An Exorcist Magical Girl!

I looked around and noticed that the other kids were also tired of it and were covering their ears and trying to sleep.

 

“…Was this broadcast a lot?”

I asked and Hanbyul nodded.

 

“Uh, yes. Since March of this year, they’ve been broadcasting once or twice a month. It’s happened a few times since you’ve been transferred here.” “Yes, but why do I feel like I’m hearing it for the first time today?” “Because you were asleep the whole time.” “Aha.”

 

I was sleeping and didn’t hear it. By the way, it’s only been going on since March of this year.

 

In any other school, there would have been a lot of fuss and excitement every time the broadcast came on, but as an all-girls school surrounded by ghosts on a daily basis, everyone seemed to get used to it quickly.

 

They got used to it in two or three months, my poor friends.

 

“Have you ever had a direct encounter with this ghost?” “No. I haven’t actually seen it, but I’m always arguing with the student council about it.” “If it’s the ghost’s fault, why are you fighting with the student council?” “Look at this.”

 

Hanbyul pushed her cell phone screen with an open chat window in front of my eyes.

 

The person she was talking to was Yang Ji-won, the president of class 3.

 

—Hey, Ji-won, aren’t you doing a good job leading the student council?

—Hanbyul, what are you talking about? He’s the 0th member of your broadcasting club.

 

When I heard they were fighting, I thought it was something serious.

 

It’s just a stupid fight over who owns the ghost.

 

The student council said,

“It must be the broadcasting department because it turns on and off randomly,”

and the broadcasting department said,

“It’s the student council’s job to manage the lost and found, so of course it belongs to the student council.”

 “Come on, who do you think is right?” “I don’t know, was Ji-won in the student council?” “Oh yeah. I didn’t know that. She’s the head of the general affairs team of the student council.” “Wow, great. You guys look really good together.”

 

At Mukgyeong Girls’ High School, seniors don’t have jobs.

 

All positions such as school president, club president, and team leader are held by juniors. 

 

The unspoken rule is that high school juniors are ghost members who only add their names to clubs and don’t participate in actual club activities.

 

It’s called respecting your elders. 

 

Although it was jokingly referred to as such, it was actually a consideration for high school seniors during their hectic time, as well as an unspoken pressure for them to focus on their exam life.

 

“Wow, look at this.”

 

Hanbyul, who had been exchanging messages with Yang Ji Won, shared some news.

 “The lady from the student council got angry and told me to throw the note away. She announced that they would throw it away if it wasn’t claimed and told me to do it today.”

 

Oh, to get rid of the root of the problem.

 

“Then why don’t you call the station? You said you’d make an announcement on the air.” “I’m sure they’ll take care of such minor announcements.”

 

A voice came from the loudspeaker that I was afraid to finish.

 

“The Student Council would like to make an announcement regarding lost and found items. Over the past few months, there have been regular announcements regarding the finding of purple notes…” “Wow, just like that, he’s really quick on his feet.”

Hanbyul exclaimed quietly. 

 

I was more worried about the voice that sounded familiar. 

 

“Does this voice sound familiar? I wonder who that teacher is?” “Oh my God, I hear that voice every week, but I didn’t recognize it. It’s Jang Jin-cheol!” “Jang Jin-cheol…? Oh, the Magic and Ethics teacher?” “Yes. Mr. Jang Jin-cheol, who teaches magic. He’s in charge of the student council.”

 

Mr. Jang Jin-cheol, my Magic and Ethics teacher.

 

The same teacher who looked down at me in the cafeteria on the first day of school.

 

I don’t think he meant to scare me, but his fierce eyes made me feel scared.

 

Whatever the reason, I couldn’t help but be afraid.

 

Fortunately, I never dozed off in his class.

 

If I tried to move my head even a little, he would stare at me and wake me up. 

 

Of course, he wasn’t just staring at me, but I couldn’t help but feel that he was really targeting me.

 

“In order to prevent future broadcasts like this, all lost items will be destroyed if they are not claimed within a month of the Student Council taking possession of them. Purple notes will be thrown away if not claimed by the end of the day today. As a reminder. Purple notes will be discarded today.”

 

“Why do I get scared when I hear his voice?” “Me too, actually.”

Hanbyul silently agreed as I shivered.

 “Please collect your notebooks before the end of class. This is the end of the announcement.”

 

That was the end of Mr. Jang’s announcement. 

 

At the same time, Seo Jun entered the classroom.

 

Seo Jun had gone to the library to pick up something she had left behind in the morning and barely made it back before the bell rang.

 

“Did you hear that?” 

I ask, pointing to the speakers, and Seo Jun says she wanted to say something.

 

“Baek Iri, come with me at noon to check the lost and found.” “Uh huh, sure. But why? Wasn’t it in the library?”

 

Was it not in the library? Could someone have put it in the lost and found?

 

But Seo Jun shook his head and said that wasn’t it.

 “Not mine. I need a favor.” “What do you need to find? Who needs a favor? Why don’t you just do it yourself? Are you always this bad at saying no to people? Or are you a shuttle and the kids are just spoiling you?” “Shut up, please. Please.”

