Chapter 5
Feeling something was off, Heo Narim looked again, and the woman took out her own phone and said,
“I want to give you a reward, but I don’t have any cash right now. Could I get your number instead?”
Oh no, Narim thought.
She quickly waved her hand, giving a kind smile.
“I’m not asking for a reward. It wasn’t a difficult thing to do.”
“But…”
“Really, it’s fine. And as I said, I should be going now.”
“I’ll definitely reward you if we meet again. Oh, and hasn’t the phone’s owner contacted you at all?”
Heo Narim, who was about to turn away, stopped walking. Without hesitation, she nodded.
“No.”
“…I see.”
The silence felt a bit awkward, but she guessed it was worry over Baek Yeo-hyun not showing up to the wedding.
Heo Narim lowered her head slightly and left the spot, wondering if her hurried steps looked too anxious.
‘The wedding hall must be nearby.’
She had never received an invitation. Neither from Baek Yeo-hyun nor from Heo Naryeon.
Since she was the only family, Naryeon seemed to want to meet him personally. But after hearing about their wedding, she ignored all contact.
Heo Narim sighed deeply and limped forward. Suddenly, a cold chill brushed past her, and a familiar voice echoed.
[Don’t meet him again.]
It was the little ghost.
Narim glanced around carefully. Despite the sudden appearance of the little ghost, no one else reacted.
Even though its dark blue skin clearly didn’t look human.
‘Can others not see it?’
Then they probably wouldn’t hear its voice either. Narim frowned, thinking maybe she was just tired and hallucinating ghosts.
She didn’t answer, so the little ghost looked up at her and matched her pace with its short legs, which was a little creepy.
[Promise me. You won’t meet that person again.]
It definitely seemed related to Baek Yeo-hyun, but why say that?
[Narim, answer me.]
More than that, why was a ghost interfering so much in Narim’s actions?
She rubbed her throbbing forehead. When she didn’t reply, it clung to her calf.
What a pain.
She had no choice but to pull out her phone. She couldn’t talk to the air, so this was her plan.
“I told you to disappear already. Stop meddling with me.”
[You’re talking to me and then calling someone? That’s rude.]
“…I’m talking to you, idiot. So do you want me to talk to myself and be treated like a crazy person?”
The little ghost blinked at the sharp remark. Leaning against her calf until its cheek was squished, it muttered in a sulky voice,
[Narim, you’re a swearer… I’m shocked.]
Whatever.
This wasn’t her role as a parent like Naryeon, nor the Baek Yeo-hyun she once tried to impress.
She didn’t need to look good even to a ghost. Although the idea of a connection with Baek Yeo-hyun was a bit uncomfortable.
“Get away, I don’t want to talk to you.”
[That’s mean. Really mean.]
Narim felt no need to respond. She put her phone away and ignored it, while the ghost kept grumbling.
Whatever.
Feeling uneasy in the empty house, she hurried her steps. The thought of Baek Yeo-hyun’s body, and the unknown figure in the basement, made her nearly crazy.
“Heo Narim?”
A voice stopped her busy steps.
Thinking it might be a coworker, her stiff body soon realized the voice was very familiar.
The little ghost, who was already looking at the person, narrowed its eyes as if to say, “What now?”
Narim turned her head too, and there stood the expected person.
Dressed in a suit with a slender figure, he still caught everyone’s attention.
“…Taeju oppa.”
Gam Taeju.
The man she dated for three years before meeting Baek Yeo-hyun.
The little ghost’s expression visibly darkened upon hearing Narim’s mumble.
“Why are you here, oppa… Ah.”
Neatly dressed in a suit, Narim recalled that he was also a junior colleague of Heo Naryeon and closed her mouth.
After all, it was Naryeon who introduced Gam Taeju in the first place. Attending her wedding wasn’t surprising.
“I’m on my way to Naryeon’s wedding. And that question is what I want to ask you.”
It was only natural to find someone so shabby outside at Naryeon’s wedding.
Narim smiled bitterly. They weren’t close enough anymore to share details.
“I have reasons. You can go.”
“…”
Gam Taeju’s eyes dropped toward her ankle.
He was always perceptive but didn’t show it if she didn’t want him to.
“Alright.”
As he passed by, Narim caught the scent of the perfume she had once loved.
A person who left only the scent, gone without regrets. Someone who knew his ex was hurt but didn’t say a word.
‘That coldness made it hard to be together.’
Narim moved on too. No need for further talk or unnecessary greetings after breaking up.
The little ghost kept staring at Gam Taeju’s retreating back, eyes burning as if about to shoot flames.
‘What’s with this kid now?’
She thought about warning it but decided not to since Gam Taeju couldn’t see it anyway.
Just as she was heading to the main road to hail a taxi,
“Want me to go with you?”
A clear voice, small but distinct, reached her.
Reflexively, she turned. Gam Taeju had stopped and was looking at her, as if watching for some time.
‘…I don’t even know where I’m going.’
Did he mean to go to the hospital with her? Or to walk the path ahead with her?
Maybe since he worked at the same place as Naryeon, he knew her situation. Was it pity then?
No, he wasn’t the kind to show pity.
[Narim.]
The little ghost’s soft voice called her, strangely like Baek Yeo-hyun’s call.
It felt like a plea not to go, to hold her back.
“I’m fine.”
Narim answered. Gam Taeju looked at her for a moment, then quietly turned away.
Without asking why, without holding her like when they parted. Even after three years, he was still a difficult person.
She doubted whether he truly loved her.
Narim got in a taxi and headed home. When she called the taxi, Gam Taeju’s pace slowed briefly before moving on again.
Upon arriving home, Narim immediately checked the laundry room. Seeing the door still fixed to the washing machine, she finally felt relieved.
Without changing clothes, she lay down on the bed. The little ghost appeared again beside her.
[Narim.]
“…”
[Can I come closer?]
It then started babbling nonsense. Narim gave a bitter smile and turned away.
A clear rejection: she didn’t want to see or hear it.
After that, she wasn’t sure if the little ghost stayed or disappeared.
She stared at the phone screen, full of missed calls—mostly from Heo Naryeon.
After Narim kept ignoring calls until the wedding day, Naryeon had even started sending texts.
Narim sighed, switched her phone to silent, and closed her eyes.
Her whole body was tired. Her leg hurt, and her stomach felt weirdly tight.
She curled up.
‘I wish I’d just disappear like this.’
Holding her flat stomach, she thought. Now her only family was the baby inside her.
Meanwhile, Narim didn’t know that texts kept coming on her muted phone.
[Narim, please talk to unni.]
[How long will you keep ignoring? You can’t live like this forever.]
[I’m coming to your house.]
In the room, the sounds of Narim’s soft breathing in sleep and the relentless ticking of the clock coexisted.
