Homecoming
I shoved the small hand away from my shoulder. “Hey, stop clinging to me…”
Her breathing was far too close. Those annoyingly soft strands of hair kept brushing against my body everywhere they touched. Maybe it was from embarrassment, but I could even feel the faint heat of her flushed breath. She smelled good. Shampoo, laundry detergent… all those scents I’d never paid attention to before tickled the tip of my nose.
Even though I knew she was a yokai, the simple fact that she was the opposite sex made my nerves stand on end. It couldn’t be helped. The distance between us was ridiculously close… and we were lying together in bed. She was even using my arm as a pillow, staring right at me.
The absurdity of the situation made me sigh without thinking. “Haa… I’m not clinging to you.”
“Liar. You moved closer just now.”
“How am I supposed to not move at all?”
“Then why did you say that….”
“…I had no choice.”
That was the only excuse I had. What else could I do?
“If I hadn’t, you would’ve been exorcised. Should I have just let that happen?”
After I purified the evil spirit that had been tormenting Jeong Se-a, I fell into deep thought.
“Only one left now…”
It was because I was running dangerously low on Lightning Strike Talismans. It wasn’t like I’d been wasting them. I’d simply kept running into evil spirits that couldn’t be handled with basic talismans, forcing me to use them. I’d started with three, and now only one remained.
The reason I only had three to begin with was simple. When I ran away from home during my third year of high school because I didn’t want to be an exorcist, I’d grabbed whatever talismans I could on my way out—and there were only three Lightning Strike Talismans among them.
That was it. For the past four years, I hadn’t needed them, so it hadn’t mattered. But now the situation had changed…
“…There are plenty at home.”
Of course there were. Our family was an exorcist clan, so Lightning Strike Talismans were practically scattered everywhere in the house. Open any drawer and you’d probably find hundreds. Honestly, even for an exorcist family, having so many of the highest-grade offensive talismans was unusual, but our household specialized in dealing with incredibly powerful and vicious yokai. That was also why I’d gotten so badly injured back in my third year of high school.
“Ah… it’s suddenly throbbing.”
Maybe it was from remembering. The scar on my side ached faintly. They say old wounds that were once serious will hurt for the rest of your life, and it’s not just an empty saying. It had been over four years, the injury had fully healed, but sometimes it still acted up like this.
Anyway… should I go home? If I brought back some Lightning Strike Talismans, I could guarantee my safety moving forward. To be honest, when I used the first one, I’d thought having a thousand-year-old yokai next to me meant there wouldn’t be any danger, but…
“After what happened this time, that won’t cut it.”
I’d even let my guard down against a sacred spiritual beast and gotten properly screwed over. I couldn’t rely solely on their power without any preparations. In the end, I had to protect my own body.
“Haa… but what am I supposed to say when I show up?”
I hadn’t contacted them even once since I ran out right after winter break in my third year of high school. My parents had naturally kept trying to reach me, but I’d deliberately ignored them. The moment I picked up, I knew they’d start pressuring me to become an exorcist again.
“……”
Even now, I had no real intention of becoming a proper exorcist. I only wanted to help that girl to a certain extent. But if they found out I’d regained interest in exorcism work and was actually doing it…
“…They’ll definitely nag me nonstop to do it.”
It didn’t help that I was an only child. If there had been another kid to inherit the family business, my parents probably wouldn’t have tried so hard to convince me. But since it was only me…
Yeah, I couldn’t say I didn’t understand their position. I knew that to them, passing down the family trade—exorcism—held far more meaning than simply handing over a business. I understood that they wanted to eliminate the dangerous yokai lurking in this land and protect people’s safety. But separate from that, I had things I wanted to do, which was why I’d run away. Even if my parents were firefighters who protected people, their son wasn’t obligated to become one too… that was how I’d felt.
I hated having my future decided for me by force.
“…Tsk.”
Still, I could understand it a little better now. I finally understood what the value of exorcism truly meant. And enough time had passed. I was no longer a nineteen-year-old examinee—I was a proper twenty-four-year-old adult. Maybe I could have a calmer conversation with my parents now.
“This weekend, maybe…”
I turned on my phone. Then I dialed the number that had been saved for the past four years but which I had never once called.
Tu-ru-ru… Tu-ru-ru-ru….
After a few rings, the call connected sooner than I expected.
“…Son?”
My mother’s voice came through. I spent a long moment wondering what I should say first before finally blurting out, “Mom, can I come home?”
It was so awkward that I went straight to the point.
“This weekend.”
Thinking about it, wasn’t it kind of harsh that the first thing my son—who hadn’t contacted me in nearly four years—said wasn’t “How have you been?” but a direct question about coming over?
“Ah, but while I was gone…”
I tried to change the subject, but my mother spoke first.
“This is your home. Why are you asking something like that?”
My eyes widened without me realizing it. Meanwhile, my mother continued.
“And Mom’s been doing well. Did you think your mother wasn’t healthy?”
