Chapter 24…
White Soul
When Mansu clicked his tongue, Director Kim Hyun-chul, noticing the change in his expression, carefully asked,
“Why? Is there a problem…?”
“No. It’ll go well. It will go well, but… this is a bit…”
Mansu’s gaze slowly shifted to the side.
There was Suhan, glaring at him with those piercing eyes that seemed to say, “You’d better say the right thing.”
“This friend has brought luck with him. It was destined to go well anyway, but together they’ve created a shape that pulls each other upward.”
“Ah! I knew it! Haha! Actually, in this drama, our actor Suhan became a kind of kick-off point. I was nervous, but it seems it’ll turn out well?”
From Mansu’s perspective, he wished that hateful guy would fail, so he could coax him into helping at the shrine.
But the reading only came out positive.
He couldn’t lie, so even though it left a bitter taste, he continued the divination.
“It’s like an awl inside a pocket. In the end, it will break through and show itself—so he will be remembered together.”
“Oh! I should give you a fee!”
“Eh, what fee!”
Watching Suhan interrupt from the side made Mansu’s insides boil.
From one to ten, there was nothing he liked about the guy.
“I slipped some in here. Isn’t it that for fortune-telling to work, there has to be an offering? Haha, please take care of it!”
“You’ll be walking a smooth path.”
With a capitalist smile, Mansu watched the director leave.
At that moment, Suhan leaned over and whispered like a ventriloquist,
“Half-and-half.”
“You little—!”
“Oh! Brother Daesung!”
Before he could finish cursing, Suhan was already bringing in another guest, forcing Mansu to swallow his words.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Kim Daesung.”
“Hey, Brother Daesung takes good care of me, so read him properly, alright?”
“Ahem, don’t worry.”
“I’ll go eat with the elder. He said he’s craving rice soup.”
“Huh? Elder?”
For a moment, Mansu’s face twisted, and Daesung glanced around at the word.
“Haha! I mean my patron spirit. I said I’d do a small ritual for him.”
“Eh?”
“We’re close like that. Haha!”
With years of experience, Mansu smoothly carried the conversation and continued naturally with Daesung.
“Hoho! Delicious!”
[Elder: I told you I’m full. You have filming later, eat moderately.]
“Ahem, ahem.”
This old man was trying to overeat again.
Doesn’t that shaman feed him properly?
“They do feed me nowadays, but nothing tastes like this.”
[If you do this often, won’t it cause side effects?]
“Hoho, you were chosen!”
[And that ‘chosen’ is why even dogs get tangled up!]
I turned to look at a white fluff wagging its tail furiously.
When the elder entered my body, the little thing came running, circling me with its tail spinning like a windmill.
[Huh? Isn’t that the one we saw at the barbecue place last time?]
“Tsk. How did it end up like this.”
[Why do animal spirits show up anyway? They only seem to appear if they were raised by people.]
Not every animal becomes a ghost when it dies.
If they did, barbecue joints would be full of pig spirits, and steakhouses full of cattle spirits.
It’s the same with people—only some become spirits, depending on circumstances.
…Probably.
“Usually, it happens when they suffer an unwanted separation. But this one… it feels unusual.”
[Whose dog is it, anyway?]
“They usually linger near their owner…”
Naturally, both the elder and I turned our gaze.
Everyone else had finished eating and left, so it was just me, the elder inside my body… and over there, Mansu and Brother Daesung.
Park Mansu’s expression subtly twisted.
“Is something wrong?”
Daesung, still smiling, asked carefully.
Usually, people took fortune readings as amusement. They’d be careful if told so, and if it was good, they’d just live happily.
Mansu smacked his lips and spoke.
“It isn’t a person… but didn’t you recently lose something close to you?”
“…What?”
“I feel something lingering nearby.”
“….”
Daesung’s smile froze instantly.
“Let’s see… affection, and obsession…”
“….”
“Because the affection was too strong, resentment spilled outward.”
Daesung’s stiff face finally moved.
“Could you explain in more detail?”
Hearing the seriousness in his voice, Mansu hesitated.
A ritual? Or a talisman?
He had only come to rope in that bum, but now he felt like he’d stumbled onto business.
Still, it didn’t feel like something a simple memorial rite could solve.
Even if he forced the lingering soul upward, the cause itself wouldn’t be resolved.
“A ritual to send it off, and talismans to block the energy of love and jealousy around you would be best.”
Mansu decided to sell both.
“Shaman, wait. Are you talking about that white fluff?”
“Why you—”
Seeing Suhan come closer, Mansu scowled, thinking he was ruining everything.
But an intense reaction burst out beside him.
“White fluff? Momo?”
“That white, fluffy, long-snouted pretty dog. Right, Shaman? The one you mentioned earlier.”
