Chapter 3 

Troublemaker Girl

The editorial meeting was finished at 8.10 am. One by one, the editorial staffs began leaving the room, including Jay. He had been working as reporter in the news division of Korean Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) for almost three years. Putting one hand on his face, Jay let out a small yawn, walking out the meeting room. His conversation with Seohyun last night made him could not sleep, even for one minute. Until this time, he could not accept that he had been engaged with a ghost.

Stopping his step, Jay looked at his watch. “The party assembly will be held soon. I have to prepare anything.” He said and was about to walk again. But, Seohyun appeared suddenly in front of him and it had been success making Jay startled.

“Hi, Jay! Good morning!” Seohyun greeted Jay with her smile.

Feeling startled, Jay gasped for breath as he touched his chest. “You! Are you planning to give me a heart attack?!” He scolded her, ignoring the stares from the people who walked around him. They all thought that Jay was talking to himself.

“No.. I’m sorry. I just want to see you..” She said softly.

“You’re a ghost. Why did you also appear in the day?”

“I can appear everytime I want. I don’t care if it’s day or night.”

“Okay, whatever. Can you go now? I have to work and I don’t want you to be here.”

She sighed, “Okay.. I’ll come again later. See you.” She disappeared with that words.

Jay sighed in despairing. “I think my bad day is coming now. What must I do to stop her following me?”

Then, from the distance, Jay looked Heechul came into the room. Jay decided to follow him.

“Heechul!” Jay called his cameraman.

Heechul stopped walking and turned around. “What?” He answered.

“Do you have the tape from Ju Dong Min’s press conference?” Jay asked.

“Yes. Why?”

“Find it for me.”

“Okay.. Why do you need it?” Heechul asked as he walked to the shelves of tapes, looking for the tape.

“I just want  to make a note for my report.” He said before sat on the seat in front of monitor, waiting his friend to get the tape.

Heechul found the tape and put it in the player. As the video was played, Jay was looking carefully at the video as he wrote something on his note. Heechul was taking a peek at what his friend was writing.

“Okay, that’s enough. Let’s go to Ju Dong Min’s court.” Jay said as he finished writing. Then, he put his note in his bag before got up from his seat, walking to the door way.

“Just it? You asked to find that tape and you only wrote one short sentence?” Heechul asked.

“Why? Is it a problem with you? It’s all I need.”

Heechul rolled his eyes before he said, “Whatever you want. Let me prepare my camera.”

“Okay. I’ll wait in the lobby.” Jay said before he went away.

۩  ۩ ۩

Meanwhile, in other world, the autumn was coming. The sun was going to set as the sky was turning orange. The threes leaves were falling off from its branches, flying around the park before it finally settled on the ground. No one was seen in this place, except Seohyun. She bent down, taking one leaf near her foot. A woman in her black gown was walking in her direction before she stopped in front of Seohyun.

Seohyun looked up to see her. “Victoria?” She called her name.

“I heard that you had found the owner of the ring.” Boa said while her arms were holding a jet black cat.

“Yes.. He really looks alike my late fiance. I can’t get away from him.” She said with a sweet voice.

She smirked. “I know. He has a special spirit too, it’s the reason why the creatures like us can’t touch him.”

Seohyun frowned. “Special?” She asked.

Victoria didn’t want to answer her question, she continued to ask her, “I’ll tell you when you can take him here. What is your next plan? Do you really want to get married with him?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“But, a human can’t marry a ghost. A spirit marries a spirit. There is only one way to get him.”

“How? Tell me..” Seohyun was eager to find out.

“Make his spirit out of his body. In other words, he must die.”

Seohyun widened her eyes. “Y-you want me to kill him?” She was surprised to hear it. Since she became a ghost, she never killed someone and she was not sure that she could do it.

Smirking, Victoria stared down at her cat in her arm, caressing its black fur. “It’s your option. But, I suggest you to do it. Good luck, Seohyun.” She said before disappeared in the black flames.

“Kill? Do I have to do it? I won’t be able to see my fiance’s death for the second time of my life.. But, I really want to be with him.” Seohyun said to herself, looking at the sky. “What must I do?”

۩  ۩ ۩

“The court of Ju Dongmin is postponed until next week due to his health problem. The cases about his illegal funds, money laundering, and corruption were known to be true. The prosecutor stated that his involvement on the construction of the bridge has been proved by some proofs and witnesses. His assets also had been confiscated by investigating officers. We’ll keep watching the continuity from this case. From Seoul’s State Courthouse, Jay Kim and Kim Heechul are reporting for KBC News. Good afternoon.” Jay ended his live report with a smile. After the camera was off, he looked away from the camera to find Seohyun sitting on the bench. She was watching him as reporter in awe. Waving her hand, she smiled widely.

