Almighty: Ad quos eieci te
Gwiboon woke up in a different room. Eunsook was just beside her bed reading. She reached under her pillow and sighed grabbing the other's attention.
"Gwiboon-ah," Eunsook set down the book and moved close, "Are you ok? Does it hurt anywhere?"
She shrugged pulling a card out, the empress. Eunsook frowned, "Well how do you feel?"
Gwiboon pulled out another card, temperance. "Well enough. How is Minjung?"
"Thanks to you she's just fine." She smiled in a way that made Gwiboon want to fall for her, "You saved her life. She says she feels brand new. She'll probably run right over when she hears you're awake."
Gwiboon pulled another card, "Lovers."
"What was that?"
"Nothing," Gwiboon replied quickly, "Anyway I'm fine." She sat up and moved to stand. A wave of dizziness hit her but she brushed it off, "I'm fine and I'm going to my room. Does Mina-sunbae know about this?"
Eunsook shook her head, "No they haven't returned yet."
"Good, don't tell her."
"But Gwiboon-ah-"
"I helped you save Minjung right?" Gwiboon started, "You were all playing around. You were playing around even though you're the leader, Minjung got hurt because of that but I helped you and now she's fine. So don't you think you should help me now?"
"Gwiboon you can't hide this."
"No but we're supposed to be a team right. We're all here together and we're supposed to be a team, sisters right?" Gwiboon took Eunsook's hand shakily, "So I'm asking you to help me unnie. Please don't tell them. Please don't, just ask everybody to keep it a secret."
"I don't know about this." She sighed, "This isn't like when Jonghee and Taeyeon burned the neighbor's garden. This is much bigger. You brought her back."
"Unnie please. I'll go to the lessons ok just please don't tell them." She breathed hard trying not to panic, "If they find out about this." She stopped shaking her head tears slipping out, "I just don't know what I would do."
Eunsook pulled her in for a gentle hug, and held Gwiboon until she had calmed down. She rubbed her back smoothed down her hair, "We'll keep it between us." She pulled away to wipe Gwiboon's face, "But you have to start at least sitting in on lessons. I'll talk to Jonghee and Taeyeon but they won't say anything either. I don't know about Minjung but I'm sure if you asked she'd keep it quiet too. I took care of the mess. There's new sheets on your bed."
"Thank you Eunsook-unnie."
She nodded stepping away, "You should probably clean up before Mina and Sunny-sunbaenim get back."
Gwiboon wiped her eyes, "Yeah okay, thanks unnie."
Eunsook looked under the pillow when Gwiboon left the room. "Of course." She sat down shoulders sagging, "Gwiboon always has her cards."
Gwiboon didn't go down stairs until dinner. She was the last to the table as usual. Sunny and Mina shared a look.
"I almost thought you weren't going to come down." Mina smiled, "I was asking the girls about their day. They told me they were helping Minjung with telekinesis. She's managed to learn it very well. What did you do today? Did you dare to venture out of your room?"
"I was in the library." She smirked, "I read a book about the good old days when people burned down places like this."
"You know they did that to the people inside the building too." Sunny added dryly.
"I know that's why I called it the good old days."
"Gwiboon, I don't know why you talk like that. You're such a talented girl. You could benefit from working with us than avoiding us," Mina scolded, "Just look at Minjung she's hasn't been here more than a few days but she's already cultivating her talents. You've been here months and you've only attended a handful of lessons. You could be so much here."
Sunny sighed, "You already know the arrangement. You can't leave until you're 19. You should use your time here to take control of the talents you have so that when you leave you won't have an incidents like the one before." She sipped at her wine, "It's been quite some time since the Almighty had to step in to free one of our girls. If your family hadn't notified us, you'd be waiting to be executed in a prison."
Gwiboon glanced at Eunsook, "I spoke with Eunsook unnie about observing the lessons today."
"Really?" Mina looked surprised, "What changed your mind?"
"Eunsook-unnie and the girls asked me to join," Gwiboon lied, "Since we're supposed to be a team I don't think it's kind to disappoint them even if I don't want to be here. It's not like they're at fault for being here either."
"Well that's quite considerate of you," Mina smiled, "Maybe over time you'll feel more at home here and you'll all become close friends."
Gwiboon flipped over a card in her deck: lovers. She glanced up catching Minjung's gaze. No, just as she thought, it was best not to get close at all. After dinner the girls all barged into Gwiboon's room, Minjung spent a long time staring at her bed while Jonghee led the charge in the panicked conversation.
"Why don't you want them to know?"
"They're bad enough as it is." Gwiboon scowled, "They already have me trapped in this house, in this room until I'm 19. I don't want to give them more reasons to bother me. Mina was bad enough but now with that Sunny. She's already snuck into my room to put that thing there."
"A crystal ball?" Taeyeon blinked. "So you can see the future even more?"
"I don't want to see the future more," Gwiboon groaned, "I'd like to be clueless about it all."
"Did you know?" Minjung asked, "Did you know and not tell me?"
"It doesn't work like that," Gwiboon informed, "The future changes ok. I see a lot of stuff but none of it is certain. Some things happen, some don’t."
"You could have warned me."
"She's right," Eunsook added, "If you saw her hurt you should've said something."
"No." Gwiboon glared, "No, that's not how it works. Telling can change things."
Jonghee rolled her eyes, "Isn't that the point?"
"It doesn't always change for the better, the big stuff never does." Gwiboon started, "How do you think I got here? Certainly not by keeping my mouth shut."
The girls were quiet when Taeyeon spoke, her voice softer than her usual tone, "But you're our sister now, it's different with your sister right?"
"That's right you were alone before," Jonghee nodded, "Now you're not. Maybe you can't do it alone but together, together we can do it right?"
Eunsook carefully took her hand, "That's right. We're here for you if you'll let us." She squeezed it reassuringly before letting go, "So we won't tell them."
Gwiboon glanced at Minjung who shook her head, "I won't tell them because you saved my life. You're not my sister." She headed to the door first, "We should get to our rooms before Mina and Sunny-sunbaenim come upstairs from their wine."
Gwiboon's relief was shattered the next morning at breakfast. Eunsook had walked down with her and her spot at the table had already been chosen by her deck.
"They really do follow you everywhere." Sunny smiled taking a seat.
