A/N:
It has been a long time.
Sorry for the delay...
I am not going to tell all the excuses, but I had my reasons... anyway, hope you would enjoy this chapter. :)
Disclaimer- non of the recognisable characters nor concepts, from the original BOF drama, Lockwood and co or Owari No Seraph are mine. Though there are some concepts and theories I have made up myself or found in various Asian folklores I have read about.
Ps. It was Ga Eul who entered the state of 'Namanari' forgive me if that wasn't super clear back then.
Malaise- a feeling of despondent lethargy. Often experienced when a ghost is approaching.
Miesma- An unpleasant atmosphere often including disagreeable smells and tastes.
samgakdo- the traditional Korean sword.
Gueraedo- even though.
Chapter five: The Curious.
What was it really? The interesting ' thing' about being a psychic? Probably not the ghosts. Don't get it wrong, ghosts could be interesting sometimes ...but it is just not always. Coming to know from previous encounters, if you had ever worked in the field, you may find out that it is not quite the sight you would like to see before dinner. Ghosts—unlike demons—do not appear in their purest forms—not always, though they could form illusions sometimes, as soon as it falls out, they would be the limbless creatures lurking around with rotten meat hanging from their exposed bones, mouths gaped, eyes hollow—if you are lucky, or if not—worms dangling out from them.
...I'd say, they are better in the eye sockets than in the mouth... those filthy annelids eat the inside of your cheek and dangles out making greasy sounds while digesting it...
Ga Eul choked on her porridge.
"Here, have a glass of water!" Yi Jeong poured a glass for her while Master slapped her back.
She coughed and made a gesture from her hand for Master to stop, and took the glass that Yi Jeong had offered.
"Gumao..."
Yi Jeong, who had left his seat and was at her side within a blink of an eye, stared as she gulped the water in few sips.
"Gwen chanaeyo?" He asked.
"Ye.. I am fine.. Gumao.. sunbae.." she smiled at him.
"What happened?" it was Master.
"Anniyo .. it's just_ Agh! Baekga!"
She heard the sound of ghostly cackling... The demon was rocking back and forth.
Both Master and Yi Jeong sighed in relief. The boys had grown more and more concerned of her, ever since their last case.
It has been two months passed after the case of the ' Maiden at the beach villa' that Ga Eul had finally made up her mind to let go of the grief and accept what had happened. The man was already gone—filing lawsuits were pointless. What the ghost had wanted? Not quite sure— why it went after men or why it attempted to kill them, though Master would often guess that it was after love— men in love—and tried to kill them in attempt to pull them to her world. She was lonely —he explained, often with a glance at Yi Jeong.
Even Baekga—the demon, never forgot to tease Ga Eul of the subject. But neither her nor Yi Jeong had admitted any of them. Not even when Master himself had caught them red handed, asleep on the sofa ' cuddling'—he said—each other. Yet for his greatest dismay, there were no evidence left for him to prove. Maybe he should have captured some evidence, rather than chuckling at the couple in embrace, saving it for a late attempt to corner So Yi Jeong. Call it ' attempt', as his every effort was smoothly dismissed with a dashing smile and a sweet compliment for his cooking.
A Casanova was named as it not without reason—Master thought, who was left to assume that it was a hallucination.
So Yi Jeong , still remained a mystery as ever. Though both Ga Eul and Master had opened up about their reasons to be interested in dead, he had never told his. Every time the subject was brought for discussion he managed to slid away with a smirk or a compliment without answering it. Master was curious though, enough that he once even had gathered up his courage to ask from Song Woo Bin, one of Yi Jeong's closest friends since very young ages, but it seemed that neither did he know the reason.
As for Ga Eul, even if she sometimes sensed the slightest of affection growing in between them, all that were flushed away by a mere glance at him, having a much prettier woman in each of his arms. Affection—though more like friendship—she called it—the caring ness of So Yi Jeong, which often switched on and off. He one time had the face of great worry for a choking Ga Eulyang, then once she was okay, picked up a call—probably from one of his ' female admirers', casually excusing himself, flawlessly flirting along the way and returning back, after setting up a date, settled back on his chair, calmly picking up his chopsticks—entirely unapologetic, if not for the short pause he had caused in dinner.
It was in fact an early dinner, saving the better part of the night for their case—in part. And in part, for the said reasons regarding the appearance of ghosts . Not even So Yi Jeong had wanted to lose his appetite for it.
"So?... No records of any event happened in there?"
"neh..." Master nodded, in slight disappointment. " Gueraedo..." his eyes gave a glint. " There are some interesting things..."
