“Here, please drink.”

I watched as Jongup catered to my grandfather as though he were the King of England. Would you like some water, sir? Would you like me to fluff your pillow, sir? How adorable can I act before you admonish me, sir?

“Thank you.” My grandfather said for the umpteenth time. He rarely said those two words, so the gesture itself stunned me when he first said it this early morning. My grandfather is more likely to tell you what you did wrong while helping him rather than those two precious words.

Color me green with envy against Jongup for receiving such special treatment. Though, it’s not as though I don’t treat him with equal or even more favoritism. As soon as my grandfather’s lips left the cup of water Jongup had given him, he gestured to the door, “Could you please leave us alone for a moment?”

And here it comes.

Time to figure some things out. Finally, at long last, right?

Wrong.

It was never that easy with my grandfather.

“He’s your favorite, isn’t he?” He asked as soon as the door closed behind the Haechi. To be quite honest, I wasn’t expecting that – the reason my jaw hung open in response for a good five seconds, allowing him to continue on, “Why else would you let him come up here with you?” Well because he wanted to see how your grumpy, old self was doing. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my grandfather.

But, well, the sentiment isn’t shared by many others. As for his question, I didn’t have to grace it with the most obvious of answers because he spoke again. “I like him the most, too. It’s understandable, really, after just one look at the rest of them.” And he ended that statement with a snarl, his eyes glowering as he stared off into the distance, as though said other four spirits plus one demon were there in front of him.

Some would say I got my personality from my grandfather. They just haven’t met my mother yet.

“It doesn’t matter who I like the most.” I crossed my arms across my chest, standing from my position in the un-cushioned, hard, wooden chair pushed up against the wall. I walked towards his bedside slowly, though he remained unfazed by my less than polite attitude, “What matters is why they’re here in the first place. What matters is why I have to learn to like them in the first place.”

“Of course.” He calmly responded with a nod of his head. He scanned the room with his eyes, making me do the same. There was no one else here, which was odd considering there were at least two other patients here the last time I visited, “That’s why I made sure that when you came over today, no one else would be here to hear what I’m about to say.”

Then get on with it!

Not that I would say that out loud though. His complacency towards my impoliteness is bound to run out sooner rather than later after all. I’m not looking forward to getting lectured about it any longer than I need to.

“You want to know what the shrine is.” I nodded quickly, the desire to remain hesitant, to remain ignorant, not sprouting up in the least. I was too curious. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been. That would have made things so much easier. He nodded back, mimicking my action, before he began, changing everything I knew, turning my world upside down. More so than it had been already.

“It’s one of many pillars which maintains their world. Which allows their world to coexist with ours. The spirit world, the other side, the afterlife, whatever you choose to call it, it’s one of many places which holds it together. It’s a place they can go to recharge themselves, receive offerings from the living, or simply settle the matters which hold their souls back.”

“Back from what?” I inquired, not realizing that the words left my lips, that I had indeed spoke at all, until I found my grandfather’s dark, wrinkled eyes looking at me. Looking at me as though he felt sorry for me. As if he felt pity for me. But, for what reason?

“Souls which hold regrets after they die get stuck in the spirit world.” He informed me, deciding to go ahead and name that other, ambiguous world which existed next to ours using the most familiar of nicknames – one I would be able to grasp the idea of with much more ease than another other name. The “Spirit World” it is then.

“They are held back by their regrets. They cannot pass on. They can come to the shine, or to any other place in which their world lays its roots, in order to absolve themselves of their regrets. Most do, and those are the ones who pass on. Though, on rare occasions, they become spirits instead, eternally a part of the spirit world. Examples of such special cases would be Jongup, Himchan, Daehyun, Youngjae, and Zelo.”

“And Yongguk.” I added, much to his surprise apparently as his eyes rounded, the small wrinkles next to his eyes disappearing, “What about Yongguk?” Why did I care? Why did it matter? I shouldn’t have. I didn’t. And yet, I did. And it did. Because I wanted to know what I was dealing with. Because I wanted my curiosity fully satiated. Only then would I be satisfied at long last with my grandfather’s explanation.

