Haetae.
In Korean folklore, the haetae is a scaled goat-like creature that was believed to know right from wrong, and helped pass judgement on guilty and innocent parties.
Choi Gayoung is the last known Haetae to exist in the world. Lee Yeon is...
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Gayoung was going to hit Yeon once she stopped masquerading as a news reporter. Having to ask this human girl all these questions about her late father and how he passed felt intrusive and wrong. And of course, Yeon was being more of a hindrance than helpful since all he cared about was getting something to drink, and then he walked right in front of the camera during the interview.
"Hey. You're in the shot," she told him, hitting his leg with her notebook.
He turned to her with a glare just for her and a complaint on the tip of his tongue. But seeing her own glare made him bow his head in defeat and quickly leave before he tempted her hand again.
"Ignore him," she told the daughter, going back into director mode. "What did the police say?"
"They're not sure because of the severe composition. They say if a person gets caught in the propeller, their body can get severed," Pyung Hee told Gayoung before sniffing.
Gayoung's eyes widened as she saw the young woman tear up. She took out a tissue from her tissue packet and gave it to her. She was never the best at comforting humans, finding them too delicate for her taste, and could only attempt her best not to make the human girl not cry anymore.
"When was the last time you heard from your father?" Gayoung asked her once she calmed down.
"He called on the morning of the accident," Pyung Hee told Gayoung. "I missed the call, though." She then took out her phone and handed it to Gayoung.
Gayoung let out a sigh before pressing play on the voicemail. She didn't need to hear the voicemail first before knowing that it probably wasn't going to just be her dad asking her to call him back once she got the chance.
"Pyung Hee? Are you eating well? Come by if you aren't too busy. I packed up some seafood for you. I keep seeing your late mom in my dreams lately. She tried to run off somewhere, holding your hand. She must miss her daughter."
Gayoung ended the voicemail, as she had heard enough, and it seemed Pyung Hee had as well.
"May I ask what happened to your mother?" Gayoung asked her.
Pyung Hee let out a sigh and lightly shook her head. "She passed away from cancer," she told Gayoung, who bit the inside of her cheek. A form of self-punishment for making Pyung Hee even more distraught despite it just being part of the pretend job. "Why did he have a dream like that?"
"She came to get you," Yeon said, coming back into the house. He sat down in the doorway between the wall and the small backyard. "If someone who died after living out their allotted time shows up, they're coming for someone. I'm sure the person who was supposed to die that day was you."
"Hey!" Gayoung called out, gritting her teeth. She swatted him on the back with her notebook this time and glared at him. "Assistant. Do you really think it's appropriate to say those kinds of things?"
