GRR 21

When Kwon Chasa came to the convenience store to see him, saying he would erase his memories, the manager treated him as if he were just a customer. And when he came to the school, it certainly seemed like no one else had seen him besides him.

He didn’t know the principle behind it, but as he had said before, he must be in a state of humanization. After reaching that conclusion, Jion held out a straw to Kwon Chasa. Kwon Chasa stared at Jion with the banana milk and straw in his hand.

“When do you finish?”

“In a little bit. I can leave once the manager arrives.”

“Then come out after you’re done. I’ll be outside.”

As if he didn’t need to hear an answer, Kwon Chasa quickly turned around and left the convenience store.

After checking the time and seeing that the manager would arrive soon, Jion checked the cash register in advance. Not long after, Jion quickly handed over the responsibilities to the manager who had just arrived, gathered his belongings, and stepped outside to see Kwon Chasa sitting on the terrace drinking banana milk.

He looked like he would never touch sweet food. The sight of him sucking up banana milk with a straw between his lips was jarring, as it didn’t match his appearance. As Jion approached to sit opposite him, Kwon Chasa shook his head and stood up. He abruptly handed Jion a banana milk carton with the top wrapper unpeeled and a straw inserted.

“Follow me.”

Jion took the banana milk and hurriedly followed behind Kwon Chasa. He stopped walking and placed his palm on the ground only after entering the alley where they had taken Suho. Just as it had been at school, a gate appeared before Jion’s eyes.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you taking it?”

After opening the door, Kwon Chasa extended his hand to Jion. Although he should have become accustomed to going through this gate to the hanok by now, holding hands still felt awkward. Jion hesitantly took Kwon Chasa’s hand, but he relaxed once he felt the warmth today, unlike at school.

As they entered the place as bright as midday, Jion found himself frowning. Following behind Kwon Chasa, who had let go of his hand without hesitation and started walking, Jion cautiously asked a question.

“But Ahjussi, I heard this isn’t the living world. Then is this the underworld? My cell phone isn’t working, and the internet isn’t either…”

Since he would be coming and going often in the future, so wouldn’t it be a good idea to know exactly where it is? It would also be good to know how to find his way here alone in case of an emergency. Jion, who had been walking and speaking with these thoughts in mind, stopped in his tracks. It was because Kwon Chasa had suddenly come to a halt.

What is this? Did I ask something I shouldn’t have? Is it some kind of taboo that must never be revealed? Jion endured the cold stare looking down at him.

I should have just kept my mouth shut…Jion bit his lip in regret.

“Kwon Chasa.”

“…Yes?”

Kwon Chasa randomly said. When Jion, unable to understand, asked again, he opened his mouth once more.

“Call me Kwon Chasa.”

“Huh…?”

“I have a title, so why do you call me ‘Ahjussi’?”

Jion had been bracing himself because the atmosphere had turned so serious, but he instantly let his guard down. Jion looked up at Kwon Chasa, who was staring at him with eyes as black as his clothes, and sighed in disbelief.

“Are you … angry because I called you ‘Ahjussi’?”

“I’m not exactly angry, but it’s a bit upsetting. Come to think of it, didn’t you call me ‘Ahjussi’ last time too?”

“You told Suho to call you ‘Ahjussi’ yourself.”

“That kid is young, so ‘Ahjussi’ is correct. But aren’t you going to be an adult soon?”

As Kwon Chasa shrugged and scurried inside first, only surprised gasps escaped from Jion’s lips. He wasn’t even human, he was a grim reaper, so why was he making such a serious face as if being called “ahjussi” was such a big deal?

Jion laughed, belatedly went inside, and headed straight for the living room. Kwon Chasa was already sitting comfortably on the sofa.

“So, what were you saying earlier? Asking if this is the underworld?”

As Jion sat on the sofa, Kwon Chasa leaned back and asked a question. Jion fiddled with the banana milk and answered cautiously.

“Yes. It doesn’t really seem like there is day or night, and cell phones don’t work… I asked Yu Chasa before, and he said it’s not exactly the living world…”

“It has an address in the living world, and this house is visible to human eyes. However, since it stands on the boundary with the underworld, it is not fully influenced by the living world. The main gate leading inside belongs to the underworld, so ordinary humans cannot find the entrance. Though, you might be able to see it.”