"Interesting?" Yi Jeong glanced at Master, having the last sip from his wine.
Ga Eul, who had being stirring her pumpkin porridge for hours by then, also had lifted up her head, when Master stood up from the table to hurry back to his room.
...
...
Their client, Miss Jung Myung Hee, was a twenty four year old, young model, who lived alone in her expensive apartment, almost at the heart of Seoul. As for her apartment—a bit too fancy—Ga Eul might have called, if not she had lived in the fanciest apartment in all Seoul with one of the most selective of their cloths, So Yi Jeong himself.
In second thoughts, maybe they were in the wrong address. Their chauffeur had probably dropped them at one of his admirer's, than their client's, as from the moment Ga Eul had stepped in there, she caught no sound, not even the slightest of a whisper. The house was silent—psychically.
Though physically, it was not.
Since the very moment they had stepped in, the apartment filled with giggles of young Miss Jung. Despite being a victim of an unwanted visitor, as she had said so, she was overwhelming with joy to see young and dashing So Yi Jeong at her doorstep. It was only a matter of seconds had the couple started flirting.
Compliments exchanged, while smirks and chuckles decorated their faces. The maids came in and out, carrying flavours of wine as the table occupied with many sweets and treats.
"Umm... Jeongshshi?" feathery eye lashes fluttered.
"Hm?" Yi Jeong, whose eyes were curiously wondering around the room, darted back at Miss Jung who giggled at the mere act.
Ga Eul rolled her eyes. Master sighed, who was sure tired of being an interruption for this so-called 'client interview' which was barely not a date.
"Is it tea or wine for your butler and maid?"
Silence...
"But_ler?" Master dropped his cookie.
"Maid?" Ga Eul shot a glare at the grinning woman, as Beakga started choking inside her head.
...ooh! What a classy insult! I am impressed!...
"Mwo-ra-go? (what did you say)" Ga Eul murmured under her breath, still holding up her glare.
...jealous aren't you? ...so is she... Baekga chuckled. ... can't you sense it?...gueraedo, I am at your side... just give me the word...
"Mwo?"
...Aren't you planning murder? I could help you if you want... to rip her head off... you know? As a granting of favour... he said in his usual smug tone. Ga Eul pursed her lips, inwardly gritting her teeth.
"Huh?" the woman scoffed. " Didn't you just glare? Jeongsshi, didn't your_"
"_associate." Yi Jeong corrected. He had his stern stare settled on her face. " Miss Ga Eul and hyungnim here, are my associates... I thought I was clear about that... on beforehand..." and retreated back to his less formal grin.
"Oh!" she blinked in disbelief. She may have never thought that he would take their side over hers. "I... I-I have probably... missed that part..." she chuckled nervously. " Anyone want more cookies? I'll get you some..." and grabbed the plate, before disappearing to the kitchen.
"Gumaweo..." Master mouthed at Yi Jeong who shot him a tired smile as he let out an exhale, relaxing his cheek muscles after the endless grinning.
By the time Miss Jung had returned, Ga Eul had excused herself to the washroom. So far it was only the malaise and miesma that crept around midnight that they were able to get out from her, as any useful information about the haunting, though they were given a good lot about her private estates, properties and even her contacts, if you could count it as ' information', when specifically handed over to So Yi Jeong.
As for the lack of significance given for his presence, Master had long given up on noting down her points—if there was any in the first place. And instead, he just kept his old voice recorder switched on, while busying himself in emptying the plate of cookies.
...
...
It was that same voice recorder he had with him, when he returned back from his room.
... oh no! Not That!... AGAIN?!..ugh!... Ga Eul could hear the demon scowling from inside her head, as Master pressed the button to play the recording. ... can't we go back to the worm talk?... it's far more interesting than THAT!...
Ga Eul couldn't agree any more. Though she swore that the only miesma she had sensed back then, was due to that nonstop giggling, she now had to focus on whatever thing Master had found interesting.
.. ..Don't forget that pouting! Reminds me of an enlarged version of tubular feet!...
Ga Eul straightened. "How did you?_"
... I have once possessed a marine biologist...
"Eh?"
...hehehe... ooh! And That pig like snorting?...
"Neh, neh... Baekga, I comm_"
...That doesn't work anymore... remember?...
True, that command had recently fallen out of power. Means: Ga Eul had no way to silent the demon from whispering gross things to her brain. To annoy her even more, the girl's giggling and Yi Jeong's smooth seductive voice, flowed out from the speaker.
