The moment I step inside—
something feels wrong.
Not subtle wrong.
Not "bad mood" wrong.
Wrong like the house is… breathing differently.
I barely have time to take off my shoes before—
Ara grabs my arm.
Hard.
"Min-Jun—!"
I blink.
"…what—"
"Everyone is freaking out!" she rushes out, voice low but shaking. "I am freaking out—do you understand me right now?"
I stare at her.
"…you're always freaking out."
"Not like this!"
That—
that makes me pause.
Her grip tightens.
"The lights kept flickering," she says quickly. "Like—not normal flickering. And things—things moved."
I frown slightly.
"…moved how."
"Moved like no one touched them," she snaps. "A chair shifted. Just—slid. And Mrs. Hana—she tripped, Min-Jun, she fell—"
My chest tightens slightly.
"…is she okay?"
"She's fine," Ara says quickly. "She's resting. But that's not the point—"
"It is the point."
"—the point is something is wrong in this house!"
Silence.
I exhale slowly.
"…okay."
I try to keep my voice steady.
"Okay. Calm down. We'll figure it out—"
"Don't tell me to calm down!" she snaps. "You—of all people—you should know why I'm not calm!"
That lands.
I pause.
Her eyes flick slightly—
past me.
Not at me.
At—
him.
"I know he's with you," she says more quietly. "You're always together."
I don't respond.
I don't need to.
Because—
I already feel it.
I turn.
Niran is standing a few steps away.
Still.
Too still.
Eyes closed.
Like he's listening to something I can't hear.
"…Niran?" I say.
No response.
I step closer.
"…what is it?"
His eyes open slowly.
And something about the way he looks at me—
makes my stomach drop.
"…I don't think I did that," he says.
I blink.
"…what."
He glances around the room.
Sharp.
Focused.
"Everything she just said," he continues quietly. "The flickering. The movement."
A pause.
Then—
"If it wasn't me… then who was it?"
Silence.
I stare at him.
"…you're asking me?"
"I'm asking you," he replies.
I let out a short breath.
"…no. No, no—there's no one else. Nothing like that has ever happened here."
He watches me.
Not convinced.
"…think carefully," he says. "Has anyone in this house died… unfairly?"
I blink.
"What kind of question is that—"
"Min-Jun."
His tone sharpens slightly.
"Did anyone die wrong? Murdered. Angry. Unfinished business."
I shake my head.
"…no. Nothing like that. I would know."
"Really?"
"Yes."
A pause.
Then—
he exhales.
But it's not relief.
It's worse.
"…if there's another ghost here," he says slowly, "it won't be like me."
Something in my chest tightens.
"…what do you mean."
"It won't have a connection," he says. "No anchor. No reason to stay balanced."
His eyes flick to me.
And for the first time—
I see it.
Not annoyance.
Not sarcasm.
Not control.
Fear.
"…it'll use someone," he says.
My stomach drops.
"…use—"
"Possess."
The word lands heavy.
Cold.
I freeze.
He steps closer.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Min-Jun—"
His hands grab my shoulders.
Tight.
"—you're the easiest target."
I blink.
"…what."
"You're kind," he says sharply. "You're open. You don't shut things out—you let them in."
"That's not—"
"That's exactly it."
His grip tightens.
"That thing will choose you."
My breath catches slightly.
"…okay, can you not say it like that—"
"You need to get it out," he cuts in. "Now. Before it decides."
"Decides what?!"
"To take you."
Silence.
My heart is beating too fast now.
Too loud.
Then—
A scream.
Sharp.
Familiar.
We all freeze.
"—SUN-HEA?" Ara breathes.
Footsteps.
Fast.
Heavy.
Hyun-Woo appears in the hallway—
and I've never seen him like that.
Ever.
Not calm.
Not composed.
Scared.
Actually scared.
"Ara—Min-Jun—come now," he says quickly.
No hesitation.
He grabs Ara's wrist—
then mine—
pulling us along.
"Wait—what's happening?" I ask.
"My mother and father are inside with Ji-Ah," he says, voice tight. "Something's wrong with her."
My heart drops.
"…Ji-Ah?"
The lights flicker again.
Violently this time.
The hallway pulses in and out of brightness.
The air feels—
wrong.
Like pressure building.
The door behind us SLAMS shut.
Ara gasps.
Hyun-Woo tightens his grip.
"Don't stop walking."
I glance sideways.
Niran is already moving ahead.
Fast.
Focused.
Serious.
We reach the door.
Ji-Ah's room.
Hyun-Woo stops.
Just for a second.
Hand on the handle.
Everyone breathing too fast.
Too shallow.
I look at Niran.
He's staring at the door.
Eyes sharp.
Body tense.
"…she's in there," Hyun-Woo says.
No one moves.
Then—
he opens it.
And—
I freeze.
My eyes widen.
Everything inside me just—
stops.