Carrying the medicine that she bought from the drug store, Seo Hyun walks home. Her other hand is on her stomach. It is very painful that she could hardly walk. She’s thinking if she can still feel her illness despite her body returning to young age.

After walking for what seems to be hours, she finally arrives home. She holds the gate handle but it is locked so she searches her pockets but she couldn’t find the keys.

            “Where is it?” she asks between her cold sweats.

What she doesn’t know is that she accidentally left the keys inside the house.

The pain becomes worse that she falls on her knees.

            “Ahhh…” she groans.

_________________________________________________________________

Yonghwa goes to the veranda. He stares at phone in his hand.    

            “There’s no reason for me to keep it. Please take it back.”

He sighs deeply. He then looks at Seo Hyun’s house. The light in her room is off so he thinks that she’s probably sleeping now. Not long after, something caught his attention outside the gate. Somebody is there….A girl is crutching on the floor.

            “Seo…Hyun?”

Yonghwa immediately goes down.

            “Seo Hyun…”

Her right hand is on the gate while the other one is holding her stomach. Yonghwa holds her.

            “Seo Hyun! Seo Hyun! What’s happening?” he asks her but she’s not answering.

Yonghwa tries to open the gate but it is locked. Seo Hyun’s forehead is sweating and she seems to be feeling an extreme pain. Yonghwa carries her without any hesitation and runs to the nearest clinic.

_________________________________________________________________

Seo Hyun and Yonghwa silently walk home. After two hours in the clinic, she was discharged. The doctor says that the pain is because of indigestion. Seo Hyun is relieved that the doctor doesn’t seem to detect anything about her stomach cancer. She’s now sure that her illness won’t be present as long as her body is not returning to its original state.

They reach her home but still, she couldn’t get in.

            “Is your grandmother inside?” Yonghwa asks.

            “No, she went somewhere.” She replies.

            “What time is she going home?”

            “She won’t be coming home today.”

            “You forgot your keys, right?”

She nods. Yonghwa looks at the wall. It is too high to climb so he takes out his phone to call his apartment’s maintenance personnel.

            “The maintenance man said that he couldn’t make it now but he will come tomorrow morning to help you open it.” He returns the phone inside his pocket and continues. “If it’s fine with you, you can stay at my place for tonight.”

Seo Hyun doesn’t want to do anything with him after what he said to her this afternoon but she really needs help right now and he’s the only one there to help.

            You can’t afford to be picky now when you clearly don’t have a choice—her mind tells her.

Seo Hyun follows him to his apartment.

She was a bit hesitant to enter since she had never been in a man’s place before. Yonghwa notices it because she’s not moving from the doorway.

            “Come in. I assure you that it’s safer here than outside.” He says.

Seo Hyun finally move her feet and enters the house. The interior is simple. It doesn’t have much furniture making it look spacious. In the living room, there is a three-sitter sofa, a wooden coffee table and a TV set. On the right is the small kitchen with a stove, microwave, and a single door fridge. The dining table is for two persons only. There are two doors on the left….probably the bathroom and his room. Each corner is tidy and clean too.

            “The bathroom is that door.” Yonghwa says. “Maybe you want to wash your face.” He gives her a towel. “You can use this. It’s clean.” He adds.

Seo Hyun went to the bathroom and washed her face. When she comes out, Yonghwa is doing something in the kitchen. She sits on the sofa.

           “Here’s a soup.” Yonghwa brings a cup of hot soup. “Drink it up then take the medicine the doctor gave earlier.” He says.

            “Bringing me to the clinic and offering me a place to stay for the night….I feel so much grateful. What you did is already enough and I could only accept that much….I’m not your responsibility.” She voices out.

For a few seconds, Yonghwa is speechless.

            “Sorry.”

Seo Hyun stares at him.

            “I didn’t wish to make you feel uncomfortable.” Their eyes meet. “What I said to you this afternoon….It was a bit late for me to realize what they might have sounded like to you. I didn’t really mean it that way.” His tone is filled with sincerity and seriousness.

She just listens to him.

            “Step back and distance myself…I thought I was doing the two of us a favor.” He looks away and resumes with his casual and cheery tone“Cha Yumi and Yoon Ji Ah are undoubtedly good company. They both adore you and speak highly of you to other kids at school. Like them, I also think that you have a likeable personality.”

            “But not enough to be your friend.”Seo Hyun says.

            “No, it’s not like that! Not that I don’t want to be your friend….It’s because there is a part of me that….” He hangs his head on the side and shut his eyes. He leaves out a sigh as he open his eyes then continues. “I don’t hate you….” He says with assurance in his voice.

Those last words bring relief to Seo Hyun. It’s enough for her to know that he doesn’t hate her. She repeats it again and again in her mind and the side of her lips curve into a smile. Yonghwa feels light too upon seeing that.

            “The soup is getting cold…” he says.

Seo Hyun grabs the soup bowl and takes a sip. Her stomach feels good with a few sips so she drinks it all up. Yonghwa brings out the phone from his pocket and hand it out.

            “I actually felt bad when you returned it.” He admits.

Seo Hyun takes it.

            “Call me whenever you need me. If you need help…..or even if you don’t.” he says.

            “Now that I know how important having a phone is, I won’t return it again.” She replies making him smile.

_________________________________________________________________

That morning, the maintenance guy arrived and unlocked the gate of Seo residence. Seo Hyun was able to return to her house.

They must practice after class for the café’s stage performance and they only got two days for that. They agreed to practice this afternoon at her home. Seo Hyun opened the gate for Yonghwa. He carries a guitar as he let Seo Hyun lead the way.

The furniture and interior of the house is what you often see in classic movies. The stairs, doors and columns are made from varnished mahogany. The walls are adorned with wallpapers while the glass windows are being shaded by lace curtains. There is an elegant chandelier in the living room too.

