ tells him hesitantly. "Heavenly Blessed Devil, things are a bitplicated. Limbo, Lust, and Gluttony domains are the first level of hell. We are low tier demons. The low tier demons cannot enter the mid-tier domains or high-tier domains without the permissions of the demon lords of those domains. Lord Greed will kill me if I even try to enter is his domain. I can send you to the waiting room that leads you into the Lord Greed''s domain. But, I can''t directly take you inside. You have to find the door into Greed by yourself."


    Sung Jun doesn''t give him a difficult time. He can tell that the demon isn''t lying. He cuts the spiritual rope with a flick of his finger. JJ falls on the floor. Hard. He swears that he will change the walls to soft sponges like Gluttony.


    "Please..." JJ summons a door to the waiting room of the Greed domain. "Go through that door."


    "Hopefully, you aren''t tricking me." Sung Jun gives him a deep look. "Otherwise, I might want to hang out with you."


    "No... No... " JJ waves his arms with tears in his eyes. "I will never dare, my Lord. This door leads to the waiting room."


    Sung Jun shrugs his shoulders and turns the knob. He walks into the waiting room with checkered walls.

 Chapter 81: I am missing him a lot

    Chapter 81: I am missing him a lot


    The waiting room for the Greed domain has checkered paint on four walls. The ceiling and the floor are pained blood red. Unlike the other rooms, this room is decorated with a giant chandelier, a luxurious green couch, and a table made of gold. On the table, I see cups made of gold and a wine bottle.


    Okay. Someone is rich.


    "We need more people." The teen girl with curly blonde hair and blue eyes sigh. "I am tired of waiting."


    "Woof!" The humanoid dog wearing a printed shirt and blue trousers respond. I don''t speak or understand the dognguage. I look at Min Ho for answers.


    "His master taught him cultivation around five hundred years ago. He can''t speak human yet. It will take another five hundred years." He frowns at the dog. "His master sent him here to test the hell route to immortality. If he passes through the hell sessfully, his master will also take this route."


    When I think that life cannot surprise me anymore, it throws a cultivating dog.


    "Your master is a selfish %$@#." He res at me when I say those words. I give him a shrug and look at Min Ho. "Let''s go now."


    "Where are you going?" The blonde girl asks.


    "To the next domain." I go to the checkered wall and whisper the spell. "[Reveal]"


    A ck door emerges.


    "Whoa!" The blonde girl exims in surprise. "How did you do that?"


    "Woof!!!" The humanoid dog walks to my side. "Woof!!! Woof...Wooooof."


    I look at Min Ho.


    "He is saying that he is grateful to you." Min Ho shakes his head. "He has been waiting here for a hundred years. He misses his master. He hopes to see him again as soon as possible. Also, his girlfriend and pups are waiting for him on earth"


    "..." I don''t have any word to say. I turn the knob and open the door to a red glowing room. I can''t see anything from here. I turn to the humanoid dog and the blonde girl. "Go inside. It is better if you hold hands."


    The blonde girl looks ufortable by the idea. She shakes her head and runs into the room. Well, I warned her. The humanoid dog gives me a look with tears in his eyes.


    "Woof~" He disappears into the red light.


    "He thanked you," Min Ho tells me.


    "Mhm." I take Min Ho''s hand. "Let''s go."


    "Yes, Noona." We are about to walk into the room when I hear Sung Jun calling my name. I stop and turn around to look, but there is no one behind me.


    "What''s wrong, Noona?"


    "I heard something." I am sure that it was his voice. I will never mistake his voice. I look everywhere. There is no one other than me and Min Ho.


    "Noona?"


    ***


    When Sung Jun walks into the checkered room, he sees one other person. It is not Fang Aisa.


    "Oh, hello." The old man in a tuxedo greets him. He is holding a ssic gun. His beard is reaching his belly. He is wearing a red bow. "Finally, someone is here. My name is Richard Johnson. I am from Dublin. My rank is a knight. Can you tell me what year it is in the human world?"


    Sung Jun barely gives him a nce and looks around. This room is different from Limbo domain. Rather than one, it is multiple dimensions existing at the same time. He can sense Fang Aisa here. She is close to him. He taps into his heaven''s energy and tries to find her using the marriage bond.


    ''Where are you, Aisa?''


    He feels her. Right there. In front of her. She is talking to someone. He can''t hear her words. She is about to walk into the red light.


    "Aisa..." He reaches for her. His hand passes through her arm. She turns around and looks at him for a moment.


    "Fang Aisa..." Tears run down his cheek. How long has it been? It feels like decades. He realizes that he is finally alive after seeing her. He longs to hold her in his arms and hear her voice again. "Forgive me."


    She looks away from him. She seems to be searching for something. Her eyes linger around.


    "Where are you looking? I am here." He tries to caress her cheek. But, he can''t touch her. They are not in the same space. So close, yet so far.


    "I guess, I am missing him a lot." Fang Aisa is looking at someone whom he can''t see. "Min Ho, do you know the meaning of Saudade?"


    After a pause, she says in a sad voice, "A feeling of longing for someone...missing someone. I used to feel like that in my past life. I am feeling like that right now."


    Another pause. "You are right. If I will get out of this ce, I will see him again."


    Sung Jun smiles when he listens to her.


    She scowls. "Why are you still going on about that? It was a moment of temptation... No, I don''t love dumplings more than him. I am sure as hell...What? Okay, maybe I will... I told you... No... Kid, your mouth is big. I won''t give up my husband for food. I hope that you find someone who loves food more than you... Yeah, right. No. I am greedy for his love. I am sure that the greed domain doesn''t have Sung Jun. He is one of his kind. Now, move."


    Sung Jun watches her disappear into the red light. He can''t stop his tears when he watches her disappear again.

 Chapter 82: Who is that man?

    Chapter 82: Who is that man?


    A city of diamonds, gold, and everything that glitters. I blink my eyes several times. I am hypnotized by the view. I would have never expected something like this. The domain of Greed is a flourishing city.


    I wonder if I am in the wrong ce. Is this really hell?


    "Wow!" fascinated, I sigh. I walk on a red carpet beneath me. Pirs of gold withrge colorful stones are situated on both sides. At the end of the red carpet, I can see an enormous pce. This pce is also made of gold. Someone has an obsession with gold.


    "Greed." Min Ho looks around dimly. "It''s all about what we are greedy about. Money. Power. Attention or Precious objects. Everything is in the city. However, those who are charmed by these things can never be satisfied. The domain of Greed feeds on their greed and keep them here forever."


    "I get it," I assure him. "I won''t fall for this. Besides, I have never been greedy for money. I am only greedy for one thing in life. That''s-"


    "Your precious husband." Min Ho rolls his eyes at me. "Yeah. Yeah. You are only greedy for his love. You never know though. What if a version of him is here?"


    Iugh out loud. "The lust demon tried it. There is only one Sung Jun. He is heavenly blessed. Nobody can copy him perfectly."


    Min Ho gives me a shrug. "I wonder if someone so perfect like him really exists."


    I pinch his cheek. "Who are you doubting? I will take you to him. You can see the perfection with your own eyes. "


    "Noona, stop. It hurts." He cries out in pain. I now know why Sung Jun liked to pinch my cheeks.


    He stops protesting abruptly. "Noona, the demon lord is here."


    "Wee, Lady Jahr''golen." His voice is sickeningly sweet. I turn to Lord Greed. He is a big man with red hair. He is around seven feet tall with a huge belly. He is wearing a shimmering red cloak. From the head to the toe, he is strapped with shiny pieces of jewelry. He is even wearing earrings and a nose ring. Behind him, there are twin queues of bowing men in a simr fashion style.


    You are not overdoing it, Man. You are not overdoing it at all.


    "I have been waiting for you." When he walks, I see his flesh jiggle up and down. He adds, "Lady Jahr''golen."


    Lady is okay, but who he is calling Jar?


    "Are you mistaken?" I direct the dark energy. I realize that the dark energy is denser and purer here. I start absorbing it while I speak to him. I need my demon side to be a mid-tier demon. There is no harm in bing stronger. "I am not Jar Golem."


    "You are." Heughs loudly. "Your mother is the only daughter of Jar''golen''s only living daughter. You are her only living daughter. You are the only living granddaughter of Jar''Golen. You are the great-granddaughter of Lord Wrath."


    Ah! So, my maternal grandfather''s name is demon Jar''Golen. I like how he is emphasizing ''Living''. I don''t think that I want to know what happened to the other children and grandchildren of my grandfather.


    "We received the news of your arrival from demoness Orana." He eyes me with a disturbing smile. "She met you in the mortal world. She came back and informed all the demon lords that you areing here."


    I wonder who this Orana is. I met only one demoness in my whole life. That oracle demon! I met her at Sung Jun''s house. How did she know about me?


    "Jar''Golen''s only daughter ising back. Lord Wrath couldn''t wait to meet you." Lord Greed eyes me. "He would have met you in Limbo, but he wanted to see if you are capable of crossing the lower domains. Lord Wrath and I are best friends. I will take you to him from here."


    "Oh!" If he wants to take me to the next domain without fighting, I won''t refuse. I give Min Ho a wink. He gives me a nod.


    "I can''t wait to see my great grandfather." I give him my best fake smile. "Please take me there, Lord Greed."


    ***


    Sung Jun stares hard at the checkered wall. Richard Johnson is staring hard at Sung Jun and wondering if this fellow has lost his mind. There are only two of them here, but he is talking to the wall and ignoring his questions.


    "There should be a hidden door here." Sung Jun touches the wall and concentrates his energy. It disappears into the wall. Sung Jun can''t feel anything. "How did she open it?"


    He repeats her words in her mind. She has called someone''s name. Min Ho?


    In the Greed domain, Min Ho is watching Fang Aisa talking with Lord Greed''s mind. Something is not right with this. This Lord Greed is hiding something. This demon lord knows that Min Ho can read minds. His mind has a shield that is blocking Min Ho from entering. The demon lord''s smile is creepy.


    He needs to prate that mind wall.


    ''Min Ho?''


    Min Ho looks behind. He is certain that someone spoke his name in their mind. It''s not his brother''s voice. Who is it? He has a deep frown on his face. That person is human. He tries to find the voice again. In the multiple dimensions twisted together, he finds Sung Jun in the waiting room.


    Who is this man?


    "Min Ho?" Fang Aisa pulls him to her side. "We need to go."


    Min Ho loses his concentration and sees the open door to the wrath domain. He only sees a dull orange light. Lord Greed gestures them to go inside. Min Ho takes a deep breath and walks inside the wrath domain with Fang Aisa.


    ________________

 Chapter 83: This world can finally be mine

    Chapter 83: This world can finally be mine


    She scrutinizes the water in therge pot with her dark eyes and a dark smile on her lips. In the water, a clear image of Fang Aisa and a young boy is seen. She waves her hand and the image change. It''s Sung Jun, desperately trying to tear down the nk space between the dimensions. He is trying to reach Fang Aisa before it''s toote.


    Namgoong Ok, the same ancient ghost who have met Fang Aisa at the party, observes that his master is in good mood. He recalls Fang Aisa andpares her with his master. They look a lot alike, but his master is a lot more dangerous and colder than Fang Aisa.


    "I have finally sent him back." With another wave of her pale hand, the imagepletely disappears in the water. Her attendants bow down and take the water pot away. Xia Fengnian, also known as Dabria in the other world,ys herself down on the couch.


    "The Sung legacy has ended." Xia Fengnian begins counting on her finger. "Fang Aisa has gone to hell like my lord has said that she would. I am free from more than a hundred years old curse. I am free. There is no one to oppose me."


    She clenches her fingers and nces at Namgoong Ok with satisfaction.


    "This world can finally be mine."


    Namgoong Ok bows down his head. He is just a trapped ghost. He can''t go against her wishes. He can only pray that someone can stop her before she brings chaos to this world.


    ***


    Sung Jun gazes at the wall. The people around him stare at his back. There are four people in the waiting room. If one more person appears, the door to the next circle will appear. However, Sung Jun doesn''t have patience. He knows that this door can be opened. He refuses to listen to other contestants.


    "I have to see her." He rubs his eyes. He didn''t want to use that, but there is no more option left now. Seeing his wife is the first priority. He closes his eyes and chants quietly. A giant ck scythe appears in his hand. It has a sinister red radiance. The rank 7 scythe is one of the seven scythes of the god of death. It can whack anything except the primordial gods.


    Sung Jun has managed to get the most of the contract when he made a deal with death itself.


    "I hope that you can keep your reputation." Sung Jun nces at the scythe with disinterest. "I don''t like fancy names. But, you are mine now. So, your new name is Sci. Suits you, right?"


    "..." Sci wants to refute. What kind ofzy naming is that? He has just shortened scythe.


    "Now, do your job. We will cut everything down until we find my wife," He tells her with a smile. "Your owner is no longer him. It''s me. If you betray me, I will not think once before erasing your existence. Got it?"


    Sci, the seventh and youngest scythe of Death, feels the chill in the air. She doesn''t take it seriously. The proud Sci res back at him. How dare he threaten her? She has been with the god of Death himself for eons. Obviously, she can even cut the gods. However, she refuses to acknowledge him as her master.


    "We can''te to an agreement like this." Sung Jun smiles at Sci. He infuses his heaven energy into the weapon. Like the raging river, the angry heavenly energy courses through the veins of Sci, burning it. Sci has never experienced anything like that. It shrieks in bitter and piercing howls. The others in the room cover their ears and shrink to the corner of the room. This man is bad news.


    "Let me inform you something crucial," Sung Jun tells Sci solemnly. "I am blessed by heaven. Ever since I was born, I can directly cultivate pure energy from heaven. The same energy that the primordial gods can cultivate. I can burn you, destroy you, or use you as a weapon. It''s up to you what you want me to do to you."


    Sci, who is howling madly because of the zing heavenly energy, feels like crying. She shouldn''t be treated like this. She is the favorite weapon of the god of Death. Even the gods are afraid of her. At this moment, she is being tormented by this evil creature.


    "You like being hurt?" He injects more energy into her. "I have never met anything you. Do you love misery? I should fulfill your wishes. Here, we go. More pain for you."


    This goes on for a few seconds. Sung Jun is looking concerned. Sci is literally crying. Finally, she gives in. She will do anything that he wants.


    "You have chosen wisely." He doesn''t beckon the heavenly energy out of Sci, but he doesn''t make it hurt either. "If you ever go against my wishes, you will get the same pleasure again. I assure you that even Death himself can''t get it out of you."


    Sci doesn''t believe that the god of Death can''t free herself from this evil shaman''s spell, but she doesn''t argue. It won''t be long before she will be reunited with her true master. Until then, she would y along.


    Of course, Sung Jun can sense it all. He ignores her true feelings and strikes the wall. Sci shes the wall in half. Everything starts crumbling down. The illusion is gone. There is no more barrier between the circles of hell.


    "This is more like it." Sung Jun smirks as he looks around at the circles of hell. He can sense the bond between him and Fang Aisa clearly now. He can finally find her.