“Uh… y-yes.”
Mansu reluctantly went along.
Judging by Suhan’s eyes, he was definitely seeing the spirit.
“Suhan… how do you know?”
Daesung’s heavy tone made Suhan glance at Mansu before mumbling,
“Well… Mansu said earlier he thought he saw a white dog roaming around… that reminded me.”
“Y-yes. Normally, animal spirits don’t appear without reason, but it stood out, so I mentioned it. Haha.”
“Right. You did say that. With a silver coin-like tag around its neck, engraved with ‘Mo Mo’ in English.”
“…Yes.”
Daesung let out a long sigh.
Just then, someone called out,
“Mr. Daesung! You’re up for filming!”
“…Got it!”
Standing up, he hesitated, then spoke carefully to Mansu and Suhan.
“Can we talk more after shooting? I’d like to continue this.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Uh, y-yeah.”
Watching him leave, Mansu muttered,
“Definitely lingering.”
“Yeah. That white dog—I’ve seen it before.”
“Tch… of all things, a dog.”
“Why?”
“If it were a person, we could ask through possession. But a dog… it’s just a dog.”
“…My body’s still human, isn’t it? Dogs have thoughts too, so maybe they can talk?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Even as he dismissed it, Mansu tilted his head, now curious himself.
[I’m curious about that too.]
“Stay out of this, elder.”
[Ahem.]
“Cut! That’s it for today! Daesung, are you not feeling well?”
Daesung, at the director’s worried question, apologized,
“Sorry. I’m just not in the groove.”
“The drama airs soon. That’s not good. Should we adjust the schedule?”
“No, I’ll be fine. Tomorrow I don’t shoot anyway.”
“Alright, take some rest then.”
Smiling politely, Daesung finished up and immediately asked,
“Assistant Jo, where’s Suhan?”
“He’s waiting with Manager Park. Is this about the contract?”
Daesung gave a wry smile and shook his head.
“No, not Suhan exactly. I need to ask that young shaman he brought.”
“Ah… I thought you were looking for Suhan.”
“I’ll take Suhan home today.”
“Eh? You don’t need to…”
Patting his shoulder, Daesung grinned.
“You think I’ll bribe him with food and sneak a contract? Don’t worry. When it comes to signing, I’ll consult with you plenty.”
“That’s not it. It’s just, he’s unpredictable, haha…”
Realizing what he meant, Daesung smiled.
“Don’t worry. I won’t cause misunderstandings. I just have a favor to ask.”
“…Alright.”
Leaving the worried assistant behind, Daesung went to find Suhan.
Manager Park Yoochun drove with a troubled face.
In the back, the shaman and Suhan talked with Daesung.
These days, it wasn’t unusual for actors to see fortune-tellers.
Even agencies and singers often visited famous shamans.
But still—it wasn’t without risk.
For a top actor, rumors twisted easily.
Then he overheard from behind,
“This is the one. Momo.”
“Momo?”
Manager Park’s ears perked up. He’d been distressed too—Momo had gone missing days ago.
Momo was Daesung’s dog.
He loved it too, since they’d both searched together when adopting her.
“You found Momo?”
“Ah, well…”
From their voices, Park felt a pang of sorrow.
“Click.”
It really was the same.
I blinked my eyes, and Mansu nodded in confirmation.
They were looking at Momo’s photo on Daesung’s phone.
For someone who doesn’t raise dogs, two with the same color and breed might look similar.
But this? Right there in front of us? Impossible not to recognize.
It was undeniable.
“She’s… dead…”
When sadness clouded Brother Daesung’s face, I felt guilty, though it wasn’t my fault.
Looking around, I also noticed flyers in the car—Momo’s photo, offering a reward if found.
Daesung was still searching, not knowing she was gone.
“W-well, you never know. Please, when we get home, check again with a reading. Maybe it’s not what it seems!”
The tremble in Manager Park’s voice reached us.
Understandable—if it were me, I wouldn’t believe it either.
Even con artists pull tricks like this.
If not for the talk earlier at the food truck, Daesung wouldn’t have reacted this way.
Soon, the car rolled into Daesung’s neighborhood.
“Wow…”
Rows of luxury villas, the kind you instantly recognize as belonging to the wealthy.
His car turned into a large standalone house—with a spacious yard.
“Unbelievable.”
The words slipped from me.
Beggars don’t come to places like this. Not because they can’t, but because they won’t.
You’d starve—too few people, and the wealthy don’t usually give handouts.
Not out of stinginess, but because they already donate elsewhere.
The moment the gate opened, Momo bolted inside.
Running around wildly—it was clearly her home.
Unaware, Brother Daesung gestured us toward the house.
“Let’s go inside and talk calmly…”
But what now?
It seemed… we’d found her.