“Seriously, does she always follow me wherever I go?” Jay asked.

“What?” Heechul asked.

“Nothing.” Jay walked away with Heechul behind him.

Seohyun got up from her seat and ran towards Jay. “Jay, you look so manly when you’re reporting. I’m your fangirl now. Awesome! Awesome! So awesome! Uhm... Where will you go now?” She asked.

“It’s none of your business.” He said coldly. His sight was straight, not bothering to look at Seohyun.

“Hey.. Can’t you be nice to me?” She asked as she kept walking side by side with Jay.

Jay stopped walking, turning his body to face Seohyun before he said, “Stop following me!” His words were loud enough to be heard by Heechul behind him.

Blinking his eyes, Heechul could not believe at what he just heard. “Why did you want me to stop? As cameraman, it’s my job to follow you.”

Jay looked at his friend. “Uh? I-I’m not telling you. I’m just.. uh..” Jay was confused about how to answer his friend because Heechul could not see Seohyun for sure.  “Forget it. I’m just talking to myself.” He said with a stupid smile.

“Talking to yourself? Are you crazy?”

“Yeah, I’m crazy maybe. Go ahead, I still have a business to do. I’ll catch up when I finish it.”

Heechul shook his head in disbelief. “Tsk.. Tsk... Tsk... You really act strange today. Okay, I wait you at KBC.” He said before walked to the car.

Jay looked around him, making sure that no one was standing or looking at him. After he was sure that he was alone. He stared at Seohyun before him. “Seohyun. You really make me crazy. People think that I’m crazy. Can’t you just leave me? I’m begging you.. Leave me.. Okay?” He pleaded.

“No.” It was Seohyun’s short and clear answer.

“Beautiful Seohyun, leave me alone, please?” Jay was trying to persuade her.

“No.”

“There are still so many handsome boys in this town. They are more handsome and kindhearted than me. You can ask one of them to marry you. I’m sure that they willingly marry you.”

Shaking her head, she said, “No. No. No!”

“Seohyun, why must be me?”

“Because you’re the only one I want. I don’t want to choose another. I had told you, you’re my bridegroom. Understand?”

Jay sighed in despairing, his eyes were looking at the ground. He had no word or clue again to make her leaving him. Still setting his eyes to the ground, he turned around to walk away, leaving Seohyun behind. He had been given up by her.

“Jay.. Wait me!” She called before stepped away to follow Jay.

۩  ۩ ۩

Jay was walking home after worked at 4.53 pm. Seohyun was always beside him, following him wherever he went. She stopped walking suddenly after found two black stones on the ground.

“Why did you take that stones?” Jay asked when he was looking Seohyun taking the stones from the ground.

“I love juggling with stones.” Seohyun started playing her stones on her hands. Tossing one stone to the air while the other stone was moved from hand to hand. A smile was seen on her face while she was playing it. “You see, I can play juggling. Can you do it?”

“I’m not interested and i don’t want to try it. Can you stop playing it.” Jay told.

“Oh.. You don’t like it? Okay, I’ll do everything you want.” She stopped playing and threw her stones backward, sending it fly behind her. It was high and far enough to hit the house window.

A loud crash was heard as the stone broke the window glass into pieces. “WHO DID THIS?!!” A loud snarl was heard right after that incident happened.

Jay and Seohyun widened their eyes as they turned around quickly to find the source of the voice. From the house before them, a middle-aged man came out from his house and stared at Jay in anger. “You did it?” Putting hands on his waist, the man asked Jay from his door.

Just from his facial expression, Jay could tell that he was a strict man. Jay waved his hands in denial and quickly answered, “No, Uncle. It’s not me. But..” he glanced at Seohyun.

“I’m sorry.. I didn’t mean to do it.” Looking down, Seohyun said to Jay with guilty.

“But, what? You’re the only one there.” The man said while pointing his finger in Jay’s direction.

Jay looked around him and found that he was the one here with an intangible Seohyun beside him.

“Now, will you take responsible for what you’ve done?” The man asked.

“But, I really did nothing.” Jay kept denying.

The man folded his muscular arms on his chest, eyes were staring fiercely at Jay. He was ready to do something serious whenever he wanted and Jay knew well what the man’s mean when he was doing it.

“Okay.. Okay.. I take responsible.” Jay finally said in defeat before walked towards the man’s house.

