GRR 65

Baek Kitae, who answered in a tone harsher than ever before, rose from his seat.

Jion slowly lifted his gaze to look at Baek Kitae standing in front of him. The corners of his mouth curved into a arc.

“I should’ve killed them all. I should’ve watched with my own eyes as they breathed their last.”

“…….”

“And that taxi driver who made me like this… I should kill him too……”

Jion took a step back. But because of the cigarette display, he couldn’t even take a few steps before stopping. Baek Kitae smiled brightly, as if he hadn’t just said something so cruel. Completely oblivious to the fact that Jion’s face had turned pale, he blurted out something unexpected.

“Jion, shall we do something fun now?”

“…….”

“I told you before. Next time we meet, I’d play with you.”

It sounded like a suggestion at first, but it didn’t seem like Jion’s opinion mattered much to him. Before Jion could respond, Baek Kitae passed through the counter and stepped inside. In an instant, he passed right through Jion’s body and enthusiastically asked.

“How is it? Fun, right?”

Jion staggered once and used the cigarette display as support to steady himself. stolen content Baek Kitae passed through him again and went outside this time. Jion staggered again. His mind grew hazy, and strength drained from his body.

The problem was that he still didn’t understand Baek Kitae’s intention. But he had to stop him. Jion gritted his teeth and slipped his hand into his vest pocket to grab the wooden plaque.

“Jion, want to do something even more fun?”

While Jion repeatedly tried to summon Kwon Chasa, Baek Kitae asked again. Jion lifted his eyelids to look at him. Black mist enveloped Baek Kitae, just like right before he had collided with Go Youngjae and Im Juseong.

“Get revenge on taxi driver for me. Kill him in the most brutal way. How about it? Sounds fun, right?”

He wanted to refuse, but no sound came out of his mouth. It felt like someone had blocked his throat. Still calling for Kwon Chasa inwardly, Jion could only shake his head. He had no way of knowing whether the wooden plaque in his pocket was responding or not, and it only made him more frustrated.

Baek Kitae laughed out loud and stared at Jion. The black mist surrounding him became thicker. Jion knew he had to avoid it, but his body wouldn’t move the way he wanted.

With a smile, Baek Kitae charged at Jion and slammed into him. He managed to enter Jion’s body for a brief moment, but before he could fully settle in, a strong gust blew him away and sent him flying into the air. Jion lost consciousness on the spot, while Baek Kitae, unable to hide his fury, looked around with bloodshot eyes.

“Ah, fuck….”

Kwon Chasa leaned against the entrance door. He loosened his tie while staring at Baek Kitae. The latter cursed upon spotting Kwon Chasa. The distance between them immediately disappeared, and Kwon Chasa’s buwol was already thrust against Baek Kitae’s neck. But Baek Kitae only scoffed.

“If you can, go ahead.”

Baek Kitae brought his neck even closer to the blade and snickered. Kwon Chasa frowned slightly. Baek Kitae knew that a grim reaper couldn’t treat a soul carelessly.

“You can’t even touch a single hair on my head. You’re supposed to escort me properly to the underworld. What if I get hurt?”

Baek Kitae took a breath, then stepped back. In the next instant, he disappeared right before Kwon Chasa’s eyes. The aura and ghostly energy that had been emanating from him quickly faded, he had left the place.

Kwon Chasa, who was about to chase him, noticed Jion unconscious, and turned back. Only after withdrawing his weapon and disguising himself as a human did he approach Jion.

Jion’s complexion was pale. Though only for a moment, Baek Kitae had possessed his body.

“Uh, who are–huh? Jion!”

As Kwon Chasa was about to summon the gate, he turned his head at a voice from somewhere. A man ran over after spotting Jion. It was someone he recognized, the man he saw when he had come to give Jion the spring water. The person Jion had called the store manager.

Kwon Chasa lifted Jion into his arms and spoke calmly.

“I’ll take him to the hospital.”

“Uh… no, who are you…?”