He started slowly, deliberately slowly, “Yongguk is the product of a soul whose regret was a vile, corrupt desire. He became a demon due to the convoluted nature of his thoughts and feelings.”

He proceeded to watch for my reaction, I could tell he was. Yet, there was nothing to see. I simply stared on at him, waiting for him to finish. Because that couldn’t have been it. Because I knew he had more to tell me.

“But, his regret became impossible to resolve, thus leaving him in the state he’s in now. A harmless, low-level demon with no more hate to feed off of. With no one left to take revenge upon. With no longer any recollection as to what he even wished to accomplish in the first place.”

“And now he’s helping you,” I paused, “or rather me, now. For what reason?”

“His ulterior motive should be no concern of yours.” He quickly reproached me, a low hiss sounding in the last syllable he spoke, disappointment, annoyance, and anger coating his voice all at the same time. His next words however held none of that. His face deadpanned. There was not a hint of anything at all in his tone, “Don’t you agree?”

I reached up, my arms having uncrossed themselves long ago but, when exactly? I’m not sure. My fingers rubbed the back of my neck as I muttered out a forced reply of, “Yeah.” I pushed them down, all of my questions, all of my curiosity.

“While you’re watching over the shrine until I return, Bang Yongguk should pose no problem for you.” My grandfather added, as though he hadn’t just scolded me like a child. As though Bang Yongguk’s intentions were the last thing we were just discussing. “Instead, there’s someone else you should keep an eye on.”

I lifted my own eyes from the floor, focusing back on him as from his lips came the name of the spirit who, in his words that followed, posed the greatest threat to not only the shrine, but to me as well, should he turn rogue at any point in time. And honestly, it was the last name I thought I would hear.

I slid the door open, stepping out less enthusiastically than I should have. Why? Because there was an intuitive Haechi waiting for me outside the door. And of course, he wasn’t to let the furrowing of my brows and the frown formed by my lips go unnoticed.

“Is something wrong, Miss Sora?” He questioned as he stood up from the ocean blue colored set of cushioned chairs that periodically lined the hospital hall here and there. Here and there. There and here. Everywhere.

My thoughts are everywhere. Maybe because my grandfather just confirmed my greatest fear. I was stuck in a mess. In a rut. In a, pardon my language, mind. A big, grandmaster of messes that could be compared to being in hell itself. I was stuck. Specifically in what? More like, specifically with what?

Well, that would be a polite-to-a-fault Haechi, a cocky smiling, lie detecting Xiezhi, a nonchalant, Shakespearean Dokkaebi, the black hole that was a Tokebi’s stomach, a much more enthusiastic than I’d like to be – than I am right now as I said before – Gumiho, and last but certainly not least, Mr. Demon.

Dammit.

Dammit.

Dammit.

Damn it all. Damn the fact that I’m stuck with them and damn the fact that I don’t mind it as much as I should have. Damn here, damn there, damn everywhere. I was looking up at a distant light from the bottom of the hole I was thrown into. So then, there was that. Until my grandfather got out of the hospital, which by the looks of it wasn’t going to be happening anytime soon, I had to continue digging downwards, deeper into this hole of mine.

But, there was also something else. While I must say, I’m happy – yes, genuinely happy – that it’s not Bang Yongguk I had to worry about, the person I had to watch out for was someone I would have never expected. Because honestly, when Mr. Demon strolls into a room with that toothy grin of his, with that cocky eyebrow of his that so effortlessly raises upwards every single time he’s amused by something, which added up to many fits of eyebrow raising, he’s the one who looks the most dangerous.

He’s the one who so easily upsets everything around him with a single snap of his fingers. With a simple step forward by his foot.

Plus, there’s the ominous red tail that so contently swings back and forth. Plus times two, he’s a demon. As my grandfather said, he’s a used-to-be spirit who couldn’t get the retribution he sought after. And he became a low level demon, forever stuck in his own pitfall, because he can never get it. He can never get out.

