After finishing the waterlon smashing, we continued playing at the beach for a few more hours before slowly preparing to head back.
It was almost ti to check out of our guesthouse, but we also didn’t want to miss the bus ho if we were too late.
“Ah! That was so much fun!”
Rika, whose skin had turned dark from playing hard at the beach for two days, stretched and exclaid.
“It feels like we played like crazy.”
“It would be great to co again next year.”
“By then, we’ll all be in our third year.”
“Even if we’re busy studying for the test center, one day should be fine, right?”
We walked to the bus stop, chatting and carrying much lighter luggage than when we arrived.
Indeed, attending high school in Japan, such experiences were all new and refreshing for as a Korean.
I rember Korean high school sumr vacations being just 1-2 weeks of rest, followed by supplentary classes at school.
“Ah, the bus is here.”
After waiting for about ten minutes at the stop, the bus to the express bus terminal arrived.
We then boarded the bus with our luggage, took the back seats, and continued our unfinished conversations.
Our bus arrived at the express bus terminal around 2 p.m.
Before catching the bus to Tokyo, we had a late lunch at a nearby restaurant and then boarded the bus we had reserved in advance.
The kids, who were brimming with energy and running around just monts ago, started dozing off one by one as soon as they sat down.
The last ones awake were Sasha and , but soon Sasha yawned and fell asleep, too, and since everyone else was asleep, I decided to take a nap until we arrived in Tokyo.
An hour later, the express bus arrived at the Shinjuku bus terminal.
It felt like a long ti since we had been there, even though it was just yesterday.
“Yawn! Are we gonna go our separate ways now?”
After Satoru’s yawn-filled question, we all looked at each other.
It was 4 p.m., so there was still ti to hang out if we wanted.
However, the Class President, who was the leader of this trip, raised her right hand and said,
“Sorry, but I have so work to do this evening, so it might be tough for .”
“Oh? What about the others?”
“It seems like everyone is still tired, so maybe it’s best to separate now. We can always hang out another ti.”
Everyone nodded in agreent with Yaguchi’s diation.
It had been well over 24 hours since we left ho.
It was about ti we all started craving a ho-cooked al.
“Well, we should part ways here then. Good job, everyone.”
After saying that, the Class President waved and left first.
Sasha and Karen seed to have their subordinates picking them up.
Satoru decided to go on his own, and only Rika, Yaguchi, Ryuji, and I, who were heading in the sa direction ho, went to Shinjuku station to take the subway.
Fortunately, there were empty seats, so we naturally sat in a row. The foreign ghost in front of Ryuji looked at and said,
“Kim Yu-seong, I have sothing to ask you. Can you spare so ti after parting with the girls?”
Hearing this, I looked at Ryuji sitting next to .
Ryuji nodded in response.
It seed they had already discussed this.
Since it was already known that I could see the ghost, avoiding the conversation seed pointless.
Confronting it head-on seed like the right approach.
I ssaged Ryuji through the ssaging app, replying, ‘Okay.’
Ryuji then took out his smartphone to check the ssage and put it back in his bag.
“Goodbye! Ryu-chan! I’ll text you tonight!”
We parted ways with Rika in the subway as she had to go one more station.
Yaguchi, who lived in the sa neighborhood but in the opposite direction, parted ways at the crossroads in front of the station, leaving only Ryuji and , who were going in the sa direction.
As we walked side by side, with Ryuji occasionally glancing at , he asked as we turned into a quiet alleyway,
“Since when have you been able to see Mahes?”
“…Mahes?”
“Oh, that’s his na.”
Ryuji said this, pointing to the foreign ghost floating beside him.
The ghost looked at and slightly raised his hand in greeting.
Deciding there was no point in hiding it any longer, I chose to be honest.
“I’ve been able to see him since I touched the cat-shaped ornant at your house.”
“Indeed, the guidance of Goddess Bastet.”
“Goddess Bastet?”
I looked at the foreign ghost, not understanding his strange story.
Then Ryuji quickly explained,
“Ah, Mahes is Egyptian. I t him during my trip to Egypt, and he followed to Japan.”
Cultural differences, perhaps?
I looked at Mahes with newfound curiosity, then brought up the matter Mahes had ntioned earlier.
