Soul fire

"... Seoul?"

Seeing a suspicious look appear in his bright eyes, Lee Youngshin, who spat out random words, was a little taken aback. He

deliberately and calmly raised the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, he is in Seoul."

Mesani turned away without a word. Lee Youngshin stretched out his hand and almost grabbed him. It would be a big deal if he let him go like this. According to the investigation, wild ginseng children were naive by nature, did not know how to harm others, and were not good at telling lies, so they were easily deceived by humans.

There were also many legends related to it. So, he was going to use his wits and take him in his car, but it seemed that he must have bluffed too sloppily.

"Seoul?"

That's weird. His lord went to school in the morning?' Mesani mulled over the word 'Seoul' with a pensive face. Lee Youngshin, who was watching Mesani's confused expression, became quite nervous. He assumed it was going to be too easy since he was a child. But he seemed to be doubtful after all. 'Aish, should I just tie it up with a rope?' He was cute, so he wanted to take him carefully... Lee Youngshin thought deeply and rubbed his head.

"Seoul..."

Just when Lee Youngshin was restless and was going to open the hipsack zipper,

"Aha! If it's Seoul, that's where Jeongju is, right?!"

Lee Youngshin was startled and hid his hands behind his back. For some reason, the child's complexion brightened. He smiled and nodded his head as if he finally understood. In the meantime, Lee Youngshin's nostrils flared again at the child's cute smile. Mesani, with tears hanging from the corners of his eyes, asked in a happy tone.

"Did he go to meet Jeongju?"

"Ahem, yes?"

"Did he go to reconcile with Jeongju?"

'Now who is this Jeongju? Lee Youngshin looked at him quietly.

"Is that why he called me? Right?"

"Uh... oh, y- yes. Right!"

For some reason, the child clapped his hands and looked overjoyed.

"I see! That's why he's with Jeongju in Seoul!"

Mesani jumped up and down and wiped the remaining tears off his face. Just a moment ago, the strong-looking man standing in front of him was frightening and intimidating, but not anymore. Of course, he was a little scared because he was a stranger, but since he was on an errand sent by his lord, it was clear that he was someone he could trust.

He should have said that from the start! He had pretended to go to school without saying a word to him, hoping to surprise him when she realized what he had been through. Mesani never imagined it.

To think that he actually was going to Seoul and reconciling himself..

Mesani smiled at his puffy eyes.

"Youngshin-nim. Please take me with you."

"..Y- yes?"

"Because my lord will be waiting for me."

Y- Youngshin-nim?' Lee Youngshin was thrilled and shed tears.

***

Lee Youngshin put Mesani in the passenger seat and fastened his seat belt tightly. As soon as he turned around and sat in the driver's seat, he wept with a strange expression on his face. It was like a dream all over again. It was said that it was Lee Youngshin's ideal to drive with a rabbit-like child next to him. But it was not a rabbit, but a wild ginseng child. And he was able to bring him back pretty easily considering all the preparations. The moment he got the child in the car, everything seemed to be over. All he had to do was press the accelerator like this.

"Child."

"Yes?"

"Do you like songs?"

"S- Song?"

Lee Youngshin, who started the car, nodded with a serious expression. The child was happy to follow along, but when he got into the car, his nervousness was evident. Therefore, a change of atmosphere was necessary. If possible, he wanted to make the child happy. And in fact, to be honest, he was a little selfish in wanting to score points. The child-like adult needed the attention of a child.

"Ahem."

Lee Youngshin cleared his throat and took out his phone. Then, with a serious face, he started rummaging through his music streaming app. Before long, a grandiose intro was playing from the speakers connected to the car. Mesani, who was wiggling his fingers and glancing out the window with an anxious gaze, raised his head.

Ponyo, Ponyo, Ponyo, fishy—

"Came from the blue sea. Ponyo Ponyo Ponyo, oh dongtongtong..."

Lee Youngshin and Mesani's gazes met as he continued singing the next verse.

"..."

"..."

Mesani opened his mouth with a puzzled face.

"Wh- what song is this?"

"It's Ponyo on the Cliff..."

"Ah..."

Did it not work? He gave his best shot.

Lee Youngshin stepped on the accelerator with a sullen face. Well, he's only a child on the outside, he must have lived longer than him.

He must have thought his taste was too ridiculous. Lee Youngshin, who failed to win the child's favor, muttered the words of the song in solitude. And the shot was struck exactly from the moment it was replayed for the 23rd time. He was about to pass the toll gate when,

"I really like Ponyo."

