บท 5: IT’S NOT A DOG

"HAVE you calmed down?" Yujin asked Geun-wook who still looked shocked. "Are you still shocked by what we saw?"

Geun-wook remained silent as if he was deep in thought.

[Understandable.]

After she told Geun-wook that what he saw earlier was his doppelganger, he couldn't believe it.

When the security team arrived with the maintenance team, she didn't tell the truth. She just told them that the elevator suddenly stopped moving, and she was trapped inside for a few moments. But, by some miracle, the elevator doors opened on their own.

Then Geun-wook asked the head security if they could see the footage of the time she was trapped inside the elevator.

[Even I was a little surprised by what we saw.]

But Geun-wook looked really shocked.

After they checked the CCTV footage, Geun-wook went back to his apartment first to change into his school uniform. Then they headed to the reception area of his apartment building to talk.

Right now, they occupied a table for two while sitting across from each other.

"I still can't believe it," Geun-wook said after staying quiet for a few minutes. "The CCTV caught it when you fell over on your own. But when the elevator began shaking, something like a black substance blocked the camera. The security and the maintenance team said that the CCTV probably malfunctioned, but…"

"Yeah, that was probably your doppelganger's doing," Yujin said while nodding. "It looks like I fell over on my own. But actually, your doppelganger tackled me."

He knitted his forehead as if he was confused. "I don't know much about ghosts. But according to some horror films I've seen, doppelgangers are supposed to follow the person who they copied around. But why the hell did that bastard attack YOU?"

That was a good question.

However…

"It didn't attack me," she explained to him. "It's true that your doppelganger tackled me. But I think it only wants to… play?"

"Why are you talking about my doppelganger as if you're talking about a dog?" he asked, and he sounded a little annoyed. "Yujin, it's normal for most dogs to tackle you when they're being playful. But a doppelganger wouldn't tackle you to "play," would it?"

Ah, he had a point.

"Right," she said, agreeing with him because she didn't want to sound like she was defending a doppelganger. "Anyway, do you believe me now?"

"I never doubted you, Yujinie."

"Huh?"

"Did I ever make fun of you when you used to tell our classmates before that you can see your doppelganger?"

Yep, she had a phase in middle school where she was proud that she could see her doppelganger. She felt the need to brag about it because she thought "sHe wAs difFeReNt frOm tHe oTheR girLs." Thankfully, she quickly got over herself.

She shook her head. "You were one of the few ones who didn't call me a crazy pitch even when you often caught me swinging my bat around at "nothing.""

"I admit that I don't really understand you and the kind of world you see, though," Geun-wook said. "But just because I don't understand doesn't mean I don't care."

"That's why you beat up people who make fun of me?"

He just flashed his signature boyish grin at her. "You're late for your morning classes, but you can still make it to your afternoon classes," he said, wisely changing the topic. "Let's go, I'll walk you to school."

Ah, so that was why he changed into his school uniform.

"Wait, you said you'll walk me to school," she said. "But we go to the same school."

"I told you– I don't feel like attending my classes today," he said, shrugging. "I'll play hooky after I walk you to school."

"Sun Geun-wook, you're not taking this seriously, are you?" she asked, a little annoyed. "You already know what it means when your doppelganger shows up. If you're not going to school, then stay at home. You have to be careful."

"Yujinie, if it's already my time, I'll still die even if I was at home," he said casually. "I'd rather enjoy the last remaining moments of my life than coop myself up at home out of fear. Plus, I don't want to be alone at our house."

Ah, right.

Sun Geun-wook only had his mother as family, and his mother wasn't in the country at the moment.

"Should I play hooky with you?" she asked awkwardly.

He laughed at her suggestion. "I won't let you ruin your school life by hanging out with me, especially since we're seniors now. You're supposed to be studying hard for the college entrance exam, Yujinie."

"Hey, we just started our senior year this month, so don't talk about our college entrance exam yet," she complained. "Plus, you should be saying that to yourself. We're already seniors, so why not focus on your studies?"

"Because it's boring."

"Sun Geun-wook."

"If you're really worried about me because I'm supposed to die soon, then…" Geun-wook put her arms on the table between them, then he leaned down and whispered. "Why don't we just live together so we can protect each other 24/7, Honey?"

Oh?

"That actually makes sense," she said, nodding eagerly. "My house is full of protective barriers, so you'll be safe there, Geun."

He looked shocked by her response.

She knitted her eyebrows. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You don't see me as a man, do you?"

"What does it have to do with our conversation?"

"Honey, you're hurting my feelings again."

"Huh?" she asked, confused. "What did I do?"

"Moon Yujin, I know that you're not the type of person who will agree to just anyone who asks you to live with them. I'm also aware that the reason you agreed with my suggestion, albeit being a joke, is because you're worried about my safety," he said, and for some reason, he sounded hurt. "But it hurts since you made it painfully obvious that you're not bothered by my presence, even if we lived in the same house."

She would admit that she wasn't good at reading the room.

If she was, then she wouldn't have bragged about having the ability to see her doppelganger before.

Hence, she didn't really understand why Sun Geun-wook was upset.

"I don't see the problem," she said, tilting her head to one side. "You know my aunt is a shaman, don't you? I live with her. She's not in the country right now, but she'll be home soon."

"That's not why I mean–"

"And I trust you, Geun."

"Huh?"

"I know that you don't have a good reputation among girls because you date around. They call you a motherduckling womanizer," she said. "But I know that you're a gentleman. That's why I feel safe with you."

His face beamed as if he was touched.

But that positive emotion only lasted for a moment.

He groaned and washed his face with his hands. "You're being unfair, Yujinie."

"How am I being unfair?"

"Honey, I'm sorry but I can't walk you to school after all," Geun-wook said in a hurry, then he stood up and waved at her while walking backwards. "Call me when you get to school, okay?"

Yujin knitted her eyebrows, confused. "What happened to that mustard?"

***

Please add SPOOKY SOULMATE to your library~