When A Ghoul Falls In Love

She hasn’t said a word since the car accident.

Eli waits outside the room in the hospital. Nell didn’t want him to check her body. He wonders why she’s being like this suddenly. It’s not the first time when she mistook him for Baek Joon-Woo. Then, why she’s different today? Moreover, how did she get hurt?

He turns around when he hears the footsteps. Doctor Anderson steps out. She closes the door first. She gestures him to walk with her.

“What happened to her?” He asks her when they get closer to her office. Her silence is making him nervous.

“Dr Sanguine, how did she get those wounds?” Doctor Anderson looks at him with doubts. She has known him for two years.

“She and I were in a car accident.” He creases his forehead. “Is something wrong? Has she been hurt badly?”

“Those wounds don’t seem like they are from an accident.” She tells him awkwardly, “It looks like someone had beaten her up. She has wounds on her back and arms. It’s not serious. She will be fine after a few days of rest.”

Beaten up? Eli knits his brows. “How did she get beaten up?”

It seems like he doesn’t have any clue either. She pats his arm. “Maybe I am overthinking. Your wife told us that she got them from the accident.”

That’s not possible. His shadows protected her body at that time. Still, she wouldn’t get swollen fingers in a minor car accident. “Thank you, Dr Anderson. Can I see her?”

“Sure.” She smiles at him. “Take care of her.”

She walks away in a hurry, ignoring the restless feelings. It’s foolish to have feelings for a man who is already married.

Eli walks back to the room. He hesitates for a moment. He is fine if she becomes confused whether he’s Baek Joon-Woo or Eli, but she seems distant after the accident. Did he do something wrong?

When he walks into the room, he sees her sitting on the bed and staring at her hand with longing and grief. “Nell.”

She raises her head and looks at him, showing a forced smile to him. “I am sorry for troubling you. I keep coming to the hospital.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that.” Don’t speak to him formally. He wants to tell her. He notices that she inserts her hand in her coat’s pocket with guilty in her eyes. He wants to ask her why she’s doing this, but he’s afraid to hear the answer. “How did you get hurt?”

“The car accident,” She replies to him, not meeting his eyes. “I am fine. Let’s go back.”

“You are not being honest.” He stares hard at her. If he lets this go because of fear, she will lie again. Even if it is something that he doesn’t want to hear, he must hear it. Otherwise, the distance between them would grow again. “Tell me how did you get hurt.”

The cat could tell him, but that spirit is sleeping like a log. Even an accident couldn’t wake up the cat. He left the cat in his office. It should take a few more hours before the cat digests it all. It’s not good for him to rely on that cat a lot. It’s between him and Nell. He wants to hear it from her.

The clock is ticking. Even a minute feels like an hour. She breaks the silence. “That man in the black robe I don’t remember who he is, but I know him.”

Is she remembering? Eli pinches his lips together. He holds himself back from speaking. The Fae is going to come back after thirteen days. Either he finds that Fae before he comes here or he must have preparations to face that Fae. He must hide Nell in a safe place.

“I had a dream.” She lowers her head. “It was a memory. My mother had beaten me up that day. I don’t know how, but these wounds on my body are from that day.

He curves his brows and widens his eyes. Why are wounds from that time are reappearing with the memory? Is this what that cat meant? What kind of sick spell is this? It’s making her relive those memories.

If her other memories come back, then she would go through that incident in her mind again.

There must be some way to stop this. He can’t let her go through the same torture again.

“Evie was telling the truth.” She’s mumbling softly, “Baek Joon-Woo didn’t kill himself. Baek Joon-Woo also knew that I had magic. What could have happened back then? I have to remember.”

“No!” Eli grabs her and tells her sternly, “Forget about him. I won’t let you remember. Do you hear me? You don’t have to go through that again. Nell, be with me. Let’s go to my world. We will get married right away and then, I will take you somewhere far from this world where nobody can hurt you.”

“Eli, I don’t know.” She shakes her head slightly. “I tried to run away for a long time, but I am still remembering. I think that I should face it head-on.”

She’s been telling him that she didn’t want to remember at any cost. Now, she’s changing her mind. What else did she see? Eli recalls her expression when she woke up. She must have seen Baek Joon-Woo. If the wounds from that time can return, then the feelings would return too. Feelings of the girl who fell in love with Baek Joon-Woo might come back to the woman he loves. If that happens, what would she do?

