Chapter 77
The man with black flames?
It was truly a ghost story name I had never heard before. Unlike Lee Joo-i who immediately recalled this woman.
A new ghost story?
Nothing immediately came to mind at the mention of ‘the man with black flames.’
‘Was there a ghost story I didn’t know about?’
I wracked my brain.
Since I couldn’t use my top of the class glasses in front of Lee Joo-i, I tried my best to trace back my thoughts.
The man with black flames…
Black flames…
Black flames?
Black…!!
Ah…
I remembered.
I reconfirmed with Lee Joo-i about what I had recalled.
“Officer Lee, does the ghost story ‘the man with black flames’ refer to someone with black flames surrounding his head area, dressed in a black suit?”
To my deep, low-voiced question, Lee Joo-i responded.
“Yes… that’s correct. It seems that… Team A has also… submitted some reports… regarding this ghost…”
If it was the one I knew about, I asked Lee Joo-i an additional question.
“…Officer Lee. May I ask what grade the agency has classified this ghost story as?”
“The grade for the man with black flames… has not yet been… definitively… determined.”
Lee Joo-i’s voice conveyed considerable gravity.
“However…”
Lee Joo-i expressed her personal opinion about the current ghost story.
“I… consider that ghost story… to be ‘S-grade’.”
“…I see. I don’t have any specific information to share since nothing definitive has been communicated to me yet… but there is one thing I can tell you.”
“Let’s… hear it.”
In response to Lee Joo-i’s serious tone, I also composed myself and added my thoughts on the matter.
“It would be best to avoid approaching that ghost story, the man with black flames, if possible.”
“…May I ask… why?”
The reason…
To Lee Joo-i who wanted to hear the reason, I lowered my gaze slightly toward the floor.
I answered in a low voice.
“…Actually, I have encountered that ghost story before.”
“!!”
Lee Joo-i’s eyes widened.
Lee Joo-i, who had not shown any emotional reaction throughout our conversation until now, responded. Even those eyes that seemed to be focusing on my voice.
While observing Lee Joo-i’s reaction.
I continued speaking.
“Although I encountered it only once. Through its characteristically calm tone, I felt a presence different in dimension from all the ghost stories I had met before.”
“…’It was an ghost beyond specifications.’… Is that what you want to say?”
“I got the feeling that it was an ghost that would bring calamity… so I ran away at that time. I was lucky.”
“……”
Lee Joo-i closed her mouth after hearing my story.
It was as if she was concentrating all her attention on every word of my voice.
Concentrating…
If she was concentrating on my voice.
This is what I wanted to convey with certainty.
“The fortunate thing is that it seemed to have no interest in humans like us.”
“…Can you take responsibility for those words… Employee Park Yeon-jeong?”
Lee Joo-i’s imposing voice pierced my ears.
It wasn’t a nuance of reprimanding me.
Just…
Lee Joo-i’s concerned voice, as if telling me to understand the weight of my words.
However, I answered firmly.
“Yes, I can be certain.”
Park Yeon-jeong’s eyes looked at Lee Joo-i before him with a gaze more resolute than ever before.
Lee Joo-i, who had been staring at the determined gaze of a man with cold eyes.
Tightly closed her eyes.
And turned her head.
“Employee Park Yeon-jeong. I will… heed… your words.”
Tak-
After hearing my final story, Lee Joo-i’s steps once again stretched toward the ghost story general store.
There was not a hint of hesitation in her gait.
As I watched Lee Joo-i’s retreating figure.
Step-
I also took a step.
I put my foot forward in the direction I needed to go, and walked forward silently.
Silently…
I took heavy steps.
Stagger-!
……
A man’s footsteps were heavier than any other moment until now.
Really heavy.
*****
When I returned to Seongsu Station Exit 1.
Fortunately, there was no sign of Kim Ha-eun this time either.
Yes, that’s fortunate.
…No.
