Chapter Thirteen

Closed Path

It doesn’t feel real yet,

Why isn’t it a dream?

I can’t believe it either,

Are you even Human?

            Lu Han feels heavy. Like someone is dragging him down, keeping him in this place. He won’t be defeated, this is a detour. He will come out of it no matter what.

            “Your end of the bargain...” Kyung Soo demands. His excitement is evident. Lu Han wonders what he’ll get in exchange for a soul he has brought here. What need does the god of the dead for a soul when he has a lot swarming outside his door.

            “Walk through that door... Your wish has been granted.” Kai says; the same lazy smile on his lips. The more Lu Han sees it the more he wants to erase it.

            Kyung Soo runs towards the door not looking back. This time he’ll get the life he never had. This time he’ll no longer be alone in life.

            As he opens the doors, a familiar figure stands there waiting for him.

            “No!” Kyung Soo’s screams echoes through the entire abode.

            Lu Han’s heads snaps up, looking at the direction where Kyung Soo has disappeared to. “What did you do to him?”

            “Grant his wish, of course...”

            “Not the way he likes it...”

            “Not everybody gets what they want, you should’ve been aware of that being human part of your life...”

            Lu Han grits his teeth. “I intend to stay human.”

            “A very hard feat seeing as you’re never really one...”

            “What the hell are you even talking about? I’m as human as human gets. Whatever you’re saying is nonsense.”

            He smiles his slow smile again and waves towards his servants to Lu Han to a room. If he had a choice he’ll make his escape. Thinking that since they’re treating him well, he better use it to his advantage until such time he’d be able to come up with a good plan to flee.

~0~

            After much discussion about Yi Xing’s plan and a great deal of convincing for Min Seok’s aunt to burn offerings for her still living nephew, however after he explained that they would need money for the journey and that he can only ask for so much she finally consented.

            “Beware of those… The truly dead and the never alive…” Yi Xing warns Min Seok as they make their way towards the tenth station of Di Yu. “They tend to want half’s more than the newly souled ones.”

            Kim Min Seok observes his surroundings; there isn’t much of a difference from the streets he usually walked through every day. Lined up are ancient mansions guarded by terracotta warriors. This he finds out are sacrifices, paper soldiers buried with those who has high ranks or of royal birth.

            The luxuries that he sees are burnt offerings for the opulent who wish for their ancestors an easy afterlife as well. Min Seok taps his still empty pocket, hoping his aunt hasn’t forgotten to burn him hell money. Both Yi Xing and him would need it for easier passage.

             His companion has hell money of his own but it’s just enough for getting past gates but not enough for their return.

            Yi Xing stops in front of the largest house in the street. It has a familiarity to it that Min Seok can’t place. Standing there for more than a minute, Min Seok can’t help but feel curious. “Whose...”

            “My grandfather’s...” Yi Xing says this casually as if they’re at the second-hand bookshop’s attic sorting deliveries.

            How Yi Xing knows these things still puzzles Min Seok. Everything his companion says is confusing. It must’ve shown on his face because Yi Xing smiles, amused. He hasn’t seen that for a while.

            “I see ghosts, remember? He’s a constant visitor. Unlike my living relatives, he keeps in contact with me.”

            Approaching the guards, Yi Xing whispered something to them handing a piece of parchment paper. The guard opens the huge gates for them without a fuss.

            If the outside has rendered Kim Min Seok speechless, the interior made his jaw drop. “This...”

            “Looks familiar?” Yi Xing asks.

            This house is the same as—

            “Lu Han’s... I’ll explain everything to you later....”

            Paper servants welcomed them, showing them the tea room. Yi Xing smiles at one of them. It’s the ghost that’s been visiting his friend at the second-hand bookshop.

            “Are you well, Auntie?”

            “Yes, thank you for always thinking of this lowly one, Master Yi Xing...”

            “You’ve always taken care of me when I was little. It’s the least I can do...”

            Min Seok sees the fondness that the servant has for his friend. How can the living neglect him? No wonder he prefers the company of souls than his unfeeling relatives.

            They were sat in a traditional room; Min Seok can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. It’s the same room where he met the Lu matriarch for the first time. Though the walls and the fixtures have a hazy glow to them, the design is still similar.

