The ominous presence hadn’t escaped Hae-hyun either. Following the trail of energy, he absentmindedly noticed Jae-ha’s missed call and immediately dialed back. The moment the call connected, a faint ringtone echoed nearby. No way… it can’t be. Even as he tried to brush off the thought, his body was already moving. He prayed it was just coincidence that the sound came from the Business department building, where the energy was especially heavy.
He sprinted inside, chasing the ringtone up the stairs. Just as he was scrambling up the stairwell, the line connected—but before Jae-ha could even finish his sentence, the sound cut off abruptly. Hae-hyun checked his screen again and again, but the call was still active.
“Sunbae? Sunbae!”
That could only mean one thing—Jae-ha was in a situation where he couldn’t speak.
In a single breath, Hae-hyun raced up to the fifth floor, heading for the spot where the energy was strongest. It was the student lounge Jae-ha had once shown him.
The door stood wide open. Inside, melted candle wax stained the floor, a man stood as if possessed, and a massive cocoon loomed in the room.
The man’s eyes had rolled back into black sclera, and the moment he saw Hae-hyun rush in, his lips twisted into a grotesque grin, stretched unnaturally high.
It’s not over yet.
Hae-hyun growled. If this was the Candle Spirit, then Jae-ha had once again been dragged into its “game.” From their last call, it was probably The Mugunghwa Flower Has Bloomed.
That game didn’t end unless every player was caught. But if one remaining person managed to tag the Seeker, everyone who’d been frozen would be released.
The spirit cackled and spun around, fooled by Hae-hyun’s bluff.
[Mu-uu-gunghwa…….]
But Hae-hyun had no intention of playing along.
His gaze dropped to the cocoon lying on the floor. Even for a spirit that manipulated candle wax, the object looked far too unnatural. And the fact that it was large enough to hold a grown man…
There was no need to guess what might be inside.
[…flower…….]
A low hum resonated as golden energy erupted from Hae-hyun’s body. It spread like mist, flooding the entire lounge.
“…Wait, that’s it? You just did that? And that’s allowed?”
It was absurd. Knocking the Seeker out mid-chant with brute force? That wasn’t bending the rules—it was practically deus ex machina. But Hae-hyun defended himself without hesitation.
“I tagged it according to the rules. That’s not cheating.”
“No, but you’re supposed to run after that, aren’t you?”
“Well, that’s…”
Even Hae-hyun found it odd. This spirit had been powerful enough to claim an entire building as its domain. Compared to the struggle they’d had with the candle-spirit tag game before, this conclusion felt anticlimactic.
“That’s because I found its main body.”
A flat voice cut in. Both Hae-hyun and Jae-ha turned toward the corner of the room. Su-min stepped out.
“You… were here?” Jae-ha asked, startled.
The lounge was large, fitting for the size of the Business department. The corner was dark and hidden—he must’ve missed him.
“Were you trapped in the cocoon too? Are you okay?”
If Su-min had been caught, he’d have been in the same situation as Jae-ha. Jae-ha jumped up and started toward him—only to be yanked back by the wrist.
“What are you doing?”
Surprised by the strength, Jae-ha turned back. Hae-hyun stood firmly in his way, eyes locked on Su-min with a ferocity as if he were staring down another ghost.
“…Ah.”
Su-min seemed to realize something too. His usually indifferent gaze sharpened with irritation.
“So it was you? The bastard who smeared that filth on me.”
“Sunbae, when did this guy first approach you?” Hae-hyun demanded.
“Huh?”
“Let go of him.”
Nothing about the tension made sense. Jae-ha almost felt like he’d stumbled into some bizarre love triangle. As he hesitated, Su-min stepped closer. Hae-hyun immediately shoved Jae-ha behind him protectively. The push was so forceful that Jae-ha stumbled like a leaf in the wind, his forehead smacking into Hae-hyun’s back.
“I told you to back off! He’s mine!”
At that instant, an overwhelming surge of energy burst out of Su-min. It crashed over them like waves, like a roaring waterfall—sharp, overwhelming, and strangely refreshing. Jae-ha swore he could actually feel himself being drenched. No, not just feel—he really was wet.
