The Youngest wants to be exorcised! chapter 3

* * *

Song Jiwon blinked. The tone and scolding were too familiar. It was confusing. Why was he seeing the actions of someone he had to send away in this stranger?

“Sit down first.”

The young man sighed and muttered.

“…What?”

“Sit down.”

The young man, who looked much younger than them, muttered lowly with a frown. The three men found themselves sitting in nearby chairs, feeling like they had to.

“It’s a long story, but, hmm.”

As the young man rubbed his chin in thought, the three frowned.

“To get to the point, Park Hyunsoo is in this body.”

As soon as Park Hyunsoo was mentioned, Minchan jumped out of his chair.

“Damn it, what nonsense is this?”

“Chan, watch your mouth.”

The young man pointed a finger at Minchan without hesitation, as if it were a natural gesture.

The delicate-looking man pointing at him with a finger made Minchan flinch. It was just like when Park Hyunsoo used to scold him.

The tone and actions were the same as when he was alive.

“Your Hyung is speaking right now.”

“…”

Kim Yoon, who had been sitting quietly, lowered his head slightly. His soft, brown hair swayed in front of his eyes.

The way this man spoke, always calling himself hyung and placing great importance on hierarchy, made Kim Yoon mutter unconsciously.

“Hyunsoo hyung?”

Even though he knew it was impossible, the person in front of him felt like him. Despite the different appearance, the tone and actions were familiar.

“Yoon, suppress your energy. Hyung isn’t feeling well right now.”

“Oh, okay…”

Kim Yoon retracted the energy he had unconsciously released. He looked up at the man in front of him. When their eyes met, the man asked.

“What?”

Though he sounded grumpy, the question was affectionate.

“Are you really Hyunsoo hyung?”

“Yeah.”

The man smiled broadly. Kim Yoon closed his eyes tightly. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up.

* * *

Hyunsoo clicked his tongue as he watched Yoon close his eyes tightly.

‘Even if I get this guy on my side, the problem is these two…’

He looked at the two people glaring at him.

Jung Minchan, the main partner and leader of Special D Team, had the appearance of a healthy athlete with a tan and a robust build. True to his nature as a flame Esper, he lived recklessly after Hyunsoo’s death, though Hyunsoo was unaware of it.

Song Jiwon, who looked like an idol star, was also quite difficult to deal with. With his platinum blonde hair and striking appearance, he easily gained favor, but once people talked to him, they often backed off. This was because he spoke his mind without filtering his thoughts.

Hyunsoo pondered how to make these guys understand in one go.

“Listen here, I can’t believe the nonsense you’re spouting…”

“Jung Minchan, are you going to keep swearing? We don’t have time, so I’ll get to the point. Jiwon and Yoon, you two listen carefully too.”

“…”

“First of all, thanks for handling my funeral.”

“…”

“I didn’t expect you to cry your eyes out for three days without sleeping.”

“…”

“Anyway, I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s really inconvenient for me to be in this body. I have no body to return to, so I need to pass on. If you guys can just confirm that it’s really me…”

Jiwon, who had been quietly listening, suddenly interrupted and asked, “If you’re really our hyung, tell us the password to our dorm.”

‘How dare you speak to your hyung like this.’

Hyunsoo frowned and raised his eyebrows. Jiwon flinched at the sight but still held his gaze, demanding an answer. Hyunsoo sighed deeply and tilted his head slowly.

“What password? Our house uses fingerprint recognition. I don’t know the password. Yoon, is there such a thing?”

Yoon, suddenly put on the spot, reflexively lifted his head.

“Huh? I don’t really know either…”

“If Yoon doesn’t know, then none of you know. Next question.”

A sudden question and answer session began. The next questioner was also Jiwon.

“Our breakfast duty schedule.”

“Breakfast duty, huh? Did Mrs. Doumi quit while I was gone? Were you picky about side dishes again?”

As Hyunsoo grumbled with a frown, Minchan, who had been scowling, spat out.

“…What’s my favorite color?”

At the unexpected question, Hyunsoo laughed incredulously.

“How would I know that? Considering your closet is full of black clothes, black? This question doesn’t count. It’s too subjective.”

“…What’s Kim Yoon’s sleeping habit?”

“Where did our youngest’s privacy go, Chan?”

Yoon blushed slightly. Yoon’s sleeping habit was to cling tightly to the person next to him, specifically Hyunsoo.

To protect his cherished youngest’s privacy, Hyunsoo decided not to answer, causing Minchan to glare at him.

“Then, tell me what you gave me for my birthday last year.”

“You want me to say that here?”

“What? Can’t you remember?”

“This crazy guy…”

Hyunsoo closed his eyes tightly. Last year, on Minchan’s birthday, July 7th, Hyunsoo was too busy to prepare a gift.

So, in the end… he compensated with his body. He was being asked to say this in front of Lee Jaehee’s parents and brother.

