Question In My Village
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I was born in a village called Mokpo, which is located on the southern tip of Jeju Island. It’s famous for its seafood and has been designated as an “A-class” fishing port since ancient times. The town itself is small but it boasts beautiful beaches with clear blue water that are perfect to swim in during the summertime.
As you can imagine, I grew up surrounded by nature—and my parents were always busy working so they didn’t have time to play around much when we went out together or even at home. But there was one place where our family would go every year: Seongsan Ilchulbong (Seoraksan Mountain).
This mountain is known throughout Korea because of its breathtaking views from the top; however, this wasn’t something unique about us. Every single person living near the sea goes hiking here once a year! We’d hike all day long until sunset before heading back down again after dinner.
When I say everyone does it… well, I mean EVERYONE. Even people who don’t live nearby come over just to see what the fuss is about. And if someone doesn’t want to do any physical activity like walking uphill then he/she will be forced into doing so anyway. That’s how important Seoraksan Mountain is to Koreans. So naturally, being raised in such an environment made me love traveling and exploring new places ever since I could remember.
When I turned ten years old, my father decided to take his business overseas. He had some connections in China and wanted to expand them further. At first, I thought nothing of him leaving. After all, he worked hard enough while still raising three children alone.
Plus, he promised that he wouldn’t leave for too long and would return soon. However, things weren’t going according to plan. One month passed, two months, six months, nine months… A full year later, I received news that my dad died suddenly due to heart failure. His death hit me harder than expected.
Not only did I lose both of my parents within less than five years, but also lost contact with most members of my extended family. No matter how many tears I cried, no amount of comforting words helped ease the pain inside. All I knew was that life without my dad felt empty, lonely, and hopeless.
My mother tried her best to keep everything running smoothly despite not having anyone else helping out. She took care of me along with taking care of the housework herself. While she never complained, I know deep down that she must’ve suffered greatly behind closed doors.
Her grief became worse whenever I asked questions about why Dad left us or where Mommy went afterward. Whenever I brought those topics up, she would get very upset and tell me that it was none of my concern. Then she’d change the subject right away. I guess I understood why now.
If I kept asking these kinds of questions, eventually I might find myself homeless. Or maybe I’ll end up getting hurt somewhere along the way. Either way, I couldn’t risk losing another parent. Instead, I focused on school work and spent more time playing video games instead. Eventually, I started to forget about Dad altogether.
But my mom didn’t give up easily either. Despite suffering from depression and anxiety attacks, she continued to try and make ends meet. For example, she used to sell fish caught fresh off the boat and dried seaweed to local restaurants. Unfortunately, she failed miserably at selling anything other than dried seaweeds.
They’re delicious though! Anyway, I’m sure you can understand why it was difficult for her to earn money. Especially considering that she needed to pay rent and utilities on her own. To top it all off, I got kicked out of middle school because I missed too many days. Apparently, missing class isn’t allowed unless your absence is approved beforehand.
Well, I certainly hadn’t planned to miss classes. But when I found out that my dad passed away unexpectedly, I panicked and ran straight home. There was simply no way I could face my classmates knowing that my father was dead. Besides, I was already struggling financially.
Missing school meant that I wouldn’t receive any allowance from my mom. This means I would need to rely solely on my meager savings to survive. Needless to say, I ended up skipping quite often.
As time passed, I slowly began to accept the fact that I may never see my dad again. Although I regretted not spending more quality time with him, I realized that I should focus on making my mom happy rather than worrying about myself. I stopped caring about grades and started focusing on enjoying my childhood.
Of course, I still worried about food sometimes. But I learned how to cook simple dishes using ingredients available locally. In addition, I managed to save up a decent sum of money thanks to my part-time job as an assistant teacher at a preschool. It paid almost nothing compared to what I earned during summer break, but it gave me extra pocket cash nonetheless. As long as I stayed healthy and safe, I figured that I would manage somehow.
However, my plans changed completely when I met Mr. Lee.
