Red String | Tomorrow Fanfiction

04 - Joonwoong

Jihyeon opened her eyes and found out that she had fallen asleep in her car. Her phone keeps ringing, and on the display, it shows her brother's name.

"Oh, why oppa?" She answered. Then she put her phone away as Jihoon screamed at the top of his lungs out, asking why Jihyeon hadn't answered the phone since 30 minutes ago. Then Jihyeon looked at the phone and realized that had she slept for almost 4 hours in her car, around the cemetery complex parking lot.

"Ah... sorry, I just felt tired after visiting dad's. You know, I have many things to tell 'cause I haven't visited him for months."

On the other end of the phone line, Jihoon lets out a big sigh. "Okay, okay. Just want to tell you that I'll be late, urgent meeting."

*

Jihyeon stopped her car in a park and then sat on the chair nearby. She has already bought some food and is waiting for someone.

Shortly after, an old man who carrying a cart passed by and greeted her. "Harabeoji..." Jihyeon smiled and helped him to park the cart.

"Oh my... You've back, Jihyeon-a-."

Jihyeon smiled. That old man was someone who helped her years ago when someone hit and ran her at the same park. Since then, she has always taken her time to wait the old man and eat together with the man. She never knew who his name was and where his house was because the old man refused to tell her.

"How's your holiday?" He asked. Jihyeon smiled, and the old man reminded her of her grandfather.

"It's quite fun. But I'm not really holiday, I'm working. Sorry that I can't accompany you for a while."

The old man shook his head, "Your assistant always waits here. Thanks to you, I have a new friend."

"Ah... so you don't need me anymore," Jihyeon pretended to be sad. The old man looked her disbelief, and then they laughed.

*

"Woong-a... Choi Joonwoong, wait for me," Jihyeon called her friend.

Now, Jihyeon walked along the Hannam bridge, accompanying her high school friend who was rejected by the company for who knows how many times, maybe only God knows. "How can a drunk person walk so fast? We haven't met almost a year, and the first thing I should do is take care of a drunk person." She grumbled.

After he met the old man at the park, Jihyeon asked her brother's driver to get her car and met Choi Joonwoong, her high school friend, who need comfort after receiving rejection letter from a company.

"Ah, why should I follow Jaesu's advice than my brother's words?" She continuing her grumbled.

"You just back from your work overseas. You need rest, Jihyeon-a. Your strange ability gets worse when you're tired." Said Jihoon.

"Could you go with him? I should study for my next exam. I'm afraid he will do something reckless." Said Jaesu.

Jihyeon sighed, then it turned into a curse when she saw Joonwoong helping someone who was about to commit suicide. She rushed towards him, and the closer she got to him, her head became dizzy. "Not this again."

"Jihyeon-a, help me to stop him." Joonwong shouted.

"Aish..."

Before she could help him, Jihyeon just saw that Joonwoong's body was thrown. She lifts her head and then sees a familiar face. The woman and a man that she saw years ago, when she witnessed her aunt death. As the woman scolded Joonwoong, Jihyeon's head became dizzier. The moment she can control herself, Joonwoong already fell to the river.

"Choi Joonwoong!" She screamed. "This isn't his time to die! What did you do to him?!" She shouted to the woman and man while she called 112.

*

"Is it okay to you to stay here, Jihyeon-a?" Jeongim, Joonwoong's mother asked Jihyeon. Jihyeon smiled and nodded, "Yes, aunty. It's totally okay. You should go home and have proper rest with Minyeong."

Shorly after Joonwoong's mother and sister leave the room, Jihoon walks inside, and the first thing he does is flick Jihyeon's forehead. "Ah oppa, why?!"

Jihoon chuckled in annoyance, "You asking 'why'? Lee Jihyeon, You just arrived in Seoul yesterday after months, no... almost a year went abroad for your work. And you already made me stressed."

Jihyeon stunned after hearing her brother's words. Then she smiled and hugged him. "I'm sorry. Sorry for making you worry." She patted Jihoon's back. Jihoon sighed, then hugged her tightly.

"How's his condition?" Jihoon looked at Joonwoong, who was lying on the bed, still unconscious.

Jihyeon sighed, "Doctor said he's in a coma state. We never know for how long he will be in this condition." Jihoon nodded, then patted Jihyeon's head, "You... don't experience any weird things, right?" Jihyeon looked at him, confused. Then she got what Jihoon meant.

"No, nothing happened. I just got tired after talking with dad and then fell asleep in the car. I'll just take a rest here with Woong-ie. You should go back oppa."

Jihyeon sighed as her brother walked out of the room. She turned around when she heard the sound of the door, "Did you forget some..." Jihyeon didn't finish her words as she knew that it's not Jihoon, but the woman that she met at the bridge. "You..."

"Where is your friend?" Jihyeon asked when she didn't see the other man. "He already off work." She answered, then confused why she's answering Jihyeon's question.

"Are you here to take Joonwoong's soul?" Jihyeon asked again. The pink-haired woman looks confused with Jihyeon's question. She lifts her hands before answering, "Wait... what are you talking about?"

"You are grim reaper, I saw you when my aunt committed suicide years ago and when you saved patients who want to jump from the hospital's rooftop. Are you here to take Joonwoong's soul? He didn't commit suicide! He is just tripped as he wants to help the man who wants to suicide." She babbled non-stop. The pink-haired woman covered Jihyeon's mouth with her hand and then sighed.

"First, I'm here not to take your friend's soul. Another question to you can wait later. Now, please shut up and let me do my job." Jihyeon stepped back then sat on the couch. Witnessed the woman calling Joonwoong's soul and asked him to become temporary grim reaper.