Page 63 of Vicious Spirits

“Good to see you know what’s best for you,” his father replied.

“Oh yes, I know,” Jihoon said. There was a gleam in his eyes. Something sharp that confused Somin. She’d never seen such a harsh look on her best friend before.

Then Jihoon stepped forward and slammed his fist into his father’s face.

Mr. Ahn stumbled back and might have fallen if Jihoon hadn’t grabbed him by the collar.

“You here for a handout?” Jihoon asked through gritted teeth. “You think I’m an easy target because you remember when I was small and weak? Well, obviously I’m not anymore.”

Somin grabbed Jihoon’s arm. “Jihoon, let go. This isn’t what you want.”

“You think you know what I want?” Jihoon said, his face contorted in rage. Somin almost stepped back, but she knew if she did, Jihoon might do something he regretted. She pried his hands free, trying to drag him away. He felt like solid steel, unmoving. But at least he let his arms drop.

“You’ll regret that,” Jihoon’s father said, smoothing his collar.

“I don’t think so.” Jihoon slammed the door closed.

“Jihoon-ah—” Somin began, ready to chastise him.

He spun on her. “How dare you.”

Somin was taken aback by the venom in Jihoon’s voice. “How dareI?You were attacking your father! In a public hallway where any of my neighbors could have walked by.”

“So you’re upset I could have gotten caught?”

“Jihoon-ah, this isn’t like you. What’s gotten into you?”

Jihoon shook his head, lifting a hand to his temple like he was fighting off a headache. “I don’t know. I just got so angry. I couldn’t stop myself.”

“I get it; he makes me angry, too—”

“No, you don’t get it. You don’t know what it’s like to have a father like that. To have him haunting your life. You don’t even remember your father.”

Somin considered letting it go. Even as the pain of Jihoon’s words stung her, she tried to work on agreeing with him because she knew he was hurt. But instead she whispered, “You’re wrong. I do remember him.”

“What are you talking about?” Jihoon asked. “You always said...”

“I know what I said. But I lied.”

“Why would you lie about something like that?”

Somin considered changing the subject. Why was she evenbringing this up now? They had bigger problems to worry about. But Junu had been right, damn him. She needed to stop pushing her pain aside just to cater to Jihoon’s. “I lied because I didn’t want to hurt you. My father was a good man. He loved me, and I really loved him. But I felt like if I said that, if I was sad about him in front of you, then it would hurt your feelings. Because your father was so...” She couldn’t think of an easy way to describe Jihoon’s horrible father.

“So you lied to me? For over a decade? Why would you think that’s better?” He was looking at her like she was a stranger, like he thought she’d done something shameful.

“I did it to protect you,” Somin said, suddenly defensive. “I did it because it’s what you needed.”

“Maybe you should stop thinking you know what’s best,” Jihoon said. “And start thinking about why you feel like you need to control everyone around you instead of letting us just live our lives.” Jihoon slammed into his room.

“Fine!” Somin shouted after him, the word echoing uselessly in the empty room.

30

MIYOUNG WALKED THROUGHmist so thick she could barely see in front of her.

“Mother,” she called. “Mother, if you’re here, say something.”

“I’m lost.” Yena’s voice sifted out of the fog.

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