The Scent of Myrrh and Sage

11. Deceit

The bubbling feelings and hot tears tingling in Seonghwa's eyes dried at once. When the two shadows formed into human shapes and shook off their black coats, he shot up from his seat on the table. Trembling hands clutched over his mouth to stifle his gasp.

The two spirits before him were ghostly pale, almost see-through, like the rest of Hongjoong's companions. Seonghwa recognised his father immediately since he looked the same as the day he had left their world. With his hair still in full lushness and his smile warm.

The woman by his side was almost a stranger. In life, Seonghwa's mother had been so beautiful. Long hair curled down to her hip and her eyes twinkled at the sight of Seonghwa. She looked so different. So pretty and warm. In this jarring difference, Seonghwa quickly understood how he had been tending to a corpse.

This was how his parents looked like back then, before he was born. Before the shadow of death fell over their entire family.

They were a young couple, foolishly in love.

Seeing their past as an adult, Seonghwa grew nostalgic for the family he never had. Death accompanied his entire life.

But they had done it for him. Tried so hard so he could be happy. They felt deeply for each other and their child.

Their sorrow at his tears brought them closer. Cold hands ghosted over the living flesh of the son they would never see as equals again. All that remained was the shell of his mother's body at his home.

"Mother, father," Seonghwa wept and when they realised where they were, who Seonghwa was with, their features clouded over.

"This person," his father began, hovering their hands near Seonghwa to pat his shoulders even when they couldn't touch him.

Seonghwa shook his head.

"He told me everything. Seeing you two here... I suppose it's true," he whispered, heartbroken about their care and ignorance both at once.

Ashamed, his father averted his gaze. Seonghwa's mother remained worried.

What did she think of the pact her husband made? Did she agree? Was she too sick to have a say? She never told Seonghwa she was undead. Kept the secret and warned him of the mountains. Even when everyone fell sick, she had known why.

"Please tell me," Seonghwa whispered. His reunion with his parents wasn't joyous. It was unnatural, and he knew they deserved to rest. That getting attached would become dangerous.

Seonghwa was still alive. The barrier Hongjoong wandered was most unnatural.

"Tell me if it's true. Tell me if you knew about this mark all along... I don't blame your love for each other or even selling me as your bargain. You didn't know back then who I would be and... I know you loved me. That is why you did it." Seonghwa bit his trembling lip, gulping against the knot in his throat.

"Just... Why didn't you tell me? Were you so afraid of losing me? Hongjoong helped you. He gave you so much time. Mother, when I discovered him, why didn't you speak the truth? Why would you make so many suffer?"

Torn, his parents' spirits glanced at each other. In the background, the others lingered around Hongjoong, curious about the presence of these new characters. Hongjoong muttered to his peculiar friends, not allowing their sabotage to disrupt the conversation.

"We couldn't sacrifice you," Seonghwa's mother whispered. "We wished it could have been undone and that your father never chose me over you, but the necromancer's magic had its fixed terms. No pleading and crying shook his mind."

"The village... How could you sacrifice the entire village for a single life?"

Ashamed, the two avoided his gaze.