The manager was suspicious of Kwon Chasa. The latter hesitated for a moment, then calmly said.

“…I’m Jion’s hyung.”

He briefly nodded and walked out. Kwon Chasa hurried out of the convenience store. The stunned manager tilted his head as he looked toward the entrance.

He had never heard that Jion had a hyung.

‎ ***

‎

As soon as he arrived at the hanok, Kwon Chasa laid Jion down on the sofa. Only after placing his fingers on Jion’s neck and confirming he was breathing did he feel a bit relieved, but Jion’s face was still deathly pale. Though brief, a vengeful spirit with strong ghostly energy had disturbed his body, if not treated quickly, it would cause serious harm.

“Kwon Chasa-nim! I brought the blood-reviving flower!”

Yu Chasa barged in with a single red flower in his hand. The blood-reviving flower, which could restore blood flow. After hearing Kwon Chasa’s telepathic call, he had immediately gone to the Seocheon Flower Garden to obtain it from the keeper.

Kwon Chasa placed the flower directly on Jion’s chest. Not long after, it shimmered briefly, then disappeared into his body. Color quickly returned to Jion’s face, and his previously motionless body began to twitch slightly.

Only then did Kwon Chasa let out a breath of relief and bring spring water from the study. He lifted Jion’s upper body and carefully dripped a few drops between his lips. Jion’s mouth moved faintly.

Jion suddenly opened his eyes and burst into a cough.

“Yu Chasa, bring me what’s in the fridge.”

“Ah, yes!”

Yu Chasa quickly ran to the kitchen and returned with banana milk. Kwon Chasa poured the remaining spring water into it and held it directly to Jion’s lips. Still unable to understand what was happening, Jion frowned at the bitter taste and looked at Kwon Chasa.

“Hurry and drink.”

Jion recognized the familiar scent of banana milk and swallowed a mouthful. But he soon frowned again and pulled his head back. The bitterness still numbed his mouth.

“Ugh… is this medicinal water?”

“Yes.”

A simple reply. Jion scrunched up his face but drank the banana milk. Once he finished the bottle, he gradually regained his senses.

Only then did he notice Kwon Chasa, the latter sighed and closed his eyes. Jion heard another sigh behind him, and turned his head to see Yu Chasa rubbing his chest in relief. Both grim reapers looked as if they had finally put their worries to rest.

Ah. I messed up….

He could tell that something had gone wrong.

Jion had nothing to say and simply retraced his memories. He remembered Baek Kitae enveloped in black mist approaching, but after that, his mind was blank. He had no idea why he was here or why he had suddenly needed to drink spring water.

Kwon Chasa spoke up upon seeing Jion unable to do anything but blink.

“Does your body feel strange? Try clenching your hands. Move your legs too.”

Jion did as told. Nothing hurt, and nothing felt off.

“I think I’m okay….”

Aside from the bitterness in his mouth, he felt completely fine, surprisingly so. Kwon Chasa sat on the main sofa. Yu Chasa also quickly came over and sat in front of Jion. After confirming the color had returned to Jion’s face, Yu Chasa sighed in relief.

Jion held his breath as he looked back and forth between the two grim reapers. He remembered desperately trying to call Kwon Chasa with the wooden plaque even when his consciousness was fading. Seeing that he was here now, the wooden plaque in his pocket must have reacted at the last moment.

I should say thank you……

But neither Kwon Chasa nor Yu Chasa looked particularly pleased, so he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

He belatedly started regretting his decision. If he had remembered Kwon Chasa’s warning when he first met Baek Kitae and was cautious, things wouldn’t have escalated this far. His guilt amplified after seeing Go Youngjae and Im Juseong lose consciousness.

He also felt sorry toward Kwon Chasa and Yu Chasa. They must have handled everything in his place when he couldn’t do anything.

Jion bit his lips, wondering what to say first. He closed his eyes and opened them again.

“…I’m sorry.”

In the end, the first thing he said was that he was sorry.