Chapter 188 - Deep Dive

Gathered in Hunter Shin's library, he, Eun Ha and Chang Mi consulted some books that the older fairy placed on the table.

Eun Ha read aloud,

"I found something here about damn music. 'Few mundane objects, that is, that were not specifically made for the purpose of being magical, can be instilled '. They must be naturally imbued with exceptional brute magical strength, derived from human expression and also of excellent quality in their manufacture. These criteria include works of art or products of human skill, such as paintings, sculptures, musical and singing pieces, poetry and handicrafts of great artistic value. Such 'cursed' or 'blessed' works can be instilled, becoming objects of magic.'" After reading, she asked,

"But I thought only objects made specifically to be instilled could withstand more addition of magic. And how can a 'song' store magic?"

"Some can," said Shin.

"But how can a song become 'cursed'? it was Chang Mi's doubt.

"It has to be created with a catharsis of heavy feelings. The human transfers all the bad energy of his feelings to music. It could be a painting, a sculpture, anything else. They are very long-lasting works of art, unfortunately."

"You mean they are magical in themselves?" asked Chang Mi.

"Basically, yes. And if a great energy handler knows how to use a cursed piece of art in his favor …"

"If I'm not mistaken, Ye Rim reported that the song that the karaoke girl wanted to sing was this one. And then it all happened!" Eun Ha remembered and shared.

"Hm," the Hunter grunted, thoughtfully. "I need to investigate. But it definitely seems to fit in with a 'cursed music' case."

"So you think the Devourer may use this song like he did in the park?"

"It is a theory. He would be able to feed his grim lackeys easily, contaminating people through this music. I just found an old reference on conjuring with cursed music."

"Wow, it makes perfect sense," the youngest sounded impressed, "Using a song to invoke a 'wraith' close to a potential victim."

"U-hum," The Hunter agreed. "In addition to perhaps having other, even worse uses." "Maybe Hani died from too much contact with this song?" Eun Ha thought this was the most logical explanation. The poor singer could have gone mad quickly by giving voice to the accursed music and being forced to re-record it.

The two men stood in dismayed silence for a moment, thinking of the mental suffering of the promising young star. Chang Mi did some research on his cell phone and said,

"This song was composed two years ago by Lee Dae Won, it says here, and it has been climbing gradually on the music charts after being recorded by Hani. OPS," he paused, pausing to read some more on the screen, "Actually, after her death, sales went up and the song climbed the charts. There are also reports of suicides among young people here, which are related to music, according to 'internet rumors'," said the half fairy.

Eun Ha gaped, "Did you say, Lee Dae Won?"

Shin turned to her, curious, and asked, "Is this person 'I'll take Miss Jung'?" Apparently he managed to add the name to the person. Eun Ha would have been flattered and amused at another time, but she was still too shocked at that,

"A person ... can create this without knowing it, right?"

"Most of the time a 'cursed' creation is done unintentionally, Eun Ha. It is emotions that transpire into magic and are imprinted on the work," said Shin. "A traumatic memory or something."

Eun Ha was silent, thinking about the kind of agonizing suffering Lee Dae Won oppa might have. She remembered the story that he lost his bride, but maybe he was confused. Was it a fire? Was it Dr. Kim's sister? She wasn't so sure. Then she asked, "But, aren't the Wraiths attracted to that kind of feeling? Wouldn't he have been parasitized?"

Shin threw his head to the side while lighting a cigarette, "Well, maybe the bad feelings have all been transferred to music. Thus, he would have been healed, and the music would attract the wraiths, who would abandon him."

"Um, well, that makes more sense. He's a quite serene man," she commented.

Chang Mi, who had been quiet for a moment, said,

"Now that we're talking about this, ... I think I understood my dreams about the Devourer."

