He had been seeing strange things since he was a child.
“What? A person?”
“Yeah, over there. Can't you see?”
“...What are you talking about, it's just an empty lot.”
“Did you see a monster or something?”
“It's not a monster....”
Sometimes, it would take a shape similar to a human.
“...Sorry, I think I was mistaken.”
“Are you sure you're okay, oppa?”
“Maybe I'm still half-asleep.”
Like squirrels or stray cats, its long tail would trail through the bushes, or it would stand still like a tree, emitting a strange scent, or sometimes it would float up high in the sky as if it were a cloud....
He knew that it was fundamentally different from the plants and animals he knew. Sometimes it was very similar, but other times it was grotesquely sloppy.
“Maybe you've been pushing yourself too hard lately. How about taking a break?”
“It’s still manageable.”
Like most wild animals, they didn't acknowledge his presence.
“I should work while I still can.”
So, Cha Eun-hyuk also pretended not to see them on purpose.
'Can anyone else see them?'
He thought hard about what they were.
'...Are they ghosts? But if they were ghosts, they'd look more like regular people. These definitely have animal forms. Although sometimes they only mimic parts like ears or tails. Then are they hallucinations? But they leave actual traces, so I can't just call them hallucinations. So, are they monsters? But monsters don't usually ignore people like that.'
They would sometimes dance. They sang songs, appreciated flowers, or floated on the water. Cha Eun-hyuk instinctively knew that as long as he didn't disturb them, they wouldn't harm him.
But very occasionally, dangerous ones would appear.
“They say a fire broke out at that house.”
“No wonder, the lady in that house has been so forgetful lately....”
“They say the whole family burned to death in that house.”
The villagers blamed the fire on the housewife who had dementia. That might have been true, but Cha Eun-hyuk knew the real issue was something else.
Something with a ‘bundle’ had been following that housewife around.
'Ah, I see.'
It was clear that it must have killed the lady.
He didn't know exactly what it did. But from that point on, Cha Eun-hyuk realized that among those creatures, there could be some dangerous ones.
Even though they didn't seem to have any malice, their mere existence could be a threat to humans.
'So, they are a type of monster after all.'
Cha Eun-hyuk came to that conclusion.
“Oppa, are you still planning to sell fish-shaped buns?”
“It sells pretty well, doesn't it?”
He pretended to stay calm since he didn’t want to provoke it, but cold sweat was running down his back.
Cha Eun-hyuk had guessed that these things were a kind of monster. Compared to the visible ones, they were more docile.
But sometimes, they would casually destroy a person without any malice, and that was terrifying.
'...It's still staring at the fish-shaped buns....'
Maybe if he gives it one, it'll go away.
It was then.
“How much for a bag?”
Did it just speak?
'A monster?'
He didn't show it, but he was shocked.
He had often seen these creatures take human forms. They would mimic human lives, but their actions were hollow, and none of them had ever spoken.
'And it's asking how much?'
Is it really mimicking humans to this extent?
“Ah....”
But he couldn't just ignore the question.
“Five thousand won for ten.”
“Do you only accept cash?”
“Cash is preferred.”
The man in the black cloak, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, reached into the hood of his cloak. Cha Eun-hyuk wondered what he was doing, but soon a gem sparkling with a transparent light appeared in his hand.
Even Cha Eun-hyuk, a man from the countryside, could tell that this beautifully crafted gem was far more valuable than ten fish-shaped buns.
“Will this do?”
Just as he was about to think it was quite a convincing human imitation, it pulled this stunt, and he felt a sudden rush of frustration.
'Who pays for fish-shaped buns with a gem?'
Cha Eun-hyuk felt a chill down his spine.
Attempting barter, not knowing the conventional value of the desired item—no matter how much the other party tries to imitate humans, all of it only creates a sense of discomfort.
'And yet, it seems so human, which makes it even more unsettling.'
He barely managed to reply.
“...That's too much.”
“I have nothing else.”
“Don’t you have a card....”
“Does a card work?”
“Uh... yes.”
“I see.”
He didn't think he would do it, but he really handed over a card.