Chapter 194 - When Fairies Gift

"Dr. Kim apologized but he won't be coming to dinner with us tonight," said Chang Mi, as he checked the group conversation on his cell phone. Ye Rim sighed, not feeling like eating despite Eun Ha and Mr. Ahn had made a great-looking and aromatic dinner. Looking around, and seeing Shin, her unnie, Chang Mi and Mr. Ahn, all with thoughtful and discouraged expressions, she knew everyone was still shocked by the recent events.

"Okay, it was a good attempt to let him know he has our support and to make him eat properly, but he really must be very busy, with the press and lawyers and the police. His family must also need him right now," she said, to no one in particular.

Ye Rim spoke to Jun Hyeon whenever possible over the phone, and they were only a day and a half from Musician Lee's arrest for Gravedigger Kwan's murder. Mr. Kwan was the same man who questioned them at pojangmacha one night. The drunk man with mysterious phrases, Ye Rim discovered, with horror.

The press voraciously surrounded the case, as did the police. Detective Ji had been assigned to investigate the case of the alleged kidnapping of Kim Ji Hyeon, which was a parallel case, but possibly related to the murder of the gravedigger. According to the news they had, Dae Won had claimed that he used to buy the items that Dr. Kim took to his sister, from the Gravedigger Kwan, but that when the business relationship ended, he was blackmailed. The man found out where Dae Won lived and came to his house, where they had a fight and he accidentally killed the blackmailer. At first, in a panic, MP Lee thought about hiding the crime, but then he decided to report the murder himself and surrender to the police.

Undoubtedly many investigations were being carried out to check his statement. But Dr. Kim's charge against him caused an even greater uproar.

And Dae Won denied having forged death and kidnapped Ji Hyeon.

He was being kept under arrest, but also surrounded by very competent lawyers. According to Jae Wook, MP Lee would most likely still be released tonight, to await trial for the murder of the gravedigger in liberty, unless they obtained strong pieces of evidence of the other crimes during this short period. The fact that Dae Won surrendered and was a primary defendant made a lot of difference.

In order not to make Eun Ha and Mr. Ahn sad, Ye Rim forced himself to eat some, but her mind revolved around the shocking events in which she was involved. Even her unnie had offered to testify, having seen a bag full of old flowers and objects the day she went to visit Dae Won at the station.

Suddenly, Eun Ha exclaimed, looking at her cell phone,

"Aishh! I don't believe! That bastard will be leaving shortly with a provisional release! If it weren't for Dr. Kim's lawyers asking us not to go there, I'd be right in front of the police station to say a few things to him! Traitor! Murderer! With that 'good guy's' face! I cooked for him!"

At another time it would have been funny to see how Hunter Shin stopped eating and then started to chew very slowly, glaring at Eun Ha out of the corner of his eye.

"Your food is great, Noona," said Chang Mi, without looking up from his plate.

"Thanks. It would be a waste for Dr. Kim not to eat. I think I'm going to make a lunch box for him."

Ye Rim blinked in astonishment as did Chang Mi and Shin too, when Eun Ha got up and came back with some containers, starting to make a lunch box for Dr. Kim.

That was quite a change! And that was a great excuse to go to Jun Hyeon and see how he was doing, Ye Rim thought.

"Thank you, unnie, I'm sure he will appreciate it!"

"In fact, I think we should investigate as well. We could use different methods to find the whereabouts of Dr. Kim's sister," Eun Ha cast a sidelong glance at his boyfriend, and Ye Rim knew that her unnie spent the whole afternoon being convinced not to interfere and run into police officers doing their job. It wouldn't only be risky but could interfere with the experts' investigation.

"Well, if you can do me a favor while I'm taking your bento to Oppa, I'd appreciate it. Mrs. Song said that I should get the gifts I received the day before yesterday before they were ruined. But I think Duk Mi needs his unoccupied dressing room, actually. I should have gone, but with this mess ... Would you be a darling unnie just this time?"