 Chapter 84: His daughter sent words

    Chapter 84: His daughter sent words


    Choi Min Ho curses internally. They didn''t see thising. As soon as they have stepped inside the domain of wrath, someone pulled him away from her and covered his mouth. Fang Aisa stepped into the trapping circle. She fell on her knees lifelessly.


    ming snakes are coiled around her body, not touching or burning her. The wrath demons are standing around the cage of fire, watching her like they want to tear her apart. Lord Wrath, a tall man with yellow skin and red eyes, is standing beside Lord Greed and other lords of the higher circles. It''s like they are waiting for something. Min Ho has tried to read their minds, but there is a strong barrier around their minds. He sighs and looks at Fang Aisa. He must find a way to free her.


    "I know what you are thinking," The petite woman, who pulled him away from Fang Aisa, says to him. "There is a reason why they are doing this."


    "Who are you?" Min Ho asks her. He can''t read her mind. That''s frustrating. Usually, he gets answers by just reading minds. "Why are they doing this to her?"


    "She is the granddaughter of Jar''golen." The woman grins. "My name is Orana. I am the oracle demon."


    "I know that her grandfather was a demon. What did that get to do with this? There are many half-demons." Min Ho tells her, curiously. He has been trying to read her personality. She seems like a person who gives away information easily. Other demons are busy watching Fang Aisa.


    "When I met her on earth, I wondered why she was different." Orana, the oracle demon, looks at him yfully. "Her husband is a shaman. He is quite scary."


    "Yes, she told me that." Min Ho smiles at her. "So, you are noona''s friend."


    "What?" She looks to the right and left. "Don''t say things like that. I can never be her friend. She is the granddaughter of that crazy demon Jar''Golen."


    Again! They are talking in a circle. Who is this demon Jar''Golen?


    "You are a human boy." Orana purses her lips. "I will tell you a story about a demon who wanted to be the ruler."


    ***


    "How long will it take, Lord Wrath?" Lord Greed stares at the skinny girl with dark hair. It''s easy to trap her, but it''s hard to bring out her true nature. "She shows no sign."


    "Lord Wrath," Lord Treachery narrows his yellow eyes. "Are you sure about the information though?"


    "Orana has never been wrong." Lord Wrath blinks his red eyes. "His daughter sent words. This girl will reveal her true colors."


    "I don''t have patience," Lord Violence mutters under his breath.


    "Neither do I." Lord Fraud clicks his tongue in annoyance.


    "If it doesn''t work this way, " Lord Wrath sighs. "[Feed]."


    The ming snakes hiss after hearing their lord''smand. The circles around Fang Aisa ferociously. Fang Aisa bows down further. The ming snakes drape themselves around her, burning her skin and digs their fangs into her body. She flinches and opens her dark eyes. A slow smile appears on her red lips. "Looks like I am caught."


    Lord Wrath''s pales when he hears the voice. The same taunting tone. The same mockery. The same look in the girl''s eyes. "Jar''Golen."


    ***


    "Basically, this bad demon killed his own siblings and their children to be powerful." Min Ho repeats the summary of the story that this Oracle demon has been telling him. Her version was long and boring. So, he made a guess.


    "Yes, a demon is immortal. But, they can die in one way. One way to kill them is to absorb them." Orana shakes in fear when she remembers the things that Jar''Golen did. "It''s a huge crime in here. It''s carnivorous. Even if we are demons, eating our own kind is a bit...disturbing. He didn''t leave his own children either."


    It''s disturbing that demons find it disturbing. Min Ho wants to tell her that, but he decides against it.


    "Lord Wrath and the other Lords killed his supporters and tried to send him to the unbreakable prison," Orana tells her quietly. She can''t forget those chaotic days. She was nearly devoured by a higher demon back then.


    "But, he managed to escape. He went to Earth where he kept himself hidden for a long time. He took the identity of a human and birthed many children. He killed his own children and absorbed demonic core to be powerful until his own daughter did the same to him. Dabria found a way to kill him by eating his core directly. It was a clumsy way, but it worked." She sighs.


    "However, she was a half-demon. It was difficult for her to keep him inside. Jar''Golen was weak, but he could take over her body someday or do worse. She couldn''te to hell because she knew that Jar''Golen''s children are not wee here. She couldn''t reach immortality on earth because she was a demonic cultivator. She used a simr method to make herself stronger. She worshipped the god of death and sacrificed her own children to make her life longer and be stronger. More than half of her power was spent on keeping Jar''Golen asleep inside her."


    Min Ho understands that much. He looks at Fang Aisa who is smiling back at the lords. She has a different aura around her. He can''t read her mind like before. Something is blocking him away.


    "That circle can trap a demon and reveal his true identity." Orana continues. "Fang Aisa was born with a strong seal. When Dabria found out, she was disappointed at first. But, an idea came to her. She transferred Jar''Golen''s spirit to her body. When Fang Aisa''s seal was broken, Jar''Golen woke up. He was tremendously weak. So, he kept himself low and hidden. With Fang Aisa, he also became stronger. Aftering back to hell, he has gained his strength back. If she had died on Earth, Jar''Golen wouldn''t be able to unbind himself from her soul. Now, things are different."


    "That sounds bad."

 Chapter 85: Why is the sky breaking?

    Chapter 85: Why is the sky breaking?


    "Jar''Golen." Lord Wrath whispers his name, barely hiding his fear. The demon Orana has seen the Jar''Golen''s return. Lord Wrath has been worried since that time. Later, he received a message from Dabria, Jar''Golen''s only living child, that Jar''Golen is hiding inside this girl''s soul. He is nning to kill Lord Wrath.


    "My dear father." Fang Aisa grins widely, showing her white teeth. Her eyes turn red like Lord Wrath. She is bleeding from the bites of the snakes, but she doesn''t show any pain. Rather, the demon inside her is enjoying this pain. "It''s been a long time."


    "Don''t call me that." Lord Wrath sneers at him. "You killed your own brothers and sisters. You ate your own blood. Now, you want to do the same to me."


    She licks her lips. "If you had stepped aside when I asked politely, that wouldn''t have happened."


    "You!!!" Lord Wrath has decided. "You will go where you belong."


    "The unbreakable prison?" Fang Aisa pretends to be surprised. "The same old tactic? Ah, Lord Wrath, you should be creative. I thought that you would eat my core and be powerful. You could even defeat other lords and be one ruler of hell."


    "Shut up." Lord Treachery shouts in anger. "We don''t eat our own."


    "Humans are better than us." Fang Aisa''s lips curl upward. "Some of them eat other humans. Predators are always predators."


    "Don''tpare us with them." Lord Violence nearly loses it. "Your ce is at the Unbreakable Prison. Others will finally know what happens to the one who bes like you."


    Fang Aisa ignores him and looks up at the shattering sky. Her eyes be bright when she sees the dimension separators breaking into smithereens. The nk space between the circles has been destroyed. All the circles are merging into one. The contestants are randomly appearing at different ces. The demons are baffled and scared. A puzzled expression appears on the faces of the lords.


    "Something that can break Hell itself....," Fang Aisa murmurs to herself. "It must be the weapon of a god."


    "What did you say?" Lord Wrath asks in horror. "A God is in hell?"


    Iing of gods is never a piece of good news for the lords.


    "I wonder." Jor''Golen is waiting. Whoever it is, that person can help him get out of this situation.


    ***


    "That person is here." Min Ho has a faraway look in his eyes. He just felt the same presence that he felt when he entered the domain of greed. That man who called his name...he is here.


    "Who?" Orana asks curiously. Then, she hears a loud ear-shattering sound. The inter-dimension walls are breaking down. This is horrible. It will bring chaos.


    "Never mind." Min Ho shakes his head. "By the way, can you see my future?"


    "Hell is breaking and you are worried about your future?" Orana yells. Her heart is panicking.


    "I am looking for someone, Pretty Noona." Min Ho looks at her with his big round shiny eyes. Orana, the chatty oracle demon, melts when she hears him calling her pretty. She finds it hard to resist them.


    "Okay." She temporarily forgets about the shattering hell and chaos. She bends down a bit and holds his shoulders. "I will look into your future."


    Orana looks into his eyes. Her eyes turn white, looking something at the distant. Min Ho delves into her mind to see the visions of the future.


    He sees himself standing at the roof. The sky is bleeding red. A female ghost is standing in front of him. Her hair is long and dark. She is looking back at him sadly, but she doesn''t acknowledge him. The sun rays dance around her, making her shine like an angel. The edges of her white dress flutters with the wind. It seems that the wind is her friend.


    Vision changes. He is back in hell. He sees his brother standing in front of him with a smile.


    In the next instant, he is back in hell. He sees his brother standing in front of him with a smile.


    Min Ho takes a deep breath as he pulls himself out of Orana''s head.


    "Why did you stop?" Orana rubs her eyes, clearing away the visions. "There is more. Your life is quite interesting. Don''t you want to know why?"


    "I just wanted to know where my brother is." Seeing the future is risky. His sister-inw can also sense the future. "Thank you, Pretty Noona."


    "Your brother is paying for his sins in the purgatory." Orana informs him, "His time is going to be over soon. He will reincarnate in one of the new worlds. He won''t remember anything about his past life."


    "Is that so?" Min Ho decides that it is time to distract this Noona away. "By the way, why is the sky breaking?"


    "Oh no!"


    ***


    Sung Jun runs as fast as he can. He can feel Fang Aisaing closer to her. The circles are merging together. The demons are running everywhere in fear. He cuts everything thates in his way with the scythe. Soon, he can see the figure of Fang Aisa, wrapped with the snake demons sucking her soul energy.


    He doesn''t see or hear anything else. In a few moments, hends in front of her within the circle.


    "Fang Aisa..." His heart clenches when he sees her pale face. Her energy is diminishing with time. Who could do this to her?


    "Get out," Someone yells. "Hyung, don''t get close to her."


    "Sung Jun," Fang Aisa cries his name in pain. "It hurts a lot."


    He raises his scythe and chops those snakes into pieces. With another wave, he breaks the trapping circle. He bends down on his one knee and catches her before she falls to the ground.


    "I am here. Nothing can hurt you now."


    "Seventh scythe of death." Fang Aisa eyes the scythe wistfully. "Great-grandson inw, you are amazing."


    What is she calling him? "Fang Aisa, hold on. We will get out of this ce together."


    "What have you done, human!" Lord Wrath hollers in anger. "You have wasted all our efforts."


    "Dear Father," Fang Aisa is no longer pale or weak. She straightens her back. "We can finally y thest game."


    She puts her head back and opens her mouth widely. Sung Jun notices the change in the aura around her. A shrill scream echoes in the wind. Fang Aisa''s body twists in an unnatural way when the dark smoke surges out of her body. Her bone cracks. Blood pours out of her eyes, nose, and the ears.


    Sung Jun widens his eyes. "Demon."

 Chapter 86: Boy, you are trouble

    Chapter 86: Boy, you are trouble


    Sung Jun has no idea how the demon has possessed Fang Aisa, but it is leaving her body in rush. For some reasons, her body is reacting badly to this process. At this rate, she will die before the demon could leave her body.


    He summons his heaven''s energy and chants a spell without pause. This spell would kick the demon faster without hurting her body and soul. He reaches for her to injects his energy, but someone holds his wrist.


    "Don''t." Min Ho looks at him with fear. "This will kill her. She can''t absorb heaven''s energy because she broke thew of heaven by reincarnating back in time."


    "Then...what should I do?" When ites to her, his head has never been clear. Now, he is seeing her like this after such a long time. Why must she suffer like this? Why he couldn''te in time and save her? He is the one who led her to this point.


    "It''s almost over." Min Ho assures him. "I can read minds. The demon lords forgot to keep the barrier because of the shock."


    Sung Jun tightens his fists. Her each scream is piercing his soul. She heaves her chest as thest bit of the dark smoke leaves her body. The dark smoke gathers around ten feet away from her. It condenses into a man''s figure. The dark man opens his crimson eyes.


    "We have to defeat him," Lord Violence tells the others. "He has juste out of the human. He should be in his weak form now."


    He looks at the demon lords andughs hysterically. He shows them a red crystal in his hand. "My great-granddaughter has been useful for me till herst moments. This is her core. Don''t underestimate her. Her demon rank is mid-level. That is, she didn''t stop cultivating until she stepped inside the circle. This core is enough for me to get my strength back."


    Jar''Golen absorbs the red crystal in his hand. His skin bes yellow. He looks more like a man and less like a shadow. The dark energy around him throbs as he sucks it inside his body.


    "We have to attack now." Lord Wrathunches himself on Jar''Golen. Other demon lords follow him. But, it is toote.


    ***


    Sung Jun pales when he hears Jar''Golen''s words. That demon has taken her demonic core. Her body and soul will break at this rate. He lifts her body and tries to heal her, but her body rejects the energy. The dark energy is flowing chaotically in her body. He doesn''t know what to do. He is watching her die again.


    "Hyung, if you lose your mind, you can''t save her." Min Ho nces at Sung Jun.


    If words could help him think rationally at this time. Sung Jun looks around in fear. There must be someone who can save her. Her aura is getting weaker with each second.


    Min Ho sighs. Both of them are crazy. He would never be like this for anyone. "Hyung, did you forget that you are crossing hell to be an immortal?"


    Does it matter now?


    "Of course, it matters." Fang Aisa doesn''t have long to live. Her internal organs are damaged. Her cultivation veins are broken. The dark energy is wreaking havoc inside her body. "Cross the hell and be immortal with her. If you don''t do it soon, she will die before crossing the hell."


    Sung Jun finally understands what Min Ho is trying to say. He looks around for thest exit of hell. The circles have merged together. The final exit should be here somewhere. Min Ho takes a deep nce at the demon lords and searches inside their minds. Because of the fierce battle with Jar''Golen, they don''t have the barrier on their minds. They just don''t care at the moment.


    "There." Min Ho points at the ordinary looking stone altar that appeared in the middle of the hell. "That ce is the exit. Go."


    Sung Jun picks up Fang Aisa in his arm. He notices that Min Ho is noting with him.


    "What about you?"


    "I have to look for my brother." Min Ho smiles at him. "You and Noona owe me big time. Treat me something good to eat when I meet you next time."


    Sung Jun wants to take the kid with him, but Min Ho''s eyes are resolute. Fang Aisa coughs blood. She purses his lips and nods at the kid. Without any dy, Sung Jun makes his way toward the center of the hell. Min Ho watches as Sung Jun shes through the hoards of demons easily, leaving bleeding bodies of demons behind him. He is relieved when he sees Sung Jun climbing the altar. With a sh of light, Sung Jun''s figure disappears into the altar.


    "Boy, you are trouble." Orana has calmed down now. Jar''Golen and the demon lords are fighting, but the end is pretty much decided. "You should leave this ce soon."


    "I have to find my brother." Min Ho repeats in a low voice. He has to go to purgatory.


    "Alright, I warned you." Orana nces at the sky. All the demon lords have joined the battle. This is the second time when all the demon lords united against something. It won''t be easy for Jar''Golen.


