GRR 24

Fortunately, even in Han River Park, which was filled with people everywhere you looked, there was a secluded spot. Kang Seoyoon stopped under a small tree, and Jion and Kwon Chasa followed her. They sat down on the grass. Kang Seoyoon curled up into a ball while nervously glancing at Kwon Chasa, whose expression was as cold as ice.

“Can you at least control your expression?”

“What’s wrong with my expression?”

Jion could not bring himself to say that the atmosphere here was so cold that it seemed capable of killing anyone. Thinking it would be better to focus on Kang Seoyoon rather than Kwon Chasa, Jion quickly turned towards her with a warm smile.

“Noona, I have a question.”

“……Yes.”

“How long have you been here?”

Although Jion already knew everything, he asked to lower her guard. Getting started was difficult, but once the conversation began, most of the ghosts trusted Jion and slowly began to share their stories. Instead of rushing her, Jion smiled and waited for her answer. Kang Seoyoon did not disappoint Jion and opened her mouth very cautiously.

“I’m not exactly sure how long it’s been. But… it does seem like a long time.”

“Hmm… then do you like staying here? Or… are you staying here because there is still something you want to do in this world?”

Kang Seoyoon could not answer and continued biting her lip. While there were those like Suho and Yoo Kanghyun who knew what they wanted, there were also occasionally those who did not know why they were wandering the living world.

In cases like this, time was the only cure. If he waited patiently, they would give him an answer, even if it wasn’t clear. However, Kwon Chasa sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, seemingly very frustrated. When Jion glared at him, he shamelessly shrugged, asking what he had done wrong.

“I… I’m not really sure either. I’m just scared of leaving here. It feels like I shouldn’t go…”

“You’re already dead, so what are you scared of?”

There was no hint of sarcasm in the question that burst out of Kwon Chasa’s mouth. He was genuinely curious. However, a timid soul like Kang Seoyoon had to be treated with extreme care. A single word from him could easily ruin everything.

“…If you keep doing this, I’m really going home.”

“Don’t you think I’m right, too, student?”

“No… haa… You’re right. Anyway, please wait a moment. I’ll handle the conversation.”

Jion scolded Kwon Chasa, but smiled brightly when his eyes met Kang Seoyoon’s. He didn’t want to see them engage in a chase again, so he had to lighten the mood.

“Since you’ve been here for so long, you must know this place really well, right?”

“Ah… a little….”

“I couldn’t even see the cherry blossom festival this year. Did you see it, Noona? How was it?”

“It was pretty… but I couldn’t look around for long. It gets a little scary when you go far out….”

“I saw you near the paddle boat rental place earlier. Have you tried riding a paddle boat too? Oh, I heard they have a night market these days.”

“I just watched people ride the paddle boats a few times… because they looked fun…. And as for the night market… I only looked around briefly before sunset. It gets scary at night… so I hide in places where no one is around…”

Jion, who had been persistently trying to elicit a conversation, paused for a moment.

‘She was returning home after hanging out with friends at the Han River when she was struck on the head with a blunt weapon and died on the spot.’

When combining Kwon Chasa’s words, the content of the articles he had looked up, and what Kang Seoyoon had told him, there was only one conclusion. She was consumed by the anxiety that something bad would happen to her if she left Han River Park, where she had made happy memories with her friends, though she was not aware of it herself.

Then what should be done? What could be done to soothe her anxiety, even just a little? After pondering the matter, Jion gasped and smiled brightly.

“Noona, would you like to go to the night market with me today?”

“…With you?”

Maybe she would be less scared if someone were by her side. With that thought in mind, Jion made a suggestion to Kang Seoyoon.

“Yes! I’ve never been to a night market before. Please recommend some good food. And… please tell me if there are any places you were afraid to go alone. Let’s go together.”

Even if she was scared when alone, that eeriness will gradually fade as they walk together. If, by gradually expanding the scope in this way, she finally left Han River Park and allowed her to personally experience that nothing bad would happen even when she was outside, the fear rooted in her heart might lessen a little.

