He told her to eat a hundred livers of a hundred men and absorb their gi. If she did this in a hundred days, then she would get her wish.
The fox did as she was told, devouring the livers of a hundred men.
On the hundredth day, she visited the home of the man she loved.
He awoke to see her washed in the light of the moon.
He cringed in fear of her. For she wasn’t human, but half woman–half demon. Her nine tails wove around her as symbols of her true form. Her soul was now shrouded in shadows, a sign of the evil deeds she had committed.
He denied her love. The gi she’d devoured fueled her despair and she lashed out, killing him in a blind rage.
Heartbroken, she went to the sansin.
He gazed upon her with cold eyes. “You shunned my love. Now you are cursed to roam the earth as a demon. You feasted on the livers of men and you have lost your soul. The gi from those men will make you live forever as a yokwe, a monster, a beast. No mortal man will ever love you. And all who come after you will be cursed with the same fate.”
So the fox became a woman, and the woman became a demon.
And she lived forever as a gumiho.
19
JIHOON STOOD OUTSIDE the pristine white door for ten minutes before he gathered the courage to ring the bell.
No one answered.
He glanced up. It was just as beautiful and haunting as the last time he was here, to deliver food to Miyoung.
And he wouldn’t be here now except Miyoung had been absent from school since the last full moon. It had been a long week of thinking of Miyoung. Of worrying about her. Of remembering that night in the rain. That night, by the side of the road, drenched, he’d been tempted to kiss her. He’d wanted to see if she’d taste like rain. He suspected it was more likely she’d taste like lightning.
He knocked again to no answer. He had started back to his scooter when the door opened.
Miyoung looked gaunt, like she’d lost ten pounds in the last seven days. Her eyes were covered with oversized sunglasses, and her hair was gathered in a messy bun that didn’t hide the fact that it was tangled with knots.
“Miyoung-ah?” Jihoon reached for her.
She jerked away, her breath coming in short, quick gasps.
“Are you real?” she whispered.
“What?” Jihoon asked, moving closer. Now he could see her shoulders shook.
Miyoung cleared her throat, and her voice came out stronger this time. “Jihoon.” She took a deep breath like his name had anchored her. “What are you doing here?”
“I was worried?” he said it like a question, knowing that Miyoung wouldn’t like it.
“I’m fine. I actually have somewhere to be.” She made to move past him, but he blocked her path.
She was shaking so hard, he was surprised her teeth didn’t rattle with the movement.
“What’s going on? Does this have to do with that bead?”
Miyoung hissed out a breath and tried to shove his hands away. Surprisingly, she failed. What had happened to her strength?
“I don’t need you to worry for me,” Miyoung insisted.
“Tell me how I can help you.”
“No one can help me,” Miyoung whispered. “I’m cursed.”
“What does that mean?” Jihoon asked, but a taxi rolled up the drive and Miyoung jogged to it.
“Go home, Jihoon. Nothing I do is your concern.” She slammed the door closed, and the taxi took off, spraying pebbles in its wake.
20
MIYOUNG BANGED ON the rusted metal door, grateful for the narrow alleyway and its ability to block out the light of the sun. Her sunglasses weren’t able to hold off her throbbing headache. And, unfortunately, they only protected against UV rays and not ghosts that danced in and out of her vision.
These ghosts had plagued her for the past week. Demons of her past, men who’d sinned in life, and now, as specters, taunted her with threats.
Cannot wait till your soul joins us.
You kill to live; how is that any different from what I did?
Your sins are all that sustain you in life, and when you die, your punishments will be severe!
Miyoung knocked harder, trying to drown out the whispers.
“Okay! I hear you!” a voice shouted from inside a second before the door opened to reveal Junu’s annoyed glare.
“Of course it’s you.” He scowled. “I’m going to have a talk with that shaman. I’m starting to wish she’d never brought you around here.”