been sent by Palk to protect me.”
“Palk is involved? And he has sent Haechi? How peculiar.” Komo stands and clears off the table. “We have no record of any other girls receiving help from other immortals. I will have to talk to your grandfather about this. It sounds like the immortals are up to something. I am not sure I like it.”
Grandfather had already told her about my cave experience, so I finish off by telling her about the dokkaebi.
“He was trying to make a deal with me.” Komo frowns, but I continue. “He was saying something about saving my ancestors by opening some tomb. And all kinds of weird stuff.”
Komo sits very still, staring hard into space. “These are new developments. I will have to tell the others about this.”
“Others?”
She pats my hand. “You must worry about saving yourself. You are what is important.”
“Komo, how did I end up here tonight?”
She smiles a knowing smile, and I get the feeling there’s a lot more to my aunt than she’s letting on.
“You must come to my house every night. You have much to learn. Only travel here once darkness settles in, when his powers are weak. Even still, Haemosu will send whomever he can to do his dirty work. You must be careful.”
“Every night? I have piles of homework! And Dad will wonder why my grades are dropping. What about once a week?”
“Jae Hwa.” Her hands are back on her hips. “I have suggested to your father that as a punishment for sneaking out, you come each night for one month and work for me. He has agreed.”
“Dad agreed?”
Komo smiles. “I might have mentioned how upset your mother would have been for keeping you from seeing me while you were here.”
Figures. Any mention of Mom and Dad goes to mush. As much as I don’t like Dad getting involved, I still don’t like being told what to do. “Don’t I have a say in this?”
“Yes. You have some choice.”
I glance at the door. A part of me wishes I could just walk through it, wake up in my bed, and realize this is some bizarre dream. That different dimensions coinciding side by side is some fantasy.
But this is my chance to use my training to defeat something powerful and bring meaning to my life. This is an adventure I’ve always dreamed of.
My aunt clears her throat.
“I’m listening,” I say.
“You can leave the country, although I doubt Haemosu would ever let you on that plane. Find someone to marry you and hope he does not die before you make it down the aisle. Haemosu gets terribly jealous of suitors.”
“Komo.” I give her an incredulous look. “I’m sixteen.”
“Or stay and fight. But whatever happens.” Her eyes narrow as thin as slivers. “Do
not
let him touch you.”
“Why not?”
“Because it will be the beginning of the end. When he touches you, he will leave his mark. Think of it as the engagement rings they have in America. You are promised to him, and your courting begins.”
“Like when Haemosu kept trying to convince Princess Yuhwa to come with him?”
“Exactly. Each time you meet, he will pull a little piece of your soul into his realm.
“Until you are no longer with us.”
Get married? Hardly.
Flee the country? I wish.
Fight off Haemosu? I wouldn’t mind nailing him with one of my side kicks.
On Monday night I ask Komo at our training session if she thinks I could take down Haemosu. She doubles over, laughing hysterically.
Who knew I was such a comedian?
Escaping my “destiny” is all I’ve been thinking about in the three days since my first encounter with my crazy aunt.
“Jae, you should start brushing up on your Chinese. I need your help going through these scrolls. We might be able to find clues within these ancient texts.”
“Brushing up?” I say. “More like learning for the first time. There’s no way I can cram that much that fast.”
“Are you not taking advanced Korean?”
“Yeah. Advanced
Korean
. We hardly spend any time on Classical Chinese.”
When I
“Palk is involved? And he has sent Haechi? How peculiar.” Komo stands and clears off the table. “We have no record of any other girls receiving help from other immortals. I will have to talk to your grandfather about this. It sounds like the immortals are up to something. I am not sure I like it.”
Grandfather had already told her about my cave experience, so I finish off by telling her about the dokkaebi.
“He was trying to make a deal with me.” Komo frowns, but I continue. “He was saying something about saving my ancestors by opening some tomb. And all kinds of weird stuff.”
Komo sits very still, staring hard into space. “These are new developments. I will have to tell the others about this.”
“Others?”
She pats my hand. “You must worry about saving yourself. You are what is important.”
“Komo, how did I end up here tonight?”
She smiles a knowing smile, and I get the feeling there’s a lot more to my aunt than she’s letting on.
“You must come to my house every night. You have much to learn. Only travel here once darkness settles in, when his powers are weak. Even still, Haemosu will send whomever he can to do his dirty work. You must be careful.”
“Every night? I have piles of homework! And Dad will wonder why my grades are dropping. What about once a week?”
“Jae Hwa.” Her hands are back on her hips. “I have suggested to your father that as a punishment for sneaking out, you come each night for one month and work for me. He has agreed.”
“Dad agreed?”
Komo smiles. “I might have mentioned how upset your mother would have been for keeping you from seeing me while you were here.”
Figures. Any mention of Mom and Dad goes to mush. As much as I don’t like Dad getting involved, I still don’t like being told what to do. “Don’t I have a say in this?”
“Yes. You have some choice.”
I glance at the door. A part of me wishes I could just walk through it, wake up in my bed, and realize this is some bizarre dream. That different dimensions coinciding side by side is some fantasy.
But this is my chance to use my training to defeat something powerful and bring meaning to my life. This is an adventure I’ve always dreamed of.
My aunt clears her throat.
“I’m listening,” I say.
“You can leave the country, although I doubt Haemosu would ever let you on that plane. Find someone to marry you and hope he does not die before you make it down the aisle. Haemosu gets terribly jealous of suitors.”
“Komo.” I give her an incredulous look. “I’m sixteen.”
“Or stay and fight. But whatever happens.” Her eyes narrow as thin as slivers. “Do
not
let him touch you.”
“Why not?”
“Because it will be the beginning of the end. When he touches you, he will leave his mark. Think of it as the engagement rings they have in America. You are promised to him, and your courting begins.”
“Like when Haemosu kept trying to convince Princess Yuhwa to come with him?”
“Exactly. Each time you meet, he will pull a little piece of your soul into his realm.
“Until you are no longer with us.”
Get married? Hardly.
Flee the country? I wish.
Fight off Haemosu? I wouldn’t mind nailing him with one of my side kicks.
On Monday night I ask Komo at our training session if she thinks I could take down Haemosu. She doubles over, laughing hysterically.
Who knew I was such a comedian?
Escaping my “destiny” is all I’ve been thinking about in the three days since my first encounter with my crazy aunt.
“Jae, you should start brushing up on your Chinese. I need your help going through these scrolls. We might be able to find clues within these ancient texts.”
“Brushing up?” I say. “More like learning for the first time. There’s no way I can cram that much that fast.”
“Are you not taking advanced Korean?”
“Yeah. Advanced
Korean
. We hardly spend any time on Classical Chinese.”
When I
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