Gwiboon could feel it right away, one was missing. She shrugged pretending as though she noticed nothing. Jonghee and Minjung were the last to arrive.
Minjung's short hair was still wet from her shower, "Here I found it on my bathroom door. I thought they followed you around?"
Gwiboon went stiff, lovers. She felt sick. This shouldn't be happening, "I don't know they do what they want I guess."
Gwiboon rushed through her meal eating less than she normally would so she could leave the table first. She collapsed on her bed screaming. Hot tears welled in her eyes as her voice died into sobs, she curled around her pillow. She tried to calm down taking deep breaths until her tears stopped and she was just lying there. Her body felt stuffy and hot.
There was a knock and then door opened slowly, “Gwiboon-ah are you ok?”
“I’m fine,” She lied happy it was Eunsook who wouldn’t go further than the doorway, happy that she’d been facing the other way, “I just suddenly didn’t feel well.”
“The lesson is starting in about 30 minutes, if you’re feeling up to it. We’re meeting in the garden.” Eunsook informed her, “Do you need anything?”
“No, unnie, I’m fine.” She sighed, “I’ll be down soon, thank you.”
Gwiboon washed her face but both her nose and eyes were very red. She changed out of her pajamas into a black sheer dotted maxi dress. She put on very little makeup, a hat, and round shades before heading out to the garden. They were all there, the lesson had started.
“Glad you could join us,” Mina smiled, “I was starting to think these cards were wrong.”
Gwiboon ignored the deck taking a seat, “I’m just observing.”
“We’re talking about communing with spirits.” Mina explained, “Have you ever done that before?”
Gwiboon only shrugged.
Mina continued, “Communing with the spirits can be very helpful but also it can be dangerous. There are quite a few spirits roaming the grounds here. You can reach out to them or they might reach out to you.”
Taeyeon rolled her eyes, “I’ve never seen one in all the time I’ve been here.”
“Maybe you need to be more open.”
“What are they like?” Minjung asked.
“It depends on the spirit.” She smiled, “They are the remnants of people after all. Some spirits know that they are trapped, most don’t. They go about their existence as if they were still alive.”
Gwiboon lost interest in the lesson fast. She continued to sit in only to appease Eunsook and show solidarity with the other girls. Mina seemed happy enough that she was there.
“Hell?” Minjung looked shocked, “That’s a power people want to have, going to their own hell?”
“No, it’s getting the answers from the afterlife, that’s the power. The hell part is just the risk that comes with that power.” Mina explained, “If you become trapped there you die an irreversible death.”
“Irreversible death?” Minjung frowned, “What? There are reversible ones?”
“Yes,” Mina answered. “Yes there is a spell that can reverse death.”
Gwiboon did her best to continue being indifferent. Minjung was a clever little actress.
“I read about that,” Eunsook added, “It’s one of the seven wonders.”
Mina smiled, “That’s right but we’ll save that for another time back to our topic.”
The remainder of the lesson was boring. It ended with Mina suggesting they do their own seance to see if they can communicate with spirits. When she leaves them the girls turn to Gwiboon.
“So do you see anything bad happening with this seance?”
Gwiboon shrugged, she looked at her deck, “Would it matter? Mina and Sunny sunbae will be here when you do it anyway. If there’s trouble they can handle it.”
“Are you going to at least look?”
She stood, “No, no I’m not going to try looking. Not if I don’t have to besides looking won’t mean anything. I’ve already told you I don’t control what I see. It could be about the seance maybe or a million other things. So don’t ask.”
“Are you going to do the seance?” Taeyeon asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t do witch stuff you know that.”
“Then I don’t think I will either.”
“Taeyeon-”
“I’d just feel safer about it if Gwiboon unnie was doing it and since she’s not,” She sighed, “I just don’t want to. You can do it without me, power of three and all that.”
“Taeyeonnie come on don’t be like that.” Jonghee tried, “You’re not like Gwiboon. You like being a witch.”
“No last time, last time.” She glanced at Minjung, “It’s not a game we can hurt people and bringing a spirit to talk to us doesn’t seem like the safest thing in the world.”
“What if we try to get someone we know?” Minjung shrugged, “It’d be safer than trying to talk to a stranger.” She turned to Gwiboon,
“Maybe there’s someone you want to talk to?”
Gwiboon rolled her eyes, “There’s no one I-”
“Or someone who wants to talk to you?” Minjung suggested, “Like an old woman with cards.”
She shook her head turning from them, “I don’t care what you do just leave me out of it.” She moved to return to her room.
Minjung yelled out to her, “Then I’ll invite Sunny and Mina-sunbae and they can hear what she has to say.”
She stopped in her tracks. Why was Minjung like this? She’d just gotten here and she was already a pain in the ass.
She turned around to glare at her, “I can’t stand you.” Minjung’s smirk fell, her eyes widened and Gwiboon felt hot rage pour through her, “What the hell is your problem? I save you and all you want to do is cause problems for me.”
“Stop it.” She rasped, her face was turning red. “Stop it.”
“You would’ve been better off dead.”
Then a wave hit her not enough to knock her down but enough to divert her attention. Minjung fell to her knees breathing harshly.
“Gwiboon-ah,” Eunsook gave her a hard look, “I don’t care if you don’t want to be a part of this coven but you need to learn how to control your powers because there won’t always be someone there to stop you and you will hurt someone.”
Gwiboon didn’t respond only left rushing pass as Mina and Sunny went to the garden. She expected the knock on her door. She didn’t expect Taeyeon.
“Can I come in?” She shrugged but opened the door for her. “They’re really angry. Well I think Eunsook-unnie is just worried and Jonghee-unnie is scared. MInjung-unnie...she's just confused I think. Sunny and Mina sunbae are still talking probably about what to do about all of this.” She started, “What about you unnie?”
Gwiboon shrugged, “I’m tired of being here.”
Taeyeon sat beside her, “Me too. You know I wanted to be in entertainment. I was even casted for a big company before this. I was supposed to be training there for my debut but instead I’m stuck here.”
“You’re really pretty and you can still do it.” Gwiboon smiled, “I could see you as one of those big idols on TV.”
“I wanted to be a dancer,” Taeyeon giggled, “And a singer, I wasn’t very good at singing then but I wanted to be a singer too. I wanted to be like Michael Jackson, I wanted to make people happy when they saw me on stage.”
