Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)(77)

Junu took a moment to consider the request, then nodded before departing. The door swung shut, fluttering the bujeoks by the door. They’d done nothing to keep the dokkaebi from the apartment, but Jihoon had no time to ponder that as he sank onto the couch. He was starting to get a headache.





46





SHE’D BEEN BACK for weeks and had gained no traction in trying to find a solution to wake up Jihoon’s halmeoni. At first she thought she could offer some of her own gi. But she quickly found out she was too weak, and after trying to force the connection she’d barely made it to the sink to vomit. That had been the end of those attempts.

But she had a bigger problem now. It was hard to admit, but Miyoung knew she needed to talk to Jihoon. She’d been putting it off, hoping she could slip in, help his halmeoni, and slip back out again. But she knew she needed access to Halmeoni’s hospital room and she couldn’t keep sneaking in. Jihoon was always there until visiting hours ended. So she’d taken to sneaking in, waiting him out, and then slipping into Halmeoni’s room. Except today a nurse had found her and asked her too many questions. She’d covered by saying she’d lost track of time, but the hawk-eyed nurses had definitely memorized her face by now.

She didn’t want the nurse telling Jihoon before she could explain why she’d returned.

That was how Miyoung found herself in her old neighborhood, pacing in front of Jihoon’s apartment.

She walked past the small squat building for what must have been the dozenth time that night. The windows were lit in the apartment above the closed restaurant. When she’d first seen the handwritten sign stating CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, she wanted to rip it down.

“You’re that yeowu girl.” The voice was old and cracked and stopped Miyoung in her tracks. She turned toward the old halmeoni who sat peeling chestnuts outside a medicinal wine store.

“Excuse me?”

“That girl our Jihoonie brought home once. You have secrets, dark ones.”

“What?” Miyoung tried to act confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The old woman cackled as she peeled another chestnut. This time she held it out and Miyoung took it with two hands.

“Don’t try to hide things from someone as old as me. I’ve seen far too much to be fooled.” Her words echoed something Jihoon’s halmeoni once told her. “Don’t worry, I don’t need to know your secrets. I have enough of my own, collected over a lifetime. Though I think yours will come out soon enough. If Jihoonie is the one you want to tell, then you should just bite the bullet. He’s a good, kind boy.”

“Is Jihoon okay?” Miyoung asked. “I mean, without his halmeoni? How is he?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” The old woman gestured down the road and Miyoung saw Jihoon making his way down the street. Just as she was about to take off after him, she noticed another figure. One all too familiar.

“Ya!” she shouted before she could stop herself. A rash move as the girl’s head jerked around, she saw Miyoung, and then she took off down a side street.

Despite not feeding, Miyoung was still fast when she wanted to be. At least she was faster than any human, and she quickly overtook her target. She spun the girl around, black hair swinging to obscure the pale face.

“Song Nara.” Miyoung spat out the name. “What are you doing here?”

Nara adjusted her jacket, trying to assert a semblance of dignity. “I heard you were back in town.”

Miyoung didn’t like the sound of that. Had the shaman been keeping tabs on her?

As if reading Miyoung’s mind, Nara answered, “When a dokkaebi and a gumiho come back into town, the spirits talk. I didn’t realize you’d grown close to Junu.”

“Who I spend time with is none of your business. What do you want? Why are you following me?”

“I’m not following you,” Nara said. “I was following Ahn Jihoon. I wanted to warn him.”

“Warn him? About what?”

“About you. I figured the only reason you’d return was to rip your bead back out of his chest.”

Miyoung startled at the mention of her bead. How could Nara know about that? “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The spirits talk. What you did is unnatural.” Nara paused, conflict clear in her eyes before she continued. “But it was also brave. You saved Ahn Jihoon’s life. I didn’t expect that of you.”

“You didn’t know me as well as you thought you did.”

“Perhaps,” Nara said, studying Miyoung. “But if you truly do care about him, then you’ll leave him alone. My halmeoni still has plans and you should know by now that nothing will get in her way.”

“Threats?” Miyoung lifted a brow. “I’m not scared of you.”

Nara frowned. “If you ever trusted me—”

“I didn’t,” Miyoung lied.

Nara pursed her lips, and Miyoung felt grim satisfaction at the young shaman’s frustration. “Don’t ignore my warning. My halmeoni doesn’t forget and rarely forgives. If I know you’re back, then so will she.”

“That warning is as meaningless as your friendship. You’d never betray your halmeoni like this, and I have unfinished business.”