He's got the whole world in his hands | Jeongin

Chapter three

Jeongin circled the metal purity ring around his finger. A gift from his devoted parents, there was rarely a time when he took it off. After wearing it for so long, he found himself forming the habit of twirling it; the familiar comfort of the love of his parents. Something earned over the years, not given at birth. 

He stood at the front of the catholic church, directly behind the pulpit. Note cards were sprawled out for this week's sermon. He wanted to be more than ready for the new lecture. He knew it'd always go perfectly, but he tended to practice, just to make sure. Quick notes were added here and there. Bullet points of small additions he wanted to touch on. 

He spoke to the empty pews. His loud voice echoed off the walls and bounced back to himself. Even if nobody was listening, certainly God was and that's all that mattered. The arched high ceiling made the place feel like it was worth millions. 

Behind him, a wooden cross sat with a statue of Jesus nailed to it. One nail and each palm and another driven through his feet. His arms dangled limply and his head slightly bowed. A row of twisted thorns sat along the hardened strands of golden hair. 

Gold seemed to be an off-putting color for a statue of someone being crucified, but it had been there for decades according to one of the elder deacons. Who was he to take it down? Members would riot. It's not that he hated it, but it felt sacrilegious to preach in front of him. 

Stain glass windows built into the sides of the building captured the sunbeams. A wide variety of colors reflected into the building. One contained a cross and another contained angels. His favorite contained a circular pattern; shifting between deep ocean blues, wine reds, dark mulberry, and shimmering gold, it often snagged his attention during services. 

He constantly had to pull his attention back to the congregation. After all, they were the reason why he did this to begin with. Bring people closer to God, giving them a reason to have faith again, seeing them succeed and finding their blessings, there wasn't anything else quite like it. Being a priest was something special. 

He was about to open his mouth when there was a loud creak. His spine straightened and his fingers curled around the sides of the wooden podium. The church was constantly open for members of the congregation and community. God's timing was always right and sometimes that meant three in the morning. 

Rapid clicking  footsteps moved throughout the porcelain floor foyer and came towards the pews. He couldn't see who it was, but he knew they were frantic. Staring down at his notes, he couldn't help, but frown; he'd have to finish the rest of his mock service later. He began to shift the note cards and place them back into numerical order. 

"Father Yang?" A low voice timidly called out. 

He glanced back up to come face-to-face with one of the members from his congregation. He knew he knew her. When he was appointed by the bishop to lead the church, she gifted him a homemade cherry pie. It was sweet and delectable, entirely homemade from scratch, including the pie crust. 

The small lips, low nose bridge, sunken cheekbones. He knew she was older, but she still looked so young. Her skin was about as smooth as the stained glass windows surrounding them. Wrapped in a loose fitting black dress, it hung down to the middle of her calves. Her black hair was tucked back in a low bun. Perfect manicured fingers were clutched down in front of her waist. 

His lips moved, but no words came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Good morning!" He forced his mouth into a smile. "How are you doing this morning?" 

The protruding dimples caused Nari Park to blush. Ever since her husband died, she felt more lonely than ever. With Minsi away at college, she had her house to herself. When the young priest came back a few months prior, she couldn't help, but be smitten by his presence. 

"I'm alright, but I need your assistance if you're not too busy." Her eyes glanced down at the few note cards in his hands. "If you're busy, I can come back later." 

He shook his head and waved her worries away. "Oh, this? Nonsense. I can come back to this another time. It's clear that you need some help, so-" He put his cards down and began to head down the three carpeted steps to reach the main floor. "How can I assist you?" 

She sucked in a deep breath, nostrils flaring in the process, and her eyes went towards the ceiling. "God, give me the strength," she mumbled beneath her breath. 

Jeongin's eyebrow went up. He wondered if he heard her right or if his brain was tricking him. It was only a few minutes after eight in the morning. He thought he'd be able to be in and out before anyone found him, but clearly not. 

Nari shifted her weight from one leg and then back to the other. She brushed back a piece of loose hair and swallowed. "There is no easy way to say this, so I'll just spit it out. I don't want to frighten you." Her fingers went to the golden cross necklace around her neck. The cool metal sent waves of comfort rolling down her spine. 

"Believe me," he sent her a reassuring smile, "whatever it is, I can handle it." 

"Father Yang, I think my daughter has become possessed by the devil."