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Zheng Yunlong is a son of very wealthy parents, whose father died when he was very little so he was a successor of all their riches and glory. Years went by, he eventually gets bored with the life in the capital and starts looking for some new lands to buy and settle down. It is also around time for him to think about a family of his own, prolonging the family name, not that he is very interested in doing so. He wants to get away, from everything – everyone.
Soon, he is able find just a place for it – an old mansion at the north of their country, old and forgotten. It is in good enough condition and quite far for any villages, so it’s basically perfect for his needs. And, since Yunlong is so cheap and the mansion and its lands are retailing for amazingly low price, the deal is done in no time.
He soon moves in, wasting no time settling in the biggest bedroom in the highest floor. The salesman told him that nobody wanted to live or work in this house – too afraid, he obviously didn’t tell why, but Yunlong didn’t care. The only person he meets when he takes his first tour around the area – is a young man, whose name is Ayunga.
He is a stableman but also does things around the house so Yunlong thinks he's gonna be fine. Ayunga came from different country, up in the north, his gaze is serious and hostile, there’s something dark about him. The first moment they meet and Yunlong smiles politely at him, Ayunga’s eyes open wide and he clings silently to his broom.
Yunlong thinks, it’s because he was all alone here for the past couple of years and doesn’t pay much attention, continuing his little trip.
But then in the first night he finally realizes why nobody wanted to buy this house. It’s around 2 am when he suddenly hears someone crying, loudly, somewhere downstairs, horses neighing very loudly and windows banging.
It stops as abruptly as it began yet Yunlong loses his sleep for the night.
He tosses and turns until morning and first thing he does the moment the sun rises – goes to Ayunga to figure out what's going on.
Yet, Ayunga says that he didn't hear anything.
Yunlong assumes that Ayunga sleeps very tightly so he lets him go.
After breakfast, he goes to the library and then the cabinet left by the previous owner to understand what happened, but nothing really comes up to shad the light on what’s happening.
Days go by, he can't sleep, he reads all night all this old books and documents but can't seem to find anything.
Ayunga frowns and says to let this thing go - it was probably long ago and he won't find anything but even if he did he won't be able to do anything about it.
But Yunlong is very stubborn.
Meanwhile - they get quite close. Yunlong fails to understand how. They don’t spend much time together – Ayunga busy all day with horses and house chores and Yunlong with different documents and other stuff. They usually meet during lunch or dinner, when Ayunga cooks something delicious, sometimes even some recipes from his hometown.
Yunlong, even though tired of people in the capital, finds his company quite endearing. Ayunga is very calm and a good cook and makes him laugh occasionally. Sometimes they go horse riding, Ayunga likes to do that very much, he sings him songs from his youth and Dalong finds himself very charmed by his voice and this language that he doesn't speak.
Sometimes, he even thinks that Ayunga…The way he looks at him…No.
Yunlong shuts down this line of thinking.
Ayunga even almost makes him forget about this whole thing about nights - but Yunlong doesn't.
As the doors close behind Ayunga, he always goes to the library and reads some more - for some reason, he's sure that he's close to the answer as never before. Although nothing seems to be clearer - he's searched some books about previous owners and stuff and apart from some really funny names and a couple of torn pages he doesn’t anything.
From day to day Ayunga becomes sadder and sadder, his voice became quiet and he’s not excited to ride horses or eat with Yunlong anymore. He's not saying what it is and Dalong can't seem to be able to let it go.
Then one day - he asks for a day off - Dalong is stunned for a second - Ayunga since the day of his arrival never asked for a break or anything like that. But Ayunga looks so desperate and sad so he lets him go, thinking that for one day he can manage.
Of course, during that one day where nobody else but Dalong is here, his mother arrives to visit him. He is quite shocked as she didn't say she'll come. They walk around the mansion, she asks him questions, how does he manage it all and so on.
Yunlong doesn't tell her about the nights as it will bother her.
Soon, they approach the stables.
"Who manages these horses?"
She asks.
"Ayunga," Yunlong says.
"Who?"
"Ayunga, he’s...helping me around the house here."
"I see, and where is he?"
"Took a day off"
His mother looks at him suspiciously but does not say anything.
"You know, before arriving here, I've been to town" she starts calmly, "And there are...talks. About a very young master who lives all alone in a cursed house."
"Mom…" Yunlong says suddenly alarmed but tries to hide it, "Do you believe everything that town folk says these days?"
"No" his mother signs, "but this town folk certainly doesn't know anyone named Ayunga who lives here"
"What?"
Yunlong looks at her in disbelief. His mother looks at him pitifully.
"So, you’re saying, that this Ayunga takes care of you and never goes for groceries or for something else to town? Never?"
"I-, I don't know, maybe he has everything he need!" Yunlong says not really sure of anything at this point.
His mother puts a hand on his shoulder
"Maybe. Ah. I'm sorry, Dalong, I didn't mean to scare you. He probably goes to the village downtown, right?"
"Right."
Yunlong smiles and her although his heart break under the weight of sudden realization.
When she leaves him, first thing he goes, no, runs to Ayunga's room.