“You can still do it.” Gwiboon replied, “I’ll go to your debut show.”
Taeyeon was quiet, “Unnie, can you do a seance with me?”
“Taeyeon.”
“I need to talk to someone and I don’t think the seance with the other girls is safe.” Taeyeon took a deep breath, “There’s someone I really need to talk to.”
Gwiboon sighed, “Okay the library. Midnight. Bring something for who you want to talk to.”
Gwiboon wasn’t confident, she’d spent the evening in the library reading up but it only made her more nervous. Calling spirits was dangerous, Mina’s suggestion they try a seance seemed foolish unless she expected them to fail. She hoped she and Taeyeon would fail, but Taeyeon was a powerful witch despite being young.
Taeyeon met her just before midnight. “Ok I brought something just like you said.”
Gwiboon was lighting candles, “Good, set them here.” She sighed, “You know I don’t know if this will work Taeyeon-ah. It turns out summoning the spirit you want isn’t as easy as you’d think. In fact summoning any spirit at all is actually quite difficult.”
“Yes but you’re good at this and you have a lot of good fortune.” She carefully laid ballet shoes on the table and took a seat. “You might not want to be a witch but you’re powerful, and you can be a great one.”
Gwiboon set down her deck and sat down opposite of her, “It’s midnight so let‘s start.” She held out her hands, Taeyeon took them cautiously. “Relax, think of the person you want to speak to and call out to them when you’re ready. I’m going to try to act as their vessel so they can talk to you. If it turns out to be someone else let go of my hands. It will break the bond. Ready?” She nodded.
“I call you on behalf of my sister,” Gwiboon started chanting she closed her eyes to concentrate, “I allow you temporary use of my body. You may speak through me. I call you on behalf of my sister. I allow you temporary use of my body. You may speak through me. I call you on behalf of my sister. I allow you temporary use of my body. You may speak through me.”
Taeyeon didn’t call out a name until Gwiboon had been chanting for minutes. “Eunjung. Eunjunggie please let me speak to you.”
Gwiboon felt it happen. Her eyes opened but she couldn’t see clearly.
“Unnie?”
“Tae,” But she wasn’t speaking, “How did you...what is this?”
“Eunjunggie? Eunjung I’m sorry.” Taeyeon cried, “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“Taeyeonnie there’s something wrong. After the fire, I see everyone but I can’t speak to them. My body won’t move I’m trapped.”
“Trapped?” Taeyeon seemed surprised, “You mean you’re still in the hospital?”
“I’ve been there for a long time. I’ve just been waiting”
“Which hospital I’ll come help you? I know I can. I can help you now. I just need to know where.”
“In Hannam-dong, it's the university hospital I think.”
“I can help you. You won’t be trapped anymore.” Taeyeon was crying, “I’m sorry.”
“I couldn’t find you at the school but I’m happy you’re not hurt. I was scared because I haven’t seen you.”
“They made me go away. They didn’t tell you were still in the hospital. They didn’t tell me anything.” She paused to breathing hard, “I thought you were gone.”
“I’m not but I have to go if I stay away too long it’s hard to get back.”
“I’m going to find you ok. I‘m going to get you out of there. I promise I’ll get you out.”
Gwiboon felt the spirit weaken, she was more in control again. “I’m glad I got to see you.”
“It’s time for you to go back. We’ll find you and we’ll heal you.” Gwiboon promised, “I reclaim my body and I’m sending you back to yours.”
The candles went out and Gwiboon could tell the spirit was completely gone. The lights came on but Taeyeon was still stilling across from her. “Are you ok?”
She nodded, “Yeah, I’m ok.” She sniffed wiping a stray tear, “What about you unnie? Do you feel ok?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” She sighed picking up her cards, “They didn’t help her after all the time you’ve been here. The least they could’ve done was help your friend. It’s not like you did it on purpose. They could’ve helped her. They didn’t even tell you.” She stood, “That’s exactly why I can’t stay in this place, these people are monsters. They have power to help people but they’d rather use it to help themselves.”
Taeyeon was picking up the candles, “It was on purpose I wanted the school to burn.” She shrugged, “I just didn’t know that thinking it would make it happen.”
“Every student has been so frustrated they want to destroy the school, that’s normal. School can really suck.” Gwiboon bit her lip, “It was an accident and they should’ve saved your friend. Let’s just clean up before someone comes.”
The cleaned up in silence finishing up before the others had even come upstairs. “Unnie?” Taeyeon stopped her before she went in her room, “Could I stay with you tonight?”
Gwiboon didn’t have the heart to tell her no. The next morning Taeyeon was still sleeping beside her. She looked even younger, it made Gwiboon feel bad that she had been trapped here. She hesitantly woke her.
“Hey, hey,” She whispered, “Hey come on get up. You should get to your room. Get ready for breakfast.”
Taeyeon blinked but yawned and nodded. She slowly got out of bed and shuffled out the room. Gwiboon showered and got dressed, she was debating breakfast when a knock to her door startled her. She expected Eunsook or Taeyeon, instead it was Minjung.
“This card seems to be following me.” She held up the card and Gwiboon knew it right away, “Lovers?”
She shrugged keeping cool. “I don’t know. I don’t control them.”
Minjung walked further in closing the door behind herself. “I know. It makes me feel like they know something I don’t. If you see something about me,” She laid the card down, “you don’t have to tell me what it is but if it’s a little dangerous could you just leave me a little clue. If I’m too dense to get it that will be my own fault...but you know,” She rubbed her middle, “Being impaled like that hurt a lot and my body hasn’t forgotten it’s not hurt yet.”
“I’ll try.”
“Thanks.” She gave her a small smile, “Oh did you get anything with Taeyeon yesterday?”
She shrugged and Minjung went on, “The old woman came by again but the others couldn’t see her. She really wants you to talk to her didn’t seem interested in anything else. Other than that nothing happened at ours. I saw another one later before bed some guy said he’d burn this house of sin.” She rolled her eyes, “I’m just going to assume most of the ghosts here don’t like witches.”
“So you can see ghosts now?”
“Probably because I died.” She shrugged, “Maybe it was like a jumpstart to it or whatever seems useless I liked telekinesis more.”
“Want to die a second time?”
“You’d bring me back.” Minjung sat beside her.
“Maybe it’s fate and you’re supposed to be dead.” Gwiboon scooted away, shuffled the cards nervously. “You don’t know.”