    "I am leaving this ce. I am going to another world. Earth is too boring for my taste."


    She is worried that the bad demon will go to Earth after this. Min Ho heads toward Purgatory without looking back at her.

 Chapter 87: Only one who can help her

    Chapter 87: Only one who can help her


    "Dear candidate, congrattions. You have sessfully be an immortal. Now, you can choose whether you want to take the path of light or darkness." The brown-haired angel in a purple suit announces happily. Behind him, there are two doors - ck and white.


    "My name is Laniel. I can guide you to the sage realm if you choose the path of the light. If you choose the path of darkness, you have to wait. The demon is not here right now. He must have gone to y cards with his friends."


    "Fang Aisa! Fang Aisa!" Sung Jun calls her name repetitively. He has no time to listen to the angel''s crap. Fang Aisa is lying lifeless on the white marble floor. Laniel finally notices her. It has never happened before. Someone brought a corpse out of hell like this.


    "Candidate, she is already dead." Laniel stares at him weirdly. "I am curious why did you bring out a corpse with you."


    "She is not dead." Sung Jun summons the death scythe. "Help her or I will cut out your core and send you to oblivion."


    Sung Jun remembers his past life. He has killed demons when Dabria unleashed the demons on the world. He doesn''t know whether angels also have cores, but he could try.


    On the other hand, Laniel is scared out of his wit. How did this man know about that way to kill an angel? What should he do? The woman is clearly dead. Even if he tries, he can''t do anything without the will of heaven. But, that''s the scythe of primordial God Death himself.


    Reis walks out of nowhere. Sung Jun scowls at him. Everything happened because of this selfish god. He stands in front of Fang Aisa, shielding her from him.


    "Step aside." Reis looks at him dully. "I am the only one who can help her."


    "What are you going to do with her?" Sung Jun doesn''t trust him one bit.


    "I am a God." Reis reads his mind. He pushes him away. "I am sponsoring her. There is no way that I will let her disappear like this. She is one step away from bing an immortal."


    He walks to Fang Aisa and sits beside her. His eyes waver for a moment when he notices the damages on her body, but it''s gone with a moment. He grabs her wrist and says,


    "Human, you are useless."


    The god''s energy flows into Fang Aisa, swirling through each of her cells. Fang Aisa is not dead. If she was a full demon, she would have died when her demonic core was taken away. But, she is also a human. So, she didn''t die instantly, but her body is severely damaged. Her cultivation veins are broken. The dark energy is trapped and chaotically moving around.


    Reis releases the chaotic dark energy from her body. She doesn''t have the demonic core anymore, making her body unsuitable to cultivate the dark energy. He didn''t see thising. If he had known that she had Jar''Golen inside her, he would have never sent her to this ce without safely taking the demon out of her body. If he had known, Jar''Golen couldn''t have hurt her like this.


    The godly energy slowly works on her body. Her body doesn''t reject his energy, meaning that she is bing an immortal. If Sung Jun didn''t bring her here in time, she would have died in hell. Her soul would have gone to the oblivion. There would be no return for her.


    Sung Jun also notices that her aura is bing stronger. Her core is rebuilt as an immortal. He feels like his life is back. He didn''t lose her this time. He realizes something. He is weak. If he was strong, he would have the ability to rebuild her core. Then, she wouldn''t have been hurt like this. He nearly lost her because of this.


    Fang Aisa starts breathing. Her cheeks gain color. She opens her eyesnguidly. She furrows her dark brows when she sees Reis. She tries to sit up, but Reis stops her. "Wait."


    "You stupid god." Fang Aisa is not the same idiot who will ever listen to him. She continuously ps his face. "You sent me to hell."


    "Human, you are still weak." He lets her do what she wants. He deserves such actions. Laniel, who is kneeling on the floor andpletely ignored by these three people, widens his eyes in shock. A mere immortal is pping a primordial god. The primordial god fixed her immortal core by himself. Is this a dream?


    "Aisa." Sung Jun feels a pang of jealousy when he notices their rtionship. Fang Aisa is closed to him. Fang Aisa turns to him. She jumps on her feet and runs straight into him. She wraps her arms around him. "Jun."


    Reis sighs heavily. He can''t help but feel disappointed. What did he expect? She didn''t look at him once when she saw Sung Jun. Her eyes only seek Sung Jun. Sung Jun''s eyes only seek her. Even if he is a primordial god who is stronger and more capable than Sung Jun, she won''t ever look at him that way. Even if he gives her the world, she won''t ever look at him that way.


    "Aisa, forgive me," Sung Jun whispers in her ear. "Forgive me for always hurting you. Forgive me for not loving you enough. Forgive me for not treasuring you properly in both lives. Forgive me for the death of our first child. Forgive me for everything."


    Fang Aisa looks up at him with shock. "You remember your past life?"


    Sung Jun nods. "I am sorry."


    "Then, let me decide a punishment for you." Fang Aisa res at him.


    Sung Jun bes uneasy. Will she leave him? "Don''t leave me. Other than that, you can do whatever you want to do with me."


    She steps away from him, making him more afraid. "Your punishment is..."


    His breathing bes erratic. He waits nervously.


    "You have to love me a lot," She tells him with a mischievous smile. "Compensate me for both of our lives. You have to tell me that you love me every day. I want a big family. I want a lot of children. You will always be honest with me. You won''t ever leave me for anyone or anything that includes me. If something good or bad happens, we will face it together. If somethinges to separate us again, we will hold our hands and face it. Whether it is demons, gods, or heaven itself that wants to separate us, we will answer them together. In any case, you aren''t allowed to leave me. Just like that, I will also not leave you ever. Even after everything, our love remains between us. Promise me that you will never let go."


    "I promise." Sung Jun''s eyes be moist. "Aisa, I love you."


    "I am finally hearing the words." Fang Aisa smirks proudly. "After my two lives, I am finally hearing you confess properly."


    "Idiot, you always knew it." Sung Jun hugs her tightly. Fang Aisa can hear the sound of his heartbeats. Thump. Thump.Thump. Happiness fills her heart. Their heartbeats be one. She stands up on her toes and kisses him deeply.


    "I love you too, Jun."


    "Ahem!" Reis clears his throat. "As much as I hate to interrupt, I would appreciate if you concentrate on the present now."


    Fang Aisa and Sung Jun don''t want to separate. Like unwilling newlyweds, they separate and scowl at the god together. Reis rolls his eyes. "Fang Aisa, I wanted you to be a god because that was the only way how you could escape the clutches of fate. But, the situation has changed now. The world is steering in the same direction."


    "Why don''t you tell her the truth?"

 Chapter 88: Your husband made a contract with Death

    Chapter 88: Your husband made a contract with Death


    The environment is tense and cold. Reis and Sung Jun are ring at each other like they want to shred each other to pieces. I stand between them before they start fighting. They don''t say a word. I trust my husband''s fighting abilities, but Reis is god and my benefactor. I would like it if they don''t fight each other.


    "Is someone going to tell me what is going on?" I don''t have the patience or time to wait all day. I want to go back home with Sung Jun and have a feast for surviving hell. I am craving for dumplings since I have left gluttony. I want to boast about hell and Sung Jun to Wang Mei. I want to find that damn Fate and teach her a lesson. I want to see my father again. Most importantly, I want to start living my life with Sung Jun.


    "Your husband made a contract with Death."


    "What?" I look at Sung Jun. "He is joking, right?"


    "He scammed you, Aisa." Sung Jun shifts his eyes uneasily. "If you don''t be a god, then your soul will be erased. You will never be able to reborn again."


    He didn''t answer my question. Sung Jun is holding huge scythe in his hand. This scythe, I realize, smells like death itself. I have not met death yet and I am not keen to. Making a deal with any supernatural creature is a crappy idea. Of all the gods, Death is another league.


    I stare at Sung Jun. "You are a spirit Lawyer. You are the son of the president of the council. You are a damn shaman. Why would you make a deal with a god?"


    "That was the only way." Sung Jun answers me with a smile. "With gods involved, I needed a sponsor toe to hell directly and take you out safely. I didn''t have time."


    "You did it for me?" I feel worse now. He is stuck with Death because of me. "You shouldn''t have. I would never want this."


    "Don''t you want to be with me?" He flicks my forehead. "Aisa, you are an idiot. I can''t let my wife suffer in hell. Besides, I am awyer. Do you think that I will let someone else have an upper hand?"


    The same almost smile appears on his lips. This guy! Can anyone trap this kind of person? I have been an idiot. Of course, he would have an upper hand. But, is it alright? Wouldn''t death be furious when it realizes how he has fooled him?


    "Don''t worry." Sung Jun seems to have read my mind. "He can''t harm me or you. I am a heavenly blessed immortal. Heaven favors me over him. I will utilize this fully in this lifetime."


    I don''t know why I feel sorry for Death.


    "It''s been a while since I did this." He pinches my cheeks.


    "That hurts, Jun." I try to get out of his ws. "Stop being evil. If you pinch my cheeks, I will tickle you."


    "Nice idea." He lets go of me and spreads his arms. "Where do you wanna do it? It''s been so long. Touch me anywhere you want."


    This pervert!


    "I am still here." Reis walks toward us with a deep scowl. "Can you continue your perverted talkster?"


    "It wasn''t perverted. Your ears are perverted." I re at him. "I haven''t forgotten. How could you just throw me in hell to be a god without any preparation? What is this about being erased if I don''t be a god?"


    "That was the fastest way." Reis sighs. "I wanted you to be a god because only gods are free from the hands of fate. I can''t touch Sung Jun because he is favored by heaven and meant for greatness. No god can go unscathed if they mess with a heavenly blessed individual. That''s why Death also didn''t go too far when he formed a contract with him. He might be in Heaven''s good books because he helped your husband. But, you are different. Because I chose you, Fate would have never let you go. Rather than being reincarnated and falling in the sadistic hands of Fate, it was better if you were erased."


    "Fate." Sung Jun shows a smile that is not a smile. "Where is she? I have something to discuss with her."


    "Inside the holy river," Reis replies nonchntly. "After I sent Fang Aisa to hell, she went to heaven to clean her umted Karma. I have done everything for it to be dyed as long as I could. When she finally got the chance, she went to the holy river to wash away the karma. However, she never came out of the river. I was hoping that it would turn out like that."


    That''s news. For more than eight years, I have tried to block that psycho goddess'' path. Reis has used me to alter the future. But, she went away like this? It doesn''t feel right. I wanted to p her face once.


    "Will she evere out?" Sung Jun asks calmly. "We have a long debt with her."


    "One or two days maybe. At most, one week." Reis rolls his eyes. "Heaven is impartial. It seems like Heaven is really mad that she yed around with you. Anyway, Gods are immortal."


    "Just one or two days?" My voice is louder than I want it to be. "This punishment is too less for her."


    "A day in heaven is equal to ten thousands of human years." Reis shrugs his shoulder. "I have been punished once. Heaven is not lenient. Don''t worry. She will be a good goddess after spending some time there."


    "You never turned out good though." I give him a look. "Scamming people? Turning into a cat? Being grumpy? Throwing a woman literally into hell against her wishes? What does this sound like?"


    "That''s why I am never going to heaven." Reis stretches his arms. "Being a cat isn''t bad. Now, you are immortal. You can do it too. Try it sometime."


    "No, thanks!!!"

 Chapter 89: Horny humans!

    Chapter 89: Horny humans!


    "This is yourst task." Reis smiles at Fang Aisa. "Come back to Earth with me and help me stop your mother from breaking the gates of the unbreakable prison. She sacrificed nine hundred and ny-nine lives to appease my stupid brother. He also told her a few secrets to create troubles. We can''t kill her because that would mean waging a war with Death itself. Rather than that, we will send her to her righteous ce."


    "What about the contract terms?" Sung Jun doesn''t care about the world or his mother-inw. "She has to be a god. Tell me how could a part-demon immortal enter heaven and not get banished by the angels, gods, or sages?"


    "I never intended her to be a god through heaven''s path," Reis smirks at them. "Fang Aisa will be a demonic god."


    Laniel, the forgotten angel, shivers when he hears the word. Demonic gods are bad news. It''s forbidden knowledge. Why a primordial god is interested in creating demonic god? Demons and devils are enough of the nuisance.


    "What''s a demonic god?" Fang Aisa asks nkly. "Is it a good or a bad god? It certainly sounds bad."


    "I will tell you when you finish the final task." Reis puts his hands in his pockets. "Don''t worry about the time limit. You have a whole heaven year to finish it. Do the math to find out the human years. You have enough time to finish Dabria and preparing for the path of darkness."


    "What about you" Fang Aisa look at Sung Jun. "How much time do you have?"


    "No time limit." Sung Jun scratches his chin. "I can go whenever I want. I am not in a hurry. I will take you with me."


    "Demons can''t enter heaven." Fang Aisa pouts.


    "Gods can." Sung Jun points out the w. "Let''s make you a god first."


    "You are right that all gods including demonic gods can enter heaven." Reis nods."Devils and demons can''t. Darkness and light areplementary to each other. Demonic gods also have a role in maintaining the dark elements in the world. So, they have the rights to enter heaven for meetings and discussion about maintenance. Then, she is your wife. Even heaven has to ept her."


    "Perks of being your wife." Fang Aisa chuckles and kisses Sung Jun on his lips.


    "These aren''t the only perks." Sung Jun wraps his arms around her waist. "Let''s go back home. I will show you the real perks. I have a lot of work to do. You want a big family."


    "You two!" Reis grumbles when they forget about him again and starts kissing each other. He is right in front of them. They start flirting anytime and anywhere. "Hurry up. That evil witch is trying to start an apocalypse."


    "Argh! This irritating god can''t do anything by himself." Fang Aisa is irritated. "Jun, after saving the world, I want a wedding."


    "You are already married." Reis opens the door to Earth. "How many times do you want to get married?"


    "I want to wear a wedding dress." Fang Aisa pouts and looks up at Sung Jun. "I want a proper wedding. I want to wear a white dress. We don''t even have wedding rings on our fingers."


    "That''s a good idea." Sung Jun mumbles as they walk out of the door into their city. It''s day time. It looks like they have walked out of a store. Nobody is suspicious. "I want to see you in a wedding dress. Then, I want to take it off by my hands."


    Reis feels like his ears will bleed if he keeps listening.


    "Honey, you have naughty thoughts." Fang Aisa giggles. "We will get married tomorrow. Today, we will only save the world."


    "Where is my evil mother-inw?" Sung Jun asks Reis impatiently as they walk through the busy street. "I want to finish this early and go back home with my wife. I have to prepare for a wedding and -" He nces at Fang Aisa. "I have a lot to do."


    "Horny humans! They only think about one thing." Reis clicks his tongue. "Yes, I know what you want to do. You have made your intentions clear."


    "Reis, just don''t utter nonsense." Fang Aisa blushes. "Can you me us for being impatient?"


    Reis doesn''t answer her. It''s true that they have been through a lot. If anything, he also wants his human to be happy. If her happiness is with this person, then let it be. As long as she is happy, he will support her and always watch over her. After all, she is his person. He will always be her patron.