***
I finally reached the peak of Seoraksan Mountain after hours of climbing uphill. The view was magnificent; there were so many different shades of green everywhere I looked. From far above, I saw countless small lakes dotting the landscape below. And then I spotted something strange: a large black figure standing near one of the mountain peaks.
Curious, I made my way towards the area where the man stood. When I arrived, I noticed that he was staring intently at the ground beneath his feet. I approached cautiously until I was close enough to hear him muttering quietly under his breath. “The Black Dragon…”
“What are you doing here?” I asked curiously.
He glanced over at me before turning back to stare into space once more. “Just looking.”
His voice sounded familiar. Yet, I couldn’t place exactly who this person was. Maybe, someone, I’ve seen around town? That seemed unlikely since we lived in such a remote village. Still, I decided to ask anyway. “Are you new here?”
Mr. Lee nodded silently, refusing to look at me directly. He remained silent for several seconds before speaking up. “Yes… I am.”
That answer wasn’t particularly helpful. So I pressed further. “Where did you come from originally?”
This time, he turned to face me properly. His eyes were bloodshot red orbs filled with pain and sorrow. “A distant land called Korea,” he replied softly.
Korea…? Wait, does that mean he’s Korean?! No wonder he sounds like a native speaker. This guy looks pretty old too, which makes sense given that he came from South Korea. My heart skipped a beat upon realizing just how much he resembled my late father. Suddenly, everything clicked together. I knew exactly who this mysterious stranger really was.
“You’re…!” I exclaimed excitedly.
My words caused Mr. Lee to turn away yet again. After a few moments, he spoke up. “Why do you keep calling me by name?”
Huh? What’s going on here? Why won’t he respond to my question? Is it rude of me to call him by his first name without permission? Oh well, whatever. I guess I’ll have to use his last name instead. “Oh yeah, sorry. You don’t seem very talkative today. Are you feeling okay?”
Still, he refused to speak. Instead, he stared down at the forest floor while mumbling incoherently.
After some time had passed, I grew impatient. “Hey, if you want to be left alone, fine. Just tell me to go away or something. Don’t worry, I won’t bother you anymore.”
But Mr. Lee didn’t reply. Eventually, I lost interest and returned to my original destination. However, I soon discovered that I’d been tricked. A short distance ahead, I heard voices coming from behind me. Turning around, I saw two men approaching. One appeared to be in his mid-twenties, whereas the other was probably older than fifty.
Both wore thick coats despite the warm weather outside. Their faces also bore numerous scars and burn marks. They both carried swords strapped across their backs, suggesting they were members of the military or perhaps even mercenaries.
Noticing my presence, the younger man stepped forward. “Who is this boy?”
“It doesn’t matter. Let us pass,” answered the elder.
They continued walking past me without another word. Once they disappeared into the woods, I quickly followed them. I wanted to know why these guys were following Mr. Lee. Was he being chased by soldiers? Or maybe he was trying to escape from somewhere else entirely? Whatever the case, I needed answers.
If possible, I hoped to convince them to help him out. But as I drew closer, I realized that things weren’t quite what they seemed. These men clearly intended to harm Mr. Lee. In fact, judging by the weapons slung over their shoulders, I suspected that they might actually intend to kill him!
As I watched, the young man suddenly stopped in front of Mr. Lee. He pulled off his hood, revealing a pair of sharp horns protruding from his head. Then, he grabbed hold of the older man’s arm and began dragging him along the path. As expected, Mr. Lee struggled against his captor. It took all of his strength to resist, but eventually, the soldier overpowered him. With an angry grunt, he threw Mr. Lee onto the ground. There, he proceeded to kick him repeatedly in the stomach.
When the beating ended, the younger man got back up and walked away. Moments later, the elder joined him. Together, they vanished deep into the woods.
I ran over to Mr. Lee immediately after seeing them leave. The moment I reached him, he looked up at me with teary eyes. “Help…” he whispered weakly.
The sight made my chest ache. How could anyone treat someone so badly? And why would those two strangers follow him right into the middle of nowhere like that?!
