Chapter 16: Alone Again, Huh?

“Haru, I had so much fun hanging out today.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Thanks for the turtle plushie! Let’s do this again~”

Choi Sua, clutching the turtle, waved with the other two girls as they walked off.

I waved back and started home.

‘First time hanging with girls…’

In my past life, I was mostly alone, occasionally with guys.

Time with girls felt… sweet, somehow.

Though, with my guy-like mindset, keeping up was tough.

Watching Sua disappear as I walked, phone in hand.

Must be her house that way.

The sun was setting.

Passing a quiet alley, I reached home as dusk settled.

Click—clack—

The door locked behind me.

The house was dark, empty.

Flipping on the light, the shadows retreated.

Before changing, I dealt with this.

Clickclickclickclickclick.

The clown doll, acting up in the claw machine.

No one else noticed it—definitely not of this world.

It was quiet on the way home but started making noises again when I took it out.

Its blank face now wore a creepy smile.

It reminded me of…

“Chucky.”

The infamous possessed doll.

If it was that dangerous, I’d burn it now.

I brought it home to prevent harm.

Staring at the sneering doll, I placed a hand on its head.

“Let’s see what you are.”

Nighttime.

Where was this?

As I tapped into its uncontrolled power, the scene shifted.

A classroom.

A girl in a skirt packed her notebook and textbook, standing.

She’d stayed for evening study, but the classroom was empty.

Scared, she hugged a doll tightly and hurried out.

Reaching the gate…

“Oh… it’s locked.”

Too late, it seemed.

This happened sometimes, so she headed to the back door.

It could be opened from inside, and the wall was low enough to climb.

She was especially tired today.

Then, she sensed something unusual.

Step, step.

No one ever came to this quiet, dark area.

Especially not this late.

Puzzled, she gasped when she saw who appeared.

“You…!”

“Hey.”

Bad memories flooded back, and she stepped back.

The man, grinning wickedly, held a gleaming knife, approaching slowly.

“Alone again, huh?”

He lunged with terrifying speed.

She couldn’t scream, her mouth covered, pinned beneath him.

“Mmph, mmph… someone…!”

“Relax. Stay quiet, and nothing happens. No one comes here anyway.”

He began unbuttoning her shirt.

Her struggles grew frantic with disgust.

He tried to restrain her, but she’d lost reason.

Tragedy struck.

Shunk—!

“Huh…?”

Something sharp pierced her chest, hot liquid flowing.

In her fading vision, the man cursed.

“Damn it, messed up. Guess I’ll just…”

Stab, stab!

With repeated stabs, she lost consciousness, her body dragged somewhere.

Her last sight was the clown doll on the floor.

“Her soul transferred to the doll?”

A logical conclusion.

Strong resentment bound her soul to an object tied to her memories.

Dolls, human-like, were perfect for possession.

The doll’s lips moved, staring at me.

– Alone again, huh?

It burst into mad laughter, writhing wildly.

The force in my hand was intense—terrifying for a normal person.

“Hmm…”

I just looked at it calmly.

Its laughter turned creaky, twisting harder.

The recoil was almost too much, even for me.

I could overpower it, but I decided to watch.

Scramble.

Freed, the doll darted off.

It rummaged through my room, then the living room, heading to the kitchen.

Grabbing a kitchen knife, it grinned grotesquely.

“Hmmm…”

It charged me.

The knife sliced, blood dripping from the cuts.

– Heeheeheehee!

Thrilled at its success, it laughed maniacally.

Noticing I didn’t scream despite the blood, it sensed something off.

– Heehee… hee…

Its laughter and attacks slowed.

I snapped my fingers.

Whoosh—

As if time rewound, the wounds vanished, my body restored.
Obviously.

“I’m not human.”

The doll froze, knife in hand.

Its smile faded to a blank stare, confused.

“Got the gist. I know what kind of ghost story this is.”

There’s a tale.

A mother and son visit a doll shop.

The son wants a clown doll, but the owner refuses to sell.

After a struggle, the owner relents with a warning:

– Never be alone with the clown doll.

Heeding it, they enjoy happy days.

Then, the father has a car accident.

The mother rushes to the hospital, he’s not critical.

Relieved, leaving the ER, she remembers.

Her son is home alone with the doll!

Rushing back, she opens the door and collapses.

The clown doll, mouth smeared with red blood, speaks:

– Alone again, huh?

The mother, alone with it, meets a tragic end.

This clown doll seems influenced by that tale.

“It flips when alone with someone.”

Common in the other side.

The claw machine’s busy, glass-encased environment kept it dormant.

Its strength was nearly impossible for a normal person to handle.

It couldn’t be let loose.

“Burning it would be easiest…”

– …!

“But I feel a bit bad.”

If it was a serial killer like Chucky, I’d destroy it without hesitation.

But psychometry showed she was a victim.

Still, leaving an evil spirit unchecked was risky.
So…

“I’ll keep you here for now.”

I grabbed the doll, took the knife, and brought it to my room.

Releasing my spiritual power…

Saaa—!

Free from human limits, the world shifted into a new perspective, power surging.

I set a barrier around the room.

A seal to trap “unsettling things.”

“Stay here for a bit.”

Ignoring its banging on the door, I changed and headed to the bathroom.

Showering away fatigue, I recalled the man from the doll’s memory.

“He was in a school uniform, but I couldn’t see clearly.”

Familiar somehow…

The next day.

Something touched my neck, waking me.

The doll was strangling me.

“…Hey.”

It flinched, scurrying under the bed.

Pointless.

“Dude.”

My hand couldn’t reach under, but this was my domain, beyond exorcists’ eyes.

Caught, the doll thrashed.

“Want a one-way ticket to the underworld?”

– Creakcreakcreak!

Tossing the creaking clown aside, I changed into my uniform.

It staggered up, eyes blinking, and charged again, but the door shut before it reached me.

– Haru.

“Hm?”

At school, a text from Hwaseo.

– Teacher wants a list of our class’s club sign-ups.

Class rep business.

– Got it.

Replying briefly, I entered the classroom to handle it.

Students, already buzzing about clubs, swarmed me.

“Haru, ever danced? We’re joining the dance club~”

“What about book club? Suits your vibe.”

“No, join our gaming club! We’ll call it ‘research’ and chill.”

Overwhelmed by offers, I started refusing when a boy adjusted his glasses and cut in.

“Stop it. Offering those clubs to Seol Haru? Have some sense.”

“What, An Woosung?”

“Dance? Games? For someone on par with the top freshman? She’s probably judging you internally.”

I wasn’t.

My cold face just hid my confusion.

As the mood chilled, An Woosung puffed his chest and said:

“Join our study club, Seol Haru. Elites stick together.”