He’s rude and obnoxious and annoying and etcetera but, I feel bad for him. He’s stuck like me. He’s stuck with me.

But, nope, I didn’t have to worry about him.

Nope.

“No. Nothing’s wrong.” I answered Jongup’s questioning after contemplating for a second if I should tell him what my grandfather just told me. Why? Because maybe he would be able to give me some wise advice about what I should do next. Not regarding the whole “temporary shrine-keeper” business but with the other thing, you know?

He must have known it would turn out like this afterall. Why else would he and the others act so natural, normal, and in generally all around good moods when we arrived at the hospital today? I know, unbelievable right? 

It’s so unbelievable I had the urge to pinch myself when everyone but Jongup decided to patiently wait in the lobby. But, I don’t exactly like to feel pain. Nobody does, right? Where’s Sehun when you need him?

It’s a good thing my grandfather was moved to the second floor. I’m still not sure exactly what the limit is of the distance I can put between myself and my spirits plus one demon before they start stumbling over things as they’re dragged around by me like rag dolls.

I was already walking towards the elevator when I realized that the sound of poised, light footsteps didn’t echo behind my own. I turned, finding Jongup staring at me from a few meters away. His lips were pursed, his hands at his side as his eyebrows met each other, causing creases to form on the bridge of his nose.

He was thinking about something. Did I want to hear it? Based upon the look he was giving me, I didn’t. Still, he said it anyway.

“Yongguk, Himchan, and Daehyun told me that when a woman says that nothing is wrong, it means that everything is wrong.”

Wow. Let me take a moment to give those three a mental round of applause. First, for putting me in yet another situation I rather not be in. Secondly, because living so many years actually seemed to mean something. And here I thought that their mental age ranged from ten to fifteen years old tops.

So then, I couldn’t deny the truth.

“Yep,” I nodded, shrugging my shoulders as I slipped my hands into the pocket of my jeans, “Everything’s wrong, Jongup.”

His eyes widened, his lips parted, and again, I didn’t want to hear it. He looked like he just stepped onto a puppy’s foot and the ensuing yelp caused him to feel so awful that he had to reevaluate his entire life along with the morals that made it up. Was I going to comfort him and tell him he doesn’t have to worry, even though he does?

Was I going to tell him I lied, even though I didn’t?

No and no.

Not when the boy who looked like he just stepped on a puppy’s foot seemed like he was a puppy himself. The reason I don’t have a pet? Because I like to tease cute things.

“Everything and anything, Jongup.” I said in a sing-song voice as I traipsed over to him, one step after another, “Everything,” I repeated, my lips twitching at the sight of his eyes growing as wide as saucers, “and anything.” And I looked straight into his eyes, my lips hitching upwards, coming to full fruition as a smile bloomed on my face.

Just like that, I pivoted on my heel and set forth towards the elevator once more. And guess what? He followed me. And from the corner of my eyes, I could see him smiling too.

I have my own way of comforting cute things too.

Skin tight clothes. Can she even breathe? Ringlets flowing down her shoulders. How long did it take to torture her hair in order to make it do that? Natural make up adorning her face, accentuating her sharp features. Is it really natural though or is she that much of a magician when it comes to applying layer upon layer of makeup on her face?

So sue me that I like to wake up in the morning, take a shower, comb my hair, and put on a pair of pants and a sweater before walking out the door. So I don’t dress up everyday of my life for something so small as going to the hospital to see my grandfather who could have cared less – his expression not faltering in the least – even if I showed up in a chicken outfit. I don’t even want to talk about the laughter that would ensue should I appear in front of the Gumiho and Mr. Demon in that same chicken outfit.

It’s a reaction that certainly cannot even be compared to how they are currently reacting towards the young woman in red in the hospital waiting room. Full lips spreading out into a white canine showing grin, brows never looking heavier as they weigh down onto dark eyes, a gaze that can’t help but keep traveling downwards over and over again, who has the guts to hit on someone in the hospital? Mr. Demon’s prowling grounds seem to extend to any and all regions. And the Gumiho was joining along with him for the ride.

