The Ninth Life of Min Yoon Gi

9.

He had read all through the night, page after page, as Ji Min napped around the sitting area like some overgrown cat and, at one point, curling up next to Yoon Gi and making him put an arm around him. He still didn't think he was any closer to understanding how to be caring, despite the thousands of words on the subject.

At long last, the clock ticked to eight o'clock and Yoon Gi stood and stretched.

"Are you coming with me?" He asked Ji Min, who was sitting on the kitchen counter looking excited as Yoon Gi ate a piece of toast.

"I wouldn't miss this for anything!" Ji Min grinned.

"Of course you wouldn't." Yoon Gi grumbled, putting his shoes on and heading for the door

"Hold on, you're forgetting something."

Yoon Gi turned to see Ji Min holding out a small brown leather wallet. "You'll need your wallet. It has a credit card—a way to pay for things."

"I have money?" Yoon Gi asked as he looked in the wallet. There was a card with his photo, name, and an address, and another card with some numbers on it.

"Well, not technically. Tae Hyung set it up so that it takes money from the rich people who funnel their income into offshore accounts to avoid paying their share of taxes. A little Robin Hood, if you will. They'll never know and this way you can live a seemingly normal human existence."

Yoon Gi raised his eyebrow, but shoved the wallet into his pocket before zipping up his coat. "Whatever you say, Ghostie."

Yoon Gi had drawn a simple replica of the map he had seen on the computer and Ji Min helped him navigate to the first floral shop. As luck would have it, Jung and Sons Florists was not the shop they were looking for. However, the brightly smiling young man at the counter knew Jimin and directed them three blocks over and four blocks up to Parks Plantorium.

"What a stupid name," Yoon Gi scoffed as he stood outside the small store front, looking at the name on the sign.

"I don't know, I think—"

"Nobody asked your opinion," a voice interrupted Ji Min.

Yoon Gi turned to see Jimin, arms ladened with fresh floral cuts, brush past him and into the shop, letting the door slam in his face.

"Oops," Ji Min singsonged.

Yoon Gi glared at the spirit before pulling the door open, making a small bell jingle merrily.

The shop was aglow from the sunlight streaming in from the windows on two sides. There were rows upon rows of various plants and flowers, small potted trees, creeping vines, all lush and green. Yoon Gi's nose twitched at the fragrant air as his eyes scanned the store for Jimin.

"Do you have a plan?" Ji Min whispered in Yoon Gi's ear. He responded with the slightest shake of his head, having spotted the young woman by a work table where she was aggressively arranging a vase of flowers.

"What do you want?" She asked, looking up at him from behind the table as he approached.

"I... er..."

She stared at him, planting her hands on the table and giving him her undivided attention. "I know you're new to this town, but around here people don't insult the name of someone's business or just suddenly up and leave after being bought a cup of coffee. It's not polite."

Yoon Gi blinked. "Are you upset about that?"

"A little bit, yeah." Her voice was a bit harsh.

"I don't know what you expected," Yoon Gi confessed, but it sounded more like a dismissal.