Jeju Island Vacation 2
I took the grandmother—who had no idea about my true identity—up to the village on the mountainside she'd mentioned. We parked in front of the entrance totem poles, the only things around amid fields and the occasional mandarin orange tree. Her hand, which had been stroking the tiger for a good while, finally stopped. Her face looked like she had a lot to say, so I spoke first.
"We're here."
"Already? Aigoo, I was so busy petting our cute little pooch that I couldn't even talk. Where'd you get him?"
"I was in Gangwon-do for work, and he just started following me. Must've smelled something tasty."
"Really? What a good boy... Since we're here, could you do me a small favor?"
"Sure, if it's something light."
She pursed her lips tight—no way it was light if she was calling it that. If it really was minor, she'd have handled it herself.
"Some people have come onto my mountain. Could you chase them off far away? I have too many restrictions to do it myself."
"People?"
"They're chattering among themselves in some language I can't make out. They're just noisy, like flies buzzing around. Annoying as hell."
"I'll go talk to them nicely."
"Thanks. However you send them packing, I don't care."
The moment I agreed to her request, she stepped out of the car and vanished. I wondered if she'd have shown up anyway, even without me giving her a ride. Her mountain probably meant...
"Mmm... Unni, are we there yet?"
"Not yet. Almost. Go back to sleep."
I snapped out of it at my little sister's sleepy murmur and realized we'd pulled over on a bare roadside. They'd been considerate enough to drop us close to the pension. After another thirty minutes, we arrived, and both of them seemed to glow subtly from their skin—like they'd just showered, acting as if nothing had happened while unloading stuff from the car. We needed a hearty dinner.
"Bring all the meat to the yard, veggies to the sink. Wow, these are fresh."
While Mom quickly shredded the wild greens and gondre she'd bought at the market with house-made soybean paste and sesame oil, I washed the cabbage and lettuce. As more green piled up on the counter, my sister's face grew stiffer, but she ignored it and prepped to jump into the pool out front. She'd definitely drag me in to play, so I needed to change too.
"You jumping in the pool out front too?"
"Yeah. It'll be no fun if Jini goes alone. Mom, put on a swimsuit and join us."
"I'm too old for swimsuits. Embarrassing."
"Fine, whatever."
She'd thrown on a thin spring cardigan to cover her upper body, but the glimpse of pale skin dotted with red flower-like marks made it look inappropriate for a swimsuit. My sister would definitely ask if she'd been bitten by bugs—how embarrassing.
"I'll change and come out. Go ahead."
"Okay."
It was vacation, after all. I figured one day off from work to just play, so I put on the swimsuit I'd packed with that in mind. Not some flimsy bikini for show—this was plain, functional one-piece style top and bottoms. If I still had a guy's body, I'd just strip and dive in wearing boxers, but these massive tits were always the problem. Complaining about it would just sound deceptive again.
"Unni, hurry up!"
Grabbing my hand and tugging, my sister led me outside, where Dad was already laying meat on the charcoal grill and glanced our way.
"Aigoo, the beauty's always the last one out."
"Dad!"
"I did the hard shopping, so grill the meat right."
My sister, all hyped up, climbed Dad's leg as he grabbed the tongs, but I ignored them and headed straight for the pool. Better to avoid interrupting their flirting— I'd just hang in the pool and grab eats once it was done.
I'd gone first, but my sister beat me there, cannonballing in with a massive splash. Lingering nearby got me soaked in the lukewarm water.
"Kids, look here!"
Mom snapped a photo of the moment. She'd post it on Insta or something, but no cute shots for me. Bitter taste in my mouth.
—
We'd played hard until late last night, but I woke naturally at dawn. With a body far beyond human limits, even chasing my hyper sister around left no trace of fatigue.
"Mmm..."
Getting up from bed, I peeked into my parents' room—both asleep with my sister, no signs of stirring. I scribbled a note about heading to town for lunch, stuck it on the fridge, and left. Lunch aside, I needed to check out those outsiders the grandmother mentioned yesterday.
For normal people, it'd be nothing—call the cops or a reporter, done. Our group had plenty of Jeju connections anyway.
"Baek-ho, time for you to guide the way."
Krrrng...
—
Arriving at yesterday's spot, I got out. Patting Baek-ho's butt, he noticed my uncomfortable sandals for hiking and crouched low for me to ride. Stroking his fluffy nape as I mounted, he bolted straight up the mountain. Leaping tree to tree like flying, we landed atop a tree in some deeper spot in seconds.
Thud-thud. A group chiseling away at rock. Not like the thefts on the news—this looked like deliberate sculpting. Just chisel and hammer.
"Reporting this won't do much."
At worst, environmental violation. But listening close, they sounded mostly Japanese. Messing with foreigners like that usually sparked international issues—probably just banned from the area. Even if I muscled them into jail, others would come.
"Don't feel like dragging this out."
Regrettably, I wasn't some saint living by the law after long watches. Someone in familiar martial robes climbed up from below, yelling our way.
"Shift change! Eating, then back!"
At the breakfast call, they set down tools, faces lighting up from exhaustion. Leaving one lookout, they headed to base camp. Waiting till they were gone, I dropped from the tree.
"Who—!"
At the sudden presence, the guy signaling others—I grabbed his head and burst the stuff inside. Pupils dilated, blood tears streaming, limbs convulsing wildly. Confused expression, but too late.
"Let's see what you were doing to annoy grandma with all that noise..."
A finely carved fox mural like a wall painting, below it dense unfamiliar script. Snapped three photos for evidence, sent to the well-connected shaman grandma. Too early for a reply, so pocketed the phone.
"Some curse script?"
Felt vaguely familiar, but no clear memory. Maybe my brain was hitting capacity from all the sights and media. Baek-ho lounging indifferently suggested it wasn't too dangerous or important.
But botching this could piss off Jeju's big overseeing spirit—no more vacations here. I picked up a chisel they'd set aside. Not your hardware store type—this had ritual vibes. Otherwise, why engrave words like those on the wall?
"Ah, this is like that head-bursting noise curse."
Explains Baek-ho not reacting. Grk-grk. Scratching rock to amplify reflection patterns. My pocket buzzed—phone. Text from shaman grandma.
"Status so far?"
"Going better than expected. Some reports slowing spots, but."
"Buy time, you mean."
"Yes."
"Work slow, no suspicions. We're in for the long haul—one mark at a time."
She'd knelt demurely, dipped her brush in ink to resume writing. Nearby, an old man bowing in greeting started twitching nonstop.
"Old man...?"
The woman noticed, dropped her brush, rang the bell, rushed over—but too late. A seasoned shrine errand boy died in seconds, blood pouring from every facial orifice.