Except for the fact that Seo Jae-ha was the only one stamping checkpoints while scouting the trail, his group’s courage test was going surprisingly smoothly. And even though he’d somehow ended up as the group’s de facto bus driver, Jae-ha didn’t find the situation entirely exhausting. Because…
“Ahhh! I just stepped on something! What was that? A bug? A cockroach?!”
“Nope. Just a rock.”
…the way they were freaking out was just too funny.
Of course, Ji-hyang and Jeong-seok looked like they were dying inside, but Jae-ha found their panicked commotion far more entertaining than the gloomy atmosphere of the mountain. Especially since he knew their usual personalities—Ji-hyang was normally laid-back, and Jeong-seok always calm and collected.
Then suddenly, Yoon-taek, who seemed a little steadier than the others, craned his neck toward the side of the trail. What’s with him? His restless scanning of the woods made Jae-ha pause and watch curiously. Yoon-taek quickly pressed closer to him and whispered,
“Hy-hyung… didn’t you just see something? Like a candle flame?”
Jae-ha followed his junior’s gaze but saw nothing in the thick darkness.
“I swear there was something! You really didn’t see it? Seriously?”
They were still near the base of the mountain—what else could be out there besides trees and leaves? But Yoon-taek insisted with frantic conviction that he’d seen a light. Ji-hyang, already trembling, whimpered.
“Yah, Lee Yoon-taek. Quit saying creepy stuff…”
“No, noona, I’m serious!”
Yoon-taek stomped his feet, looking desperate as he tried to prove his innocence. He was so pitiful that Jae-ha gave in just to appease him.
“Fine, fine. I saw it. Happy?”
“Hyung, that’s not the point! What if a ghost chases us? I swear I heard about this exact thing on a horror radio show once.”
“…So what do you want to do?”
“We ditch it, of course.”
“……”
Are you insane, Yoon-taek? Jae-ha gave him that look, but his junior didn’t notice. Instead, fired up with misplaced courage, Yoon-taek yanked his arm free and marched ahead.
“Yoon-taek—”
Before Jae-ha could stop him, Yoon-taek leaned in and whispered urgently,
“When I count to three, we all run. Got it?”
“Wait, hold on—”
“One, two, three!”
I SAID WAIT! But before Jae-ha could even protest, Yoon-taek shot forward like a bullet.
And of course, the problem wasn’t that Yoon-taek bolted. It was that the others followed.
“Uwaaaah!”
“Kyaaaah!”
Ji-hyang and Jeong-seok, who had been clinging to Jae-ha for dear life, suddenly screamed and tore off after him. What the hell—had they actually bought into Yoon-taek’s nonsense this whole time?! Jae-ha froze, dumbfounded, staring at their rapidly disappearing backs as they ran like their lives depended on it.
The only upside was that they were at least charging down the right trail. …Wait. Didn’t someone say there was a fork up ahead?
“…Guys! Take the left path!”
He shouted belatedly, but who knew if they’d even heard him in their panic.
And just like that, he was alone. Jae-ha turned his head toward the darkness where Yoon-taek swore he’d seen the flame. …Nothing. Absolutely nothing. With a weary sigh, he pulled out his phone.
“Yeah, hyung, it’s me. Our group freaked out saying they saw a ghost and ran off. I’ll try to track them down, but if they come back first, give me a call.”
After ending the call with Hyung-jun, who’d stayed behind at the lodge, Jae-ha trudged forward, his steps heavy with frustration.
So now he was walking a gloomy mountain path, alone, in the dead of night.
The silence was absolute. Not only had his group scattered, but he couldn’t sense a trace of the groups ahead or behind either. It was as if he were the only person left on the mountain. Each step made his stamp sheet crinkle faintly against his clothes.
“Ji-hyang. You there?”
No way she was within ten meters, but he called out anyway. Naturally, no reply came.
The dim, unlit trail was lined with thick trees and brush, making it look even more sinister. Relying on the beam of his flashlight, Jae-ha couldn’t help recalling something Hae-hyun had once said:
“You know all sorts of things live in Korean mountains, right?”