Without hesitation, I knelt beside Mr. Lee and held his hand tightly. “Don’t worry. We’ll get through this somehow,” I said reassuringly.
However, he shook his head violently. “No… Please… Leave me alone…!”
He tried to pull his hands free, but I wouldn’t let go. “What happened?!” I demanded angrily.
His voice trembled uncontrollably. “Please… Go away…”
“Are you hurt anywhere? Did they hit you?”
“Stop… Stop asking questions!” he cried desperately.
At that point, I finally understood what was happening. Those guys were part of some kind of cult, and Mr. Lee was one of its victims! That explained why he kept muttering about ‘the curse’ earlier. Apparently, he believed himself cursed because of whatever horrible thing he did in the past.
To make matters worse, he thought he was destined for eternal damnation unless he found a way to appease his god. So far, he hadn’t managed to find salvation, which meant he must’ve come looking for me. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to explain any further before passing out.
Now that I think about it, there are plenty of people who believe themselves to be cursed. Some claim that they’re haunted by spirits, others say they can see ghosts everywhere they look. Still more insist that they suffer from curses placed upon them by their enemies.
Of course, not everyone believes such nonsense. After all, how do we really know whether or not our lives truly belong to God? Even though most religions preach love and peace, the truth is that many of us live in fear every day. No doubt Mr. Lee felt threatened by something—perhaps his own guilt or shame over committing a terrible crime long ago.
Perhaps he feared he’d never be forgiven. Either way, he came here hoping to seek refuge within the church walls. Sadly, however, no one ever showed up to save him. Instead, he wound up getting attacked by those two thugs.
Mr. Lee was still unconscious when I arrived on the scene. His body was covered in bruises, cuts, and scrapes. Thankfully, none of them appeared serious enough to cause permanent damage. At least, I hope they don’t turn septic anytime soon. For now, the best thing I can do is keep him warm until he wakes up again.
***
After spending several hours tending to Mr. Lee’s wounds, I decided to take him inside the church. Hopefully, Father will have some advice regarding his condition. However, just as I started making my way toward the entrance, I heard voices coming from behind me. They sounded familiar, too. Could it be…?
Turning around, I saw two figures approaching down the pathway. One was tall and thin; the other short and stocky. Both men had dark hair and wore black suits. Their faces were hidden beneath wide-brimmed hats, but even without being able to see their features, I recognized both of them instantly.
“Hey, there you are.”
“You didn’t answer your phone, so I figured I might as well drop by.”
Both men approached slowly, stopping only a few feet away from where I stood. What should I do? Should I run? Or maybe try talking to them first? My mind raced frantically while I waited for them to speak.
Finally, the taller man stepped forward. “It’s been quite a while since last time, hasn’t it?”
My heart skipped a beat. This must be the same guy who visited me yesterday morning. But why does he sound so different today? Is he sick? Has he lost weight? Maybe he has a cold or something.
Before I knew it, the second man spoke up: “And I’m glad to hear things went well between you and Miss Maria.” He smiled broadly. “She seems very happy these days, doesn’t she?”
Oh, crap! It sounds like he knows everything already! Why won’t he stop smiling?!
In an instant, I realized exactly what was going on. These guys aren’t here to talk to me. In fact, they probably haven’t spoken to each other yet either. All they want to do is play dumb and pretend nothing ever happened.
But then again, if I act surprised, it may throw them off guard. If I manage to catch them completely unaware, perhaps I can use that opportunity to escape unnoticed. The problem is, I need to figure out how to tell them apart at the same time.
I glanced back and forth between the two men. There was definitely a difference in height, but beyond that, I couldn’t pick anything else out. As much as I wanted to avoid trouble, I also needed answers. And besides…they could easily overpower me with ease anyway.
With a deep breath, I turned around and faced them squarely. “What do you mean?” I asked nervously. “How would I possibly know what goes on between you two?!”
The shorter man laughed loudly. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll let you in on a little secret. We actually met through her. She told us all about you…”
That’s right. Now that I think about it, this guy looks pretty similar to the other one. How am I supposed to remember which is which?