Minjung smirked, “I know, you’d bring me back.”
“I tried to kill you yesterday.”
“Not on purpose. Unnie explained it to me and even though I’ve only been here a few days I get it,” She stretched her legs out, “You really can’t control it. You just have it. Don’t you want to control it?”
“I’d rather give it away.” She sighed, “Besides there isn’t a way to control telling.”
“Telling?”
“That’s what my kind of power is called. I’m supposed to be some kind of fortune teller. You know predict people’s futures and world
events or whatever. It’s just seeing bits and pieces of possible futures. They don’t always come true. Sometimes I can’t even tell what’s happening.” She flipped over a card, lovers, “It’s stupid.”
Minjung stood, and held out a hand to Gwiboon, “Well let’s get breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Minjung took her hand, “Everyone eats, even witches.”
“Wait,” Gwiboon said as she pulled her up but the cards in her lap were gone only one remained, lovers.
“They’re gone, see you’re coming to breakfast. What’s with that card again?”
“I don’t know, maybe it’s trying to tell me you’ll get a boyfriend soon.”
Minjung scoffed taking the card and pulling Gwiboon along, “Funny. Maybe this card knows the real reason my parents were so happy to send me away.”
Gwiboon looked to the card again and then it came images of Minjung and Gwiboon together. Lovers.
“Hey? Hey!”
Gwiboon’s head snapped up. “Huh?”
“You saw something didn’t you? Was it about me?”
“No,” She lied, “No it was about this stupid card.”
Taeyeon is in the seat next to her deck. The only other spot open is across from it. Minjung finally lets go of her hand. Sunny and Mina share a look. Eunsook looks between them before smiling. “And here I thought you wouldn’t be coming to breakfast. Will you be observing today’s lesson Gwiboon?”
“Not today, I need to do a little independent study.”
“May I ask what you’re planning to study?” Mina asked.
“Healing.”
“Healing is quite a difficult skill.” Mina started, “If you need any help Sunny-ssi could assist you. She’s very skilled in healing remedies.”
“I said independent.”
“Of course, Gwiboon blossoms when we aren’t looking.” Sunny commented.
Gwiboon powered through breakfast lucky that Eunsook and Jonghee were ever changing the topic to divert from her. Alone in library Gwiboon couldn’t feel at peace. She for once was glad she could use her powers, because finally she could help someone but it was hard to find what she needed.
“This is useless.”
“Why don’t you try looking into the cards?”
She turned startled to see Minjung, “Have you been in here this whole time? It’s been hours the lessons are over. For someone who doesn’t want to be a witch you’re sure studying witchcraft hard.”
Gwiboon closes her book and doesn’t answer. She’s already annoyed and doesn’t need Minjung to be there making it worse but she stops on the route to the exit. Minjung chuckled, “What? Not going to storm-” She stops suddenly and turns around. “Oh.”
The old woman smiles, “I’ve been waiting for a teller.”
“I’m not.” Gwiboon answers. “Well I’m not a good one. What do you want from me?”
“Trade. Get rid of the man with the torch. He scares me.”
“And what will you do for me?”
“What you need is in my room.”
“Which room is yours?”
“Where your screams can’t be heard, even when a man burns you alive. The teller's room.”
“Where is the man with the torch?”
“He scares me.” She was fading away, “He scares me. I can't send him away on my own. I need a teller.”
“Wait, wait.” Gwiboon sighed, “Damn it.”
“I can help.” Minjung started, “If you tell me what you’re doing.”
Gwiboon ignores her but she goes on. “Fine trade me something else then. I know where he is.”
“You know how to get rid of him?”
“Learned how to banish spirits in today’s lesson. You should’ve dropped by.” Minjung smirked, “Is it a deal?”
“What do you want?”
“Teach me how to do that thing you did to bring me back.”
“I can’t, don’t know how I did it.”
“You don’t have to teach it to me now.” Minjung shrugged, “Just get back to me when you figured it out.
“I’m telling you that it’s impossible. Even if I figure out how to do it, there’s no guarantee you could do it. It’s a wonder.” Gwiboon explained, “Ask for something more reasonable.”
“Then I’ll think of something else another time. Come on,” She took her hand, “I saw him earlier.”
Gwiboon was annoyed. Finding the man was hard, even Minjung seemed hinder more than help considering they had to sneak around Mina and Sunny. She assumed Taeyeon was keeping Eunsook and Jonghee busy from prying but either way they weren’t having any success. “This is hopeless. I’m going to have to summon him somehow.”
“Maybe you should ask Eunsook-unnie for help.”
“No way it’s bad enough you’re involved.”
“Why don’t you want anyone involved?” Minjung asked, “Is has something to do with Taeyeon and your secret seance huh?”
“Shut up.” Gwiboon scowled, “Don’t be nosey, just look out for the damn ghosts.”
“Oh the woman she said she was waiting for a teller! Maybe you need your cards to lure him out.”
“I have my cards,” She slumped, “I always have my cards.”
“Pretend to tell my fortune.” Minjung started, “It’ll piss him off because he hates witches and maybe especially tellers so he will show up.”
She sighed, “Fine sit down.”
The first card was lovers, “I keep getting that card.” The second card was fool and the third was death.
“Another one to burn.”
“Minjung. Do it banish him or whatever.”
“If spirits threaten me in this place fight water by water fire by fire banish their souls to nothingness and remove their power until last
trace let these evil beings flee through time and space.”
“I’ll burn you both.” He was coming closer.
MInjung repeated herself but it seemed to have no effect. Gwiboon rolled her eyes and stood, she motioned to Minjung. “He’s a ghost. He can’t actually hurt us. Let’s go we’ll figure this out later.”
“Gwiboon I don’t think it’s that easy.” Minjung she gulped, “Look at his torch.”
The flames looked real and as the ghost held it forward as to burn her, Gwiboon could feel the heat as it approached her. She took a step back. Her body reacted but it wasn’t her. “Ad quos eieci te pugnant aqua per aquam ignis ab igne ad quos eieci te. Off to hell with you, now feel the flames you gave to me.”
Then the man was on fire, then he was gone all that remained was the smoke from his fire. She was falling there was a whisper “Thank you.”
Minjung caught her. “What the hell? She possessed you?”
