"HEY!! GET UP!!"

 

 

  The door being violently knocked again. This is the third time it happened and as usual, I open my eyes slowly and stretched out my arms and legs. My aunt is knocking the door very violently as she called me out. "I SAID GET UP,YA BRAT!! WAKE UP!!" I slowly got up, scratch my head and looked at the watch, it's been 6:30 am, it always the 6:30 am about three months past and even now, I woke up in 6:30 am. As my aunt stops knocking the door. I turn to the door and sigh "Sheesh, every time like this? How am I supposed to wake up early when I work out in 1:00 am?" Then again. it's been three months in a half since my family past away. After their burial, I was sent here two weeks ago by my family lawyer to my relatives. My relatives never much like me anyways. Especially my uncle and aunt. They had a grudge againts my mom and nuna and thinking they are the one who took awy my dad. I don't know those part until they said it themselves. "You're lucky we let you in, but if you interfere our lives, I'm gonna put you back to the orphanage, ya hear,boy?!" At that moment they begin to ignore my like I wasn't there, and they often force me to do chores and getting a hard labour, something that even my mom didn't let me do it. To them, I am their servant, more like a slave or something. until that moment, I begin to think that I am an outcast, I am not needed in their world.

  I look at my family pictures and always talk to it to release my tension. Since they can hear me up there, I bet my family don't want me to stay here any longer. I bet they can take me away from here. When I imagining things, I hear a stomp from the top of the celing at my room. "HEY, JEONG BO YAA!!!! WAKE UP, WE'RE GOING TO THE MALL TODAY!! " His voice really annoys me, my big fat cousin of mine. His name is Hyun Dong, so called the Black Bull because of his strength. He can easly brusied people. Even for me, I've been pushed by him all around in my three months in a half stay. He is a greatest bully in school and I can't believe that he is my cousin. When I was about to go out from my room. Hyun Dong running downstairs and push me back into my room extra hard and lock me in my room. His squicky but annoying laugh of his often ticks me off, and I really want to kill him. I can see when he enter at that door he will tell his mother on me. But then, Someone unlock the door, there is a tall, tanned skin person stand in front of me, of course he is also one of my cousin, Hyun Jong. He is a very mysterious. I didn't know anything about him. But Bomi nuna often told me about him. Unlike his brother, his father and his mother, Hyun Jong is often hang out with nuna. "Hurry up, we're gonna be late." I get up faster and as he walk away first, I followed him from behind.  "MOM,MOM, JEONG BA IS STILL.." Before Hyun Dong try to finish. Hyun Jong quickly hit him straight to the head. "What are you talking about, he is washing his hands over there." Hyun Dong then looked straight at me washing my hands. "YOU!! START COOKING YOUR FOOD!!" my aunt shouted. I just nod my head in silent. My aunt really hated me even if I went silent. She then spout nonsense about me like 'Why is he even alive, just die so he can go back to his family in hell.' I am getting use to it. She always spout nonsense and wanna make me look like I am a bad kid and Hyun Dong is the good son even if I give a sigh she begin to start angry and start hitting my head. "Mom, stop it." 

"What?! KIM HYUN JONG, YOU ARE TELLING ME TO STOP? HE'S A SON OF A --"

"Honey, do not let your anger scare our little Hyun Dong, alright?"

"But darling~~"

"Mommy, don't be angry, mommy, I'm scared."

"Oh my Hyun Donggie~~" As my aunt hug her fat son. I'm quickly turn my head and pretend that I didn't hear anything. "Kid, you better eat quickly because we are going to be late for Hyun Dong and Hyun Jong's birthday. If you dare to slow down, I'm gonna kill you right away."

 My uncle is no different at all. He always hated the Japanese, because in the past, the Japanese conquer Korea and made the Korean suffer. Which means he also hated my mother and Bomi nuna. Saying out loud that good thing that those two Japanese es died and my father is a stupid s.o.b for marrying their 'so-called' enemies.

   I only eat the plain white rice and fried eggs (well, since I only know how to make it.) Seeing my aunt and the rest are happily eating (except for Hyun Jong).Makes me kinda.....

 

Disgusted....and envy...

 

I once had that feeling too...

 

But it's gone.....

 

"DADDY, HE WON'T LET ME HAVE IT!!" Here comes Hyun Dong's annoying voice again and the salesmen had it hard because of Hyun Dong and my uncle as usual, he force the salesmen to set a discount or he'll call the police. Man, if it weren't for Hyun Dong's demand the salesmen would have it easier. 

  For some reason, I always sit alone when my uncle and the rest going to to the movies left me behind all alone. People mindlessly watching me while passing. I don't care about what people talks about me. I don't give a damn also. Even if my late sister often dissing others for saying something. "Cheh, people really have to mind their own business, b****! Soo hyuh, you have to fight back or else they are going to make fun of you for the rest of your life." Suddenly, I felt cold at my left cheek. I jolted and Hyun Jong was there holding a bubble tea. "Thirsty?" 

