The life of Nusi

Chapter 13: Mr. and Mrs. Ty Ventus

On that same rainy night, Uncle and Heejin were dining at a quaint little spot in Seoul. Heejin was amazed at this place and kept pressing Uncle to tell her how he had come by it. Each time she would ask, Uncle would just smile at her and shrug.

"Tell me!" She whined playfully.

"Nope!" He said back with a smile.

"Sometimes you make me so mad Ty!" She exclaimed. Ty was the name Nusi's uncle went by in the village, but most called him Uncle.

"Ty?" Uncle said with one eyebrow raised. "This must be getting serious!" As he laughed.

"Hmrph!" Heejin puffed as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Ok, OK," Uncle said, "I'll tell you." He said still laughing at her. Uncle motioned her to lean in close, as he began to tell her the story.

"Remember a few weeks back when I had to go to Seoul to pick up an order for the bento shop?" He said in a whisper. Heejin nodded. "As I was walking down this dark alley, the kind of alley most people would avoid." Uncle said, "I saw a dark figure standing against the wall." He said. Heejin's eyes lit up for it is well known that Heejin loved mysteries. "I slowed my pace a little as I tried to walk as close as I could to the other side of the wall while I passed the dark figure." He said in a low voice. "As I passed, I looked up at the person and noticed they only had one eye." He said in a menacing voice.

Heejin leaned in even closer. "I didn't want to look back," Uncle said. "So, I looked down at the pavement as I walked. I heard a strange sound coming from behind me as I walked," Uncle said. "It sounded like this. Clop! Clop! Clop!" He said with an intense look on his face. "I picked up my pace," he said, "but so did the sound CLOP! CLOP! CLOP!" Heejin's eyes widened as he talked. "Then, Just as I was ABOUT to turn back and see what the sound was, I felt a claw like grip on my shoulder." He said with a gulp. Heejin gasped. "I stood frozen in place," Uncle said, "I couldn't move a muscle." He said again with a terrified look on his face.

Heejin covered her eyes, but only for a second. "What did you do then?" Heejin said in a low hush.

"I-" Uncle started, but just then the waiter walked over to ask if everything was ok.

"YES! YES!" Heejin exclaimed. "We are fine!" She said to the waiter in a huff. "Go on," Heejin said to Uncle as she threw the waiter a look.

"Like I was saying," Uncle started, "I felt this claw like hand on my shoulder and couldn't move a muscle. Slowly I turned to the person with one eye. I looked down trying not to make eye contact, and that is when I noticed the person had one wooden leg."

"A one eyed, wooden legged person?" Heejin said with a matter a fact tone in her voice.

"Yes!" Uncle said, "It's all true!" He said again. "As I slowly looked up at the person, I noticed that they were dressed in long black trench coat with a wide brim hat on their head tilted to one side," he said in a very mysterious voice. "The person leaned in close to me," Uncle said, "and handed me this folded up paper and said in a raspy voice-,"

"Take this and give it to someone dear to you. Take them to this address and give it to them there." The voice said. "It must be at this address, no other." The voice said. "To save yourself from ruin and a lifetime of heartache you must do as I say." The voice said again.

"So, I took the folded paper in my hand and began to open it, but the claw-like hand grabbed mine and said in an angry voice-,"

'ONLY WHERE I SAID, AND WITH WHOM I SAID, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" The voice said.

"Yes, I said as I looked down to put the folded paper in my pocket." Uncle said, "and when I looked up, I was alone!" He said to Heejin, his eyes wide. Heejin sat for a long second, mouth hanging open.

"W-What was in the paper?" Heejin asked timidly.

"I don't know," Uncle said as he pulled the folded paper from his pocket. He opened his huge fist and in the middle of it was a folded-up piece of paper. Heejin pushed back away from the paper like it was a spider ready to jump on her. Uncle extended his arm closer to her with the paper still in his hand. "Here you open it." He said to Heejin. She slowly reached for the paper; hand almost shaken. Her eyes fixed on it as she opened it and inspected what was in there.

"Well?" Uncle said, In a soft voice. Tears started rolling down Heejin's face. She was visibly shaken at this moment.

"Are you alright madam?" The waiter said. But nothing would come out. Uncle looked up at the waiter and motioned him to leave them and the waiter did as he was asked. Once again Uncle said, "is it true what I was told, I would live in ruin and a lifetime of heart ache if I didn't give you this paper here at this very time?"

"Yes." Heejin squeaked out in a very low voice. "Yes, you would have lived in ruin, with a lifetime of heart ache if you hadn't given me this here at this very moment." Heejin said in a more composed voice. "And yes," she said to Uncle, "I will be the one that will save you from this horrible fate. I would save your very soul if need be." Heejin said. "I will walk through the gates of Hell and fight the devil himself to keep you by my side." Heejin said very forcefully this time.

"And YES!" Heejin said to Uncle,

"I WILL MARRY YOU!" She said as she jumped across the table into Uncles awaiting arms. "I LOVE YOU!" Heejin exclaimed in a very loud voice as Uncle slid the ring on her finger.

"I love you too, Ms. Heejin." Uncle said with a smile.

"Mrs. Ty Ventus!" Heejin said in a loud voice, "and don't you forget it buddy!" she said as all the people in that little restaurant cheered for them.