Mahes crossed his arms and said,
“I am a Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. In my ti, a Pharaoh ant the strongest warrior. So, it ans I was the strongest in Egypt.”
“So, what about it?”
“I beca a Pharaoh, the strongest warrior with unparalleled power, but I was disappointed that there was no one who could rival . So, I asked my closest friend and reliable subordinate, a priest, how long it would take for soone to be born who could rival . His answer was ‘5,000 years.’”
“5,000 years?”
So, this ghost in front of was from around 3000 BC?
He wasn’t just an ancient person; he was practically a fossil.
“So, before facing death, I had asked a priest to arrange for my revival. If people capable of challenging were born in later generations, I could be resurrected anyti.”
As the story’s scale kept increasing, I looked at Ryuji.
“What on earth did you pick up in Egypt?”
“This is new to too.”
Regardless of our reactions, Mahes continued narrating his life story.
“It truly was a ti of suffering. You can’t even imagine, but life in the underworld had nothing stimulating enough to ntion.”
The underworld? Does this world also have heaven and hell?
Honestly, I was more curious about this.
“After 5,000 years, the one I finally t was Ryuji. Perhaps the priest foresaw my eting with him.”
As the story dragged on, I waved my hand to cut it short and asked,
“So, what do you want now, after being resurrected for 5,000 years?”
Mahes then chuckled and said it was obvious what he wanted.
“Obviously, a battle with mighty warriors. In the past, I was just a frog, unable to leave the well of Egypt. But now, strong fighters are spread across the world, and I am in an environnt where I can fight them directly. It’s exactly the world I’ve always wanted.”
Mahes said this and then looked at .
“Kim Yu-seong, from what I see, you are definitely not ordinary. To accumulate such an amount of Twt-ra, you must have been training since a very young age. So, I’d like you to tell . About the other side of this world, and about the really strong ones.”
I looked at Ryuji, who was beside him.
“Sorry for this sudden request, Yu-seong. But if you happen to know anything, I’d appreciate it if you could tell us. This guy obviously won’t give up until you do.”
Hearing Ryuji’s words, I felt conflicted for a mont.
It seed that Ryuji currently knew nothing about the underworld.
Of course, I didn’t know much either, but at least I knew more than the two of them.
But should I really be sharing such information?
I couldn’t help but worry that it might lead to unnecessary trouble.
After pondering for a while, a clever idea struck .
I cleared my throat and said,
“Sorry, Ryuji. I don’t know much either, so I can’t really tell you much. But I can introduce you to soone who might know about that information.”
“Who’s that?”
“Just go here.”
I pulled out a business card from my wallet.
It was the one the manager gave when I visited the cafe where Senior Fuma worked.
I was glad I hadn’t thrown it away.
“Machi☆Asobi Cafe?”
“Just say you’re there on Kim Yu-seong’s referral.”
“Thank you. I owe you one.”
“It’s nothing. You don’t have to make a big deal out of it.”
I stopped Mahes as he bowed his head and smirked inwardly.
If I didn’t want to tell, I could just have soone else do it.
Right after, Ryuji also bowed his head.
“Thanks, Yu-seong. For putting up with his insistence.”
“Don’t ntion it; you’ve had it tough too.”
I said that, patted Ryuji on the shoulder, and decided it was ti to part since I had arrived ho.
“Let’s et again next ti.”
“See you next ti! Yu-seong!”
After seeing the two off, I stopped by the store on the first floor for a mont.
“I’m back.”
My mother, who was busy wiping the table, asked with a happy expression,
“Did you have a good ti?”
I gave her a thumbs up.
“Of course.”
“You must be tired; go upstairs and rest.”
“Okay. I’ll see you at dinner.”
After briefly stopping by the kitchen to greet my father, I took my belongings and went upstairs.
Ding!
I was just unpacking and about to put the clothes I changed into yesterday in the washing machine.
Suddenly hearing the sound of a ssenger, I opened my smartphone screen.
[Kim Yu-seong, you haven’t forgotten your promise with the President, have you?]
“Ah.”
Co to think of it, I also agreed to visit the student council.
I had completely forgotten.
Reviews
All reviews (0)