  We--uh, still didn't make a conversation yet. Still,awkward. I kept stealing glance at him, him drinking the bubble tea. I don't get it, why is it that his family were having their fun while he just siting on the sidelines, I still don't get it. He then looked at me. Surprised I looked away. I was embarrased, yes, I even looked at the bubble tea he bought. "If you don't drink it, i'll became warm and it'll became tasteless." 

  I finally get to voiced out my thoughts. "Why aren't you with your family?" He drink the bubble tea until the tip of the straw. "It's boring...unlike yours" He then walk to the dustbin beside me and throw it way. "It's tasteless..." and return. "When I first visit your family. It feels like your different. I kinda envy your family." 

"Why you want to be jealous of mine? Yours is good enough" 

"But, it's not as harmonious as yours. Although different race but still your happy. I envy that you know. My family is always one thing and another. And often spoilt Dwaejji.At least your family never spoilt you."

"Nah, there are once, my mom often spoils me you know. She had this affection until she kisses you in public. I was getting embarassed you know. Nuna often scold mom not to do that in public, she;ll embarassed someone."

Then I hear him giggle, this is the first time I hear him laugh for real. I never see him laugh in three months. I kinda like that smiles of his, makes you want to smile as well. I took the sip of the bubble tea in my hands and he's right, it's tasteless. "EWWW Nanjya korya??" Hyun Jong then laugh even louder. "What? What so funny?"

"No, it's kinda funny when you said it..What is that mean?"

"It means 'What is this' in Japanese. I think I watch too much Japanese yankee drama"

"It's cute. I like it. No wonder your half-Japanese."

"But your father hates them, remember?"

"Yeah, that's . It's modern time, why thinking about bad things about Japanese even now."

"You hate your family?"

"No, I just don't like the way they treat you, that's all"

"Can you come with me for a sec?"

"Where?"

 

 I take Hyun Jong to my family's grave. Their tombstone looks pretty even when you look from afar. "I always came here. Telling them how I feel and what's on my mind"

"Beside the picture?"

I nod. Hyun Jong suddenly kneel down and put his hand together and pray. I just watch him there. It's unbelievable to think that he's from the family that always harrased me. He then put his hands to the Bomi nuna's tombstone. "It probably hard,huh? To loose a family."

"Yeah, so bad you want to follow them along."

Silence were around the both of us. True, if it were the old me. But now I just don't care anymore, because if I do that they will be disappointed in me. Still, I can't help but thinking like that. Hyun Jong then smirk and gets up gets me a startle"Cheh, if I knew we're going here I would at least brought a bouquet. What kinda cousin am I?"

"Eh?"

"Nothing." Then Hyun Jong looks at the sky as the clouds wondering inside his iris "You know, people says when people dies. They will be reincarnated as something like stars, or trees or butterflies or anything.  But the truth is.."

He then look at me with the strange gaze "The ones that never forgets them lives you know, so..." he then moves his eyes to the sky "They're still alive in you, you just have to find it."

"Maybe...they are."

"Of course."

"Thanks, Hyun Jong, for accompany me."

"No biggie"

 

 Both of us walk home. I kinda nervous, I wonder if my aunt will react, she would blame me for sure. "We'll take the bus, is that okay with you?"

"But what about Aunt Sooyoung? She'll be mad at me."

"Yeah, that will be a problem."

Then suddenly when we were about to sit down waiting for the bus. I saw this white cat mewing at me. I quite fond of cats, to be honest, they're cuddly and their hair soft(well, some cats) I try to make it come here. But the cat didn't budge. That's strange, usually cats, some, were coming when they hear it. I tried to come near it and try to touch it and yeah, it's fur is soft. "You're a cute lil' fellow aren't you?Where are your owner?"

"Eh, Soo hyun, what are you doing?"

"Huh, I was talking to the cat,why?"

"A cat? I don't see any."

"What do you mean you don't see anything he's here right in front of--" But when I turn around there is a corsp of a white cat there. It's head splits in half after being hit by a car. I just stare in horror and as I look back at the cat I just saw. It just staring at me. What the heck had just happen? Without me knowing I almost being hit by a car if it not for Hyun Jong pull me out of the road. "It's still red. What are you thinking?" Then I looked at the dead cat and the 'other' one. "But, I saw it there beside the--"

"You've must a been tired, Come on."

But I still convice that the cat is there, but Hyun Jong says he sees nothing. Nothing, if it was, but what is it that I saw? A ghost?  

 

"WHERE ARE YOU BEEN, KIM HYUN JONG?! I WAS DEAD WORRIED ABOUT YOU!!" That's what you get when you come home late. She then turn to me. Her facial expresion turns ugly as she raised her hands and hit me with all her might. "YOU LITTLE BRAT, HOW DARE YOU!! HOW DARE YOU!!"

