"Well? You saw him, right?" Junho pressed.
"Bro!" Lay paused to catch his breath. "Why do you have to show up so suddenly? Say something first or give me a sign." Truthfully, Lay was a little afraid whenever Junho appeared. Dealing with corpses might have been normal for him, but if it was a spirit—one whose feet didn't touch the ground—he still couldn't help feeling uneasy.
Every time Junho appeared, whether in a dream or in reality, Lay had to convince himself of it first. "I did earlier, but what makes you suspect that? If our side investigates them secretly and they find out, then refuse to accept it, this could turn into a huge problem, right?" Lay didn't dare look directly at Junho. Whenever they talked, he always found something to keep himself busy with. This time, since he was in the car, he occupied himself by playing a game on his phone.
Silence fell. Junho's memories returned to several months earlier. He was ready to explain, but found it difficult to put the words together.
"They've been after me for a long time." Junho finally began to speak honestly. Lay grew interested and paused what he was doing. Junho's eyes remained fixed straight ahead, as if he had returned to the time when he was still alive.
"I know many of their secrets—the embezzlement of billions of rupiah in student funds, forged student identities, and financial records that aren't transparent," he explained, his face filled with regret. This time, Lay listened carefully. "That's a truly complicated situation," he murmured.
"For the past six months, they've kept hounding me, looking for my mistakes, even manipulating things I never did." Junho's gaze swept across the entire night sky. It was dark, dense, and empty of stars.
"They've even looked into my family—where my wife works, where my children go to school, what my in-laws and even my parents have been busy with. I hadn't had a chance to consult a legal expert before this disaster came, and I'm certain it wasn't a coincidence."
Lay immediately thought it over and responded, "Then you've got the wrong person, Bro. I can only perform ultrasounds, check a fetus's heartbeat and position, determine whether a delivery can be done normally or requires surgery, and help resolve pregnancy-related problems. I don't handle problems like this." He emphasized the words, feeling incapable of dealing with Junho's serious situation.
"Then who else can I ask for help, Lay? I don't have much time. The heavenly god will take me up after forty days of death. If this problem continues, I won't be able to rest peacefully. I have to make sure my wife and children are safe and happy." Junho went on at length, emphasizing his explanation, while Lay could only swallow nervously and avoid his eyes.
The spirit in front of him truly wasn't a resident of Earth anymore. He was a future resident of heaven. "You're my only hope, Lay!" he said weakly. In the blink of an eye, Junho disappeared again.
From another direction, Junho's father saw Lay sitting in the car with the lights on. After talking with Anton for some time, Lay didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave. Instead, he looked as if he were having a conversation with someone. Junho's father made sure there was no one else in the car. So whom was Lay talking to?
Lay scratched his head even though it didn't itch. He felt trapped by Junho's presence. He was being forced to take on a double role. If he left Junho to handle things alone, he felt too sorry for him, but if he indulged him, he would only give himself a headache. On the other hand, his primary role was that of an OB-GYN who had just graduated and was still scrambling to handle new and difficult patients. But suddenly, his additional role was to be a detective who uncovered the truth. In this world, uncovering the truth or finding a suspect wasn't easy; it required special skills. And who was he to take on that second role without a hitch? Lay was already pessimistic about it.
"Ugh! That's life, Lay! Do it! Do it! For a friend! Long live friendship!" His mood sounded ridiculous, but that was Lay.
The funeral ceremony ended, and Maya returned home with her children. That night, they didn't want to be separated from one another. They slept together in their parents' bedroom. Maya's in-laws, parents, and relatives postponed their departure. They didn't want Maya to suddenly be overwhelmed by loneliness and grieve by herself, so they stayed to prevent it.
Luna and Kris had their eyes squeezed shut, a sign that they were fast asleep. Perhaps crying had left them exhausted. But Maya was sure that both her children would be able to accept all of this.
"Junho, can you see? Our children are so strong. Rest peacefully there. I'll always pray for you with the children," she said, sounding strong even as tears rolled down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away.
Junho watched the scene. He hoped Lay could truly help him. This was his last chance to keep his wife and children safe.
The next morning.
When Maya woke up, she didn't see either of her children. It was Monday, so they should have been at school. But Junho's two children had negotiated with their Grandma and Grandpa to stay home for a while and keep their mom company.
"That's Grandma and Grandpa's job. You two go learn. If your dad were still here, he would want the same thing, wouldn't he?" Junho's father said.
"But Dad is still here!"