OMS 99

Park Dong-sik anxiously stared at the grave bearing his name. Though he’d had many chances to visit, he had deliberately avoided it because, contrary to his bold words, it was difficult to accept his own death.

But what if the person buried here wasn’t Park Dong-sik…? If this was his twin brother, why did he die…? How…? With the cremated remains now ash, there was no way to confirm, leaving behind only feelings of frustration.

Then what about Lee Hee-soo? If Lee Hee-soo had entered Park Dong-sik’s body, where did he go? While it was infuriating that he disappeared knowing their bodies had switched, after living as Lee Hee-soo, he couldn’t entirely blame him.

“Ah, my head hurts.”

As his mind became plagued with complicated thoughts, his urge to smoke intensified. Park Dong-sik searched his pocket and put in a sugar-free candy instead of a cigarette. Rolling the candy in his mouth, Park Dong-sik walked across the lawn to where the car was parked. Kim Jun-han was waiting in the driver’s seat.

“Did you pay your respects?”

Park Dong-sik shook his head. He’d need to know who it was to pay respects, but he wasn’t certain yet. If that wasn’t Park Dong-sik but his twin brother, then finding him at that beach wouldn’t be strange.

“I’ve ordered people to track Hee-soo’s every movement from that day. He must have left some clues somewhere. Now let’s go home. You’ve been pushing yourself since morning.”

“Can we stop somewhere else before home?”

“Where?”

Park Dong-sik hesitated.

“Daejeon…”

“Why Daejeon?”

Knowing how much Kim Jun-han distrusted and disliked shamanism, he couldn’t directly say he was going to meet a shaman.

“Are you going to see that shaman? The one Mother said was good?”

Such sharp intuition. At times like this, Kim Jun-han seemed more psychic than the shaman.

“Is there any reason to go that far?”

“The shaman said Hee-soo went to the afterlife…But if Park Dong-sik is really alive, and Hee-soo entered my body. I need to understand what happened. It would help in finding him.”

Kim Jun-han stared at him intently. His eyes held various emotions in them. Park Dong-sik wondered if he wanted to scold him for believing in superstition, or if there was something else.

“If you find him.”

“Huh?”

“Do you want to go back?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Park Dong-sik was left at a loss for words.

“If there’s a way, I’m asking if you want to live as Park Dong-sik.”

The shaman said he could return if there was a body. Park Dong-sik started to answer but looked down at his stomach instead. If I live as Park Dong-sik, what would happen to Whitey and Blackey…?

Even until the car made a large circle around the memorial park and descended the opposite side, Park Dong-sik couldn’t answer the question. Rather, the more he saw the lined-up graves, the heavier his heart felt.

At the memorial park entrance, they headed toward Seoul, and he thought they were going home, but shortly after, they turned right and stopped on a hill road.

“Do you know the address?”

“Huh?”

“You said you wanted to meet the shaman.”

“It’s fine…I’ll go alone later.”

“Let’s go before you change your mind.”

Judging by the expression on his face, he seemed serious. Afraid Kim Jun-han might change his mind, Park Dong-sik quickly found and entered the Shaman’s address. Once the destination was set, Kim Jun-han reversed to turn the car around. Park Dong-sik stared absently as Kim Jun-han draped one arm over the passenger seat and turned the steering wheel with his other hand.

Why did even something so ordinary look cool when Jun-han did it? Seeing the firm arms and tendons under the rolled-up shirt made his mouth water. Later his gaze dropped between the other man’s legs.

Ah, I want to suck it once.

What would car sex be like? In porn, they suck while driving, and later they join together and move so intensely the car shakes.

Park Dong-sik licked his lips and muttered as if entranced.

“I want to try car sex…”

Kim Jun-han furrowed his brow and looked at him, and Park Dong-sik covered his mouth in shock. He didn’t know how his thoughts had leaked out, but he felt so embarrassed he wanted to bury his face in his hands right then.

When he tried to awkwardly laugh it off, Kim Jun-han gave a small nod.

“Noted.”

“W-What?”

“I want to make you cry while doing it, and you want car sex. We can do both after you have the babies.”

“No! I was just talking nonsense!”

“If it’s nonsense, why did you lick your lips while looking at me?”

“You saw that?”

“Don’t do that elsewhere. You’ll get charged with sexual harassment.”

“I’m a person with proper sense, I wouldn’t do that to just anyone. It’s because you’re the CEO…”

“What about Kim Tae-han?”

