Ha-eun's Secret
"Sorry, but Mirinae and I are pretty wiped out. I'll explain next stream."
She bids farewell to the viewers and ends the broadcast.
"Hoo..."
A deep sigh escapes her, laden with tangled emotions. The words I'd overheard earlier echoed relentlessly in my mind.
"I... actually knew."
"That I might get attacked this time."
"That the Jin-hon Gu-won Association might come after me."
What on earth is Ha-eun thinking?
Ha-eun is my one and only friend. Of course I'll trust her. I have to believe there's some circumstance behind it.
Still... a sliver of doubt was impossible to shake off entirely.
"Guess I need to ask her directly."
About the secret Ha-eun had kept from me.
I stand and head into a nearby private café. It's late enough that it's mostly empty—perfect for a quiet talk between just the two of us.
Ding-a-ling♪
"Welcome~"
The crisp bell on the café door chimes, announcing a new customer. I give a casual nod to the part-timer and make my way to the table where Ha-eun, who'd arrived first, sits with Lee Seola.
<Ha-eun unnie, you should drink something too.>
"...No appetite."
something so you can say whatever to Seorin-nim later, right?>
"...Sorry."
<Jeez, really.>
From afar, I see Ha-eun chatting amiably with Lee Seola. It's more like Lee Seola consoling a downcast Ha-eun, but their easy familiarity shines through.
Suddenly, my mind drifts back a week—to the first time Lee Seola and Ha-eun met, right after I'd punished those school violence perpetrators.
"No, that's not it. There's something I've wanted to say since the Guiam Reservoir incident..."
Ha-eun lets out a heavy sigh, then continues.
"Ever since that day, I can see ghosts."
"Huh?"
"Even the ghost right next to you—I see her too."
<Huh.>
I instinctively glance at Lee Seola beside me.
Ghosts are visible to her? And Lee Seola too? That means...
"You knew."
"Huh?"
"I told you before. You have a gift for it. It was sealed tight, but this spiritual phenomenon must've unlocked it."
I'd said I'd explain later, but timing had never lined up until now.
"With the gift, of course you'd see ghosts. I knew."
"Ah, ahaha... R-right. I thought you didn't know."
"Why'd you think I wouldn't?"
"Well..."
Ha-eun glances back and forth between Lee Seola and me.
"'Cause... I saw everything she did on the broadcast...?"
"I see."
I look quietly at Lee Seola and say,
"Alright, Lee Seola. Apologize to Ha-eun right now."
<Huh, me?>
"Who else? You couldn't control that school bully properly, and Mirinae's broadcast nearly got ruined."
<No no, that's Seorin-nim's fault! Bosses take responsibility for employees, right?>
"Ha, what kinda boss does that these days? They all dump it on the underlings."
<Guh, logic I can't argue with here!>
As they shove blame back and forth, Ha-eun waves her hands frantically.
"N-no! That's not what I meant—I don't want an apology!"
"Oh? Then never mind."
<Unlike Seorin-nim, her friend's actually nice. They say you become like your friends, but apparently not.>
"Ha-eun is nice, yeah."
<Whoa, doesn't even flinch at the shade. How thick-skinned is Seorin-nim exactly?>
"No matter what the servant spirit says, she knows she's under me, so no bruised ego, right?"
<Guh... Did I pick the wrong job...?>
"Guys, please listen to me?"
As the conversation veers off again, Ha-eun smiles awkwardly.
"Yeah, we're listening. Go ahead."
"This is ridiculous..."
Before it strays further, Ha-eun blurts out desperately,
"F-first off! Seorin, you... with that girl's soul... it's not just control. Or domination."
"Just say 'enslaving' it."
"Uh-huh, you're enslaving it?"
"Yep."
At my casual reply, Ha-eun swallows hard. She opens her mouth, closes it, repeats.
"..."
"What, curious about my power?"
"...A little? Would you tell me?"
"Hmm... Just think of it as an innate ability I was born with. Can't explain it any other way."
