His Last Wish
His Last Wish
THE PUBLISHING DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCE THERE AS WELL!
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The air swished by as they stood on the hospital rooftop. Unlike the dark and ominous nights, there was a touch of warmth on that date. Stars twinkled brightly above them while a three quarter moon shone in the sky, lighting up the whole place. They could hear the people beneath them, busy with their own lives. It was the perfect night for a mini bonfire or outdoor picnic, something Jina enjoyed a lot.
Yet, she never felt so cold and empty before.
The warm air could not melt her icy heart which had turned numb. She tried to be strong, not break down at all. Her tears had dried up but the pain would not go away. First her uncle Kanji and now Casper. She wanted to shout and scream at the top of her lungs. Her inner turmoil was making her resent the happy people downstairs who had no idea about the little girl's grief.
How dare they stay happy? She thought in resentment. Why are they happy while we suffer? Why? Why?
There were no answers. Only a deafening silence.
Casper stood next to her, feeling guilty about his decision. He was ashamed to be leaving his friend in this situation but there was no choice. His spirit energy was already decreasing and even if he resisted in order to stay back, it would have been no use. He would eventually vanish and maybe never get the chance to say goodbye. That was not how he wanted to leave.
Will you be alright? He gestured at her.
"I'll be fine," Jina lied. She wanted to reassure him that she could take care of herself but who was she kidding?
The little girl then slowly shook her head. The tears she thought had dried up were now returning and she was sobbing again.
"I won't be fine!" she admitted. "How can I be? My closest friend is going away…"
She hugged him around the waist. Yumi stood there, trying to remain strong but even she failed.
"Do you have to go?" Yumi whispered. "Why can't we stay like this?"
Casper made hand signs at her.
This is no longer our world, he communicated. We don't belong here and after our last wishes are fulfilled, we have to leave. That's the cycle of life.
Yumi sniffed. She wanted to whack the old man and tell him to stay with them but he was right. One day, all of them would have to leave this world. That was the harsh reality.
"Will you come back?" Jina asked. "Shinho promised that he'll be back! What about you?"
Casper could not answer her questions. He had committed too many sins in life and for a person like him, there was no second chance. In death he might have become human, but in life, he remained a monster.
I don't know, he signalled. I might never be back…
Jina lowered her gaze, biting her lip while tears stained her face. Casper patted her head.
As long as you think of me as a good person, I'll be happy, he gestured. Remember me, will you?
"I will," she sobbed.
Don't change, he went on. Don't wake up late like your parents. Always be happy and sweet. Don't forget to study hard and become a good cop. And don't let any bad ghosts get to you.
Jina was now a crying mess, still hugging him. Yumi tried to console her but she was also crying hard, unable to bear the sadness. How were they going to live without Casper? He was the gentle one who protected them all the time.
"It's not fair…" Yumi sobbed. But Casper smiled and hugged back both of them.
A gradual light began to emit from his pale body. The air around them was slowly swirling in circles and Jina felt Casper was fading. She looked at him for the last time, her heart breaking into pieces.
There was no ceremony nor any grand send off for him. Instead, he opted for a simple goodbye with the people he cared for. That was all he wanted before facing the afterlife.
They heard the dragging of crutches and looked around. Haejong was standing there, watching the little girl.
"Is he...is he gone?" he asked.
"He's leaving now," she replied in a broken voice. Haejong could not see his grandfather but simply stared ahead. They were not communicating with each other but some thoughts did not need words. He simply raised a hand and waved.
"I'll do what you couldn't do," he promised. "So, for now, you can go and rest in peace. You've gotten old anyway."
Jina and Yumi stepped back as Casper smiled and waved at his grandson and then to them. He made a final gesture at Jina before leaving.
Thank you.
Slowly, he was disintegrating into the air. The three of them stood there as Casper was disappearing until finally, he reduced to a light gush of pollen which merrily swirled in the sky before it was gone.
Forever.
Jina stood there, still staring at the place where Casper disappeared. She felt a hand patting her head and to her surprise, it was Haejong. Yumi disapparated, wanting to be left alone for a while.
"Don't be sad," he muttered. "If there's something I have learnt about the old man is that he hates it when someone is crying. Especially for him."
"I'll miss him," she said in a soft tone.
