The girl felt a wave of unease as, upon leaving the bathroom, an unfamiliar boy suddenly stopped her path. She cautiously sized him up, her eyes tracing the contours of his hesitant face—an expression riddled with embarrassment and confusion, as if he was merely a pawn following someone else's orders.
"Could you let me go?" she asked politely, though the growing discomfort in her chest was unmistakable.
The boy shook his head, his gaze flickering over his shoulder at the sound of approaching footsteps. Instinctively, Hannah leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever had caused the boy's sudden tension, but before she could see anything, he pushed her back inside the bathroom.
He left the door slightly ajar and, with cautious eyes, kept watch on the two figures whispering just beyond the threshold. Curiosity pricked at Hannah's mind—who would be sneaking around, whispering secretively at this late hour? The boy, however, seemed to read her intentions and pressed a finger to his lips, silently demanding her silence.
What right did he have to command her this way, when she barely even knew him?
"I'm sorry," he said quickly as the men moved away out of sight. "I probably scared you—that wasn't my intention. Mariah asked me to warn you. You should change rooms."
"Mariah?" she repeated slowly, the name lingering in the air as if trying to place it. Was he referring to the older student she had met earlier in the bathroom?
"She wants to help you."
Confusion settled over Hannah's face. Why was everyone so afraid of this room? What secret could it possibly hold, that it was considered dangerous?
"Maybe nothing disturbing has happened to you yet," she said softly, "but it's only a matter of time before fear sets in."
Her eyes lifted toward the mirror, where a chilling message was scrawled in her favorite lipstick, vivid and threatening against the glass.
She flicked the light switch on and nodded toward the words, urging the boy to look.
"Do you have that in mind?"
His eyes widened involuntarily, the gravity of the warning sinking in.
"Tomorrow, you should go to the headmaster and ask to change your room."
"Can you tell me... what secret does this place hide?"
He stared at the lipstick scrawl for a moment, his voice lowering to a whisper. "I wish I knew. But if you don't find out, you'll likely lose your mind. Actually... you will lose your mind. Rumor has it the girl who was here before left a curse—one that reaches everyone who stays."
"Do you think it's true?"
He shrugged with a weary, almost defeated gesture.
"I don't know what to believe anymore. Maybe it's all just stories made up by scared people. Or maybe there's some truth buried deep inside. But one thing I do know — you can't afford to ignore this warning." He tapped the mirror with his finger, the ominous message reflecting in his serious eyes.
*
Mariah slipped quietly out of the room, careful not to wake her roommates as she sneaked into the hallway at an hour when being out was strictly forbidden. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest when, just steps away from the door, she unexpectedly collided with a familiar figure.
It was Nick—her childhood friend, once inseparable, now someone she only met in secret over the past two years. Since she had become involved with Jimmy, a wedge had grown between them, yet Nick never held it against her. In fact, he was her steadfast ally, the only person who knew her deepest secrets and the burdens she carried.
"You scared me," she said, a hesitant smile tugging at his lips. "Have you been to Hannah's room?"
"I saw her in the hallway," he replied quietly. "I warned her she needs to ask the director to change rooms as soon as possible."
She leaned back against the cold wall, the weight of her words settling in the silence between them.
"Thank you for doing that," Mariah said softly. "It could've been dangerous for me if I'd run into the wrong people."
Nick blinked, surprised by her words. "I saw them," he confessed. "What you showed me in secret—I saw it with my own eyes. But I didn't tell Hannah about it. I don't want to put her in danger."
"Good," Mariah nodded. "It's better she remains in the dark. Once this year ends, we'll take all these secrets with us. The younger students can then focus on their studies, free from all this."
Nick looked away for a moment, the weight of the secret pressing heavily on him. "Do you really think everything will go back to normal when we leave?" he asked quietly.
For Nick, the idea seemed impossible, but Mariah knew the truth hidden behind that cursed room all too well.
"I'm sure of it," she said, forcing a small smile and locking eyes with him. "Nick..." she began, noticing the worry etched deep in his gaze.
"If there's any way I can help," he said, his voice filled with sincerity, "I can't stand watching you suffer because of that moron. You hide your pain so well, but I see how hard you're trying not to break down in front of me."
His words cracked something inside her, and without thinking, Mariah wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his chest. Nick's support had always been her anchor, the one constant in a friendship that had never faltered, no matter the storm.
"You could even beat him up for me," she joked through her tears. "But we have to keep our friendship hidden. Jimmy's vindictive—if he found out, your school life would be over."
*
Her stomach had been aching since morning. Though she was prepared for her first class, a knot of apprehension twisted inside her at the thought of meeting a new group of students. She didn't know what to expect — the people she had met on her first day had been... peculiar, to say the least.
As if that weren't enough, a lingering unease gnawed at her from a threat scrawled on the bathroom mirror while she was showering. She had tried to dismiss it as a prank, but the words of an older boy warning her to change rooms—immediately—had planted a seed of doubt she couldn't shake.
Yet, looking at the room with clear eyes, there was no sign of anything supernatural. No eerie shadows, no whispering voices. Having watched countless horror movies in her sixteen years, she knew this room bore no resemblance to the haunted houses on screen.
So why was she already running from it in her mind?
She resolved to wait a few days. If anything strange happened, she would move out at once.
As she walked down the corridor, she felt dozens of eyes on her back. She guessed it was because yesterday she had been unexpectedly embraced by a boy she barely knew. That had caused quite a stir among her classmates.
