I walked a bit further down the busy street, looking at the passing stores to my right and left. Then at the very end of the street, the local hospital came into my view. My hopes rose and I walked inside. Maybe there would be some kind of record of Moon Hyunwook and his personal information.

 

“Welcome, how may I help you?” The secretary bowed to me and smiled pleasantly.

 

I hesitated for a moment. “…do you have access to files of patients that have visited here?”

 

“Yes, we do.” One of her eyebrows arched up in confusion.

 

“I need to see if you have the information of Moon Hyunwook.”

 

She didn’t respond for a second. “…Why?”

 

“He’s an old friend of mine.” I lied. “I need to check his home address.”

 

“I’m sorry sir but we don’t give out records of patients to non-doctors. If you want to find out a person’s information, you should go to the town government office, but even then they won’t give you any information if you tell them the reason you told me. Why are you trying to find your friend?”

 

I paused for a second. “…I need to give him something.”

 

“A gift?”

 

“Yes.” The corners of my mouth curled in a small grin. Yeah, that’s right. A gift. That’s a nice way to put death.

 

“I see. Well, I would suggest trying the government office and ask them for your friend’s personal information. Other than that, is there anything else I can help you with today?”

 

I narrowed my eyes, letting my power run through them as her gaze met my eyes. In less than ten seconds, her entire expression calmed along with her body. She slowly sank into the secretary chair, keeping her gaze locked with mine.

 

“I don’t have time to check out the government’s office. You said they probably wouldn’t give me the information anyway. I need you to check the files here. Search for Moon Hyunwook.” I was being extremely careful not to control her mind too powerfully or else she might die like Miles. I certainly didn’t want two ghosts following me around.

 

“The doctor has the main files.” She responded calmly with a slow, monotone voice.

 

“Then let me see him.”

 

“Yes.” She slowly stood up and walked toward the back hallway. I watched her go while keeping my power flowing in the back of my mind lightly.

 

Seconds later, the secretary came back with the doctor right behind her. He was young, maybe around my age. His short black bangs were neatly parted to his right and he looked at me through his dark-rimmed glasses.

 

“Um, can I help you?” The doctor asked me.

 

“Your secretary didn’t tell you?”

 

“She did, but she’s acting a little weird.” The doctor glanced at his secretary than back to me. “You want to see the personal file of a patient that’s been here?”

 

“I don’t know if he’s been here, but if he has, I want to know his home address.”

 

“Well, I don’t know if my secretary already told you, but I can’t give out my patient’s personal information unless it’s for a medical emergency.”

 

I took a step forward. “Listen, he’s my friend and it’s been a really long time since we connected. His mom passed away recently and I have a gift I want to give him, but we haven’t connected in so long that we lost each other’s phone numbers. I can’t even find him online. Can you please just give me his home address so I can be a good friend and be there for him while he’s feeling so sad?” I complimented myself mentally on my good acting.

 

The doctor stared at me for a few minutes, then sighed. “Sir, I really can’t. I’m sorry.”

 

My gaze flickered to the secretary standing next to him and I concentrated a little more power on her.

 

She turned to the doctor with a new look in her eyes. “Mr. Kyunghoon, can’t you see how desperate he is? He just wants to be a good friend! Please…just let him have what he wants.” She batted her eyes at Kyunghoon, making him look at her with slightly raised eyes and a slight blush growing on his face. “If you want, I can give you a gift of my own later.” She grinned cutely.

 

“What…where is this…what’s gotten into you all of a sudden?” Kyunghoon stared at her in major disbelief.

 

I quickly flicked my gaze back to her and altered my power level.

 

She immediately lowered her head and bowed. “I’m sorry, that was immature. Please forgive me. But please.” She looked back at Kyunghoon. “Just give him what he wants. For me.”

 

Kyunghoon looked back at me as I moved my gaze back to his, not concentrating my power on him. I tried to look as innocent as possible.

 

After a few long seconds, Kyunghoon cleared his throat and beckoned me to follow him. “Come with me, please.” He turned around and walked down the back hallway. I passed by the secretary and mentally ordered her to stand by. She remained standing in the doorway standing very still.

 

At the end of the hallway, Kyunghoon opened the door to his office and walked up to a drawer set in the corner adjacent to his desk.

 

“What is the name of the patient you’re looking for?” He glanced over his shoulder at me wearily.

 

“Moon Hyunwook.”

 

Kyunghoon searched through many files in his drawers for several seconds until pulling out a file with “Moon Hyunwook” written on the front in Korean.

 

“Is this your friend?” Kyunghoon showed me Hyunwook’s smug-smiling picture.

 

It made my blood boil with rage, but I nodded curtly. “Yes, that’s him.”

 

“According to this file, he only checked into this hospital once, claiming he was having stomach issues. That was about five years ago. Back then I was an intern working under another doctor, but I remember his face. I remember the doctor prescribed him medication, but Mr. Hyunwook never checked back in to let us know if his stomach pains went away.”

 

“What’s his home address?” I asked a little too suddenly.

 

Kyunghoon scanned the paper. “His address is inside the city.”

 

My heart jumped. “You mean he’s close by?”

 

“Well, this was five years ago. If it changed, I wouldn’t know because it’s not on file. He never checked back in after all this time. I’m sorry, this is all I can give you.” Kyunghoon looked at me.

 

My heart sank, thinking about all the places he could have escaped to if he’s not living in the city anymore. But at this point I was willing to do whatever it takes to find this man and get my revenge.

 

“What’s the address?” I asked.

 

Kyunghoon wrote it down on a small post-it note and handed it to me. I looked at the words on the paper and slipped it into my side pocket.

 

“Do you have any more questions?” Kyunghoon asked.

 

I slowly shook my head. “No I don’t. Thank you for helping me.” I turned around and walked back into the hallway without waiting for a response.

 

I entered the main office of the hospital. The secretary was in the same place where I left her, standing in front of the door standing almost like a solider. I passed by her and released the small amount of power I was holding in the back of my mind. I heard a sigh come out from her and a small thud as she collapsed to the ground. I glanced behind me with slightly widened eyes, trying to see if she was breathing. I couldn’t tell very well, so I quickly ran out of the hospital and toward the nearest bus stop.

 

I really need to concentrate my power so it doesn’t kill everyone. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, Miles was actually right about something.

 

I really do have a lot to learn about using my power.