    "There." He points at the house. Dabria is semi-mortal. He can''t deal with her by himself. Besides, she owes Sung Jun and Fang Aisa a lot. "She has started the spell already. It will one more days toplete. Finish her today. Sung Jun, send her to unbreakable prison."


    "She knows the spell to open the gates of unbreakable prison." Sung Jun asks him. "Is that a good idea?"


    "Unbreakable prison can''t be opened from inside," Reis informs him. "We can''t send her to hell. If Jar''Golen finds out the spell, it will be difficult. He has already finished off five demon lords. We have to send her away before hees to find her."


    "You stay here." Fang Aisa stands in front of Sung Jun. "I will go. It''s dangerous inside. It''s my tasks."


    "I will go." Sung Jun kisses her forehead. "I know how to send her to the unbreakable prison."


    "You can both go." Reis rubs his forehead. "You are immortals. She will be easy to deal with."


    "Oh, right." Fang Aisa makes a face. "I will believe you."


    "You don''t believe me," Reis mutters under his breath. "Believe him then. Human, you change your loyalty easily."


    "You threw me in hell, Reis" Fang Aisa holds Sung Jun''s hands. "Jun, let''s go together. We promised to face everything together."


    "Yes, together." Sung Jun''s heart is finally at peace. This person won''t leave his side anymore. He will always be beside her. They walk into the building together.

 Chapter 90: We have to prepare for a wedding

    Chapter 90: We have to prepare for a wedding


    "Brother, it looks like you have won." Arius pops up behind Reis. "A demonic god, huh? Everyone in heaven is talking about this."


    "Are you not going to save your ward?" Reis asks him quietly. "She worshipped you a lot."


    "I have paid her back in full." Arius sighs. "I am tired of her tactics. You know me. I am Death. I hate the ones who cheat me. Dabria has cheated me repetitively. But, things were not in my hand. As a god, I am the ve of the ones who truly worship me with their whole hearts."


    Reis leans back on the wall. "Now, you are not her ve?"


    "She forgot about me after getting the spell." Arius grins. "I wouldn''t want her to go to the hell or reincarnate. That ce is perfect for her. You know me well, Brother."


    "So, Death has also forsaken her." Reis looks at the building. He can see what''s going on inside. Fang Aisa and Sung Jun has easily defeated Dabria''s witches and tied them together with a spirit rope. Dabria is trying to run, but Sung Jun wastes no time. He shoots a spirit arrow with his spirit bow. It hits right into her legs. Dabria screams and falls on the ground.


    "My sweet daughter." Dabria tries to crawl toward Fang Aisa. "I am your mother. I have kept you in my womb for months. He is hurting me. Will you let him do this to your biological mother?"


    Fang Aisa smiles softly. She turns to Sung Jun. "What are you waiting for? Let her go. She is the woman who gave birth to me."


    "Are you sure?" Sung Jun asks Fang Aisa. Dabria''s eyes be hopeful. Her daughter is a fool. If she can leave, she will finish the spell and make sure that Fang Aisa is tortured eternally.


    "Hurry, honey. We have to prepare for a wedding." Fang Aisa sighs. "I don''t want to waste our precious time here."


    "As you wish, my wife." Sung Jun beams at her. He chants the word and a radiating white square appears beneath Dabria and her people. Before Dabria could understand and scream, the white square swallows her and her witches alive. There is nothing left. Dabria and her coven are gone.


    "They prevented the apocalypse." Arius lets out a deep sigh. "Fate would have been furious."


    "She is having fun in the holy river." Reis shows a small smile. "Do you want to talk to Sung Jun about the contract?"


    "I would rather not talk to him." Arius cusses out mentally. "After I made the deal with him, I realized the real meaning of the terms. If he exercised those terms, I would technically be his ve and apany him everywhere including heaven. I won''t appear in front of him. He can do whatever he wants. I will miss my youngest scythe. Did I tell you how much I hate a heavenly blessed child?"


    "I know how much you don''t want to go to heaven. It''s hard to escape punishment if you go there." Reis doesn''t feel bad for his brother. "If you try to force him to go to heaven, you would meet the same end as Fate. Only a fool would make a contract with one. "


    "He ising out." Arius straightens his back. "I am leaving. Bye."


    Arius vanishes into the air before Sung Junes out. Sung Jun and Fang Aisa are happy. Their faces are bright and full of hope. They are holding hands happily. For some reason, Reis likes this image.


    ***


    "This is too much." I shake my head when I look at the trunks full of Devil''s cores in our house. "Where did you get these?"


    "I gathered them in thest eight years for you. You don''t have to go to the realm of devils to hunt them down." Reis puts his hands on his waist. "Use this to absorb them all at once. There should be enough Devil''s cores to make you a mid-rank demonic god. Do it now under my supervision."


    "Wait!" Sung Jun res at him. "We have to prepare for a wedding."


    "Then, prepare for it," Reis tells him with a condescending tone. "She can absorb them while you prepare for it. It will barely take a few hours. We must do it before Jar''Golenes out of Hell. He will go after her and the devil''s cores for sure."


    "That demon!" Sung Jun scowls. "You did it on purpose."


    "Did I?" Reis sits on the couchzily. "I might have."


    "Why that Death God can''t collect cores for me?" Sung Junins. "I have to go to heaven for this."


    "Heaven''s path is difficult and different." Reis chuckles. "You have to study, cultivate, and master the ten perfections before you can be a god. Fang Aisa has never been the type to study a lot. If she takes Heaven''s path, it will take eons. So, this path is more suitable for her."


    "I guess I am lucky." I sigh. So many cores. How many devils did he kill? "Sung Jun, I am sorry about this."


    "Don''t worry." Sung Jun pats my head. "Be a god. I will prepare everything. We will have a grand wedding. You can use this room. I will make sure that nobody disturbs you. Don''t take too long. Tomorrow is our wedding."


    "Will you be alright?" I ask him.


    "It will be." He hugs me. "Since we are together now, everything will be fine."


    I feel sad when I watch him leave. Why can''t I spend time with my husband? Something is always happening.


    "This is thest step." Reis smiles at me. "After this, you are free from the contract. You will live your life in any way you want. You will be free of me."


    "We are friends, Reis." I lightly p his cheek. "Don''t forget that."


    "Alright, since you are begging, I will ept you as my friend after you be a god." Reis stands up in front of me. "Now, sit down and begin."


    I follow his instructions and begin absorbing the cores. I can feel dense dark energy throbbing inside each of them. I sense them listening to my call. Each core floats around me in rhythm. One by one being absorbed in me. It flows through my veins to my core, filling and changing me in a way that I couldn''t describe.


    I have to give something up to be something else. I have to sink into the darkness and let it overwhelms me while clinging onto my sanity. The dark chaotic energy dances around trying to eat me alive. Bing a god isn''t easy.


    Will I find happiness with my Sung Jun? I have to be strong to be with him. I can''t let this dark chaotic energy win.

 Chapter 91: An ordinary life with my Aisa

    Chapter 91: An ordinary life with my Aisa


    "Jun." Bae Jaemin picks him up in a bear hug. "I have missed you so much..."


    "Where is Fang Aisa?" Wang Mei res at him. It''s been a year since Fang Aisa disappeared. She has been waiting for them diligently. "You brought her back, right?"


    "Yes." Sung Jun smiles at her. "She is upstairs."


    Wang Mei tries to run upstairs, but Sung Jun stops her. "You can''t go there. She is cultivating. If you disturb her at this time, it will destroy her entire cultivation."


    "Cultivating right aftering back?" Wang Mei frowns. "She should have met me first."


    "It turned out that way." Sung Jun sighs. "I am not happy either, but she needs to be a god."


    "A god?" Bae Jaemin eyes be round. He stares at him. Sung Jun looks different. There is an otherworldly aura around him. It means that they have be an immortal. Upstairs, energy vibration is strange indeed. It''s not spiritual energy. It''s something dark and haunting. He isn''t aware of how someone bes a god, but it shouldn''t feel like this right. "I thought that you have to go to heaven to be a god."


    "She has taken an untraditional road." Sung Jun chuckles at the thought. His wife will be a demonic goddess. Somehow, it suits her. Anyway, she has always been his goddess. "I have called you for an important task."


    "Of course." Bae Jaemin furrows his brows. "Why else would you call us? Did you call Aunty Sung?"


    "I have. She is on her way." Sung Jun is happy that everyone is reuniting. Fang Aisa will be happy once shees out of the room. "Fang Aisa''s family is alsoing. I have a list of people here. I want to invite them all to our wedding ceremony."


    "What?" Wang Mei''s ears perk up. "You want to marry again?"


    "Yes, we do. We didn''t have a wedding ceremony." Sung Jun gives her the list of people. "You can call anyone who was associated with Fang Aisa. Prepare for her favorite food at the wedding. We have to do it the way she likes. Since she isn''t here to tell us what she exactly wants, it will be up to us."


    "Don''t worry about that." Wang Mei folds the list. There is excitement on her face. "I will call all the members of our gang. Grandma will be happy too. My sister and brother wille too. She likes dumplings a lot. I will prepare a dumpling cake."


    "I didn''t know that there was a dumpling cake." Bae Jaemin licks his lips. "Mei Mei, we also didn''t have a wedding ceremony. Do you also want?"


    "Isn''t it toote to say it now? It has been years since we got married." Wang Mei scowls at him. "This is Fang Aisa''s day. Don''t talk about us now."


    "Sorry, Wife." Bae Jaemin looks at her with heavy guilt. "We will have a wedding ceremony with our child."


    "You have a child?" Sung Jun is surprised. "Already?"


    "Not yet." Wang Mei sighs. "It''s been only a month since I got pregnant."


    "I am so behind." Sung Jun looks upset. "I have to work hard a lot to catch up with you, Hyung."


    "Catch up on what?" Bae Jaeminughs. "Sung Jun, you are now an immortal. You and Fang Aisa have all the time of the world."


    "Do we?" Sung Jun wonders thoughtfully. "I want to live an ordinary life with my Aisa. I don''t know what ising. I want to be with her every day. Immortality is fine only if she is with me."


    Wang Mei gives him a nod. "I am leaving. There is a lot to prepare. Wedding is tomorrow?"


    "It should be prepared before she bes a god," Sung Jun tells her. "Do your best."


    "I will help her." Bae Jaemin follows Wang Mei. Before he leaves, he stops at the door and turns around. "Sung Jun, don''t disappear again. I won''t forgive you if you do."


    "I won''t." Sung Jun promises him. "Go. Don''t make a mistake. I will have your head if anything goes wrong at the wedding."


    "I love you too, my younger brother." Sung Jun makes a face when Bae Jaemin gives him a flying kiss.


    ***


    Jar''Golen, the devil, nces at the moon. After absorbing the cores of nine demon lords, he has seeded in bing a low-tier devil. Before he goes to the realm of devils, he wants to meet his lovely daughter, Dabria.


    His sweet daughter did turn out like him. Betraying him. Imprisoning him. Then, using her own daughter''s soul to bind him. He has even died a human death with Fang Aisa. Luckily, Fang Aisa was reborn back in time instead of reincarnating in the future. Her seal was also broken. Jor''Golen could have left then, but he was too weak to leave. Besides, Fang Aisa was with a primordial god. If he had made a move, that God would have killed him instantly.


    Dabria is quite capable. She has always been ambitious. She wants to open the gate of the unbreakable prison and free everyone. She wants to rule the world using them.


    There is a fortune in every misfortune. Dabria''sst move helped him. He was free from Fang Aisa''s body. He regained back his original strength. He was even able to have revenge on his father and the other demon lords.


    He is a Devil now. A Devil.


    When he enters Dabria''sir, he sees no one. Everything in the room is in disarray. The circle is iplete. He frowns and touches the ground. The memories of the ce sink into his mind. Dabria is gone. Sung Jun and Fang Aisa have sent her to the unbreakable prison.


    He grits his teeth. That''s not what he wants. He needs to know the spell to open the unbreakable prison. He would have dealt with Dabria after she has opened the gate. Fang Aisa and Sung Jun have spoiled his ns.


    He flies toward Sung Jun''s house. He knows it from Fang Aisa''s memories. He has been inside her since her birth. There is a thickyer of dark energy surrounding Sung Jun''s house. It smells like Devil''s cores. His eyes gleam red. It must be Fang Aisa who is cultivating to be a demonic god.


    He can''t let her do that. Those cores are his. It should be him. Fang Aisa is a fool with a soft heart. She is not like Dabria in any way. The devil''s cores are wasted on a person who wants to have an ordinary life.


    "You are early." Sung Jun is holding the death scythe in his right arm and a spirit rope in his left hand.


    "Boy, I will let you go this once since you have helped me back there." Jar''Golen bars his teeth. "Leave quietly."


    "You want to say how I nearly helped you killing my wife?" Sung Jun eyes him coldly. "If I had known, I would have never done it."


    "Well, you didn''t. You can''t me yourself for that." Jar''Golenughs in a low voice. "I will let you and my granddaughter go. Just give me the devil''s core. There is no point if she bes a demonic god. Is it? She is too good to be one while I deserve to be one."


    "If she wants to be one, I won''t stop her." Sung Jun smiles at him arrogantly. "I will stop you, grandfather inw."


    He throws the spirit rope at Jar''Golen. The devil avoids it by jumping up in the sky. He reveals his dark twisted form to Sung Jun in an attempt to scare him away. This form can usually make people die of a heart attack.


    "I am d that the only thing that my wife inherited from you is your demon blood." Sung Jun lets out a breath of relief.


    "You!!!" The devil chokes out the words. Is this the time to be relieved about such things? "I will eat your core. You will forever be one with me."


    "I see why she loves to eat." Sung Jun nods his head, smiling. "She must have inherited this from you."


    Inside the mansion, Reis is watching everything. He looks at Fang Aisa who has only been able to process half of the devil''s core by now. It will take a few hours before she can absorb them all. If she is disturbed before that can happen, she will fail to be a demonic god.


    He is not worried. Jar''Golen is only a clown. He can easily take care of him. He will let Sung Jun y with him for a while.


    Outside, Sung Jun throws the rope when Jar''Golen is furious beyond words. The spirit rope wraps around Jar''Golen tightly. Sung Jun ys him around like a spinning top.


    "Stop it!" Jar''Golen tries to break the rope, but it''s too strong. Defeating a lowly immortal should be easy, but this boy is not wielding the immortal energy. He is wielding the direct energy from heaven. Jar''Golen''s dark skin is scalded as the rope burns deeper into his skin. "What is this?"


    "Nope." Sung Jun shows him an almost smile. "You have nearly killed my wife. Do you think that I will let you die easily? I can''t let my wife''s crystal stay inside you. It''s time to take back what you took away from her."


    "I am your grandfather inw." Jar''Golen hollers. Nobody outside the perimeter can hear his screaming voice. "If you kill me, she will hate you."


