Goblin: The Lonely and the Great God - Chapter 12

A Good Day

    She really had made up her mind to pull the sword out for him, but now the Goblin was busy running away from her. As if he had never chased around for the opposite. Did the Goblin really want to become prettier? It had been cloudy for days already. Eun Tak looked up at the grey sky and sighed. Why was he sad? A black van travelled up the road and parked in front of her. Thinking it was the Goblin, she smiled, but no welcoming face came out of the doors. Eun Tak back stepped as a  bulky man and a skinny man came out of the van. 

“Why did a student run away from home? Your aunt is worried about you. Get on.”

They were the same loan sharks as last time. The two had come to find her again because her aunt had run away with the house deposit. Eun Tak quickly turned around and started to run away; the two men followed quickly behind. Suddenly the loan sharks collided with each other and started to fight. It was a weird sight but it was a chance for Eun Tak to run away. She turned around again to the place she was meant to go when a middle-aged man stood in front of her.

“Do you know those loan sharks?”

It was Secretary Kim; Chairman Yoo’s right hand; Duk Hwa’s Stalker. Eun Tak knew him because she had seen him before when she was with Duk Hwa.

“Oh, hello. Well, I suppose everyone knows at least one loan shark…”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Well, I don’t know who you are, but I’ve seen you. Following Duk Hwa.”

It didn’t even seem like he was following Duk Hwa secretly, but Duk Hwa was stupid enough not to know about his follower. The neat hair left a good impression and the cold way Secretary Kim talked was just his thing. At least she had met a familiar face.

“But how did you know that they were loan sharks?”

“I was once a loan shark too.”

“Huh?”

“Most large companies have a group of loan sharks who work for them.”

Secretary Kim took out his phone and reported the fighting men to the police. The grim reaper had erased the men’s memories and the Goblin had cursed them. They would never be in good ties again. 

“Duk Hwa is running late. I’ll take you home.”

Secretary Kim’s car was parked on the side of the road, so Eun Tak climbed onto the passenger seat. 

She had managed to come home safely because of Secretary Kim, but maybe it had been better not to be back. As soon as Eun Tak opened the front doors, the Goblin turned the television off and went back into his room. He was obviously avoiding her, but for what reason, she didn’t know. 

Eun Tak sat next to the grim reaper, who was peeling garlic.

“Does the Goblin have something going on these days?”

“... Apparently, he can’t remember his past.”

“What past?”

“How would I know what he’s thinking? Just peel the garlic.”

“I think you do know…”

Eun Tak looked at the grim reaper suspiciously while grabbing a garlic clove. After peeling about half of the pile, Eun Tak started to find this scene amusing. It had only been a few weeks ago, when she had been shivering with fear because of this man, but now they were peeling garlic. 

“Y’know how we met when I was nine and we met when I was nineteen; say that 10 years ago was just a coincidence. How did you find me this time?”

“Nine. Nineteen. Twenty-Nine. The most dangerous time is the time before perfection.”

“What do you mean?”

The grim reaper dropped the clove of garlic and looked at Eun Tak. This girl really had such a tiring destiny; from her beginning to now. She was only 19, but Eun Tak carried so many things on her back. 

“You’re going to meet with a grim reaper when you’re twenty-nine too, even if it’s not me. That’s the destiny of a missing soul. There needs to be a rule in this world, and we need to keep that rule. 9 is the number of the gods, and 9 is the closest number to 10, the perfect number. I wish you well for your future. Should I tell you a secret?”

“Why are you looking at me like that, and what secret?”

“Never mind.”

It sounded like a very big secret, but the grim reaper pretended that he hadn’t said anything and peeled garlic. Eun Tak was desperate to know what it was, but the grim reaper had no intention of telling her.

After peeling all the garlic, Eun Tak started to take in the laundry when she saw the Goblin walking out of his room. Their eyes had definitely met but the Goblin ignored her and went his way. This wasn’t going to go on much longer.

“Hello? Anyone there? Can you see me? Hello?”

The Goblin swerved around suddenly.

“What?”

Eun Tak stepped back, startled.

“I can’t figure out who's more desperate. Can you see me now?”

“Yes.”

“Are you angry at me?”

“Why would I?”

“Then why are you getting angry at me, you just said you weren’t. See even now. You’re angry.”

The Goblin’s face showed no reflection, it was scary. Talking coldly with that face but saying that he wasn’t angry; how stupid did he think she was? She started to get upset, Eun Tak wanted to at least know the reason behind his anger.

“What’s it to you?”

His words hurt her.

“What’s it to you? Why do you keep calling me? Why do you keep making me flustered? Why do you keep confusing me? What’s it to you? That’s why you should have pulled out the sword when I asked you to. It was the only thing you had to do, but you couldn’t even do that for me. Whether I’m happy or not, it’s got nothing to do with you.”