Even to a close friend, spilling everything's tough. She wouldn't believe it anyway—and if she did, that'd bring its own problems.
"Got it. Then one more thing. With that power... what are you planning to do?"
"Do?"
"No matter how I look at it, it's immense. Enslaving souls, driving people mad like earlier... What's your goal with it?"
Of all things, this is what had her so tense?
Seeing Ha-eun on edge, unsure of my answer, I can't help but smile.
"Hmm, world domination?"
"Eeeeh?!"
<Told you!!>
"...Kidding. Just wanted to mess with you once. And 'told you'? What'd you take me for?"
I shoot Lee Seola a glare; she shrugs.
<No matter how I think about it, Seorin-nim seems like the type who'd do anything for her goals. No matter how unethical!>
"...And?"
<In movies and comics, those types are always world-conquering villains!>
"Idiot. Separate reality from fiction."
Snap!
<Ow!>
I lightly flick Lee Seola's forehead in reprimand, then turn to Ha-eun.
"What I want's nothing big. Just... living quietly?"
"Quietly?"
"Yeah. With you around, family, close friends—all living peacefully, happily, for a long, long time. That's it."
"...Way off from what I expected."
"Huh, what'd you think my goal was?"
"Hmm... Money and power?"
"...You too?"
What the hell is my image to everyone?
<Seorin-nim has that classic villain vibe.>
"True. That villain aura, right? Used to feel more fragile, but she's changed a lot."
<Fragile? Seorin-nim? She always seems totally chill...>
"She's not. This change is recent. Back when she was buried in studies..."
<Whoa.>
Suddenly ignoring me, they dive into tales of my past with eager interest. Fine, whatever. As long as they get along. I'll be assigning Lee Seola as Ha-eun's guard often anyway.
"Anyway, why the curiosity about my goals?"
"Oh, that..."
Ha-eun's face darkens, she hems and haws, then speaks cautiously.
"...Not great to say now. I'm not even sure myself."
"...About what?"
"Seorin, later... I might do something really awful to you. Could you forgive me just once then?"
"Awful how?"
What could Ha-eun possibly mean by "awful"? I can't even imagine her doing wrong by me.
A bit flustered, I nod anyway.
"As long as it's not outright betrayal. Annoying me's fine."
"...Thanks."
For a friend, any inconvenience is no big deal. For friends, I'd do anything.
Snapping back to the present, I mutter,
"So that's the 'awful thing' you meant..."
Ha-eun looks up, perhaps hearing me.
"Oh, you're here? Stream go well?"
"Yeah. But... why not wait till after? Viewers almost heard."
"Sorry... Wasn't in my right mind."
Thank goodness the phone had dropped, and her voice was too soft for viewers to catch. If it aired, they'd riot for ages—Mirinae controversy wiki pages and all.
"Anyway, sit. I ordered ahead. Caramel macchiato, right?"
"Yep."
On the table: Ha-eun's iced Americano and my caramel macchiato. Ice clinks refreshingly cool.
I sit, push the straw aside, and gulp it down. The chill soothes my boiling gut; caramel syrup hits just right, flooding my brain with bliss and easing the stress.
"Hoo."
Feeling better, I cut straight in.
"Ha-eun. Time to explain properly."
"Yeah."
"What'd you mean earlier?"
"..."
Ha-eun falls silent, just poking her ice with the straw. Not reluctance—more like pondering where to start. I wait patiently.
After a bit, she finally speaks.
"Remember the Guiam Reservoir? That evil spirit you attacked suddenly turned to black smoke and got absorbed into me."
"Yeah, I do."
I also recall pouring my spiritual power to block its remnants from overtaking her body.
"That's when... some memory suddenly surfaced."
"Memory?"
"Yeah."
Ha-eun sighs deeply, then continues.
"Looks like... I'm connected to that cult, the Jin-hon Gu-won Association. Or rather—when I was little, they... used me as a sacrifice. A really valuable one."
Crash!
The glass slips from my hand, rolling across the table.