Page 38 of Vicious Spirits

“There is no other way,” Jihoon said. “We should have known. You said you were here to help, but you’re still the same selfish jerk we’ve always known. Why don’t you just go?”

And Junu did. Without so much as a reply, he opened the door and left.

“Jihoon-ah,” Somin chastised. “Why did you have to say that?”

“What? He never listens to me. How was I to know he’d do it now?”

Somin shook her head and chased after Junu.

She caught up with him as he waited for the elevator. “You can’t just leave like that.”

“I don’t see the point in staying. None of you trust me. I have nothing to offer you. Why should I be here?” Junu wouldn’t even look at her.

There was a moment where the words seemed to encompass more than just this moment. But Somin couldn’t think of that right now. She knew that if Junu left, then their chances of saving Miyoung would be leaving with him.

“Please, your bangmangi might be the only hope we have to save Miyoung,” Somin said.

“There’s no guarantee of that,” Junu said, finally looking at her. “And even if there was, it’s not in a place we can ever enter. It’s not safe.”

“Why not?”

Junu shook his head. “I can’t talk about that.”

“Please, Junu. I wouldn’t ask this for myself, but it’s Miyoung. She needs us. She’s had everything taken from her. She has no one.”

“And that’s my fault, right? That’s what you’re trying to say?” Junu turned away from her, but he didn’t leave. He paced a few steps away, then paced back, rubbing his hands over his face.

“I’m not saying that—” Somin began, but Junu held up hishand. He closed his eyes, and it seemed Junu was having an internal war with himself.

“Dammit,” Junu muttered, and Somin knew she’d won. “Well, let’s go back inside if we’re going to figure this out. It’s not going to be fun. I can promise you that.”

“Thank you,” Somin said, but he’d already started back down the hall and she had to jog to catch up with his long strides.

He stopped in front of her apartment. “Just open the door before I change my mind.”

16

MIYOUNG STOOD UP,needing to move. Needing to do something with the anxious energy that was building up inside of her.

“We’ll figure something out,” Jihoon said.

“I’llfigure something out,” Miyoung corrected him.

Jihoon stood and took her hand in his to stop her pacing. “When are you going to realize you’re not alone in all of this?”

“When the people I care about aren’t being forced to risk themselves because of mistakes I made,” Miyoung said, pulling her hand free.

Before Jihoon could reply, Junu walked back in with Somin.

“If we do this, then you need to be aware of a few things,” Junu said. “First, there’s no guarantee that the bangmangi can summon Miyoung’s bead. The magic isn’t all-powerful; it has limits. A dokkaebi usually uses it to summon riches or food from a stash he has close by, usually small, inconsequential things. I’ve never heard of one reaching beyond the world of the living. And I’ve never heard of one summoning something as powerful as a yeowu guseul. So it’s very possible it won’t work.”

Somin started to speak, but he shook his head to stop her.

“Plus, I haven’t used my own bangmangi since I first became a dokkaebi. I don’t know if I have the skill to help Miyoung find her bead.”

“It’s our only hope,” Miyoung said.

“I know, but it’s a shaky hope at best,” Junu said.

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