"Will it really be alright?"
The Vice Principal's Office.
Jang Yeok, the Vice Principal of Nakseong High School, asked the transfer student sitting in front of her with a worried expression.
"Because a special order was suddenly issued saying not to provoke them anymore, the other transfer student who was flying in from abroad had to turn the plane around and leave while still in the air. Fortunately, in that case they were at least able to cancel the transfer, but what about you, Hyejin?"
The Vice Principal clasped her hands
together with a worried look.
"..The international highschool where Hyejin was studying is a specialized highschool, so now that the transfer procedures are complete, we can't withdraw it from our end. We've arranged for you not to be in the same
class for now, but you might run into
each other here and there, are you sure
that will be alright..."
Although Nakseong High School was
classified as an autonomous Private
high school, it was, in reality, a public
humanities high school.
And while there were cases of students transferring from specialized high schools to regular schools, there were almost no instances of students transferring from regular high schools to specialized high schools, unless it was a transfer admission.
Therefore, Vice Principal Jang Yeok expressed considerable concern toward Hyejin, Gyeongwon's first love, who had become stuck at Nakseong High School.
"It's okay."
The female student called Hyejin, sitting in front of her, simply answered with a fearless, gentle smile.
"I really will stay here."
***
[2019, June 7th | Friday, 07:30 AM]
[Lee Joon: Number of Attempts - 2]
[Ghost Story Points: 142]
[Causality Rate: 34%]
June had arrived.
The spring, filled with the excitement of the beginning of the semester, had fully passed, and before we knew it, summer vacation was waiting for us next month.
The students had now taken off their stuffy cardigans and were wearing comfortable short-sleeved summer uniforms, and seeing them, as if they were asserting through their
clothing that they had finally grown
accustomed to high school, made me laugh.
But before summer vacation in a month, we were gradually getting busier preparing for the final exams, which were suddenly just three weeks away.
'Nakseong High.. if you reverse it, it's
Nakseong is high.. that's not it...."
I arrived at school early for the first time in a while and was walking down the hallway when I suddenly noticed Hayoon standing in front of the restroom at the end of the hallway.
In Hayoon, from our club, wearing a blue summer uniform and showing off her pale white arms, was standing there calmly and motionless.
"What is she doing over there?"
I paused as I was entering the classroom and instead walked all the way down the hallway toward Hayoon.
Then, a male student who had been hidden by the corner came into view.
Hayoon was standing face-to-face with that male student.
"What's going on?"
Sensing an inexplicable unease, I quickened my pace.
However, as I got closer, I saw that they weren't actually facing each other.
It was as if that male student had unilaterally called Hayoon over and stopped her there.
The boy was stammering something,
his face flushed bright red, while Hayoon stood motionless with a blank expression, her eyebrows lowered.
'Isn't that the class president from another class?'
It was the second presentation team at the science competition.
He was the class president from the other class who had dragged along a bunch of dim-witted male students and given a low-level presentation.
Soon, the male class president finished what he had to say, pulled an envelope from his pocket, and handed it to Hayoon with his hands trembling violently.
Hayoon looked down at the envelope with a cold expression.
When Hayoon remained silent without
reacting, the boy panicked, forcibly wedged the envelope between her fingers, and hurriedly ran away.
"...?"
What was that?
I finally stopped peeking and walked closer.
Then Hayoon, who had been standing there with an expressionless face the whole time, noticed me and let out a small smile.
"Hi, Joon. You're early. How are you feeling today?"
"...Huh? How am I feeling? Ah, well..."
I scratched my head awkwardly.
Last week, after I exploded at a strange moment during the CA session and vented my emotions to the club members.
As if they had an epiphany, the members started to accommodate me as much as possible and take care of me in various ways.
Whenever I arrived at school and sat down, they would run Over to me one by one as they entered to greet me and say, "Let's do our best today."
If I was sleeping, unaware that it was lunchtime, they would sit next to me silently without waking me up and wait.
On my way home after safely finishing
the day, they would send me messages on KakaoTalk.
[Prez, good job today.]
[Joon, you worked hard today too.]
[Hey, go home and get some rest.]
These were the kinds of greetings that would fly back and forth.
"...It feels like I'm being coddled for nothing.