Actually, it’s not fortunate.
Fortunate, my ass!
I had just faced a thunderbolt-like red truth with that woman Lee Joo-i.
How I am currently perceived by those agency guys.
What kind of ghost I am classified as.
What kind of dangerous individual I am perceived as!
I finally… learned.
-The man with black flames.
A ghost with black flames flickering around his head area, dressed in a black suit.
‘Anyone can see it’s me…’
They call me a ‘ghost story.’
It seemed that the agency was currently attaching the modifier ‘the man with black flames’ to my existence. It seemed like they were already in the process of assigning a ghost story grade.
But…
That grade is supposedly ‘S-grade.’
I was given the S-grade, which is only assigned to ghost stories that are called calamity-level ghost stories.
<Calamity-level Ghost Story>
(Announcement)-The man with black flames has been registered-(Congratulations)
……
Just to survive…
All I did was pretend to be a Little Noise for a while.
I was classified as a top-priority elimination target.
Among the ghost story grade chart.
I made quite a strong impression on those agency guys.
Now that I’ve been noticed.
From now on, I could already envision the persistent handshake requests from the agency.
Numerous handshake requests = numerous employees’ requests for killing intent.
But,
Honestly…
When Lee Joo-i mentioned the story about the man with black flames.
I wanted to downplay it.
-I met that ghost story guy, and he was less impressive than I thought. You don’t need to worry about him.
-S-grade? That’s excessive, excessive. Even F-grade would be too much for him.
I really wanted to say something like that.
But…
I felt that such inadequate downplaying would only create antipathy in Lee Joo-i, so I didn’t put it into action.
And even if the downplaying succeeded.
Somehow, I felt that with a woman like Lee Joo-i.
‘Then… let’s subjugate him… before he grows… bigger.’
I didn’t speak up for fear she might say something like that.
So I had no choice.
The option available to me in that situation was.
To play it up.
Not as an inadequate newborn S-grade ghost story.
But in a direction that gives off the nuance ‘You’ll be screwed if you mess with it.’
I decided to instill the perception that ‘The one who interferes is 100% at a loss!!’
I filled my words with exaggerated statements suggesting that the moment someone interferes, the situation would spiral out of control.
And that was.
At that time, the best choice I could make in front of the woman called Lee Joo-i.
A gamble.
Solely to protect my existence.
I elevated my own existence to a premium status.
Thinking about it now, a thought crossed my mind that it wasn’t such a bad response.
Originally, rather than an easy-to-conquer boss monster.
It takes more time and preparation to face a difficult boss monster.
Having warned Lee Joo-i, who is at the executive level, about the existence of the man with black flame.
For a while, the agency will not act rashly.
I hoped they would do that.
Please…
Though unintended, Park Yeon-jung roughly organized what he needed to do going forward.
-Do not be underestimated by the ghost stories.
-Do not kill people from the agency. But also do not let them underestimate you.
-Seek escape routes whenever possible.
If he encounters agency members during the process of capturing ghost stories, he will instill in their minds that they’ll be screwed if they touch him.
But he must not kill them.
Even if they are just ordinary agency members, they are still human beings and ‘valuable human resources’ owned by the agency.
Unnecessary killing would be like planting a catalyst for them to exterminate me.
‘Of course, I never intended to kill them in the first place.’
Now, I need to strongly imprint my existence on these two beings—ghost stories and humans.
At the same time, find a way to escape this world.
After organizing this.
It was easy to see at a glance.
So, now.
‘They’re telling me to die, aren’t they?’
The current situation was like.
Walking through a thick fog.
If I make one wrong step.
I die.
The moment I perform any of those plans half-heartedly.
I die.
If caught by the ghost stories, I couldn’t even imagine what bizarre way I would die.
Obviously, for the human side as well, if I don’t die easily and cling to life, I’ll end up becoming a lifetime test subject.
Dilemma.
Checkmate.
Match point…?