"Mom, that's enough!! Your being spoilt again!!"

"Spoilt? SPOILT?! THIS BASTARD WAS TRYING TO PUT YOU IN DANGER AND YOU CALLED THAT SPOILT?! THIS--THIS" She was about to hit me when Hyun Jong took the blow instead of me. I got shocked and so does my aunt. Hyun Jong then stare back at his mother and start to come near her. "I don't care if you are my own mother, lay a finger on him? YOUR DEAD!!" He raised his voice at his mother as his mom start to gasped as she still hatefully stare at me "It's him,huh? It's him is it? I she the one who brainwashed you? IS HE?"

"No, I just made up my mind. I will protect him from you so from now on he'll be sleeping in my room. Now and forever. Got it" He then grab my hand and went upstairs. I can imagine what my aunt would look like if her own son said that. Hyun Jong then put on the sleeping matt next to his bed and lying down. As for me, he let me sleep in his bed. Well, I've been sleeping on the floor in three months. "Tomorrow I'm gonna move your stuff here then." 

"Er, thanks?"

"Whya re you sound like that?"

"I don't know..It's just, I didn't know that you can shout like that to your mom"

"Neither do I.. Oh, tomorrow is your birthday is it? in 12:00 midnight is it?"

"Yeah, why?" Now that I mention it. Tomorrow is my birthday. Maybe all this sadness from loosing my family is the cause. Hyun Jong then smirk and going down stairs. I wonder what is wrong with him? Then, he brought me the half cut cake and one candle. "It's not much but I think it's worth it, huh?"

"Thanks!!"

 

 Then suddenly, lights suddenly ticked on and off. and ground is about to shake. Scream and shouting in horror just sprung into my ears as Hyun Jong quickly hold me and bring me to the living room. And so does Hyun Dong and my uncle and aunt. The ground is indeed shaking very hard. "WHO ARE YOU? SHOW YOURSELF!!" Then I saw this green flash swimming around the living room. And the red light just appeared as my aunt and uncle and Hyun Dong continues to shout. Hyun Jong hold me very tightly as the room stops shaking and the green with red flash unites and form into a lady. A very tall lady with short hair, with fur jacket, and a black high school outfit. And that girl hold some box in her hand. She then raised her head as her eyes looking at us like scanning us from bones and flesh. She then look straight to us in the face. "Hey, you s, what are looking at me like that, HUUUH?[in Japanese]" The others were shocked, and I just stare at her. "Er, Soo hyun ah, what does she said?" I looked at Hyun Jong "not a very good speech though. She says 'You s, what are looking at me like that' she says'" The rest of my realitves even Hyun Jong just stare in gawk at me "O-kay, that's not a good speech at all"

"You, Japanese bastard, get out from my house right now!!"

Then that girl just came near my uncle and aunt stare at them in anger. "You bunch of old hag and geezer had no right to nag me, a'ight?![in Japanese]" Without touching any the rifle begin to bend upwards as my uncle begin to shoot. "What does she said again"

"She said 'you don't have the right to talk to me like that''or something."

"Oh my god,"

"Yeah, I know"

Then the girl suddenly hear us laughing as she stare at us. She begin to walk slowly. She gaze at us one by one. As she spotted Hyun Dong, frightend. "Hm, I didn't see you this fat? Did you eat too much Soo Hyun?"

"Eh,excuse me?"

"Um, excuse me but I am Soo Hyun" She then looked at Hyun Jong but he point at me. "I always know it was you. I just playin' with ya" 

"She speaks Korean?"

"I think she is."

She then hand me the box with a smile. "I don't know which one you like but.." She opens the box as inside the cake, a chocolate cake with green icing saying "Happy Birthday" I looked at her "You gave this to me"

"It's your birthday so, I think I may not have the wrong timing it's 12 midnight right?"

"Er, yes."

"You might as well eat, you must be starving,huh?" Then she looks at my relatives with a scarey sharp eyes. My uncle, aunt and Hyun Dong just shaking their legs. "Of course you can share with him" refering to Hyun Jong as we look to each other and return to her.

"Excuse me, but who are you?"

"Me? the name is Yu"

"Yu? as in Yurei(ghost)"

"Yeah, I'm a poltergeist"

"P-Poltergeist, that mean that your.."

"A ghost? Yeah and also your partner from now on"

"Excuse me, partner?"

She then look at me with a normal stern face as she look at me in the eye. "You really don't know do you?"

"That I am what?"

She then didn't say anything in 3 seconds then she look at me, seriously "You're a ghost whisperer."

"A what?"

"A ghost whisperer."

  

Note: Jeong Ba: Skinny in Korean language

Yurei or Seirei is a Japanese word for spirit or ghost