YHP 48

It was as expected. The area below the hill, with attractions mainly for younger age groups, was filled with children. Children floating around on flower-shaped rides and children sitting inside spinning teacups burst into laughter on both sides. Jeong-in rested his chin on the table and waited for Ho-jin, watching them.

“Hyung.”

He turned his head. A sky-blue cotton candy that looked as fluffy as a cloud was looming before his eyes.

“I bought it because it looked pretty. Have it with your coffee.”

Cotton candy was like Jeong-in’s soul food. In foreign countries, where no one would stop him no matter how much he ate, he even had a machine at home and loved to spin it and eat it all day long whenever he had the chance. Of course, Jeong-hoon caught him during a video call and gave him an earful.

Jeong-in began to tear off small pieces of cotton candy and eat them. He kept reaching for it, regretting that it melted away as soon as he put it in his mouth. After he had torn off about half of it,

“……”

He felt a strange gaze and turned to look at Ho-jin. Without even touching his coffee, he was sitting upright and staring intently at Jeong-in.

“…Want a bite?”

Was he the only one eating too much? Thinking that, he tore off a large piece of cotton candy and held it out.

“Yes.”

Ho-jin lowered his mask to his chin and slowly bent down. Tilting his head diagonally, he touched his lips to Jeong-in’s fingertips, which were floating in the air, and took the cotton candy. His lowered eyelashes were long.

“What are you doing right now?”

“Oh… just because.”

Ho-jin chewed on the cotton candy and looked at Jeong-in with innocent eyes.

“If you grab it with your hand twice, it shrinks twice as much, right?”

“……”

He wasn’t wrong.

“Then you tear it off.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ho-jin quickly reached out and tore off a little. Watching him chew like he was eating fodder, he just handed him the whole stick.

They stood up from their seats, each holding a coffee. Jeong-in’s steps led to the front of the least popular ride in this area.

“This is the best thing here.”

Ho-jin followed without complaint. After passing the ticket inspector and going down to the boarding area, they saw about six teams standing next to the black, surging water. The line wasn’t very long because the ride’s dispatch interval was subtly fast, and it quickly dwindled. Ho-jin boarded the boat that finally arrived first. He reached out his hand to Jeong-in as if it were natural. Jeong-in naturally took his hand and boarded the swaying boat.

Soon the ride started. As soon as they passed through the short tunnel, an interior space filled with all sorts of dolls appeared.

“It’s pretty.”

The purpose of this ride was simply to float peacefully along the waterway for about 10 minutes and admire the beautifully decorated interior. Jeong-in took a sip of his cool coffee.

“Everything’s good here, but it’s a shame the backrests are so low.”

“Is it better if they’re high?”

“You can lean back and look.”

He felt like he wanted to lie down right now.

“…Do you want to lean on me?”

Ho-jin said suddenly. Jeong-in, who had been looking at a golden, glittering frog doll, narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

“Just think of me as the same as a wall. I’m really solid here.”

He tapped his biceps as he said that.

He was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t even laugh. He couldn’t quite tell whether he was flirting because he had such an indifferent look, or whether he was just being an idiot. Jeong-in took a sip of his coffee and turned his head away without answering. Soon, a tunnel leading to the next space appeared.

Instantly, the surroundings darkened, and all the music faded away. With only the sound of droplets falling quietly, Jeong-in gripped his coffee cup tightly for no reason.

“…I like it.”

It was a comfortable darkness. Suddenly, a low voice was heard. Jeong-in was silent. As his vision darkened, his other senses became clearer in its place. Ho-jin’s calmly subdued breathing was distinct.

“I think I really needed this time.”

Clunk, the ride got caught on something. The rail changed, and the end of the tunnel could be seen in the distance.

Along with the sound of water splashing, Ho-jin spoke. In the gradually brightening scenery, Jeong-in faced him. Soft light began to permeate his neat face, which had a somewhat innocent quality.

“Thank you, Hyung.”

It was a truly beautiful sight.

At the moment when he was completely enveloped in light without a single shadow, he couldn’t help but smile along with him.

Bordered by a large plaza, the level of the attractions suddenly increased. Unlike the previous area, which was filled only with friendly laughter, here, screams that seemed to tear through the air rang out from somewhere every so often. Jeong-in, who was walking ahead, asked Ho-jin.

“Do you like things like that?”

“No.”

Ho-jin shook his head, looking at the roller coaster falling from a dizzying height. In fact, he just needed a reason to go somewhere with Jeong-in, and he had no interest in the amusement park itself. And above all, he didn’t think those kinds of rides would be good for Jeong-in, who was physically weak.

“Then what about that?”

Jeong-in pointed to the flume ride. Just in time, a boat that had reached the top plunged down at a near-vertical angle. Ho-jin, who witnessed the people on the boat getting completely drenched in cold water, shook his head once again.

“No way.”

“There’s never been a safety accident. I guarantee it.”

“Isn’t there anything else? Besides falling from a high place, and besides getting wet?”