The fire alarm went off. Gwiboon sighed, feeling dizzy, “I’m so done with ghosts.”
Thanks for reading
"Gwiboon-ah," Eunsook set down the book and moved close, "Are you ok? Does it hurt anywhere?"
She shrugged pulling a card out, the empress. Eunsook frowned, "Well how do you feel?"
Gwiboon pulled out another card, temperance. "Well enough. How is Minjung?"
"Thanks to you she's just fine." She smiled in a way that made Gwiboon want to fall for her, "You saved her life. She says she feels brand new. She'll probably run right over when she hears you're awake."
Gwiboon pulled another card, "Lovers."
"What was that?"
"Nothing," Gwiboon replied quickly, "Anyway I'm fine." She sat up and moved to stand. A wave of dizziness hit her but she brushed it off, "I'm fine and I'm going to my room. Does Mina-sunbae know about this?"
Eunsook shook her head, "No they haven't returned yet."
"Good, don't tell her."
"But Gwiboon-ah-"
"I helped you save Minjung right?" Gwiboon started, "You were all playing around. You were playing around even though you're the leader, Minjung got hurt because of that but I helped you and now she's fine. So don't you think you should help me now?"
"Gwiboon you can't hide this."
"No but we're supposed to be a team right. We're all here together and we're supposed to be a team, sisters right?" Gwiboon took Eunsook's hand shakily, "So I'm asking you to help me unnie. Please don't tell them. Please don't, just ask everybody to keep it a secret."
"I don't know about this." She sighed, "This isn't like when Jonghee and Taeyeon burned the neighbor's garden. This is much bigger. You brought her back."
"Unnie please. I'll go to the lessons ok just please don't tell them." She breathed hard trying not to panic, "If they find out about this." She stopped shaking her head tears slipping out, "I just don't know what I would do."
Eunsook pulled her in for a gentle hug, and held Gwiboon until she had calmed down. She rubbed her back smoothed down her hair, "We'll keep it between us." She pulled away to wipe Gwiboon's face, "But you have to start at least sitting in on lessons. I'll talk to Jonghee and Taeyeon but they won't say anything either. I don't know about Minjung but I'm sure if you asked she'd keep it quiet too. I took care of the mess. There's new sheets on your bed."
"Thank you Eunsook-unnie."
She nodded stepping away, "You should probably clean up before Mina and Sunny-sunbaenim get back."
Gwiboon wiped her eyes, "Yeah okay, thanks unnie."
Eunsook looked under the pillow when Gwiboon left the room. "Of course." She sat down shoulders sagging, "Gwiboon always has her cards."
Gwiboon didn't go down stairs until dinner. She was the last to the table as usual. Sunny and Mina shared a look.
"I almost thought you weren't going to come down." Mina smiled, "I was asking the girls about their day. They told me they were helping Minjung with telekinesis. She's managed to learn it very well. What did you do today? Did you dare to venture out of your room?"
"I was in the library." She smirked, "I read a book about the good old days when people burned down places like this."
"You know they did that to the people inside the building too." Sunny added dryly.
"I know that's why I called it the good old days."
"Gwiboon, I don't know why you talk like that. You're such a talented girl. You could benefit from working with us than avoiding us," Mina scolded, "Just look at Minjung she's hasn't been here more than a few days but she's already cultivating her talents. You've been here months and you've only attended a handful of lessons. You could be so much here."
Sunny sighed, "You already know the arrangement. You can't leave until you're 19. You should use your time here to take control of the talents you have so that when you leave you won't have an incidents like the one before." She sipped at her wine, "It's been quite some time since the Almighty had to step in to free one of our girls. If your family hadn't notified us, you'd be waiting to be executed in a prison."
Gwiboon glanced at Eunsook, "I spoke with Eunsook unnie about observing the lessons today."
"Really?" Mina looked surprised, "What changed your mind?"
"Eunsook-unnie and the girls asked me to join," Gwiboon lied, "Since we're supposed to be a team I don't think it's kind to disappoint them even if I don't want to be here. It's not like they're at fault for being here either."
"Well that's quite considerate of you," Mina smiled, "Maybe over time you'll feel more at home here and you'll all become close friends."
Gwiboon flipped over a card in her deck: lovers. She glanced up catching Minjung's gaze. No, just as she thought, it was best not to get close at all. After dinner the girls all barged into Gwiboon's room, Minjung spent a long time staring at her bed while Jonghee led the charge in the panicked conversation.
"Why don't you want them to know?"
"They're bad enough as it is." Gwiboon scowled, "They already have me trapped in this house, in this room until I'm 19. I don't want to give them more reasons to bother me. Mina was bad enough but now with that Sunny. She's already snuck into my room to put that thing there."
"A crystal ball?" Taeyeon blinked. "So you can see the future even more?"
"I don't want to see the future more," Gwiboon groaned, "I'd like to be clueless about it all."
"Did you know?" Minjung asked, "Did you know and not tell me?"
"It doesn't work like that," Gwiboon informed, "The future changes ok. I see a lot of stuff but none of it is certain. Some things happen, some don’t."
"You could have warned me."
"She's right," Eunsook added, "If you saw her hurt you should've said something."
"No." Gwiboon glared, "No, that's not how it works. Telling can change things."
Jonghee rolled her eyes, "Isn't that the point?"
"It doesn't always change for the better, the big stuff never does." Gwiboon started, "How do you think I got here? Certainly not by keeping my mouth shut."
The girls were quiet when Taeyeon spoke, her voice softer than her usual tone, "But you're our sister now, it's different with your sister right?"
"That's right you were alone before," Jonghee nodded, "Now you're not. Maybe you can't do it alone but together, together we can do it right?"
Eunsook carefully took her hand, "That's right. We're here for you if you'll let us." She squeezed it reassuringly before letting go, "So we won't tell them."
Gwiboon glanced at Minjung who shook her head, "I won't tell them because you saved my life. You're not my sister." She headed to the door first, "We should get to our rooms before Mina and Sunny-sunbaenim come upstairs from their wine."
Gwiboon's relief was shattered the next morning at breakfast. Eunsook had walked down with her and her spot at the table had already been chosen by her deck.
"They really do follow you everywhere." Sunny smiled taking a seat.
Gwiboon could feel it right away, one was missing. She shrugged pretending as though she noticed nothing. Jonghee and Minjung were the last to arrive.