Park Dong-sik could only respond with a bitter smile, keeping his mouth shut. Before, he might have boldly joked about the three of them getting together, but since that incident, even mentioning Kim Tae-han’s name had become difficult.

He heard Kim Tae-han was surviving only on IV drips, refusing food. How long would he keep this up…? Was he planning to die? Well, that’s what I told him, to die and ask Hee-soo for forgiveness…

As his thoughts grew complicated, his eyelids gradually became heavy. After dozing off briefly, he woke to find his seat reclined. Looking outside, the scenery had completely changed, and more than two hours had passed since their departure.

Though he thought things would improve after the first trimester, perhaps due to the body’s weakness, even slight movement made him feel tired and he kept falling asleep. Still groggy, Park Dong-sik yawned and looked sheepishly at Kim Jun-han.

“Sorry. I just slept the whole time beside you.”

Kim Jun-han smiled and gently smoothed back Park Dong-sik’s disheveled hair. “You did well,” he said, then briefly touched his cheek. Though he wasn’t shy during intimate moments, such small gestures strangely made him self-conscious and unable to control his expression.

Following the navigation, they drove down a narrow road for a while until prayer flags marking the shaman’s house appeared in the distance. Having been here before, Park Dong-sik turned off the navigation and guided Kim Jun-han.

“There, turn left and park in front.”

As soon as the car stopped in front of the blue gate, Park Dong-sik unbuckled his seatbelt.

“You wait here. I’ll be back soon.”

“Let’s go together.”

“Why…?”

“I’m curious. I want to see what kind of person could convince both you and Mother. Might as well see their face while we’re here.”

He seemed serious as he got out of the car when Park Dong-sik did. Would this be okay? Just as they were about to enter the gate, the man they’d seen before suddenly appeared and stopped them. “Appointments are over for today.”

“Don’t you remember me? I was here before—”

Before he could finish, the door slid open and the Fairy Shaman came out. As usual, she wore heavy makeup and was dressed in a beautiful hanbok. After greeting Park Dong-sik, the shaman was startled when she saw Kim Jun-han.

Park Dong-sik, oblivious to what was going on, smiled warmly.

“Shaman, I brought my ex-husband today. You know? Say hello to each other.”

Kim Jun-han gave a slight bow, but the shaman’s expression was somehow off. She gestured for Park Dong-sik to come closer, and when he did, she glanced at Kim Jun-han and whispered in his ear.

“That person…can’t he wait outside?”

“Huh? Why?”

“The spirits are repulsed. They say he mustn’t enter.”

Park Dong-sik looked at Kim Jun-han. He was standing by the gate with his hands in his pockets, staring at the place with a skeptical look on his face. He could at least try to smile…It’s no wonder even the spirits are repulsed by him.

Feeling like he had no other choice in the matter, Park Dong-sik went to Kim Jun-han and made up an excuse.

“Um…I’ll go in alone today. The room seems too small to accommodate you too.”

Despite the flimsy excuse, Kim Jun-han nodded casually. “Alright then.” Before returning to the car, he shot the shaman a look. Whether it was a warning not to say nonsense or something else, his gaze was ice-cold and fierce.

After finally getting him to stay in the car, Park Dong-sik hurried inside to find the shaman sitting on a cushion. He took a seat across from her and grumbled.

“Why make him wait outside when he came all this way? You know CEO Kim has plenty of money. A true professional should try to get clients like him.”

“Do you know how I felt when I saw Kim Jun-han earlier?”

Park Dong-sik asked with a disbelieving expression.

“Were you…excited…?”

Well, anyone would admit he was handsome. He understood completely if that were the case.

“I was more scared than when I was dragged away by loan sharks.”

“Ah…”

“See? I’ve got goosebumps.”

She started patting her body with her fan. Seeing how genuinely repulsed she was, Park Dong-sik nodded his head.

“Is Kim Jun-han’s energy a bit strong…?”

The shaman gave him an incredulous look. “A bit?”

He wanted to defend Kim Jun-han, say he wasn’t really like that and had a gentle side too, but thinking of his occasional brutal actions, he couldn’t deny it. Then the shaman noticed Park Dong-sik’s belly and belatedly smiled.

“Your belly has grown quite a bit.”

“Yes, thanks to you. Madam Song believed your words and helped me protect it.”