“Even though I’m dead, I’m still here, and I can still feel shame, Chan.”

“…”

Minchan fell silent, and Yoon, who had been quietly watching, lifted his head. Staring intently at Hyunsoo, he hesitantly asked,

“If you’re really Hyunsoo hyung… Were you there, at the funeral?”

“Yeah.”

“Then did you hear what we said to you?”

“Of course, I heard everything.”

“What did we say?”

Hyunsoo paused. He could feel Lee Jaehee’s family watching the three of them talk intently.

From the way they gulped, it seemed like they expected a touching line, but unfortunately…

These three guys hadn’t made any heartfelt farewells at the funeral.

“You guys kept blaming me for dying after saying we’d go on a trip together. You jerks.”

Hyunsoo clenched his fist and raised it, glaring.

“You idiots. You thought I couldn’t hear, but hyung heard everything, got it?”

Yoon, with teary eyes, hesitantly asked,

“Anything else?”

Seeing him about to cry softened Hyunsoo’s heart. He unfolded his clenched fist and ruffled Yoon’s curly hair.

“Why are you crying again? What else did you say to me…”

Yoon blinked, feeling the touch of Hyunsoo’s hand, who scolded him irritably but gently patted his head.

“Oh, right. You said you’d strangle my doctor and send him with me. You crazy guys! You didn’t really do it, did you? Tell me, Yoon.”

“Well… I didn’t kill him.”

“What? You didn’t? Then what about Jiwon? Chan?”

“I-I didn’t do it either.”

Jiwon stammered, intimidated by Hyunsoo’s fierce glare.

Though his eyes were gentle, his gaze was like a tiger’s. Minchan, still in disbelief, just blinked.

“Chan, you didn’t set the hospital on fire, did you?”

“…”

“Why aren’t you answering? I’m asking you, aren’t I? Answer me.”

“…I didn’t set it on fire.”

Minchan chuckled. Despite his different face, build, scent, and vibe, it was clear now.

The man before him was indeed Park Hyunsoo.

“It’s really Hyunsoo hyung.”

“Yeah, you idiot.”

Hyunsoo and the three Espers continued their conversation, seamlessly exchanging words that only Park Hyunsoo could know.

Lee Jaehee’s family, pale-faced, silently listened to their talk.

Hyunsoo explained coherently what had happened since he woke up in Lee Jaehee’s body.

The three listened intently, pinching their thighs or biting their lips, as their dream-like situation unfolded before them.

As their conversation continued, Lee Jaehee’s family had to accept that he was indeed Park Hyunsoo. Otherwise, the situation made no sense.

While the four were discussing the director…

“So, these days, the director…”

“Is the director your friend? Oh, wait.”

Suddenly, Hyunsoo ordered Minchan.

“I almost forgot. Chan, apologize for being rude to the elders earlier.”

“Huh? Oh!”

Minchan immediately stood up and bowed deeply to Lee Jaehee’s family.

“I’m really sorry about earlier.”

Jung Minchan, an S-class Esper known for his terrible temper, had turned into a meek lamb.

Lee Jaehee’s family awkwardly nodded, understanding.

Hyunsoo felt relieved that they weren’t completely unreasonable.

Watching Minchan sit down after his apology, Hyunsoo crossed his arms.

“Okay. I think that’s enough proof. Do you all believe I’m really a ghost now?”

“Well…”

Still hesitant about the supernatural phenomenon, Lee Jaehee’s family wavered.

Intellectually, they understood.

With Espers possessing supernatural powers, such a possession was plausible.

But it was different when it involved their own family.

It was just too hard to admit the truth.

Hyunsoo understood their feelings, but he really didn’t want to live in someone else’s body. He sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair, muttering.

“Alright. Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that I am actually Lee Jaehee, who’s showing symptoms of mental halucination. Let’s say I guessed everything right: the fingerprint recognition on the D-Team dorm door, the dorm housekeeper, the fact that Jung Minchan’s wardrobe is filled with only black clothes, and all the other random details.”

“……”

“But how would Jaehee know the things you mumbled through tears and snot at Park Hyunsoo’s funeral in the dead of night? Did he guess that too?”

Jiwon, who had been quietly listening, bristled at the mention of tears and snot.

“I might’ve cried, but I didn’t have a runny nose.”

“You did. I saw it all. Where did you learn to interrupt someone like that, Jiwon?”

Jiwon shut his mouth tightly. Hyunsoo unfolded his arms and leaned forward.

“Do you need more proof?”

Jaehee’s father bit his lip. After a brief silence, he shook his head slowly.

“……No. This is enough.”

Finally, acknowledging that he was a ghost, Hyunsoo smiled brightly at Jaehee’s family.

“Now that you acknowledge it, all you have to do is help me. Let’s find a competent shaman as soon as possible.”

All that was left was the damn exorcism.