Page 30 of Gumiho Kiss
“How wonderfully lucky.”The man laughed, making his long, unbound hair shake.“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to search for you long.”
Hyun Soo dove for his sword, then jumped back up, holding it between himself and the ahjussi.“You were searching for me?Why?Who are you?”
The ahjussi’s mouth spread impossibly wide, teeth sharpening to fine points.“Oh, you didn’t know?Funny, I thought I heard someone announce me.”His body rose from the floor as though weightless, his white robe swirling around him.
Hyun Soo’s blood ran cold.Someonehadannounced him.When the victim had called his attacker “Gwishin,” he hadn’t been talking about the vigilante.He’d meant an actual ghost.
The spirit gave him a patronizing nod.“Yeh, you’re seeing it now, aren’t you?”He gestured to his clothes.“I really thought the white hanbok would be enough, but you humans are denser than I expected.”
Hyun Soo knew he should feel insulted right now, but he was still reeling with shock.A ghost?Had Grandmother been right about everything?He couldn’t remember how she’d said one could dispel malignant spirits.
“What do you want?”
The ghost shut his eyes with a frustrated groan.“Must I explain that as well?You, of all humans, should understand why I was drawn here.And why others of my kind will be here soon.”
“Others?”Hyun Soo didn’t like the sound of that.
The ghost waved his hand dismissively.“Not to worry.It won’t come to that if you simply give me what I’m after.”
“But you haven’t told me what that is,” Hyun Soo pointed out.Like he’d told the vigilante, he never started a fight until he knew his enemy’s weakness.What was a ghost’s?He racked his brain, conjuring up stories of deceased spirits seeking to set right the unresolved issues of their lives.“Do you want me to help you get revenge on someone?”
The ghost covered his face, thoroughly exasperated.“Trying to reason with you is a waste of time.”When he removed his hand, his eyes were narrow with malice.“The only thing left to do is take it.”
He flew forward, reaching for Hyun Soo’s torso.
“Stop right there,” came a commanding voice.
The ghost froze, then turned to the newcomer behind him.
Sunlight blazed in from the open doorway, making it impossible to discern the features of the figure standing there, sword raised.Hyun Soo blinked a few times, trying to restore his impaired vision.The voice had been female; familiar, even.Surely it couldn’t belong to?—
“Don’t touch what belongs to me,” the woman declared, “or I will end you.”
The ghost shrieked as he launched an attack, meeting his new adversary’s blade.Blue fire crackled where their swords met, and the woman fell back with a gasp.
Hyun Soo’s spotty eyesight began to clear, revealing what he hadn’t wanted to believe: his rescuer was none other than Lady Lee.
“Get back,” he warned, jumping into the fray as the ghost swung its sword at the woman’s head.Hyun Soo blocked the blow, but upon contact, a searing heat ran up his arm and he nearly lost his weapon a second time.
Lady Lee scooted backward just as Hyun Soo dropped to the ground and rolled to the side.The ghost’s sword tip hit the dirt, and the fiend pulled back with a frustrated hiss.
“Stay still,” the spirit shouted.
When Hyun Soo sprang to his feet, Lady Lee was beside him, brandishing a dagger.“Are you all right, Mr.Park?”
“What are you still doing here?I told you to get to safety.”
The ghost advanced, aiming for Hyun Soo.The two exchanged blows, shuffling across the school courtyard, and all the while, Lady Lee looked on.
Why wasn’t she leaving?
Hyun Soo blocked a strike near his chest, then spun around and pierced his opponent’s exposed back, the blade digging into the flesh between his shoulder blades.
“Agh!”The ghost fell to his knees.
Hyun Soo drew back, the sword coming away covered with silver blood.
The ghost lifted off the ground, his body whirling until they faced each other again.“You’ll pay for that.”The sword in his hand vanished, only for blue flames to appear in its place.He lifted his palm, then sent a burst of fire at Hyun Soo’s face.