“You’re always doing dangerous work, so…”
“What a strange thing to worry about. This week alone I took down four of them. Stop worrying about nothing and just come this weekend, okay?”
“…Yeah.”
“Good. Son, you still like braised short ribs, right?”
“…I do.”
“Alright~ I’ll prepare them. Come around lunchtime.”
Unlike my awkward self, my mother spoke as casually as if we talked every day. I knew it was all for my sake—so I wouldn’t feel burdened, so I wouldn’t feel even more awkward or sorry. I was feeling grateful for her deep consideration when she added,
“I hope the weekend comes quickly. I want to see my son’s face.”
She must have been holding it in for a long time, but she couldn’t stop that one honest feeling from slipping out. I don’t think I need to explain how that made me feel.
“…I’ll come on Saturday.”
“Okay~ I’ll hang up now~.”
Click. The call ended.
For a moment, I stared blankly at the disconnected screen. She must have had so many things she wanted to ask. What her son—who hadn’t answered a single call in four years—had been doing, whether he was doing well in school, if he was eating properly, what his life was like these days. She hadn’t asked a single one of those questions.
It wasn’t because she wasn’t interested. She was being considerate. She knew exactly how I would feel hearing those questions. And she figured those feelings could wait until we met in person.
I tossed my phone aside with a soft thud. Without realizing it, I sank weakly into my chair, covered my face with both hands, and stayed like that for a while. I needed to collect myself.
“I thought I’d completely left them behind…”
They say blood is thicker than water. It seemed I still hadn’t been able to forget them after all.
Of course I wasn’t serious. I couldn’t give up a two-hundred-thousand-won daily wage part-time job. I just didn’t want to explain the whole situation to Baek Seol-hwa in detail, so I ended the chat like this even though I knew it sounded stubborn.
After sending the last playful message, I turned off my phone and looked out the window. I was currently in a taxi. I’d deliberately avoided taking the train… because I didn’t want to get caught up in any more annoying incidents on the way. Getting home was the priority right now. I absolutely hated the idea of getting sidetracked and missing my chance.
‘Once I’m there, I should grab some Lightning Strike Talismans… and the shikigami talismans too.’
The only shikigami talisman I’d brought that day was the one for the lightning beast. Exorcists usually commanded multiple shikigami, and I was no exception. All the other talismans for summoning the rest were still at home, which was why I’d only been using the lightning beast until now. If I brought all of them, it would make helping Baek Seol-hwa much easier going forward.
Yeah. Not a bad idea.
Some time after we’d been driving, the taxi driver suddenly muttered, “Why is that young lady driving so aggressively? She’s been tailgating us since earlier…”
Was someone riding right on our bumper? Out of idle curiosity, I turned to look behind us. I wanted to see what kind of woman was driving so dangerously.
And then…
“!?!”
There was Baek Seol-hwa, chasing us on a motorcycle. My heart nearly dropped out of my chest. Was this crazy woman insane!? How did she even know to follow me?
“…Ah.”
Was she tracking my spiritual energy? Even so, unless she’d jumped out the moment she saw my message, there was no way she could have followed. ‘Did she really dash out immediately?’
Knowing Baek Seol-hwa, it was entirely possible. Hadn’t she shown up at my house in person before to complain about me blocking her?
“……”
I’d probably have to get off somewhere appropriate and send her back. We were almost there anyway. At this point, I could walk the rest of the way home in no time.
“Driver, please stop here.”
“Sure~.”
After paying the fare and getting out, I saw Baek Seol-hwa right beside me taking off her helmet. The taxi sped off with a whoosh, and I glared at her with narrowed eyes.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“What do you mean, what? You sent that message and didn’t reply! That’s why!”
Just as I thought. No matter how upset she was, did she really need to chase me all the way here on a motorcycle? I sighed and said,
“Haa, I told you I had something important to do.”
“What could be more important than taking care of my spiritual energy? You promised to help me.”
“No, I told you to handle it with Jang San this weekend. I really came because I have something important to do.”
“Then at least explain what it is so I can understand. You can’t just send something like that and expect me to accept it.”
“…You’re usually so sharp. Why do you act so dense at times like this? It’s because I don’t want to explain.”
“Why? Are you doing something weird? Oh, don’t tell me you’re—”
Baek Seol-hwa said, “Going to some shady place…”
“It’s not that, okay? Are you crazy? You can’t even do anything embarrassing like that, yet your imagination sure runs wild.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s not weird… Haa, anyway, just go back. Hurry.”
Baek Seol-hwa looked at me with extremely suspicious eyes, but I didn’t have time to explain. This was for my sake, but it was also for her own good. Where were we right now? This was the neighborhood where my parents lived. And both of them were incredibly powerful exorcists. Imagine a yokai showing up in a neighborhood full of outstanding exorcists.
‘She wouldn’t stand a chance.’
