Thud, thud, thud.

Feeling that slow heartbeat against her ear made Hae-som restless.

It scared her because Eun-ho’s heart, which had always only been fast, had grown lazy like this once too—before it stopped.

But then… can you even feel a ghost’s heartbeat?

The arms wrapped firm around the backs of her knees and shoulders were strong and steady. Warm body heat sank through the thin layer of clothing and reached her skin. Hae-som blinked in a daze.

Did I pass out? Or is this a dream?

It did not really matter how a ghost could feel warm. When he had been alive, Eun-ho had always been this gentle and warm.

Thud-thud, thud-thud.

The heartbeat had found its rhythm again, and she found it so precious, so reassuring, that Hae-som smiled without meaning to. She even let her dangling legs swing a little in the air.

“Oppa.”

If this had been before, Eun-ho would have lost his balance and fallen over. But maybe now that he was a ghost, he had his strength back, because he did not budge at all. Instead, he pulled her struggling body in closer and pressed her tight against him.

As if showing off how well he was doing now.

Maybe that was why the monk had said his last moments looked peaceful. Maybe that was why Eun-ho seemed stronger somehow too.

Only then did Hae-som finally feel relieved. Maybe that was why he had come to her in her sleep, in her dream.

The shadow that had merged with hers in the Main Hall, where his spirit was enshrined, slowly came apart once they entered the monks’ quarters where Hae-som was staying.

The heartbeat cut off all at once, and panic rose in Hae-som. So she grabbed the hand that seemed ready to leave. It was cold and large.

“Don’t go.”

He said nothing in the dark. Only his black gaze seemed to persuade her. It’s really time for me to go now.

Hae-som pleaded, her voice thick with tears.

“I said don’t go.”

Cruel Yoo Eun-ho still gave no answer. Like she had done as a child, Hae-som could only whine and cling.

“Can’t you stay with me just until I fall asleep? Hm? Please?”

She pulled his hand over by force and placed it on top of her head. His palm slid over the curves of her hair and patted her back.

Her chest, which had been shaking with hurt, slowly calmed. Her ragged breathing eased, and sleep poured over her.

I shouldn’t fall asleep like this. I need to tell Eun-ho goodbye. I want to touch him one last time.

Sleep is a strange thing that makes people helpless.

---

How long had it been since she had slept that well?

If she could have kept being lazy and slept until noon, she would have asked for nothing more. But everything that came with morning got in the way.

Birds chirped, the scent of pine was almost dizzying, and mixed in with the sound of the moktak was the sharp sound of someone chopping on a cutting board. It was pure chaos.

Dragged awake by the sunlight pouring through the paper doors, Hae-som sat up and stretched both arms over her head with her fingers laced together. The first thing that came into view was the dirty soles of her feet.

So going to the Main Hall last night had not been a dream? Then again, if it had been a dream, his warmth and touch had felt far too real.

“There’s no way it was Eun-ho oppa, so did the monk carry me back? Ow!”

Something sharp pricked her fingertip. Hae-som dropped her arms at once, rolled half a turn, and looked beside her pillow. A small pine branch about the size of her palm lay there, giving off a fresh scent.

Judging by the situation, the monk must have broken it off and left it there. Some kind of aromatherapy for deep sleep?

Wanting to ask about what had happened last night too, Hae-som tucked the pine branch into her arms like a bouquet and went looking for Jong-myeong.

The Main Hall, wrapped in a light mountain mist, stood in calm beauty, and from somewhere near it came the rich smell of sesame oil.

Finding Jong-myeong without much trouble, Hae-som headed straight for the kitchen. A familiar voice drifted out through the rising steam. Jong-myeong was on the phone with someone.

“You really want to come? This early in the morning?”

No way his voice, trying to talk someone out of it, could sound happier than hers. It was pitched higher than when she had called and asked him to pick her up at Seoan Station, and for some reason Hae-som pushed out her lips in a small pout.

“Eat breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa first. Hm? You already served them? You’re almost here already?”

From the sound of it, it was not Eun-seong either. Eun-seong had said he had lost both sets of grandparents when he was very young.

He used to joke, half joking and half grim, that the men in the Yoo family all died young.

Crossing the kitchen doorway, Hae-som passed Jong-myeong, who was busy on the phone, and went over to the women preparing the meal offerings.

“Good morning, ma’ams.”

“Morning, morning. Did our princess sleep well?”