‘This isn’t right, is it?’
While moving forward aimlessly, carrying countless worries.
Pause.
As my eyes caught a familiar scene, I raised my head.
My steps had somehow brought me to the front gate of the house where Soi was.
“……”
The world was bright.
But why was my future so dark?
‘Every day is truly eventful.’
Just as the bleakness of tomorrow’s reality was washing over me.
Growl-
…….
Cruelly, my stomach clock was clearly demanding what it wanted.
……Alright.
What’s the point of worrying?
It’s too late to pick up water that has already been spilled.
Or perhaps.
The water in my bucket had spilled long ago.
There’s no use regretting the past.
Also, just now, I had added fuel to the fire in front of Lee Joo-i.
Step-
My footsteps slowly passed through the gate toward the shabby front door.
Click-
And,
As always.
The one who greeted me at the entrance after I opened the door was.
A girl wearing a kimono that fit her body perfectly.
With a warm smile on her lips, she was bowing to me with a straight posture.
She was a girl with a truly beautiful smile.
“Welcome home, Master.”
“…Yeah.”
I felt somewhat relieved that there was at least one space in this world where I could catch my breath.
The day ended with Soi welcoming me back happily as she always did.
I spent the rest of the day with Soi.
Sharing warm meals and light conversations, I could say it wasn’t a bad day.
“Master, today I will definitely scrub your back!”
“……”
I looked fondly at the child who was rolling up her short sleeves with determination.
‘Even though her body has shrunk, she remains the same.’
I barely managed to drive away Soi’s intense desires.
After that, night fell before I knew it.
As always, Soi burrowed into my arms, sticking her body close to mine.
…….
When the quiet moonlight filtered through the window.
While the blue moonlight illuminated the two of us lying on the bed.
I wanted to ask Soi something I had been curious about for a while but couldn’t find the right timing.
Somehow, today felt like I could ask.
“Soi.”
“Yes, Master.”
“I’ve been wondering about something and wanted to ask.”
“Yes, Master.”
“……Why do you take off your clothes?”
“……”
Squeeze-
Soi burrowed even deeper just now.
As Soi’s skin dug deeper into my embrace, she parted her glossy lips.
With a faint smile on her face.
“You finally asked.”
Was she waiting for me to ask?
She would have been disappointed if I hadn’t asked.
…But.
While wondering if there was a need to take off clothes.
The corners of Soi’s mouth, which had been smiling until just now, slowly dropped.
What replaced it was….
Only the languid and fragile voice of a child flowing into my ears along with the night air.
“It’s my own way of trying to remember you, Master. So that I don’t forget this warmth of yours….”
“……”
I didn’t know how to respond to Soi’s words.
Nothing came to mind right away.
But,
Squeeze-!
After saying that, Soi hugged me even more tightly.
So tightly that I could feel Soi’s heartbeat through my skin.
So tightly that even the subtle trembling transmitted through her body.
Squeeze-
Soi held me even.
Even more strongly.
Exhibiting a fear that if she didn’t hold on this tightly, the being before her might disappear from her side in an instant.
Her breath extended toward a man through her voice.
“Master… Please keep that promise.”
The trembling carried on the wind.
When I met her gaze, fluctuating like waves.
Soi….
Had red-rimmed eyes.
“No matter what happens, please survive. That heart-wrenching pain….”
Unlike yesterday, she didn’t shed tears.
Or sob sorrowfully.
Just, Soi.
“I don’t think I can endure it… a second time.”
She seemed to be trying not to cry.
Not even realizing that her voice was already trembling.
She was softly sobbing in my arms.
All I could say to such a Soi was.
“…Alright. I promise.”
Just a promise.
Merely a verbal promise.
But I hoped that with this one word from me, Soi would stop crying. I hoped she wouldn’t be sad because of me.
I hoped she wouldn’t cry.
That night.
For another reason, it was a night when sleep was hard to come by.
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