               “Nice place.”  He complements.

            “This used to be a vacation house here in Seoul but the family permanently moved here forty seven years ago.” She says.

           “Whoa…that’s really long. I’ve got to give it to your folks…the house has been well-maintained.”He says. “Is there any other person living here apart from you and your grandma?” he asks after.

            “No, it’s only the two of us.”

            “That’s tough. I mean, how do you do all the chores?”

            “The house helps left because grandma sent them all away before I arrived.”

            “Ah…Now I know why the yard was in mess some days ago. While looking at it from my terrace I thought, ‘Maybe the grandma went somewhere and the house will turn into a haunted one.” He jokes. 

Seo Hyun realizes that Yonghwa is really paying attention to her as the old woman next door.

            “It seems to me that you’re concern about these things.” She comments.

            “Before you came here, your grandma was all alone so I’m somehow trying to look after her.” He replies.

Seo Hyun couldn’t believe that all along, there is somebody whose concern about a moody old woman like her.

Yonghwa stops and stares at the big oil portrait hanging on the wall.

            “Are they your great grandparents?” he asks.

            “Huh?” They’re actually her parents but of course she can’t tell him that. “Yes.” She responds.

             “My great grandfather was a merchant. He was from a great line of merchants and that is where their wealth came from.” She says.

Yonghwa nods and looks at the other oil portrait. It is Seo Hyun in her mid-thirties.

            “That’s your grandma, right?” he utters.

            “Hm.” She replies uncomfortably.

            “You know what? I think you take after her.” He says making her stare at him.

            “Your eyes, nose, lips…looks similar.” He adds.

For a moment Seo Hyun felt nervous. Will he conclude that the woman on that portrait is actually her?

            “I often hear that…” she just says.

Yonghwa’s eyes narrow.

            “How about your grandfather? Why is there no portrait of him here?”

She told him before that she’s related with the grandmother because she’s the sister of her grandfather. She’s actually an only child so there would be no ‘brother’ to show.

            “Uh…His portrait is in my family’s home in the province.”

            “Ah…” he nods. “Seo family is known in the neighborhood…I think I’m lucky to get your hospitality.” his tone says his wonder.

            “What do you hear from people about us?” she asks in a low voice. Now she’s getting curious on how people perceive her family.

            “Well….They say that Seos are really rich but they’re not sociable.” He replies honestly.

Seo Hyun smiles with shyness.

            “They say that they don’t speak with neighbors….I saw your grandma a few times before but she ignored me. You were so aloof too when we first met so I guess the anti-social thing is somehow accurate.” He says in a teasing tone.

Seo Hyun suddenly sees Yeong Won on the side. She looks at Yonghwa but it seems like he’s not seeing nem. Yeong Won is pointing to something and she realizes that she has her old photo on the round picture frame near Yonghwa. Good thing, he’s looking up at the photos on the wall and not focusing on the picture frames on top of the display table. She takes it without him knowing and excuse herself.

She enters her room and put the picture frame there. Her oil painting that she had on her 18^th birthday is there too. She moved it here before Yonghwa arrives.

            “That kid is interested in you.” Yeong Won teases her.

            “He’s just a curious kid.” She contradicts.

            “That’s not how I see it. The boy treats you in a special way…he adores you.” Ne says.

            “It’s not like that.”

            “And you..you adore him as well. Your eyes say it.” Yeong Won states with amusement.

Seo Hyun blinks.

            “W-what are you…..?” she covers her eyes with her one palm. “Stop making accusations like that!” she says.

            “You can cover your eyes but your heartbeat does not lie.” Yeong Won sits comfortably on bed. “I smell a rosy feeling.” He adds with a smile.

            “W-What?!”Seo Hyun removes her hand from her eyes. “You are wrong! There is NOTHING like that!” she says with emphasis.

           “Don’t deny your feelings….after all, you are supposed to live your life differently from your prior choice.”

            “Oh please!” Seo Hyun rolls her eyes.“How could a spirit like you put malice on it? That boy is here because we are going to practice for a school activity. In my eyes, he’s just a kid, simple as that.”

Yeong Won chuckles making Seo Hyun blush.

            “Seo Hyun?”

Yonghwa’s voice brings panic to her. Seo Hyun pushes Yeong Won on the bed making nem lie down.

            “What are you doing?” Yeong Won asks.

            “Be quiet, will you?” she says and cover nem with the blanket.

Seo Hyun rushes to the door.

            “You might had forgotten, I’m a spirit….” Yeong Won utters.

            “Hm?”Seo Hyun says to Yonghwa the moment she opened the door.

            “Is everything okay?” he asks and his eyes pass her. He sees a person lying on the bed and covered by blanket.

Seo Hyun fakes a chuckle and closes the door behind her.

            “Grandma is not feeling well so she couldn’t come out to greet you.” She says.

            “Ah…Don’t mind it. What’s important is for your grandma to have a rest.” Yonghwa seems to buy it.

They return to the living room and starts with the practice. Seo Hyun didn’t expect that Yonghwa is that impressive in playing the guitar. He can sing too.

THUMP…THUMP…THUMP…

Her heart beats fast again as she glance at his face secretly.

You can cover your eyes but your heartbeat does not lie.

Her cheeks become hot upon remembering YeongWon’s words.

_________________________________________________________________

Yeong Won’s POV

I stood in a corner and silently watch the two as they practice. I couldn’t help but smile just by observing them. They are being surrounded by a blossoming sweet and rosy aura and I know exactly what that is….Love.

            “Life is truly miraculous..” I whisper to myself.

Even a spirit like me finds this occurrence mesmerizing because it is unforeseen.