But that wasn't the only rumor swirling about her. Word had spread that she had challenged Joseph—the school's top student—to a competition. Everyone laughed behind her back, convinced she was delusional. After all, she had spent barely any time in the "haunted" room; it seemed impossible she could surpass him.
But Hannah thought differently.
Descending the stairs to the floor below, she glanced over her shoulder, sensing a piercing gaze burning into her back.
Her heart tightened as she spotted Joseph trailing behind. She tried to mask her unease with a veneer of toughness, but his presence stirred a nameless fear. Any moment now, something reckless might come from him. She feared he might shove her down the stairs—even though, before he could do anything, she clumsily tripped on her own feet.
The fall could have been disastrous had Jin not been waiting nearby. She toppled into his arms, cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently. When she looked up and met his concerned gaze, she quickly stepped back.
"Thank you," she muttered, barely audible.
"Hannah..." The girl started to flee, but Joseph's cruel smile stopped her. Without warning, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her roughly toward him. Ignoring her protests, he dropped her in front of Jin.
"When an older student speaks to you, show some respect and listen politely," he snapped.
Jin frowned deeply. He disliked Joseph's arrogant tone, especially directed at Hannah. No one had the right to treat her like that, and Jin vowed to confront Joseph—to make it clear she was untouchable.
He sensed Joseph was picking on her and intended to warn him to back off.
"Do you have something to tell me? I want to have breakfast already," Hannah said nervously, glancing around for an escape.
Jin noticed her restless energy, clearly caused by Joseph's looming presence. Leaning against the wall, she pretended to wait for someone.
"Why haven't you gone to the cafeteria yet? I'll join you soon," Jin said, turning to Joseph.
"I'm waiting for my kitten," Joseph replied, sneaking a glance at Hannah.
Down the stairs, Jimmy followed the boarding school attendant, adjusting the gold watch on his wrist.
"Oh, there's my kitten already," Joseph declared, slinging his arm around Jimmy as they headed to the cafeteria, laughing loudly and clearly mocking someone.
Hannah felt certain she was the target of their ridicule.
"Danielle?" Jin called again when she ignored him.
She didn't react at all. His first thought was a chilling one: could Hannah have lost her memory in the past three months?
Jin sensed something was wrong. Her behavior wasn't normal.
"Hannah?" Only when he said her name again did she finally look his way. "You know what, we should join the others. They'll grab the best seats."
He smiled faintly and nodded toward the corridor leading to the cafeteria.
"Before we go, can I ask you something?" Hannah said, eyes wide in surprise and hesitation. "Why did you act like that yesterday? Do you really know me?"
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to decide what to say. If Hannah didn't remember him—didn't know who he was—how could he possibly tell her the truth?
"My behavior was ridiculous, and I'm truly sorry," he said humbly. "I won't claim I mistook you for someone else—that would be absurd—but I hope one day you'll understand."
*
With a spoon poised at her lips, Hannah watched Jin eat his breakfast in silence. Joseph, Jimmy, and Tom, sitting close by, were deeply engrossed in conversation. Their loud laughter echoed through the cafeteria, drawing the attention of every student nearby.
Hannah lowered her gaze to her plate, nervously burying her spoon in the rice when she suddenly felt the piercing stare of the dark leader fixed on her. She glanced up just in time to catch Joseph watching Jin with an unreadable expression. His chin rested on his hand, his face stone-cold as he alternated his gaze between his friend and the new girl, silently questioning what connection they could possibly share.
He didn't like the idea of the sixteen-year-old trying to get close to Jin; he suspected she was only using the friendship to ease her own situation.
If she was playing games, why should he just stand by and watch?
A mocking smile twisted Joseph's lips before he angrily shoved a piece of meat into his mouth, his fork clinking sharply against his teeth.
Joseph despised when someone tried to take the easy way out — leaning on acquaintances rather than facing their problems head-on.
At that moment, Mariah appeared at the cafeteria entrance. Her eyes scanned the room until they settled on Jimmy. A fleeting shadow of sadness crossed her face, though she fiercely refused to admit she was hurting. Determined to maintain her dignity, she silently resolved to prove she was strong enough to survive the breakup.
She intended to sit next to the new student but was interrupted when a bold red-haired boy plopped down in the very seat she had chosen.
Mariah pressed her lips tightly together, saying nothing. Instead, she found another empty chair nearby, offering a subtle smile as she noticed the breakfast waiting for her. She leaned forward across the table and gave Nick a sly, "Thank you" smirk.
The boy responded by placing his fingers gently to his lips, as if accepting an invisible kiss.
Hannah blinked in surprise, recognizing the redhead as the boy she had met the evening before, right after leaving the bathroom.
"Have you been to see the director yet?" he asked.
When she shook her head, he propped his elbow on the countertop and scratched his forehead thoughtfully.
"Why haven't you done it yet?"
"Because I haven't," she admitted, her voice clouded with uncertainty. "I don't know if I should believe all that. Living alone is… quite nice."
"Moron," the eighteen-year-old muttered, then immediately bit back his tongue. Hannah furrowed her brows at the blunt insult, not liking the harsh tone but understanding the warning behind it.
"Sorry, I got worked up," he said quickly. "You should just listen to Mariah—she wants to help you."
"I'm grateful you're looking out for me," Hannah replied softly, "but as long as nothing happens, I'm not giving up this room. The thought of sharing with three other girls is overwhelming."
Nick raised his hands in surrender, clearly deciding not to push further.
"Your choice," he said quietly. "But don't come crying when it's too late."