Tears Burst the Moment I Saw Their Faces
Teaching the four—Gwangjeong, Sujeong, Hwajeong, and Pungjeong—how to hunt evil spirits took longer than expected. Leaving aside the fact that Gwangjeong was much smaller than I'd anticipated, none of them had ever fought an evil spirit before.
It made sense. Human spirits and nature spirits usually ignored each other like a cow eyeing a chicken, so they had no reason to tangle with evil spirits. Resentful spirits, brimming with hatred and murderous intent, evolved into evil spirits. They typically drifted around people like ordinary spirits, but when the right moment came, they unleashed physical force to actively harm humans. That was the instant to strike.
When spirits of similar power clashed, interference was tricky, so the best chance was when an evil spirit revealed its true form. Fortunately, they all grasped my instructions well. As nature spirits who had advanced to the refined stage, they already knew how to capture and kill creatures for their own purposes.
It would have been a problem if they shied away from killing, but Hwajeong, Pungjeong, and Sujeong had aggressively hunted animals that had eaten my herbs to absorb qi from me, proving they could do it. Gwangjeong even said she'd caught a few in the past.
I taught them step by step how to effectively subdue and kill evil spirits, and they absorbed it all like sponges. Seeing Sujeong elevate her realm had fired them up, and they never doubted my words—not a single "Is that possible?" or "That doesn't seem right." They just nodded, memorized, and focused intently, even asking questions now and then.
Watching them concentrate so hard, afraid to miss a single word, reminded me of the immortals and Great Immortals teaching me. As an Earthling, their concepts from the Dark Heavenly Realm had left me dazed at first, but they never got frustrated or angry. That was why they were called immortals... though they did give me stern looks a few times when I messed up and got hurt.
Anyway, the four chewed over my explanations with fierce determination, even practicing enthusiastically—but when I told them to leave traces in the specific form I wanted after slaying an evil spirit, they all trembled in fear. To refined spirits who'd only ever hunted animals as big as roe deer at most, my method must have felt extreme. But there was no choice. It had to be done right the first time; half-measures would only give other evil spirits an opening.
Besides, the first time was always the hardest. I'd been shocked killing my first aberration, but by the second and third, I could slaughter them without a second thought. And since those aberrations had tormented and killed my benefactors, the immortals, repaying them in kind even brought me joy. Covered head to toe in their fluids and flesh, grinning as I butchered them—any aberration with a shred of intelligence fled at the sight of me, screaming for its life.
That was exactly what I wanted from these evil spirits: for them to see the traces I'd left for Bin-i and Mom and bolt without looking back.
[If there's anything you still don't understand, speak now. As I said earlier—]
「Understand. All. Will. Kill. Definitely.」
「Prey. Is. Prey. Stalk. Pounce. Right. Before. Most. Vulnerable.」
「Evil. Spirit. Little. Brother. Won't. Miss. Moment.」
「We. Will. Succeed.」
As they steeled themselves amid twinkles, splashes, crackles, and whooshes, I added one more thing.
[And if anything remains where the evil spirit vanishes, bring it to me.]
Just in case. If my hunch was right and "that thing" appeared, but they didn't recognize it and tossed it away, it'd be a waste—and potentially trouble later.
「Something? What. Something?」
「Anything. Bring. It.」
「What? Comes? Out?」
「Curious. Evil. Spirits. Just. Vanish. Right?」
They were eyeing me warily. Realizing I wanted them to collect it, they sensed it was valuable... Hmm. To keep them from getting greedy and ruining everything, I needed to be firm and honest.
[Just so you know, if you eat it, you'll die.]
「Die? Die?」
「Don't. Want. Die. Won't. Eat!」
They recoiled at the word "die," as if touching it meant I'd kill them.
[Not that I'll kill you—eating it will make you lose your current form forever.]
「Current. Form. Precious.」
「Bring. Anything. As. Is.」
「Never. Eat.」
「Won't. Do. Forbidden. Things.」
Seeing them tense up, I knew they wouldn't mess around. Good. Tomorrow, I'd shake off those damned evil spirits—and maybe score some extra gains. I took a slow breath in and out.
Bin-i's evil spirit was in reliable hands now. Time for what I'd planned for today: the most important thing. Seeing my family's faces. Faces I'd never forgotten through all those years.
While I'd lain there helpless as a vegetable for eleven years, Mom and Bin-i had suffered because of me. Sure, the hospital bills were covered by the perpetrator, but that didn't magically erase the debts we'd already had.
I'd regretted it endlessly, replaying my choices before the accident. I shouldn't have rushed home that way. Spotting the swerving car on the dark road, I shouldn't have pulled out my phone to report it—instead, just kept driving. When it barreled toward me, I shouldn't have frozen like a deer in headlights; I should have done something. That morning, even if it felt awkward, I should have told Mom and my sister I loved them, that we'd be happy from now on...
Regret after regret. I'd blamed myself far more than the driver. I'd obsessed over the chances I'd missed and the ones Mom and Bin-i had lost because of me. While I lay there, their time marched on—and they'd let so many things slip through their fingers thinking of me. Afraid my condition might worsen while they were far away, unable to say goodbye, they skipped trips. Even fun sights or delicious food couldn't be fully enjoyed if they thought of me...
