True Education (2)
After finishing the story and slurping up the last drop of her caramel macchiato, just before we parted ways, I gave Mirinae a heads-up.
"I figure you already know this, but I'll say it anyway, just to be sure."
"Yeah?"
"Don't tell anyone about what happened today."
She probably hadn't seen anything like handling or obliterating grudge spirits. The Jin Hon Guwon Association building wasn't a domain teeming with evil spirits like Sunshine Kindergarten or Gwiam Reservoir, where the ambient spiritual energy was off the charts.
But still. She'd likely felt a deep unease from how a single word from me could drive a person mad, or how I casually subdued a grown man who was way more built than me.
Right now, other priorities had pushed it aside, but once things settled, she'd start wondering about my identity soon enough. Better to nip it in the bud.
"Don't tell a soul. Keep it to yourself. And whatever you do, don't go digging into who—or what—I am later. Got it?"
"...What happens if I do try to find out?"
"Oh? You wanna know that too?"
I curled my lip into a smirk. Seo Han-ul shuddered and quickly looked away.
"N-no, I'm good. Not curious at all."
"Smart choice."
If she'd pushed further, brother’s friend or not, I'd have quietly offed her without my brother knowing. Curiosity killed the cat, right? It can kill people too, so you gotta stay vigilant.
After splitting from Seo Han-ul, my brother and I boarded the bus home. Being Saturday, we had the whole thing to ourselves.
I sat by the window, chin in hand, mulling over plans, when my brother—who'd been quietly sitting next to me—suddenly spoke up.
"Sis."
"What."
"Can't you just tell me a little? I swear I won't say a word to anyone!"
"Sigh..."
I'd half-expected this. Seo Han-ul, as an outsider, could live just fine without knowing. But my brother was family, bound by blood—or at least, the body's blood. Of course he'd want to know.
I got it. But no way was I spilling.
"Nope."
"Aww, c'mon~!"
"Just 'cause I don't wanna. Quit nagging."
Even if the sky fell, I wouldn't tell him. How could I? "Actually, I'm not your sister—I'm the Necromancer King from another world who possessed her body"? Yeah, no. I'd lose this hard-won family, and they'd be shattered losing their daughter and sister.
No upside to the truth. Better to take this secret to the grave.
"Tch. I thought maybe... you were a Returner or something."
Thud!—My heart dropped.
What did he just say? Returner? How? When did he figure it out? Why blurt it to me now? Testing the waters? Or some ulterior motive?
Reason whispered: 'Kill him.'
If he started blabbing to people around me, I could lose my whole family and friends. Better to take out one now than risk everyone.
Emotion countered: 'Don't. You can't.'
He was my brother. Not biologically mine, but the body's little bro. And deep down, I'd already accepted him as such. Kill him? No way in hell.
Oblivious to my internal war over his life, Seo Jun casually scrolled through a novel on his phone.
"Phew..."
I forced calm into my voice. "...Returner? What's that nonsense?"
"Oh, nothing big."
He showed me his phone screen. "The protagonist in this novel's a Returner. He got hit by a truck, soul summoned to another world, died there, but came back to his original body with all his memories and powers intact."
"So—that was just from the novel?"
"Pretty much. After 'that incident,' you've been so different, sis. Kept wondering if maybe you got summoned to another world and came back too. I chalked it up to stress relief from school before, but today's stuff brought the suspicion back."
That little punk! Gave me a heart attack!
His suspicions weren't too deep, and crucially, he didn't doubt I was his sister. Feeling tricked and annoyed, I ruffled his hair wildly.
"Ow, crap! What the hell! I spent all morning styling it!"
"What's the point of a cool 'do when your face is a total mess?"
"Shut up, I'm super popular! Girl from class confessed last week!"
"Penalty game. Or she's into ugly dudes."
"No way! Totally real!"
Being around him made me smile without thinking. Happy. Fun. Full. I owed this peaceful life to 'Baek Seorin.' Truly grateful.
