Mu-ryeong’s Spirit

"Just take money for it and sell it. If word gets out that you're giving these away for free, people will swarm you asking for one."

"If they need it, I’ll just give it to them."

"Hey!"

Seung-joo finally exploded. His voice was so loud that even passersby turned to look. But Mu-ryeong didn’t so much as flinch—he simply shrugged.

"I don’t just give them to anyone."

"……."

Seung-joo looked dumbfounded, as if he had lost his ability to speak. The problem was that Mu-ryeong seemed perfectly fine with handing them out to people who truly needed them. And he had absolutely no awareness of it.

"You’re just… ah, forget it."

They say parents can’t win against their children. As someone often referred to as "Mu-ryeong’s dad," Seung-joo could never win against Mu-ryeong’s stubbornness. Just the sight of him carefully folding the talisman and tucking it into his pocket was proof of that. And then, as if he couldn't help himself, he asked,

"Is it something serious?"

Mu-ryeong’s expression immediately turned troubled. It was difficult to explain, no matter how he tried to put it. Seung-joo must have sensed something too, as his voice grew noticeably softer.

"You don’t have to tell me your personal matters, but…"

"……."

"Just don’t overdo it."

Mu-ryeong opted to smile wordlessly. But then he spotted a single chrysanthemum placed at an intersection and barely swallowed back a bitter smile. Seung-joo, noticing the small action, spoke firmly.

"And don’t meddle in unnecessary things either."

Mu-ryeong flinched. He had merely glanced away for a second, yet Seung-joo had picked up on it immediately.

"…Are you planning to set up a fortune-telling stand with my brother?"

"You want to see your mom pass out?"

Mu-ryeong had tried to lighten the mood, but Seung-joo clicked his tongue in exasperation. His intuition was razor-sharp when it came to certain people—Mu-ryeong being one of them. Meddling where he shouldn't and putting in the utmost effort—if nothing else, that was undeniably Kim Mu-ryeong’s specialty.

"If you’re going to work hard, just take care of the living. Stop worrying about the dead."

Once again, Mu-ryeong couldn't bring himself to agree. Whether alive or dead, they all felt like "people" to him. Just because they no longer had life didn’t mean they suddenly became lesser beings.

‘Not having life is a vague notion anyway.’

The death of the body didn’t equate to the disappearance of the soul. To Mu-ryeong, "life" wasn’t just a shell; it was the essence within. It was only after that essence was lost that one became something like the vengeful spirit clinging to Hwan-young.

Well, that wasn’t something he particularly cared about either.

"And…"

Seung-joo hesitated before continuing, his expression twisting as if he disliked what he was about to say. Maybe he even felt embarrassed. When Mu-ryeong looked at him curiously, Seung-joo let out a sigh.

"Thanks. I’ll keep the talisman with me."

Had it really taken him that long just to say that? Mu-ryeong blinked, glancing up at Seung-joo’s profile. His smooth cheek twitched slightly—the kind of expression he made when he felt guilty.

"If you're grateful, don’t lose it."

At Mu-ryeong’s teasing remark, Seung-joo turned to him with a disgusted expression. As if he’d ever lose it. And even if he did, he was warning Mu-ryeong never to make another one for him.

But really, Seung-joo wasn’t the type to lose things, and Mu-ryeong was always willing to make another one. So, in the end, it was a pointless warning.

***

The summer uniform transition period had begun, but very few students actually wore their summer clothes. That Monday, the weather had suddenly turned rather chilly. Even Seung-joo, who couldn’t wear a dress shirt due to his cast, had kept his P.E. jacket on throughout class.

As soon as homeroom ended, Mu-ryeong left Seung-joo behind and headed to Class 3. When he said he was going to deliver a talisman, Seung-joo didn’t argue and simply went home first. He did glance back at Mu-ryeong with mild disapproval, but when Mu-ryeong grinned at him, he chose to say nothing.

Haeyeon High School strictly prohibited students from entering the school after hours. There were no evening self-study sessions, and once the front gate was locked, it wouldn’t open again until morning. Because of this, most students were already leaving, cutting across the schoolyard.

[2-3]

Standing at the back door of Class 2-3, Mu-ryeong scanned the room with a nervous expression, looking for Hwan-young. There was a chance he had already left, but for some reason, Mu-ryeong had a feeling he would still be there.

Fortunately, Hwan-young was sitting at his desk, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, just as he had been before.

"You’re not going home?"

Startled, Hwan-young lifted his head. His expression twisted the moment he saw Mu-ryeong, but Mu-ryeong decided to ignore it. A part of him had hoped to find a vengeful spirit still lurking, but unfortunately, Hwan-young was alone this time.

"Good. I was worried you might have left already."

"…What do you want?"

Hwan-young furrowed his brow, grabbing his bag and standing up. His shirt was buttoned all the way up, and his tie was neatly fastened. Right now, he was wearing the mid-season uniform, but even in the summer uniform, he’d probably look just as put-together.

"Why are you here?"

The closer Hwan-young came, the denser his spiritual energy became. Unlike when a vengeful spirit was around, it was a refreshing sensation. Without a word, Mu-ryeong held out the envelope he had brought.

"For you."

"……."

Mu-ryeong wasn’t aware of how strange this looked. An empty classroom, the warm hues of a sunset, and a student smiling as he handed over a white envelope—it was an unusual scene, to say the least.

