The Ninth Life of Min Yoon Gi

20.

The spirit lunged for Yoon Gi, but rather than making contact, it passed through the solid form. Yoon Gi was hit with a feeling of overwhelming nausea as he rolled to his feet and away from the ghost.

"You!" The voice from the shadow sounded like a million screams compressed into the vocal chords of one. The sound made Yoon Gi's skin crawl and he instinctively pulled his ears back.

"Ho—Ho Seok—" Yoon Gi stammered.

"You did this to me!" The shadowy form of his cousin took another lunge at him, but Yoon Gi easily dodged him.

"I didn't—"

The angry spirit didn't give him a chance to finish his thought before zooming forward and managing to swipe his hand through Yoon Gi's chest.

Yoon Gi gasped, all the breath leaving him in a rush and causing him to bend over. A searing pain ripped through his chest at the same time and tears began to sting his eyes. He stumbled back and knocked over a set of photos on the end table before landing hard on his knees, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly as he tried to will oxygen back into his lungs.

How? How was it possible that the one person who had caused him such pain in his previous life was now here, doing it again? A ghost shouldn't be able to hurt him! And yet, his chest and lungs said otherwise. His fear and anxiety, his memories of traumas long ago, began to fill him up once more. He clearly remembered that day on the overlook and what had happened. And while his hatred threatened to swallow him whole, his grief at the life that was lost threatened to overflow and he directed it all at his dead cousin's spirit.

Ho Seok's form froze in place, seeming to vibrate in the otherwise still air.

"What—?" Ho Seok's voice sounded like it was echoing in a void. "What did you just do to me?"

Yoon Gi looked up at his cousin, whose face was twisting in apparent agony. No, not just agony! Was he... was he crying?

"Do you feel that?" Yoon Gi asked. "Do you feel your heart shattering, being ripped from your chest; the crushing sensation; the thought that life no longer has meaning; that vacant... hole???" His voice grew stronger as he stood and moved to look Ho Seok dead in the eyes. "That is what you did to me."

"So what?"

Yoon Gi shook his head in disappointment as he bent to retrieve the sword and its sheathe. "I didn't think you would suffer for what you did," he continued. "Not like I have, anyway. But here you are—or your spirit at least—tied to this rusty old heirloom." He examined the upper part of the blade, which had not been properly cleaned for many years.

"It's your fault! It's all your fault that I'm stuck here."

"Perhaps it is. And I'm glad I can make my peace with you now."

"I don't give a fuck what you have to say."

Yoon Gi's hands reflexively clenched into fists, tightening around the sword. "I don't see you going anywhere any time soon, so you may as well listen." Yoon Gi returned to stand in front of Ho Seok, letting the sheathe fall to his side and forcing his empty hand to relax.

"I thought you took everything from me," Yoon Gi began. "My only chance at true love and happiness. And I thought you did it out of pure hatred for me. But I think it was jealousy. And I can't blame you for wanting something like what I had—could have had."

There was a shimmer in the periphery of Yoon Gi's vision and the room was flooded with the scent of fresh flowers. He knew Ji Min was there.

"I have felt guilty for that tragic accident every hour, every minute, since that day. We both had a part to play in what happened, but I want you to know that I forgive you."

Ho Seok shuddered and his form brightened, almost solidifying. "Cousin..." His voice sounded almost as Yoon Gi remembered it.

Yoon Gi took a step forward, his arms open, ready to embrace Ho Seok. And the spirit moved forward, wrapping his arms around the organic form in a hesitant embrace.

"I'm so sorry," Ho Seok whispered into Yoon Gi's ear. "I did want what you had. All of it. But I never meant to hurt you—or Ji Min—like that."

"It's over now. All is forgiven," Yoon Gi murmured.

Ho Seok closed his eyes and evaporated into nothingness.

Yoon Gi looked over at Ji Min with a small smile. He felt lighter. He felt happier. He could tell something important had just happened.

He gently placed the sword back in its place in the cabinet and shut the door, half noting the reflection of the tattoo on his arm showed the six paw prints almost completely filled in. He let out a sigh.

"That's a pretty tea set," Ji Min murmured next to him.

"Yeah, it's nice," Yoon Gi replied, turning to his beloved.

There was a small crash from the direction of the bedroom, startling them and making them look at each other in surprise before Yoon Gi darted off to see what had happened.

He found Jimin sitting by the side of the bed, her cup of water spilled across the floor.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," Jimin began to apologize.

Yoon Gi went to the bathroom and pulled a towel to sop up the water.

"I thought I had a good handle on it, but my good—okay, better—hand seized up and it slipped."

"Don't worry about it," Yoon Gi said. His knees had landed in a splash of water he hadn't seen and he could feel it through his jeans.

"I just wanted to take the pain reliever. I can't believe I'm such a mess. This isn't like me. I'm not helpless."

"I didn't say you are," he put the wet towel in the hamper.

"It's implied by the fact that I can't even hold a cup of water."

"I'll get you a new one."

Yoon Gi returned moments later with a fresh cup of water, but this time with a lid and straw. Her eyes brightened at the sight of it, realizing he had thought about how to make it easier for her.

"Anything else I can get for you?" He asked.

Jimin bit her lip. "This is going to sound really weird and stupid..."

"Try me."

"Would you... would you hold me? It's just—I can't seem to get warm and stop shaking since we got home, and, whenever this used to happen, my husband would hold me and his body heat would warm me up and—" She blurted.

"Sure," Yoon Gi cut her off.

"Really? It's not... too weird?"

"A little. But I promised I would take care of you, so if that is what you need, then that is what you will have."

Yoon Gi circled to the other side of the bed as Jimin turned the light off. He climbed in behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He could feel the slight tremors of her body. He gently rubbed his hand up and down her arm to try and warm it. Her vibrations subsided and he felt the warmth increasing between their bodies.

It wasn't long before he could hear the change in her breath indicating she had fallen asleep. He waited a while longer before he attempted to extricate himself. He had almost slid out of the bed when he heard her stirring.

"Please stay?" She murmured.

Yoon Gi laid back down, draping his arm over her waist and pulling her close to his chest.

What else could he do? He promised.