“Nell, past isn’t important.” He pulls her in his embrace, trying to hide the fear in his heart. Even after nine years, she is still having a hard time moving on. She told him that she couldn’t unlove Baek Joon-Woo. He can accept that. Having a little portion in her heart is enough. But if those feelings return to her, she won’t have any place in her heart for him.

“You are with me.” He can’t tell whether he’s saying those words to himself or her. She’s not with Baek Joon-Woo right now. He can’t hate someone who used to love his woman once. However, the dead should remain dead.

He will destroy that Fae who is causing her pain this way.

“Nell, don’t remember.” The memories, the feelings, Or anything else that might drive her away from him. “Whenever you are confused, look into my eyes. Stay beside me. You promised that you won’t leave me.”

“Have some shame.” She gives him a light push. “You are acting clingy right now.”

“Are you coming to leave with me tonight?” He asks her. He could sense the hesitation in her eyes. He’s being selfish again. But a moment can decide someone’s entire life. If he doesn’t push her now, she will become the girl who was in love with Baek Joon-Woo. Then, she might never be with him again.

“Yeah.” She climbs off the bed. She smiles at him. “We can leave now if you want.”

“We are leaving then.” He grabs her hand and walks toward the door. The gate to his world is not in this city. Benny should have a teleport device. He also needs to have a talk with Benny. He won’t let her remember. He will do everything he must do to stop it.

***********

Eli is right. Past is past. Baek Joon-Woo is already dead.

I look at my hand.

He felt so alive. Even it was just a memory, I still want to go back and laugh with him again.

Though I am sitting beside Eli, I can’t stop thinking about that boy.

Eli holds my hand — the same one that Baek Joon-Woo kissed. Though they have the same face, I realize how different they are now. Whenever I touch Eli, it feels like I am touching the sun. His hot skin against my palm is replacing the ghost of Baek Joon-Woo’s kiss. I try to take back my hand. He holds my hand tighter. It hurts a little. When I look at him, the words drown in my throat. His gaze is piercing as if he can see through me.

I don’t say anything and look out of the window. The city lights are bright, but I miss the stars.

Evie is already dead. Until the last moment, she didn’t move on from Baek Joon-Woo. I am sure that she’s right. There’s more to the incident. Baek Joon-Woo was killed by someone. He didn’t betray me.

I want to remember. I want to know the truth. I glance at the Devil cat sleeping on Eli’s lap. Why is he sleeping when I want to remember?

But Eli doesn’t want me to remember. I don’t know what to do. My feelings for Eli might change if I remember, but I would do injustice to Baek Joon-Woo if I don’t try to remember when I know that he was killed.

That’s an excuse. I didn’t want to remember when Evie told me that Baek Joon-Woo was killed. I didn’t go to Baek Joon-Woo’s grave once. I kept running away from that boy.

“We are here.” Eli nudges me. He scoops up the cat with his left arm. He doesn’t let go of my hand. I get off the cab and follow him. He rings the bell. After a few minutes, I hear a grumpy voice through the intercom. [You are back again.]

“Benny, my wife is also here,” Eli replies with a cheerful voice. “Aigoo! Don’t be shy. Open the door. I want to introduce my best friend to her.”

[Don’t call me that. We only have a professional relationship.] Though the voice sounds a little angry, the door is unlocked.

“Wife, hold him.” He gives me the cat. The Devil cat feels heavier. His belly is nearly normal though. Eli opens the door and pulls me along with him. A short and round man with reddish cheeks and a sharp nose is standing with his hands in his pockets. He narrows his eyes on me and says, “Miss Solomon, I have heard a lot about you.”

So, he’s the man with whom Eli doesn’t mind drinking tea at 3 of the morning. “I also heard a lot about you.”

“I guess that you know everything now.” Benny gives me a look. “My name is Benjamin Bates in this world.”

In this world? I furrow my brows. Does he have other names in other worlds?

“Benny is the best lawyer in the city,” Eli says to me. His mood is lighter. Benny must be his good friend.

Benny coughs, “Best lawyer in the world.”

“Benny, there are human lawyers who are better than you are.” Eli smirks at him, “They don’t charge that high either.”

“Those humans couldn’t prevent your woman from going to prison.” Benny scowls at him. “What did I get in return for helping you?”

“Don’t lie.” Eli looks at him scornfully. “It wasn’t that difficult for you.”

“But difficult things wait for me in the future.”

“You are overestimating.”

“Hmph! I don’t want to argue with a ghoul.”

Did they forget that I am here?

“It might be a little late to say this, Mr Bates.” I smile at Benny. “Thank you for helping me.”

