Nara’s friendship had all been a lie, a cruel trick to get Miyoung to trust her.
“I guess Jihoon would have been collateral damage, then. If that dokkaebi had killed him, too?” Somehow, that enraged her the most. That Jihoon would have died for Nara’s revenge.
“He wasn’t supposed to be there. It could have ended quietly, without all of the pain you’ve felt the past two months.”
“Oh, how kind of you, to want to kill me quickly.” Miyoung’s words were meant to be cold, but she couldn’t stop the break in her voice.
Not Nara. She cared about me, her mind cried, denying this new truth.
“The Taoist talisman?”
“The ghosts were supposed to scare you enough to come to us for help.”
A flash of movement appeared and Miyoung thought it was those ghosts at first.
“Mother!” she shouted as Yena sprinted forward. Her mother hesitated mid-step, not for long, but long enough for Shaman Kim to scramble back, pulling Nara with her.
The young girl fell to her hands and knees and squealed as she went sprawling. The yeowu guseul slipped from her hand, rolling across the ground. Miyoung was finally released from the hold, and she dove, grabbing Yena’s ankle. Her mother kicked out, connecting with Miyoung’s broken hand, forcing her to let go. But it had been enough to allow Nara to limp after her halmeoni.
There was no time to think about why Miyoung sought to save Nara. Maybe she needed to prove she was not the monster the shamans painted her to be.
Shaman Kim ducked behind the first line of trees. It seemed a faulty strategy: The thick trunks did little to hide the woman, and Nara’s bright hanbok was like a beacon among the gray trees.
Yena grinned as she homed in on her prey.
Shaman Kim pulled a bujeok out of her sleeve. The red hanja glowed as the woman muttered desperate words.
Yena leapt at the same moment Shaman Kim slapped the bujeok against a tree trunk. Yena was shoved back as if by an invisible wall. Falling through the air to land with a heavy thud.
“Mother!” Miyoung ran to her side.
“You will not touch my kin again,” Shaman Kim decreed from behind the safety of her talisman. “Come, Nara.”
As they fled, Yena shoved Miyoung away in a rage. “You fool! Look what you’ve done!”
Miyoung opened her mouth to apologize, but stopped at the sound of shuffling to their left. Jihoon stood in the middle of the clearing, now cradling the yeowu guseul delicately.
“Give that back!” Yena leapt up.
Miyoung scrambled after her.
Yena’s legs were longer than Miyoung’s. Her muscles were quicker. But Miyoung had the strength of fear. She tackled her mother to the ground.
They rolled through dead leaves and grass.
“You will kill him or I will,” Yena growled, yanking free easily, as Miyoung had only one good hand. She grabbed Miyoung by the shoulders.
“I can’t.” Miyoung grimaced as her mother’s nails dug into her flesh, drawing blood.
“I told you not to talk to the shamans and you did. I told you not to use Taoist magic and you did. When will you realize that everything I do is for you?” Yena’s eyes became wide white orbs, her nostrils flaring.
“Mother, please!” Miyoung begged, tears springing to her eyes. How could she explain that despite all of her mistakes, Jihoon wasn’t one? But she couldn’t find the words and only whispered again in a dying croak, “Please.”
Yena let out a grunt of disgust and pushed Miyoung away.
She charged at Jihoon, claws outstretched.
He didn’t move, eyes wide with horror.
Miyoung wanted to yell at him to run. Though it would do no good.
As Yena reached him, Miyoung buried her face in her hands. This she could not bear to see.
Yena let out a howl that ripped through the forest.
Miyoung jerked upright.
Her mother lay on the ground, spine curved in agony. A yellow bujeok stuck to her skin. One meant to chase away demons and evil.
Jihoon stood above her, his left hand still held out.
Miyoung didn’t have time to wonder where he’d gotten the bujeok as she watched her mother writhe with pain, her hands fisted so tight they couldn’t peel off the debilitating talisman.
Miyoung didn’t hesitate. She grabbed Jihoon’s arm and ran.
32
JIHOON TOOK MIYOUNG back to his apartment.
She should have declined. She wanted to keep running until the city and all her problems were far behind. But she was too tired.
Tomorrow, she’d figure out what to do about the bead Jihoon had returned to her. Tomorrow, she’d wonder if her mother would ever forgive her.