Minjung's short hair was still wet from her shower, "Here I found it on my bathroom door. I thought they followed you around?"
Gwiboon went stiff, lovers. She felt sick. This shouldn't be happening, "I don't know they do what they want I guess."
Gwiboon rushed through her meal eating less than she normally would so she could leave the table first. She collapsed on her bed screaming. Hot tears welled in her eyes as her voice died into sobs, she curled around her pillow. She tried to calm down taking deep breaths until her tears stopped and she was just lying there. Her body felt stuffy and hot.
There was a knock and then door opened slowly, “Gwiboon-ah are you ok?”
“I’m fine,” She lied happy it was Eunsook who wouldn’t go further than the doorway, happy that she’d been facing the other way, “I just suddenly didn’t feel well.”
“The lesson is starting in about 30 minutes, if you’re feeling up to it. We’re meeting in the garden.” Eunsook informed her, “Do you need anything?”
“No, unnie, I’m fine.” She sighed, “I’ll be down soon, thank you.”
Gwiboon washed her face but both her nose and eyes were very red. She changed out of her pajamas into a black sheer dotted maxi dress. She put on very little makeup, a hat, and round shades before heading out to the garden. They were all there, the lesson had started.
“Glad you could join us,” Mina smiled, “I was starting to think these cards were wrong.”
Gwiboon ignored the deck taking a seat, “I’m just observing.”
“We’re talking about communing with spirits.” Mina explained, “Have you ever done that before?”
Gwiboon only shrugged.
Mina continued, “Communing with the spirits can be very helpful but also it can be dangerous. There are quite a few spirits roaming the grounds here. You can reach out to them or they might reach out to you.”
Taeyeon rolled her eyes, “I’ve never seen one in all the time I’ve been here.”
“Maybe you need to be more open.”
“What are they like?” Minjung asked.
“It depends on the spirit.” She smiled, “They are the remnants of people after all. Some spirits know that they are trapped, most don’t. They go about their existence as if they were still alive.”
Gwiboon lost interest in the lesson fast. She continued to sit in only to appease Eunsook and show solidarity with the other girls. Mina seemed happy enough that she was there.
“Hell?” Minjung looked shocked, “That’s a power people want to have, going to their own hell?”
“No, it’s getting the answers from the afterlife, that’s the power. The hell part is just the risk that comes with that power.” Mina explained, “If you become trapped there you die an irreversible death.”
“Irreversible death?” Minjung frowned, “What? There are reversible ones?”
“Yes,” Mina answered. “Yes there is a spell that can reverse death.”
Gwiboon did her best to continue being indifferent. Minjung was a clever little actress.
“I read about that,” Eunsook added, “It’s one of the seven wonders.”
Mina smiled, “That’s right but we’ll save that for another time back to our topic.”
The remainder of the lesson was boring. It ended with Mina suggesting they do their own seance to see if they can communicate with spirits. When she leaves them the girls turn to Gwiboon.
“So do you see anything bad happening with this seance?”
Gwiboon shrugged, she looked at her deck, “Would it matter? Mina and Sunny sunbae will be here when you do it anyway. If there’s trouble they can handle it.”
“Are you going to at least look?”
She stood, “No, no I’m not going to try looking. Not if I don’t have to besides looking won’t mean anything. I’ve already told you I don’t control what I see. It could be about the seance maybe or a million other things. So don’t ask.”
“Are you going to do the seance?” Taeyeon asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t do witch stuff you know that.”
“Then I don’t think I will either.”
“Taeyeon-”
“I’d just feel safer about it if Gwiboon unnie was doing it and since she’s not,” She sighed, “I just don’t want to. You can do it without me, power of three and all that.”
“Taeyeonnie come on don’t be like that.” Jonghee tried, “You’re not like Gwiboon. You like being a witch.”
“No last time, last time.” She glanced at Minjung, “It’s not a game we can hurt people and bringing a spirit to talk to us doesn’t seem like the safest thing in the world.”
“What if we try to get someone we know?” Minjung shrugged, “It’d be safer than trying to talk to a stranger.” She turned to Gwiboon,
“Maybe there’s someone you want to talk to?”
Gwiboon rolled her eyes, “There’s no one I-”
“Or someone who wants to talk to you?” Minjung suggested, “Like an old woman with cards.”
She shook her head turning from them, “I don’t care what you do just leave me out of it.” She moved to return to her room.
Minjung yelled out to her, “Then I’ll invite Sunny and Mina-sunbae and they can hear what she has to say.”
She stopped in her tracks. Why was Minjung like this? She’d just gotten here and she was already a pain in the ass.
She turned around to glare at her, “I can’t stand you.” Minjung’s smirk fell, her eyes widened and Gwiboon felt hot rage pour through her, “What the hell is your problem? I save you and all you want to do is cause problems for me.”
“Stop it.” She rasped, her face was turning red. “Stop it.”
“You would’ve been better off dead.”
Then a wave hit her not enough to knock her down but enough to divert her attention. Minjung fell to her knees breathing harshly.
“Gwiboon-ah,” Eunsook gave her a hard look, “I don’t care if you don’t want to be a part of this coven but you need to learn how to control your powers because there won’t always be someone there to stop you and you will hurt someone.”
Gwiboon didn’t respond only left rushing pass as Mina and Sunny went to the garden. She expected the knock on her door. She didn’t expect Taeyeon.
“Can I come in?” She shrugged but opened the door for her. “They’re really angry. Well I think Eunsook-unnie is just worried and Jonghee-unnie is scared. MInjung-unnie...she's just confused I think. Sunny and Mina sunbae are still talking probably about what to do about all of this.” She started, “What about you unnie?”
Gwiboon shrugged, “I’m tired of being here.”
Taeyeon sat beside her, “Me too. You know I wanted to be in entertainment. I was even casted for a big company before this. I was supposed to be training there for my debut but instead I’m stuck here.”
“You’re really pretty and you can still do it.” Gwiboon smiled, “I could see you as one of those big idols on TV.”
“I wanted to be a dancer,” Taeyeon giggled, “And a singer, I wasn’t very good at singing then but I wanted to be a singer too. I wanted to be like Michael Jackson, I wanted to make people happy when they saw me on stage.”
“You can still do it.” Gwiboon replied, “I’ll go to your debut show.”
