Page 126 of Vicious Spirits

“But you didn’t have to tell me. Why did you?”

When Hyuk didn’t answer, Somin did. “Because you care about him. He’s someone special to you.”

“A jeoseung saja does not have connections. In any realm.” Hyuk frowned again. “But we were once human, too. Though our memories of our humanity are taken, we all know where we once came from.”

“And Junu reminds you of your humanity?” Somin asked.

“He’s special. I always wanted to help him defeat the ghosts that haunted him. I never could. But you did,” Hyuk said. “I’m glad I was right about you.”

Somin wasn’t sure if he was right. After all, she hadn’t been able to get in touch with Junu for a week. But she didn’t want to tell the reaper that. A part of her was scared of disappointing him.

“Will we see you again?” Somin asked instead, though she didn’t know what she wanted the answer to be.

“I hope not,” Hyuk said. “This isn’t my world.” Somin saw a bit of wistfulness on his face, the first hint of emotion she’d ever seen on the reaper. “I should go.”

Somin thought he’d just disappear into vapors like he had before, but instead he walked to the door. When he opened it, Junu stood on the other side, his hand reaching for the knob. Somin jumped up at the sight of him, her chair scraping across the floor. Junu froze, surprise flashing across his features as he stared at the reaper.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I’m just leaving. I wish you well, old friend.” Then he turned and did disappear where he stood. And Somin realized the reaper had come here to see Junu, to make sure he was okay.

Junu was staring at the spot where Hyuk had just stood. When he didn’t move to step in or out of the room, Somin cleared her throat meaningfully.

He looked up and seemed to finally remember she was here. It was a blow to her ego to realize he’d forgotten about her.

“What was he talking to you about?”

“It was private,” she said, primly sitting down again. Taking her time smoothing out her uniform skirt. As if it didn’t matter to her at all that the last time they’d seen each other, she’d been trying to reach beyond the veil of the living and pull his soul back. That he hadn’t reached out to her at all since then.

And she felt a fire lifting in her. An anger that told her that she was still Lee Somin, the ace of this school, and not someone to be played around with.

“You know, I would have appreciated if you’d have returned one of my texts or calls. The polite thing to do when you want to end things with someone is to tell them directly.” The words spilled out of her like hot air, and she suddenly felt deflated. Her lips trembled, and angry tears started to fill her eyes.

She turned back to her workbook, ducking her head so he couldn’t see them. She hoped with all her might that he’d just leave now. She was mortified. Crying over a boy.

“Somin-ah,” Junu said. But she held up a hand to hold him at bay. If he came any closer, he’d see what a mess she was. “I wasn’t trying to end things.”

She let out a scoffing laugh. “You have a funny way of saying you still care, then.”

Junu sighed and, despite Somin’s protests, sat in the chair beside her.

“I was never planning to end things without talking to you.”

“But youwereplanning to end things.”

Junu’s eyes squinted in thought. “I’m not used to having... connections. It’s easier to be on my own in my line of business.”

Somin snorted in derision. “Sure, because business should always come first.”

“Well, maybe I also convinced myself that you were all better off without me and the baggage that comes along with me. I thought it would be better—”

“Of course you did!” Somin shouted, and Junu leaned back in surprise. “Of course you decided you knew better. Why? Because you’re, like, a thousand years older than us? Well, I’ve got news for you. Our problems weren’t all because of you. You didn’t force Miyoung to lose her bead. You didn’t force Yena to sacrifice herself for her daughter. You didn’t create that rip between the worlds. In fact, you were the one trying to foolishly fix it all by yourself. But guess what, it got fixed because weallworked together. That’s why you shouldn’t keep things all bottled up inside like a babo, know-it-all michin-nom.”

She took a deep breath that stretched her lungs, then let it out slowly. It felt good. Like she’d expelled a week’s worth of anger that had been festering inside of her.

“I know,” Junu said.

Somin opened her mouth to argue more before she processed what he’d said. “What?”

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