"Come in, I was just getting ready." Ha-na said as she opened the door for Yoo-ah. She was preparing for their double date with Kang-min and Jin-wook.

"Need any help with picking out an outfit?" Yoo-ah asked as she followed her into her bedroom.

"Well, since you offered, I have two choices. This one," she pointed at a floral patterned sundress on her bed, "or this one?" she pointed at a pink knee-length pleated skirt with a short-sleeved off-white top. While Yoo-ah was contemplating, Young-ae was trying desperately to get Ha-na's attention although they couldn't see her.

"Pick the sundress! Pick the sundress!" She was yelling. "Argh, this won't do." She left for the kitchen and sent some pots crashing.

"What was that?" Yoo-ah asked feeling startled.

Ha-na guessed it must be that ghost, she had been doing everything to get her attention over the past week but Ha-na had been ignoring her.

“It’s nothing, probably a mouse.” Ha-na replied willing the ghost to go away. She never thought the day would come when she believed in silly things like ghosts and hauntings.

Young-ae realized that Ha-na was ignoring again like she had been doing all the week and she screamed.

“Argh this girl, I’m only trying to help her!” She turned back to a cupboard and tried to open it but she couldn’t hold it because her hands kept going through the handle. “This is so frustrating.” She left the room and wondered down the hall where she remembered the iron was kept, luckily for her the door was slightly open. She squeezed her form into the cupboard and proceeded to rattle the ironing board and all the other things in the cupboard. She made as much noise as she could.

“Ha-naya, that doesn’t sound like an ordinary mouse. Are you sure your house isn’t haunted?” Yoo-ah glanced at the door hoping the ghost wasn’t in the room with them.

“Excuse me, I’ll go and see what’s causing that sound. Want to come along?” she friend.

“Ani, I’ll just wait for you to come back.” Yoo-ah said and positioned herself on the bed properly, making sure her feet weren’t hanging off the bed.

Ha-na opened the door and spoke to Young-ae’s ghost as if she could see her. “Why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong?”

“I’m trying to help you but it’s so frustrating because you can’t see me or hear me.” Young-ae replied.

Ha-na remembered that the ghost could write and she decided to get a pen and paper and brought it to her.

“Where are you going?” Young-ae asked as Ha-na left but she couldn’t hear her. She thought about following her but decided that Ha-na couldn’t know where she was so she had to stay where she had left her.

Ha-na returned shortly after and presented a pen and paper in her general direction. “You can write, right? If you can’t talk to me, you can at least write what you want to say.”

Young-ae let out a loud laugh. “I’m a ghost, how do you expect me to hold a pen?”

Ha-na waited and after a while realized that a ghost could probably not grasp a pen. “Hmm, you probably can’t hold a pen, can you?”

“You’re smart, aren’t you?” Young-ae rolled her eyes.

“Fine, I’ll get you something else.”

Ha-na went into the kitchen, took a tray and went outside to get some sand. As she went back into the house, she ran into Yoo-ah who had come looking for her after waiting for so long.

“What are you doing?” Yoo-ah glanced at the tray full of sand in her friend’s hand.

“I’m trying to get rid of a really troublesome rat.”

“With a tray of sand?” Yoo-ah asked puzzled.

“Don’t ask.” Ha-na said and made her way back to the cupboard. “Okay, here we are. Write what you want to tell me.” She said and put the tray at the door of the cupboard.

“Pick the sundress.” Young-ae wrote.

“That’s it? You caused such a ruckus just to tell me that?” Ha-na was a little incensed.

“Was there something else you wanted to know?”

“How about why you’re haunting me and my house?”

“Well, this was originally my house, and it’s not like I chose you specifically. I’m stuck here because I can’t move on.”

“And what has that got to do with me? Is it because I moved into this house?”

“Yes and no. I’ve been stuck in this house for about fourteen years, trying to get the help of everyone who came here but they left too quickly. I can’t move on until my husband lets got of his grief.”   

“Your husband? You were married?”

