Season two, chapter fifty-nine

"You're my other half"

MS. CHU, MO-TAK and Jangmul had successfully summoned the evil spirit of the yellow hoodie, whose name Thea had not bothered to learn. Nonetheless, this led to the rescue of Ms. So from the dark prison within the malevolent spirit. As the two women embraced in a heartfelt reunion, Thea couldn't help but be overwhelmed by a bittersweet wave of nostalgia.

It reminded her about the moment they encountered Cheol-Jung and saved him. The emotions gripped her heart, evoking a sense of urgency and reflecting on the profound impact he had on her life. It has been far too long since they last saw each other, and all Thea can do now is hope that Cheol-Jung has found solace in the realms beyond.

"You've been through so much, Ms. So" Ms. Chu began with tears shining in her eyes, tightly grasping Ms. So's hands "We've promised to meet before this year ended. But I didn't expect it to be here"

"Thank you, Ms. Chu" Ms. Chu was thanked with a small, appreciative smile on her face by Ms. So, but everyone could perceive the sadness in her bright eyes

"Don't thank me. But it's such a relief we were able to at least meet this way" softly exclaimed Ms. Chu, her voice betraying a hint of emotion

"What about Papa and the others?" Ms. So asked, her expression drooping and her eyebrows raising in confusion as she quickly searched for her beloved teammates

"Don't worry. We'll save them at all costs. We'll make sure all of you will be reunited again. I give you my word" Ms. Chu swiftly pledged, as Ms. So nodded and grasped her hands tightly with gratitude

"I know it's shameless of me to say this, but please let that happen" Ms. So requested, hopeful of the outcome

Thea's emotions came pouring out, brimming with nostalgic tenderness. As she delicately brushed away her tears, Hana, ever empathetic, consoled her with a comforting touch.

"Good work, everyone" Wi-gen praised with a smile, her gaze initially directed at Mun before shifting to the rest "Thanks to you all, Ms. So and all of the other trapped souls were able to arrive in Yung safe and sound"

"What if... what if we were the first ones who met this evil spirits?" Mo-tak asked with a serious expression, his curiosity enveloping the atmosphere with inquiries

"If we were defenseless as well, we would've met the same fate" Hana whispered, putting a smile on her face as Ms. So glanced at her

Thea smiled sweetly as Ms. So's gaze then fell upon her, her enchanting smile hiding a resolve to go to extraordinary measures in order to assist Ms. Chu in fulfilling the promise of epic proportions.

Thea's mouth was slightly open; she was certainly in shock after hearing the words that came out of Jangmul's mouth. As her eyes lock onto Mun, she unleashes a gaze brimming with intensity, causing him to shrink in his seat, desperately avoiding her penetrating stare. He clearly didn't want Thea to find out that he had been shot while protecting Jangmul, because she would definitely react as hysterically as she was right now.

"Mun, are you out of your mind?" Thea raised her voice, quickly rising from her seat with wide open eyes. "Do you want me to have a heart attack? Is that what you want!?"

"Thea..." Mun tried to calm her by taking her hands and as their hands touch, a slap resonated with electric intensity, awakening a hypnotic web of emotions. Mun, startled yet captivated widened his eyes and rubbed the spot where he had been hit, saying, "Hey!"

"That's what you deserve because you can't just take a bullet for me! Are you out of your mind?" Jangmul scolded with the same level of hysteria as Thea, both of them displaying equally annoyed facial expressions

"But sir..." Mun pouted, feeling small under the gazes of both of them "Then, are you saying I should've just done nothing?"

"Of course!" Jangmul suddenly exclaimed, causing Thea to flinch, but she remained in her place, refusing to succumb to the puppy eyes her boyfriend was giving her "If anyone should die, it should be me. If you die, what do you expect us to do?"

Mun let out a deep sigh, his gaze resting on Jangmul who squinted his eyes suspiciously.

"But that makes no sense. How could I just stand by and let you get shot? That's just absurd" Mun defended himself, having had enough of unnecessary bargaining

"Hey! You little punk. I can't believe how clueless he is" Jangmul pointed out, clicking his tongue in annoyance "You really don't get it? If you're gone, we're all as good as dead. Okay? Don't you know who you are. You're our pillar. It's okay if I die, but you must live on even if the rest of us don't. It's your job to catch those evil spirits at all costs. Did you really not know that?"

At this point, Mun lowered his head, pouting like a scolded child, causing Thea's heart to flutter with guilt. Undoubtedly, Mun was so pure that his selflessness knows no bounds; he would willingly sacrifice everything for his comrades without a moment's hesitation, and that's why Thea couldn't be angry with him. She loved him too much to do so.

"Jangmul. I'm sure he knows" Ms. Chu interrupted upon noticing Mun's expression

"I understand that you want to protect us. However, the moment you die, we all die" Jangmul honestly conveyed with frustration "Okay? So, don't you ever do that again. Understand?"

Mun nodded, while Jangmul sighed with relieved satisfaction at the response provided by the younger one, who had answered "No." However, Mun suddenly said with a serious expression

"This brat still won't listen!" Jangmul exclaimed once more as Mun calmly rose from his seat, his eyes displaying determination and confidence

"If the same thing happens again, I'd still protect you. I'll catch the evil spirits and protect everyone as well. I'll never die" Mun declared, placing a hand over his heart before gesturing towards the entire gathering "So we'll all survive until the end. Chairman Choi, you think I'll lose, don't you? You don't trust me, do you?"

