Chapter 81

As soon as the ghosts appeared, Kim Sohee opened her mouth.

“Have you thought about it?”

“I’m not sure,” replied Lee Yerim.

Kim Sohee looked at the ghosts and continued, “Don’t overthink it. Think of something you always wanted to do but couldn’t… That is your lingering regret.”

Lee Yerim bit her lip after hearing Kim Sohee’s words. It dawned on her that their inability to identify their regrets was what trapped them here.

“We’re stuck here because we don’t know our regrets…” Lee Yerim muttered softly, unable to contain herself.

Kim Sohee glanced at her. “Do you understand now?”

“Sis, isn’t this why you’re also wandering around, unable to let go of your own regret?” Despite the boldness of her question, Kim Sohee considered for a moment before nodding.

“You’re right.” Kim Sohee raised her sword swiftly.

Caught off guard by this sudden action, Kang Jin hastily stepped in front of Lee Yerim to protect her.

“What’s going on?” Kang Jin shielded Yerim behind him.

Kim Sohee frowned at his protective stance. “Didn’t I ask you to release the land-bound spirit?”

“But…why do you have your sword drawn?”

“There are two ways to free a land-bound spirit. First, unraveling its lingering attachment through self-realization. Second, forcibly severing the tether binding it here.”

“Huh? Then can you perhaps cut that tether, miss?”

“I am also a warrior of faith.”

Shwiiing!

As she brought her blade up to her face, Kang Jin asked,

“Then why ask the children first when it’s simpler to proceed with the second option?”

“Resolving lingering regrets means there is a chance for healing…”

Kang Jin interrupted Kim Sohee’s statement.

“So, can land-bound spirits ascend if they resolve their regrets?”

“Among ghosts, land-bound spirits have the highest potential to ascend. They remain tethered to a place or object due to their unresolved grievances… At least, there must be clues left behind that could lead to their ascension.”

Kim Sohee noticed Kang Jin raising his hand.

“Just a moment,” she acknowledged him. Kang Jin continued under her gaze.

“If we release them from this place, wouldn’t those clues disappear?”

Kim Sohee shook her head at Kang Jin’s question. “The disappearance of clues doesn’t depend on this place remaining intact. However… my desperation might lessen.”

Kang Jin nodded understandingly. As a land-bound spirit, she would continue pondering and striving to leave this location, driven by the reason why she must stay here. But once freed from being a land-bound spirit, she likely wouldn’t dwell much on this place, reducing the chances of ascending.

With that thought, Kang Jin looked at the high school ghost girls.

“What should we do?”

Lee Yerim and Choi Ga-eun briefly considered before nodding.

“I want to be released.”

“I wish to leave this place.”

Kang Jin turned to Youngsu after hearing their replies.

“And you?”

“I’ll go with them.”

With Youngsu’s answer, Kang Jin looked at all the ghosts and said,

“Your ascension might be delayed.”

“We don’t know when we will ascend, but I don’t want to stick around here idly waiting,” Lee Yerim firmly stated.

Kang Jin nodded understandingly while glancing at the other ghosts before turning towards Youngsu.

“Let’s talk for a moment.” With that, Kang Jin led Youngsu away from the group.

Once they were slightly apart from the others, Kang Jin faced Youngsu.

“It seems like you already know your lingering regret… Why not resolve it?”

Youngsu hesitated briefly before sighing and responding,

“You figured it out?”

“Go ahead and confess your feelings to Yerim. Resolving this might allow you to ascend.”

Youngsu glanced at the ghosts nearby before responding to Kang Jin’s suggestion.

“Yerim and Gayuni have been friends since elementary school.”

“They’ve known each other for quite some time.”

“I’ve liked Yerim since middle school but couldn’t confess my feelings. I feared if she rejected me, we wouldn’t be able to remain friends.”

Kang Jin nodded understandingly but refrained from offering further advice. In truth, matters of love should be resolved by the individuals involved; any third-party suggestions would merely complicate things.

“When the car was speeding towards us, I pushed them aside.”

“You did?”

“The approaching car made a loud noise, freezing them in fear. Seeing this, I instinctively shoved them out of harm’s way.”

“That’s remarkable.”

“It wasn’t a conscious decision; my body just reacted on its own.”

His actions were driven purely by the desire to save his friends as the car bore down on them.

“But since it happened this way, I was late.”

“Still, you tried to save them,” Kang Jin replied softly.

As Youngsu spoke, he hesitated briefly before continuing, “When I saw the car hit me and the others flying away…I realized I should have confessed my feelings to Yerim earlier.”

“Why not do it now?”

“If I confess…what about the others?” Youngsu glanced at his friends with concern.

Kang Jin understood immediately, “Is it because you fear being left alone after confessing?”

“I can’t abandon just my girlfriends while leaving myself behind. As a man, it’s my duty to protect them.”

Kang Jin studied Youngsu intently before nodding in agreement.

“Let’s go.”

Upon their return, Kim Sohee asked Kang Jin, “Did you finish your conversation?”

“Yes,” Kang Jin confirmed.

Kim Sohee then turned to address the ghosts, “Are you ready for this?”

“Yes,” Youngsu responded firmly.

“When your binding to this land is released, you may feel as if your body becomes lighter. At that moment, do not let yourself become unconscious. You must concentrate on staying here and think of your body becoming heavier.”

“What happens if I lose consciousness?”

“You’ll float away somewhere.”

Kang Jin asked Kim Sohee about her statement.

“Somewhere? What does that mean?”

Kim Sohee pondered for a moment before explaining.

“It’s like a balloon floating aimlessly. Cutting ties with regrets will sever the tether keeping you bound to this place. Then, you’ll drift off effortlessly.”