“Our Hae-som got fairer after going to Seoul.”

Their hands freely fussed over her, cupping her soft cheeks. Since they all knew her story, it seemed they found it moving and admirable that she had gathered the courage to come all the way here.

Their warm hands lingered for a while. They played with her thin fingers, stroked the rough backs of her hands, then sighed once, then again.

“With hands this tiny, what kind of cooking are you trying to do?”

“We never should’ve let you into the kitchen when you were little. We spoiled you the wrong way.”

Hae-som did not like hearing their motherly complaints. So she lifted her chin for no reason and started bragging in a way that did not quite suit her.

“How did you spoil me wrong? At work they praise me all the time for being quick and hardworking.”

“What?”

“I’m telling you, I’ve heard so much praise my ears are about to burn.”

“Really?”

Their lukewarm reaction made Hae-som raise her voice. Since her bragging was at least partly true, it did not make her face burn.

“Really! Have you ever seen me lie? I’m talented enough that a super famous restaurant’s got its eye on me, and instead of praising me, you’re doubting me? That hurts. Really hurts!”

Jong-myeong ended his call and turned to look at her. He too seemed unsure whether to believe her, judging by the odd look in his eyes.

“A restaurant?”

“Yes!”

Still feeling wronged, Hae-som stressed it twice. A very famous restaurant. One with no less than three stars.

Her pout stuck out far enough to reach the Main Hall.

Jong-myeong scratched his bare head and gave an awkward smile.

“It’s not that I doubt your skill, Hae-som. My nephew works at a restaurant too.”

Hae-som was first shocked to learn that he even had family. He had never mentioned any, so she had thought he was all alone in the world. Who would have guessed he had a grown nephew—one who even worked in the same field she did?

More than being curious about this suddenly appearing nephew, Hae-som felt oddly hurt on behalf of herself. She had known Jong-myeong for over twenty years. It almost felt like she had lost the number one spot in his affections, a place that had really belonged to somebody else all along.

What had happened the night before had long since been pushed aside.

She threw the pine branch she had been hugging all this time into the stove as firewood, then picked up a basket and stood.

“I’ll go pick some ssam greens.”

“We’re having bibimbap, though?”

Since she had a knack for mountain herb bibim noodles, one of Not’s menu items, Hae-som answered with full confidence,

“My chef says it tastes good mixed in too.”

When Hae-som came back with enough ssam greens for one meal, she almost dropped the basket on the spot.

“Say hello. This is my nephew, Jung Jae-geon.”

The sudden meeting made her mind stop working. After creaking to a halt for a moment, Hae-som let out a weak sound and bent her knees to sit down. Jong-myeong was in front of her, and Jae-geon sat diagonally across from her.

“Hello.”

You’re pretending not to know me?

The look stabbing in from across the table seemed to say exactly that, but Hae-som was not in a state to explain everything that had happened. What had happened last night was part of it too.

Because if all of it was real—going to the Main Hall to do 108 prostrations, fainting when she saw Jae-geon there, being carried back to the monks’ quarters in his arms, even grabbing his hand and making him pat her back—

then she was in serious trouble.

There was nothing in her mouth, but her stomach still rolled like she had overeaten. Jae-geon’s silence made it worse. All her strength drained away, and she felt like she might faint again.

“…….”

If he really wanted to, he could have stepped in and explained how they knew each other. But all Jae-geon did was fire off cold glances sharp as ice crystals. He clearly had no intention of doing that.

Hae-som was the first to tear her gaze away. She stared blankly at the neatly arranged bowl of bibimbap in front of her.

Leaving temple food unfinished was out of the question. And she had to finish all this in this situation? A sigh slipped out on its own.

Watching her sink into gloom, Jong-myeong nudged Jae-geon’s arm.

“Jung Jae-geon, why aren’t you answering the kid’s greeting?”

“What kid? Everyone here’s a grown adult.”

“Her face is tiny enough already. Why are you staring at her like that?”

Hae-som felt her cheeks heat up. It was not only because of Jae-geon’s gaze. Once she replayed bits of the conversation in her head, the embarrassment spun out of control.

How long had he been there? Don’t tell me he was there from when I was loudly bragging…

If, by any chance, he had heard that self-praise part, then she needed to start looking for a hole to crawl into.

Hae-som put down the spoon she had finally managed to pick up. Then, the next moment, she realized—

“He is eyeing me, isn’t he.”

What she really needed was room to breathe.