Taeyeon was quiet, “Unnie, can you do a seance with me?”
“Taeyeon.”
“I need to talk to someone and I don’t think the seance with the other girls is safe.” Taeyeon took a deep breath, “There’s someone I really need to talk to.”
Gwiboon sighed, “Okay the library. Midnight. Bring something for who you want to talk to.”
Gwiboon wasn’t confident, she’d spent the evening in the library reading up but it only made her more nervous. Calling spirits was dangerous, Mina’s suggestion they try a seance seemed foolish unless she expected them to fail. She hoped she and Taeyeon would fail, but Taeyeon was a powerful witch despite being young.
Taeyeon met her just before midnight. “Ok I brought something just like you said.”
Gwiboon was lighting candles, “Good, set them here.” She sighed, “You know I don’t know if this will work Taeyeon-ah. It turns out summoning the spirit you want isn’t as easy as you’d think. In fact summoning any spirit at all is actually quite difficult.”
“Yes but you’re good at this and you have a lot of good fortune.” She carefully laid ballet shoes on the table and took a seat. “You might not want to be a witch but you’re powerful, and you can be a great one.”
Gwiboon set down her deck and sat down opposite of her, “It’s midnight so let‘s start.” She held out her hands, Taeyeon took them cautiously. “Relax, think of the person you want to speak to and call out to them when you’re ready. I’m going to try to act as their vessel so they can talk to you. If it turns out to be someone else let go of my hands. It will break the bond. Ready?” She nodded.
“I call you on behalf of my sister,” Gwiboon started chanting she closed her eyes to concentrate, “I allow you temporary use of my body. You may speak through me. I call you on behalf of my sister. I allow you temporary use of my body. You may speak through me. I call you on behalf of my sister. I allow you temporary use of my body. You may speak through me.”
Taeyeon didn’t call out a name until Gwiboon had been chanting for minutes. “Eunjung. Eunjunggie please let me speak to you.”
Gwiboon felt it happen. Her eyes opened but she couldn’t see clearly.
“Unnie?”
“Tae,” But she wasn’t speaking, “How did you...what is this?”
“Eunjunggie? Eunjung I’m sorry.” Taeyeon cried, “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“Taeyeonnie there’s something wrong. After the fire, I see everyone but I can’t speak to them. My body won’t move I’m trapped.”
“Trapped?” Taeyeon seemed surprised, “You mean you’re still in the hospital?”
“I’ve been there for a long time. I’ve just been waiting”
“Which hospital I’ll come help you? I know I can. I can help you now. I just need to know where.”
“In Hannam-dong, it's the university hospital I think.”
“I can help you. You won’t be trapped anymore.” Taeyeon was crying, “I’m sorry.”
“I couldn’t find you at the school but I’m happy you’re not hurt. I was scared because I haven’t seen you.”
“They made me go away. They didn’t tell you were still in the hospital. They didn’t tell me anything.” She paused to breathing hard, “I thought you were gone.”
“I’m not but I have to go if I stay away too long it’s hard to get back.”
“I’m going to find you ok. I‘m going to get you out of there. I promise I’ll get you out.”
Gwiboon felt the spirit weaken, she was more in control again. “I’m glad I got to see you.”
“It’s time for you to go back. We’ll find you and we’ll heal you.” Gwiboon promised, “I reclaim my body and I’m sending you back to yours.”
The candles went out and Gwiboon could tell the spirit was completely gone. The lights came on but Taeyeon was still stilling across from her. “Are you ok?”
She nodded, “Yeah, I’m ok.” She sniffed wiping a stray tear, “What about you unnie? Do you feel ok?”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” She sighed picking up her cards, “They didn’t help her after all the time you’ve been here. The least they could’ve done was help your friend. It’s not like you did it on purpose. They could’ve helped her. They didn’t even tell you.” She stood, “That’s exactly why I can’t stay in this place, these people are monsters. They have power to help people but they’d rather use it to help themselves.”
Taeyeon was picking up the candles, “It was on purpose I wanted the school to burn.” She shrugged, “I just didn’t know that thinking it would make it happen.”
“Every student has been so frustrated they want to destroy the school, that’s normal. School can really suck.” Gwiboon bit her lip, “It was an accident and they should’ve saved your friend. Let’s just clean up before someone comes.”
The cleaned up in silence finishing up before the others had even come upstairs. “Unnie?” Taeyeon stopped her before she went in her room, “Could I stay with you tonight?”
Gwiboon didn’t have the heart to tell her no. The next morning Taeyeon was still sleeping beside her. She looked even younger, it made Gwiboon feel bad that she had been trapped here. She hesitantly woke her.
“Hey, hey,” She whispered, “Hey come on get up. You should get to your room. Get ready for breakfast.”
Taeyeon blinked but yawned and nodded. She slowly got out of bed and shuffled out the room. Gwiboon showered and got dressed, she was debating breakfast when a knock to her door startled her. She expected Eunsook or Taeyeon, instead it was Minjung.
“This card seems to be following me.” She held up the card and Gwiboon knew it right away, “Lovers?”
She shrugged keeping cool. “I don’t know. I don’t control them.”
Minjung walked further in closing the door behind herself. “I know. It makes me feel like they know something I don’t. If you see something about me,” She laid the card down, “you don’t have to tell me what it is but if it’s a little dangerous could you just leave me a little clue. If I’m too dense to get it that will be my own fault...but you know,” She rubbed her middle, “Being impaled like that hurt a lot and my body hasn’t forgotten it’s not hurt yet.”
“I’ll try.”
“Thanks.” She gave her a small smile, “Oh did you get anything with Taeyeon yesterday?”
She shrugged and Minjung went on, “The old woman came by again but the others couldn’t see her. She really wants you to talk to her didn’t seem interested in anything else. Other than that nothing happened at ours. I saw another one later before bed some guy said he’d burn this house of sin.” She rolled her eyes, “I’m just going to assume most of the ghosts here don’t like witches.”
“So you can see ghosts now?”
“Probably because I died.” She shrugged, “Maybe it was like a jumpstart to it or whatever seems useless I liked telekinesis more.”
“Want to die a second time?”
“You’d bring me back.” Minjung sat beside her.
“Maybe it’s fate and you’re supposed to be dead.” Gwiboon scooted away, shuffled the cards nervously. “You don’t know.”
Minjung smirked, “I know, you’d bring me back.”