    "I doubt it." Sung Jun looks at the Death Scythe. This scythe will be helpful in performing anatomy on devils. "I am not killing you. You are an immortal. I will just take back her crystal and send you to the ce where you deserve."


    "Nooooooo!!!" Jar''Golen screams for help, just like the demon lords and his victims screamed for help once. Nobody is there to help him.


    Reis watches this all. For once, he is also impressed by Sung Jun.

 Chapter 92: Epilogue 1.1

    Chapter 92: Epilogue 1.1


    Fang Aisa opens her eyes. All the cores have been absorbed by her. Her body has changed with each absorption. Her skin has an ethereal glow. Her eyes are dark and enchanting. Her long dark hair is darker and silky. She realizes that her clothes have been burned away because of the changes. The mark of the contract is gone too. She is finally free from the contract.


    "Sung Jun." She looks out of the window. It''s daytime. How long has it been? She grabs a pair of clothes from the cupboard and walks out. Instead of her husband, she finds an anxious Wang Mei.


    "Wang Mei?" Fang Aisa is d to see her childhood friend.


    "Fang Aisa, we don''t have time." Wang Mei grabs her hand. "Why did you take so long? The groom is waiting for hours at the altar. All the guests are going to die from hunger. Let''s get you ready."


    Fang Aisa is surprised. "What?"


    "Aish!" Wang Mei drags her along with her. She kicks open the room. Ms. Sung and Fang Aisa''s stepmother are talking inside. There is a beautiful white dress waiting for the bride. "Aunty Sung, we don''t have time. Let''s start."


    "Fang Aisa." Ms. Sung gives her a hug. "I am so d to finally see you."


    Fang Aisa hugs her back. "I have missed you, Mother."


    Her stepmother hesitantly asks her, "Is it alright if I help you prepare for the wedding?"


    Fang Aisa smiles at her. Though they don''t have a close rtionship, they don''t have a bad rtionship either. This must be the first time when they talked. Fang Aisa doesn''t want to think about the past. She has gone through a lot. She has forgiven her father and her family. They had their reasons for doing what they did. She is not ready to ept her as her mother, but she doesn''t want to push someone away either.


    "Sure."


    ***


    Everyone''s eyes are on the groom. They havee here on very short notice. It''s more like they have been abducted from their homes. The supernatural creatures and humans are sitting together. Fang Aisa''s ssmates are there. Her old gang mates are also there. The people she has met and befriended in her both lives are there. Though some of them do not recognize her, still they have been forced toe.


    "Sung Jun is so handsome." A female ex-ssmate sighs.


    "If Fang Aisa was not there, I could have been his bride." The ex-ss president grumbles.


    "Keep dreaming." Another woman rolls her eyes.


    "I am curious." A man from Fang Aisa''s high school stares at the altar. "Did she be more beautiful or uglier?"


    "Uglier." The ex ss-president ps the back of his head. "Do you still have a crush on her?"


    "Of course, I don''t." The man shifts in his seat. "I am just curious."


    "The bride is here!" Someone exims. All the eyes turn to the bride who is walking alongside her father. Fang Qi and Fang Aisa are grinning ear to ear. Fang Aisa is dressed in a long white dress. Her hair is tied beautifully. She looks like an otherworldly being. Untouchable. Unreachable. Beautiful beyond words.


    "I didn''t think that I would lose you to him right after youe back," Fang Qi whispers to Fang Aisa as they walk toward Sung Jun. "I want to spend some time with you. There is so much to do."


    "Who is stopping you?" Fang Aisa chuckles. "Father, is there a rule that we can''t spend time together after I get married?"


    "Then, I won''t go back home and stay here with my daughter."


    "You can''t do that. You have to work until Fang Rui bes an adult." Fang Aisa can imagine Sung Jun''s reaction if that happens. "I will visit you regrly."


    "Someone else will raise him." Fang Qi suggests. "I say, you ditch this wedding ande with me."


    "If I do that, Sung Jun will be your enemy."


    "You prefer him over me." Fang Qi sighs. Sung Jun can hear everything because of his strong hearing. He sends a chilling re to Fang Qi. Fang Qi clears his throat when he notices his eyes that promises nothing good.


    "Fine, I will adjust. I want a lot of grandchildren."


    Fang Aisaughs. "Deal."


    She finally looks at Sung Jun. Sung Jun''s heart skips a beat when her dark eyes meet his eyes. With each step, the gap between them is disappearing. They can finally start their ordinary life together.


    It has been worth it.

 Chapter 93: Epilogue 1.2

    Chapter 93: Epilogue 1.2


    Before Choi Min Ho can knock the door, it opens. He can read minds, but it never stops freaking him out.


    "Uncle, you are here again?" A five years old version of Sung Jun asks him with narrow eyes. Choi Min Ho stares at him, trying to guess his name. He tries to prate his head, but there is a strong barrier around his mind. Hyung has taught some bad things to his children.


    He gives up and asks, "Sung Se-Joon, is this how you talk to your uncle?"


    The boy clicks his tongue. "Are you really my uncle? You can''t even recognize your nephew."


    "You are not Se-Joon?" Choi Min Ho frowns. "Se-Yong?"


    "Min Ho?" Sung Jun appears behind the boy. "Se-Hoon, let your unclee inside."


    Se-Hoon gives him a look before he steps aside.


    "Aish!" Min Ho shakes his head. "Hyung, how many children are you nning to have? Think about the world poption."


    "What can I do if we are a healthy couple?" Sung Jun pats Min Ho''s back. "How is your sister inw?"


    "She is fine." It''s been ten years since Choi Min Ho hase back to Earth. The first thing that he did was to find his brother''s fiance. Oh Soo-Mi didn''t get married after his brother''s death. She refused to do it. Choi Min Ho has decided to take care of her for the rest of her life despite her protests.


    "You are still looking for that ghost?" Fang Aisa walks down the stairs with a toddler in her arms.


    He doesn''t answer her. He points at the toddler. The toddler has Sung Jun''s eyes and Fang Aisa''s nose. "When did thate?"


    "Last year. You were traveling around at that time." Fang Aisa smiles at the toddler. "Na-Mi, meet your uncle."


    "A daughter?" Choi Min Ho reaches to touch that toddler''s puffy cheeks. Before he could, someone pushes him away. He looks down and finds nine younger versions of Sung Jun standing between him and Fang Aisa.


    "Don''t get close to our younger sister." Fang Aisa has given birth to triplets boys three times. "We promised our father that we will protect her from everyone."


    "Hyung, will your daughter be alright with nine demonic brothers?" Choi Min Ho feels bad for the child. "She is a heavenly blessed child."


    Fang Aisa smiles when she hears Choi Min Ho''s question. She kisses Na-Mi''s forehead. Sung Jun wraps his arms around his wife and his daughter. "She will be fine."


    Choi Min Ho shakes his head. Will she? Her mother is a demonic goddess. Her father is a heavenly blessed immortal. Her nine brothers are demons. What ordinary life? This doesn''t look ordinary in any way.


    Then, who is he to judge? He keeps thinking about a ghost.


    ***THE END***


    --------------------


    Author''s Note:


    Hi, everyone!!!


    Writing ''The Love That Remains'' was exciting. That story is special to me. I wrote it first when I was 18 and it''s been 8 years. Fang Aisa''s first love for Sung Jun in the original timeline was pretty much based on my feelings for my first love esp. that moment when he met her first time at the age of 15.


    We have finally finished this journey. Thanks a lot for the support throughout this story and reading it till the end. I might not have done a good job on this story, but I am happy that I was able to finish it. Fang Aisa and Sung Jun''s story ends here.


    Again, thanks a lot. I hope that you have liked and enjoyed it.

 Chapter 94: Catch The Cat (1)

    Chapter 94: Catch The Cat (1)


    A white catzily sprawls on the green grass under the sunlight. His mismatched blue and yellow eyes gaze at two beautifuldies. One woman has short dyed red hair and other has long ck hair. Under the spring sun, the twodies are sitting in the garden and chatting merrily about their pregnancies, unaware of a certain god watching and listening to their conversations.


    "I hope that we give birth at the same time," Wang Mei tells Fang Aisa unhappily. "This is your third pregnancy and my second pregnancy. If you give birth before I do, I will kill you."


    "It''s not my fault that I don''t take nine months to give birth like you." Fang Aisa sighs. "I am pregnant with triplets again. I want a cute girl like Ri-Na, but I keep having boys."


    "She is a crybaby." Wang Mei sighs. "Ri-Na resembles Jaemin more than me."


    "I think that she resembles you a lot." Fang Aisaughs. "You used to be a crybaby when you were young."


    "I didn''t cry that much." Wang Mei frowns. "You were scary back then."


    "I am a freaking demonic goddess now." Fang Aisa rests her chin in her hand. "But, nobody is scared of me."


    "You are a lousy one."


    Wang Mei is not lying. Fang Aisa is the demonic goddess, but she rarely acts like one. Once in a while, some high-ranked deviles around and challenge challenged her, but it was always Sung Jun who sends them directly to the unbreakable prison. Though she is the one who restored the demon lords'' bodies with the help of cores that Sung Jun extracted from Jar''Golen, all the demons along with their demon lords are scared of Sung Jun more than Fang Aisa. In the dark world of supernatural creatures, it is Sung Jun, the heavenly blessed immortal, who is famous as the devil who destroys anyone who dares to harbors any bad feeling toward his family. Fang Aisa is rather popr as the benevolent goddess who helps everyone who seeks help from her.


    What a reversal of role! Reis shakes his head. This person doesn''t act like a demonic god at all. It''s a shame. He is the one who trained her.


    He didn''t appear in front of her since she has be the goddess. As he has promised, he considers her as a friend. But, he still feels guilt for his actions especially because Fang Aisa has no bad feeling toward him. As time goes on, his guilt has not decreased at all. If she has been angry, it would have been better.


    The contract. Telling her the half truth. Manipting her to be his medium. Throwing her in the hell. Wishing to separate her from the only person who can make her happy. Reis is guilty of this all, but he did it to save the world. His priorities have always been different.


    Once in a while, Reises here to watch her from afar. She has not noticed yet.


    Six young demon kidse to the garden. They look like mini-version of Sung Jun. They gather around their mother,ining about each other. Fang Aisa checks on her youngest of her six sons, Seong Won who has fallen earlier when he was running to hide during the y.


    "Where is Bae Ri Na?" Wang Mei asks Soo Han, the five years old boy.


    "We were ying hide and seek." Soo Han exins calmly. "I don''t know where she hid."


    "What are you doing then?" Fang Aisa ask the kids "Except Seong Won, everyone will look for her. Find her. It''s time for lunch."


    "I am always scolded." Soo Han pouts. "I am only eight minutes older than Soo Hwan."


    "Sung Soo Han, Sung Soo Hwan, and Sung Soo Hyun." Fang Aisa flicks their foreheads as she calls their full names. "She is your younger cousin sister. You have to take care of her. Always."


    "Then, we don''t have to?" Seong Min asks happily. "She always cries whenever she loses. She cries whenever she falls. She cries when we tease her. She cries when we joke. She cries when we y."


    "Seong Min, Seong Jin, and Seong Won," Fang Aisa lets out an exasperated sigh. Bae Ri Na is human. Her boys are demons. She is not quite matched when they are ying. She also loses to them easily. But, Wang Mei is adamant that Bae Ri Na must y with them only. "She is older than you. Treat her with respect. Also, treat her gently. You also have to take care of her."


    "That girl gives me a headache." Wang Mei rubs her forehead. "Was I really like her?"


    "Yep." Fang Aisa doesn''t mince her words. "You used to get scared easily."


    Both of themughs loudly. The boys start looking for Little Bae Ri Na. They go back inside the mansion to look for her. In a while, Reis falls asleep in the sunlight. Little Bae Ri Naes out of her hiding spot and nces at the cat.


    "Finally, I caught you." She mumbles to herself. She has seen this cat a few times. His mismatched eyes have attracted her attention. She has told about him to the boys. At first, they have been excited to catch this cat, but they have stopped believing her because the cat is sneaky and it has never appeared in front of the boys. She will catch this cat today and show it to those unruly boys.


    Bae Ri Na cautiously moves toward the cat without making any sound. She is just about to grab the cat when it opens its mismatched eyes. With a sh, the cat jumps back away from her. Bae Ri Na looks at her hand that''s been scratched by the cat. It starts bleeding. The time is suddenly flowing slowly. Bae Ri Na''s lips tremble. Her eyes fill with tears. She opens her mouth to cry when the cat suddenly bes a man.


    The cat is the man. The man is the cat.


    Bae Ri Na closes her mouth in shock. Bleeding hand and the pain are forgotten.


    Reis is relieved to see that the girl didn''t cry. It didn''t want to enchant her mind. It is harmful to use that skill on a young child like her. He realizes that Fang Aisa has been talking about this girl. This young girl doesn''t look cute to him at all. She is full of snot and tears on her face. She is looking at him with dumb eyes.


    He looks at the bleeding hand, feeling bad for attacking a young child. He has been surprised. When he bes a cat, most of his habits be like a cat. Rene Reis hates being surprised the most. Still, he moves closer to her and heals her hand. The girl doesn''t stop staring.


    "I hate fragile mortals," Reis tells her after he finishes healing her hand. He puts a handkerchief in that hand. "I hate crybabies more. Clean your face. Try to look cute."


    Reis disappears right in front of her.


    "You are here." Sung Soo Hyun is the first one to find her. "Are you hurt, cousin?"


    "What?" Bae Ri Naes out of her shock.


    Sung Soo Hyunes close to her and looks at her hands. There are drops of blood on the grass, but there is no wound on her body. "There is blood. Where did you get hurt?"


    "I am not hurt." Bae Ri Na stands up.


    "You have been crying." Sung Seong Jin appears from her right. "I am sorry for teasing you. I won''t do it again. Don''t hide and cry again."


    "We won''t tease you." Sung Soo Hyun promises. "We will treat you like our sister. None of us will ever make you cry again."


    Though Bae Ri Na didn''t cry because of the Sung Brothers, she is happy with the oue. The cat has been lucky for her.


    "I am starving, Hyung," She says to Sung Soo Hyun happily. "Let''s go inside."


    "Our mothers are cooking," Sung Seong Jin''s tells her sadly. "I miss father at this time."


    "He will be back soon." Bae Ri Na wraps her arm around little Sung Seong Jin and Sung Soo Hyun. Other boys also find them at the same time. They are relieved to see that Bae Ri Na is alright.


    "Come inside." They hear Wang Mei yell at them. "Lunch is ready."


    The other kids sigh at the same time. They slowly drag their legs to go to the mansion. At this time, they all miss Sung Jun''s cooking the most.

 Chapter 95: Catch The Cat (2)

    Chapter 95: Catch The Cat (2)


    "Bae Ri Na, I like you."


    The most popr boy of the academy confesses to her under the cherry tree.


    "I like someone else."


    Bae Ri Na speaks the words without hesitation.


    "Oh." The boy bends his head down, looking depressed. "May I know who he is?"