"With his bright red appearance."

"Ponyo Ponyo Ponyo."

With the two of them singing passionately, the car accelerated to its fullest.

It was past noon. The destination was Naryecheong.

***

An hour had passed since he started driving down the highway past the toll gate.

"Ah, ugh. I'm going crazy, really."

Lee Youngshin was driving very hard. At the time of his departure, Lee Youngshin, who had been singing Ponyo enthusiastically, at some point his talking volume decreased remarkably. He was now breaking out in a cold sweat.

Mesani, who was watching the scenery outside the window, asked with a puzzled face.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing."

Lee Youngshin barely managed a smile. Even as he said that, the muscles in his face were twitching. He, who had been biting his teeth and stepping on the accelerator, screamed at some point.

"Aargh, a rest area!"

Perhaps surprised by the sudden loud sound, he could see the child flinch. But he couldn't afford to appease him. As soon as he saw the rest stop sign, he turned his steering wheel instantly. Lee Youngshin was now in an urgent situation that required an emergency.

From the moment he passed through the toll gate, his stomach had been sending him signals.

According to the original plan, he was going to drive without a break for now in case of an emergency. He thought so at first. Not wanting to waste time, he passed the rest stop several times. In this way, Lee Youngshin learned what it was like when the sky had fallen.

He was in a situation where he had to drive half the distance he had traveled so far to reach Seoul. No matter how serious the issue, human dignity could not be abandoned. Lee Youngshin hurriedly stopped the car and hurriedly unfastened his seat belt. Just as he opened the car door and was about to get out,

"W-W- Where are you going?!"

Mesani, who was sitting in the passenger seat, pulled on Lee Youngshin's clothes. The car running on the road stopped at a rest stop out of nowhere, and Lee Youngshin was panicking as he tried to get out of the car without explanation. He made a strange noise and cried.

"Ch- Child, I'm... the toilet..."

".. Yes?"

"I- I wanted to hold it in, but I might get wet,soo.."

"..."

"You must never come out. Wait here..."

"..."

It was hard to understand what he was saying, so Mesani was taken aback. All he could make out was that he was told to wait here..

After that, Lee Youngshin ran out of the car. No, he ran out and came right back. Lee Youngshin, who came back in a hurry, knocked on the car body three times.

"Hm?"

Mesan, who was sitting in the passenger seat, widened his eyes.

Then Lee Youngshin struggled to shake his head. It's nothing, don't mind it, he seemed to say. Then he turned around and ran to the bathroom like lightning.

Mesani watched Lee Youngshin's back through the window as he sped away. He wondered wat happened, would he be back soon?

When the car, which had been driving smoothly, stopped, Mesani became quite nervous. He was worried that he might arrive late.

The two of them must be waiting for him anxiously...

"Oh, right!"

The eyes of Mesani, who was sitting with a sullen face, eyes suddenly lit up. Then he rummaged through the clothes he was wearing, looking for something inside. As he touched something in his pants pocket, Mesani smiled and pulled out an object from his

pants.

"I can give them a call!"

What Mesan took out was the cell phone Jeongju had given him the other day. Originally, it was hidden in a drawer in the living room to avoid Jaegyeom's eyes. But one day, he was almost caught by his lord, so from then on, he just carried it around with him. He had forgotten about it and only now did he remember it.

He should tell Jeongju that he would be there soon, and ask him to wait a little longer! Mesani turned on the power of the phone that had been turned off with clumsy hands. Then, as Jeongju told him, he fumbled and pressed several buttons. When he put the phone to his ear, a beep was heard. Just as he was swinging his legs with excitement,

- Huh, Mesan-ah?

Mesani's face lit up at the familiar voice.

"Jeongju-nim!"

- Yeah, what happened?

"Uh-uh, we stopped for a moment, but l'll be there soon!"

Jeongju said from the other end of the phone.

- Huh? Stopped at what?

"The car, Youngshin-nim's car stopped for a moment."

— What? Who?

"Youngshin-nim, uh-uh, the one who came to pick me up!"

Mesani eagerly answered into the phone.

"I'm going to Seoul now!"

Then, in his clear voice, he added clearly.

- ...

Suddenly the phone went silent. He could hear the voice just before, but now he couldn't hear anything. Mesani, who was holding the phone with both hands, blinked.

- Mesani.

"Yess."

Mesan replied affectionately.

- Where are you right now?

"I'm in Youngshin-nim's car right now."