“No,” Miyoung said, shaking her head. “That’s not true. I tried to save you. I’ll save him.”
“You’ll try. But you’re not strong enough.”
“I’ve become stronger. I will become stronger, if that’s what it takes.”
“Then come and get me,” Yena said. “See if you can throw me away into hell!”
Miyoung woke with a jerk, falling off the couch with a hard thud. She groaned, rubbing her tailbone as she sat up, trying to untangle herself from the twisted blanket.
The apartment was quiet, a soft light shining from under Junu’s door. She glanced at the other room. Where Jihoon slept. Bujeoks were plastered around the frame. Ones meant to hold in evil things. To trap them temporarily. But she could already see the ink starting to fade, as if Sinhye’s power was too great.
Her mother’s words echoed in her head. She would become stronger. She would do what she had to in order to protect Jihoon.
She almost knocked on the bedroom door before she realized it probably wouldn’t do much good. She felt a spark of resistance as she turned the handle. As if the bujeoks recognized that she was still connected to her bead, as if she hadn’t completely shed her gumiho self. She opened the door slowly, just in case Jihoon was still sleeping. Hoping it was Jihoon—and just Jihoon—who was sleeping.
When she heard nothing, she almost backed out again, but Jihoon turned over on the bed, his eyes open. “Miyoung?”
His eyes blinked, blurry with sleep. His hair stuck up on one side, making him look mussed. It was one of her favorite looks on him.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Miyoung ran her fingers through his hair. “Jihoon-ah?” Her voice shook, the hesitation clear.
“Yeah, it’s me.” He smiled gently, and she saw his dimple blink. It was like seeing an old friend again after too long apart.
“I’m so glad you’re still here,” she said, her shoulders sagging with relief.
“Really?” Jihoon asked, his smile spreading. “How glad?”
“What?” Miyoung asked. The light slanting into the room from the hallway made his features look harsh.
“How glad are you that I’m really me?” he asked, leaning forward. And she saw it, the sharp gleam in his eyes.
“Sinhye.” Miyoung stood and backed away.
“Aw, I was hoping we could play a little more.” She stuck her lip out in a pout.
Miyoung’s muscles tightened. “Why are you still here? What do you want with us?”
“I want to play,” Sinhye said, then flopped back on the bed, folding her arms behind her head. “Being stuck in that jar was so boring. Can you imagine it? Being locked away for centuries with no one and nothing to talk to.”
She sat up again and sneered. “Of course you can’t. You’re so ungrateful for your power that you willingly traded it away.”
Miyoung clenched her jaw, refusing to rise to the bait. She knew that Sinhye was just trying to hurt her.
“I bet Mommy loves watching her selfish, weak daughter give up everything, even her own mother, for a chance at a boring mortal life.”
“Shut up,” Miyoung said, shoving Sinhye so hard that she fell against the bed.
“Well, well,” Sinhye said, laughing. “I guess you’re not completely boring after all.”
“We’ll find a way to get you out of Jihoon. And when we do, your spirit can go to hell for all I care. And with no one in this world to care about you, you’ll be completely forgotten after you’re gone forever.” Miyoung started to turn to leave, when Sinhye’s hand latched on to her arm.
“You should learn not to antagonize me,” Sinhye said. “Those bujeoks can’t hold me in here forever. And in the meantime, I can still hurt this body.”
Slowly Miyoung turned so she was face-to-face with the fox spirit that wore Jihoon’s face. “You won’t.” Her heart was racing with the bluff, but she had to believe that Sinhye’s desire to stay in this world was stronger than her desire to hurt Miyoung and her friends. “You have unfinished business. Didn’t you swear that you’d get your revenge on those who trapped you? Well, the way I see it, you’re too scared to go after the sansin, and I wouldn’t blame you. Mountain gods are no joke, from what I hear. And whatever shaman helped is long dead. So you’re stuck poking at Junu. But he has something that you don’t have.”
Sinhye’s jaw clenched, and the hand holding Miyoung’s arm tightened. “And what’s that?”
“People who care enough to help him. That’s why you’re here,