And I for one am not looking forward to be forced to accompany from a distance as those two go on a double date with the woman – a double date not in the usual sense but in that the girl would have a spirit on one arm and a demon on the other. As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one who was less than excited about the events happening right before my eyes.

“About time you got here.” Daehyun groaned as he leaned off of the wall situated by the elevator I had just exited with Jongup. Even though I had only arrived in the lobby a second ago, I had already caught those two in the act of flirting their way to a phone number. Which, in retrospect, was quite absurd as neither of them had cell phones.

“Hi, Sora.” Zelo the Xiezhi greeted from beside him with a lazy wave, a yawn being produced from his tall frame right after as his eyes boredly stared off into nowhere at nothing in particular.

“How long?” I questioned, crossing my arms against my chest. They say it’s a defensive stance when you find someone in such a position. But, for me, it means I’ve chosen to go on the offensive. But first, I wanted to know to exactly what extent I should launch my attack on the two unsuspecting flirts.

Daehyun didn’t understand the question, his eyes widening as he stared at me, a mumbling of “What?” escaping him. Luckily, his better half was there to easily interpret my meaning in his steed.

“Ten minutes.” Youngjae answered, giving Daehyun a pat on the back as though to comfort him with a silent message of, “It’s okay that you’re slow. I’m still your best friend.” But, perhaps Youngjae was slightly mistaken in his gesture. Why? Because as soon as my next words left my mouth, the biggest grin I have ever seen on Daehyun’s lips formed. He understood exactly what I meant.

“Well then, I guess it’s time to go home.”

And after calmly exiting the hospital nonchalantly, casually, coolly, and crossing the street safely, Daehyun followed my lead. We both broke out into sprints, a disgruntled but following anyway Youngjae, a much more excited looking Zelo, and a less than sure Jongup on our tails.

It was time to test exactly how much the distance had increased by.

"Would you like some tea, dear?" My grandparent's next-door neighbor, the woman that must have been sweet talked with an egregious amount of cavity inducing words, held a small mug out towards me, a warm smile on her face.

"Yes, please." I took the tea gratefully in between my cold fingers. I heard something though. A jeer? A scoff? The mocking laughter of a certain Tokebi who was currently enjoying a cup of tea coupled with a fresh mini-slice of chocolate cake – something the older woman, Ms. Kim, had gotten especially for him. What exactly was he so amused about anyway? He's the one who looks laughable with crumbs of chocolate dangling from the corners of his lips.

I rounded the kitchen counter and raised my open hand up to my face, “You have something right here.” I pointed to his philtrum, just below his nose. And like his curious, gullible-to-a-fault self, he lifted his hand up to wipe it away.

Before his fingers could even graze against the alabaster skin of his face, I reached forward and gave his hand a good push, sending it smacking his nose with a force that made me have to suppress the urge to laugh outright.

But, that stopped neither Zelo nor even the Haechi from doing so; which was surprising considering the latter’s personality. Jongup immediately quieted his laughter however, clearing his throat as he saw the look in Daehyun’s narrowed eyes as the Tokebi turned to him just then.

That didn’t stop Zelo though, who continued to find happiness in the pain of his fellow spirit even as I exited the house, his laughter echoing from behind me until the very second the front door clicked shut: Schadenfreude, that’s what it’s called. Google it.

“Did you do something to Daehyun?” Was the first thing I heard as soon as the door closed shut behind me. The question itself came from the Dokkaebi who was flipping through the morning’s newspaper on the porch of the house.

“Yep.” I answered with a nod, holding my warm tea tightly between my fingers that began to chill as the winter breeze hit my exposed skin. Which all in all got me thinking, do they even feel cold when it’s cold? Hot when it’s hot? It didn’t seem like it considering Youngjae was out here as fine as can be with only a scarf and a jacket on. Unless, perhaps, just maybe, he was looking forward to the show I had come out to see as well.

“Good.”

Was his response, as a true friend’s would be. I laughed to myself as I stepped down the porch and approached the low, front gate of the house. I opened it and stepped outside, settling myself along the wall before taking a sip of my tea.