    Bae Ri Na looks at him. He is handsome. His face can make any girl''s heart skip a beat. He can probably send butterflies flying in all the girls'' stomach in the academy. He is also from a good family. He knows how to y the violin. There is nothing to dislike about him. The problem is that Bae Ri Na''s heart doesn''t throb for this person.


    "It''s a cat," Bae Ri Na answers him with a clear voice. "I am not interested in men."


    The boy blinks his eyes. He is not able to process her words for several minutes. The most beautiful girl of the academy, sixteen years old Bae Ri Na, is interested in cats only.


    Not men. Only cats.


    "Cat?" He asks again to confirm.


    "Yes." Bae Ri Na crosses her arms. "Are you done? Go away."


    The poor boy walks away with heavy feet. His pride has been thrashed by this girl.


    "Awesome!" Sung Soo Hanes out from the hiding. "You like a cat. Are you into bestiality? I wonder how Aunty Wang would react to this news."


    "If you tell her, I will beat the crap out of you." Bae Ri Na threatens him. "Or I will tell Aunty Fang how you sneaked away to hell to bully demons when you visited your grandfather in China."


    "As always, we agree to keep our secrets" Sung Soo Han sits on the bench beside her. "Are you really into cats?"


    "I am not into cats." Bae Ri Na leans backward. "I am into a certain cat."


    "Who?" Sung Soo Han is always interested in gossip. "Tell me. Maybe I can help you with the cat."


    "It''s a cat who can turn into a man." Bae Ri Na brings out the white handkerchief from her pocket. It reminds her of the man with silver hair and mismatched eyes. "I wonder who he is."


    "I can help you find out." Sung Soo Han smiles at her.


    "What do you want in return?" Bae Ri Na is not a fool.


    "Introduce me to Ami Ong." Sung Soo Han likes his cousin. She understands him the best.


    "Do you need an introduction?" Bae Ri Na sighs. "Who doesn''t know the Sung brothers?"


    The nine demon brothers can turn the entire academy upside down. Their reputation is not exactly good. The nine brothers have nine charms in their personalities. Each one can frustrate anyone in their own way. People usually avoid them because they love their little peace of mind.


    "Introduce me." Sung Soo Han lets out an exasperated sigh. "If you introduce me, I will have a reason to talk to her. You have an image of a good girl in the academy. I need your rmendation."


    "..." Bae Ri Na wonders if she is rmending him for a job.


    "I will help you with your love life," Sung Soo Han tells her. "You help me with mine. I really like Ami Ong. She is really cute."


    "Her family specializes in demon exorcism."


    "That''s why I like her more."


    "You are seeking death."


    "I can''t die. I am an immortal."


    "I don''t want your help in finding him." Bae Ri Na looks at him. "I want something else."


    "What is it then?" Sung Soo Han is curious. "If it is riskier, then you have to help me get a date with Ami Ong."


    "It''s not impossible to get her to date you." Bae Ri Na smirks at him. "But, promise me. You will do whatever I want you to."


    "I will." Sung Soo Han promises without a second thought. Anything for his love, Ami Ong.


    Bae Ri Na leans in and whispers, "Help me be an immortal."


    That man hates mortals. So, she must be an immortal first.


    Sung Soo Han''s hands tremble. He shouts at her, "Are you out of your mind?"


    "It will take too long to reach the queen rank." Bae Ri Na knows that her uncle and aunt will never agree to send her to hell. If she reaches the Queen rank level 9, then she will get the spell to open the gate of hell as a challenger. Even her parents have not reached that rank yet. It will take a long time before she reaches the Queen rank level 9. She can''t wait that long.


    "Father will kill me if I do that." Sung Soo Han shakes in fear. "Mother will throw me in the den of beasts if I do that. I don''t know which is the worst."


    "You have been to hell." Bae Ri Na res at him. "Won''t they do the same if they find out that you go there without their permission?"


    "I don''t go as a challenger," Sung Soo Han exins to her. "I am a demon. They will never harm me. The hell is in a bad ce. It is total chaos. The demon lords have been restored, but they are having trouble executing their powers. There is no order among the demons. They kill the challengers mercilessly. It''s been more than sixteen years since Father have merged the circles of hell. The demon lords are having trouble reorganizing that ce."


    "You can''t open the gate for me?" Bae Ri Na asks quietly.


    "To be a challenger, you or your sponsor has to open the gate." Sung Soo Han sighs heavily. "Just cultivate diligently and get the spell. Nobody will stop you once you get the queen rank."


    "Alright." Bae Ri Na gives him a nod. There is a long pause before she says, "You can give me the spell or tell me where I can find it though."


    Sung Soo Han ps his forehead. He gives up finally. She will find that spell in one way or another.


    "I will tell you if you let mee with you."


    "Sure." Bae Ri Na grins. "I need a bodyguard."


    "I will ask Soo Hwan and Seong Min toe with us." Sung Soo Han knows that his parents will kill him for this. "We will take a quick trip to make you an immortal."


    "A superfast trip"


    "You uses spiritual energy. You can''t use the spell that I use." Sung Soo Han''s voice is so low that Bae Ri Na has to lean closer to him to hear the words. "I am sure that the spell for spiritual energy users is in the father''s study."


    Bae Ri Na furrows her brows. "How do you know?"


    "He has opened the gate of hell once. It should be there." Sung Soo Han continues. "There is a strong barrier outside his study room to keep me and my brothers away. He only lets Na-Mi inside the study."


    "We can ask Na Mi to copy the spell." Bae Ri Na is quite close to Little Na Mi. "She will do it for me."


    "Do you really think that?" Sung Soo Han can''t help butugh. His little sister is just like his father. Unreadable. Unpredictable. All the brothers cannot win against her. Even Mother is quite helpless when ites to her. She wins everyone''s heart with her adorable tactics, but she is only loyal to one person - his father. "Bae Ri Na, she will sell you to father the moment she finds out the n. You won''t even know how you are ughtered."


    "Right." Bae Ri Na shrugs her shoulders. "I forgot how she is. She is quite scary."


    "Scariest among all of us, only second to Father." Sung Soo Han gets a shiver down his spine. "You have to sneak inside his study when youe for a sleepover."


    "I wille tonight." The risk is high, but all is fair in love and war.

 Chapter 96: Catch The Cat (3)

    Chapter 96: Catch The Cat (3)


    It''s never quiet in the Sung house. The nine Sung brothers are always up to something while Little Na Mi is always looking forward to foiling their ns. Thebined force of Sung Brothers cannot outsmart Little Na Mi. Every day starts with pranks that they pull on each other and ends inughter.


    After not so quiet dinner, Bae Ri Na goes to her room. She has her own room in Sung Jun''s house. Sung Jun and Fang Aisa have always treated her like their own daughter and they have loved her more than her parents did. While her own mother always makes her exercise and learn martial arts, Aunty Fang is there to scold her mother when she gets tired or hurt. Her younger brother is better than her in wielding the sword.


    Bae Ri Na doesn''t care about power. She has only one goal. She wants to find that cat.


    At 3 AM, she sneaks out of her room and slowly makes her way toward Sung Jun''s study. She literally crawls on the floor. The house is full of demons and a demonic goddess. Her chances are extremely low, but she is sure that they won''t kill her if she is caught.


    At the speed of a snail and making sure to not make any sound, she reaches Sung Jun''s study and silently prays that nobody has seen or heard her. Fingers crossed. Luckily, the study is not locked. She pushes the door and crawls inside. Then, she closes the door.


    "Little Ri Na."


    Bae Ri Na freezes when she hears that voice. She turns around awkwardly. Sung Jun is sitting on the chair. He is resting his arm on the table and looking at her with a smile that is not really a smile. She has been caught before she could even begin.


    "Uncle Sung, I was just practicing how to swim on the floor." She moves her arms and legs like she is swimming. "Don''t take this in the wrong way. I didn''t know that -"


    "You didn''t know that I am here." Sung Jun points out, making no room for her excuses. "Get up. No more lies."


    Bae Ri Na gets up and stands against the wall, prepared for punishment. "How did you know?"


    Sung Jun''s lips curl up. "You were acting suspiciously since you came home. You were talking to Soo Han with your eyes. You didn''t pay attention to your favorite dishes. You stammered during dinner. I knew that you are up to something."


    She closes her eyes. Her uncle knows her well. It''s easier to fool her parents than her uncle.


    "When are you going to speak up?" Sung Jun crosses his arms. "Let me hear your reasons before I decide your punishment."


    "I like someone." Bae Ri Na blurts out. "He won''t look at me unless I be an immortal."


    "Hmm." Sung Jun has expected to hear something like this. Bae Ri Na is unusually honest at difficult times. Didn''t he also fall for someone around this age? He has done crazier things than sneaking into a study to steal a spell. "That cat left quite an impression on you."


    "Uncle, you know." Bae Ri Na''s eyes be round in surprise. "Did Soo Han tell you? I am never going to help him now."


    "He didn''t tell me." Sung Jun chuckles.


    "How do you know about that cat?" Bae Ri Na asks with a meek voice.


    "A god can sneak in through the barrier, but he can''t escape the hidden cameras if he doesn''t know about it." Sung Jun points to the empty chair. "Sit here. I will tell you a story about a cat."


    Bae Ri Na takes the seat opposite of him and quietly listens to everything that Sung Jun tells her about Rene Reis. After the story ends, she doesn''t speak for a while. Sung Jun waits for her to digest the information.


    "The person who moved his heart was Aunty Fang." Bae Ri Na is not upset about that fact. "You and Aunty Fang pretend to not know that he visits regrly. That proud cat won''te if he finds out that you and Aunty Fang know."


    "That''s his decision. We are respecting it." Sung Jun has expected her to be upset or angry, but she is showing no such emotion. "Are you giving up on him?"


    "No, Uncle." Bae Ri Na looks at him with clear eyes. "I like him more now."


    Sung Jun leans forward with a serious expression. "Why?"


    "He has a kind heart." She shows him the white handkerchief. "He did have different goals, but he was still someone who tried his best to make things easy for Aunty Fang. He liked her, but he didn''t try to make her like him because he knew that she loved you the most. He knew how to respect her wishes. I like that about him."


    "You still like him despite the fact that he likes your Aunty Fang?" Sung Jun smiles when he hears her words. "How about respecting his wishes if he doesn''t like you back?"


    "I am not like him. I won''t respect his wishes." Bae Ri Na tells him confidently. "He doesn''t like her as much as you love Aunty Fang. That''s why I know that I have hope. If it was you, you would have chosen Aunty Fang over the world. That''s what I would do for him."


    Sung Junughs when he hears her logic. "I agree, but it won''t be easy to catch that cat. He is quite supercilious."


    "I am more stubborn." Bae Ri Na stands up, looking resolute. "I will make him like me back even if I have to chase him to the end of the universe."


    "Good, good." Sung Jun''s pats her back. She reminds him more of Fang Aisa when she kissed him on the rooftop and then, told him that she would take responsibility for ruining his purity in their other lifetime. Reis will have difficult days in the future.


    "Uncle, please give me the spell." Bae Ri Na falls on her knees and begs. "I will be an immortal. I like him a lot. I definitely need immortality to catch that cat god."


    "I can''t." Sung Jun simpers when he sees her be gloomy. "But, I will help you reach the queen rank. From now on, I will be your mentor. After you reach that rank, you can take a trip to hell with your cousins."


    Bae Ri Na''s face bes sunny. If Uncle bes her mentor, anything is possible.

 Chapter 97: Catch The Cat (4)

    Chapter 97: Catch The Cat (4)


    Reis is sprawled on the top of the wall, sunbathing in the winter. He has not been visiting Fang Aisa sneakily recently. So far, she is living happily without him. Sometimes, he thinks about the days that they have spent. Those 8 years. He wonders if he ever had a chance. Maybe not. She has always been love with Sung Jun. She has never seen him as more than a friend. He''s happy watching his person living a happy life.


    "I found you." Bae Ri Na smiles at the cat. It''s been two decades years since she has met him. After going through her uncle''s hellish training, she has finally tracked the cat.


    Reis opens his mismatched eyes and looks at the girl. Cats are famous these days. Random humans are always cooing at him because he''s a handsome cat. He decides to ignore her and go back to sleep.


    "It''s you." She bends down on her one knee and opens the box. "Marry me. I have fallen in love with you since the day you scratched my hand and made me bleed. I love your face the most. You are exceptionally handsome. You are also kind. You healed my hand before you left. I didn''t even get a scar."


    Reis opens his eyes, bothered by what he has just heard. He eyes the box with indifference. There is a cat cor with studded diamonds. There are different types of humans. But, this one is a lunatic.


    "I am the god of time," He tells her with a warning tone. "Human, I will let you off because you are someone who is important to her."


    She presses her lips together. There is a short silence. Then, she says, "Rene Reis, isn''t it time to get over my married aunt? You are acting like a creep. It''s been decades. How long are you going to stay single? Marry me. I will make you happy. I am cute too."


    Reis doesn''t find her cute. He finds her the most annoying human at this moment. "Watch your words."


    He will kill her if he stays here for one more moment. He gets up and disappears. He reappears somewhere in the tropical forest. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. He won''t go back and kill that human. No, he won''t. She''s someone important to -


    "Reis." The girl suddenly materializes behind him. "I will tell you the benefits of marrying me. Wait... where are you going?"


    He vanishes again. She keeps following him everywhere around the globe.


    She yells as she runs behind him. "I am cute. I know how to cook. My figure is top-notch. I have a good academic record. I am the third youngest cultivator to reach the highest rank. I am sure that I can be a minor god if I go for the test."


    Reis isn''t even listening to her crap. He jumps from branch to branch. For 3 years, she chases him around. Not letting him rest for a moment. One day, she drops to the ground in exhaustion. Reis watches the girl from afar. He waits for a few hours. When she makes no movement, he walks to her cautiously. He lowers his head to sense her breathing. This girl has been relentlessly pursuing him. Wherever he goes, she appears. Who taught her to track a god? Sung Jun. It must be that shaman''s work.


    He changes to his human form. He should take this girl and drop her at Fang Aisa''s home. He can''t leave her here in the wild to be someone else'' food. Suddenly, She snaps her eyes open and grabs his neck. She smooches his lips. He is too shocked to react.


    "Kissing you for real is better than imagining it." She nces at the cor on his neck. "I have put it on. You are mine."


    She passes out again. Reis resists the urge to choke her right then. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. It takes everything in him to resist killing her.


    Later, she''s found by Sung Jun in front of the door of his house.


    ***


    Bae Ri Na isn''t someone who will give up especially after tasting his lips and confirming her feelings. She keeps chasing him everywhere. After a few more years, Reis is too exhausted to run from her. He decides to just ignore her existence.


    At the beach, Reis has sunsses on and lying on the warm sand on the beach. Arius, the god of death, studies the human girl who is shamelessly clicking pictures of Reis. He has seen her following his brother around. Reis ignores her and she ignores him. Arius wonders why she is still alive.


    It''s probably because she is rted to that woman.