The Goblin blinked blankly at Eun Tak’s drooping shoulder. Why was she always on the verge of tears these days? He was always like this, but for some reason Eun Tak got hurt every time. 

“I just… I will pull it out for you. I told you that I would. You’re the one who kept avoiding me the past couple of days. I was wondering whether you were waiting for the first snow or something, ‘cause that was the plan… But never mind that. You might live forever and have a lot of time in your hands, but I’m just a normal person so time is money. How long do I have to wait for? I’ve got a lot of things going on too.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Why not today? I’ve got time today.”

The Goblin hated himself so much but for some reason he kept doing things that made him hate himself more. He was scared of death. He was also scared of leaving this girl behind. Knowing that they had to pull out the sword quickly and actually pulling out the sword quickly was two completely different things. Only one thought filled him. Not today. Not this moment.

“I don’t want to pull it out today; let’s do it tomorrow. It’s a good day, today.”

He hoped that she would think that it was just one of his mood swings.

“I’m going to take a walk with you.”

Eun Tak sighed and complied with the Goblin. They went for a walk.

The next day, the Goblin shook his head again.

“Tomorrow.”

“Why not today? I’m ready.”

“I don’t want to pull it out today; let’s do it tomorrow. It’s a bad day, today.”

Eun Tak glared at him.

“I’m going to pick you up from school.”

And he did.

They made more memories together.

Eun Tak sat on her desk and thought carefully about the last couple of days. 

‘It’s nice walking with you.’

‘It’s nice coming to pick you up.’

His mood swings weren’t all that bad sometimes. Eun Tak smiled but the smile slowly turned down into a frown. Something felt a bit weird. Well that was that.

“Like I would do all this for free…”

Eun Tak started to scribble things down in her notebook.

*

It had been a long-awaited death. 

The Goblin called the Chairman before he left. The atmosphere was different from when the Goblin had been going overseas. All his things were just going to be a waste of space now, but there was something very precious to him. The Goblin handed the scroll over to Chairman Yoo. It was the scroll that contained his sister’s portrait. 

The Goblin requested his servant to burn the scroll and at the same time requested to keep his bride safe. Even if he wasn’t there, she was going to eat well, study well, and live well. That was the Goblin’s last request to the Chairman. 

He also requested the grim reaper. When he disappeared, his mark would vanish from the girl’s neck too. The grim reaper needed to erase Eun Tak’s memory so that she wouldn’t remember that a goblin had ever existed. Or else she would live in pain forever. Like he did.

The Goblin stared at Eun Tak sitting on the terrace. She was deep in thought. Eun Tak lifted her head at a sound and saw the Goblin standing in front of her.

“When did you get here?”

“... It’s nice watching you.”

“Why do you keep being nice to me these days? It’s a bit suspicious. Can you give me your hand for a moment?”

The Goblin handed his right hand over, obediently. Eun Tak was trying to read the Goblin’s diary, but everything was written in Chinese characters, so she had no idea what in the world it meant. On the palm of his hands, she stroked carefully the word she had been stuck on for quite some time. 

“This. What does this mean?”

“... Listen, Cheong.”

“Oh, listen.”

Eun Tak smiled; she should have asked earlier. She ran off back into her room. The Goblin stood in on the terrace, feeling the strokes she had drawn on his hands. Her smile. It was so bright.

The Goblin called Eun Tak into his room. Inside was a handful of shopping bags and the Goblin started to take out items from inside each. A pretty, expensive handbag; a perfume; and an envelope with 5000 dollars. 

“Wow… What’s all this?”

“Things you might need when you’re older. You know how to use the 5000 dollars, the perfume is for when you get into university, and the handbag is for… For when you get a boyfriend… So you can look pretty…”

Eun Tak liked everything; obviously she liked the money, the handbag was pretty, and the perfume held the prettiest fragrance she had ever smelled. 

“Why are you giving me all this suddenly? What’s the occasion?”

“Today.”

“Today what?”

“Sword.

Eun Tak understood straightaway what he was talking about. So today was the day he had been waiting for. 

“Right now? But it’s so late.”

“Yes. Right now.”

Eun Tak put on the handbag and nodded. She was about to head back outside when a sad curiosity filled her.

“Somewhere in between these things, would I be able to find love?”

“... No.”

Eun Tak smiled awkwardly. What had she expected?

“Don’t worry about it. I was just curious.”

They went out through the Goblin’s doors and found themselves standing in a buckwheat field. Eun Tak realised that this was the place where her birthday flowers had grown. Under the moonlight, the buckwheat flowers waved around gently. It was beautiful.

“There’s always a marvellous sight behind your doors. I’ve never seen a buckwheat field before; was this where you got mine?”

“Yes.”

“I still remember the meaning of buckwheat flowers.”

“Lovers.”

There wasn’t any love in the presents, but whenever the Goblin said those words, her heart dropped. Under the moonlight, the Goblin looked marvellous. 