“Where would we end up drifting?”

“I don’t know that either.”

Kang Jin looked at her thoughtfully.

“Isn’t it dangerous?”

Kim Sohee appeared puzzled by his question.

“Dangerous? What danger?”

“That…” Kang Jin nodded as he paused.

‘The ghosts…they don’t die.’

“So where will you end up drifting to?”

“We’ll wake up somewhere in Korea.”

“At least, it won’t be another country.”

“Just like this world has national borders, the afterlife also has its boundaries. To cross those boundaries, one needs permission from the afterlife.”

Kim Sohee then turned to observe the ghosts.

“Can we proceed now?” Her question prompted the ghosts to look at each other.

“Stay alert. And if by any chance we get separated, meet back at the park we were heading to earlier. We’ll gather there at 6 PM.” Lee Yerim instructed Youngsu and Choi Ga-eun, who both nodded in response.

“The park, 6 PM.”

“Let’s stay focused.”

Seeing ghosts holding hands, Kim Sohee gripped her sword and spoke:

“Release.”

With her small voice, lines appeared between the ground and the ghosts. Three opaque strands connected them to the earth.

‘Are these the lingering threads binding the children?’

As Kang Jin pondered this, Kim Sohee swung her sword.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The lines severed, causing the ghosts’ bodies to slightly float upward.

Floating gently!

“Concentrate!”

Kim Sohee’s shout momentarily halted the rising ghosts. However,

Whoosh!

Lee Yerim suddenly vanished.

“Yerim!”

“Yerim!”

Shocked, Youngsu and Choi Ga-eun cried out, but Lee Yerim had already disappeared.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

As Youngsu and Choi Ga-eun descended back to the ground, Kang Jin looked at Kim Sohee.

“Where did Yerim go?”

In response to Kang Jin’s question, Kim Sohee swung her sword through the air and replied, “She must be somewhere in Korea.”

“Is it possible you can’t find her?”

“Even within this nation, I cannot locate every ghost in Joseon.” Kim Sohee then turned to Kang Jin. “Can we leave now?”

“Thank you for your help.”

Kim Sohee momentarily observed Kang Jin before responding, “Let’s plan to meet on Wednesday.”

“Huh?”

“I’m craving yukgaejang and spicy stir-fried chicken feet that Bok-rae used to make.”

“Oh! I’ll prepare them deliciously for you.”

With a nod, Kim Sohee turned and began walking away. As Kang Jin watched her depart, he glanced at Youngsu and Choi Ga-eun.

“You okay?”

In response to Kang Jin’s question, Youngsu bit his lip before speaking.

“Yerim is a smart girl. She’ll find her way back.”

At Youngsu’s words, Kang Jin looked at Choi Ga-eun. Her face appeared on the verge of tears as she scanned their surroundings.

“Don’t cry, Ga-eun. We need to go search for Yerim,” said Youngsu.

Choi Ga-eun nodded, and then Youngsu turned towards Kang Jin.

“Thank you.”

“Yes, are you heading back to your neighborhood now?”

“We have to. I need to check my home and wait for Yerim.”

“Don’t stay too close to your family.”

“I’ll observe from afar…won’t approach them.”

“Right…then be careful on your journey. When you’re tired or want some fun, visit One Meal Restaurant in Nonhyeon, Seoul.”

“One Meal Restaurant?”

“One Meal Restaurant?”

“It’s my restaurant.”

After Kang Jin shared the address, Youngsu repeated it several times and nodded.

“I’ll go there if I find Lee Yerim.”

“Let’s ascend before then,” suggested Kang Jin.

Youngsu agreed, and he started walking with Choi Ga-eun. As Kang Jin watched them leave, something caught his attention, causing him to gaze into the air.

“Wait a moment…” Suddenly struck by a thought, Kang Jin began speaking aloud.

“Lee Yerim, Lee Yerim, Lee Yerim.”

His idea was simple: calling out Lee Yerim’s name just as Sung Yongsoo had responded when Kang Jin summoned him from Seoul.

After calling Lee Yerim’s name three times, Kang Jin surveyed his surroundings. However, there was no sign of her. He called out her name again, squinting as he listened intently. Suddenly, a voice came from beside him.

“She left?”

Kang Jin turned towards the unexpected voice. Bae Yongsoo had appeared next to him at some point.

“Yes, she left.”

Bae Yongsoo sighed with relief upon hearing Kang Jin’s confirmation.

“Phew! This place felt like hell itself.” Bae Yongsoo shuddered visibly.

Kang Jin reassured him, “It’s alright now. By the way, when I call you, you appear instantly. How do you manage that?”

As Kang Jin explained the situation, Bae Yongsoo nodded understandingly.

“It seems you haven’t met any other ghosts to teach you yet?”

“I need to be taught this too?”

“When a human becomes a ghost, they are akin to a newborn baby. Ghosts learn how to live as a ghost from others one step at a time. However, since both the virgin and incubus ghosts were always together, no other virgin or incubus ghosts would approach them.”

“You have a point there.”

When Kang Jin first encountered Youngsu’s group, they mentioned not having seen any other ghosts besides themselves. Naturally, regular ghosts feared them, so they kept their distance. Moreover, due to the presence of Lee Yerim and Choi Ga-eun, even other virgin or incubus ghosts avoided approaching them. It was like mixing fire and water with the virgin ghost and incubus constantly together. Consequently, Bae Yongsoo never had the chance to learn about living as a ghost, which is why he couldn’t respond to Kang Jin’s summons properly.

‘It seems whether it’s ghosts or humans, learning is essential for all.’

Kang Jin silently mused before heading towards the training ground.