    Then, he must have some fun. "Bae Ri Naaaa~"


    Bae Ri Na gets goosebumps in her body. She nces at the god of death. Her eyes be big and round in shock. There are two Reis in front of her. Same mismatched eyes. Same abs. Same skin tone. Even the curl of the hair is the same. Still, she can recognize her Reis easily.


    "Why do you keep chasing that cold fish?" Arius asks her with a warm voice. "Come to me. I am better than he is."


    Reis clicks his tongue in annoyance, but he says nothing.


    "How do I know if you are better than the original?" She scratches her chin thoughtfully. "I need to check."


    That ticks him off. Reis stares at her. "Human, it is obvious that I am better than him. You say that you are in love with me and you don''t even know if I am better than him."


    "How do I know?" She looks at him innocently. "I need to check and see which goods are better."


    Arius also wants to see how far she can go. "I don''t have any problem. You should check and tell us which one of us is better."


    Reis shrugs his shoulder dismissively. Since he didn''t say anything, Arius and Bae Ri Na assume that he is also okay with the test. She goes to Reis who doesn''t move away when shees closer. She massages her fingers on his scalp. For a long time. When she doesn''t stop, he nces at her aloofly.


    "The original one''s hair is better than the fake." She moves her hands on his body. Touching his shoulders. Chest. Back. Abs. Her eyes glow withsciviously as she feels his body with her hands. Arius clears his throat when her hands begin to go down. Reis grasps her wrist. "Isn''t it enough?"


    She backs away and acts as nothing happened at all. Her face is burning red. Both men can guess what''s going inside her head. "It''s time to check the copy."


    Arius is ready. More than ready. He stands up with excitement to feel her hands on his torso. He leans closer and whispers to her, "You can go down. I won''t mind."


    The smile on her face cracks. She pokes his head with her index finger. The touchsts less than a millisecond. She takes ten steps away from Arius.


    "I will announce the result now." She speaks quickly, "The original is billion times better than the copy. Bye."


    She fades into the air before the men could say anything. The corners of Reis'' smile curl up into a slight smile. Seeing that, Arius asks his brother, "Brother, I wonder if she is the perverted one to molest you or are you the perverted one who let her molest you?"


    Reis doesn''t answer him. He gazes into the sea, deep in thought.

 Chapter 98: Catch The Cat (5)

    Chapter 98: Catch The Cat (5)


    Reis continues to treat her like she is invisible. Their rtionship has been showing no progress. He ignores more after thest incident. It looks like the distance between them is growing wider with time. Bae Ri Na has no patience. She''s been chasing him for years and he doesn''t even nce at her. He doesn''t even wear the cor that she gave him.


    She puts down the bottle of Soju. "Soo Han, tell me. Am I not sexy? Why does that cat not seduced yet?"


    Sung Soo Han takes a nce at her. Does she forget that she is his sister? Though they don''t have blood rtion, they are raised together. How could he ever see her as sexy? "No, you aren''t sexy. You are nothingpared to my Amy."


    She throws the bottle at him in anger. He dodges it with ease. He has his own love problems. His girlfriend broke up with him again. She even tried to exorcise him to hell. Why was she angry at him?


    Both lets out a heavy sigh.


    "You know what?" Bae Ri Na has a dark grin on her face. "We should do what my uncle did."


    Soo Han understands the meaning right away. He thinks about his girlfriend who keeps breaking up with him and then, makes him beg on his knees to take him back. He knows that she loves him. She keeps having second thoughts because of her family who don''t want to ept the idea of a semi-demon bing her husband in the future.


    "I am in." He nods furiously. "When are you going?"


    "Good deeds must be done right away." Bae Ri Na''s drunk eyes are reced by determined eyes. "I will catch that cat at any cost."


    "I will catch that exorcist at any cost," Sung Soo Han shouts with the same determination.


    ***


    "This is what I generally use for humans." The god of marriage pulls the red thread with fingers. "It''s good for new ones."


    He turns to the second one. "This 1... I use it for the ones who have strong fates. They can''t stay together or without each other. They need flexible ones. To pull them together when they are apart and push them apart when they are together."


    Bae Ri Na scribbles down the information. She''s pretending to be a reporter who is writing an article on the jobs of the gods. This god of marriage is easy to fool. He is excited to show his workshop. From the corner of her eyes, she sees Soo Han sneaking into the workshop.


    "Is there any strong one?" She distracts the god before he sees Soo Han. "Gods also get married. What kind of threads do you use for them?"


    "There are different ones for those who aren''t humans," The god of marriage replies with enthusiasm. This girl asks good questions. "There are different ones for minor gods. The medium rank gods need slightly agile threads."


    "What about primordial gods?" Her interest only lies in Reis. "They must need real strong threads."


    "Primordial ones can usually break them easily if they don''t want the marriage." The god of marriage sighs.


    "There isn''t any thread that they can''t break?" Bae Ri Na prods him. "There must be something."


    Seeing her eagerness, the god of marriage is moved. Usually, no one shows much interest in his work.


    "Of course, there is." The god of marriage takes her deeper into the workshop. He opens the wooden box lying at the end of the room. "This one is the heavenly treasure. This is a thread that can bind any creature in the world. Even the primordial gods cannot break it once it''s tied. It''s only one of it''s kind."


    Bae Ri Na looks at it with greed. It looks nothing out of ordinary. She smiles at the god of marriage as he talks about the other kind of threads. When they leave the workshop, Soo Han steals the heavenly red thread and escapes.


    ***


    Reis finds the quietness too heavy. She hasn''t appeared for some days. Has she given up? That''s good. Then, he can enjoy his peaceful days again. He rolls his back on the ground. He is having this peaceful moment after such a loooooooong ti -


    "Reis!" The girl pops up in front of him. He jumps on his feet and changes into his human form.


    "Why are you here?" He asks her with undisguised irritation in his voice.


    "Ah... about that... I have realized that I have been bothering you a lot." She looks at him with guilt. "I have decided to give up."


    "Really?" A little surprised and unhappy, he eyes the girl. At least, he will get his peaceful days back. "You have finally realized that you stand no chance."


    She moves closer inch by inch. "I have no patience. I have no energy left. I keep chasing you, but you don''t even look at me. You are still in love with my aunt."


    "It''s good that you have realized that, Human." He feels slightly disappointed. "Leave. I don''t want to see your face."


    He turns his back on her.


    That''s the opportunity! With a swift motion, she ties the other hand of the heavenly red thread around his neck. He can remove cors. He can remove rings. He will never be able to remove this red thread.


    "What have you done?" He pulls the thread that has turned into a thick rope around his neck. "What is this, you stupid girl?"


    She shows her pinkie finger. The other end of the thread is tied around it. "I don''t have the patience to keep waiting for you to ept my marriage proposal. So, I have taken things into my hands. Let''s go on the honeymoon."


    "Honeymoon." Reis has realized that she has used the heavenly treasure on him. He picks up her with his one hand and tosses her body away. She screams when the portal opens up and swallows her.


    Reis pulls the rope around his neck and sighs. He has never met a human who could make him feel so tired.

 Chapter 99: Catch The Cat (6)

    Chapter 99: Catch The Cat (6)


    Bae Ri Na squints her eyes. She''s standing on the cliff. There are enormous mountains in front of her. The tips of the mountains are surrounded by fog. She tugs the red string tied around her pinkie finger. Nothing happens. She can feel Reis'' presence on the other end of the string, but there is nothing else.


    Where did he send her in anger?


    "You are the new challenger?"


    She turns around and looks at the man dressed in blue robes. If she hadn''t been obsessing over Reis for years, she would have fallen hard for this man''s looks.


    He smiles at her politely and says, "You are here to train as the sage?"


    "Sage?" Bae Ri Na doesn''t remember doing anything like that. After receiving training from her uncle Sung Jun, She did cross hell to be an immortal. After that, she has been chasing Reis. She didn''t n toe to heaven or go to the devil''s world. Just like Choi Min Ho, being immortal has been enough for her.


    "There are ten perfections of the sages that you must master. The ten perfections are generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, wisdom, skills, resolution, strength, and knowledge" The man activates his professional mode and exins it to the challenger. "If you cross all the eight mountains of perfections, you will be a 10th rank sage and be eligible for the test to be a god. If you receive heaven''s approval, you might even be a god."


    Bae Ri Na can already imagine that she''s going to fail. "What if I want to quit?"


    "We cannot stop you from quitting, but you will end up with the rank of an angel." The man looks down at the paper. "In that case, you will start working right away under the will of heaven."


    "Wait." Bae Ri Na frowns deeply. "Why would I work for heaven? I want to go back on earth."


    "That''s not possible." The man shakes his head lightly. "Ms. Bae, you should have thought about it hard before taking the path of light. If you quit, you will be an angel. Angels cannot go to earth without heaven''s permission. If you decide to continue and manage to cross even one mountain, you will get the rank of a sage. Then, you will get the opportunity to go to earth and help mankind."


    Bae Ri Na only wants to find Reis. Her mission isn''t over yet. They just got married. What about the honey moon? How does she, the newly wife, stay here? But, bing an angel is not a choice. She must be a sage."


    "Tell me the details." Bae Ri Na won''t jump into the fire without information. That''s what her uncle taught her. "What are the privileges thate with the different ranks?"


    "The higher ranks of sage gets the most autonomy."


    "So, I am free if I be the 10th rank sage?"


    "10th rank sage have nearly the same powers as a minor god." The man stares at her. "Challenger, tell me your decision."


    ***


    At the bottom of the mountain, Bae Ri Na rolls the sleeves. She looks up at the mountain and points at it. "To meet my husband who threw me here to test my love for him, I must ovee you at any cost."


    The 10 mountains don''t answer her. She grumbles to herself as she climbs the first mountain of generosity.


    If she is generous, then the meaning of the word ''generous'' is just wrong.


    She fails the first climb after 10 minutes.


    Angry and hurt, she tries again.


    She loses the count of trials.


    In the sage realm, the sky is always bright. There is no night. Bae Ri Na thinks about her hellish training. Crossing the mountain is easier than going through that training again.


    With determination alone, she reaches the top. She has be generous enough. After all, money is not as important as being with Reis.


    The mountain of discipline has been easy. Under Sung Jun''s training, she has already mastered discipline.


    The mountain of patience? Ha! She has been patient for such a long time for Reis to turn around and look at her. She did make a blunder by forcefully tying the red string of marriage around his neck. This mountain did give her difficulty. She defeats it anyway.


    The mountain of exertion, meditation, wisdom, skills, resolution, strength, and knowledge are ovee one by one.


    She arrives at the top of the 10th mountain andughs like a maniac.


    "You have arrived." The man is already there, waiting for her. "Congrattions, you get the title of the 10th rank great sage. You are also eligible for the test to be a god. Your god rank will be decided in the test. Are you willing?"


    He looks up and finds the girl gone.


    "...?"


    Bae Ri Na is already back on earth to find Reis.

 Chapter 100: Catch The Cat (7)

    Chapter 100: Catch The Cat (7)


    Reis has been enjoying his quiet and rxed days when he feels goosebumps down his spine. He looks up at the sky with a frown. "Did she already?"


    After he threw Bae Ri Na in the sage realm, he had missed the little annoying creature a bit. He wouldn''t admit it even if heaven is broken down. There is no doubt that he also hated the girl. She made his life chaotic. He didn''t get a good nap since she appeared in his life.


    He pulls the red rope around his neck. This annoying thing is indestructible.


    He visited the god of marriage who was scared beyond words when he saw the heavenly level red string of marriage around the neck of the god of time. It was then he realized that the treasure was stolen. Nothing could be done about it after the deed was done.


    Reis has been furious beyond words. If the girl was on earth at that time, he would have killed her. Luckily, he threw her to heaven before his temper became worse. He is still angry because the girl used the same trick on him that Sung Jun used on Fang Aisa.


    "Don''t tell me..." He realizes. "That shaman was behind this."


    Then, Fang Aisa and Sung Jun must have known.


    Feeling upset, he takes the human form. He looks at the rope and pulls it hard. In the next moment, Bae Ri Na is standing in front of him. She has been using the same trick to pull him toward her, but she is too weak to pull a primordial god against his wishes toward him.


    Reis scans the girl in front of him. He didn''t expect that she could cross 10 mountains with her strength. She has a strong will.


    Bae Ri Na is also scanning him from the head to the toe. She isn''t scanning his strong will. She''s eating him with her eyes. It''s been so long. She needs her dose.


    The god and the sage look at each other for a long time.


    "I won''t love you," Reis tells her with a cool voice. "You have used underhanded means to tie me to you. You can''t win my heart like this."


    Bae Ri Na jumps with happiness. "So, you thought about whether you would love me or not in the future. It means that you considered me for a moment. I am so happy."


    "..."


    "You are the god of time." She walks closer to him. "We have all the time in the world. I will keep chasing you until you turn around and love me back. "


    Reis doesn''t say a word for a long time. It must have been hard to cross the 10 mountains. He didn''t have to cross them because he was born as a primordial god. But, he has seen humans who have crossed them.


    It''s been years since he tossed her to the sage realm.


    She still looks like a woman in herte twenties. Her skin has the glow that immortals receive only after being epted by heaven. Her grey eyes are twinkling with glee. He knows the reason behind her happiness.


    He suddenly asks, "You won''t chase me after I turn around?"


    She blinks at him. "When you turn around, we won''t waste time running around. We will make babies."


    "..."


    Where does this shamelessnesse from? He''s not used to it.


    Bae Ri Na takes his silence as the signal that he doesn''t mind her moving closer. She takes small steps toward him. Reis is in deep thought. He seems to be thinking hard as if he is trying to solve a big problem. She takes a seat beside him and holds his hand.


    He doesn''t jerk her hand away. He only res at her. "You got the courage to hold my hand after bing the 10th rank sage? You are still nothingpared to me."


    Bae Ri Na chuckles a bit. This God won''t admit that she has moved his heart. Her eyes glitter mischievously. She squeezes his warm hand and leans closer. She takes his lips suddenly. This time, he doesn''t push her away. He doesn''t kiss her back either. The man is stubborn and proud.


    "I gave you an inch, you take a mile." Reis pushes her away in annoyance when she doesn''t stop kissing him. The girl is brazen.


    She doesn''t try to kiss him again. Though she wants to eat him, she decides to take it slow. The god isn''t used to it. "I am a greedy person."


    "How did you cross the sage realm with your greed?" Reis raises his white brow. "You should have failed."


    Is this woman right to be a great sage? She is certainly not right to be one.


    "My love for you is stronger than any mountain." She winks at him. "Are you going to make babies with me now?"


    It''s clear that he doesn''t intend to make her chase him anymore.


    Reis snorts and turns away. "Keep wishing."


    Bae Ri Na sighs. "I am your wife, after all. When are you going to perform your husband''s duties?"


    Reis scolds her, "You only think about one thing."


    "I also think about other things." She bats her eyes coquettishly. "Let''s go. I want to introduce you to my family. They should know about my husband."


    "..."


    That means meeting Fang Aisa and Sung Jun.