“I tried to kill you yesterday.”
“Not on purpose. Unnie explained it to me and even though I’ve only been here a few days I get it,” She stretched her legs out, “You really can’t control it. You just have it. Don’t you want to control it?”
“I’d rather give it away.” She sighed, “Besides there isn’t a way to control telling.”
“Telling?”
“That’s what my kind of power is called. I’m supposed to be some kind of fortune teller. You know predict people’s futures and world
events or whatever. It’s just seeing bits and pieces of possible futures. They don’t always come true. Sometimes I can’t even tell what’s happening.” She flipped over a card, lovers, “It’s stupid.”
Minjung stood, and held out a hand to Gwiboon, “Well let’s get breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Minjung took her hand, “Everyone eats, even witches.”
“Wait,” Gwiboon said as she pulled her up but the cards in her lap were gone only one remained, lovers.
“They’re gone, see you’re coming to breakfast. What’s with that card again?”
“I don’t know, maybe it’s trying to tell me you’ll get a boyfriend soon.”
Minjung scoffed taking the card and pulling Gwiboon along, “Funny. Maybe this card knows the real reason my parents were so happy to send me away.”
Gwiboon looked to the card again and then it came images of Minjung and Gwiboon together. Lovers.
“Hey? Hey!”
Gwiboon’s head snapped up. “Huh?”
“You saw something didn’t you? Was it about me?”
“No,” She lied, “No it was about this stupid card.”
Taeyeon is in the seat next to her deck. The only other spot open is across from it. Minjung finally lets go of her hand. Sunny and Mina share a look. Eunsook looks between them before smiling. “And here I thought you wouldn’t be coming to breakfast. Will you be observing today’s lesson Gwiboon?”
“Not today, I need to do a little independent study.”
“May I ask what you’re planning to study?” Mina asked.
“Healing.”
“Healing is quite a difficult skill.” Mina started, “If you need any help Sunny-ssi could assist you. She’s very skilled in healing remedies.”
“I said independent.”
“Of course, Gwiboon blossoms when we aren’t looking.” Sunny commented.
Gwiboon powered through breakfast lucky that Eunsook and Jonghee were ever changing the topic to divert from her. Alone in library Gwiboon couldn’t feel at peace. She for once was glad she could use her powers, because finally she could help someone but it was hard to find what she needed.
“This is useless.”
“Why don’t you try looking into the cards?”
She turned startled to see Minjung, “Have you been in here this whole time? It’s been hours the lessons are over. For someone who doesn’t want to be a witch you’re sure studying witchcraft hard.”
Gwiboon closes her book and doesn’t answer. She’s already annoyed and doesn’t need Minjung to be there making it worse but she stops on the route to the exit. Minjung chuckled, “What? Not going to storm-” She stops suddenly and turns around. “Oh.”
The old woman smiles, “I’ve been waiting for a teller.”
“I’m not.” Gwiboon answers. “Well I’m not a good one. What do you want from me?”
“Trade. Get rid of the man with the torch. He scares me.”
“And what will you do for me?”
“What you need is in my room.”
“Which room is yours?”
“Where your screams can’t be heard, even when a man burns you alive. The teller's room.”
“Where is the man with the torch?”
“He scares me.” She was fading away, “He scares me. I can't send him away on my own. I need a teller.”
“Wait, wait.” Gwiboon sighed, “Damn it.”
“I can help.” Minjung started, “If you tell me what you’re doing.”
Gwiboon ignores her but she goes on. “Fine trade me something else then. I know where he is.”
“You know how to get rid of him?”
“Learned how to banish spirits in today’s lesson. You should’ve dropped by.” Minjung smirked, “Is it a deal?”
“What do you want?”
“Teach me how to do that thing you did to bring me back.”
“I can’t, don’t know how I did it.”
“You don’t have to teach it to me now.” Minjung shrugged, “Just get back to me when you figured it out.
“I’m telling you that it’s impossible. Even if I figure out how to do it, there’s no guarantee you could do it. It’s a wonder.” Gwiboon explained, “Ask for something more reasonable.”
“Then I’ll think of something else another time. Come on,” She took her hand, “I saw him earlier.”
Gwiboon was annoyed. Finding the man was hard, even Minjung seemed hinder more than help considering they had to sneak around Mina and Sunny. She assumed Taeyeon was keeping Eunsook and Jonghee busy from prying but either way they weren’t having any success. “This is hopeless. I’m going to have to summon him somehow.”
“Maybe you should ask Eunsook-unnie for help.”
“No way it’s bad enough you’re involved.”
“Why don’t you want anyone involved?” Minjung asked, “Is has something to do with Taeyeon and your secret seance huh?”
“Shut up.” Gwiboon scowled, “Don’t be nosey, just look out for the damn ghosts.”
“Oh the woman she said she was waiting for a teller! Maybe you need your cards to lure him out.”
“I have my cards,” She slumped, “I always have my cards.”
“Pretend to tell my fortune.” Minjung started, “It’ll piss him off because he hates witches and maybe especially tellers so he will show up.”
She sighed, “Fine sit down.”
The first card was lovers, “I keep getting that card.” The second card was fool and the third was death.
“Another one to burn.”
“Minjung. Do it banish him or whatever.”
“If spirits threaten me in this place fight water by water fire by fire banish their souls to nothingness and remove their power until last
trace let these evil beings flee through time and space.”
“I’ll burn you both.” He was coming closer.
MInjung repeated herself but it seemed to have no effect. Gwiboon rolled her eyes and stood, she motioned to Minjung. “He’s a ghost. He can’t actually hurt us. Let’s go we’ll figure this out later.”
“Gwiboon I don’t think it’s that easy.” Minjung she gulped, “Look at his torch.”
The flames looked real and as the ghost held it forward as to burn her, Gwiboon could feel the heat as it approached her. She took a step back. Her body reacted but it wasn’t her. “Ad quos eieci te pugnant aqua per aquam ignis ab igne ad quos eieci te. Off to hell with you, now feel the flames you gave to me.”
Then the man was on fire, then he was gone all that remained was the smoke from his fire. She was falling there was a whisper “Thank you.”
Minjung caught her. “What the hell? She possessed you?”
The fire alarm went off. Gwiboon sighed, feeling dizzy, “I’m so done with ghosts.”
Thanks for reading