Chapter Text
The house sat on a hill all by itself and was silent the way mourners were at a funeral. There was an air of expectation, as if it was just waiting for the next step in a ritual that was yet to be complete.
Gaon looked across the wide empty yard where the forest was threatening to encroach, the grass overgrown and dried in browning patches. He could hear waves crashing in the distance, a sound that only emphasised how far away and remote the location was. There was a profound bleakness to the property; he could feel it in the air like wisps of rain against his skin but it wasn't malevolent like he had feared.
He had parked his car outside the gates and now he strolled down the pathway to the porch, gravel crunching underfoot, the house - a mansion really - looming ahead. He could feel it watching him, murky windows like eyes, gauging, waiting.
A woman stood on the porch, back ramrod straight, hands clasped in front of her. She wore a severe high collared blouse and a long skirt, looking every bit the part of the house.
"Kim Gaon?" she stretched out a hand as Gaon approached. "Ji Youngok. You may call me Mrs Ji."
Gaon took her hand. "Nice to meet you. Thank you for your email."
Mrs Ji looked over his shoulder. "Are you here by yourself?" Her throat bobbed, a slight tremor to her thin lips.
"Yes, sorry. Professor Min is away on another case. I know you wanted someone with more experience. But since it was urgent, I thought I'd come regardless. I am not at the Professor's level but I can hold my own. Do some preliminary checks." Gaon felt his face heat as he spoke. He knew he was young but he didn't like justifying himself. He had always been careful with the cases he took and Professor Min had agreed that Gaon could handle this one on his own.
"No, it’s alright," Mrs Ji nodded. "You… you''ll do very well." She smiled at last, eyes softening. "Come," she beckoned, turning to unlock the large ornate front doors.
--
Gaon had been to more than a dozen properties whose owners had claimed were supposedly haunted but only a handful ever proved to be true.
The mansion was different from all the rest.
From the moment he crossed the threshold, all the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. It was like stepping into a vacuum; sound, light, life even, was dulled. Gaon pushed, felt the house shudder awake, pushing back trying to smother him, testing, squeezing.
He held firm, frowning, until the pressure gave, and slunk away, the house's curiosity sated for now. Breathing was easy again and Gaon exhaled once, satisfied, the tension seeping out of him.
"Is everything alright?" Mrs Ji asked, concerned. She stood on the base of the stairs, ignorant or unaffected.
"Yeah," Gaon managed a tight smile. "You say this place is… cursed?" He asked trailing her up the creaking stairs, lifting a hand to catch the nature of the curse in his fingertips but it slipped away, elusive as a silk ribbon stolen from his grasp. Powerful. "How many years has it been?"
"Decades. It was all over the news. Before your time, I should think," Mrs Ji explained. "I have served the Kang family for many years. Many, many years." She sighed. "Such a tragic family. First Master Isaac dies in a fire and then Master Yohan and Miss Elijah just vanish into thin air. Just like that. All their belongings were still there. Master Yohan's half read book was still on his desk, Elijah's bed was still rumpled….."
Gaon listened attentively even though done all the research beforehand, seen the footage and heard the recordings, read the papers, the articles, the interviews.
"We did not suspect foul play at first. After the police investigations ruled out the usual, the practitioners came… and then it was a matter of the council. They said they had never seen the like. Untraceable, unbreakable. I am not gifted myself. I do not understand these things but we had some of the best in here, day in and day out. Nothing. They did not understand the curse. And eventually fervour and interest died down, as these things often do."
"Curses can weaken overtime," Gaon pondered as they came to a stop in front of a locked room. "But why now?"
Mrs Ji unlocked the door to reveal a large bedroom. There was a massive bed facing large floor to ceiling windows. A writing desk in one corner and a partition which led to a walk in closet. "I had it cleaned for you. There's a generator in the basement for electricity and the kitchen is stocked for a week. I’ve made sure there’s hot water as well."
Gaon shifted, a bit overwhelmed by the space and her hospitality. "Well I don't know if I'll be staying that long. Mrs Ji, I don't want to get your hopes up. I've read every report, every journal I could get my hands on of the previous people who came here over the years…. Some were much more talented than I. I'm not sure I can offer anything new."
"It's alright. You're the first person who has bothered to respond to my emails and calls after so many years. I'd be happy even if you just tried."
Gaon looked around again. The walls were listening, the mirrors were watching. He would just have to get used to it.
"You should drive your car over to the basement parking lot or to the porch. Just in case. And here," She passed him a set of keys. “For every room.”
“You don’t live here?” asked Gaon, surprised.
“Oh no. No one has lived here for years. Not since…,” she trailed off. “I have a place nearby. I only come by once a month or so. To make certain everything is as it should be. But, if you need anything, do call. You have my number.”
Gaon walked her to her car since he was going to move his as she had suggested. He couldn’t help but notice she seemed agitated, restless, like she was eager to leave. Perhaps the house did that and Gaon would start to feel the same over time.
“Take care,” she said, squeezing his hand in thanks.
“Mrs Ji? You haven’t told me why… why are you looking to break the curse only now?” Gaon asked, remembering the question she hadn’t answered.
Mrs Ji paused, eyes searching his face. “Would you believe me,” she said softly, “If I told you Master Yohan came to me in a dream?”
It was not unusual but there was a difference between the wishful dreams of normal people and the Dreams of Sight; sometimes it was difficult to tell which was which. “Did he say anything?”
“No. But I knew.”
“Was he… was Kang Yohan - I read he dabbled -”
Mrs Ji laughed, a little sharply. “Oh, Master Yohan didn’t just dabble,” and there was a slight sneer in the twist of her lips, a proud light in her eyes. “No, Master Yohan was one of the best.”