Benny stares at me, startled. He rubs his nose and looks away. He peers at Eli and grumbles, “Too good for a ghoul.”

“I told you, Benny” Eli chuckles. “My wife is an extraordinary one.”

“I don’t know why she would be with you when she can be with other creatures who won’t chew her bones.” Benny walks ahead of us. He opens the door to the living room. The floor is so clean that I can see my reflection. Benny must have a good cleaner. I sit beside Eli since he won’t let go of my hand. Benny squints hard at me. When the cat purrs, he takes a glance at the cat. He frowns a bit and then, looks back at Eli. I can’t tell what’s going inside this lawyer’s head.

A man with a long white beard and round eyes walks into the living room with a food trolley. The man is even shorter than Benny. He is wearing green clothes and a collar around his neck. I have seen this man before. He places the plates of desserts in front of us. He doesn’t look at us once. I watch him while he’s pouring the tea. “I have seen you before.”

“He’s the leprechaun who came to your home that day.” Eli squeezes my hand. “I gave him to Benny as a part of the payment.”

The leprechaun glares at Eli but says nothing. He leaves with the food trolley.

A real leprechaun

Let it be. I should get used to these things now.

“It took a while to train him.” Benny cracks his fingers. “You basically dumped your problem on me, Eli.”

“You always wanted a servant.” Eli rolls his eyes. “Did you expect me to give you a trained one? I would have kept him if he was trained.”

“…” It’s best not to say anything.

“Where is this place?” The Devil Cat raises his head groggily. “Little Marshmallow, I only slept for a while and– Oh, there was even a car accident”

He blinks his eyes several times and looks up at me. He opens his mouth to say something.

Keep your mouth shut, Devil.

The Devil cat doesn’t speak. He closes his eyes again. Eli glances at me. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes.” I need to have a talk with this cat.

“I need to talk to Benny about something.” Eli lets go of my hand. “I will be back in ten minutes.”

“Okay.” I grin at him. “I will wait here.”

After Eli and Benny head to another room for a chat, I put the cat on the seat beside me. “Stop pretending to sleep.”

The Devil looks at me. “You want to remember.”

“Do you have the ability to give my memories back?” I ask him. He has always questioned whether I wanted to remember or not.

“I don’t.” The Devil sighs. “You will remember with time.”

“Why am I getting my memories back now?” I have many questions. Eli might think that I shouldn’t remember, but these are my memories. I will decide whether I should remember or not. “Devil, speak the truth.”

“There’s a spell on your mind and body.” The Devil cat explains to me, “You would have remembered before the tenth death anniversary of Baek Joon-Woo. I can’t speak more than this. The spell also affects me. I can’t tell you more.”

I inhale sharply. That’s why the Devil has been asking me to kill myself. “What are you?”

The cat tells me with a calm voice, “When you were facing the most painful moment of your life, a piece of your soul fell out. I was born from that piece of soul. For the last nine years, you have been nurturing me with your emotions and little magic that you could still derive from the source. When the spell is broken, you will remember everything. Your magic will be freed too. You will also remember that painful moment. Do you still want to remember?”

A piece of my soul fell out because of pain. How painful that moment must have been?

Whether I want or not, the memories will come back.

“That’s true.” The Devil cat shrugs. “But I can hold them back for a while if you don’t want to remember. Maybe you should spend some time with Little Marshmallow before you face the same suffering again. After you remember, I don’t know what you will do.”

Yeah, there’s a reason why I didn’t want to remember. “Should I marry Eli?”

“Do you want to marry him?” He questions me with narrowed eyes. “Did you forget why you wanted to live? You promised him that you wouldn’t leave him. Little Marshmallow might become someone like you if you leave him.”

“He deserves a better person.” I lean back, staring up at the ceiling. “He should be with someone who can give him all of her pieces. Look at me, Devil. Even my soul isn’t intact.”

The Devil puts his head on my lap. “But he wants you. Can’t you make him happy until all of your memories return? I like him a lot.”

“Fine.” I run my hand on the cat’s fur. “Hold the memories as long as you can. Tell me when you can no longer keep the memories away from me.”

“Are you going to leave him after you remember?” The cat blinks his eyes at me.

“I don’t know.” I can’t speak about something that hasn’t happened yet. “Keep this a secret from Eli.”

“Must I?” The cat seems reluctant.

“You must.” I release my breath. Eli was quite anxious when I told him that I remembered a moment from the past. “Let’s put him at ease.”