Soul Tracker

Chapter 2: The Soul Tracker

The night air was heavy with a sense of unease as Jung Yoon walked home from the café, his conversation with Minho still weighing on his mind. The thought that Tae Ah might be a lost soul trapped between worlds sent a chill through him, but it also brought a strange sense of clarity. He couldn't ignore this any longer. Something was drawing him to her, and he needed to find out what it was.

The streets of Seoul were quieter now, only the occasional car passing by and the distant hum of city life remaining. As he neared his apartment, a strange sensation washed over him—a tingling at the back of his neck, like someone was watching him. His steps slowed as he glanced around, but the street was empty.

And yet, the feeling grew stronger. His pulse quickened as he felt a strange presence close by, something he hadn't felt since he was a child. He had always been able to sense souls, but he had learned to block them out, afraid of what it might mean. Now, that ability seemed to surge back with an intensity he hadn't expected.

He stopped in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat. There, on the corner of the street, was a figure—a man standing unnaturally still, his back to Jung Yoon. The air around him felt different, thick with something unearthly. Jung Yoon's heart raced. This wasn't just an ordinary person. It was a wandering soul.

Jung Yoon's hands clenched into fists. He had seen spirits before, but he had never dared to approach them. He didn't know how to handle them. But tonight was different. His encounter with Tae Ah earlier that day had awakened something inside him, a need to confront the unknown. And if he was going to find her, he couldn't afford to keep running from this part of himself.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, his footsteps cautious and measured. The closer he got, the colder the air around him became, as if the temperature was dropping with each step. His body tensed, his instincts screaming at him to turn back, but he pushed forward.

"Excuse me," Jung Yoon called out, his voice trembling slightly.

The figure didn't move. For a moment, Jung Yoon wondered if the man even heard him. But then, slowly, the figure turned around, and Jung Yoon's breath hitched. The man's face was pale, almost translucent, and his eyes... they were hollow, empty, as if life had long since left them. A ghost.

Jung Yoon swallowed hard, his pulse pounding in his ears. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't even sure why he had approached in the first place. But then the ghost spoke, its voice a low, haunting whisper.

"Can you see me?"

Jung Yoon blinked, stunned. He hadn't expected the ghost to acknowledge him. "Y-Yes," he stammered, taking a cautious step back. "I can see you."

The ghost's expression twisted into one of desperation. "Please... help me."

"Help you? How?" Jung Yoon asked, his voice barely audible. His mind raced. He had no idea how to help a wandering soul. He wasn't a shaman, he wasn't an exorcist—he was just an ordinary guy with an ability he barely understood.

"I... I'm lost," the ghost whispered, his hollow eyes pleading. "I don't know where to go."

Jung Yoon felt a surge of pity. This soul, whoever he had been in life, was trapped here, unable to move on. His mind flashed back to what Minho had said earlier about the Jeoseung Saja, the Grim Reaper who guided souls to the afterlife. But there was no Grim Reaper here, no guide to help this lost spirit find peace. Only Jung Yoon.

"I'm not sure what I can do," Jung Yoon said, his voice faltering. "I don't know how to help you."

The ghost's face twisted in sorrow, and for a moment, it seemed as if it might fade away, disappearing back into the shadows. But then Jung Yoon felt it—an overwhelming pull, deep within his chest, as if something inside him was responding to the spirit's plea. His heartbeat quickened, and his hands tingled with an energy he didn't understand.

And then it happened.

Without knowing how, Jung Yoon could suddenly feel the ghost's presence more clearly, as if it had latched onto him. His mind filled with images—flashes of the ghost's life, his final moments, the pain, the confusion, the fear of death. It all washed over Jung Yoon in a wave of emotion, so intense it nearly brought him to his knees.

He gasped, gripping the wall beside him to steady himself. This wasn't just seeing a ghost. This was something deeper, something more powerful. He wasn't just sensing the soul—he was tracking it, connected to it in a way that made him feel every part of its existence. The ghost's energy flowed through him, and he could see, in his mind's eye, where the soul needed to go.

"I can help you," Jung Yoon whispered, his voice shaky but resolute. "I can show you the way."

The ghost's hollow eyes widened with hope, and Jung Yoon felt that strange pull grow stronger. He wasn't sure how he was doing it, but something within him guided the spirit, showing it a path out of this world. The air around them shimmered, and the ghost began to fade, its expression softening into one of peace.

"Thank you," the ghost whispered, its voice barely audible as it disappeared into the night.

Jung Yoon stood frozen for a moment, his body still tingling with the remnants of the spirit's energy. He had done it. He had helped a lost soul move on.

His mind raced as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. He had always been able to sense spirits, but this—this was something far more powerful. It was as if he had been able to guide the soul, to track its path and help it find peace. Was this his ability? The reason he had been seeing Tae Ah in his dreams?

Suddenly, everything clicked into place. If he could track lost souls, then maybe, just maybe, he could find Tae Ah.

The next morning, Jung Yoon sat with Minho again, his hands trembling slightly as he recounted what had happened. Minho listened in silence, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and awe.

"So you're saying you actually guided a spirit to the afterlife?" Minho asked, leaning forward in his chair.

Jung Yoon nodded slowly. "I don't know how I did it, but... yeah. I think I did."

Minho whistled softly, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's... that's insane, Yoon. Do you realize what this means?"

Jung Yoon met his friend's gaze, his expression serious. "It means I can find Tae Ah. If she's trapped somewhere, like that spirit was, I can find her."

Minho's eyes narrowed. "But it's dangerous. You don't know what you're dealing with. What if there's more to it than just helping spirits move on?"

Jung Yoon clenched his fists, determination surging through him. "I don't care. I have to try. Tae Ah... she's been calling out to me, I know it. I can't just sit by and do nothing."

Minho studied him for a long moment before finally nodding. "Alright, Yoon. If this is what you want to do, then I'm with you. But you're going to need help. There are stories about people like you—soul trackers. Maybe we can find more about your ability."

Jung Yoon nodded, a sense of purpose growing within him. He had always feared his ability, but now, for the first time, he saw it for what it was—a gift. And if it could lead him to Tae Ah, then he would use it.

As the two friends left the café, a new resolve filled Jung Yoon. He had no idea what dangers lay ahead, but he knew one thing for sure: he was going to find Tae Ah, no matter what it took.