A Monster Called Hatred

“Is this… really where Hyunchul lives?”

Myungsoo couldn’t help the surprise in his voice. The apartment was tucked away in the corner of the complex, where very few people would even look. He was sure it was small. It looked old, but well-kept.

Looking down at the slip of paper she’d written his address on, Haneul nodded. “Yeah. It says that this is where he lives.” She pocketed the slip and sighed. “We’re finally going to get some answers…”

From behind her, Hyungsoo sighed. “It feels like forever that I thought I was just asking for help for something normal. I didn’t know it would turn into this,” he murmured, regret and sadness in his voice.

“That’s not your fault. No one could’ve seen this coming,” she replied softly. Myungsoo didn’t blink, knowing that she was talking to his brother.

“I still dragged you into this… I’m sorry, Haneul. I as good as killed your brother…”

She bit her lip, but then shook her head. “Stop saying sorry. You two are the same, you know that?” she snapped, sounding more exasperated than irritated.

Myungsoo glanced at her. After a moment, he laughed softly. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard that,” he admitted.

His ghostly brother nodded. “Same here.”

Haneul couldn’t help but crack a smile, seeing the two on the same wavelength, even though one couldn’t hear or see the other. They were definitely related, now that she took a look at both of them at once. They had the same smile, the one that seemed to encompass their entire face, and the same sparkle in their eyes. They were so similar that it warmed her heart to see them.

“I’ve known you for over three weeks, and it’s just now clicking that you’re related.”

She ignored the offended looks and protests from both brothers and chuckled softly. Turning around, back to the door, she raised her hand and knocked. As she did, the brothers fell silent, knowing that it was time to get back to what they came to Pohang for.

Hwayoung stared in shock as Sungjong sat up, his face moving right through hers, something that wouldn’t have happened if he could see her. Narrowing her eyes, she moved silently, sitting on his other side. He didn’t flinch. She waved a hand in front of her face, but got no response.

All he did was glance around, like he was searching for someone. “Hwayoung?” he called tentatively. When she said nothing, he sighed. “I must be hearing things…”

“Sungjong?”

His head snapped to where her voice came from. “Hwayoung? Where are you?” he called, his voice shaking.

Hwayoung’s gaze saddened. She bit her lip, hesitating. “You can’t see me, can you?” she finally blurted.

“No…”

The false hope that moment had given her was more devastating than the idea that she was dead in the first place. She had, for a brief second, believed that he could see her, the same way that Haneul could. If he could, he could’ve looked her in the eye and told her that he loved her, whispered the things that he used to when they weren’t separated by the permanent barrier known as death.

“But I can hear you. I know you’re there. I know it’s you…”

She choked back her tears, clenching her hand into a fist to stop from reaching for him. “I know you do.”

Hyunchul was nothing like Myungsoo had imagined he’d be.

He actually wasn’t sure what he’d expected the young man to look like. He half expected him to be older, maybe around Hyungsoo’s age, but in actuality, Hyunchul looked to be about Myungsoo’s age. He didn’t look like he could be the younger brother of a murderous ghost. He was pale and shaking, barely able to look the two visitors in the eye, even as he let them in and offered them something to drink.

“S-sorry that I al-almost hit you with-with the door,” Hyunchul stuttered out quietly. He looked down at his hands, which were folded in his lap, with a guilty gaze. “I-I… I just got s-scared…”

Haneul, gently shook her head. “No reason to be sorry. We probably do look scary, don’t we?” She paused, looking at Myungsoo, in his brightly colored sweatshirt. “Me more than him, I suppose. I guess I should’ve called ahead.”

“It wo-wouldn’t have mattered…” he sighed. “I’d h-have been scared no-no matter what. I… I thought y-you were someone else…”

Her eyes narrowed. “Are you expecting someone else…?” she murmured.

“A-always.” Hyunchul nodded quickly. “I n-never know when she’ll sh-show.”

“She?”

The boy froze. He sighed heavily and shakily, letting his hair fall into his face. “Y-you’d think I’m crazy if-if I told you…”

Pausing, Haneul looked to Myungsoo. She motioned for him to talk to the perpetually nervous boy, who seemed much smaller than he already did. Myungsoo noticed that his shoulders were shaking badly, and he seemed like he was crying.

He managed the kindest smile he could. “We’ll believe you,” he tried to assure Hyunchul. “Trust us, our lives are already insane.”

“Tr-trust you?” Hyunchul shook his head. “Everyo-one thinks that I-I’m crazy…” he murmured sadly.

“People think Haneul’s crazy, too. I actually thought she was insane or a liar at first, but she’s proved to me that anything can happen.” He paused, biting his lip when his words didn’t seem to convince Hyunchul at all. “How about this; we’ll tell you our secret if you tell us yours? That way if we look crazy, we look crazy together.”

Hyunchul hesitated for a moment, like he was waiting for them to say that they were joking. But both Hanuel and Myungsoo kept their faces serious. He bit his lip. “Y-you promise you won’t th-thi