“…What the hell?”
He muttered without thinking as his soaked hair clung to his forehead. Su-min’s earlier words about “claiming” him were forgotten in the sudden flood, like being hit with a water bomb indoors. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. Ice-cold droplets trickled down his skin.
“Hae-hyun, you in here? I thought your tail was on fire with how fast you ran.”
Even in the chaos, another voice rang brightly down the hall. Footsteps echoed, and then Hae-ryeong appeared. She must’ve been with Hae-hyun earlier.
The moment she saw the disaster inside, she let out a low whistle. Her eyes lingered on the unfamiliar face of Su-min with thinly veiled interest.
“Well, well. I was wondering how you pulled this off without us… turns out Jae-ha’s got some unexpected connections.”
“…Huh?”
There were three people in the room, but apparently not one of them was saying anything Jae-ha could follow. He was on the verge of snapping when Hae-ryeong tossed him a breezy explanation.
“If you’ve got a baby Imoogi hanging around you, you should’ve said so. I wouldn’t have sprinted here at dawn like an idiot.”
An… Imoogi? Jae-ha froze, dumbfounded. Meanwhile, Hae-ryeong turned her attention to Su-min, giving him a scolding look.
“Seriously, even if it’s your territory, dragging a normal human like Jae-ha into a scene like this? That’s a direct complaint to the Guardian Agency. You want to jeopardize your ascension review?”
“…You could just keep your mouths shut,” Su-min muttered, not even bothering to deny it—as if Hae-ryeong’s claim about him being an Imoogi was simply fact.
“That kid’s an Imoogi? You’re serious?”
Hae-hyun’s voice was sharp with disbelief. Hae-ryeong flicked his forehead.
“Watch your mouth when you’re talking to your Noona.”
“That’s not the point! You’re saying he’s an Imoogi?”
“How could you not recognize it?”
Her casual reply trailed off as she noticed the strange tension in the room—the way Hae-hyun stood shielding Jae-ha from Su-min.
“…So what’s with this lineup?”
Jae-ha was wondering the same thing. And also, when exactly they were planning to loop him in. As he stood there bewildered, Hae-hyun edged even closer, scowling.
“That aura of his—it’s the curse on you, Sunbae.”
“…What?”
“A curse?!”
Jae-ha’s stunned voice overlapped with Su-min’s furious shout. Su-min glared at Hae-hyun like he’d lost his mind.
“What curse? Why the hell would I curse him?”
“Don’t play dumb. You forced your energy into him. Because of you, sunbae almost drowned in the lake!”
Su-min’s eyes widened.
“How could he drown? With Imoogi energy? That’s impossible.”
So that’s what it does? Jae-ha was quietly impressed by how convenient that sounded, even as Hae-hyun pressed on.
“Then why’s he plagued by nightmares, always on the verge of sinking underwater? The first time I met him, he was skin and bones because of it!”
Okay… maybe not exactly skin and bones…
“Dreams of being submerged, sure. But why would that be ominous?”
…Wait. Was that supposed to be auspicious instead?
“Alright, enough.”
Hae-ryeong finally cut in, prying apart the bickering Haetae and Imoogi. Her sharp gaze swept over Jae-ha.
“Hae-hyun’s energy was so strong I couldn’t see clearly before… but looking at you now, I get it. No, actually, your body’s been forcibly altered by energy shoved inside—you’re badly distorted. But how did you even notice it?”
The last question was directed at Hae-hyun, surprise flickering in her tone. Hae-hyun snorted.
“How could I not?”
“Unbelievable attitude. So what the hell happened here? Jae-ha, did you know any of this?”
If he had, none of this mess would’ve happened. Jae-ha shook his head reluctantly.
“Then we’d better hear the full story. Mister Imoogi?”
At her call, all three sets of eyes turned to Su-min. He hesitated with a sulky look but finally opened his mouth under the pressure.
“Hyung… a few months ago, on that rainy day, you moved a worm, didn’t you?”
