The Youngest Master wants to be exorcised! chapter 45

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Hyunsoo quietly nodded, realizing it would be strange to stop them since it wasn’t as if he had rented out the walking trail.

He put on his padded jacket and stepped out of the lodge.

Yoon seemed eager to follow, but for some reason, it was only Jiwon who ended up accompanying him.

“I should’ve at least worn a mask or something.”

Even though his body was warm, the cold on his face annoyed him slightly.

“It’s colder because of the wind.”

As Hyunsoo grumbled, Jiwon agreed and kept walking. The trail was relatively quiet, with the occasional resident walking by with a white dog.

Each time, Jiwon would almost instinctively pull Hyunsoo closer, as if protecting him. This was because of a superstition that white dogs could ward off evil spirits.

“What are you doing every time a dog passes by?”

“Well… the dogs might jump at us…”

“They’re all on leashes.”

“But you have to consider that the owner might lose control or that the dog might be too strong to handle.”

As Hyunsoo listened to Jiwon’s reasoning, he became puzzled. It was odd that Jiwon, who could effortlessly capture creatures several meters long, was wary of dogs that barely reached their calves.

“Did you read some weird stuff online again?”

“Weird stuff?”

“Something about warding off spirits or whatever.”

Jiwon, who had been caught off guard, tried to deflect, saying it wasn’t like that. But the obviousness of the lie left Hyunsoo feeling slightly exasperated.

This was the same person who had refused to eat under-seasoned side dishes, freaked out at the sight of peach iced tea, and gotten angry at undercooked chicken, only to now be wary of white dogs. It was laughable.

“You even suggested having a Christmas party.”

“So?”

“It’s Jesus’ birthday, you know. Christmas.”

“Actually, when I looked it up, there’s debate about when Jesus was born, so it’s not the exact date. It’s fine.”

“You really looked that up?”

Hyunsoo was dumbfounded.

What on earth was Jiwon researching in his free time?

He started wondering how Jiwon would react on Buddha’s birthday next year.

“What else are you worried about? Just tell me.”

“Do I have to?”

“I’m curious.”

“I’m not saying anything.”

Jiwon clammed up, and knowing that once Jiwon decided not to talk, there was no opening him up, Hyunsoo let it go.

It was obvious Jiwon had found some information online. Hyunsoo pulled out his phone and searched for items that supposedly repelled ghosts.

Red beans, salt, chili powder, chicken blood, peaches, sapsal dogs, and so on…

“Now that I think about it, last time when I suggested we eat fish-shaped buns, he insisted on custard-filled ones. Was it because of the red bean paste?”

In the end, Hyunsoo only ate custard-filled fish-shaped buns that day. And come to think of it, those same people had insisted on eating fruit shaved ice instead of red bean shaved ice, saying it was the trend that summer.

Whether it was a trend or not, there was definitely a deeper connection.

“You eat peaches just fine and you love kimchi. What’s the big deal?”

“There’s no harm in avoiding it. Prevention is better than cure.”

“If I told you I visited a church, would you faint?”

“What? Church? Why would you go there?”

Jiwon’s eyes grew wide with shock. He stopped in his tracks and grabbed Hyunsoo’s sleeve, urging him to explain quickly.

“It wasn’t recent, but when those shamans were trying to exorcize me, I got so frustrated that I secretly went to a church.”

Hyunsoo pulled the halted Jiwon along with him, gesturing for them to keep walking while they talked. Jiwon reluctantly walked alongside him, clearly dissatisfied.

“But as luck would have it, the church I went to was a cult. Something about ‘the only true truth’ or whatever…”

Hyunsoo casually recounted how he ended up visiting a cult, asking for an exorcism, only to be scammed.

“The so-called pastor kept sprinkling water on my face, asking how I felt.”

“What did you say?”

By now, Jiwon was completely engrossed in the story, his eyes shining with interest. Seeing this, Hyunsoo couldn’t help but chuckle as he continued.

“He kept sprinkling water on my face, and of course, it didn’t feel good. I started wondering if this guy was messing with me, so I told him honestly that I didn’t feel good.”

“And then?”

“Then he said I wasn’t ready yet. So I kept getting doused in what was supposedly holy water, and do you know what the pastor said at the end?”

Jiwon swallowed hard, looking down at Hyunsoo expectantly. Hyunsoo, feeling the weight of Jiwon’s gaze, looked straight ahead.

“He said, ‘That’s enough for today. Let’s continue tomorrow.’ I was so taken aback, just standing there, and then the pastor slyly massaged his arm as he walked out. I’m pretty sure that cultist ran away because his arm was sore.”

“No way… What kind of person…”

Jiwon was left speechless.

“That’s why it was a cult. And they must’ve been making tons of money—the building was so fancy it even fooled me.”

Hyunsoo shook his head, still shuddering at the memory.

“Have you ever been to a cathedral?”

“Of course. But to get on the waiting list, you need a letter stating you don’t have any mental illnesses. Unfortunately, I have a history of delirium, so I gave up.”

Jiwon’s mood darkened. He had vaguely assumed Hyunsoo only sought out shamans, but it seemed Hyunsoo had seriously considered various methods.

“Do you still have those thoughts?”

Hyunsoo hesitated at Jiwon’s question.

When the vengeful spirit had impersonated Lee Jaehee and trapped him in the room, he had seriously considered giving up and undergoing an exorcism. But…

“Not really, not today.”

“Today…”

Jiwon echoed Hyunsoo’s words absentmindedly, then pressed his lips together. It was a relief that Hyunsoo wasn’t feeling the need for an exorcism today, but the uncertainty of tomorrow left Jiwon anxious.