    "Don''t feel awkward." Bae Ri Na can sense it. "Everyone knows. Come with me now. If you don''te, I will find the god of sex and steal the most powerful love drug that can be used on a primordial god."


    "..."


    What kind of threat is that? It won''t work on him.


    "I get it that you are shy." Bae Ri Na continues, "You probably be a dried spell after being alone for a long time. That''s probably the reason why your wife is still a virgin after being married to you for so long."


    The grievances in her voice are obvious.


    "I wonder how Soo Han would react after knowing that I am still a virgin. I heard that he already got married to his long-time girlfriend. He has five kids now. I have lost to him. The god of time can''t even take responsibility as my husband."


    Reis can''t hear anymore. He pulls her by her ear. He exhales his hot breath in her ear. "Can you handle me as your husband?"


    Bae Ri Na bes red instantly. She trembles weakly. Her knees be weak. She has been chasing him for a long time and he didn''t even bad an eye. She even kissed him many times and he didn''t react one.


    He whispers into her ear once and she is a goner.


    She hears him chuckle arrogantly. He grabs her jaw and turns her face to look at him. His warm breath is tickling her skin. She dares to look into his eyes. Her voice is a soft whisper, "Yes."


    He leans closer and closer. She shuts her eyes and waits. After a while, nothinges. She reopens her eyes and finds him looking at her with amused eyes at the bottom of the tree.


    "What were you waiting for?" He stretches his hand toward her. "We should greet your family formally. I want to fulfill the first responsibility that I have as the husband of an annoying brat."


    "..."


    "As my wife, you should have pride. You are the wife of the god of time. I assure you that..." He smirks at her with haughtiness in his eyes. "You won''t be able to keep your chastity for long."


    She jumps off the branch and takes his hand. "How long?"


    Her enthusiasm makes his heart delighted. He speaks with a tantalizing voice, "Maybe after you turn into a dried spell."


    "That''s too long." Bae Ri Naments. "Don''t tell me that you don''t have the confidence."


    Reis has the urge to choke this girl. Why does she keep saying that he has no confidence in his performance? He can''t believe that she mastered the ten perfections of sage.


    "Have some patience." He flicks her forehead. "We should meet your parents first and get their blessings. You are a great sage. Do you want to annoy heaven and get into its bad books?"


    He doesn''t mind breakingws, but he doesn''t want her to get punishments. She''s not heavenly blessed. He is not in Heaven''s good books. Heaven is moody being.


    "Tch!" Ri Na understands what he''s trying to say. She''s sure that there won''t be a problem in getting epted by her family. They already know who she is chasing. "After we get the blessings, we will go for a honeymoon."


    Reis gives in. "Fine."


    Bae Ri Na is ted to hear his short reply. They go to see Wang Mei and Bae Jaemin first. They are shocked to see their daughter and her husband appearing suddenly.


    "You are the god?" Bae Jaemin steps back and moves behind Wang Mei. Sung Jun and Fang Aisa had told them about Ri Na''s interest in the god of time. Then, he heard that Ri Na also went to heaven. His daughter came back, but she directly brought a husband with her.


    "You are the one who stole Fang Aisa away all those years ago." Wang Mei tightens her fingers around the hit of the sword.


    Reis nods slightly. "I was also the one who saved her life."


    Wang Mei''s fingers loosen. She turns to her daughter. "You did well. I approve of him."


    This is awkward. Bae Jaemin doesn''t want to approve, but they are already married. What can he say when the rice is already cooked? "I approve of him too."


    Bae Ri Na is excited. Now, they only have to meet Fang Aisa and Sung Jun. Then, Ri Na can go on her honeymoon with Reis.


    "I don''t approve of him." Ri Na''s younger brother, Wang Chuan, res at her. "Look at him. His hair is white like an old man."


    "Your approval isn''t needed." Ri Na res back. "Why are you here?"


    The siblings start arguing. Reis sighs and shakes his head. By then, Fang Aisa and her family arrive.


    "That''s him?" Sung Na Mi furrows her brows. "Elder sister Ri Na always said that he was more handsome than my father."


    "Can''t you keep your mouth shut?" Her brother chides her. "Does it matter if he is handsome or not? You aren''t married to him."


    Fang Aisa and Sung Jun ignore them. Theye to Reis.


    "You plotted this." Reis'' voice carries no grudge. "Was my singlehood a thorn in your eyes?"


    "It was a little annoying that you wouldn''t stop looking at my woman," Sung Jun replies with his almost smile.


    Fang Aisa chuckles. It''s been such a long time. Her man is still possessive of her. "Reis, I have missed you a lot."


    Reis beams at her. "You are living well."


    Fang Aisa gives him a nod. "Take care of our Ri Na."


    Ri Na busy beating up her younger brother to force him to approve of Reis. Fang Aisa and Sung Jun''s children have surrounded them and arguing whether Reis is more handsome than Sung Jun or not. Seeing the chaos, Sung Jun isughing while Bae Jaemin is sighing. Wang Mei is on the verge of losing her temper.


    "She''s not your Ri Na anymore. She belongs to me." Reis doesn''t like noises much. He walks away from Fang Aisa. He grabs Ri Na''s hand and pulls her out of the crowd. "We got out blessings. We are leaving."


    Fang Aisa and Sung Jun share a content smile when they see the cat god disappear with his wife.


    ___HAPPY ENDING___


    A final happy ending for all the members from Fang Aisa''s family.

 Chapter 101: SEQUEL -- CHOI MINHOS STORY

    Chapter 101: SEQUEL -- CHOI MINHO''S STORY


    <strong>Supernatural Investigation 101: Chronicles of Nakashima Wakana</strong>


    Synopsis:


    <em>Nakashima Wakana is a rookie detective with special abilities that often gets her in trouble and sends her to the hospital. Due to bad performance, she is sent to the cold pce to receive her career''s death sentence. When she thought that her dead career couldn''t be more dead, she meets her first love, Minami Sei.</em>


    <em>Minami Sei was the star detective who met his fall and sent to the most unpopr division of the H district police department in T city. He never expected to see her again. In thest 7 years, the wimpy girl turned into a colddy? Is she only cold to him? Never mind, she''s still strange.</em>


    <em>Things take a turn when she bes the next chosen target of a demon. She''s forced to use her abilities. When she thinks that it''s over for her, she finds out that she''s chosen to be a part of the supernatural investigation agency?</em>


    <em>Who is this person that is always saving her? Is he a ghost or her personal guardian angel? Should she throw salts in his eyes or kiss his beautiful lips? Maybe she will do both.</em>


    <em>Join Wakana''s supernatural adventures while she tries to trap an elusive fox.</em>


    ***other stories***


    <strong>When a Ghoul Falls in Love</strong>


    Synopsis:


    <em>Living in the 21st century is not easy. There are no dragons or magic. There are no fairies that grant wishes or a tree that grows money.</em>


    <em>That''s what Nell Solomon used to believe.</em>


    <em>In a world that is intricately connected than it ever was, humans are as distant as they can get from each other. Nell Solomon is a struggling novelist with a dark sense of humour and questioning sanity. She has no ambition. Living her mundane life is enough.</em>


    <em>What happens when she stumbles across a dead body in the neighbourhood? Like any insane person who is trying to act sane, she calls the cops.</em>


    <em>Excuse me, how did she be the prime suspect instead?</em>


    <em>Nell Solomon is dragged into a new world. She is forced to question her reality and everything that she had known all her life.</em>


    <em>But that''s the least of her worries.</em>


    <em>Can someone exin to her why does a certain doctor keeps bothering her?</em>


    <em>__</em>


    <em>Eli Sanguine is your not-so-average ghoul who is currently working as a doctor. He had a lot of ns, but falling in love with a human wasn''t on his list.</em>


    <em>For the two years, Eli had been thinking about how to get close to the woman he likes. But getting close to her is no easy feat.</em>


    <em>Everything changed the day she tried to kill herself. Saving her is his priority. His second priority? Obviously, winning her heart.</em>


    <em>To the world, he might be the retired dark ghoul sorcerer who is still infamous for his dark deeds. For her, he''s only an annoying doctor who dresses like a woman to please/annoy her more.</em>


    <em>What kind of chaos ensues when a ghoul falls in love with a human? Find out in the story~</em>


    ***


    <strong>Hunting for a Husband in a Vampire Apocalypse</strong>


    Synopsis:


    <em>Huang Qiuyan''s nightmare is not getting married before she turns thirty. She is already twenty-eight and a lowly clerk in a bank. Her mother and her aunts set her up for blind dates every weekend. She isn''t picky or anything. The men she likes rejects her. The men she doesn''t like also rejects her. In the end, when there is actually a MAN who wants to marry her, the world suddenly turns crazy.</em>


    <em>Huang Qiuyan: Clingy Ex-Vampire Girlfriend, don''t eat my future husband!!!</em>


    <em>The man gets bitten and dies.</em>


    <em>Huang Qiuyan: Excuse me, what do you mean by Vampire Apocalypse? I want to get married here.</em>


    <em>After turning into a vampire, she goes to find food and find a chubby little bun instead.</em>


    <em>ML: Hunting husband when I am already here?</em>


    <em>Huang Qiuyan: I will not marry you even if you are thest man on the.</em>


    <em>ML: Either die or marry me.</em>


    <em>Huang Qiuyan: I choose death.</em>


    <em>ML: Fine, I will kill you on the bed every night.</em>


    <em>System: Dear host, please ept his offer. His blood is highly nutritional.</em>


    <em>Huang Qiuyan: ...</em>


    ***


    <strong>Her Wicked CEO: How to Seduce a Hikikomori Wife?</strong>


    Synopsis:


    <em>Is there hate at first sight?</em>


    <em>Takeuchi Rie is a hikikomori who rarely goes sees the daylight. If she wants food, she will order it online. The love of her life is a manga character. Unless her house is on fire, she refuses to go outside.</em>


    <em>Kamiyama Kiyohira is the arrogant and proud CEO of Kamiyama Groups. When he meets her for the first time at the funeral of his father and stepmother, she is cursing him to rot with genital diseases at his father''s funeral.</em>


    <em>He breaks her door, destroys her house, and nearly sends her to the prison.</em>


    <em>She sticks to him like a ko and mes him for taking advantage of her during sleep.</em>


    <em>They certainly hate each other, but they can''t keep their hands off each other?</em>


    <em>He is the wicked CEO. She is the hateful Hikikomori.</em>


    <em>She is the wicked Hikikomori. He is the hateful CEO.</em>


    <em>Who is the wicked one here? It depends. Who is at the bottom and who is on the top?</em>


    <em>They are quite a match in words, bed, and hate.</em>


    <em>They hate each other so much that they keep sleeping with each other?</em>


    <em>By the way, if MC and ML are mutually sexually harassing each other, is it sexual harassment?</em>


    <em>----------------</em>


    <em>The interview with The Wicked CEO:</em>


    <em>Author: How do you draw a Hikikomori out?</em>


    <em>CEO: Demolish her house.</em>


    <em>Author: How do you trick a Hikikomori to sign a legal document?</em>


    <em>CEO: Use difficult vocabry. If she didn''t study hard in school, she won''t understand a word.</em>


    <em>Author: I see. How do you make her so mad that she tries to kill you right after she wakes up?</em>


    <em>CEO: Tell her that you have slept with her. Make sure that she misunderstands.</em>


    <em>Author: How do you seduce a Hikikomori?</em>


    <em>CEO: Read the novel and find out.</em>


    <em>Hikikomori: How dare you throw me in bed with my enemy? Come here, Author. I won''t beat you to death. Definitely, won''t beat you to death.</em>


    <em>Author: Have fun in bed.</em>


    <em>Mr CEO drags his Hikikomori wife away before she kills the author.</em>


    ***


    <strong>Miss Chicken & Her Mister</strong>


    Miss Chicken runs away from her home and bes a chicken.


    No, wait! That''s not quite right.


    She runs away from home and meets her mister first.


    Alright! That''s the beginning.


    ***


    For three years, Sin Jeong-Hyuk is looking for a voice... a voice that has moved his dead heart.


    However, the daydream is broken. She has retired from the singing world.


    Her identity is not known. Sin Jeong-Hyuk would do anything to hear her song again.


    How is he going to find her? There''s only one clue: the chicken.


    ***


    She runs away from home and ends up in a sharehouse.


    Though she has one or two secrets, she only wants to live a low-key life. Falling in love isn''t in her ns but it happens anyway.


    So, she likes kissing a certain someone and touching him here and there.


    When she tells him that she likes him, she gets chicken-zoned?


    God-daughter zoned?


    Pillow-zoned?


    Voice-zoned?


    Task-zoned?


    There''s nock of zones but it''s never love-zone.


    How did she be a chicken for real?


    A funny story about a shameless chicken who is hell-bent on making a mister love her back.


    <em>***</em>


    <strong>His Devious Harbinger: How to tame a wicked god?</strong>


    Synopsis:


    <em>Explore the story of a reborn woman who unleashes the Dark God and hriously tries to tame him into her younger brother.</em>


    <em>A modern woman is transmigrated to a young girl''s body in the world of magic. Due to the circumstances going out of her control, she releases the dark god who is only 11 years old boy with no memory?</em>


    <em>To keep herself alive, she has decided to make him love her as his older sister. With a spirit beast who likes to eat his problems and a seer who seeks her spirit beast, she traverses through realms while the dark god wonders how to get his heart back.</em>


    ***


    <strong>His mischievous time-traveler: How to capture a celebrity husband?</strong>


    Synopsis:


    <em>Kwon Kyuri is a time-traveler who ends up witnessing her own death in the future. She has only six months left before she can change her gruesome fate. Now, she must do everything in her power to change the future and live.</em>


    <em>Somehow, she ends up as a fake contract girlfriend of her future murderer.</em>


    <em>A love story surviving the time, a thousand years old promises, and mistakes that lead to broken hearts... will she able to find happiness?</em>


    <em>With a stubborn gaze, the boy tells her, "You can wander endlessly, but your destination is me."</em>


    ***


    <strong>Bad x Bad: My Dear Hana</strong>


    Synopsis:


    <em>Warning: Explicit Content/ Sensitive/Gore/ NSFW/ 18+/ R@pe/TRAGEDY</em>


    <em>This novel is not a romance. It is not a light read.</em>


    <em>Love. Sex. yboys. Murders. Jealousy. Heart Breaks. An Obsessive Serial Killer.</em>


    <em>Ahn Hana is awyer recognized for bending thew and defending the dark side of society. Now, she has to fight her fallen mind to win the battle against a serial killer who is obsessed with her.</em>


    <em>Two hours before the wedding, Ahn Hana was abandoned by her fiance. Drunk and upset, she picked up a young bad boy from the street. Waking up with no memories of the night, she found herself next to a handsome boy.</em>


    <em>What happens when she finds out that she is being fooled by a yboy? Will this arrogant and proudwyer able to resolve the murder case of the century while facing the whole nation''s hate? Will she be the real killer''s target or she will target the murderer?</em>


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!