“Yes, I was married to my best friend and we loved each other so much, we even have a child together. But because I died on the day I gave birth to my daughter, he hasn’t been able to forgive himself since; he thinks it’s his fault. I can’t leave here until he moves on even if I wanted to.”

“But how am I supposed to help?”

“You have to help him believe in love again. You have to help him believe that my death wasn’t his fault and there was nothing that could have been done about it. You have to make him understand that I’ll be okay with him moving on with life.”

“I don’t even know your husband, besides I have a date to attend today. I don’t think I’ll have time to meet your husband.”

“It’s fine,” Young-ae smiled, “just pick the sundress.” She sailed out of the cupboard leaving a slightly shocked Ha-na in her wake.

Ha-na went back to her room and Yoo-ah looked up from her phone the minute she entered. Yoo-ah had been texting Kang-min. “Ya, we are going to be late. Did you get rid of the rat?”

“It’s gone for now. I think I’ll look lovely in the sundress.” Ha-na replied and returned the other outfit to her wardrobe. She quickly changed and she and Yoo-ah headed to the car. Just before she got in, she glanced back at the house and thought she saw Young-ae waving to her from the window. She blinked, but the image was gone.

“Appa, are you ready yet? Samcheon is already downstairs.” Su-jin asked through her father’s bedroom door.

“Do I really have to do this?” He asked emerging from his room. He was wearing a dark green button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of beige slacks.

Su-jin looked him up and down and smiled. “Appa, you know how handsome you are right?”

“Yes, but do I really have to do this?” He repeated skeptically.

“It’ll be fine. Come on, let’s go.”

They headed downstairs to meet Kang-min who was talking on the phone.

The girls sat at a table in the picnic area of the park and waited for the boys to arrive.

“They’re going to be a bit late.” Yoo-ah said digging through her bag of food that she had packed and going about setting the table.

“Do you think Kim Jin-wook doesn’t want to meet me?” Ha-na asked while helping her friend set the table.

“Ey, what nonsense is that?”

“I just feel that way.”

“Song Ha-na, in the 18 years I’ve known you, you’ve never been insecure. What is this at this moment?” Her friend poked her and laughed.

“Ya! It’s not funny okay, I get insecure sometimes.”

Just then, Yoo-ah’s phone rang, it was Kang-min. “Neh Kang-minssi. Oh, you’re here already? We’re at the picnic area. Oh you can see me already? Where are you?” She turned around and saw him waving at her and she waved back then hung up.

“They’re here? Oedi? Oedi?” Ha-na turned and saw Kang-min and another man whom she assumed was Jin-wook approach and a young girl trailing behind them. Each man was carrying a bag that looked like a picnic bag. Kang-min looked cheerfully at Yoo-ah, it was hard to keep the smile off his face, while Jin-wook had a blank expression and the young girl looked like she was trying to contain her excitement.

“Yoo-ahssi, I’m sorry we’re late.” He said. Ha-na noticed they were standing next to each other and even though they weren’t touching, something pulsed between them. ‘It must be nice.’ She thought to herself.

“Kwaenchanayo.” She smiled at him.

“Song Ha-nassi, this is my friend Kim Jin-wook, and that’s my goddaughter Kim Su-jin. Mianhaeyo, I don’t think I told you Jin-wook had a daughter, did I? I hope you don’t mind.”

“Aniyo, it’s okay. Annyeonghaseyo, Song Ha-naimnida.” She bowed a little in Jin-wook’s direction and he bowed back.

“Annyeonghaseyo.”

Ha-na turned to Su-jin and smiled. “How do you do Su-jinssi?”

“Omo, you don’t have to call me ‘Su-jinssi’.” The girl blushed.

“But you haven’t given me permission to speak to you informally.”

“Ah, please speak informally Song Ha-nassi.” Su-jin relied.

“Only if you promise to call me ‘unni’.”

“Unni, you’re cool. I like you.” She turned to her father and declared, “I like her, appa.”

“And this is my girlfriend, Song Yoo-ah.” Kang-min finished the introduction.

“Are you sisters?” Su-jin asked Yoo-ah.