Both Yi Jeong and Ga Eul leaned back on their chairs. Yi Jeong tapped the glass table with the tips of his fingers while Ga Eul kept stirring her porridge. The recording seemed to last forever—Ga Eul thought.
But luckily for her, it did not.
Barely five minutes passed, it stopped abruptly.
Yi Jeong's fingers paused. And so was Ga Eul's stirring. It was only Master who blew his nose loud and sound.
"The tape ended?"
"Ani..." Master wiped his nose, sniffing even louder, and took out his laptop. The wave form of the recording displayed on the screen.
"This is the voices... more accurately, the human voices..." he pointed at the bigger waves. " .. and these... are supposed to be the background noise..." and enlarged the little scribble between the large sound waves, before replaying the soundtrack again.
A buzzing sound filled the room. More like a bee, humming from a distance.
"The buzzing... neh ... I've heard that before!..." Ga Eul stood up and went to the laptop. " but thought that was the air conditioner or the refrigerator... couldn't it be?"
"Neh, neh... it could have been..." Master again blew his nose, before stretching his arm to open another file.
"Gueraedo, this is the purified version of that noise ..." and played. Yi Jeong bounced up from his chair, accompanying Ga Eul at her side, who had her jaw dropped, while staring at the screen.
"Yigo?!" Yi Jeong widened his eyes, as he turned to Master, who had retreated back to sniffing.
"Guerae..." he nodded.
It sounded like the busiest of street markets, hundreds of people screaming, shouting, talking and muttering. All at once.
And all together...
Though non of what they said was quite clear.
"Is it_"
"A foreign language, isn't it?"
Master nodded. "Maybe.."
Yi Jeong replayed the track.
"There are hundreds of them... or maybe, even thousands..." he sniffed. "Will you two be able to manage that alone?"
"Eh?" Ga Eul turned at him.
"I don't think... I'd be able to come_"
Aa...Aa..ACHCHOO!
"_In this state..."
...
...
...
"Don't be nervous..." Yi Jeong gave a squeeze on her hand. " .. just a quick look around... nothing more..."and shot an assuring grin, before she switched her sight back to the passing pedestrians.
Seated on the backseat, they kept staring out at the busy street, while their chauffeur drove towards ' Luxury Elegance'—the ninety storey building standing at the heart of Seoul, which apparently had its seventieth floor as haunted as an ancient grave yard.
Their client, Miss Jung Myung Hee, had made a call the evening before, reminding them of the urgency. Only a few days ahead, a party was to be held at her residence and she clearly did not want any of her guests to feel foul tastes and smells, while sipping a cocktail at her mini bar. The party—on the other hand, was probably something overlooked by Master, who had more interest on the case, and who sadly had to spend his night in front of the TV, himself being wrapped in three blankets, emptying a bowl of cheese bytes, leaving So Yi Jeong and Chu Ga Eul alone to engage with their case.
A cluster of ghosts—was the interesting thing about it. No record of a graveyard nor a possible burial underneath it. Can't say if there was such at the time of Silla, everything is possible, when considering the long passage of time. But then the question appeared—why the 'seventieth' ? Could have being the first, second or even the entire building... but non of Miss Jung's neighbours were told to be disturbed.
Ga Eul let a sigh escape. No matter what, better it not be a tragic love affair like the one before... She had had it enough back then.
Ga Eul felt nothing more than pure despair for the woman. As said before, there wasn't much left for them to do. They gave her bones a proper burial, and the ring along with them, secured in an iron box. Her spirit didn't rise anymore, was probably trapped inside the box.
Ga Eul sighed again.
Karma... isn't it?
Hmm... the demon nodded. ... better her grudge won't stand long... or she'd be trapped in there for thousands of years...not being able to head for another life... it smirked—sympathetically—something rare for a demon. ... and even if she would... who knows? If she would be reincarnated as a snake or a dog?... or maybe...a worm?... and returned back to his sarcasm, though Ga Eul remained silent.
...karma... is unpredictable...and unpredictably cruel...
she would have sensed the self sympathy in those whispers, if not her mind had swayed far away... for something else.
Love...
is it that... dangerous?...
Ga Eul wondered, as her sight shifted towards the boy seated not far away from her, forehead resting on hand, arm bended at the elbow, resting on the arm rest, eyes fairly closed, probably dozing off as his hair leaned on the window. She studied his features, the playful mess of hair, the sharp and handsome nose, thin passionate lips and mysterious yet piercing eyes...
Guerae... he was irresistible... Ga Eul thought.
Gueraedo...