No matter how long Baek Seol-hwa had lived— a thousand years—she hadn’t properly absorbed spiritual energy, so she hadn’t reached the level of a great yokai. If my parents caught her with that level of power, she’d be hit with a Lightning Strike Talisman before she could even think of running.
“If you stay here, you’ll really die.”
“Wow, Yoo Se-hwan. Now you’re even threatening me?”
“When have I not— No, I’m not the one killing you. I’m saying you’re genuinely in danger.”
“Then why?”
“Ugh, seriously. Hey, this is right near my family home!”
“…Huh?”
“You know I’m from an exorcist clan, right? Go back quickly. If my parents catch you, you’ll really…”
“Y-you should’ve told me that sooner!!”
Baek Seol-hwa hurriedly reached for the helmet hanging on her motorcycle handlebars. At least she seemed to be snapping out of it and getting ready to leave. Thank goodness…
“Son?”
…Ah.
I froze solid on the spot, and Baek Seol-hwa must have sensed something was wrong too—her hand stopped halfway while putting on her helmet. And when we both slowly turned our heads with a creak, there stood—
“M-Mom.”
“…Oh my.”
My mother, who still looked as healthy as ever despite the long time apart.
“And what is that? Don’t tell me it followed our son here to devour him?”
“Ah, Mom… that’s not it.”
“What is it? Son, do you know this hideous thing?”
As expected, my mother—who was an exorcist to her very bones—absolutely loathed yokai. She hated them even more than I did. Especially after I got injured, that tendency had grown even stronger. The moment she saw a yokai, she would exorcise it without hesitation. That was the kind of exorcist my mother was.
So if I didn’t explain properly right now…
“She’s… my friend.”
“…Friend? Hoho, it seems a cunning nine-tailed fox has seduced our innocent son. Don’t worry, dear. Mom will erase it so cleanly that not even a trace will remain.”
“H-Hiiik!!”
Baek Seol-hwa must have sensed the dangerous aura too. She let out a terrified squeak and frantically tried to put on her helmet and run, but once she was in my mother’s sights, there was no escape. In an instant, my mother chanted a single word, and Baek Seol-hwa’s body was bound.
“Verdant Vines.”
“Kyaaak!?”
Baek Seol-hwa’s entire body was wrapped in sacred vines. Then came the sharp clack of what sounded like hooves, and a pure white deer appeared. One with wings on its back.
What do I do? My mother was serious. She’d even summoned her shikigami. She clearly intended to annihilate Baek Seol-hwa completely.
Honestly, if Baek Seol-hwa were annihilated like this, I wouldn’t have to help her anymore… and I wouldn’t have to deal with any more annoying situations. That was true. But I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t abandon the girl I’d taken responsibility for and let her die like this.
This wasn’t the time to worry about the awkwardness of seeing my mother after so long. I quickly grabbed my mother’s shoulder.
“Wait, Mom!!”
“Son, there’s no need to feel any affection for a vixen like this. It’s just a yokai…”
I needed a powerful shock tactic. Something that would make my mother momentarily forget her mission and determination to exorcise yokai and fall into a completely different train of thought. Right now, in this situation, only one thing came to mind.
“S-She’s my girlfriend!!”
“…Pardon?”
“……What?”
“That’s… also why I said I was coming home. Yeah, that’s right. I came because of this.”
My mother stared at me blankly for a moment. Baek Seol-hwa did the same.
“I-I’ll explain everything, so could you let her go first? If you kill her now, Mom… I really think I might never be able to see you again.”
I tried my best to talk about Baek Seol-hwa as if she were someone precious to me.
…Even saying it myself made me cringe so hard I could barely stand it. I just hoped Baek Seol-hwa wouldn’t start flailing around like an idiot after hearing this. When I glanced at her, thankfully she was quiet. Her face had turned bright red, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that. She was probably just embarrassed because of my nonsense.
But she seemed to realize I was saying this to get through the situation, because she didn’t deny it. Instead, the way she clamped her mouth shut with her face burning red actually added credibility to the story…
“Hmm, that reaction from the girl… Is this true, son?”
She didn’t completely dismiss my absurd claim. I nodded vigorously and said,
“If you look closely, Mom, you’ll see… you can’t sense any yoki from her, right? That means she’s never harmed me. And you don’t feel any yin energy from her at all, do you?”
“……Hmm, now that you mention it, that’s true. How can a nine-tailed fox not carry any yin energy?”
“She’s a yokai who has never harmed humans. She says she always gathers spiritual energy by resolving the lingering regrets of spirits and helping them, then receiving their energy in return.”
“…A gumiho, you say?”
“Amazing, right? I was really shocked at first too. So after spending time together like that…”
This part was true, so it was easy to use as an excuse. The part about spending time together was true too. Of course, we’d never actually become that kind of relationship, but still.
“For someone like that, she has quite a lot of yoki.”
“That’s because she’s lived a long time…”
“How long?”
“…A thousand years.”
“……”
My mother’s expression hardened like stone.