“This must be a really important place for you. Seeing as this is the place where you want to pull out your sword.”

“My beginning and end.”

His corpse had been thrown out here and he had woken up as a Goblin here. This was where he would die too. 

“I will leave it to you now.”

“Already? Wait a moment, give me a second. I am going to pull out your sword, but what happens after? I won’t be useful to you anymore. Well that thought came into my mind, so I wrote something down.”

Eun Tak grabbed the contract out from her bag. She handed it over to the Goblin and he read it. 

Contract

According to this contract, the Goblin’s bride Eun Tak Ji is ‘A,’ and the Goblin is ‘B’.

1. ‘B’ will not acknowledge that ‘A’ has no use to them, even after ‘A’ becomes useless. ‘A’ is soft-hearted. 

1. ‘B’ will let ‘A’ live in their house even after ‘A’ becomes useless. ‘A’ is a magnet for trouble.

1. ‘B’ will be ‘A’’s boyfriend until ‘A’ gets a boyfriend. ‘A’ likes to be flattered.

1. ‘B’ will not forget that they have promised to be ‘A'’s nose. ‘B’ will keep being ‘A’’s nose until ‘A’ dies a natural death.

1. ‘B’ will notify ‘A’ if they are coming or leaving, so that ‘A’ will not wait for them.

1. ‘B’ will agree to be summoned every time the first snow comes. ‘A’ will be waiting.

Signee Shin Kim (Signature)

The Goblin’s eyes stayed on the last condition. The first snow. They had promised to pull out the sword when the first snow came. The Goblin knew that this memory would not be a happy one. He didn’t want to ruin this girl’s first snow of the year.

“Is this why you asked for my name?”

“Back then, I was just curious; it has come to good cause though. Your name suits you a lot. You know what I mean, don’t you?”

Eun Tak hurriedly handed the pen over to the Goblin and asked him to sign it. She was worried he might refuse. The Goblin stared at the pen for a second but signed his name on the contract. A white snowflake dropped from the sky. Eun Tak looked up at the sky in shock. It was snowing.

‘“B’ will agree to be summoned every time the first snow comes. ‘A’ will be waiting.’

He wanted to keep that condition at least once. The snowflakes fell gently on the buckwheat flowers. It was night, but everything shone brightly under the moon. 

“This is so cool! It’s the first snowfall of the year! But why has it come so early?”

Eun Tak’s smile was bright.

“It is really pretty, but the flowers might be a bit cold. We are seeing the earliest snowfall in the country!”

She was always bright; but her smile made her brighter.

“This is your doing isn’t it? Because we promised to pull out the sword when the first snow came.”

“I’m sorry for being selfish. I wanted a memory I could cherish for a long time.”

“Are you done with making your memory now? Let’s get this thing over and done with.”

Eun Tak practised pulling out the sword in the air but the Goblin didn’t flinch back this time. He was ready.

“Let’s get you pretty. Any last words?”

Eun Tak. The Goblin called out to the girl in his heart. Eun Tak. He called out again, but she just stared at him with round eyes. He opened his mouth, slowly.

“Every moment with you shined. Because it was a good day, because it was a bad day, because it was a normal day. Every day was a good day.”

Eun Tak’s eyes became wider.

“Whatever happens… It is not your fault.”

“Are you… Are you actually turning into a broomstick?”

The Goblin shook his head and smiled. Even to the end, this girl kept making him laugh. Eun Tak smiled too, relieved. She was just trying to make sure.

The girl brought her hands towards where the sword was. The Goblin filled his eyes with this girl once more and closed his eyes tightly; scared he might lose the image. Eun Tak grabbed the handle of the sword. Well, she tried to. 

She couldn’t touch it. The sword wouldn’t come into her hands. Eun Tak swung her hands wildly in the air and tried her best to grab it, but nothing came into her hands. The Goblin opened his eyes in confusement. Cold sweat formed on Eun Tak’s back.

“Why, why isn’t this working? I can see it… But I can’t touch it.”

The Goblin told her to put strength into her arms. Her hands were getting warm with sweat, but still, the sword wouldn’t come into her hands. Snow kept falling on top of them.

“Remember what you told me earlier? Whatever happens, it’s not my fault. No questions.”

The Goblin came back to his senses.

“So you’re not… You’re not…”

“No questions! Just wait a second, I’m more flustered than you.”

“I did wait a second! How much longer do I have to wait? Handover that contract. I’m going to burn that up.”

The Goblin stomped towards Eun Tak angrily, when Eun Tak shouted.

“I think I know what’s going on!”

“What?”

“You know the cursed prince. The fairy tales.”

“What about that?”

“... They kiss.”

Eun Tak grabbed the Goblin by his collar and pulled him towards her. Their lips met. The snowflakes stopped falling midway. Time had stopped. 

(This is a translated version of "Goblin: The Lonely and the Great God." Written by Eun Sook Kim and Soo Yeon Kim.)