Please Divorce Me

Chapter 2

Eunchae looked around and saw nothing. The buildings that filled the street, the murmuring crowd, the section of road where she had collapsed into a heap—all gone. The only thing that existed was darkness.

She was afraid, but at the same time, peace washed over her like a wave. That was such a contradiction.

That was when the darkness slowly began to fade. Light was seeping in from somewhere. She began to walk toward that faint light, worried that she would be forever trapped in darkness if she let it get away. The further she went, the stronger the light grew.

Just as the light was becoming too strong for her to see straight, she heard a voice. “Tsk tsk tsk. Another car accident?”

Eunchae narrowed her eyes and tried to see the person in front of her—a woman who sounded quite old. The woman sucked her teeth, muttering, “Young ‘uns these days. They drive too recklessly.”

Eunchae said nothing.

“And you. You’re part of the problem. Shouldn’t you look where you’re going before you run into an alleyway?”

The old woman spoke with a heavy regional brogue, and Eunchae didn’t know what to say for a moment.

“Who... who are you?” Eunchae asked.

“What does it matter who I am? Your life just ended.”

My life… what?

“So I’m... dead?” Eunchae asked in a trembling voice.

“Yes.”

Eunchae lowered her gaze, feeling empty inside. She wondered whether to trust the old woman and thought about the moment that she had been hit by the car.

It hurt so bad... that I died from it.

She hadn’t really given much thought to death, given how young she was. But now that it had happened, she found herself taking it in stride, which was not what she had expected. A strange sort of comfort had come over her as soon as she encountered the old woman.

“Are you... something like the Grim Reaper?” she asked, assuming that she must be at the entrance to the afterlife or something.

“You could say that. I’m also from the world of the dead,” the old woman replied.

A slightly dazed Eunchae studied the woman. She had tiny wrinkles around her eyes, mouth, and forehead; a tiny body; and a slightly curved back.

I get that our society is aging and all, but why have an old woman like her do this job?

An incredulous laugh escaped Eunchae.

“Don’t underestimate me because of my age,” the woman warned. “I get to have a say in your fate.”

Eunchae gasped. Can people like her... read minds, too?

I guess I need to be cautiouscircumspect with my thoughts, even in the afterlife.

“Come on. Follow me. We have a long path ahead,” the woman ordered, leaning on a wooden staff as she walked.

Eunchae followed. “Where am I headed? Are you taking me to some courthouse of the dead, like in the movies?”

“Those damned movies. You’ll find out soon enough. Just follow me.”

Eunchae stopped short. She glanced behind her, but found nothing but empty darkness. If she followed the woman, there would be no going back.

The thought of her twenty-five-year life ending like this filled Eunchae with sadness.

“What is it? You don’t feel ready to leave?” the woman asked.

Eunchae stared off into space as she answered.

“It’s not that... I don’t feel any regret.” She gave the woman an uncertain smile. “It wasn’t such a good life, anyway. There was no guarantee it would get any better even if I had lived longer.”

The old woman seemed slightly taken aback to be hearing such cynicism from a twenty-five-year-old.

Eunchae shrugged. “Nobody will mourn me.”

“You have a husband.”

“My husband, he—well, it’s hard to explain. But he won’t give a damn about my death.”

“What?!” the old woman cried.

“He might actually be irritated that I would dare interrupt his work with a funeral.”

The wrinkles on the old woman’s forehead intensified.

Eunchae continued despite the woman’s shock. “He may not have been very affectionate, but he had plenty of money. No doubt I’ll get a fine funeral. Then he’ll move on, looking for a woman to replace me.”

“What the hell is his problem? That’s despicable!” the old woman growled as her face grew red. “He’ll go searching for a woman so soon after his wife’s death? He’s an animal—no, he’s less than an animal!”

Nobody living would have dared to say such a thing about Cha Jinwook. Eunchae found the audacious criticism oddly satisfying, but at the same time, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

“Why did you put up with such a man for so many years? You never had that many years to live in the first place,” the old woman said, staring at Eunchae as if she couldn’t understand it.

Eunchae smiled. “Exactly. If I knew I was going to die like this...”

She thought back to the moment she had first met Jinwook. He had been such an impressive, intellectual man. At the same time, he had seemed so far away.

Though she could never reach him, his gravity had never let her escape, either. She’d had no choice but to marry him when he offered the opportunity.

“If I had known... I never would have married him,” Eunchae said.

The old woman stared at her.

“If I could go back, I wouldn’t live like a lifeless doll, tiptoeing around people all the time,” Eunchae added.

“How would you live, then, dear?”

“If I had another chance, I would live for myself and only myself. I would do the things I wanted to do, see the places I wanted to visit, meet those I wanted to meet, eat what I felt like eating, and...”