Sunbae... have you ever been in love?...
"Huh?" Yi Jeong gave a flinch. Ga Eul looked away, barely missing his eyes, as they snapped open.
"Aish!.."
She made a little fist to poke her own head, reminding herself, not to loud think around him.
... you are blushing...
The demon chuckled.
...Don't turn now... he might see it...
She felt him stretching, " Ga Eulyang, Gwen chanaeyo?" and then yawned.
"Aish!" she kept avoiding him.
"Ga Eulyang?_" Yi Jeong leaned closer to her face, expecting an answer.
Look now!...
"Ouch!"
Their heads bumped. Ga Eul turned around immediately, blushing even more cursing the cackling demon and herself for believing its nasty words.
"Mian hae ..." Yi Jeong chuckled, rubbing his forehead. " Would you mind getting out?"
"Eh?"
"We are here."
...
...
...
"Don't look now."
Ga Eul froze her gaze at the open door right in front of her.
"Waeyo?"
"There are two of them." Yi Jeong answered. His voice was plain, without hints of fear.
"Oh!" a shiver ran through her spine. Two pale figures of women, dressed in old fashioned flowery dresses were standing at the end of the corridor. Their eye lids fluttered in a flirty way, as their mouths twisted to an enormous grin, stretching their cheeks as if to rip them apart.
Ga Eul had to admit, ghosts looked more scary when they were grinning than when scowling.
... probably her ancestors... had received a fair burial though... Baekga sounded bored.
Another figure ran through them, vanishing at the door. It was a boy.
By then, they had spotted about twenty visitors, appearing here and there, all around the apartment. A neck twisted man—probably a worker fallen from height—at the kitchen, an old couple at the bathroom, a bloodied college student hanging from the ceiling in the bedroom and another couple of bloodied figures who had presumably met with traffic accidents.
"Hyung was right... this place is overflowing with them..."
Ga Eul could see his stern stare fixed on another figure.
"Not a shadow of a ghost in any other floor, though... which means..."
Ga Eul waited. Their faces shone in the flash light.
"Which means?"
"Something is attracting them." He flashed a quick smile.
...ooh! Smart kid!.. I told you so...
"Arasso. Let's call it a night." Yi Jeong turned around to head back to the main door.
"But Sunbae didn't she_"
"_ we better come earlier tomorrow... and probably with more research."
That was said. They turned to leave.
There was nothing to be afraid of ghosts after all, apart from their hideous appearance and sometimes manipulative whispers. If you had the right control of yourself, there was nothing to fear. Yet it was different when it came to demons. And even more, if it was a vengeful one. They could possess, and conduct harm. Powerful demons were able to attract other phantoms, that would scarcely exist if not for their presence.
So Yi Jeong was unaware of these knowledge, though his instincts highly commanded him to leave the premises as soon as possible.
They were passing the living room when their flash lights suddenly began to flicker and dim.
Ga Eul hit hers, with her palm, but no luck, it went off after a matter of seconds.
"Sunbae.."
"Stay calm." Yi Jeong ordered, as his light went off as well, drowning them in the surrounding darkness.
"let's try to find the lights..." and he headed to where he thought the walls were.
Just then, a hand grabbed his throat. Fingers wrapped his neck, suffocating his breath while nails dug deep into his flesh.
Yi Jeong grabbed the hands, and tried to free himself, pulling them off. But their grip was strong, hard to pull off.
His struggles made him kick something hard.
And,
Clang!
made it fall to the floor.
The grip loosened. Hands fell to the sides.
Thud!
Another something fell to the floor.
Yi Jeong rushed to the lights and switched them on, only to find Ga Eul on floor, unconscious.
Not far away from her, a samgakdo fully sheathed inside, had fallen from its wooden supports, those still stood on the cabinet.
Yi Jeong rushed over to Ga Eul.
"Ga Eulyang! Gwen chanaeyo? Open your eyes! Ga Eulyang, Do you hear me? Gwen chanaeyo?.. Ga Eulyang?!..."
Taking her head to his lap, he shook her wildly, slapping her cheeks.
Her eyelids slowly opened, calming Yi Jeong's terror. He allowed himself an exhale.
"Gwen chanaeyo?"
She nodded.
Yet, it wasn't the glint of red in her pupils that shaded back into her soft coffee brown eyes that first caught him.
It was her nails.
Her fingernails, were red.
Red and wet, leaving Yi Jeong in utter curiosity.
–to be continued.
A/N:leave a review with your ideas. :)
22.04.2021- I will update, sometime around this weekend.
:)