Dear Mr. Nathan McNeill.
I am the father of Cheon Ji, my daughter. Ji is my only child and thus my everything. Presently, she is in trouble with something we cannot explain. An acquaintance gave me your email, and informed me that you will be able to help me.
Please reply as soon as you receive my email. My daughter seriously requires your help. I fear for her safety.
Sincerely
Cheon Wonsik
Mars lay on his cat bed when the duo came the next day. I wore my black suit for receiving guests. Ah, so gorgeous! I swirled around to see if there was anything out of their proper place. "Damn kid," he meowed in evident frustration,
"You'll fall into the mirror if you keep on staring at yourself like that. Hear that? They're here. Hey!" I winked slyly at him as I unlocked the door. Across the doorway, a young black-haired teenage girl in a school uniform stood passively with a tall blonde man.
"Welcome to my abode. Come in and make yourselves comfortable. Want some refreshments? Something to eat?" I received them inside. Wonsik rugged his daughter's shoulders soothingly as they sat down on the couch.
"Tea? Coffee? Something cold?" I generously offered with a brilliant smile.
"Tea for me and juice for her." Glad I bought juice that morning just in case. As I poured the refreshments, I sat patiently and waited with anticipation. After a moment's pause, he started.
"I'll just first summarise the first part before getting to the point. Ji isn't my biological daughter but my niece." Wow, really? I barely noticed. No, really.
"I admitted her into my care since her parents died when she was really young, and eventually adopted her as my child. Every year, I would throw a birthday party, just like any other parent would but this year was different.
Thinking it was time, I gave her the last present her parents bought her." He sighed as he squeezed Ji's hand. She was extremely pale with deep circles under her eyes. I merely nodded.
"It's a music box they bought in Venice from a collector. He allegedly claimed it's an original from Sorrento. It was a pleasant surprise at first. It still works and is in excellent condition," he explained. He then gripped his cup tightly. Ji remained silent the entire time.
"It happened a few days after she had received the gift. She began suffering night terrors. In her dreams, wicked demons and monsters devoured her parents.
And she's not a person who watches horror shows. A week ago she began experiencing unusual fatigue and sensed dark figures in her room during the night.
Initially, I didn't believe her. But two days ago, while Ji was at school, I was cleaning the music box when I discerned a peculiar shape in the corner of my eye. Since then the whole house would harbour an eerie feeling over it.
We tried destroying the music box, but it's as if it's indestructible." He licked his lips nervously. What a cool story. I can't wait to chronicle it.
"You require me to eradicate it?" I inquired.
"! don't mind what you perform, as long as it's gone from our lives," he beseeched. That I can do. I lifted up my cup and winked. "You got it. Payment will be fourteen million won."
"No problem. When would it be convenient for you to come?" Huh. His price doesn't faze him, which is rare. "Tomorrow. Please put your signature here," I pointed eagerly. After signing he and his adopted kid left.
"So Mars, what do you think? Could it be a spirit curse?" I asked grimly. He stretched and replied severely, "Could be. Or an obsessive spirit bound to the box. If it's the chosen latter, solely perform the Release exorcism."
"If it's the first?"
"Demolish them." And I typically thought I was brutal at times. "Can I use FULL FORM—"
"Not without me you can't," he replied curtly. Aw, man. "But what if there's an emergency?"
"I'll be on standby if you need me." (Censor)
I scanned their key details. "Oh wow. They live in the fancy part of town."
The sky was overcast the following day, with thunder rumbling but no sign of rain. I pulled up in their driveway on my blue Suzuki GSX-R1000RA in Hannam-dong. Their brick house was massive which even had three floors! I admired the garden as I strode to the glass doorway.
This grand house looked so expensive. Maybe I should instantly replace my front entry with a glass door too. I rang the doorbell and hung around. There was a Japanese garden on one side of their lawn and a stone garden on the other.
It worked together efficiently. I gradually heard footsteps and my attention promptly turned to the person inside.
"Welcome." They greeted me. It was an old man. I cringed inwardly. His bland face was vivid with disfiguring scars. I bowed courteously, "I'm Nathan McNeill here on the behest of Mr. Cheon?"
"Oh yes," he croaked. Man, is this guy a chimney smoker? His voice sounds unpleasant. "Please, come this way." I hate his hoarse voice yet I smiled civilly while walking behind.
"Sir, your guest has arrived," he bowed. Ack!
"Thank you, Dae," said Woonsik. In gratitude, he grasped my hand and gestured me to the stairs. We ascended a single flight of stairs, and into a guest's bedroom. There were a lot of rooms.
"I left the box here by itself. You can also do your exorcism or whatnot undisturbed. I left orders that you are not to be bothered."
"Thank you. That will be a great help," I beamed. What does this guy do for a living again?
He departed, leaving me by myself. The music box stood on the bedside table, almost pulsating. It was very beautiful. An ivory box with two red roses painted on the cover. Initiating my SENSE, an aura appeared around the box. The ivory turns a muddy brown.
How vulgar. I carefully opened the lid. The famous song, Santa Lucia, played. This was one of my dad's favourites. I was about to close the lid when I heard a voice singing.
Sul mare luccica l'astro d'argento
Placida è l'onda, prospero è il vento
I frowned. Leaving the lid open, I scoured the room. There you are! Leaning on the wardrobe was the dark figure of a girl. I was about to pounce when I felt all my energy leave my muscles.
"What the—?" I crumpled onto the floor.
The girl giggled as she disappeared.
Confused, I returned to my feet as my strength were restored. There was no sign of her, but a shadow hung in her place. "What the heck? Where's the girl?" I demanded.
It didn't reply but pointed to the wall instead before slowly dissipating. What was going on in this place? The Santa Lucia had ceased playing and the silence was deafening. I went back down to Woonsik.
"Hey, sorry to bother you. Do you know the history of this box?" I held up the music box I brought thoughtlessly with me. He stared blankly at the wooden ornament before answering.
"How remarkable," he muttered as he smiled weakly. "Definitely I do. Before we requested your help, I had others come to take a peek. One was a psychic who did a background check. It seems this box was made in the Georgian era for thirteen-year-old Edith Alford."