            He tried to spot the discrete hole in one o the lattice sliding doors, smiling when he’s able to find it.

            “Lu Han poked a hole on the lattice when he was having one of his tantrums. He thought no one would notice. I wasn’t aware grandfather did.” This time Min Seok doesn’t doubt the Lu Patriarch’s affection towards his grandsons. A sense of relief spreads through him knowing that Yi Xing might be neglected by the living at least there is still someone regardless of continence that takes care of him.

            “Yi Xing!” A booming voice interrupted the quiet. An old man with neatly combed hair and an air of a very ancient sage stood by the door, face stricken with panic. “Why are you here? You shouldn’t be...”

            “I sent a message...”

            “You’re very vulnerable here...  It’s not your time yet.”

            “I need your help. I think Lu Han is in danger... I’m not sure of this, but I think maybe grandmother is behind—”

            “No, she isn’t...” His voice sounds completely hopeless. “She loves you both more than anything. She wouldn’t harm any of you. If you can’t trust her, trust my words.”

            “I was barred from entering the main house yesterday, you know...”

            “Your grandmother is at the summer house in _______. She would’ve let you in if she knows you came to visit. She’s been waiting for your return...”

            “The servants let me in only because I was with Min Seok...”

            “Min Seok?”

            Now that Min Seok is finally included in the conversation he didn’t know how to start the introductions.

            “I’m Kim Min Seok...” Introducing himself, raising his hand furtively.

            “Xiu Min, it’s nice to finally meet you. Your grandfather’s a precious friend, you remind me so much of him but you look more like your grandmother...”

            He hasn’t heard that in a long time, someone mentioning his grandparents. People that are now only part of his memories. Kim Min Seok’s curiosity was peaked. He doesn’t know how to broach the subject though. His family and Lu Han’s have so much history and he knows nothing of it.

            “I’m aware you have questions of your own and as peculiar as everything is, I hope you let your aunt answer those questions for you. I don’t have the right to explain for my family. These are things I don’t have control of, being undead takes away those privileges.” Lu Han’s grandfather explains with a small smile, trying to make light of the situation. Min Seok wishes to have met him when the latter was still part of the living. “For now let’s see what we can do about this situation of yours.” 

            “My aunt has filled me in with some of the weirdness, though is there any way you can explain all this instead? Yi Xing’s being a bit secretive...” Min Seok returns the smile.

~0~

            They have moved to what Min Seok guesses is Yi Xing’s grandfather’s study. There’s a slew of ancient books lining all four walls, from floor to ceiling. It’s an antique book shop owner’s dream come true. Su Ho would be thrilled to see this.

            Yi Xing is sitting by one of the study tables, perusing a map of something he thinks might be of hell’s. “The map that father gave me... I’ve been using it to track Lu Han’s journey. He suddenly disappeared from it. The only way I can track him is through another ghost who volunteered to accompany him...”

            “Where exactly did he disappear from the map?”

            “Around here...” Yi Xing points at a vast land in the middle of Di Yu.

            The Lu patriarch takes the map, scanning the area Yi Xing has pointed. “I’m afraid Lu Han has arrived in the other’s intended destination.”

            “Lu Han’s already arrived?”

            “Not exactly where he’s supposed to be... He’s not dead; Kai shouldn’t be asking him for an audience. Not unless this ghost...requested for it...”

            “Why would Kyung Soo wish for an audience with the god of the dead?” Min Seok inquires. He’s not aware of how things work in this world but as far as he knows the dead who needs judgement rarely seeks the god on their own.

            “Su Ho...” his friend murmurs.

            “A soul?” Yi Xing’s grandfather asks.

            “A friend... We work for him... At the second-hand bookshop...” Min Seok supplies him with an answer. He doesn’t know why the owner’s son would come up on the conversation. Last he’s aware of was that Su Ho’s sick...

            “I received a call about Su Ho before we left. He was rushed to the hospital; his mother said he collapsed...”

            “Don’t tell me Su Ho’s here as well?”

            “The god of the dead does not randomly collect souls, not unless someone asked for it... in exchange.” The old man’s face goes back to looking burdened, aging him more.

            “In exchange for what?”

            “For someone he has mistaken to be Lu Han...”