 

Seo Jun’s face turned pale as I fired questions like a question mark killer. Ah, so much fun.

 

“No, so who asked you to do this?” “A friendly spirit asked me to do it.” “You’re friends with ghosts?” “Only this one. She’s the resident ghost in the library, and she’s nice. She doesn’t mess up the books, she doesn’t make too much noise.” “Really?” “Yep. And her core isn’t red. It’s blue.”

 

This meant that the library spirit was still in this world because it couldn’t solve the karmic riddle like Chopper.

 

Since it wasn’t an evil spirit, and since it would destroy itself once it was released, Seo Jun had decided not to use force to exorcize it, but to befriend it and watch from the sidelines.

 

“But, Seo Jun.” “Huh?” “Can’t you introduce her to me?” “The library ghost?” “Yes.” “Why?” “I was just wondering…”

 

Ah, honestly, who wouldn’t be curious if their best friend’s best friend was a ghost?

 “Well, come with me after the second period.” “Yay, I can’t wait. What’s her name?” “She can’t remember her name, so I just call her Doryung.”

 

As soon as I heard the nickname, an image of a young girl in a hanbok flashed through my mind.

 

“Do…ryung?”

 

Seeing my confused expression, Seo Jun quickly corrected the misunderstanding.

 

“It’s a girl. She’s wearing a school uniform.” “Then why is she a ‘Doryung’?” “It’s just short for ‘Anima of the Library.’“

 

It was a hastily made up nickname, but it was still cute.

 

…What a feeling to suddenly feel sorry for a ghost. Looking back, she was a really nice kid.

 

She never got mad at me for calling her that, and she even defended us in the end.

 

Speaking of which, I have to drop off some flowers and a bird at the school later. 

 

I’ll have plenty of time since the training center is closed anyway.

 

***

 

After class, Seo Jun took me to the library as promised.

 

The library was quiet during the break because not many students were using it.

 

After opening the account enough, I followed her to the corner of the 800 stacks.

 

There was Seo Jun’s friend.

 

“Doryung.”

Seo Jun called to the ghost.

 

The pale figure sitting in the worn wooden chair in the corner of the library slowly turned her head.

 

It was a meek-looking schoolgirl, neatly dressed in her uniform, complete with tteokbokki coat and shawl.

 

The sunlight shining through the crack in the blinds made her look like white dust blowing in the wind.

 

It was clearly early summer sun, but only in this corner of the 800th Street Library did winter seem to have arrived.

 

“Say hello, this is my girlfriend, her name is Baek Iri.” “Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.”

 

I waved my hand in greeting and Doryung gave me a curious look. She shook my hand slowly in return.

 

“Annoying. Baek Iri. Nice to meet you.” “Iri wants to look for lost things with me.” “Oh, right. Thank you.” 

Doryung smiled brightly.

 “Are you from the library department?” “No. I’m in the drama club, just in the same class as Seo Jun.” “Do you like books?” “Well, if it’s not too long, how about…?” “A short story would be fine.”

 

Doryung was a ghost who really fit into the library. Quiet, relaxed, calm.

 

I could see why Seo Jun had called her a good spirit.

 

“How did you two become friends? Who spoke to you first?”

I asked.

 “Seo Jun did, she told me not to put down the book I was reading.”

Doryung said, flicking the book on the windowsill.

 “I told the library staff not to touch the books up there and I’ll organize the shelves myself.”

Seo Jun explained.

 

Unaware of her presence, the library staff tidied up the library and put the books back on the windowsill.

 

It’s true. They’d think it was just a book that had been left lying around, not realizing that a ghost was reading it.

 

The lower core that I’d looked at earlier with simple clairvoyance was indeed as blue as Seo Jun had said.

 

I figured that since it was just a ghost sitting in a corner reading a book, it must have a peaceful way of dissolving.

 

Maybe it had something to do with the object we were looking for.

 

“Hey, we have to get back. Look at the time.”

 

Seo Jun pointed to the clock on the opposite wall. There were still about three minutes until class started. 

 

The classroom and the library weren’t close to each other, so she would have to leave now to make it in time.

 

“I didn’t even get a chance to say a few words, and the time is… See you later, Doryung.” “We’re leaving. Oh, do you want me to get you a new book?”

Seo Jun asked and Doryung pointed to 15 Boys Drifting.

 

Seo Jun took it out and put it on the windowsill next to her.

 

“Bye.” “Goodbye.” 

And that was the end of her brief encounter with Doryung.

 

“Oh, so what did she want you to find?”

 

I didn’t ask the question I was most curious about.

 “A light blue blanket.” “A blanket? No pattern?” “Uh, yeah. No pattern, but she said it’s easy to spot because she and her friends scribbled magic around the edges.” “Why are you looking for it now?” “She said she only remembered it when she heard the broadcast earlier. That she’d lost something. At first she couldn’t remember what it was, but then she remembered it was a light blue blanket.”

 

Oh, and she couldn’t even remember her name.

 

“Do you think getting the blanket back will lift the curse?” “Yes. I think so.” 

If that’s what she’s saying, then she’s been stuck in the same place all this time without even realizing what the curse was.

 

“I hope we find it.”

Seo Jun muttered to herself.