Between life & Death

*❄️Unusual❄️*

After a confusing start and a slightly awkward moment with Junwoong, where he ended up in less clothing than he would've liked, we found ourselves following Miss Koo Ryeon to a place we didn't recognize. Junwoong wasn't happy about the hoodie he had to wear, complaining about its fit and style, but Miss Koo didn't seem to care much about his complaints. We walked together until we reached a deserted area with few people around. One of the buildings had "Jumadeung" clearly marked on it. I was confused and had so many questions, but I chose to remain silent, hoping to avoid making the situation worse, if that was even possible.

We entered what looked like an office building, and an elderly man, probably around seventy, greeted us with a nod. Miss Koo used her name tag to open a door, leading us into a strange room filled with coffins. This sight was unsettling, and Junwoong's constant questions about death and his own comments did nothing to ease my nerves. Trying to lighten the mood, I joked that if we went into another room, we might never come out, or worse, disappear immediately. Junwoong rushed in without hesitation, spurred by my words, and Miss Koo offered a faint smile. She then urged me to follow, and I complied without objection.

Beyond the door was a red room, lit only by candles, creating an eerie, rustic atmosphere. I felt out of place and uneasy. Miss Koo warned us to be careful, adding ominously that if we fell, we would end up in hell. This made both Junwoong and me tense, and he even let out a frightened yelp. We proceeded cautiously, following Miss Koo closely, paying extra attention to our every step.

Eventually, we crossed a red bridge and came to a white door decorated with a flower and cloud design. Miss Koo held the door open for us, and we stepped into a surprisingly normal-looking office building, bustling with activity. This place, Jumadeung, seemed to operate like any other company, albeit with some odd features, such as strange sculptures and shadowy figures that moved across the walls. The same elderly man we saw earlier greeted us again, leading to a mix-up where Junwoong and I thought there were multiple identical men, but Miss Koo clarified they were octuplets.

Our journey continued until we reached an impressively decorated office, far nicer than any I'd seen back at the hospital. Miss Koo announced that this was the office of the Jade Emperor. Junwoong, ever curious, asked if the emperor was an old man dressed in white, to which Miss Koo replied with a description that left us both anxious: an old man with horns who relishes in hellfire saunas.

After Miss Koo left, Junwoong and I were alone, waiting in the grand office, uncertain of what or who to expect next. For a brief moment, there was silence between us, a contrast to the night's earlier chaos. Junwoong broke the quiet, questioning the reality of death and life, to which I responded with equal confusion. Our conversation shifted to the afterlife and how unexpectedly 'normal' Jumadeung seemed, almost comforting in its unfamiliarity.

Suddenly, an elderly woman appeared, offering us yogurt, a gesture so out of the blue it felt bizarre in this context. She reassured us, trying to alleviate our stress with a familiar snack. When Junwoong mentioned the Jade Emperor's supposed love for hellfire saunas, the woman laughed off the absurdity before transforming into a figure of elegance and authority. It was then we realized she was the Jade Emperor, not at all the figure we had imagined.

She welcomed us formally to Jumadeung, introducing herself as the director. Junwoong's reaction was to topple over in shock, spilling his drink. I stood up, moving towards the desk, filled with a mix of apprehension and curiosity about what was comming for us next. Despite the surreal circumstances, there was a sense of intrigue and an odd familiarity in the air, as if, despite everything, we were exactly where we were meant to be.

Now, seated comfortably yet still on edge, we waited for the director to explain why we were here, in this place between life and death, internaly anxious of wheter I had done something wrong, this being just a dream that I could wake up from at any moment, or just the posibility of this being real, not being in trouble at all... but for some reason that last option sounded the least probably out of the 3 three of them...