"Do you know a lot about her?"
She knows Iseul, I should grab this chance to find clues. I thought things related to her are only seen inside museums, who would've thought she also has a tassel inside a restaurant?
What if... she's been searching for her important thing inside galleries and never in other places like this? What if it's not really inside galleries? Bloody hell.
"I shouldn't be talking about Iseul to customers. You should go back to your table and eat... mianhae." She apologetically smiled.
She was about to excuse herself but I stopped her. This is a great opportunity, I shouldn't waste this.
"I want to know more about Iseul, Ma'am." I tried my best to lower my voice so that other people won't hear me.
"Why? Are you related to my old chingu?" she looked surprised and a smile was plastered on her face.
She's friends with her, she said the term chingu which Sai explained to me. Who wouldn't thought hearing such words would come in handy? I should learn more sometimes.
"Kind of. She... Iseul is a friend of mine." I tried to sound convincing.
"You're not even around this island when Iseul's still alive. Eolmana jaemiiss-eo!" The lady laughed and lightly tapped my shoulders. "It only means one thing, boy."
She smirked and looked an me... as if I did something wrong. Or as if she knew what I did! Oh no, I'm busted.
I gulped. "I have no bad intentions, Ma'am. Don't jump into conclusions." I managed to avoid being nervous while talking. I'm afraid she might misunderstand my intentions.
She crossed her arms and pointed at Iseul's tassel. "I moved here three decades ago, and Iseul was a fine young lady who lived in a remote place on this island. She was fascinated by our Korean culture and was eager to learn about it. So she frequently visited our restaurant... she was so eager to learn."
"She even studied how to write and read hangul. I gave her a hanbok two years after our friendship started... I was touched by her. I also gifted her this knot and told her to tie the top of the norigae to the waistband and let it hang down over the front of her hanbok. Because it's a symbol for protection and strength. I personally made it for her."
She looked so happy reminiscing her memories with Iseul. They must have had a great time together. She looked genuine while telling her stories.
"But... why is her norigae tassel here? I thought you gave it to her?" I asked.
She smiled bitterly, and her eyes were closed. It looks as if she remembered something painful. Her expression suddenly changed.
"You don't have to tell me, I'm sorry for asking too much." I said out of guilt. But she looked at me and continued talking.
"I saw this tassel in front of the restaurant, before the day of her death. I had a bad feeling at that time, that she might be in trouble. The next morning the painful news spread. It was one of the worst news that happened a decade ago. She was a really... kind chingu."
"W-where can I find her home? Or... or the place where the crime took place?"
She sighed heavily. "Her eomma burnt their house together with her own daughter's corpse. And the crime scene where she was killed is still... unknown. It's really a tragic death, she never deserved such."
I felt my heart pound, I was shocked upon hearing that. Iseul's been through a lot! How could she even end up like that!
"Bloody hell." I hissed and closed my fists. I immediately felt frustrated and sad at the same time.
"Iseul, that poor girl. It looks like she's still finding ways to break free. That's why she appeared to you." she glanced back at the tassel.
So she knows about the curse, and what's been happening. She was not even surprised.
"How did you know about what she's been doing this past few years?" I asked.
"Before her death, anima perdutas already exist. Rumors spread that she became one of them which is... heartbreaking to hear. My chingu just needs peace and I can't even help her." tears slowly fall down from her small eyes. She was sad because she couldn't do anything to help her friend.
"I will help your chingu to have her freedom back." I looked straight into her eyes while declaring that I will help Iseul. I gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll do what I can to let her have the peace she deserves, Ma'am."
She opened the glass box and carefully grabbed Iseul's knot. She held my hand and placed the tassel on my palm. I was startled, but I held on to the tassel.
"Why are you handing me this?" I got confused.
"You found it and met me for a reason. I have never met anyone who talks just like my chingu. I'm so glad to hear such kind words... please help her." she smiled at me.
"This will be a great help, but I need to know where she used to live," I grabbed this opportunity to ask. Finding her home might be a big help to seek for the things that she needs.
"Halmeoni!" a staff was called her from the counter. "Halmeoni! Come here!"
"Her old home is at the Eastern part of the island, but it's difficult to get there. You need to wait for a ship to come." I took note of what she said and hid the tassel inside my pocket. "The East is very... different from other regions here."
"Halmeoni, are you bothering this costumer?" the staff apologetically smiled at me.
I shook my head. "Not at all! She was telling me interesting stories about the restaurant." I said.
The staff sighed in relief. "Joh-ayo. Come inside, halmeoni."
"It's nice meeting you. What's your name?" She asked. The staff already left us here because there were customers entering.
"My name is Yohan, Yohan Chavez."
"Yohan." She repeated. "I'm Nari."
"It's nice meeting you too, Ma'am Nari." I politely said.
She laughed. "You can just call me halmeoni. It means 'grandma' in Korea. I better go inside, my sonnyeo is waiting for me." She gave me a pat on my head before leaving.
"Alright... halmeoni."
"Jeong-mal... thank you so much for helping out my chingu."
I spent more than four hours searching through galleries at the streets here, only to find an essential information from a grandma... and inside a restaurant! This is crazy.
I'm so thankful for coming into this restaurant at the right time, I was able to talk to Iseul's close friend. I looked at the tassel that she gave me and bitterly smiled. The owner must've lost this piece before, I'm glad it was returned to Nari.
Eastern part of the island, that wasn't part of my bucket list, but I will go there first. Now I'm planning to go somewhere different. To the East!