Led to the Sea, Confronted by a Name
After the “Gyu Walk,” where this strange stomach-tightening guided me to cherry blossoms and unexpectedly delicious sushi, I still had no idea what “Gyu” truly was.
But one thing was clear:
This Gyu had a will of its own.
So I decided to take the experiment further.
It was time for the Gyu Drive.
Starting the Gyu Drive
While the kids were at school, I cleared my tasks for the day and slipped out quietly.
Before leaving the house, I whispered in my mind:
“Gyu, we’re going on a drive today.”
Driving with Gyu, however, turned out to be much harder than walking with it.
At every intersection, I had to wait for the direction that made my stomach tighten.
And Gyu…
was slow.
“You want me to turn left now!? I’m in the far right lane! I can’t make that—ah, missed it!”
After a few chaotic intersections, I pulled over and negotiated in my head:
“Gyu, one block before the turn. Please.”
And somehow, it worked.
Gyu began signaling earlier.
Apparently, it was negotiable.
When Gyu Wouldn’t Stop
We drove far—deep into the suburbs.
I was tense the entire time.
Then at one intersection, Gyu didn’t stop tightening even after I turned.
It kept going. And going.
Panic surged.
Is Gyu broken!?
What do I do!?
What does this mean!?
Then it hit me.
Maybe I turned the wrong way.
I returned to the intersection, looked down another direction, and—
Gyu. Strong.
Ah…
So this is how it tells me I’ve taken a wrong turn.
Once I understood that, the whole experience became strangely smoother.
If Gyu didn’t continue, it meant I was going the right way.
Whatever “right” meant.
Today wasn’t about meaning.
It was about the experiment.
The Seaside Harbor
I ended up driving for two hours.
Where I arrived was a small harbor tucked into a quiet inlet of a seaside town—
a tiny dock where local residents launched their boats.
Almost no one was there.
The scenery was calm, wide, beautiful.
And again—
it got me.
I was moved.
Deeply.
Living in a place where crowds are normal,
finding a quiet corner of the ocean—completely alone—
felt like a hidden blessing.
(Even if it took two hours to get there.)
This spot became a kind of personal power place for me.
Later, I would return alone sometimes…
and on full moon nights, my family and I would go together to look at the moon.
Crepes, the Sea, and an Unexpected Message
Starving from all the nerves, I once drove into town for a crepe, then brought it back to the dock.
I rolled down the windows, ate while staring at the water,
letting thoughts drift in and out without control.
Two hours passed without me noticing.
I needed to get home before the kids returned from school.
Reluctantly, I left the harbor and used my phone map to navigate back—
finally understanding where I had actually been.
Driving home, I suddenly snapped back into myself:
What was I doing!?
Eating crepes alone by the sea!?
I should’ve gone to the doctor’s office today to pick up the kids’ school forms!
This was a waste of time!
At that moment…
Words appeared in my mind.
“It’s important.”
My stomach tightened—
that unmistakable Gyu—
and a sharp, high ringing filled my ears.
Who said that!?
Who!?
“It’s important,” the presence repeated.
“This?
Relaxing by the sea?
That’s important?”
“Yes. It is important.”
I couldn’t “hear” the voice with my ears.
It wasn’t sound.
It was more like…
thoughts I wasn’t thinking, appearing anyway.
And yet I could tell:
It was a man’s voice.
A strong one.
My mind spiraled:
Has Gyu finally started talking?
Is this it?
Do I need professional help?
As the panic rose, the presence continued:
“Believe. If you don’t believe, nothing will begin.”
Did he really say that back then?
…Honestly, I don’t fully remember.
But he insists—right now, as I’m writing this—that he said it.
So I guess he must have.
Then suddenly, out of nowhere:
“You really are an idiot.”
That one I remember.
Very clearly.
Hearing it again actually felt… nostalgic.
But then I paused.
Wait—
did he say that today to remind me of the moment back then?
Or is he calling me an idiot again, right now?
Honestly… either one feels possible.
And honestly… it doesn’t really matter.
I just laughed.
Then He Gave a Name
And finally…
Gyu revealed his name.
“Archangel Michael.”
My skepticism skyrocketed.
I immediately thought:
No way.
Absolutely not.
Must be a demon.
Or a low-level spirit.
Or a fox.
Because an ordinary middle-aged woman like me?
Having an archangel appear out of nowhere?
That kind of story only happens to other people.
Not me.
Not someone like me.
At least, that’s what I believed then.