"San-a. Can you hear Mom's voice?"
The gentle feel of her hand on mine.
"Oppa. Can you hear me too?"
Mom sat on the left of my bed, Bin-i on the right, each holding a hand. They weren't praying formally. Just grasping my hands and voicing their wishes. During our hardest times, both had tried leaning on religion once and had a bitter experience. Now they recoiled from it, so they poured out their heartfelt pleas like this.
The words were always the same: for me to wake up, for our family to laugh together again, to be happy...
I slowly, carefully lifted my eyelids.
Finally, I saw Mom and Bin-i holding my hands.
And... tears burst!
Truly, "burst" was the only word for it. Hot tears welled up and streamed down my cheeks. Hearing their voices had been fine, but seeing their faces? My heart refused to calm, no matter what.
Mom's face was etched with fatigue, time, sorrow, and worry. Bin-i's too. All because of me.
「Crying? Why. Cry?」
「We. Did. Well. Why. Cry?」
「Not. Our. Fault. I. Know. Humans. Cry. When. Sad.」
「I. Know. Too. Humans. Cry. When. Happy.」
Sobbing uncontrollably, I stared wildly at their faces.
"Hoping you'll wake up soon."
"Hoping you'll get healthy soon."
Watching them squeeze their eyes shut, praying for my recovery, gratitude finally swelled for the administrator who'd sent me back to Earth. Yes. Things would be okay now. It might take time, but I'd rise, and the three of us could live well again. I had some pretty amazing powers now, so Mom and Bin-i could eat whatever they wanted, do whatever they wanted, play wherever...
And, and...
"Hoping we can go hiking together once San's fully recovered."
"Hoping I can fight over chicken legs with Oppa again."
Finishing their words, Mom and Bin-i opened their eyes. They looked at me.
And froze solid.
Not a twitch. Faces stiff, not even blinking. And I was still streaming tears—
Drrrk.
"Hello! Kang San-ssi looks great today."
Lee Pil-nyeo entered, and like an ice-cold alarm blared, they both jolted.
Stiff as boards, heads creaking toward her like rusty hinges.
"Lee caregiver?"
Mom called her calmly, voice steady.
"Yes?"
"Can you... see him now?"
"See what?"
Mom pointed at my face with her free hand.
"Our San. Can you see his eyes—"
"—Egg money!!!"
Lee Pil-nyeo yelped, jumping back. Her eyes widened like saucers, then she clapped wildly in excitement.
"He's blinking! Kang San-ssi! Oh my god! How! How!!! This is wonderful! Wonderful! Quick, the doctor, get the—"
"Eyes... then, then this is."
Mom swallowed hard and spoke.
"Not a dream? Right? Not a dream? We're not hallucinating—this is real, San's, San's really... Waaaaaah!"
Mom burst into loud sobs.
"Not a dream! No! It wasn't a dream! Aaaaah!"
Bin-i screamed, shaking the room, and started bawling.
"He really opened his eyes. We're not imagining it because we wanted it so bad—it's real! San-a! San! Mom! It's Mom! Do you recognize Mom's face? Bin-i's? You remember Mom and sister, right? Oh, our San, San-a!"
"Oppa! It's me, Bin-i! Your sister Kang Seol-bin! The one who always fought you over chicken legs! Wait, no acne now, so maybe you won't recognize? No, why mention acne now! Oppa! You remember us? You remember Mom and me, right?"
Both wept rivers, snot flowing, babbling frantically as they gripped my hands tight. Naturally, I was no different. Tears gushed, nose ran, throat choked with emotion—total mess. A glorious mess.
「I. Was. Right. Happy. Humans. Cry.」
「Not. Human. But. Human. Right.」
「Special. Human. Still. Cries.」
「Precious. Family. Must. Succeed. Or. Big. Trouble.」
The spirits hovering behind Mom and Bin-i whispered as they watched me.
"Aigoo. Aigoo. Aigooo... So glad you woke up now... So glad..."
"Sniff. Oppa, you hear us, right? Right?"
When Bin-i shot up and peered into my face, I seized the moment and twitched my fingers slightly.
"Huh?! H-huh?!"
Mom startled, and Bin-i looked down at my hand, nearly bursting into fresh tears but holding back with hiccups.
I twitched the fingers in Mom's hand too—
"!!!"
Her expression said it all. Mouth agape, gaping like a fish. Then words exploded.
"Oh my god. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"
"A miracle... a real miracle... Thank you! Thank you!!!"
Indiscriminate thanks poured out amid tears and laughter.
"W-wait. Just a sec. Hold on...!"
Bin-i panted, steadying her breath, staring straight into my eyes.
"O-one squeeze means 'yes,' two means 'no.' Got it?"
Squeeze.
"Aaaah! Mom! Oppa understands everything! For real!"
"Aigoo! Thank you! San-a! You remember us, right? All of it?"
Squeeze.
"Whaaaa!"
"Whaaaa!"
We kept crying and laughing. If the medical staff hadn't come rushing in after Lee Pil-nyeo alerted them—
"Hold on!"
"One moment!"
"Patient's condition—"
"Just checking—"
We'd have gone on weeping, laughing, shouting, locking eyes frantically, squeezing hands forever.