It wasn't that I got angry to be treated this way; it was just that something that had been building up exploded over a trivial incident.
Still, being looked after like this actually felt surprisingly good.
Having your emotions cared for by someone is certainly a way to let your heart loosen up.
"...Yeah. I feel fine. Today."
"That'sa relief."
Hayoon smiled again, her lips curving
upwards, and handed me the letter she had received from the boy.
"Do you want to read it?"
"...What is it?"
"A love letter."
"....."
I wasn't surprised.
It's not a love letter, it's a confession letter, In Hayoon.'
Because there was no way Hayoon would date a stupid guy like that.
I let out a sigh of disbelief and tore open the envelope for her.
-To my beloved girl, In Hayoon-
Hi. My name is Jeon Youngtak, and I'm the class president of Grade 1 Class 5.
We met at the school science competition last Monday, do you happen to remember?
I was the presenter for the second participating team. Your team was fifth, right?
When you first appeared there, I thought I stopped breathing.
I thought to myself my other half has truly appeared in this world- I wondered if someone this pretty could even exist.
In Hayoon, a girl who shines so brightly, so beautiful, elegant, and truly mysterious. I hope you will become my girlfriend. Let's start dating from today—
"Ugh, f***ing hell~!"
I stopped reading and crumpled up the annoying letter.
"What level of ghost story is this, you p*nk-!"
"Ahaha...."
Hayoon lowered her head as if finding
my reaction amusing.
I also chuckled seeing her like that and stuffed the trash into my pocket.
"Shall we go in? To the classroom?"
"Yeah, Joon. Let's go."
***
"Joon, fighting hard today."
"Club Prez, have a great day today."
"Hey, a strong and powerful morning."
"Oi, let's do our best today too."
The club members arriving for school
greeted me one by one as they passed by, and I kept my head down, my face burning.
Soon, the homeroom teacher also came into the classroom for the opening ceremony and chuckled hohoho as he smiled at me.
"Ah, Joony Boy~ Good morning again Let's do our best together today too, fighting-"
"Hehe..."
"Hahaha...."
My classmates laughed at me.
Chaerin and Yeseul also glanced my way, whispered to each other and giggled, and the Class President turned to look at me and grinned.
Over the past week, the club members'
excessive cheering for me had spread
almost like a meme.
The homeroom teacher chuckled hoho
again and opened the attendance book.
"The members of the Ghost Story Club
really get along well. I'm not joking, and I think this kind of good culture should spread quickly. The Ghost Story Club even won the gold prize at the science competition this time!"
"Ooh~"
The students responded with a playful
'Ooh'.
We had already received the actual
congratulations earlier in the week, and since then, the homeroom teacher had been constantly pushing this trend, introducing us as 'the Ghost Story Club that won the gold prize at the science competition!' so now the entire class was joining in on it.
"That's why they won the award, because they all get along so well with each other. Meanwhile, the rest of you are so full of envy, jealousy, and malice that all the fortune you were meant to have just goes out the hallway."
"Puhaha.."
"I'm telling you, it's not just any prize, it's the gold prize! Just think about it, the gold prize!"
"Ooooh"
The classmates giggled again, cheering Us on.
"I've never seen a club overflowing with love like this. Let's make the Ghost Story Club logo a heart from now on, a heart. Alright then, let's take the attendance, shall we?"
The homeroom teacher opened the attendance book, and just as the classroom atmosphere was starting to calm down.
Suddenly, the teacher lifted his head again and began shouting at the top of his lungs.
"They won the gold prize because they were overflowing with love, right~!!!!"
"Wahahahaha..."
"Puhahaha.....".
The students burst into laughter.
I bowed my head low.
'When will the opening ceremony end, damn it...'
**
"Still, I don't think it's bad, Club Prez. Up until now, we had this image of being a bit unappealing, always hanging out only among orselves. But thanks to the homeroom teacher constantly going overboard this week, our image has changed quite a bit for the better."
I already knew that without needing to
be told.
Even Vice Class President Chaerin and others, whenever they ran into me in the hallway, they'd suddenly giggle and say things like, Joon, fighting today!' or 'Wow, it's the Ghost Story Club that won the gold prize! That's awesome!"' and then step aside to let me pass.