Ye Rim could do this herself, but she also knew that Eun Ha was acting jittery and driving her boyfriend crazy. Hunter Shin could love Eun Ha, but he seemed busy on a project in his studio and didn't want her there, Chang Mi had told her. Ye Rim suspected Shin was making a special gift for her unnie.

Eun Ha was thoughtful for a moment, but said, resigned,

"Okay, it won't be a problem. Doing something will make me less irritated because I'm useless in this case." The hint was obvious. It had something to do with Shin insisting that she spare herself from going to 'low energy' places or something, and focus on other things. Ye Rim knew that they had barely started dating and faced a conflict because he was also the 'Professor of Magic Affairs'.

Relationsh.i.p.s were complicated.

But right now, she really wanted to help Jun Hyeon more. Although they were not a couple. She wanted to be at his side.

ººº

"Ye Rim, before you go, I would like to speak with you," Shin Hye Seong intercepted the singer when she was near the door, about to leave.

Ye Rim blinked, because the solemn tone of the owner of the house meant something, she was right. She realized that he had taken advantage of the moment when Eun Ha had left to do this. 'Smart, very smart. I don't know what you want, but I'm starting to understand you, 'Professor Shin'! ' she thought, amused.

"Sure, why not?" she would not deny this to the owner of the house where she was staying, of course. So Shin asked her to go to the studio ... Of course, it had to do with Eun Ha, she thought. He made Ye Rim enter his studio full of peculiar objects and made her sit down and get comfortable.

But the Hunter surprised her by starting the conversation by offering her a small, long box. Ye Rim felt a shiver and looked at the fairy, apprehensive. Why was she suddenly afraid of this conversation?

"Ye Rim, I made this weapon for you," Shin Hye Seong nodded at the box, which Ye Rim hurried to open. What he called a weapon was a long, eccentric silver pendant attached to a chain. The shape resembled a needle or dagger. The surface was grooved. It wasn't overly embellished, and in fact, looked like perhaps an ethnic jewel. But her instincts suspected something, and Ye Rim had to ask,

"Does that remind me ... that thorn that my mother took out of Eun Ha's mother's chest."

"You are right. This object is that thorn. But now it is also something that can help you defend yourself," he said calmly.

"Listen, Professor Shin ..." it was strange to call him Professor since he was not exactly a teacher, but Ye Rim was certainly not prepared to call him a Hunter. What did she want to say to him? That she wasn't ready to hunt monsters, so she couldn't keep it? "Look, I don't even know how to thank you. But it would be a waste. If that magic item is useful, it should be in the hands of those who can actually use it."

He sighed, a little sadly, and a little annoyed too. Crouching in front of her, Shin said,

"Ye Rim, it's not a choice. According to the reports of your mother, the only witness and the person with the greatest interest that was not so, facts happened that indicate that you have a very peculiar skill. As much as you have spent your life denying it, because of your experiences and misfortunes, your skills are real and have become more evident in the last year. So let's get straight to the point, since I know you really want to go see Jun Hyeon today."

Experiencing firsthand the assertiveness that Eun Ha complained about so much surprised Ye Rim. She nodded. And the fairy continued,

"You are here for a few days and this house has already changed. You exude magic, a lot of magic, with your simple presence. If there was something wrong with you before, this year things have changed. It's your peak. There's no denying it. The Devourer already knows who you are and probably already knows WHAT YOU ARE. The threat you are. And the Devourer is already after you, as you saw that night when we went to the amus.e.m.e.nt park."

She shivered at the mere mention of that night. Shin also nodded and said,

"It is part of my job to find him as soon as possible, but… I cannot be looking for him all the time, and also by his side. Nor would you want that. Or you will want Chang Mi all the time with you. HE wants you. So keep my words as very serious things."

Ye Rim swallowed. The Hunter looked her in the eye,

"Soon I will confront him. If I fail, he'll come after you. He cannot reach you directly, because nothing supernatural can hurt you. Then he will reach everything around you, and do many tricks to have you at his mercy. But eventually, it will reach you personally. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He couldn't be clearer, and again Ye Rim nodded, without taking his eyes off him.

"I need you to prepare to kill the Devourer, in case I can't. I will tell you how," Shin stood up.