“You can’t eat people on board,” Kisa says, folding her arms. “Not only is it not allowed, but—as you’re experiencing—it’s very uncomfortable. You’ve basically imbibed a part of somebody’s raw essence…Which is fascinating, really, but beside the point…” Walking past the gumiho, Kisa rummages through one of the medicine cabinets, and shakes a few green pills into the woman’s hand. “Flesh doesn’t really exist here. We’re all souls, pure energy under the illusion of physical form because we’re used to existing in bodies. But it’s really not the same as it is in the world of the living. If you absorb a portion of someone else’s soul, symptoms will include—”

“Stomach cramps,” says the woman after swallowing the pills. “Dizziness. A powerful urge to gargle dish detergent.” She shudders.

“And cold sweats. Those will start soon, but the pills will expel the foreign essence.” Kisa sighs, grabbing a clipboard. “Name?”

“Nam Somi,” the woman says with a self-satisfied smile.

The name doesn’t mean anything to Kisa. “You’re a guest?”

“Yes,” Somi says, pouting sarcastically. “I worked so hard in my life. It’s actually pretty difficult being a serial killer.”

Frighteningly enough, Kisa doesn’t think that Somi is joking. She stares at the gumiho, who meets her eyes—and curiously, seems to falter for a moment.

“Do I…know you?”

“I’m afraid not,” Kisa replies blandly. “Now, if you don’t mind me asking…”

“I know what you’re thinking,” the gumiho says slyly as her face clears from whatever confusion had clouded it a moment before. “That I don’t deserve to be a guest on board. That’s where having illicit affairs with jeoseung saja come in handy.” She sniffs. Although the two women are similar in height, Somi’s heels boost her at least five inches above Kisa. “I guess I’ll stop trying to eat people. Only if this will happen every time, though. It’s worse than the Jitters and Cravings I used to get.”

Jitters. Cravings. Kisa arches a brow. Gumiho hypersensitivity to soul-absorption and liver-imbibing is rare, but so are Unruly gumiho. Many of the nine-tailed foxes steer clear from eating men at all, a modern taboo. “If you do this again, it’ll be the same result,” Kisa confirms, unamused, finishing her log. “I’ll also have to report this to the on-board haetae.” Officer Shin Korain is head of the ship’s security unit, and asks that any wrongdoing be reported to him immediately.

Somi shrugs. “He knows. I did it in front of him.” She wipes her mouth. “I told him I slipped and fell. My teeth just happened to puncture the banker. I think he believed me. I’m just banned from Deck 6 now, which is a shame. The greenhouse is so pretty. Thanks for the pills.”

Hajun joins Kisa’s side again as Somi struts out.