Osratida - Chapter 15

When Shinhee, dressed neatly, went down to the restaurant, he found Gyojin already there, having breakfast with Secretary Park. Suddenly recalling the events at the hot spring the day before, Shinhee scratched his flushed cheek. However, Gyojin simply glanced at him indifferently before resuming his meal as if Shinhee were a stranger. Shinhee had thought they’d grown closer after the previous night’s events, but not even a simple “Enjoy your meal” was offered.

Only Secretary Park warmly welcomed him, motioning for him to join. While he didn’t expect Gyojin to greet him enthusiastically, Shinhee had anticipated at least a friendly morning greeting. Feeling awkward, he silently took a seat.

After breakfast, Secretary Park gave a brief schedule rundown. The main agenda for the day involved a morning meeting with Mishima Department Store concerning business, followed by a golf game at the Mishima owner’s private estate in the afternoon, and dinner later.

Shinhee waited quietly for Secretary Park to finish. But before he could speak, Gyojin addressed him first.

“You must’ve been uncomfortable yesterday. Thank you for your efforts. Today, please follow your personal schedule until called.”

“Pardon?”

“Take a rest. Move separately today.”

Shinhee scratched his head, taken aback by Gyojin’s unexpected words. He had been hired to protect the client from spirits, yet now, he was essentially being told to enjoy free tourism. Feeling guilty, as he’d already received an advance payment, Shinhee tried once more to join Gyojin’s itinerary.

“Sir, I’d like to accompany you—”

“We’ll be moving separately.”

Gyojin’s firm tone left no room for argument, and Shinhee reluctantly fell silent. While uneasy, there was little he could do when his client clearly wanted to keep him at a distance. In this line of work, the client’s wishes were paramount.

After some thought, Shinhee nodded. Perhaps his presence would indeed be a hindrance to business matters. And contrary to the advice his master had given before his departure, there didn’t seem to be anything worth observing.

There was nothing around Gyojin—no spirits, no abnormalities.

“Well, what’s the harm,” Shinhee thought. Unlike Jeju Island, where spirits popped up all over the place, here, it seemed he could simply stay near the hotel without any major issues. Of course, unexpected trouble could arise, but he could deal with it if necessary.

With Secretary Park, Gyojin, and the interpreter leaving the hotel, Shinhee spent his time resting alone. Staying in his room all day, however, left him feeling restless, and soon, a young child spirit began hovering around his door.

“Bored?” Shinhee asked.

The child, clearly weary, gave a small nod. After pondering for a moment, Shinhee gently suggested, “Want to go out for a bit?”

The spirit’s face immediately lit up, and it nodded more vigorously this time.

“But don’t go tattling to my master that I slacked off instead of doing my work,” Shinhee warned, pinching the child’s chubby cheeks. After getting ready, Shinhee hurried to the front desk, where he mixed bits of the Japanese and English he’d picked up on the flight to request a map. For someone like Shinhee, who barely scraped by in foreign languages, this was a significant effort.

Fortunately, the hotel—popular with Korean visitors—had maps in Korean, which brought him immense relief. Holding the map tightly, Shinhee felt grateful for King Sejong, who must now be a god himself. He left the hotel in better spirits, ready for his little adventure.

Using a guidebook and the map, Shinhee and the spirit embarked on their walking tour. Although the hotel wasn’t in central Tokyo, there were markets and temples nearby, providing plenty to see.

One of the best things about traveling is not having to care about other people’s stares. For the first time in a long while, Shinhee conversed openly with the child spirit as they strolled. Though he struggled with Western languages, he was accustomed to reading classical texts in Chinese characters, which helped him decipher many of the signs.

Laughing at the silly designs of lucky cats, admiring colorful traditional clothing on display, and pondering over whether the samurai swords were real or fake, Shinhee felt like he was finally experiencing a real trip.

After munching on street snacks, both Shinhee and the spirit felt satisfied. The child spirit, fascinated by the foreign sights, kept its eyes wide open, taking in everything with curiosity. Shinhee chuckled at the childlike wonder on its face—reminding him that, even as a deity, the spirit was still just a kid.

However, throughout the market walk, Shinhee encountered countless spirits. Just as he’d heard, Japan was truly a haven for ghosts. Dressed in unfamiliar attire from various eras, the spirits blended into the crowds with emotionless faces. Unlike the restless souls he’d seen in Jeju, these spirits seemed entirely uninterested in their surroundings, simply moving along their own paths.

“Come this way.”

A voice suddenly called out to Shinhee in flawless Korean.

“Over here, please.”

Startled, Shinhee turned around but found no one in the direction the voice came from. Was it a ghost? Though no figure was visible, the voice persisted, growing more desperate.

“Come this way, please…”

Following the sound, Shinhee pushed through the crowd and retraced his steps. But as he approached a narrow alley, the child spirit tugged on his sleeve. Shinhee alternated his gaze between the spirit and the voice, feeling torn.

“Come over here…”

The voice, seemingly just ahead, carried an urgent tone. When Shinhee tried to step forward, the child spirit clung to his thigh. The spirit’s unusual behavior left Shinhee bewildered.

“Child?”

“Turn back,” the spirit said clearly.

The child, usually playful and soft-spoken, now spoke with a firm and unfamiliar tone. Its words were sharp and precise, leaving Shinhee no room for doubt.

“You can’t handle what’s there.”

Moments like this reminded Shinhee that the child spirit, despite its appearance, was indeed a god. Though he didn’t know when, why, or how the spirit came to live in the shrine, moments like this made its divine nature undeniable.

Reluctantly, Shinhee heeded the warning. While the voice calling him tugged at his heart, curiosity could lead to disaster. Steeling himself, he turned and walked away.

As he emerged from the alley, Shinhee froze in his tracks. The countless spirits that had been moving silently through the streets were now all standing still, their heads turned toward him.

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of blank eyes stared at Shinhee. The sight sent a chill from his feet to his scalp.

The street that had seemed indifferent earlier now felt utterly ominous. Even as an experienced exorcist, Shinhee felt sweat trickling down his spine.

The bracelet on his right arm, imbued with protective charms, vibrated incessantly, reacting to the intense spiritual energy around him. The child spirit, still clutching his leg, turned its head to Shinhee and whispered, “Don’t be scared.”

How could he not be?

Meanwhile, Gyojin, having finished his morning meeting, headed to the car prepared for lunch. Though restless nights were nothing new to him, the vivid dream he’d had the night before still lingered in his ears like a haunting string instrument.

As he approached the car, Secretary Park came rushing out, juggling documents. Gyojin sighed internally. He’d rather not have come on this business trip, but as he’d already arrived, he had no choice but to ensure everything went smoothly.

His goal was to finalize the contract for a new shopping center and skating rink in partnership with Mishima Department Store.

Everything seemed on track, but with Japanese companies’ tendency to delay final confirmations, he couldn’t let his guard down.

Deep in thought, Gyojin’s car suddenly jerked to a halt in the middle of the road.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll check,” Secretary Park said before rushing out. Moments later, he returned with a troubled expression.

“We’ve got a flat tire. You’ll have to step out for now…”

Just my luck, Gyojin thought bitterly. Misfortunes, no matter how minor, never seemed to leave him.