“No, we’re friends. We’ve been friends for a long time. Haven’t we?” Yoo-ah asked Ha-na.

“Indeed we have. We even just started a business together.” Ha-na said. Su-jin looked at the two ladies with awe.

“I want to have a friend like you guys, someone I can be friends with for a long time.” They ladies led her to the table while they continued chatting.

“What do you think?” Kang-min asked Jin-wook.

“About which one of them?”

“Both of them, especially Song Ha-na.”

“She’s nice, they’re both nice.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Aigoo!” Kang-min shook his head before he went to join the others at the table. 

Jin-wook stared after his friend as he left. He had seen Ha-na from afar as they approached, in that floral patterned dress, and he had been catapulted sixteen years into the past, back to the moment he saw Young-ae in a dress. He couldn’t tell Kang-min that his heart suddenly raced, not because Ha-na was beautiful but because she suddenly felt so familiar. He watched her and her friend laugh with Su-jin, none of the women he had tried to date in the past had made his daughter laugh like that.

Ha-na glanced behind her and saw Jin-wook staring at her, she tilted her head and then beckoned him to join them.

“These sandwiches are so good, did you make them Su-jin?” Yoo-ah asked taking a second bite out of the sandwiches they had brought.

“Yes, I did. I know how to cook a lot of things. Since it’s just been appa and me, I’ve learnt how to do a lot.” She replied.

“If you don’t mind my asking, Jin-wookssi, are you divorced?” Yoo-ah asked again,

“No, my wife died.” He replied quietly.

“I’m sorry I asked that, it must be such a painful memory for you.” Yoo-ah said. She felt a little awkward.

“No, that’s fine. It’s been fourteen years.” He replied, looking down at his food.

Su-jin looked around at the table and noticed there was an awkward air with the adults. She cleared and said, “Did you know I had to practically force appa to come today? He’s such a recluse.” She laughed and Kang-min laughed with her.

“Su-jinah.” Jin-wook said a little embarrassed.  

“Ah wae? You know it’s true. Ah, if Samcheon and I hadn’t forced you, you would have missed meeting such nice and pretty unnis.” She tsked at her father.

“It’s true, every time I tried to introduce Jin-wook to a women he’d shoot me down so fast my head would spin. Su-jin had to resort to emotional blackmail.” Kang-min chimed in.

“Oh, what kind of blackmail?” Ha-na asked laughing.

“I told him I’d get a boyfriend.” Su-jin put her hand against as if she was whispering to the ladies and they all burst into laughter. Jin-wook grabbed her in a headlock and she was pleading for mercy while the others had tears of laughter in their eyes.

When the picnic had ended and they were loading up the car, Kang-min pulled Jin-wook to a corner. “Aren’t you going to ask Song Ha-na for her phone number?”

“Why would I do that?”

“‘Why would I do that’ he says. To call her and talk to her and go on dates. Why else did you think I introduced you to her, to get interior decorating advice?” He asked incredulously.

“I don’t need it.” Jin-wook replied and continued loading the car.

“Kim Jin-wook, what’s wrong with you? Do you know how selfish you are being? Think of your daughter, she likes Ha-na, Ha-na is good for her. Young-ae’s death wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. She would want you to be happy and living with someone.” Kang-min said trying not to raise his voice.

“Kang-minah, we’ve been doing the same song and dance for years now, why don’t you just let it go? And I’m certain Su-jin is just fine, she has me and that’s all she needs.” He shoot the trunk effectively ending the conversation and Kang-min let out an exasperated sigh.

Su-jin walked up to the car with Ha-na and Yoo-ah, and just before she got in she turned to the ladies and said, “Thank you Unnis, I had such a wonderful time with you.”

“We had fun too.” Ha-na said and gave her a hug.

“Indeed we did.” Yoo-ah said and hugged her too.

“Make sure you call me anytime you want to hang out or you want to talk. Or you could come by my house.” Ha-na said.

Su-jin turned to her father, “Appa, can I? Can I go and visit Unni anytime I want?”

