CH 1

Kh. Kh.

Dusk began setting in the empty classroom. The shadows from the window sill hung long, and the reddish sunset dyed his face. In this mysterious landscape that was as if time had stopped, Muryeong clicked his tongue with a troubled look on his face.

“So……”

Kh. Kh.

The boy sitting across from him firmly closed his mouth and waited for him to speak. The neatly drawn lips gave off an unfamiliar atmosphere. The hair that covered the eyes, the shady gaze and the pale white skin.

Kh. Kh.

“…… Are you saying that your shoulders are heavy?”

He showed no response to the words that were said. He just stared at the ghost with black eyes that seemed like ink was poured on it. Slowly, the flowing hair hung down on his shoulder.

“Yeah.”

Kh. Kh.

“……”

Why was it that a voice that only spoke one word felt so naked.  It’s not like he was whispering into his ear, but he had come close enough to make his spine shiver.

Kh. Kh

Muryeong looked down, trying to pretend nothing was wrong. The name ‘Gihwan Yeong’ was written on the name tag that hung on his chest. But even that was half hidden by the drooping hair.

“If your shoulders are heavy, you should go to the hospital…….”

Kh. Kh.

‘What should I do?’

His throat felt dry. He tightly squeezed his hand and opened it back, but couldn’t think of a proper solution. Even the words spoken to awaken his surroundings did not elicit any response from the illusion.

Kh. Kh.

“……”

Countless times, Muryeong would swallow his dry saliva and lift his head. He also didn’t forget to smile as  friendly as he could so he wouldn’t seem like a threat. At that time, the gaze that flowed out was directed directly on the shoulder of the illusion.

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Kh. Kh.

“……”

Kh. Kh.

“……”

Kh. Kh.

“……”

Kh……

“……”

Kh.

Silence fell between them. Even the ticking of the clock sounded loud like thunder. The messy dangling hair of the illusion went past his shoulders and reached all the way towards the desk.

……Kh.

“……”

Their eyes met. He tilted his head, and then stood at the same angle again. In the end, the returned gaze revealed bright red whites. Drops of blood, drip and dripped stuck on the tips of his bizarre nail.

Kh.

“……”

Muryeong slowly breathed in, not saying anything. The illusion gently stared at him, but all he could do was clench hisists.

How to explain this,

This ghost, with his hair hanging long, had been gnawing on his  shoulder while at his back since earlier.

* * *

Two days ago, the new building of Haeyeon High School.

A dawn with dim moonlight. It was still quite early so the hallway was quiet enough to hear the wind blowing from somewhere. Outside, the leaves rustled, and the tightly locked windows occasionally rattled and shook.

A student was currently crossing the hallway with narrow steps. One step,  two steps. Slowly moving forward, as if it wasn’t by will. It was the same with the gaze that stared into the air far away without focus.

“……where… …is…”

Was it talking to itself, or was it groaning? There was no haggar in the muttering voice. His lips moved, but most of the words were so close to breathing that it couldn’t be understood. SwaySway. SwaySway. Walking as if drunk, he suddenly stopped in front of a window at the end of the hallway.

“here……”

It was big enough that you could jump from it by crouching. A low window where tall people could climb comfortably by raising their legs.

Click, the lock was unlocked. He didn’t even have to put his hand on it. Slowly, damp air rushed in through the crack in the open window.

“……here?”

The time to think was short.

In the blink of an eye, the student placed his hand on the window sill and raised his leg. It was a quick and precise movement, as if he had stumbled. He then raised the rest of his legs and leaned his body outward without any hesitation.

The moment his upper body tilted, it felt like it was going in slow motion. The strength of the hand holding the window sill was released, and a pleasant smile came on top of the blank gaze. Yes, it was here. It was the moment when the student who murmured slowly closed his eyes.

“No!”

Suddenly, a blue flame lit up. The flickering flames quickly clung to the student’s hands, feet, and bag. The body that seemed like it would fall at any moment stopped in the air for a moment.

And,

“……!”

A strong hand gripped the back of his neck. This wasn’t enough, so he hugged his waist with his other arm. The body that was caught in a snap collapsed inside, not outside the window.

Thud! With a loud sound, the student fell across the hallway floor. To be more exact, he used someone else’s body as a cushion and just lightly pounded his buttocks. Someone who threw his whole body and hugged him got up with a grumbling sound.

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“Ah…… It hurts.”

“……”

“Urgh…… No, is there a stone in the bag……”

Flutter. Flames rose. Flames that became two, and then three, floated over their heads as if worried about them. The student just stared blankly into the air, but the reaction came from behind.

“It’s okay. I just bumped my elbow.”

The extremely gentle voice somehow gave off an atmosphere of immaturity. The voice that stood at the boundary between belonging to a boy and a young man gently got rid of the eerie air. He sighed and spoke to the student at his side.

“Hey, are you okay? Get a hold of yourself……”

“……”

Their eyes met. There was neither a look of surprise nor a sign of displeasure in the student’s eyes. Someone who was looking at the student, Muryeong frowned with a troubled face.

“Ah…… He is completely possessed.”

There was no sense of livelihood on the student’s face. Even if the original skin looked white, it doesn’t make sense for it to be so pale. In addition, there was the blank gaze and the fact that he hadn’t said anything about falling down.

Muryeong covered the student’s eyes with his hands with a small sigh.

“Don’t bully the innocent student and come out.”

“……”

Frowning, the student’s cheeks flinched. His eyes were covered, but Muryeong thought he was unfair. Why was he doing this? In the midst of wandering such, his pale lips slowly opened up.

“here…… I can’t find it……”

“……”

“……my…”

Muryeong put his ears to his lips without taking his hand off. The words that flowed out like a whisper were then heard as complete sentences. The students said in a calm voice.

I don’t know where my classroom is.

It’s definitely right here. It was here……

“I can’t find it…… ”

“……”

Muryeong closed his mouth and lowered his eyes. There was no need to ask what that meant. There was only one reason why the voice that recited the same thing over and over again was unfair.

“……What grade and class are you in?”

“Yes……?”

The flames that had been floating around began to burn. It seemed as if he was strongly rebelling against the shaman’s question. Muryeong raised his hand that wasn’t covering the student’s eyes and opened his index finger, as if asking him to look at him.

“If you tell me your grade and class, I will take you back.”

“……really?”

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“Yes, I am a student here.”

“Like that……. I can’t……”

“Instead, come out of that body. How about it?”

“……”

The student raised his cheeks as if hesitating. Instead of rushing him, Muryeong rummaged through the bag he was carrying. He had thought that the weight was no joke, but there were more than five question books.

“……I can’t go out…”

“Yes?”

“It’s like…… I can’t……”

What he mumbled was a lie no matter who heard it. The flames that were wandering around Muryeong also spun round as if to see. Muryeong smacked his lips and offered an alternative in a gentle voice.

“Then let’s do it like this.”

“……”

“Just close your eyes until you arrive instead. Is that okay?”

There was no answer, but that was another affirmation. Carefully, carefully, with his hand removed, Muryeong confirmed that he still had his eyes closed and got up. When he grabbed his arm, the student staggered up as he followed Muryeong.

“So, what grade are you going to?”

“……3rd year…”

“Class?”

“Class 1……”

“Ah, Year 3 Class 1.”

A mischievous smile appeared on Muryeong’s face. The two folded  eyes seemed infinitely warm. He carried the bag over his shoulder and squinted his eyes at the flames in the air.

“That is great.”

3-1. It just so happened to be the place written in the question book.