Jion stared at Kang Seoyeon as her gaze wandered, seemingly lost in thought. Yet, he didn’t forget to smile. Kang Seoyoon, who had been fidgeting nervously with her hands while hesitating, nodded toward Jion after she made up her mind. With this, they had effectively overcome the biggest hurdle.

Jion took a breather and pulled out his phone before searching for the Han River Park Night Market in the internet search bar. He had wondered why the crowds were gathering in large numbers, and it seemed to be because five o’clock, the opening time for the night market, was approaching. He thought it would be a good idea to head over there soon.

“They say it starts at five. Shall we go?”

As Jion bravely got up, Kang Seoyoon also cautiously stood up. Jion checked the map one more time to see which direction to go, but stopped short of taking a step. It was because Kwon Chasa, who had been silent, suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Why are you wasting time? We didn’t come here to play.”

The displeasure etched on his face was reflected in Jion’s eyes. Even though he must have heard everything Kang Seoyoon had said, Kwon Chasa still could not understand.

Just as Kwon Chasa and Yu Chasa’s personalities were completely different, ghosts also differ in personality and disposition from soul to soul, so the effective methods vary, but they hadn’t considered that.

Jion had suspected it ever since he brandished the buwol at Suho, but he could tell how this grim reaper had been doing his job. Perhaps that method was effective, which was why he had stuck to it exclusively.

Jion walked a few steps ahead, then stopped and smiled at Kang Seoyoon, who was waiting for him, before speaking to Kwon Chasa.

“Even if you say that to her now, she’ll just run away again. Just wait a little while.”

It was actually for the best. Rather than struggling to persuade him with lengthy explanations, he thought it would be better to take this opportunity to show him his way from start to finish. Since they might have to work together again in the future, it was better to break his prejudices and stubbornness, even if only a little.

Jion smiled confidently and hurriedly ran toward Kang Seoyoon. Kwon Chasa stared at his retreating figure and let out a small, hollow laugh. He didn’t know what Jion was relying on to be so certain, but it was better to step back and observe rather than actively intervene at this moment.

‘Kwon Chasa-nim, you must do exactly as the living person says… Understood?’

It was only belatedly that he recalled what Yu Chasa had earnestly urged him to do. Kwon Chasa trudged after Jion with both hands stuffed into his pants pockets. He walked across the noisy park a couple of steps behind, looking neither part of the group nor separate while surveying his surroundings. Just being in such a crowded and noisy space made him feel tired.

Should he return to being a grim reaper so he would be invisible to human eyes? There was what Yeomra had said, and he had tried to remain human whenever possible when with Jion to avoid too much of the underworld’s energy getting on him, but as he pushed his way through the growing crowd, the impulse naturally arose.

“Ahjussi!”

Just then, upon hearing the sound of a voice calling him, Kwon Chasa’s eyes became clear. When he looked up, he saw Jion raising his hand high and gesturing to him.

Kwon Chasa frowned, annoyed that Jion had once again used a title he had already corrected once. As he approached, Jion pointed to the sign of a food truck with his fingertips. Jion’s innocent face looked so carefree that it brought a wry smile to his face. It also was the perfect face for a youngster of that age.

“I’m going to eat this. Would you like some, Ahjussi?”

“Why do you keep calling me ‘Ahjussi’? I told you to call me ‘Chasa’.”

“That’s a really peculiar title to other people, you know? They might look at me strangely. I should be careful just in case.”

It was obvious that Jion was teasing him, but his voice was serious. Just as he was about to say that humans were less interested in others than one might think, Kang Seoyoon, who was standing right beside Jion, spoke up.

“Jion-ssi, rather than this… they say the food sold at that truck over there is tastier. I heard people saying that the other day.”

“Oh, really? Then let’s go over there.”

He had even exchanged names with a ghost in that brief moment. Kwon Chasa laughed in disbelief as he followed behind Jion.