He had heard the explanation, but he felt even more confused. He thought about asking more questions, but he suppressed his curiosity, fearing he would just get nagged. He should have just asked Yu Chasa back then. It was a shame that they couldn’t talk for longer because class was right around the corner.

Come to think of it, the kind Yu Chasa was nowhere to be seen today. Jion looked around, placed the banana milk on the table, and asked.

“What about Yu Chasa-nim?”

“He’s working. He’s probably crossing the Samdo River right now.”

Kwon Chasa picked up a register from the table. As the register was suddenly thrust in front of him, Jion took it in a daze. He couldn’t help but frown as he carefully flipped through the pages. It was entirely in hanja, so he had absolutely no idea what the contents were about.

Although he occasionally saw familiar characters, deciphering them was impossible. As he placed the register down on the table, Kwon Chasa let out a mocking laugh and picked it up again. There was no hesitation in the way he flipped through the pages.

“Her name is Kang Seoyoon. She was twenty three at the time of her death. As of the time she has stayed in the living world… in just 46 more days, it will be exactly one year.”

It was only after hearing Kwon Chasa’s words that Jion realized what he was looking at was not a simple book, but a register of the dead. The person named Kang Seoyoon that Kwon Chasa mentioned was the deceased person whom he needed to meet and hear the story of.

To think that it would be a year if he just completed 46 more days. She was someone who had stayed in the living world longer than Suho or Yoo Kanghyun. Jion hurriedly took out his phone, launched the memo app, and entered what he had heard from Kwon Chasa.

“Yu Chasa went to check it out first, and she was completely terrified, and later just kept running away. She was impossible to communicate with, and naturally, she didn’t respond even when her name was called. Yu Chasa earnestly urged me to go with you.”

‘Terrified’…For some reason, that word reminded him of Suho crouching under a streetlamp. What was Kang Seoyoon so afraid of that she was refusing to go to the underworld? Jion focused a little more on Kwon Chasa’s words.

“From what I heard from other grim reapers who tried to take Kang Seoyoon in the past, it seems she moves around a little during the morning or day. Although all she does is wander around nearby watching humans and staring at the Han River flowing.”

“…The Han River? Is she a water ghost…?”

He had heard from his grandfather that people who drowned and harbored a grudge usually became water ghosts that even Yeomra could not do anything about. Since their notoriety was so high, his heart dropped, but fortunately, Kwon Chasa shook his head. As he let out a sigh of relief, Kwon Chasa, who had been expressionless the whole time, suddenly chuckled.

“Are you scared of water ghosts?”

“…Grandpa said that water ghosts are the most dangerous and scary. He told me that even if I noticed other ghosts, I should never acknowledge a water ghost. He said they lure living people into the water.”

It was the single piece of advice his grandfather him, who wouldn’t even heed his warning to pretend not to see the ghosts. He warned him never to acknowledge them, as water ghosts detect those with spiritual eyes with uncanny accuracy. He could recall how serious his grandfather’s expression had been when he told him that. Even now, years later, it remained vivid in his memory.

“Your grandfather really knows what he’s talking about. But I guess he didn’t tell you it’s best not to get involved with ghosts in the first place?”

“…So, what exactly do I need to do?”

We’ve already signed the contract and agreed to help, so why is he still nagging? Jion grumbled to himself, but changed the subject, fearing that bringing it up would only prolong the topic. He had heard that kind of nagging so much that he was about to achieve enlightenment.

Kwon Chasa just smirked as if he could see right through Jion, then slowly flipped through the register again and continued speaking.

“You have to make her face reality so she’ll have the will to go to the underworld. Tell her that if she keeps acting like this, she’ll fall into hell, so she need to go to the underworld as soon as possible.”

“…Do I really have to explain it that way? You could have put it in a nicer way.”

Even if that were the truth, he could have explained it in a much more pleasant way, so Jion wasn’t particularly pleased with Kwon Chasa’s blunt way of speaking. As Jion sighed in frustration, Kwon Chasa continued speaking with a cold, expressionless face.