ROA 12

The mass filling the mirror was blurry, making it impossible to discern its exact form. It just seemed like viscous wastewater gurgling and flowing down, but somehow the more he looked at it, the cooler the surrounding temperature seemed to become. Goosebumps rose on his arms.

Suddenly something came to mind in Shim Seo-woo’s head.

‘Originally the world of the dead and the world of the living are strictly separated, but evil spirits’ grudges sometimes cross the line. The jealous heart toward living, moving bodies is emitted as ghost energy and harms the body. It’s also commonly called a “creepy feeling.”‘

It was a story Jin Gwang-min had told at Heun. He’d explained that even ordinary people who can’t see ghosts instinctively want to avoid ghost energy, and try to distance themselves even unconsciously because the body rots if it touches wicked evil spirits…

Then was this boy an evil spirit?

As Shim Seo-woo slowly stepped back, the corners of the boy’s mouth standing in front of the sink rose long.

[These dullards taste best when terrified.]

The boy’s smile deepened as if excited about repaying the humiliation received from being ignored until now. Just as the boy was about to point at Shim Seo-woo with his index finger—

Thud.

“Hey, Shim Seo-woo! Why aren’t you coming back? I thought you collapsed in the bathroom…”

He bumped into Park Dong-ju who was just entering the bathroom. Shim Seo-woo who’d left saying he’d go to the bathroom with a tired face while watching the movie hadn’t returned, so he came out to check, but he couldn’t finish his words and froze stiff.

“Huh? Meong-seo, you were just coming out? We came together because we were worried too! It’s absolutely not because we ran away scared of the movie…”

“What? Why did both of you suddenly malfunction…”

And as So Da-hyun also came out together, she leaned her upper body at the entrance to greet them, then she too froze, and following that Yang Ga-young also stopped.

The three of them, as if a pause button had been pressed in a relay, simultaneously screamed.

“Aaaaah! Wh-what’s that reflected in the mirror!”

Everyone pointed at the mirror in horror, making Shim Seo-woo flustered.

Did they originally see ghosts too? But thinking of Park Dong-ju’s past reaction, he seemed not to have seen them, could they perhaps perceive through the medium of a mirror? Maybe it was due to the ghost energy the evil spirit emitted. Very dangerous ghosts could be seen by ordinary people too.

Moreover, now they seemed to have grasped even the form of the boy standing in front of the sink.

[Witnessing is the beginning.]

The boy grinned widely as if this situation was very enjoyable. The smile the evil spirit had been pushing since their first meeting, tearing up to his cheekbones, happened to work very well on his friends. The three clung to each other and burst into triple high notes.

Eventually the boy shouted vigorously.

[Catch all of them! It’s time to feast!]

“Kya, kyaaah! Ghosts are coming out of the screening room!”

“Run!”

Whoosh—as a chilling gale swept in, ghosts began pouring out from the screening room. It was a movement as if following the evil spirit’s command, and his friends ran in shock as ghosts emerged from the space where they’d been watching the movie until just before.

[Hihi, let’s play together. Let’s play tag!]

[Human fear is, ahhh!]

The ghosts giggled while chasing those fleeing in panic. They enjoyed it as if human fear and terror were a delicious delicacy.

Shim Seo-woo followed the three bewilderedly while looking back. In fact, he was just trying to escape the bathroom after recalling the information that skin rots if you touch an evil spirit, but suddenly his friends got involved and they ended up playing tag with ghosts.

He thought the conclusion would have been the same even if he’d been alone, but it was rather absurd. Looking at the current situation, it seemed he and his friends were the running role and the ghosts were ‘it’, but didn’t that side have too many? Almost ten times more. Anyone could see this was an unfavorable game.

Could he raise an objection that it’s unfair to stop it, while running with such thoughts, his friends screamed.

“Eeek, we came out from watching the movie so they’re providing it in 4D so we don’t miss the content!”

“Huff, huk, they’re getting closer! Does anyone have salt?!”

“Who on earth carries salt around… Ah, popcorn! Should we throw popcorn?!”

“Ah, mine isn’t plain but cheese flavor though…!”

“That’s salty too so just try throwing it!”

As So Da-hyun started throwing popcorn recklessly, Yang Ga-young and Park Dong-ju followed suit. Suddenly Shim Seo-woo thought it was unfair that they teased him for being clueless. They think strangely too.

Naturally the popcorn had no effect and rather incurred the ghosts’ anger.