“So, what brings you here today?” the taller man continued. “Didn’t you say you were busy working overtime recently?”
“Yes, I did.”
For a moment, neither of them seemed willing to continue speaking. Then suddenly, the smaller man cleared his throat. “Well, I guess we’ve got some catching up to do. Let’s go somewhere private, shall we?”
His friend nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
Without another word, the pair began walking past me. Before I knew it, they’d disappeared into the shadows along the side of the building.
Wait! Don’t leave me alone!
As I watched helplessly, the door swung shut behind them. I tried calling after them, but no matter how hard I shouted, nobody answered. Frustrated, I looked around desperately for any sign of life. After searching every corner of the grounds, I finally spotted someone moving nearby.
A young girl wearing a white dress was standing near a tree not far from the front gate. Her long brown hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and she stared silently ahead as though waiting patiently. When our eyes met, she gave me a small smile before turning back toward the house.
Was that…? No, it couldn’t be…
Just when I thought I’d seen enough, I noticed something strange happening among the trees. A group of people appeared from nowhere—a woman carrying a baby, a man holding a child, and three more children running alongside them. At least five adults altogether. None of them paid attention to me whatsoever.
Suddenly, the sight reminded me of the day I arrived at the orphanage. That’s when it hit me. They’re ghosts too!
***
After watching the family disappear inside the mansion, I decided to head home myself. Once I reached my room, however, I found that I wasn’t ready to sleep just yet. Instead, I sat quietly on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the wall.
Why did those guys come to visit me? Was it really because of Maria? Did they somehow find out about me and decide to pay me a surprise visit?
If so, that means they know everything. About the accident, about Maria being pregnant, even the whole reason I came here in the first place.
Maybe they didn’t realize I was there until now. Either way, I don’t have any idea what their intentions are. Even worse, I still can’t tell them apart. For all I know, both of them might end up killing me later tonight.
There’s no point worrying about it anymore. Whatever happens next will happen regardless of whether I try to fight back or not. Sooner or later, I’ll get caught by one of them. But once that happens, I should make sure to take care of whoever ends up coming for me.
My mind wandered aimlessly for several minutes before I heard footsteps approaching down the hall outside. My heart started racing as I waited for them to knock on my door. Just as I braced myself for whatever was about to follow, the sound stopped abruptly. Moments passed without anyone entering my room.
Then slowly, I opened my mouth and whispered: “…Is somebody there?”
No answer.
I listened carefully, trying to hear if anybody had responded. Still nothing.
It felt like hours went by before I realized that I hadn’t been hearing things after all. Someone was definitely talking to me. It sounded distant, almost muffled, but I could clearly understand each individual word.
“…Hello? Is someone there?”
Still, nobody replied.
This isn’t possible. Nobody has ever spoken to me before in my entire life. Not since I woke up here. And certainly never with such clarity.
Whoever it is must be very close by. Maybe they’re hiding somewhere within earshot. If only I could see who it is…
But then again, maybe they aren’t human at all. Could it be an animal, perhaps? Or a monster of some sort?
Either way, I need to figure out where they are. I’m going to keep listening until I catch them off guard.
At last, I managed to pinpoint the source of the voice. The person was sitting directly across the hallway from my bedroom window. From what I could tell, he was leaning against the wall beneath the light fixture hanging above him. He wore dark sunglasses, making it impossible to discern anything else about his appearance.
The closer I got, the clearer the words became. By the time I stood beside the open doorway, I understood exactly who it was.
“You!” I exclaimed in shock. “How did you find me?!”
He chuckled softly. His tone made it clear that he already knew why I was surprised to see him.
“Of course,” he said. “We’ve known each other for quite some time.”
His reply left me speechless. How does this guy know me?! Does he mean the two men who visited earlier today? What do they want with me anyway? Why would they go through all the trouble of tracking me down?
All these questions swirled endlessly in my brain. Yet despite the confusion swirling around us, we continued speaking as though none of it mattered at all.
The End