At those words, Jeong-in looked around and said, “Ah,” pointing to one side.

“That one doesn’t get you wet or make you fall from a high place.”

There was a long line in front of the building, which was painted particularly black. It was obviously a haunted house.

As they got closer to the line, a virgin ghost in a white shroud, with blood streaming down her mouth, approached. Then, she waved her hands energetically and greeted them.

“Welcome to Changsan Hospital. Red passes go this way, green passes go that way.”

Jeong-in showed a card that he seemed to have prepared in advance and immediately entered the entrance.

Here and there in the pitch-black space, there were models of human bodies and ghost dolls hanging by their necks. Ho-jin sighed softly. There was no way that this kind of thing would be good for him.

“Hyung. This is…”

He was about to stop Jeong-in, just in case, but,

“Wow, it’s gotten really realistic.”

He was so happy, touching the props, that he just shut his mouth.

“It used to be really boring? Our CEO must have spent some money.”

He seemed to like this kind of thing, unexpectedly. He looked so cute, lifting up the drooping hair a few times and constantly pressing the button that made a screaming sound every time he pressed it. Smiling secretly from behind, he followed, and soon a large door appeared. A ghost who looked somehow tired recited the lines while clicking a counter.

“Foolish ones… I will give you one last chance. Once you open this door… there is no turning back. Are you sure you won’t regret it…”

He felt quite embarrassed even as he said it himself, as if he were a new employee. When Ho-jin and Jeong-in didn’t react in particular, he handed them each a flashlight and opened the door weakly.

“You are the ones who have forsaken even the last chance… Ha. Ha. Ha.”

Creak, they stepped through the crack in the door that was opening. In the darkness where nothing could be seen, Ho-jin stealthily reached out his hand. He grabbed Jeong-in’s wrist, who was walking a little ahead.

“What is it?”

“I can’t see well.”

He quickly took the initiative before he could say anything. At that moment, a window suddenly opened next to Jeong-in, and a ghost screamed, “Kyaaaa!”

“Ugh…”

Jeong-in, startled, grabbed his hand tightly. Ho-jin quickly wrapped his arms around his shoulders, worried that he might fall and get hurt.

“Are you okay?”

“No, just, a little. Oh, I’m okay.”

He was trying hard to act calm, but he still didn’t let go of his hand, which he was holding so tightly that his knuckles were white, so he must have been quite scared. Ho-jin bit his lip to hold back a laugh.

“I’ll go first, then.”

“…Okay.”

While passing through several rooms, countless part-timers passed by Ho-jin’s side. The air quality didn’t seem very good either, so it must be hard to work inside here all day. Anyway, Jeong-in really faithfully showed his surprise so that their efforts, which they were putting all their heart into, wouldn’t be in vain.

“Kyaaaa!”

“Heu…”

A ghost with one leg missing came right up to Jeong-in’s nose and disappeared. Then, Jeong-in grabbed Ho-jin’s arms with both hands and clung to him tightly. It was completely automatic now.

Should I ask him to do this one more time when it’s over? Truly grateful for the fact that there was such a good ‘ride’, Ho-jin opened the next door.

This room seemed to be decorated with the theme of an old basement. The light seeping in from the window high up on the wall was bluish.

All the props were very realistic. Broken tiles were scattered haphazardly at the edge of the sticky linoleum, and an eerie aura emanated from the torn calendar. The basement’s unique musty and stuffy smell was well-preserved, thanks to the strangely high humidity. Ho-jin held Jeong-in’s hand tightly and slowly walked forward. It was then.

With a clattering sound, Jeong-in’s steps stopped. Ho-jin turned around without much thought. He saw Jeong-in tapping his chest with one hand for some reason.

“Are you not feeling well?”

“A little.”

Jeong-in was looking down at the floor with a calm expression. But his chest was rising and falling irregularly, so it seemed like he was having trouble breathing. Ho-jin quickly approached him.

“Waaaaah!”

At that moment, a ghost that popped out from somewhere grabbed Jeong-in’s shoulder tightly. Then, Jeong-in suddenly let out a shrill scream and sat down on the spot. He looked a little different than before.

“Hyung.”

He lowered his posture to check on him. With his breathing becoming rougher little by little, he had a feeling that something was wrong.

“Hyung, just a moment.”

The arm that completely wrapped around his head trembled. He forcibly pulled the arm up. Jeong-in’s face, revealed under the dim lighting, was painfully distorted. Jeong-in, who was breathing shallowly, soon began to claw at his own neck. At the sound of Jeong-in’s gasping breaths, Yoo Ho-jin hurriedly looked up.

“Excuse me, the person who just passed by, just a moment!”

“…Yes?”

The ghost who had just passed by peeked his head out from behind the wardrobe.

Now, Jeong-in couldn’t inhale or exhale. Yoo Ho-jin, confirming the tears falling from Jeong-in’s wide eyes, immediately picked Jeong-in up and stood up.

“He seems to be in bad shape right now, is it possible for us to leave right away?”