She thought of the words she had read on the sign in front of the small shop before she died.

<Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved - Victor Hugo>

Eunchae’s dark eyes reddened as they filled with tears. “I would like to love someone for real, and be loved in return. I would like to experience… what happiness feels like.”

The old woman studied her silently.

Eunchae wiped her tears. “And I say all of this after claiming I have no regrets… As if

any of this matters anymore.”

She smiled sheepishly. “But still, having someone to talk to has made me feel a little better. Thank you for listening.”

Eunchae was already dead, and there was no coming back from that. She wouldn’t waste any more of the old woman’s time with her tears. It was time to leave.

Eunchae steeled herself to keep walking when the old woman interjected.

“How would you like to go back and get a taste of that love for a short while?”

Eunchae stopped short. She squinted at the woman, failing to understand what she was saying. “What?”

“I will let you go back. Do whatever you want while you’re there.”

Eunchae blinked as her jaw dropped. “You’re sending me back?”

“That’s right. Never seen someone who lived a life as sad as yours,” the old woman added.

Eunchae didn’t know what to say.

“But you will have to come back once you reach today’s date. There is no escaping fate. So, what’ll it be? You want to have another go?” the old woman asked.

I have to... come back?

Eunchae considered the terms for a moment. Even if she returned to the world of the living, she would die at twenty-five. Her life would remain short.

But… if I get another chance, maybe I’ll be able to live a slightly better life. Maybe it won’t leave me filled with nothing but regret this time.

Though she hadn’t mentioned it to the old woman, Eunchae had a bucket list in mind.

“I don’t care if I have to die again. I would like to live my life like it’s actually my own for a change,” she said firmly, clenching her fists.

The woman seemed satisfied with the power in Eunchae’s gaze. “Well, you’ve made a good decision. This is going to be the only chance you get. Find yourself a good man who will treat you right.”

“Yes, I’ll do that,” she promised.

“Give me your hand,” said the old woman, feeling the inside of her wrist.

A small, red dot appeared on Eunchae’s skin, and she felt a slight, stinging chill.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a mark. A brand. To ensure you don’t get any stupid ideas a year from now.” The old woman stared sternly at Eunchae. “Remember this. November 1, 2019. That is the day you’re coming back.”

“Yes, of course.”

“And there is one more critical fact...” the old woman said in a grave tone.

Eunchae gulped.

But the woman simply turned away and added, “...which I will tell you once you return.”

“What? What is it? If it’s so important, you should tell me now,” Eunchae pleaded.

“That’s for me to decide,” she replied.

“Now you’re making me even more curious.”

“Stop complaining and get out of here before I change my mind!” the old woman murmured.

Then she began to hobble off.

“Wait, where am I supposed to go?” Eunchae asked.

She tried to follow, but the old woman was too fast.

“Hey!” Eunchae called multiple times, but the old woman didn’t respond.

Eunchae sped up, but she couldn’t seem to get any closer. The woman was dwindling into the distance and eventually faded into the darkness, leaving Eunchae all alone.

“Wait...!”

Eunchae felt a jerk, like she had slipped and fallen onto a hard floor. Pain began to spread across her bottom and back.

“Ugh...” Eunchae said, frowning and clutching her back.

“Ma’am!” said a familiar voice.

Wait, I know that voice!

Eunchae’s eyes flew open, and the sight of Yeongae, a domestic worker, slowly sank in. She was supporting Eunchae on the floor.

“Ma’am! Are you all right?” Yeongae asked.

“Oh...” Eunchae said, acknowledging the woman.

She looked around and discovered that she was in Jinwook’s living room.

Eunchae was shocked. “What happened?”

“I’m sorry?” Yeongae asked.

“Why am I here? What happened to the old woman?”

“What old woman? What are you talking about?” Yeongae asked, giving Eunchae a worried look. “Do you have any idea how worried I was? You collapsed all of a sudden! Are you all right? Can you stand?”

“I collapsed? It wasn’t a car accident?” Eunchae replied.

“A car accident? I have no idea what you mean. You have been here all morning.”

With Yeongae’s help, Eunchae got to her feet. She turned to the TV, which was on and tuned in to a news channel.

[The 2019 College Scholastic Ability Test is less than a month away. Test-takers are amping up their preparations and taking great care to keep themselves healthy and focused as they ready themselves for...]

Eunchae’s gaze wavered violently. She shook her head, then reached for her phone on the living room table. She checked the date at the top of the screen, written in clear, legible characters.

[November 1, 2018]

She had come back to the same date, exactly one year before her death.

“Oh, my God...” Her jaw fell slack.

I’m really back!