Chapter 33: Alone Again

Gahee collapsed.

In the chaotic classroom, Yoo Kishin, who knew why, bit his nails.

‘It’s because of that photo.’

The black hand in Gahee’s picture had crept down, nearly swallowing her arm.

He’d searched for solutions but found none.

Despite years chasing ghosts, he’d only recently confirmed their existence.

He thought of Hwaseo, the new club member.

‘If this continues, Gahee’s in real danger. No choice.’

He didn’t want to rely on her extraordinary power, but it was better than Gahee getting hurt.

He felt responsible for her collapse.

Clenching his eyes shut, he texted Hwaseo.

Receiving the text, Hwaseo rushed to Paradise High.

Two shocks hit her at once, leaving her reeling.

‘Kishin knows about the other side. Did he not lose his memories? And a spirit possessing Gahee?’

Despite the confusion, she prioritized quickly.

Saving Gahee came first.

But an unexpected scene threw her into deeper turmoil.

Han Siha, the P.E. teacher, was chasing Haru and Gahee.

It didn’t look good—chillingly dangerous.

“Why now… I can’t just stand by,” Hwaseo muttered.

As she moved to stop the unmasked Siha, a red-haired boy blocked her.

“No,” Han Doryeong said.

“…Doryeong.”

“You haven’t forgotten the association’s rules, have you? We only deal with the other side, not human affairs.”

Even if it’s a heinous crime.

Hwaseo bit her lip.

“Haru and Gahee are in danger!”

“Rules can’t be broken.”

Doryeong was unyielding.

Gahee aside, he knew Haru somewhat, yet his expression stayed hard.

She understood.

Since that incident, he’d grown into a cold, strict psychic.

The rules were clear.

But—

“…I never wanted to be a psychic! I just wanted to make friends, live a normal life…”

That wish was half-abandoned long ago.

But standing by while friends were in danger was impossible.

Tears welling, Hwaseo drew her sacred tool.

“Pointless,” Doryeong said, arming himself.

If she resisted, he’d stop her by force.

A psychic’s fight defied normalcy, but Hwaseo was no match for him.

Knowing this, she stood her ground.

‘Why?’

Wasn’t a psychic’s purpose to manage the other side?

Protecting reality from it kept the city safe.

That should’ve been enough.

As they braced to clash, a tremor signaled an impure force.

“Doryeong!” Hwaseo shouted, turning.

He lowered his tool, and she bolted into the school.

Watching her, he muttered, “I didn’t want to live as a psychic either.”

Han Siha whipped himself to fight rising fear.

He’d known his values weren’t normal since childhood.

In ethics class, his teacher’s eyes shook at his answers.

– Siha, it’s okay. You’re young, you’ll learn. Study hard, and you’ll understand morality.

The kind teacher embraced him, guiding him.

She was thrilled when he aced ethics tests.

He was right—morality could be studied.

Siha learned to mimic the ideal human, earning favor.

But his true nature never changed.

The demon he’d suppressed emerged in high school.

He targeted a classmate who’d resisted him, striking at the perfect moment.

Her fierce fightback led to a fatal mistake—his first kill.

No guilt.

No fear of law or police.

He crafted a perfect crime to avoid hassle, but wouldn’t have minded getting caught.

Now, for the first time, he felt terror.

“A ghost… a ghost!” he screamed, flailing to ward it off.

The long-haired ghost attacked relentlessly, unfazed.

Icy cold froze his arm; wounds bled.

“Why! Why can’t I hit it!”

Clutching the NBS keyholder, he swung, dark energy surging.

He’d found it on a random site.

Though new, its unnatural power was clear.

He’d crushed annoyances with it.

It made him superhuman.

But it was useless against this ghost.

– You.

A cold voice made him choke.

– Where’d you get that cursed object?

What?

What’s she talking about?

Tap, tap, tap!

Footsteps echoed down the hall.

The ghost glanced over and vanished through the wall.

Siha met Hwaseo’s eyes as she approached.

Class 3’s rep, always exemplary.

He sneered.

The ghost was gone, replaced by a frail girl.

Heaven was on his side.

But as Hwaseo neared, he sensed something off.

“Get away!” she shouted.

“Argh!” he screamed.

Hidden, I watched Hwaseo and Siha’s fight.

Despite his dangerous cursed object, Siha was human.

Overwhelmed, he threw a blade at Gahee and fled the other way.

Hwaseo chose to protect Gahee over chasing him.

I glared at Siha’s retreating figure, then reverted to human form and approached.

“Gahee! You okay?”

A seamless join, I’d say.

Panting, Gahee looked touched, thinking I’d come to save her.

“Idiot… I told you to run…”

With two allies and Siha gone, she relaxed slightly, frowning at Hwaseo.

The bizarre events overwhelmed her.

Hwaseo, head bowed, fists clenched, was likely blaming herself.

As I approached to comfort her, she hugged me tightly.

“…!”

Her scent and soft touch dazed me as sobs escaped her.

“I’m sorry… for hiding things…”

I didn’t know a psychic’s life, despite my ghost-hunting experience.

But I knew she’d made a tough choice.

She wasn’t at fault.

I stroked her hair, hoping to convey that.

The plan failed.

A ghost was shocking enough, but Hwaseo having such power?

His teaching career was over.

He had to flee before the police moved.

His knowledge of the school’s layout let him escape to the courtyard via the best route.

“Need more power,” he muttered, gripping the NBS keyholder.

To keep playing his game and take revenge, he needed strength.

NBS…

Muttering the word, he saw a long-haired schoolgirl ahead.

On the only path he had to take.

Her uniform was off, but he put on his mask and spoke.

“What’re you doing here?”

No answer.

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

Her head turned with a creak, revealing a grotesque smile.

His eyes widened.

It was her—the girl he’d killed years ago.

Blood poured from her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, her horrific laugh echoing.

As he stumbled back, a rustling approached.

– Alone again?

The clown doll, knife in hand.

It repeated in a gleeful, eerie tone:

– Alone again? Alone again? Alone again? Alone again? Alone again? Alone again?

Siha turned to run.

The keyholder’s power might’ve saved him.

But a black figure blocked his vision, throwing him off balance.

Shunk—!

The knife plunged in.

“Argh!”

His screams didn’t last.

Relentless stabs left him gasping faintly.

The doll didn’t kill quickly.

It savored revenge, maximizing pain.

“Gah! Argh! Aaaah!!!”

The lifeless body, like a dead frog, was dragged away.