-15- The Shaman

Zhan, however, had more questions for Wang Yibo's two friends from Korea. For example, how an eye-sick man and a weak woman, not taller than 1.60 meters, are supposed to have caused Yibo's accident. Wooseok said, he doesn't claim that the parents did it themselves, but that they definitely know who was involved.

When Zhan asked why the parents still wanted to get rid of him even though they were dependent on Yibo's income, Seungyoun said, "I'm not sure if they really wanted to get rid of him anymore. Until just before he disappeared, they got along well again and they talked openly again, just like before."

"So it's possible his parents had nothing to do with this?" Zhan asked.

"We're not sure. Yibo always told us everything. Every problem he had at home with his parents. But until just before his accident, everything was suddenly fine. And we don't know if it was real or if his parents were just faking it." Seungyoun replied.

"His mother told me that she finally accepted his homosexuality after Hai Kuan explained to her once again that Yibo is the same as before and still her son. She even told me that he was in Beijing and he told her that he saw someone he liked." Explained Zhan.

"Yes, that's right. Yibo also told us about this man. He was blown away by him and even called us when he saw the man. He said he was very interested in learning more about him. But he was not brave enough to approach him. Although we kept telling him to try it. I guess if even his mother knows about it, they really talked about everything lately." Wooseok replied.

"I suppose that maybe there was a change in his parents' minds and they realized that Yibo is the same as ever and that he is not different just because he is gay. But something else. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of him yet, which would make it a lot easier for me to find him. His mother doesn't hand out any pictures of him and in the social networks I didn't find any of him either. Do you by any chance have a picture that I could use for the search?" Zhan wanted to know.

"Sorry, no. I mean, back home in Seoul, we have lots of pictures. But not here. We used to have them on our cell phones. But at some point, we printed out the pictures right away and then removed them from the phone. Wooseok still had a lot of pictures on his cell phone until recently, also of Yibo. But his cell phone fell into the water when we were at the river and looked around. He could pull it out right away, but it was completely destroyed." Seungyoun explained.

"We'll leave for Seoul in two weeks. We can send you pictures from home. We have some on the computer too. We can send them to your email address." Suggested Wooseok.

Since Zhan had no other choice anyway and the two are the only ones who can send him a picture of Yibo, he agreed and gave them his email address. Moreover, they also exchanged their phone numbers, so that they can stay in touch.

When saying goodbye, Zhan told them that he wanted to see if he could trust Yibo's parents. He decided to talk to them about what he had heard about them today. And depending on what they told him, he would decide whether he would keep them informed or better keep it all to himself.

After the two Koreans had left and Zhan had eaten a little snack, he made his way to his grandmother. His parents asked him to inform them immediately if he knew where she was. They would have liked to come themselves. But Zhan's parents had to work. They are both social therapists for children and teenagers. And they don't work in a cozy, bright office, but are out on the streets with street workers, like Zhan's older sister is.

They walk through the streets and talk to children and teenagers and help them when they have problems. They have helped many children and many more young people and Zhan appreciated that they would have helped Yibo as well if he had turned to them.

Zhan's big sister has been working as a street worker for seven years and his younger brother is studying medicine. He wants to become a pediatrician and work for Doctors Without Borders. Already when Yanli, Zhan's sister and Cheng, his brother, were younger, they knew exactly what they wanted to do. Zhan did too, but he always stood out with his career aspirations. He had always been different and wanted to become a reporter. Even if his wish to work for the TV news was not fulfilled, he liked to work as a reporter.

When Zhan reached the driveway to his grandmother's house, she was already standing there, waiting for him. She had a woman with her who introduced herself to him as a shaman. After all that Zhan had experienced in the last weeks, nothing should surprise or amaze him anymore, but he still had to hold back a smirk when she told him who she is.

His grandmother told him that she had just returned that day, too. She had travelled far to find this shaman and she was also the one who could help him to communicate with the lost soul.

"I will help you to open yourself so that you can be receptive to the lost soul and not only see him, but also talk to him." She said to Zhan.

"How do you know it's a man? Has my grandmother told you about him yet?" Asked Zhan.

"She only said a ghost was attached to you and that there was a lost soul by your side. And I know it's a man because I can see him. He stands beside you and holds your hand." She replied with a smile.

Zhan looked at his hand, but could not see or even feel anything. The shaman laughed and explained, "He seems to be very fond of you, because he looks at you totally in love."

Without knowing what to say, Zhan sighed. He had not been looking for this information. However, he was flattered and not at all bothered by the fact that a man seemed to like him. Besides, he also likes the strangely handsome one.

After a moment when nobody said anything, the shaman explained: "I don't see any ghost with you. I suppose he has been released from his duty. But I will still give you an amulet that will protect you from such things in the future. At least until you learn how to help yourself."

His grandmother nodded eagerly and stroked Zhan's cheek: "Now come inside the house first. I have made fresh tea and baked a cake. And afterwards the shaman will make the ritual so that you can finally see the lost soul and even talk to him, again."

Zhan didn't ask why she emphasized the word, again. He assumed she knew anyway. Sometimes he wondered what abilities his grandmother really has and how far back and forth she can look. Could she perhaps also see what happened to the lost soul?

After a strong herbal tea and a big piece of cake, Zhan accompanied his grandmother and the shaman to a room in his grandmother's house, which he had never entered before and didn't even know that it existed. His grandmother said it is a Spiritual Room and she would rarely allow anyone to enter it.

For half an hour the shaman burned some herbs, spoke strange spells that sounded like a Klingon language to Zhan, prayed with a chain in her hand and whirled around Zhan with a stinky branch. Then Zhan sat opposite her on the floor and she smeared a paste on his forehead and his eyes, which burned pretty bad. She spoke in that strange language again, but Zhan wasn't sure if she was cursing him.

And after he had to suck three more pills, which made him choke, and Zhan thought he had finally done it, she said he was now cleaned. With teary eyes that were still burning and the worst taste he had ever had in his mouth, he stared at her in horror. "There's more to come?" He asked.

"Don't worry, all that comes now is harmless." She replied and immediately started speaking her Klingon language for poor, smearing some stinky paste on Zhan's forehead again.

For a whole hour, she spoke some spells, read from a fat, ancient book and smeared Zhan's face with all kinds of things he was sure to get hickeys from, and then she said, "It's done."

Zhan demonstratively looked around and rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, and why can't I see him then?" He asked the shaman.

"It won't be long now and your eyes will clear up and you will be able to see the lost soul and talk to him. But not only with him, but with all lost souls. Because your task in this world is to help the lost souls to find peace, or themselves, their bodies, in this life." She explained.

"What? Maybe you should have told me that before. When did I agree to this?" Zhan asked in horror.

"This has been your task since you were born, and now you are ready for it and you must complete your task. You are a medium, and from this day on, you will help the lost souls." She said.

Zhan wanted to ask her if he could cancel the contract he never signed. He already has a job. He's a reporter. He's not a medium who looks for lost souls and helps them. He doesn't even know how to help the handsome man's lost soul. And then, of all people, he's supposed to help others?

What will happen to Zhan? Will he really be able to see the lost soul and talk to him? What will Wang Yibo's parents tell him when he tells them what he heard from the two korean friends of Yibo?