“Well, since she doesn’t mind I guess it’s okay.” Jin-wook said. At least he could agree to that much, as long as he didn’t have to spend time with Ha-na. She made him too uncomfortable.

“Oh great. I’ll come by very often.” Su-jin said and clapped her hands together.

“I’ll text you my address.” Ha-na smiled. “Thank you for a wonderful time today, Kang-minssi, Jin-wookssi.” She said and inclined her head and they returned the greeting.

Kang-min, Jin-wook and Su-jin all got into the car and were about to leave. Yoo-ah stood beside the driver’s side and spoke to Kang-min. “Drive safely, call me when you get home.”

“I will.” He replied and drove off, Su-jin waved at the girls from the backseat of the car until they were out of sight.

“Appa, even if you decide not to marry Ha-na unni, can I still be friends with her?” Su-jin said candidly. She knew her father, she knew it was pointless trying to change his mind about the issue, so she would cut her losses. If she managed to be able to keep in contact with Ha-na, she would take what she could get.

“Su-jinah…” He started.

“Appa, I know what you’re going to say and I won’t try to change your mind, but I really like Ha-na unni and I want to keep being friends with her. There’s something different about her.” Su-jin said.

“Jin-wook, listen to the child just this once, okay?” Kang-min said and Jin-wook sighed.

“Fine, but you have to respect her life. If she can’t meet you, don’t whine and complain. It’s her life and her time, okay?”

Yoo-ah had dropped Ha-na off at the door of her house and left. Ha-na walked in and immediately stopped and shivered.

“Excuse me, but just because you can’t see me doesn’t me you should walk all over me.” Young-ae said and folded her arms across her chest. Ha-na had walked right through her because she had been standing directly in front of the door waiting for Ha-na to get back.

“Lee Young-aessi, is that you?” Ha-na asked. She didn’t even think she sounded ridiculous anymore talking to herself.

“Eyy, what’s with the formality? Call me unni.” Young-ae replied.

“Did I walk right through you? I apologize.” She said and then headed to her room to change.

“Kwaenchana, kwaenchana. How was your date? Dish, dish.” Young-ae said while following her.

As Ha-na was about to undress, she paused and glanced around and Young-ae gave a loud bark of laughter, “Oh honey, aren’t we all girls here? I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all there is to see.” Ha-na slowly lowered her dress and waited. “Okay fine, fine, I’ll leave.” Young-ae said and glided out of the room.

Ha-na started to undress, she realized the room was warmer so Young-ae’s ghost must have left. She didn’t even know how she had started to sense these things, but whenever the ghost was in a room with her, she suddenly felt colder. After she undressed, she decided to go and find Young-ae. She needed to let her know that she couldn’t help her with her mission because there was someone else she needed to save. She went into the storage room and grabbed the sand tray she had left there in the morning and went looking for Young-ae. She sensed her in the kitchen.

Young-ae was hovering over the counter in a sitting position and when Ha-na walked in, she started talking. “This was my favourite room in this house, I used to love cooking and I was going to open a small restaurant once I graduated.”

“Lee Young-aessi, you’re in here, aren’t you?” Ha-na said and gently set the sand tray on the counter next to Young-ae.

“Yes, I’m here.” She wrote in the sand.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I can help you.” Ha-na said. She really did feel sorry.

“Why not, did something happen on your date?” Young-ae wrote. She was worried, didn’t she like Jin-wook? Was it Su-jin?

“Well, I met this really lovely girl and her lonely father and my heart just went out to them. I can’t help it, something is pulling me towards them. I’m really sorry Young-aessi.”

Young-ae laughed and laughed, she even did an aerial flip. It was a good thing Ha-na couldn’t see her. “Ani, it’s okay. I understand.” She wrote still laughing. Should she tell her? Should she? “Ah, I’ll just let her find out by herself. This will be fun.” Young-ae smiled to herself.

Author’s note: Thank you to everyone who wrote encouraging messages for me and told me not to give up. I’ll work really hard to give you a good story. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Kamsahmnida.