Fractured • Choi Yeonjun

Chapter 15

Mothers grammaire~

Taehyun just looked at the ghost form of his old friend, not knowing what emotion he should feel. Happy that he was seeing her after so long? Sad that she had stayed on earth as a ghost just for him? Mad at past memories of how she passed? He wasn't sure.

"You know, just because I'm a ghost doesn't mean it isn't rude to stare," Alse said with a light laugh.

"I'm just shocked to see you after so long... I've missed you so much but at the same time.. I tried blocking your memories out. I just blame myself for your passing and to learn that you stayed here like this all for me... I feel so bad Alse."

Alse reached a hand out and "set" it on Taehyun's cheek.

Taehyun closed his eyes and imagined that instead of the cold feeling of mist touching his cheek, he felt her warm hand holding his cheek like she used to do every time he was upset as a kid.

"Why did it have to be you?" He asked as he felt the emotions coming back up.

"It was my time... and I wouldn't want to go any other way. Keeping the person I loved alive, was a sacrifice I would never regret. Your friend did the same for the one she loves. I've seen it all Taehyun. My death and her death, are not your fault. We gave our lives up for the ones we love. At least with her, she may be able to come back to you."

Taehyun opened his eyes and took in the smile that was on Alse's face. Even though she was a ghost, she still had a bright smile, one that made Taehyun's heart squeeze.

"I should have done more though, for you and her."

"Make it up to me by bringing her back and never letting her go."

Taehyun nodded, a sad smile on his lips. "Maybe once she's back and healthy, we can both come back and see you again? Let you two meet in person. I think you'd both like each other."

"That would be great. I'd love to see her whole and alive. She holds a piece of your heart just like I do, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does." Taehyun's smile turned a little happy at the thought of their friendship.

"I have something else for you... Follow me."

Taehyun did as she asked. He let magic come to his hand to help light the way. The sun was just now coming up, turning the sky a light gray color, but the trees and other mountains still blocked the first rays of light from reaching them just yet.

They walked until they were right behind where Alse's old house once stood. It was nothing more than a few posts that used to be the support poles that held the roof up.

"I hid something here before I passed away." She said as she turned to face Taehyun, a bright smile on her face.

"What did you hide?" Taehyun was wondering what his friend could have hidden before she had passed from the world of the living.

"Dig right here," She said while squatting down and pointing at the ground. "And you'll find it."

Taehyun came to squat beside her, staring at where she pointed. There was no kind of marking, it just looked like the rest of the ground around them. He figured she must have marked it with black magic. A spell that must be linked to her soul.

Taehyun looked up to meet her eyes and then turned back around. He searches for a stick or something to use to help him with digging the spot up.

He spotted one a few feet away. After getting it, he returned to the spot and started stabbing the stick into the ground to break the grass up. "This is so odd," Taehyun commented as he started using his hands to move the broken bits of grass out of the way.

"Why? We used to play in the dirt as kids." Alse replied with a light laugh.

Taehyun let out a chuckle as he shook his head.

After a bit more digging, the stick ended up coming in contact with something that was solid.

Taehyun paused and looked at Alse. She nodded her head, letting him know he had found what she had left here so long ago.

He dropped the stick and reached into the hole he had made. He pulled out the small wooden box. It was about the size of a hardback book.

Taehyun met Alse's eyes once more, he wasn't sure about opening the box. He could feel the dark magic that was radiating out of the box.

"What's in here?" He asked her as he looked back down at the box. There was nothing on the outside to give hints as to what was shut inside it.

"Your mothers grammaire..."

Taehyun's eyes widened as he started trying to get the lid off the box.

"You have to use magic, you should know I would have set spells on it to keep it out of the wrong hands." Alse rolled her eyes at how dense her friend was being.

"You're right," Taehyun said as he set to work breaking the old spells his old friend had placed on the box.

After a few minutes, he finally got through the last spell. He pulled the lid off. Even though Alse told him what was in the box, it still shocked him to see it firsthand-+.7u

"This contains a spell to bring the dead back... That means I could..." Taehyun trailed off as he brought his eyes up to look at his friend.

Alse nodded her head, her smile turning sad. "But, you have to use dark magic for that..."

The spell would bring his old friend back and may even help them with bringing Evelyn back without having to search high and low for her soul fragments. The only risk would be Taehyun being tainted by dark magic...

Was he willing to risk his magic for them? He felt deep down he would do it.

"Please, I did not give my life up just for you to throw it all away so many years later!"

"I won't." Alse was right, she gave her life for him to keep his magic. How could he throw that all away after everything she did for him?