Chapter Text
Seongah and Auntie have been hard at work in cleaning and refreshing the shrine's energy. Flower Master stayed a while too to help them out. He was only convinced to return to his seaside shrine when he felt that Seongah's shrine was illuminated enough.
Oh, and after multiple follow-ups too on his new online course about amulet-making. His clients were starting to think that he ran with their money. 'Unbelievable!'
Gyeonwoo volunteered to drive Flower Master home along with some banchans thanks to Jiho's cooking.
"Aigoo, you really don't have to, Handsome Archer! But if you insist, then I'm gonna have to agree now. Kumapta."
"Aniyeo. It's the least I can offer after all the help you've given us."
"Aigoo aigoo. You're really in your right mind now, huh?"
The two men shared a laugh. 'To think this was the same boy who was aiming arrows in my shrine. Hagin, this was also the same boy whose eyes only seemed to smile when he was with our Heaven and Earth Fairy.'
"Take care, Flower Master," Auntie tapped Flower Master's hands then turned to Gyeonwoo.
"Gyeonwoo-haksaeng, have dinner here, okay? Seongah and I will be done by the time you come back. Eat here before you go home, hmm?" Auntie said. She's been practicing calling Seongah by her first name instead of her position as per Seongah's request. 'Auntie, we're family here. I wish you can call me by my name, at least when we are not open to customers.'
"Ne, Auntie. I'll see you later."
"Ahjussi, I'm really really thankful for all your help. I don't know how I can repay you, really," Seongah mumbled. Flower Master playfully tapped Seongah's shoulders.
"Aigoo kichibe. Kwenchana kwenchana! You just have to focus now on your work as a shaman and as a person, okay? You have my number saved, so just text or call me if anything happens," Flower Master replied. He's really grown to have a liking on this tenacious girl, he thought to himself as he entered the back seat.
Seongah held Gyeonwoo's hands. "Gyeonwoo-ya, drive safely, okay? Auntie and I will see you at dinner."
"Hmm. See you later, Seongah-ya," Gyeonwoo smiled and forced himself to let go of her hands and go to the car.
After recalibrating the shrine's energy, Auntie started preparing the ingredients for dinner. She was going to cook samgyetang to replenish their energy. It's been a tough few years, especially the past week.
"Auntie, can I help you with anything? I haven't gotten any better at cooking but I think I can do the slicing," Seongah's cheerful voice bounced in the room.
'The shrine surely missed our Fairy's voice,' Auntie thought.
"I can take care of this Heaven an- Seongah" she stopped and corrected herself when she saw Seongah pout. "Go clean up first. Kurigu, you may want to check your room more thoroughly," Auntie said mischievously.
"Waeyo? It was exactly as I remember it, Auntie. Did I miss something?" Seongah was bewildered.
"Hmm, nothing much. Or should I say, it's got something to do with someone's dedication," Auntie playfully said before humming to herself as she sliced gingers.
Seongah didn't know yet what Auntie was talking about, but she had a feeling it'd make her happy. She scanned her room again and without any idea still, she decided to take a bath first and change into her pajamas. The frilly, cute ones her Eomma always bought her.
'Eomma, I really really miss you. Saranghae. I'll never forget the lessons you taught me.' Seongah ruminated as she combed her hair in front of her vanity mirror.
"Should I blowdry my hair? Let's see where could it be?" she talked to herself. She opened her bottom drawer and saw that her older notebooks have been put there. She opened all her drawers haphazardly.
"Kamchagya." Seongah startled when her top drawer made clanging noises when she opened them too fast. "Ige mwoya? Omo, so many medals!"
"I never did well in school though. Why do I have meda-" her voice got caught in her throat when she realized these were archery medals.
"Gyeonwoo-ya," Seongah started to tear up. Gyeonwoo apologized to her in her dream, telling her sorry for moving forward without her. But these accumulated medals say otherwise.
Gyeonwoo has yearned to see her too, all this time. Seongah let her tears flow. She had a feeling she'd be happy after solving Auntie's clue, but she didn't realize it was happiness that brought tears to her eyes.
Devotion. That's the closest word that can describe what this was. "I... have to tell Gyeonwoo many things, too." But today's already ending, Gyeonwoo also has to go back to his house.
"I'll visit him tomorrow." Seongah resolved as she wiped her happy tears away.
"Dinner's ready, Seongah!" Auntie's muffled voice from the dining area rang.
"Coming, Auntie!"
Seongah has just finished setting up the dining table when Gyeonwoo returned.
"Dorawasseumnida."
"Hello, Gyeonwoo-haksaeng. Thank you for sending Flower Master home. Come, come! Let's eat dinner."
"Gyeonwoo-ya, kaja! Auntie made very delicious samgyetang."