'Necromancer King, you disgusting plague. No one will mourn you, not even a tear.'
'I hate you, Necromancer King! In life, in death, burning in hell's flames, I'll curse you forever. I'll tear your soul to shreds!'
'Necromancer King. You were a stain on this world. Your path ends in one place: despair.'
That's why—for this daily life, I'd do anything. For my allies, I'd give my all. I vowed it.
※
On the bus ride back, I sent Seo Jun home first and headed elsewhere: Mirinae's—Lee Ha-eun's—house.
"Heh, wild stuff."
Ha-eun looked way better than last time. Rosy cheeks, healthy glow, bright expression—like pre-Gwiam Reservoir broadcast.
"But can I really help? I dabble in all sorts, but never done exposé videos. Not interested either."
"Don't worry. Wasn't planning to make you the whistleblower."
She must've thought she'd be the streamer exposing the school bullies in my brother's plan. No way I'd drag a friend into that. Didn't fit Mirinae's vibe—would just stir drama.
"I'll handle the streaming."
"Huh? You, Seorin?"
"Yeah. Safest that way."
Social justice streamers get slammed as "cyber wreckers," swarmed by controversy. Like flies on a fresh corpse, or hyenas picking at scraps. Hypocrites chasing clicks and cash, truth be damned. Not something to push on friends or family.
"Just give me the info so I can debut as a streamer."
"Sure, easy. But... you okay?"
I smiled reassuringly at her worried look. "Totally. People can call me whatever—I don't care."
"Still..."
"Oh, I'll wear a mask to hide my face. Can't risk family or you getting blowback."
"Not what I meant... Sigh, fine. If you're set on it, I'll back you up 100%."
She needed my protection at haunted spots, but as senior streamer Mirinae, she was rock-solid.
"Gear and setup later—name first!"
"Right, name... Yeah, need one."
Like Ha-eun's Mirinae. Even a throwaway alias needed a name.
Stroking my chin, I picked one.
"Revenant."
One who returns from the afterlife. And revenants have a legend: remembering their past lives, seeking revenge on their killers.
"Fits, right?"
Like dead 'Seol-ah' coming back to avenge herself on those school bullies.
"Good backstory?"
※
"Hey, heard about that thing?"
"What thing?"
"Mass suicide at some cult."
"Whoa... what went down?"
"Dunno. Some group called Jin Hon Guwon Association or whatever... all dead. Wait, some survived but lost their minds. Carted off to psych wards."
"Creepy as hell. Cults are all nuts... Why'd they off themselves?"
"Beats me. Ritual sacrifice? Or a dark hero showed up, made it look like suicides?"
"Pfft, crazy. That make sense?"
"Could. Weird part—no cause of death. Like, unsolved."
"Huh? No poison, no strangling?"
"No poison detected. Hearts just... stopped."
"Chills... On the news?"
"Nah, my uncle's the cop on it. Couldn't even get statements from the psych ward survivors. They kept repeating weird shit."
"Gulp... Like what?"
"'A black-haired devil appeared and took all their souls'..."
Overhearing the two friends behind him, Seo Han-ul swallowed hard.
'No doubt.'
Last Saturday at the Jin Hon Guwon Association. And 'black-haired devil' brought one person to mind.
Baek Seorin. Friend of his friend Baek Seo Jun's sister—or whatever she was. Impossible to pin down.
'Don't tell a soul. Keep it to yourself. And don't ever dig into my identity. Got it?'
'...What if I do?'
'Oh? You wanna know that too?'
Instinct had screamed: say 'I want to know,' and there's no going back.
'Whatever. Doesn't matter.'
Devil or not, fine by him. Better if she was—could save Seol-ah, trash those devilish bullies...
BAM!!
Then—the classroom door flew open.
Students' eyes flicked to it, then back. Except Seo Han-ul's.
'...They're here.'
The ones walking in? Enemies of him and Seol-ah.