Magic on the Dead Chapter 109

The rain, which had been pouring down relentlessly, entered a temporary lull. Taking advantage of the gap, the group, having re-equipped themselves with sturdy flashlights and weapons, stepped outside. The water that had pooled on the tarp gave way under its own weight and fell, soaking the top of Hajin’s foot. He could hear Byeol’s whimpering by his ear.

After the boisterous hug was over, Byeol had been shedding sorrowful tears the entire time. She had even been cheerfully joking when they were finishing their last meal at the temple kitchen, but it seemed she had been painstakingly suppressing her sadness. Miso, crouching down, calmly wiped the child’s tears with the back of her hand.

Jeffrey, standing far away from them, put a cigarette he had found on the hardware store counter to his lips and puffed smoke into the air.

The moment they completely left the hardware store, their paths would diverge. Miso was scheduled to proceed into an alley lined with broken telephone poles and houses blackened by fire, while Hajin planned to go straight along the two-lane road.

The unavoidable time of parting was approaching, but no one could readily say goodbye, nor could they be the first to set off on their way.

Hajin watched the side profile of Miso consoling the child with a heavy heart. Would they be able to meet again, alive? Was that even truly possible?

As if sensing his gaze, Miso lifted her reddened eyes. She playfully wrinkled her nose at Hajin and then, as if it were time, slowly rose from her spot.

“Ms. Yoon Miso.”

Just then, Eden, who had been leaning against the entrance of the hardware store, called out to her. Hajin’s and Miso’s heads turned toward him at the same time.

“Let us talk for a moment.”

Miso, who was blinking her eyes in curiosity, hitched up the bag on her back and followed him into the hardware store.

Hajin stared blankly at the two who had suddenly disappeared inside, then flinched and ducked his neck with a hiss at the cold sensation on his cheek. Jeffrey, who had approached reeking of nicotine, had carelessly flicked raindrops onto his left cheek.

“What is it.”

When he turned around with a look of bewilderment, he gestured with his chin toward the hardware store entrance with a sullen face.

【What are they talking about in there?】

Hajin, who rubbed his damp face with the back of his hand, shook his head.

“I wouldn’t know.”

【Hmm….】

Jeffrey let out a suspicious sigh and craned his neck toward the entrance.

Following him, Hajin also stretched his neck and looked inside, and the two of them, having a serious conversation in the distance, came into view. What on earth were they talking about, right before they were about to part ways; a rather solemn atmosphere was being created.

【Have any idea? Anything Eden told you separately.】

“I don’t know. There was nothing like that.”

Jeffrey, tilting his head crookedly, lifted the handkerchief draped around Hajin’s neck with his index finger.

【What is this. Were you guys really just a fuck buddy relationship?】

At his sudden direct question, Hajin’s eyes widened. He reflexively glanced at Jung-Byeol and Pie, then lightly punched Jeffrey’s chest as if to warn him to be careful.

“Watch your mouth. The kid will hear.”

【Hmph….】

Hajin fiddled with his heated ear and glared at Jeffrey, who was staring intently at him.

【Then what is it. Is it a serious relationship?】

Unlike his rudely direct question, surprisingly, there was no particular malice or ill will in his eyes. Hajin, who wiped the remaining raindrops on his cheek with the back of his hand, let out a small sigh.

“It turned out that way.”

【What turned out that way? So is that a yes or a no? This is what’s so ambiguous about the Korean language.】

While he was persistently pursuing the matter, Eden and Miso continued their conversation. Miso would shrug her shoulders at his words, and she would also nod her head slowly. It was hard to see what kind of expression she was making.

Hajin, who was looking back and forth between the two standing at a distance, answered reluctantly.

【I think we like each other. Happy now?】

At the English that suddenly popped out, Jeffrey’s eyes widened.

【What, you….】

He came a step closer to Hajin, as if observing a strange object.

【…I thought you could only understand it, but you can also speak English?】

【I can only do the basics.】

Although he said it modestly, in reality, Hajin’s English skills were not bad, to the point where he had no difficulty having a free-flowing conversation with a foreigner. A close *magic maker was an American, and most of the *magic lectures Hajin bought were in their original English, so his conversation skills had naturally improved.

【Then why did you only answer in Korean until now?】

【So that Jeffrey could improve his Korean skills.】

Jeffrey muttered blankly, as if he had completely forgotten that he had been seriously asking about their relationship.

【But your English-speaking voice is pretty good, you know?】

【Thank you.】

Just then, Byeol, who had been sniffling, came over to Hajin and tapped his thigh. At the signal to be held, he took the child into his arms without a word and then looked inside the store again. Their conversation was hard to hear, as if muted by the sound of the drizzling rain.