۩  ۩ ۩

Jay was looking inside his wallet and finding that it was empty. No cash money was in it. Only cards were filling his wallet right now. He sighed and put it back in his bag. Then he leaned his back on the park’s chair.

“I don’t have cash money and I’m hungry. It’s because of you, Seohyun.” Jay said to Seohyun who was sitting beside her. “I gave all my money to change the window glass you broke.”

“I’m sorry... Uhm.. I have something for you. Here you go.” She handed him a pack of milk.

“Milk? Did you think I’m a baby? Where did you get it?”

“Uh.. I did not steal it. Just drink, it will reduce your starving..” She said with a grin.

Jay looked at Seohyun with his suspicious look before decided to drink the milk. After drinking his milk, Jay got up from his seat, throwing the empty milk pack in the trash bin before stepped away to go home.

A few blocks had been passed, Jay’s house could have been seen from where he was standing right now. Feeling the pain in the stomach, Jay clutched his stomach. “Ugh...” He groaned.

Seohyun looked at him, feeling worried. “Jay? Are you all right?”

Ignoring her question, Jay ran fast to get in his house. Only one destiny in his head right now, it was toilet. He unlocked his front door quickly. Throwing his bag on the couch, he rushed to go to the toilet.

Seohyun appeared in front of Jay’s toilet, confused about what’s wrong with Jay. Waiting for Jay to come out, she kept standing there patiently. She had been waiting for five minutes and Jay finally came out, holding his stomach.

“What’s wrong with you?” Seohyun asked.

“Stomach ache. Did you put something in the milk you gave to me?” Jay asked.

“No! I put nothing. Why do you blame me?”

“Then why could I get this stomach ache?”

“I... I don’t know.”

“You-“ Jay stopped speaking when he was feeling uncomfortable in his stomach again. Turning around, he went back to the toilet, slamming the door behind.

“Now how? I must check the milk.” Seohyun said to herself before disappeared.

Appearing in the park where Jay threw the milk pack, Seohyun opened the trash bin lid and took the milk pack. She looked carefully at every single thing on it. She then widened her eyes when she found that the milk had expired three weeks ago.

Back to Jay’s house, Jay looked so sick after defecated for the fifth times. Weakly, he walked up on his staircase and got into his bedroom. He lied on the bed and covered his body with blanket, trying to hold the pain in his stomach. Seohyun appeared beside his bed, standing there without Jay noticed.

“Jay?” Seohyun called.

Having his back faced Seohyun, Jay opened one of his eyes. “What?” He answered lazily.

“Uhm... Uh.. You drank an expired milk.” She told him.

Hearing those words, Jay turned around quickly and faced her, sitting up on his bed. “What?! You!” He was about to scold her, but he cancelled it when he felt it would do nothing to lessen his pain. It would only make him worse if he was mad. Jay blew a deep breath, trying to let this matter go. It had happened and no one could turn back time, even Seohyun. Jay looked away from her and lied on the bed again.

“I’m so sorry...” Seohyun said when she knew Jay was angry. “I found it on the bench, I thought someone left or forgot it there. It was still neatly packed and sealed well... So, I took and gave it to you. I’m really sorry..””

“Of course they left it. Only a crazy guy would drink an expired milk. Do you know? You are a troublemaker girl. First, you broke the window and I paid for what you’ve done... and now, you make me sick. What’s the next?” He said coldly.

Feeling guilty, Seohyun sat on the floor and looked down. “... Sorry.. I didn’t mean to do it. Really...” her voice sounded crack like she was going to cry.

Jay looked down at her sad face, staring at her teary eyes.

“I just wanted to help you. I wanted you to notice me, acknowledge me.. and I wanted to make you happy.. but, it was always wrong at the ending. I’m sorry..” She said as her tears rolled down her cheeks.

Jay could not stand to see her like that. He then sighed before saying, “Let it go.. It’s my fault too because I didn’t read the expired note on the pack... Now, don’t cry. I hate to see or hear someone crying.”

“Do you forgive me?” Seohyun asked.

“Yeah.. So, stop crying. I want to sleep.”

Seohyun erased her tears away and formed a small smile. “Thank you.. Have a nice dream. Don’t worry... I’ll be here when you need something. I’ll accompany you till you get better.” She said as she got up from the floor, staring at him.

The smile was curved on his lips as Jay closed his eyes. “...Okay.” He said.

Seohyun could not stop smiling when she saw him smile. ‘Finally.. I saw your smile.. Thank you.’