It was mostly the girls who would tease me like that, the students I had never even exchanged a word with would giggle among themselves and find it amusing.
"It's a relief this ended only in our class.
I hoped this trend wouldn't spread to other classes.
I let out a sigh.
"It's because you guys are overdoing it. Why are you acting like this? It's embarrassing. I'm not angry anymore, so just act like you usually do."
"Why, don't like it?"
Jinhee giggled and suddenly started
massaging my shoulder.
Squeeze, squeeze-
"Ouch!"
At the forceful touch, I instantly felt the muscles trembling all the way down to my waist, and along witha tingling sensation, my eyes immediately went slack and I twisted my whole body.
"H-Hey, stop..."
"Why? Why? You asked me to take care of you, didn't you?"
Jinhee's strong hands kneaded and loosened the knotted muscles, pressing firmly.
Each time she pressed, the kneading touch shot a tingling sensation from the tip of my spine, making my whole body feel numb and weak.
I ended up letting out a groan, "Ugh,ngh,' and even drooled a little.
"Aah... ugh, ugh"
"Feels good? Good?"
Squeeze, squeeze-
"Ah... stop... ugh- ugh-"
"Here? When I press here, you can't even think straight, huh?"
Squeeeeze~!
"Uhyaaaaaaaaaaah~!"
In that moment, Jinhee's pressing fingers struck a secret weak point deep in my muscles that no one had ever touched before, and my mind completely gave way. I felt like I was clinging to her fingers, all strength draining from my body, as my eyes and mouth went slack into a blissful, happy smile.
Just as I was about to let out a blissful sound, feeling my consciousness and soul kneaded this way and that in Jinhee's hands like flour dough, completely toyed with her fingers.
Just then, Teacher Jang Hwaeun opened the clubroom door and came in. I was saved.
[Teacher Jang Hwaeun has been authorized.]
"Kids, turn off this door lock voice~ You just need to recognize and open the door, right? Why does it say this kind of line?"
I realized I was clinging to Jinhee almost like a baby, so I quickly straightened up and wiped the drool.
Sunah and Hayoon giggled as they watched me.
Sunah would have easily disliked it, but she seemed to find it amusing to see me being treated like this.
I pretended nothing was wrong and retorted to the teacher.
"....The door lock? Well, since we bought
an expensive one, I figure we gotta make the most of all the functions. We're gonna fully enjoy it for about a month, and after that, I'm planning to set it up more conveniently."
"Really? That voice gives me the Creeps every time I hear it. It must be especially scary if you come in alone."
At those words, Dukhun laughed heartily and chimed in.
"I guarantee, someday there's gonna be a ghost story linked to that thing."
"...That sounds horrible."
I wiped the drool away and stood up to
prepare for the CA session, but my legs gave out and trembled for a moment before I plopped back down onto Jinhee's lap.
"Aww. Did you lose all your strength from my massage? Huh?"
"H-haa, stop it..."
I shook off Jinhee's menacing grasp reaching out again, trembled for a moment, then stood up and approached the whiteboard.
Then, with shaking legs, I cleared my throat solemnly.
"...Well then, I will begin the CA session for the first week of June."
The club members giggled as they found their seats.
The Teacher also smiled gently, seeing us looking friendly again.
I cleared my throat once more and pulled a white envelope out of my pocket.
"This is what we will be doing this time."
"Huhu."
The club members looked at the white
envelope in my hand with intrigued
expressions.
With a solemn face, I took out the envelope and began reading its Contents.
"To my beloved girl, In Hayoon. Hi. My name is Jeon Youngtak, and I'm the class president of Grade 1 Class 5—"
Having read up to that point, I hastily stuffed it back in and pulled out another white envelope from the opposite pocket.
"Now, this is what we'll do in this session."
"...Prez. That's-"
"That's right."
I nodded.
"It's the ghost story mailbox right in front of our clubroom, created by the Ghost Story Acquisition Skill. It's the white envelope that was there."
We've been taking a break for the past week, just gathering information on the Void cult or Clover.
So, thinking it would be good to start taking care of even a small ghost story and build up some points, I chose this One..
"I'm tearing it open."
Without a word, I immediately tore open the envelope and took out the card.
Riiip-