Devil’s Music

Chapter 193: Trip to Busan

"Make sure you dress warmly, and when you find a place to stay, call us. You never listen, I told you to wear thermal clothes inside."

Yeongha fussed over Geon, who was standing in front of the entrance door, adjusting his collar. Geon, hearing Yeongha's nagging for the first time in a while, smiled pleasantly. Yeongha continued,

"Your grandparents' grave is at Busan Memorial Park, 5-483. Remember that, it's a big place and you won't find it if you don't know the number."

"Yes, mom. I'll go and pay my respects."

"And you know the home address, right? It's in Sinseon-dong, Yeongdo-gu, Busan. It's cold, so don't wander around lost, be careful when driving your motorcycle, and if a car suddenly speeds up, give way, okay?"

"Haha, mom, I'm not a kid, I got it. I'll be back safely."

Yeongha touched Geon's cap one more time, adding,

"Shihwa has her finals, she's been nagging me to remind you since yesterday. If she were here, you would've been listening to a lecture for at least 30 minutes. It's a good thing it's just me at home."

"Hehe, got it. I'll be going then, mom."

Having sent Geon abroad for study and then immediately to the military, the short days Yeongha spent with Geon were very precious. Feeling his mother's love, Geon waved vigorously.

Yeongha, waving back, watched as Geon mounted his motorcycle. The heavy engine roared to life, and Geon, taking out his sunglasses from the bag, put on his mask and set off.

Despite the chilly early winter weather, Geon felt exhilarated by the fresh air. It was his first time traveling the national roads on a motorcycle, and he was looking forward to it. Though unfamiliar with the route, the navigation app on his phone reassured him. Soon, Geon left Seoul behind, and the scenery changed to lush mountains and fields.

"Leaving Seoul, there's a quaint countryside vibe. It feels like a trip, seeing the fields, even though it's right next to the highway and the roads are well-maintained."

Growing up in Haeundae, Busan, and then moving to Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Geon had lived in urban areas his whole life. The rural countryside was a new and fascinating experience for him.

Stopping at rest areas to quench his thirst or grab a bite, Geon eventually encountered the calm of the late afternoon. The quiet country road was a two-lane road, and a bus full of high school girls slowly made its way in front of him.

With the heater on full blast due to the cold, the girls had opened the windows and were chatting loudly. Spotting the cool motorcycle beside them, they pointed and started shouting.

"Wow! That motorcycle is so cool!"

"Show us your face, mister! Are you an uncle?"

Hearing the girls, Geon smiled and looked at the bus window.

'I wonder if they recognize me?'

Geon lowered his mask and took off his sunglasses. The high school girls screamed in delight upon seeing his face, causing chaos when one of them recognized him.

"It's Kay!"

"What?! Where? Oh my gosh, it's really him!"

As the girls began taking photos, Geon quickly put on his sunglasses and sped up, overtaking the bus.

The bus became a frenzy as the girls rushed to the front window. Geon, watching the bus in his side mirror, smiled and accelerated, soon finding himself on a quiet rural road again.

Geon spotted an elderly lady carefully guiding her grandson away from the road, reminding him of his own grandmother.

'Grandma used to take me out a lot when I was young. If it weren't for the religious disputes with mom, I could have spent more time with her.'

Geon's grandmother was a devout Buddhist, unlike his mother, who had converted from Catholicism to Protestantism and refused to participate in ancestral rites, causing tension with her mother-in-law. However, Geon always felt a strong connection to his grandmother and regretted not visiting her more before she passed away.

As night fell, Geon turned on his headlights and continued towards the city. Realizing the rural roads were too dangerous to navigate in the dark, he decided to look for a motel to stay the night.

Entering Daemiri, a quiet village, Geon stopped his motorcycle upon hearing loud music. The sound of traditional Korean instruments and shouting led him to a grand traditional house where a ritual seemed to be taking underway.

Curious, Geon parked his motorcycle and approached the open gate, where he saw villagers gathered, watching a shaman performing a ritual. Intrigued by this rare sight, he decided to stay and watch.

"I guess they still perform rituals even nowadays. I've never seen one before. Might as well take a look."

Standing with his arms crossed in front of the gate, Geon observed a shaman energetically jumping around, chanting incomprehensible words in front of a table adorned with various offerings and a large cow's head.

While Geon watched, fascinated, he overheard a conversation among three women nearby. Not one to eavesdrop, but curious about the context, he listened in.

One woman, with noticeably permed hair, exclaimed, "What's going on? This house has been the main household of this village for generations, how could such a thing happen here?"

Another woman, with her hair neatly tied back, smacked the first woman's arm, saying, "Exactly, exactly! The Choi family of Yeongcheon has been renowned since the Joseon Dynasty, how could something like this happen?"

A third woman, with a large mole on her face, nodded and added, "Hakdu is only six this year, right? He's the cherished sole grandson of the seventh generation. To think he's suddenly possessed by spirits, what's this all about?"

"Yeah, it's unbelievable. They said he went up the mountain with his mom, and all of a sudden, he started foaming at the mouth and shaking uncontrollably. Just look at Hakdu's mom, what a state she's in."

Geon turned to see a woman in her late thirties, kneeling in front of the ritual space, desperately praying. Wearing a white hanbok, she seemed on the verge of collapse from worry. Despite her exhaustion, her prayers never ceased.

"They say Hakdu's grandfather was so furious, he broke his favorite smoking pipe and brought in a famous shaman from the South Sea. That woman there, she's supposedly a very powerful shaman, earning over five hundred million a year, can you believe it?"

"But what use is her power? It's been three days of rituals from 6 PM to 9 PM, and it's so noisy every night, yet there's been no improvement."

"You think curing possession is easy? Even for a powerful shaman, it must take time."

"And look at Hakdu's grandfather, he looks like he might collapse any minute, but he's been sitting there for hours, refusing to rest despite his wife's pleas."

"Still, he's done so much good for the community; the heavens will surely recognize it. Everyone respects him here."

"My husband couldn't work for a year because of his truck accident, and Hakdu's grandfather lent us money without interest. My husband jumps up to help whenever there's work to be done for him."

Geon's gaze fell on an elderly man sitting on the main hall, watching the ritual with deep concern. The man appeared to be well over ninety, with a face marked by age but exuding kindness.

Seeing the worry on the old man's face, Geon felt a pang of empathy. The child, cradled in his grandmother's arms and hidden from view, seemed to be the focus of his concern.

"But what kind of evil spirit has possessed him to make the young boy's face turn so pale? It's heartbreaking. He was such a polite and adorable child."

"I heard from the supermarket lady that a priest from Yeongcheon Cathedral visited yesterday. But, apparently, he ran out, shouting, 'It's a demon! A demon has possessed him!'"

"A demon? Not just a spirit but a demon? That's a whole other level of trouble. What if something happens to Hakdu?"

Geon wondered if the cinematic portrayals of demonic possession he'd seen were accurate, considering the boy's lethargic state.

Moving closer for a better view, Geon noticed the boy's pale complexion and trembling lips. As he looked sympathetically at the child, the boy slowly turned his gaze toward Geon.

In that moment, as their eyes met, the boy screamed in horror, pointing at Geon.

"Aaaah!!! You, you are!!"

Simultaneously, as Hakdu reacted to Geon's presence, the shaman performing the ritual went into a trance, seemingly receiving a spirit.

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