Ghost Fire

An LLS Production


十一: ䷋ – Obstruction

"You invited him over."

"Yes."

I breathed through my mouth, changed to my nose, and wondered about the methods of killing demons. Peach wood, talismans, and... well, I couldn't kill Jogae-nuna by any means, but I could damn well try. "You said that humans can't get into contact with demons, but you're flinging me at him. Why?"

"You're a smart boy."

I wanted to flinch at her choice of words, but it was technically true. I had lived for over a thousand years, technically, and yet I would still be a babe compared to Jogae-nuna in pure experience, if not power alone.

Age had a way of working out as either a crippling factor or an augmentation of power. I don't know how invertebrates differed from mammals, but I'd heard that Jogae-nuna could have enough power to rival the deities of the Celestial Bureaucracy.

"There's... something important." I counted. "About Hyung."

If Hyung managed to grab Jogae-nuna's attention... I mentally shuddered. Normal yokwe would not survive Jogae-nuna's undivided attentions. With that said, there was also no reason for her to even contact Hyung except... about me.

Okay. Expand that. What little matter am I forgetting?

No, discard that. What has changed?

"We had sex. That... changed your plans?" I asked for clarification.

"Remember why, Ewon," Jogae-nuna reminded me. "Why did you first choose to be human?"

Oh.

"The Hwarang surfaced?" I asked her. "He's reincarnated? That person is here?"

"Yes."

"Take me to him."

"But he will not fall for you."

"I..." I nodded. "That's fine. Each of us have... our lives."

"Even though you loved that person, Ewon?"

"Which person?!"

I jumped about a metre into the air as Hyung stormed into the meeting room that was supposed to be excluded to all humans. This was Jogae-nuna's domain – she must have let him in.

"Which prick d'you have this time, Jung Ewon?!" he shouted. Why is he so furious, why is he-

"I don't have any, bastard!" I yelled back at him. "It's a thousand years ago, he's dead now!"

"..."

"I..." I closed my eyes. "I have waited a thousand years to know that he was alright. He was the first person to show me kindness. I cannot let this go, Hyungnim. He promised that he would come back. Once this promise is fulfilled, I can finally move on with my life."

Hyung had rapidly deflated. "...that had better be all."

"It will be," I promised at the same moment that Jogae-nuna added, "That's not all."

I whirled on her. "My life is not a drama!" I shouted back at her. "You can't just throw loops at me and watch me suffer! Just bring me to him, Nuna!"

She looked puzzled. "But I have brought him to you. Reincarnation and all. I have kept my word."

"What d'you mean? The only person here is-" I stopped talking.

The reincarnation must be older than this identity – already born when I met Jogae-hyung. And he must have integrity – but what form was never actually specified. Cheonglyeom, bojeon, wanjeon...

Mugyeol.

To Hyung's confusion, I then reached closer to Jogae-nuna. "Oh. Oh. Oh?"

She patted my head. "He can't fall in love if he's already fallen, can he?"

I shook my head. I hadn't actually thought or imagined much beyond finding the man, and repaying – how, I couldn't figure out, but there were a myriad variety of tales about bulyeowoo like me.

Stupid, foolish foxes who played at strength and tricked men and ate livers – kind, foolish foxes celebrated as the partners and spouses of heroes and heroines – downfalls of castles and countries – founders of kingdoms and great works.

"What just happened?" Hyung asked, like it was none of his business. In a way... all of this was my unilateral decision to chase him.

"A resolution." My back straightened and I turned to Hyung.

Hyung's face screwed up in distaste. "Didn't you need to find a man? A... reincarnation?"

"I already found him," I smirked at Hyung. "I have good news and bad news for you, Hyungnim. Which do you want to hear?"

His dark eyes, already confused by my vulpine nature and the fact that I'm flashing my tails now, fell. One hand moved to his watch – he was definitely in a killing mood. "The bad."

"You see, I'm totally captivated by the man who rescued me a thousand years ago," I cooed, half-giggling. "I spent a thousand years waiting for him, never caring or noticing that cities fell and rose around me, that forests were cleared and the fates of humans lived and died, and I rose only to join human society to find him again."

"And the good news?" he growled.

"I found him," I stated, "and he turns out to be the dumb, pretentious, gangster fuck who punched me at Bae-Hyun Elementary, again at Jiho's setup and punched me again when I admitted to being the one to grab his balls. So," I continued as his face slackened, laughing in the great heaves of hysteria as I spoke with the half-hysteria of someone who has just been struck dumb by the world and its terrible coincidences again. "I should've fallen out of love with him, this is terrible, but I can't look away because he's also a gentle boss and responsible account-keeper and a somewhat legit businessman with a dubious background. And I've found my life's purpose after finding him but I've never considered, what comes after? What do I do now? What do I do now?"

I laughed, and I kept laughing when I saw the dumbstruck and elated look on his face, like he doesn't understand the complexity of this bouquet of emotions running in my veins and heart.

Jogae-nuna had left, and the domain left with her. The pair of us were left in an abandoned storeroom, paint peeling with each peal of laughter I sent, tile cracking with each flame I summon to wreath around me, and dust shifting with barely a whisper as he stared at me with dark eyes and reached through the ghost fires to pull me through the curtain for a kiss. We were left as we were in the dust and the darkness like a pair of mortals discarded and broken by the vagaries of fate.

What fools these mortals be.


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