Hotel Blue Moon (Inspired by Hotel Del Luna)

Chapter 30: Camellias

Aghui finally met her maker. The God responsible for her suffering, the reason for all that hate festering inside her, the creator of the monster she had become. Her own mother. Ma Go sauntered towards her as she slowly collected herself from her injured stupor. 
"It has been a long time, daughter." Ma Go smiled gently. Aghui spat.
"Since you abandoned me, chained me in the deepest part of the universe? Yes, it has been a long time, Mother."
Ma Go's eyes glistened, her heart ached for her lost daughter, but she became an irredeemable monster and could not help but think it was entirely her fault.
"All I ever asked for was your love. What did I get instead?" Aghui stared daggers at her mother. "Contempt. That was all I got. That is all I see in your eyes, even to this day." 
"I am sorry, my daughter. I have failed you." Ma Go tried to caress her daughter's head, but Aghui immediately swatted her hand away.
"Is that all you can do?" Aghui fought back tears. "Apologize and think it is all over? That every hurt I have ever endured from you or my sisters vanish because you said this one word?" Aghui's voice dripped with rage. The rage she felt for her so-called family and everything they created. Even if the fraction of love they had for their beings were shown to her, Would she be different? 
"I will come back. I am not going to accept defeat that easily. I will show you what it is like to watch everything you love to burn. I promise you that." 
"No, my dear daughter." Ma Go drew the binyeo* from her hair, holding it with her shaking hands. "You will not."
(* Traditional hairpin Korean noblewomen wear to hold their hair in place) 

Hotel Blue Moon was back in business. Mrs. Park started conducting interviews for filling the staff positions throughout the hotel from the guests that arrived. Everything was going smoothly, but they cannot help but feel the void from Ae Ra's absence. Chan Seong was back at his day job, Yi Sook was responsive but still out from the injury. Do Hwan was at his office, refusing to come out unless it was absolutely urgent or to visit the Moon Tree. Sometimes the staff would hear sniffled from the office and other times nothing at all, making the staff wonder if he was truly okay. 
Mrs. Park was the only person allowed to enter the room, cleaning and rearranging things or to get approvals for staff positions or hotel-related matters. It did not matter, as Do Hwan did not pay attention to the documents he signed, it fell on the three ghosts' shoulders to take matters into their own hands. They did a fairly good job, but it was too much work indeed. 

Mrs. Park gently creaked the door open, walking into Do Hwan's office. The room was filled with darkness, with the only light source on the table. Do Hwan sat in his chair with only the desk lamp on. Mrs. Park quietly turned on the light and Do Hwan was startled by the sudden brightness engulfing him.
"How long are you going to stay like this, sir?" Do Hwan did not respond but simply shook his head.  Mrs. Park sighed with her eyes closed.
"We are all devastated by Miss Jung's loss, sir.  I want you to know that we are all here for you. However, if you are going to keep pushing us away like this,   it won't do you any good." 
"I really hope you stop destroying yourself like this." Mrs. Park concluded. She took one last look at Do Hwan who was silent and watching something elsewhere and left the room. 

Do Hwan declined back on his chair, closing his eyes. As soon as he did so, tears streamed down his cheeks. Mrs. Park was right after all, but he could not bring himself up to face anyone at the moment. He felt weak, dejected and the worst of all, he killed Ae Ra with his own hands.  While he was deep in thought, his phone buzzed. Do Hwan reluctantly looked at the screen which revealed a text message.
"Yi Sook is awake." From Chan Seong. 
Do Hwan closed his eyes once again. Determined, he got up and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

*

"It feels like I wrestled a bear." Yi Sook groaned. The painkillers were slowly being worn off of him as Chan Seong watched apologetically. Hyunjin was standing by the door with his hands folded. 
"The doctors said it will take a while to get better." Chan Seong responded. "You are confined to your bed until then." Yi Sook shook his head, wincing at the pain even this small action caused.
"Where is Ae Ra?" He finally asked, to which Chan Seong and Hyunjin looked at each other. Yi Sook noticed their look and leaned back on his bed. Neither of them talked, and Yi Sook kept his silence as well.
"Oh, I know this look." Yi Sook finally said after the deafening silence. "We have given the same look among ourselves with victims' families many many times, Detective Han." His lips quivered, unable to continue any further.
"I'm sorry, Yi Sook." Chan Seong held his hand. Yi Sook merely sobbed without any sound. 
"I'd like to be alone now, please." Yi Sook whispered. Chan Seong and Hyunjin looked at each other and left the room without a word. 
Yi Sook could not control his tears any further, but with each sob escaping from his mouth, the pain in his dressed wound increased. Funnily enough, it was his heart that hurt a lot more.