Jeffrey, who was staring blankly at Hajin exploring the inside, belatedly shouted “Ah!” and tore at his hair.

【So you two really like each other? Is that what ended up happening?】

Hajin, who narrowed his brow as if to tell him to be quiet at his belated reaction, gently covered Byeol’s ears with his hands. Jeffrey, undeterred, let out a hollow laugh and took out another cigarette. He, who was just chewing on the filter, muttered with a sigh.

【Eden, that crazy bastard, what is he really thinking….】

There was not much to say. Jeffrey’s reaction was perfectly normal. It was just that his heart ached because for a feeling that deserved to be blessed, someone’s worry and concern came first. Hajin, recalling the dense kiss he had shared with Eden last night, smiled bitterly.

Around the time Byeol’s tears, which had been soaking his chest, began to gradually cease, the conversation between Eden and Miso, which had been going on for quite a long time, also came to an end. Miso’s eyelids were very swollen, as if she had cried in the meantime.

“What did you talk about? Why did you cry?”

When Hajin asked Miso, who was walking out, she laughed awkwardly with a sound like a balloon deflating.

“Just this and that….”

Just then, Eden, who had followed her out, lifted Byeol’s body from Hajin’s arms in one swift motion. Miso looked at the child’s swollen face and arched her eyebrows downward.

“Aigoo, our Byeol is crying so much.”

“Heuk… Unnie, you cried too.”

“Unnie is done crying.”

“I’m done crying too.”

She playfully poked her small nose and sighed as she put on the windbreaker she had taken off.

“Shall we go now?”

Jeffrey had been compulsively chewing on the end of his cigarette, and he reluctantly nodded his head. Miso spread her arms and hugged him tightly. When they released their embrace, Jeffrey lowered his head, spat out the cigarette, and was desperately biting his lower lip.

After lightly hugging Byeol and Eden in turn, she finally looked back at Hajin. In their meeting eyes, countless emotions that could not be put into words were exchanged.

Hajin spread his arms, hiding his body that was trembling slightly with fear. Miso’s body, held in his embrace, felt particularly small today. Because he was desperately holding back tears, his throat tightened so much that even swallowing saliva was difficult.

For a while, they just silently patted each other’s backs, and then Miso, who pulled away, muttered as if reciting something.

“Do Hajin. I will definitely survive, even if just for your sake.”

As if she had never cried, two eyes, shining firmly, were directed at Hajin.

“So you have to survive too.”

🃏

Rumble, ru-rumble… The rain had weakened, but the sound of thunder echoed intermittently through the dark clouds.

Because he had been marching for a long time in uncomfortable boots, his outer ankle bone was chafed and stinging. But he did not even have the luxury to care about such pain. Hajin kept replaying the image of Miso’s departing back over and over again.

The march continued even in the pitch-black darkness, where it was impossible to even tell if it was day or night. He could see the backs of Jeffrey, Byeol, Eden, and Pie walking ahead.

Jeffrey held a folding umbrella high up to protect Pie from the cold raindrops. His straightly extended arm seemed to hurt, as groans occasionally escaped from his mouth.

Byeol, who had been shedding tears the entire time, only regained her spirits five hours after Miso had left. To be precise, it was closer to her coming to her senses only after downing more than half of the emergency drinking water due to dehydration symptoms.

“Is your leg uncomfortable?”

Eden, who had approached his side at some point, examined Hajin’s limping leg. He, who had been fiddling with the brooch in his pocket, shook his head as if to say he was fine.

“I’m fine…”

Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck before his eyes. Cra-crack—! As everyone stopped in their tracks in surprise, a frightened Pie whimpered and flattened his body to the ground. The lightning continued at intervals of several minutes. Eden, who had advised Jeffrey to fold the umbrella he was holding, placed a hand on Hajin’s shoulder and said.

“Let us stop here for today.”

The car repair shop they encountered right after passing through the tunnel was chosen as the group’s lodging for the night. There, three ownerless vehicles were lined up, waiting to be serviced.

Other than one heavily decayed corpse in one of the cars, with its flesh melted away to the point of being unrecognizable, no other particular issues were found.

Hajin, who had been pointlessly fiddling with the car bodies, whose batteries were dead and would not even start, entered the office. The drawers were lined with retort foods that must have been a simple meal for the repair shop employees.

Jeffrey, who would normally have been humming a tune, kept his mouth firmly shut today. It was the first night they were facing after Miso had left.