Can You See Us?

Her grandmother had once told Haneul about the psychic blood that ran in her family. She’d claimed to be a psychic herself, one that could see the true intentions of a person’s heart.

Haneul thought it was the coolest thing. She said, “Grandma’s a superhero! That’s so awesome!” with the biggest smile. Her grandmother chuckled in reply, her eyes crinkling up into little crescents.

“Psychic powers are funny things,” her grandmother replied softly.

When little six-year-old Haneul asked why they were so funny, all she got in return was a mysterious smile and a wink from the ever-smiling old woman.

“Haneul,” her mother called from across the room. She looked up to see her mother with bloodshot eyes and several tissues clenched in her hands. Her mother was dressed in all black. “Baby, who are you talking to?”

The tiny little girl beamed at her mother and looked to her grandmother, who nodded at her.

“Mommy, do you have superpowers, too?” she asked, looking up at her approaching mother with hope in her eyes.

Her mother nearly choked. “W-What? Where did you get that idea?” she gasped out, staring at her young daughter in surprise.

Haneul’s grin only grew in size. “Grandma told me. She said that she has powers and she can see when somebody’s lying,” the little girl admitted happily.

With her jaw dropping, her mother quickly shook her head. “No. No, whatever grandma told you isn’t true,” she said sharply. “I never had any sort of powers.”

Her denial was too quick, but Haneul, being six, didn’t press it.

She only noticed the frown that began to play on her grandmother’s kind, old face. “Grandma, what’s wrong? Why are you frowning like that?” Her eyes were full of the childish innocence they should have been.

Her grandmother merely shook her head. “Please don’t worry over an old lady like myself, dear.”

Haneul turned back to her mother. “Mommy, grandma’s frowning! What did you say?” She frowned in disapproval, crossing her tiny arms with a huff.

Her mother let out a sigh. She knelt down in front of her daughter. “Baby, let’s go up now. There’s a lot of things you’re going to need to learn.” She held her hands out, plucking the girl from her seat.

Haneul clung to her mother’s hand as they walked up the aisle.

She wondered just why everyone was crying. Sobbing into tissues or into another’s shoulder. Everyone was red-eyed, including her grandfather. He was holding onto Haneul’s father, who was doing his best to comfort the older man.

Haneul’s eyes stayed on them as she walked, still holding her mother’s hand.

When her gaze turned, her eyes widened.

There was a giant, wooden box at the front of the room with a little step stool. She looked up to her mother, who stayed stone-faced.

“Mommy, what is that?” Haneul whimpered.

She didn’t like the look of the box. Something told her that the box wasn’t quite right. Something wasn’t right. There was a bad feeling in her stomach as she stepped closer and closer. She didn’t like it. She felt like she was going to throw up.

Her mother finally stopped walking once they reached the box. “Go ahead, sweetie, look inside,” she prodded gently.

Although the pit in her stomach grew, Haneul stepped onto the stool, one foot at a time. She peered down into the box.

There was a familiar face resting on the pillow. It was Haneul’s grandmother. Her face was old and wrinkled, but she looked peaceful. She was dressed beautifully in a dress Haneul had only seen her wear once.

The little girl turned to her mother, blinking twice in confusion. “Mommy, why is grandma sleeping in that box?” She chanced a look to the back of the room to see her grandmother still sitting there, a content smile on her face. “And why is there another grandma in the back?”

She was starting to panic.

Nothing made any sense.

Why were there two of her grandmother?

“Only you see grandma in the back, Haneul.”

Haneul felt her eyes beginning to water. “Wh-What do you mean, mommy?” she practically breathed, willing herself not to cry. “Can’t you see her, too?”

Her mother shook her head. “No, sweetie. The grandma in this box is the one everyone else in the room sees.”

“But why?” demanded Haneul, her voice rising in pitch as her confusion and panic grew. She looked to her older brother, Jiyong, older by four years, and saw him crying alongside Boa, her sister, older by six years. “Can’t they see grandma in the back?”

Her mother was patient. “No, Haneul. I don’t think anyone else can see what you see,” replied her mother.

Haneul looked from the sleeping grandmother in the box to the smiling grandmother in the back. Tears began to pool in her eyes.

She looked back up to her mother and quietly asked, “Am I crazy?”

“No, no, you’re not crazy, sweetheart. You’re not.” Haneul wasn’t at all convinced. She bit her lip, trying not to wail loud