Chapter 27.2

Chapter 27.2

Baekseol was the first to step forward with a light gait. As Ara followed and crossed the large gate, the scenery in front of her began to blur and dissolve, as if it were melting away.

In an instant, Ara and Baekseol were standing on the wooden veranda of the fake goblin house.

Behind them was the old, worn-out house, and in front was the yard where she had played go-stop with Seok-kyung. It was the same place where she’d stubbornly insisted on staying, eventually falling asleep under a blanket right there.

“Stick close to me so you don’t get lost,” Baekseol commanded, leaping down from the veranda like a proper leader.

Her tone was serious, but the way her fluffy tail wagged playfully made Ara chuckle as she quietly followed behind.

The journey to Daeyasan was unusually peaceful. Even though Ara was the one being led, she felt as if she were out for a walk with her pet.

The late summer sun burned brightly in the sky, but whenever they entered the shade of the trees, a refreshing mountain breeze cooled the sweat on her brow. Sunlight filtered through the thick branches, casting leafy patterns of shadows on the dirt path.

To think that the world could look this different simply because no one was chasing her.

As she reveled in this newfound sense of freedom, a faint bitterness started to creep in.

A life where one could notice the changing seasons, feel the cool, open breeze filling their lungs. A life that was utterly ordinary, sometimes even a little boring in its peacefulness.

Had even that been too much for her to wish for?

She never dreamed of being rich or famous. She just wanted to live as ordinarily as everyone else, nothing more, nothing less.

“We’re here. The big chestnut tree. This is it, right?”

Just as Ara’s quiet resentment began to stir the depths of her heart, Baekseol, who had been striding confidently ahead, finally stopped and turned around.

Ara struggled to catch her breath from the long walk. A deep sigh escaped her. Once she refocused her slightly blurred vision, she realized that they had indeed arrived in front of her grandmother’s grave.

A single mound, surrounded by sporadic weeds, caught Ara’s eye. It was a modest grave, with nothing more than a simple headstone, yet the nearby chestnut tree cast a generous shade over it, allowing warm sunlight to seep through from the back.

“Grandma, I’m here. How have you been?”

With a voice more cheerful than usual, Ara approached the headstone and gently brushed off the pale dust that had settled on it.

Grandma, I’ve missed you so much. Have you already met Dad and Mom up there? You know, a lot has been tough for me lately… and strange things have happened too. But you probably already know everything from watching over me in the sky…

Despite the overwhelming words bubbling up inside her, Ara swallowed them all down.

After all, she was here for a picnic. A picnic and venting sorrow didn’t go together. Those were two words that rarely aligned.

“Baekseol-nim, can you see my grandmother? Is she here?”

Determined to avoid sounding weak, Ara quickly changed the subject.

“Nope, she’s not here. Actually… I think the owner of this grave hasn’t been around for a while.”

Baekseol sniffed around, her obsidian-like eyes glinting with a hint of unease as they met Ara’s gaze.

“Really? That’s great.”

But instead of being sad, Ara smiled brightly.

“My grandma used to say that when she died, she’d ride the wind and soar, visiting all the places she couldn’t see while she was alive. Maybe she’s traveling somewhere nice.”

Chattering away, Ara rummaged through her bag.

“This works out for you, Baekseol-nim. You can eat everything now, even Grandma’s portion.”

She spread out a few warm potato pancakes, stored in an insulated container, alongside a bottle of makgeolli*.

*makgeolli – sparkling rice wine

“I bet you’ve been dying to eat these since I made them earlier, right? Go ahead and dig in. The weather’s perfect, the breeze is cool—it’s the ideal day for some midday drinking.”

Instead of using the old aluminum cups that her grandmother used when she was alive, Ara had brought out two ceramic cups she found in the goblin house’s cupboard, setting one in front of each of them.

Soon, the cups were filled with the milky white makgeolli.

Baekseol, her tail drooping, glanced back and forth between Ara, the grave, and the cups. Her long snout twitched as if she were about to say something, but instead, she let out a small sigh.

“When your grandma finishes her travels and comes back, let’s come on another picnic together.”

“Yes, thanks.”

Ara smiled softly. She didn’t ask whether they really could come back together.

It was enough to feel grateful. Sometimes, even uncertain, hollow promises could be comforting.

“Maybe it’s the scenery, but this makgeolli tastes sweeter than usual.”

Ara took a small sip, her eyes wandering over the surrounding landscape.

The last of the summer greenery, awaiting the arrival of autumn’s colors, painted the entire mountain. A cool breeze, carrying the scent of water, drifted in from the distant stream. Summer flowers bloomed abundantly, and birds flitted from tree to tree, filling the air with their cheerful songs.

Then, something caught her eye. Between the thick bushes, a faint shimmer glistened.

“Baekseol-nim, do you see that?”