[To throw such things, you must think we’re very funny!]

The ghosts’ signs were serious. Just when it seemed they were surging and heaving like waves, whoosh! they charged. Shooting forward suddenly fast, the three screamed and cowered.

“Waaaah!”

Shim Seo-woo stepped forward in front of them. Though he didn’t know how to deal with them, his body moved reflexively. Just as he was having the absurd thought that he hoped they’d be lenient since he didn’t throw popcorn—

Crackle—!

Blue sparks burst out centered on Shim Seo-woo. The ghosts repelled by it rolled on the floor as if electrocuted.

[Aaagh! It, it hurts, it huuuurts!]

[My arm, my arm……!]

At the scene of ghosts suffering, Yang Ga-young looked at Shim Seo-woo in surprise.

“Wh-what? Seo-woo, what did you do?”

“I don’t know either…”

Shim Seo-woo also examined his body bewilderedly, then soon identified the source from which the light burst. The thing where shallow remnants were still flowing even now was the puppy keyring attached to his bag.

The doll keyring the landlord grandfather gave this morning.

Confusion rose in Shim Seo-woo’s eyes as he discovered the black puppy hugging a four-leaf clover as big as its body. What on earth did grandfather give him? Did the four-leaf clover drive away ghosts in the literal sense of bringing good fortune? Questions continued in succession.

“Run for now! Those guys stopped!”

Park Dong-ju shouted. Though he didn’t know what situation this was, they had to distance themselves taking advantage of the gap while the ghosts had fallen. Everyone nodded and followed him.

Just then, they saw what they’d desperately hoped for in the distance.

“An elevator!”

Expectation rose that they just needed to get off this floor. Firmly believing everything would be resolved if they just got away from the absurd place playing tag with ghosts, everyone spurred their running.

Ring-ring-ring—

Just then Shim Seo-woo’s phone rang. He’d definitely switched it to silent before entering the screening room, but at the phone ringtone ringing out clearly, he puzzledly picked up his phone.

[HN Do Seon-hwa]

It was a call from a completely unexpected person. They’d never contacted each other once since their previous meeting, could Heun know his exams ended and contact him first?

Shim Seo-woo looked down at the screen bewilderedly, then soon confirmed there were over ten missed call records.

— Benefactor! Benefactor! Is talking on the phone okay right now?!

As soon as he answered, a resounding shout was heard. The sound reached him even before he brought it to his ear.

“Yes? Why?”

— I tried to wait quietly until you contacted me first, but suddenly I felt so strange. So I called to check…

A voice muttering “amateur shaman” could be heard quietly from the other side. It was Jin Gwang-min’s voice, and following that he screamed, agh!—so his ear was probably grabbed.

Do Seon-hwa awkwardly laughed and apologized.

— Haha, sorry for suddenly calling. Seeing you answer the phone now, I thought you might be okay, there’s nothing wrong, right?

“Yes. Ghosts are chasing from behind, but I think we’ll shake them off soon. It’s fine.”

— Ah, I see…… wait, no it’s not? That’s not an okay situation at all!

Do Seon-hwa who’d been swept up by Shim Seo-woo’s calm voice belatedly was shocked. She burst into a scream, aaah—and poured out questions rapidly.

— Why are ghosts chasing you? Where are you now? Are you alone by chance? How did this happen…!

“Ah, I came to watch a movie with friends, but the ghost I met in the bathroom suggested playing tag. So I’m running away. The chasing ghosts suddenly collapsed so the gap widened a bit…”

Shim Seo-woo faithfully answered while checking behind him. The ghosts, who had been hit by the dog doll’s million volts, seemed hesitant to get close easily, so it was much easier to escape.

— Ghost’s,’ plural? Not one but several moving organizationally?

“Yes. There were quite many so it was disadvantageous, but now it’s oka—”

“Shim Seo-woo, what are you doing! Hurry up!”

Moving while glancing back, Shim Seo-woo’s speed was relatively slower. His friends who’d reached the elevator before he knew it urgently called him.

The elevator happened to have its doors wide open as if welcoming them.

The three jumped into the elevator first and gestured to Shim Seo-woo. They had to hurry to another floor, to outside the building entirely. Park Dong-ju anxiously pressed the 1st floor button while urging Shim Seo-woo, and just as he was about to arrive in front—

Do Seon-hwa’s shout burst piercingly.

— Benefactor! If there’s an elevator there, you absolutely must not get on it!