22 LINGER

"Do you need a ride home???" Detective Sungmin offered.

"Thank you, Detective. But I can take a taxi from here." Soojin answered politely. She signed the paper at the desk at the admitting and went straight to the door to hail a taxi.

"Isn't that Ms. Han??? The woman that Mr. Gil Youngjae was looking for???" The nurse asked with short hair.

"Yes." A nurse sneered.

"Why didn't you tell him about her boyfriend???"

"Because a gorgeous man needs a beautiful sultry woman like me, not an innocent sheepish girl like her." The nurse confidently raised her5 chin.

The nurses at the desk giggled. The new head nurse was overly confident about herself. After Head Nurse Mok went AWOL (Absent Without Leave) when her husband, Supervisor Mok, was discovered dead, the administration of the hospital immediately found a replacement to cover the scandalous news involving two high-ranked employees and one administrator.

According to the police statement from the head investigator, Supervisor Mok electrocuted himself after admitting his crime of killing the nurse, Lee Yejoon, out of jealousy and was aided by Mr. Park by framing the son of the hospital shareholder, Mrs. Yong. The former administrator, Mr. Park is in police custody awaiting trial.

Soojin heard the news on the taxi. It sounded simple. Reasonable on everyone who didn't know what happened. Yet her mind keeps twisting for the truth.

She saw a memory from Supervisor Mok that doesn't quite connect with the investigation.

In Detective Sungin's words, he arrived at the scene after finding evidence that pointed out Supervisor Mok stole the metal bat from Yong Insu's locker. He asked around and a woman told him they were in the basement.

After the confrontation, he walked outside and waited. The door only opened with Ghost carrying her in his arms. Unconscious. Her wound on her neck was healed and Supervisor Mok was dead.

Detective Sungmin called the police and told them about a hostage scene at the hospital basement involving Supervisor Mok and Soojin. The authorities arrived and found the suspect the way they intended it to be seen. He killed himself after being cornered by the detective. 

Ghost already ran away from the hospital with no trace of him being involved with Supervisor Mok's death. The detective sent her for observation after he told the doctors that the suspect hit her head.

The investigation is now closed. The chapter ends.

Soojin breathed deeply when she arrived in front of her house. Her neighbor, Joomi immediately saw her going to the door.

"SOOJIN!!!" Joomi shouted.

The married woman carrying her child in her arms ran up to the little steps to greet her.

"You've been gone for three days. Where have you been???" The woman asked.

She was unconscious for three days. Detective Sungmin advised her to make a story that would stop anyone from worrying.

"I helped my uncle in Jeju."

"Oh!!! That's nice. I assume you had time to rest there too. Your skin is glowing." Joomin praised.

'!?!That's three days of sleep!?!' Soojin reasoned in her mind.

"Did you meet anyone at Jeju???"

"No." She forced a smile.

"THAT'S GOOD!!! Because I want you to meet someone." Joomin exclaimed cheerfully. 

"I'm not in the mood to date anyone right now."

"B-But… B-But he was so excited to meet you when I showed him your picture…" The woman pouted.

"You showed my picture???"

"It was a picture of you holding the baby. I'm sorry if I didn't ask for your permission." Joomin apologized.

"It's fine. I was just surprised… that's all."

"So??? Do you want to meet him??? I could give you his number??? Or you could give me your number so I can tell him to call you??? What do you think???"

Soojin stopped herself from grimacing. She's annoyed at the woman pursuing to get her a date.

"I don't know…" She looked away.

She remembered Ghost caressing her face. And then reminded herself, she will never see him again. When Detective Sungmin offered her a job, it was an official one which means no talking to Ghost or being seen with him. It would be confusing to anyone who sees a dead man walking and investigation will be put in jeopardy.

'Maybe I should start dating…'

"I… I can give you my card and you can text him my number…" Soojin replied.

Joomin's eyes brighten, "Really??? I thought you were going to say no."

"Let me just get my card…"

"Sure… sure… go ahead."

Soojin walked to her room and took a card from her drawer. She still has second thoughts but proceeds to hand over the card to her annoying neighbor.

"Thanks. I'll text him right away… can you hold the baby for a while…"

"Sure."

Soojin took the infant in her arms and avoided touching the neighbor's hand while the woman reached for her phone from her pocket and began typing her message. She stared at the tot with a pacifier in his mouth.

'Babies are cute and innocent.'

The only memory they have is drinking milk and playing with their toys. They may be slobbery and icky sometimes but their angel-like smile lightens up anyone's mood.

'I wonder what my kid and Ghost will look like???' Soojin wondered.

She immediately shrugged her head when she imagined a newborn baby without a face.

"Are you okay???" Joomin asked.

Her face was pale, "I'm okay…"

From Detective Sungmin's recollection, he has seen Ghost's face once but it was blurred like a forgotten memory any person usually encounters in their life.

Soojin's phone beeped in her pocket. She turned her head to her neighbor who wore a teasing smile on her face.

'That was fast!?!' Soojin exclaimed in her head.

She handed the kid to her mother and opened up the message on her phone.

The message was simple:

"Hi."

She showed the number to her neighbor to be certain it was the guy who sent the message. The neighbor nodded her head.

"Okay, I'm done with my work here." Joomin winked. "I'll leave the rest to both of you."

She smiled awkwardly as a reply.

Her neighbor left her house with the little tot behaving nicely nibbling his pacifier. She exhaled briefly and slouched her back on her couch with her mind wondering if she's doing the right thing. 

'Am I being desperate???' Soojin asked herself.

She took the square pillow resting at the corner of her white couch and pushed it hard on her face.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!" She screamed.

'Why won't you leave my mind???' She pleaded.

Soojin closed her eyes and remembered the secure feeling in her heart that Ghost's brings. She wrapped her arms around the pillow and recalled the warmness in his hard broad chest. The tight embrace. Her heart quivers hearing the sound of life in his chest.

He isn't heartless. He can love. He can love her.

She fell asleep on the couch with the idea of a happy ever after.