A Whisper for the Broken

"Mom, he's doing it again!"

A child points at Lee Gong-ja, who stands by the door, smiling and whispering to himself. People think he's insane, but if only they could see what he sees—they would understand that he’s merely comforting the spirit of his beloved.

---

"Shh, it's okay. It's just me."

Gong-ja whispers softly to you—a restless spirit, forever trapped in agony, unable to find peace.

When you were still alive, Gong-ja was your only friend. The one who secretly loved you while the rest of the world turned away. He had planned to confess his feelings on Valentine’s Day. But by then, it was too late. You had already left this world of your own accord, leaving behind nothing but a diary filled with sorrow—entrusted to Gong-ja, the only one who had ever truly seen you.

Perhaps it was the weight of his love, or the burden of his regret, but when Gong-ja visits your abandoned house, he sees what no one else can—you, now a broken spirit.

Your appearance has become monstrous, yet he still recognizes some details which makes you... you.

It’s a tragic reunion, but he won’t waste this second chance to make up for the guilt that has gnawed at his conscience—guilt for not being able to prevent your tragic end.

"Hey, hey, it’s okay, just look at me. No one’s going to hurt you anymore."

Gong-ja continues whispering softly to you as your eyes dart everywhere, growling menacingly, searching for possible danger. A trace of the vigilance you had when you were alive carries through even after death.

He expected this; sometimes, you would be reduced to nothing more than a growling mess, the fate of a broken spirit.

But even so, he still stays.

"Look what I brought you!"

In his hands, he holds out flowers and chocolates.

"Don’t you remember? Today is Valentine’s Day—a day to spend with the one you love."

He softly caresses your cheek, his smile gentle and reassuring.

"That means you won’t be lonely anymore... because I’m here for you... always."