“I’ll make sure you don’t have those thoughts tomorrow either.”

“Do whatever you want.”

Hyunsoo almost added, “Not cooking is the best way to be nice,” but held back, fearing he’d come across as a nagging old man.

As he walked down the trail with his hands in his pockets, the year-end atmosphere felt palpable. Hyunsoo’s emotions were mixed.

“Next year, I’ll be 31, but I have to tell people I’m 23.”

The unexpected rejuvenation was not at all welcome.

Unlike the enthusiastic protagonists in novels or webtoons who saw possessing someone else’s body as a new opportunity, Hyunsoo found the whole situation troubling.

Trying to gauge the reactions of Lee Jaehee’s family often left him feeling suffocated, and it was unsettling how his real name was beginning to feel strange.

But it didn’t mean he regretted revealing the truth about the possession.

If he had pretended to be the real Lee Jaehee and deceived everyone around him, he might have suffered from insomnia, tormented by guilt every night.

“Well, since even ghosts look good when well-fed, I should at least eat well, sleep well, and live comfortably before I go.”

Hyunsoo decided to adopt a laissez-faire attitude from now on. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that if he kept interfering with every little thing when he was already struggling to take care of himself, he might die of exhaustion before getting exorcised.

“Jaehee.”

While Hyunsoo was lost in thought, Jiwon, who had been silently following him, spoke up.

“What?”

“Do you have any cash on you?”

“All of a sudden?”

Hyunsoo looked at Jiwon curiously. Following Jiwon’s gaze, he saw a street vendor selling roasted sweet potatoes.

Like a sparrow that can’t simply pass by a millstone, a snack addict with a weakness for sweets couldn’t possibly just walk past a roasted sweet potato stall.

“I’ve got cash. Let’s go, I’ll buy it for you.”

“I’ll pay you back later when we get home. I left in such a hurry, I didn’t even bring my phone…”

“Come on, how much could it cost?”

Hyunsoo chuckled and headed toward the stall, hearing Jiwon eagerly following behind with excited footsteps.

As they got closer, the sweet aroma and warmth of the roasted sweet potatoes wafted over them. The wind had made their faces cold, but the warmth from the stall was a relief.

Jiwon immediately asked the owner, who was sitting on a plastic chair, “What is this?”

“Roasted sweet potatoes,” the owner replied curtly, pointing at the banner hanging beside the stall, as if asking if they couldn’t read the large, prominently displayed words written in a formal script.

Hyunsoo let out a small laugh. Jiwon had intended to ask about the type of sweet potato, but by omitting the subject, the owner had misunderstood the question.

“What kind of sweet potato is it?”

“Oh, it’s honey sweet potatoes.”

When Hyunsoo politely corrected the question with a friendly smile, the owner sheepishly answered, realizing what Jiwon had meant. Jiwon, now understanding that they were honey sweet potatoes, urged Hyunsoo to hurry up and buy them, his eyes sparkling.

“Thank you. Enjoy them!”

With a bag full of roasted sweet potatoes in hand, they started walking, the surroundings glittering with light. It was the Christmas season, and the trees lining the street were wrapped in twinkling lights.

“It’s so flashy,” Jiwon commented, looking at the dazzlingly lit trees as they walked silently beside Hyunsoo.

As Hyunsoo glanced at Jiwon’s face, illuminated by the colorful lights, he couldn’t help but smile.

‘With that excited face after buying roasted sweet potatoes, he just looks like a kid who’s obsessed with Christmas…’

“Why are you smiling?” Jiwon asked, tilting his head, curious about why Hyunsoo was laughing when nothing funny had happened.

“Just thinking about eating the sweet potatoes makes me happy.”

“Let’s not share them with Yoon-yi and Minchan hyung.”

“Yeah, let’s keep them all for ourselves.”

“Okay.”

Feeling like they’d walked enough to aid digestion, Hyunsoo decided to head home. Besides, he feared what Jiwon might do in the name of reheating the sweet potatoes if they cooled down.

“It’s so cold my face feels like it’s going to fall off. Let’s go home.”

Jiwon, who wasn’t much of a fan of walks and had only come out to keep Hyunsoo company, quickly nodded at the suggestion to return.

As they walked down the path with slightly quicker steps, Jiwon’s expression suddenly turned fierce. A soccer ball was flying towards them from the playground next to the path.

“Who the hell plays soccer in this cold? They must be crazy.”

Jiwon kicked the ball back toward the playground and glanced at Hyunsoo, who was standing there absentmindedly with the bag of sweet potatoes in hand, oblivious to the flying ball.

“Are you okay? You don’t look well.”

“It’s just… There’s a kid wearing short sleeves in this weather.”

“Short sleeves?”

Jiwon looked in the direction Hyunsoo was staring. His face stiffened, and he gently took Hyunsoo’s hand.

“Where?”

“Over there, sitting right there.”

Hyunsoo raised the hand holding the sweet potato bag and pointed. Jiwon stared intently at the spot Hyunsoo indicated.

“Did his parents throw him out? Who lets a kid wear short sleeves in this weather? It’s practically child abuse.”

Hyunsoo muttered angrily, but Jiwon only moved his lips without managing a reply.

“I need to ask him what’s going on.”

Hyunsoo, unable to stand by when he saw injustice, started to move, but Jiwon, now pale, grabbed him.

“Jaehee.”

“What?”

“…I don’t see anyone there.”

“What are you talking about? The kid’s right there.”

“No, I mean it. There’s no one there where you’re pointing…”

The place Hyunsoo was pointing at with his outstretched hand was nothing but an empty lot.

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