"No—"

"You don't trust me, right?" Mun interrupted, with a furrowed brow, his eyes narrowed as he took on the role of scolding the elder

"That's not what I meant" Jangmul corrected, his mouth agape, words stuck in his throat reluctant to come out

"Yes, it was"

"I do trust you but—"

"I think you're the one being scolded now" Hana interrupted playfully. Thea had to admit that it was amusing to see all of this unfolding, so she couldn't help but draw a smile on her lips

"Exactly. And you deserve it. You should just thank him instead of getting upset" Ms. Chu agreed, nodding her head

"She's right" Mun added, crossing his arms and eagerly awaiting Jangmul's response

"You see..." Jangmul began to say, but as he didn't know what to say about it, he sat on his chair without any choice "You're right. Well, that didn't work" he admitted defeat in his own argument

As everyone laughs with amusement, Thea's resolve remains unswerving. The time for lighthearted banter is over; it's in the depths of these blissful moments that she plans to delve into weighty matters with Mun.

"Ta-da!" Exclaimed Mo-tak, his hands holding a vinyl record while a gleeful expression stretched from ear to ear

"What?" Mun furrowed his brow in confusion, while Thea, on the other hand, eagerly took her seat once again, anticipating whatever was about to happen

"Whats with this atmosphere? Yes, keep it up" Mo-tak exclaimed, placing the record on the music player "We may have lost some evil spirits, but we caught some too" Suddenly, a catchy melody engulfed the entire place within seconds

"Why this song?" Ms. Chu exclaimed with a smile on her pale face

"Why not?"

"Should I loosen up for old times' sake?" Ms. Chu inquired candidly, as she got up from her seat

"Why?"

"Oh, my gosh!"

"Look at you, Ms. Chu"

Everyone exclaimed as Ms. Chu took the dancing floor by storm, leaving everyone in awe of her mesmerizing moves. With infectious giggles of admiration and amusement, Thea becomes an instant fan of this unlikely duo.

"Wait here" Ms. Chu requested as she entered her room, a mischievous smile appearing on her pink lips

"Where are you going?" Hana asked with both confusion and amusement simultaneously

"Tango is my area of expertise" Jangmul boasted about his impressive dancing skills

"Chairman Choi"

"All right, let's do this"

"Ms. Chu!" Mun exclaimed in surprise, Thea's and Hana's eyes widen in astonishment, Ms. Chu emerges from her room, draped gracefully in a billowing sheet, casually revealing her new outfit

Hana asked in surprise, "What are you wearing?" Ms. Chu quickly threw the blanket at her, causing it to fall over Hana's face

Hana screams as she desperately hides her face under the thin veil of a sheet, meanwhile Thea's infectious squeal breaks through, filled with genuine excitement and an electrifying energy, Mun's eyes bear to witness Ms. Chu's scandalous act, tearing a fragment of her skirt to expose her tantalizing leg, leaving him clutching his eyes in disbelief. In seconds, everyone else screamed in astonishment.

"Ms. Chu!"

"Ms. Chu" Jangmul whispered, approaching the aforementioned lady flirtatiously, "Could I have the pleasure of dancing with you?" He knelt in front of her, gently extending his hand

Ms. Chu studied him for a few seconds and with bated breath, she cautiously accepted his outstretched hand. The atmosphere thickened as Jangmul, like a maestro of mystery, rises from the ground, punctuating the scene with thunderous applause. And in a chilling twist, the lights abruptly fade into darkness, leaving everyone immersed in a whirlwind of confusion.

Suddenly, the lights turned on above the boxing ring, in a shimmering display of grace and skill, the captivating couple takes center stage under the transcendent glow of the spotlight. As their bodies entwine in a seamless dance, a mesmerized gaze falls upon Thea, her eyes sparkling with awe at the couples' exquisite artistry, alluring and refined.

"She's feeling it" Hana indicated with a smile, pointing eagerly, as she covered her head with a blanket to show her excitement. Mun even stepped closer to the boxing ring to get a better view of the couple's actions

"That was incredible!" Thea exclaimed, sending kisses into the air and shaping hearts with her hands, as though she was the most devoted supporter

Nevertheless, her expression turned into a scowl when she came to the realization that a specific person was absent and seemingly untraceable. She pondered about Jeok-bong's whereabouts and the reasons behind his reluctance to socialize like he used to. It is possible that he carried a sense of guilt for not being able to contribute significantly, although it was common knowledge that he was not to blame.

Regardless, she was unable to take any action as Mun had prohibited her from getting close to the older man. Otherwise, Jeok-bong might misinterpret her goodwill and both of them, particularly Mun, wish to avoid that, particularly since Mun is aware of Jeok-bong's feelings for Thea. Despite Mun's assurance that she was younger, it appears that it held no significance, much to Mun's growing irritation.

Author's note;

Hello everyone! I am currently experiencing severe discomfort in my back, and I sought assistance from a chiropractor to address the issue. According to the chiropractor, the pain is attributed to my posture while sitting and walking. Consequently, they had to manipulate and adjust my bones, resulting in cracking my bones 😭 Although I didn't anticipate going through such a procedure, it provided some relief for a few days. However, I have noticed that the pain resurfaces whenever I spend extended periods sitting in class😮‍💨

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Question of the day: Which country would you like to travel to for vacation? 🇰🇷🇫🇷🇲🇽

I have a strong desire to visit Korea; it would be a dream come true. Nevertheless, I am currently facing extreme financial difficulties 💀 See y'all in the next chapter, my dear readers! 💕