He's literally shaking - not sure of what he's going to find there, and there's nothing much. Some clothes, candles, couple of books. But something tells him - there's more - so he looks everywhere - bed, floor, wardrobe, nothing.
Angrily, he slams the door and goes to the stables. The horses are not calm, they're neighing quite loudly and Dalong frowns hearing as the thunder strikes somewhere outside. He looks and then sees it - a small bag that Ayunga kept on himself all the time - why is it here?
With trembling hands he opens it - papers. The lost documents ripped pages from his books and some magazine folded several times. He opens it immediately.
"A young stableman tragically drowns in the river."
He looks at the photo suddenly recognizing the bank of the river that was near his home where they used to walk.
And the date - it was 80 years ago.
Suddenly he understands the horses are silent.
He lifts his head - and there is Ayunga, watching him.
He's silent and his eyes are sorrowful.
"You...you..."
"Yes" Ayunga lets out a sad laugh.
"But-" Dalong is confused.
He remembers now - how he never seen him actually eat or sleep - just working.
"It's a long story"
"I have time"
Ayunga laughs again and looks at him.
"Not sure if you wanna hear it"
Yunlong glances at him angrily and Ayunga sighs.
"I was twenty one when I started working here. The money was good and I got to work with horses. But the people...not very good. Especially the master, and if the master didn't like somebody, it meant that nobody liked me either. But I had nowhere else to go...He had a young wife, a beautiful one. She loved horses too."
Dalong shivers, and Ayunga just smiles at him with his sad eyes:
"Oh no, she was very faithful to her husband. She loved him very much. But he…didn't really believed us I suppose he was a jealous type. And loved drinking. And then one day - he accused me of stealing some money and some horse equipment.”
Ayunga sighs.
“But I knew it was because of her. I was begging him to let me go, to take all the money I had and let me go, but he threatened me with jail. He was drunk...Way drunker than usual. Don't know what happened. He hit me. And then again and again. Next thing I remember he drags me to the outside mumbling something about paying the debt and something. I was weak, very weak... couldn't do anything. I guess he decided that the river will take my body away. But the town folk found me quicker. I remember... Watching how they dragged my body to town. And then they buried my body…”
Yunlong feeling shivers going down his spine. His eyes burn and he looks away.
“What was I supposed to do?” Ayunga asks, nut doesn’t really hope for an answer, “so I returned to the mansion. Nobody saw me or noticed me even when I talked or cried. And that's when I knew - I became a ghost.”
Yunlong falls silent.
They stand there for a while. Ayunga watches him tentatively.
"And then, what happened?" Yunlong asks to stunned to day anything else.
"Ah, nothing, during days I couldn’t do anything. At nights I cried, the horses, feeling my grief, cried too - I guess that alarmed people. The master listened to it every night - and could not take it. He killed himself - just the day after his wife died. She was having a child and didn't survive. People started to go away. Afraid of me and thinking that the mansion is cursed – ah well…it was. And then after a couple of years - the mansion was empty. Only me and horses left. Until...you showed up."
"But…but were not you avenged…When did he die? And she..?" Yunlong is confused.
"I don't know. Don't... Did not really care."
"And now?" Dalong asks.
Ayunga looks at him in the eyes.
"Now I do."
Yunlong closes his eyes for second trying to understand his reaction. He wasn't scared or anything...it was still his…Not really his Ayunga. He just need to...Yunlong takes out his hand.
"Can I--?"
Ayunga’s silent for a second but then nods. Yunlong touches his palm. It's cold. How did he never notice before?
"Wow".
"Yes. You were the first one to be able to see or hear me. And even…"
"...touch you".
Ayunga nods once again. His face is dark. Yunlong comes closer.
"There's an old tale." he starts, "I’ve read it in some book while I was searching for an answer. About a ghost who's spirit can't rest until he meets a person that…loves him...truly and cares for him so much. That he'll be able to let him go and let his soul rest even if that means that they'll never be able to be together. Truly."
Ayunga's eyes widen.
"Don't."
"Ayunga."
Yunlong squeezes his hand.
"Don't."
"I have to let you go."
"No-"
"This is the only way you'll find peace".
Yunlong feels the tears coming down his cheeks. He squeezes his hands and whispers
"Ayunga, I love you".
The thunder outside roars somewhere near. Yunlong shudders as his eyes are closed and he's battling a cry. He can't believe he did it and he's not ready to open his eyes and see the world without Ayunga. Everything falls silent for a second and he can't even hear his own breath.
And then he feels a touch to his cheek.
"I guess tales lie."
Yunlong open his eyes as quickly as he can. An there's Ayunga in front of him. He's the same, but something in the same time is changed. Ayunga tilts his head and smiles calmly.
And then Yunlong realizes - Ayunga's hand is warm.
"Wha-How-Why??"
A million questions goes through his head as Ayunga takes both of his hand in his and shushes him.
"I don't know. Does it really matter?"
"Is it really you?" Yunlong asks in trembling voice, "not my imagination…or-"
"It's me." Ayunga smiles even wider and comes closer, "And what's most important - I love you too."