The shaman started to say something else but ended up closing her mouth instead. He could guess what it was. Hadn’t she warned him to stay away from Kim Jun-han? But since nothing bad had happened so far, maybe her fortune-telling had been wrong. Or perhaps when their souls switched, their fates had changed too.

“What brings you here without notice today?”

Park Dong-sik pulled out two photos from his chest and handed them over. They were photographs of Park Dong-sik and his twin brother Kim Kyungsu, which the shaman examined alternately.

“Are they twins?”

“Amazing. I thought you wouldn’t be able to tell since they look exactly alike.”

“Who are they?”

“Guess who.”

“Hmm…one is dead, and one is alive.”

Park Dong-sik stared at the shaman in surprise.

“Can you tell who died?”

Without hesitation, the shaman pointed to Kim Kyungsu. Park Dong-sik swallowed hard. Had Kim Kyungsu really died?

“You said before that Hee-soo crossed the Samdo River or whatever and went to the afterlife.”

“I did.”

“Are you sure?”

The shaman nodded.

“The fact that he didn’t appear even after such a big ritual can only mean he’s gone to the afterlife.”

“What if he entered someone else’s body?”

“Like Mr. Park Dong-sik?”

“Yes, like me.”

“Taking over an occupied body isn’t easy. Even if you manage it, it takes a long time to put down roots. In Mr. Park Dong-sik’s case, it was only possible because Mr. Lee Hee-soo’s soul had completely vanished.”

“What if our souls switched?”

“What do you mean…?”

Park Dong-sik pointed to his photo.

“Actually, this is me. Park Dong-sik.”

The shaman’s eyes opened as wide as saucers in reaction to his words.

“But Park Dong-sik…was said to be dead.”

Park Dong-sik quickly explained what happened that day. How they both fell into the water, how he woke up as Lee Hee-soo, the fact about having a twin brother, and the possibility that the Park Dong-sik they thought was dead might be alive.

After hearing the whole story, the shaman stared intently at the photos before nodding. “The living one is definitely alive.”

“But honestly, I’m not sure if it’s Mr. Hee-soo inside the body.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll confirm it myself.”

Park Dong-sik then pulled out a paper map and spread it on the shaman’s desk.

“You just need to find Hee-soo from here.”

The shaman looked dumbfounded. “Me?”

“Of course. You’re the famous shaman, aren’t you?”

“Even so, how can I possibly find someone in such a vast area…?”

“Use your spiritual powers. I’ll pay you well.”

The shaman became serious almost immediately.

“Don’t insult the spirits. They’re not motivated by money.”

Really? Park Dong-sik smiled meaningfully as he took out a thick envelope of cash, blew on it, and showed the amount to the shaman. When he placed it on the desk, the shaman wordlessly picked up a bell in one hand and a fan in the other and began shaking them.

The bell’s tinkling echoed through the shrine, then suddenly stopped as her eyes flew open with a completely different look. For no reason, goosebumps rose on Park Dong-sik’s neck as he looked around.

Suddenly, the shaman folded her fan and pointed decisively at Jeju Island.

“Here.”

Her expression and tone were completely different.

“Jeju Island? Are you sure?”

The shaman hit Park Dong-sik’s head with her fan. “How rude! Speaking informally like that!” 

Park Dong-sik grabbed his head and cursed, “Ah, shit!” 

The shaman’s face contorted, and Park Dong-sik stammered awkwardly.

“This wasn’t directed at you. It’s just a habit, a habit. You know, like a reaction? Don’t be angry. I gave you a lot of money, right? So, hm? Please point to the exact location. Where in Jeju Island? Which district, which address?”

The shaman’s body trembled and she shook her head. As her eyes returned to normal, she looked to the side with a troubled expression and muttered to herself. “Yes…I understand…I will…”

“Did the spirit leave? What did they say? Did they tell you where in Jeju Island?”

As he looked at her expectantly, the shaman glanced around cautiously.

“They say they can’t stand the sight of you and to throw you out immediately…”

“That spirit sure has quite a personality…”

He started to say “nasty” but stopped, afraid of getting hit again, and got up to his feet. Well, they’d find out once they got to Jeju Island whether Lee Hee-soo was there or not. As he was saying goodbye and about to leave, the shaman asked him to wait and gave him a talisman.

“Oh, good service. Give me another one. For Kim Jun-han too.”

The shaman sighed quietly.

“Just take care of Hee-soo’s body. Don’t worry about Mr. Kim Jun-han—even spirits avoid him.”

“…”