This took the couple's focus away from other matters, and they approached Chang Mi, who was furiously fiddling with his cell phone,

"I think the place I see… could be a sound studio. Now that I have something to relate to… It definitely looks like a broadcast studio, like hmm a radio," he turned the phone screen over to show them a picture of a radio station.

"It makes perfect sense," Shin took the phone from his hand to get a better look.

ººº

After searching Pearl, they found neither the delivery man, nor Eun Ha or even Shin.

Jae Wook said he needed to go back to the police station to get some things moving, and that he would help him with the search for Ji Hyeon. At this point, Dr. Kim was incredulous when he realized that the man he had disliked at first sight was probably Mr. Perfect. He had dismissed no suspicions and, in fact, found them quite plausible.

But the thought his sister was alive cluttered Jun Hyeon's head. He could no longer enjoy Ye Rim's show, no matter how much he wanted to support and cheer her. His fixed thought was on Ji Hyeon.

Jun Hyeon got out of Pearl and drove to his mother's house. The doctor had already returned to his own apartment, but tonight he wanted to see the place again and try to figure out what to do next. In addition, he searched the damn song 'Deep Dive' on the app and put it to play while driving.

The thing I miss the most, is half of me

That you were, and there's no more point

Waiting for what? There will be no new twist

There is no way up anymore

There is no escape, but the final escape, the deep dive

"Don't be afraid, you said"

Cross over and you will see 

I grabbed your cold hand and went on confidently, because you were my smiling half

We discovered so many things, we were so young and foolish

Tap and Toe, those were us

Swiss chocolates and French lipsticks

Mute people, sidelong looks,

Broken mirrors, compassion

Welcome to the new world, I was the crying half

What is left of me, but the deep dive

different from that, in the summer of Jeju

I dive, in the cold waters of my pain,

a wrong step, and the sky became the bottom

of the endless well of my existence

A deep dive ..."

Before they got rich, in their early teens, the Kim family traveled to Jeju. He and Ji took a dive. He always made fun of how scared she was, of being at the bottom of the sea, even with the guides and in a safe place. But then he saw that noona was not just being sly or seeking attention. She was scared as hell. He reached for her hand and gave a thumbs-up, guiding her through the corals. She lost her fear, in the end.

She had never commented much on this, nor had he given importance to it. Just listening to this song and paying attention to its lyrics, Jun Hyeon clearly remembered the unbearably sunny summer day when it happened.

'It's not possible ... The lyrics ...!'

There were other similarities: 'Tap and Toe, these are us', referred to two tap dance steps;

'Swiss Chocolates and French Lipsticks' were what Ji Hyeon wanted most on their first international trip, now millionaires;

'Mute people, sideways looks,' ... could refer to the hard period when they changed social class and were ostracized at the new school;

'Broken mirrors, compassion,' after the fire, with a deformed face, when his sister went into a descending spiral of depression ...

He made it to his mother's house barely safe, and went straight to Ji Hyeon's room. 

His tear-misty eyes barely saw the furniture and photo of Ji Hyeon as she was before the accident. Sitting in the chair in front of the desk, the doctor tried to focus. Looking everywhere to make sense of it. That poignant song, was it… a clue? It couldn't be a coincidence. He would be going crazy if it were just in his head. Only one idea came to mind, and Dr. Kim decided to put it into practice and find the evidence he needed.

With his cell phone, he accessed the lyrics of the songs composed by Lee Dae Won. And after picking up a pen and paper, he started to read the lyrics and write down everything that made sense. Anything that could be a message from Ji Hyeon to him.

His eyes burned, but his heart seemed to burn as well, in pain and hatred.

Rummaging next in the cabinets, he found the memories that Ji Hyeon kept, and spread them out. Photos, objects, notes. 

As the night progressed, its huge puzzle became more and more complex and full of details. Deep Dive was just the tip of the iceberg. In at least six songs composed by his sister's ex-fiance, details that Dae Won most likely did not know, from the childhood of Ji Hyeon and his family.

It wasn't just incredible.

It was scary.