Scars of the Dead (8)
Scars of the Dead (8)
He was really worried for the girl. She had an unusually good control over her powers and also somehow, managed to tame ghosts in her own way. Was it an ability or her natural charm, he would never know. But he was afraid that this was going to affect her in a bad way someday.
"I made a new friend," she chirped. "His name is Kang Shinho. My mom and dad found him while they were at our winter lodge and brought him home coz he has nowhere to go. He's living with us now! He told me that he loves chocolates but he couldn't have any. His mean dad used to beat him every time he tried to have any chocolates."
Junho raised an eyebrow. Judging by Jina's words, this Shinho seemed to be a child's ghost. He pursed his lips. Even though he did not know Shinho, he had an inkling how the kid may have died. Jina's usage of 'mean dad' gave away who might have killed the poor boy.
Seeing Jina's hopeful face made him sigh.
"Okay," he began. "Do you know why people used to offer food to their dead relatives and ancestors in the old days?"
Jina shook her head.
"There was a belief that once a person dies, he forgoes his earthly body and adopts a heavenly body," Junho explained. "This heavenly body is the soul. Souls don't get hungry nor do they need food. However, the food offering to the deceased by their living relatives was a show of respect and love. You see, it was a way to remember those who have left us, making sure that we do not forget their presence in our lives."
"Even though ghosts do not have to eat," he continued. "Once their shrines received food offerings from their families, their spirits would accept the offer and eat it. The food symbolized that people still remembered them. The more you remember a person, the stronger the deceased person's soul becomes. Also, when the heavens judge that person, once it has been determined that the person truly had people who loved him or her, their souls could reincarnate. Good souls get to have their one wish come true and would be granted that wish after reincarnating as a human being. Bad souls would be punished and would reincarnate as an animal."
Jina scratched her head. Even Shinho, who was sitting right next to her, could not make heads nor tails of what the old man had just said.
"Old man, can you just tell me how to offer the food?" Jina asked. "I can't understand all that big stuff you just said."
Junho rolled his eyes, shaking his head in dismay.
"Why couldn't you turn out to be a child genius who's exceptionally good at everything?" he sighed.
"That's coz I'm normal and not a freak like that weirdo I met at camp!" Jina said indignantly. Junho wanted to facepalm himself upon hearing that. Jina was probably the least normal kid he had ever encountered.
"First of all, you need to make a small space for a shrine," he said. "Make a memorial tablet. You can simply write his name on a piece of paper and stick it on a corner of your north facing wall. At midnight, put a small table in front of it and lay out the food on it. Place two candles on both sides and light them. Then, put your hands together and silently pray for the spirit to accept your offering. Bow in front of the name tablet three times and then say out loud, 'Your good deeds are your reward. Please accept my offering and I pray your wish comes true'. Got it?"
Jina was writing it all down. She was like a diligent student learning from her teacher.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "So this means, I can feed Casper and Yumi too! They'll be thrilled! Yumi has been complaining about eating dumplings."
"Yes you can," Junho said. "Now, if you're done, I'd like to go back to sleep."
"You're gonna sleep now?" Jina frowned. "It's just 12 PM!"
"I like my afternoon nap!" Junho snapped.
"You really are an old man!"
"Who the hell are you calling old?" Junho thundered.
"You, of course."
Junho grumbled while Shinho snickered. He had been silently watching the old man and the girl arguing.
"Go sleep," Jina said. "Old man."
Before Junho could retort, she turned off the screen and turned to Shinho. "We're gonna try this out tonight!" she declared. Shinho nodded, feeling very excited. He was finally going to taste chocolate!
"But what's your older brother's name?" Jina asked. "Do you know his name?"
Shinho shook his head. "I only know he also has my surname," he noted. "But I don't know his real name. You see, my mother and I lived in a small slum for years. But last year, she fell ill and a bunch of men entered our house to take me away. She could not stop them because she was so ill. And after a few days, she killed herself."
Jina's eyes widened in shock. "And your dad took you in?" she asked. "But why did he kill you?"
"I don't know," Shinho said sadly. "He locked me in the cellar and beat me everyday. I tried my best not to anger him so I stayed in the darkness."
To his surprise, Jina gently hugged him. "It's okay," she assured him. "You're with us now. You're safe here."
Shinho blushed. No one had ever hugged him that way except for his mother. It was a brief yet sweet hug. She quickly let him go and beamed at him.
"Now let's prepare tea for the dolls!" she exclaimed. "They get cranky when they don't get food on time!"
"Okay!"
Their innocent laughters were echoing the mansion. Nanny Kim, who was working downstairs, was surprised by how cheerful Jina sounded.
"Young miss is laughing so loudly," she noted thoughtfully. "Is she talking to a friend?"
Shrugging off that thought, she went back to work. As long as Jina was happy and cheerful, nothing else mattered to them.