"What is it?"

Naturally, Hwan-young narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He didn’t seem inclined to take the envelope, nor did he step any closer.

"This is…"

Mu-ryeong had no choice but to take a step closer to Hwan-young, lowering his voice. There was no one around, but it never hurt to be cautious.

"It’s a talisman."

The way he whispered made it feel oddly ticklish. The problem was that this attempt at secrecy only made the situation look even stranger.

"…A talisman?"

"Yeah, I made it myself."

Without hesitation, Mu-ryeong pressed the talisman into Hwan-young’s hand. His fingers brushed against the other’s bare skin as he placed the envelope on top, the movement as fluid as flowing water. Hwan-young’s fingers flinched slightly, but this time, he didn’t shake him off.

"If you keep this with you, your shoulders won’t feel so heavy."

"……."

The talisman was imbued with Mu-ryeong’s spiritual energy. Since it was made through a meticulous and complicated process, its energy wouldn’t dissipate easily. At the very least, it would serve as a temporary camouflage, hiding Hwan-young from any vengeful spirits for a few days.

"Don’t lose it. Keep it on you for now. It’s really difficult to make, so take good care of it."

As he looked up to emphasize his words, his gaze locked onto Hwan-young’s dark eyes—closer than he had expected. He wasn’t sure when the distance between them had shrunk so much, but if either of them took a deep breath, their breaths would surely touch.

Hwan-young stiffened for a moment before stepping back, his expression tightening.

"…How do you even make these?"

The talisman crumpled in his large hand. It didn’t seem intentional, as he soon loosened his grip. Mu-ryeong gently took the talisman from him, smoothed it out, then neatly folded it before slipping it into Hwan-young’s pocket.

"I’ll tell you later."

As his hand brushed against the fabric of Hwan-young’s pants, the latter flinched and stared at him. His long fingers, despite their size, moved deftly and quickly pulled away. Misinterpreting his reaction as mere displeasure, Mu-ryeong shrugged and added,

"Not that it matters. Even if you knew how, it’s not something just anyone can make."

Although, if it were Hwan-young, he probably could make one. But Mu-ryeong deliberately didn’t mention that. He didn’t mind making talismans himself, but he wasn’t keen on watching someone else do it. Besides, there was also the chance that explaining the process would only make Hwan-young even more uncomfortable.

"For now, if you just keep this—"

"You’re saying my shoulders won’t feel heavy anymore?"

Their eyes met. Though they were clearly looking at each other, Mu-ryeong felt an odd sense of dissonance, as if they were somehow out of sync.

Before he could pinpoint the cause of this feeling, Hwan-young reached into his pocket, pulled out the talisman, and held it out toward him.

"I don’t need it. Take it back."

"…Huh?"

Mu-ryeong was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected gratitude like Seung-joo’s, but he certainly hadn’t expected outright rejection. He blinked in confusion, but Hwan-young simply repeated himself.

"I said I don’t need it. I didn’t ask you for a talisman."

If Seung-joo had been there, he would’ve definitely said something along the lines of, ‘Wow. What an asshole.’

"Well… It’s not like it’s anything weird."

Mu-ryeong tried to reassure him, speaking calmly. He just needed to keep it for a few days—he would take care of the rest.

He was about to explain everything, from what he had discussed with Mu-heun over the phone after leaving Hwan-young’s house, to the steps involved in making the talisman. But before he could get the words out, Hwan-young abruptly crushed the talisman in his hands.

This time, it was deliberate.

With both hands, he crumpled the envelope before unceremoniously tossing it into the trash bin at the back of the classroom.

"……."

Mu-ryeong blinked. He opened and closed his eyes slowly, as if trying to process what had just happened. He was so stunned that he couldn’t even think of how to react.

Hwan-young, his voice ice-cold, spoke without a hint of hesitation.

"If I wanted something like that, I would’ve paid for one a long time ago."

Not only had he rejected the gesture, but he had stomped all over the sincerity behind it. Anyone witnessing the scene would have been appalled.

A heavy silence settled between them. Mu-ryeong’s usually soft, gentle eyes drooped ever so slightly.

"…Hey, even if you don’t want it, you didn’t have to throw it away."

It didn’t sound like he was angry. If anything, he looked more like a puppy that had just had its favorite toy snatched away.

To make matters worse, the trash can was already half full, leaving Mu-ryeong torn between retrieving the talisman and just letting it go.

"Damn it… Do you even know how much effort that took to make? You’re gonna regret this later."

With a sigh, Mu-ryeong muttered under his breath. Then, he abruptly lifted his head and locked eyes with Hwan-young.@@novelbin@@

"No matter what, you shouldn’t throw away something someone gave you. That’s just basic manners."

"……."

His voice, young and clear, gently scolded Hwan-young, reasoning with him instead of blaming him. His words weren’t accusatory, and even the usually cold Hwan-young seemed momentarily caught off guard by his unexpectedly soft approach.

"This week is too busy, but… I’ll make you another one next week. Just don’t throw it away then."

Hwan-young didn’t respond.

Without waiting for an answer, Mu-ryeong simply turned around and walked away.

Before Hwan-young could say anything to stop him, he was already disappearing down the hallway.

Left alone in the classroom, Hwan-young could only let out a small, incredulous scoff as he watched Mu-ryeong’s retreating figure.