Coming from someone who could actually see them, the words carried a chilling weight. Why the hell had he brought that up…? Grumbling under his breath, Jae-ha pulled his jacket zipper all the way up. The early autumn night air was sharp and cold.
Thankfully, nothing had shown up—no signs of the ominous creatures Hae-hyun had warned about. With the loud humans gone, only the occasional chirp of insects filled the air. Hopefully no one had tripped while running. They should’ve gone left… He sighed quietly, worrying as he walked.
Rustle.
Jae-ha froze. The sound came from the dense trees just off the trail. He swung his flashlight, but the undergrowth blocked his view. …No one was supposed to be out here. His voice slipped out, tense.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
After a moment’s hesitation, he turned back to his path. In horror movies, the one who investigated noises like that always died first. He wasn’t about to play the ghost story victim.
But a few steps later—rustle. This time, right behind him.
He didn’t look. His instincts screamed not to. His pace quickened, eyes flicking nervously as Yoon-taek’s words about being chased by a ghost came rushing back. What if something really was following him? What if the others were just up ahead…
Thud.
Lost in thought, Jae-ha slammed into something solid and stumbled badly. His focus on what was behind him had blinded him to what was in front. Just as he began to lose balance, a strong arm wrapped around his waist, holding him steady.
“Careful, sunbae.”
“…Huh?”
Eyes wide at the familiar voice, Jae-ha looked up. As if out of nowhere, Ju Hae-hyun stood there.
“What are you doing here—”
“Shhh.”
Still holding him, Hae-hyun bent close and whispered softly against his ear.
“Things like that… it’s better to just let them pass.”
So there was something behind him. A cold shiver ran down his spine. Without thinking, Jae-ha pressed closer into Hae-hyun’s chest. Hae-hyun’s breathing hitched slightly before his arm tightened firmly around his waist.
After what felt like a long moment, Hae-hyun finally loosened his grip.
“It’s fine. It’s gone now.”
“What the hell was that?”
“An earthbound spirit. Been dead so long its consciousness is shattered. All it does is blindly chase movement.”
The matter-of-fact explanation sent another shiver through Jae-ha. He glanced nervously at the darkness where the spirit had vanished. So Yoon-taek had been right.
“Our whole department’s out here doing this courage test. Isn’t it dangerous to have something like that wandering around?”
“It’s fine. They can’t leave the mountain, and none of them are strong enough to cause real harm.”
…So I didn’t even need to run in the first place? The thought crossed his mind, but instead of nitpicking, he stepped back a couple of paces. In the faint moonlight, Hae-hyun’s sharp features stood out clearly. Relief quickly gave way to suspicion.
“Then why are you here?”
The accusing tone made Hae-hyun’s expression shift, suddenly playful. With all the smugness of a brat, he tilted his chin up.
“I had business here too. Someone called me.”
“…Really?”
He was so obnoxiously confident that Jae-ha decided to let it slide—for now. Still, it was far too suspicious. What business could possibly bring him to Daeseong-ri of all places, at this exact time? He didn’t look like he was here for a group trip either.
“It’s true. I’ll walk you back to your lodge, then I’ll head out again.”
“No, if you’ve got business, just go.”
Why the hell would he escort him? That kind of gentlemanly act felt more like a punishment. Jae-ha grimaced, trying to decline, but Hae-hyun shook his head firmly, like rejecting the idea was absurd. The look on his face was the same stubborn one he’d had when insisting Jae-ha was hurt.
“It’s dangerous. Especially for someone like you—now that you’ve started seeing them, you’re practically irresistible bait.”
What kind of ridiculous scare tactic was that? Jae-ha couldn’t even hide his exasperation.
“Do you think I want to see them?”
“…That’s why I’m taking responsibility and walking you back.”
Hae-hyun’s voice dropped to a mutter, his eyes flicking sideways like he knew he was stretching the truth.
Honestly, it wasn’t a bad offer—Jae-ha had only refused because being ‘protected’ felt awkward. So when he reluctantly nodded, a loud ringtone suddenly blared.
“Ah, damn it.”
Hae-hyun groaned, fishing his phone out of his pocket. Standing so close, Jae-ha couldn’t help but glimpse the caller ID.
1