"The best thing you can do for him is to remember him the way he wanted you to," Haejong said. "Missing him would do jackshit. Just think of him as a good person and keep believing it."
He spoke in a matter-of-fact way because he knew that the kid needed to hear the truth and not false assurances.
"Do you...do you think of him as a good person?" she slowly asked.
"To me he's just a human being who did bad deeds but left this world as a good person," he sighed. "That's all."
Jina stared at the sky, wondering how Casper was doing when she remembered something.
"He left you a letter," she said. "Did you-"
"I read it," Haejong stated. "He really loves you guys a lot. Asking something like that…"
He let out a soft laughter at the irony of Casper's last task for him. Old man, you really wanna screw with me from the grave, don't you? He mused.
But he was not angry at Casper. Instead, he understood the man's intention and if that was how he wanted to repay the debt, that was fine with Haejong.
"What do you-"
Jina trailed off when she saw Kanji behind Haejong. The ghost was hesitant but this was the only way.
"Is he here?" Haejong asked. "Jang Kanji?"
Jina nodded her head, confused by what was happening. "Do you two know each other?" she frowned.
"Your friend and my grandfather," Haejong began. "Left a task for me. He wants me to allow your uncle Kanji to take over my body until he fulfills his last wish."
"But why would you do that?" Jina demanded. "Why are you agreeing to this? Letting your body be possessed by another ghost? I'm eight and even I know that's insane! Why would you do this for a stranger?"
"He's not a stranger," Haejong revealed. "We've...we've known each other for a long time."
"How?" she demanded. "This is so stupid! How are you connected to uncle Kanji's last wish? What is his last wish anyway?"
Haejong did not reply but Kanji stepped forward to explain. "He just doesn't want to see someone he loves to suffer pain," he sadly mused. "Neither do I."
Love? Jina looked from Kanji to Haejong with suspicion. A realization dawned on her.
"Y-you…" she began. "YOU TWO ARE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER?"
"HELL NO!" Both the men exclaimed in unison.
"How the hell did you get that idea?" Haejong snapped. "Me? In love with that asshole? Hah! I'd rather be shot by a million bullets!"
"I'd rather tear up all my magazines," Kanji muttered in disgust.
"Then why…"
Jina was confused but it finally dawned on her. Haejong went to save Mina. Uncle Kanji always hovered around Mina as well. Moreover, her aunt had been lured to the kidnapper because of Uncle Kanji and in the process, Haejong showed up to protect her. Even received a bullet for her…
"You two are idiots!" she remarked, shaking her head. "Aunt Mina? You want to confess to her, don't you uncle Kanji?"
Kanji nodded. "But she doesn't know that you're dead!" Jina reminded him.
"We can't tell her yet!" Kanji warned. "I want to confess to her directly even if it means I'll have to borrow this loser's body!"
Haejong frowned at the exchange between the girl and what seemed like air. But a strange feeling gave him goosebumps.
"Is he insulting me?" he asked suspiciously. Jina turned to him.
"Uncle Kanji says he wants to confess to Aunt Mina on his own," she interpreted. "And for that he's ready to work with a lo...lovely person like you."
"Loser, asshole, pain in the ass!" Kanji growled. "Son of a-"
"He's praising you," Jina lied.
Haejong simply sighed and addressed Kanji. "I'm doing this only for my grandfather," he said out loud. "But if you hurt her, I'll make sure your ghost is tortured in hell!"
When the old man and my dad finds out, they'll send both of you together to hell, Jina thought in her head. Aloud she said, "Whatever you two idiots want."
Kanji turned to face Haejong. He nodded at Jina who flashed a thumbs up at Haejong.
"He's ready to enter," she said. Haejong closed his eyes and cleared his mind while Kanji stepped forward. He was not sure how it worked but he focused on Haejong.
Suddenly, he was being pulled like a magnet to metal and automatically moved towards Haejong. Jina watched in awe as Kanji disappeared into Haejong's body.
"Did it work?" Jina asked. Haejong's eyes were still closed. He slowly opened them to glance around.
"Yo, mafia uncle!" she called. "Are you okay?"
Haejong smirked and said, "Hi hi! Missed me?"
Jina groaned but smiled a little. Even in death, her uncle Kanji was a hopeless idiot.