I let my mind wander to various topics. Such as, what was on television right now? Such as, what I would cook for dinner tonight? Such as, what could I possibly do during the next month or so until university started up again? Maybe hang out with Sehun? Go to the arcade. Eat fast food. Stay up late watching dumb comedies and sappy romantic dramas.

Maybe even meet his other friends he’s been hanging out with whenever he’s not with me nowadays. Or maybe I’ll just sleep and live like a hermit who’s allergic to sunlight until February comes. If only. If only I didn’t already have a big enough distraction in the form of the demon and the Gumiho who approached the house just then, their feet dragging on the street as they grumbled complaints to each other.

Complaints that ceased as soon as they saw me.

Complaints that turned into immediate deadly stares as they pushing their limping legs forward, their pants torn here and there, a few scuff marks on the Gumiho’s elbows and the demon’s torso. I can only wonder what kind of personal hell I put them through. I can only wish I had been there to see it.

That would have been even more glorious than seeing the aftereffect of it all displayed in front of me now.

“Yo.” I teased, pursing my lips as the single syllable left my throat. The Gumiho was the first to respond, big, pleading puppy dog eyes fluttering at me as he passed by. Don’t even start, Kim Himchan. You asked for it. If you didn’t associate yourself so much with Mr. Demon, you would have been eating cake and drinking hot cocoa along with the rather peeved Tokebi inside right at this very moment.

He passed by after not receiving anything more than a tilt of my head and a “whatever is the matter with you?” from me in reply to his big, brown eyes.

I traced his every stalled movement as he entered the house, giving the Dokkaebi a soft shove as though he couldn’t bring himself to do the same to me. Remind me to never do this to that fox again. The last thing I want to do is feel as bad as I do right now.  So puppy eyes do work on me – as depicted earlier with Jongup as well – so what? I have a weakness. I’m not completely heartless. Not completely.

Luckily, I didn’t have it within my capacity to feel bad as I felt rough, larger fingers grab hold of the rim of my tea cup. I turned to find Bang Yongguk giving me a not so friendly, not so cocky, and most hilarious, angered expression.

“Yo.” He practically snarled back with that rasping voice of his, slipping my tea from my hand before downing the entire thing in one shot. I didn’t fuss about it, I simply watched in silent satisfaction as he immediately coughed due to the fact that the beverage was anything but cold.

“You okay there?” I mocked him, shoving my hands into my jacket pockets. I couldn’t see it, but I could tell that I was smiling at the current point in time. And rather widely at that considering the strain I felt tugging on my jaw as my cheeks rose upwards.

After he recovered, he shot me one last lingering glare before departing as well. I almost can’t believe it, you know? He left just like that. He had no words at all to say. I had rendered him speechless. Speechless except from one single, “yo.” And honestly, I didn’t even think about the repercussions that would ensue due to what I had done today.

I was too distracted by how good it felt. How sweet it was. How sweet it tasted.

The taste of gratification was as sweet as chocolate.

Now that I think about it that, chocolate isn’t sweet at all. It’s bitter. It’s thick. It’s tangy at times. You can even get a stomachache from having too much. Overall, the taste of chocolate can be used to aptly describe the taste in my mouth, the ringing in my head, and the pounding in my chest that I felt as that woman approached me.

She had a short black bob of hair and looked no older than twenty-five. Her skin though was pale, a white gleam to it as though she put on a bit too much bb cream this morning. And she approached me as soon as Yongguk, Himchan, and Youngjae disappeared inside the front entryway of Ms. Kim's, though now I suppose it is theirs as well, home.

"Pardon me, could you help me with something?" Was her first sentence to me.

"Sure." I replied, as if on reflex in response to her polite tone of voice. When I laid my eyes on her though, when I turned around and actually saw her up front, and her features ingrained themselves in my mind, her next words made sense. Her next words were ones that didn't surprise me.

"Well you see, the thing is," she shrugged her shoulders lackadaisically, "I'm dead."