Chapter 28: Echoes Behind the Curtain

As the sun dipped and the school quieted, we gathered in front of the auditorium as planned.

“Everyone gone home?” I asked.

“No, a few staff are still around,” Hwaseo replied.

We couldn’t wait for everyone to leave.

Hwaseo looked worried. “What if we get caught? Breaking school rules could get us in big trouble…”

As an exorcist, she joined club activities, but as a model student, she feared the consequences.

I wasn’t a delinquent, but those worries didn’t faze me.

“It’s fine. Who follows every rule?” I said.

“Haru…? You’re the vice-rep…” Hwaseo stammered.

“Right. And if we get caught, the class rep’s here to smooth things over.”

“Kishin…?” Hwaseo gasped.

With our emergency plan set, we cautiously opened the auditorium door.

Creak—

The grating sound echoed, so different from daytime.

The same noise felt eerie in the stillness.

It could’ve been creepy, but no one here was that timid.

“Chilly. No wonder ghosts like dark places,” Kishin said.

Even the most “normal” of us, Kishin, burned with curiosity, not fear.

“So, how do we investigate?” I asked.

Both girls’ eyes turned to the club president.

Kishin shrugged and opened his usual workbag.

“Nothing fancy. Thermometers for cold spots, EMF detectors…”

Hwaseo opened her mouth to comment but stopped, likely finding his methods inefficient for a real exorcist but unable to say so.

“We’ve got enough to share. The auditorium’s big, so split up but stay in sight,” Kishin said.

“Got it,” Hwaseo nodded.

Kishin, acting like a ghost hunter, gave serious instructions.

Despite Hwaseo’s presence, he lacked reasons to fully trust her.

His gaze fixed on me, thinking I was the most vulnerable.

‘Makes sense from his perspective.’

Not an exorcist or eccentric like him, just a “normal” person who gets caught up in incidents.

To ease his concern, I decided to follow his lead.

Holding a digital camera, I approached the window where I’d seen the figure earlier.

‘Feels like old times.’

I used to roam haunted spots with a camera—until the accident that made me a ghost.

The difference now? I wasn’t alone.

The darkened windows barely showed the courtyard beyond, pale and ghostly.

Fluttering curtains added a faint, eerie noise.

“Hm…”

Click, click—

I snapped photos, checking on the others.

Kishin climbed the stage with an EMF detector, Hwaseo held an infrared thermometer on the opposite side.

They were working hard.

Guess I should too.

But despite my focus, the black figure didn’t reappear.

Then I noticed all the windows were closed.

Flutter—flutter—

Why were the curtains moving?

Frowning, my eyes caught something in the unnatural darkness above.

A flickering mist—the black ghost’s eyes.

“Oh.”

Found it.

As I raised the camera, it darted away.

“What’s up?” Hwaseo asked.

“Saw something at the window.”

“Really? I don’t see anything,” Kishin said.

“It fled to the courtyard.”

They exchanged nods, and we moved to the courtyard.

At the auditorium’s exit, I spotted the floating black figure.

“There!” Kishin shouted, sprinting.

Hwaseo hurriedly followed, and I trailed, staying cautious.

Reaching the courtyard’s left edge, the figure vanished like a mirage.

It was the sandy rectangle, long unused for P.E.

As we looked around, a voice whispered in our ears.

– Danger…

We all flinched.

The sticky, dark voice made Hwaseo grimace.

“Did you hear that?” she asked.

“Said ‘danger,’ right?” I replied.

“Maybe just the wind…” Kishin suggested.

We debated, but the voice didn’t return.

“Nothing on the detectors. No more leads,” Kishin said.

Today’s investigation ended there.

Feeling uneasy, we headed to the school gate when a loud voice called out.

“What’re you guys doing there?”

Lee Gahee, on a bicycle, scanned us with narrowed eyes, then widened them.

“Oh, Lu-chan’s here too?”

“…Lu-chan?” Hwaseo echoed.

“Don’t ask,” I said, waving her off.

Hwaseo tilted her head; Gahee grinned mischievously.

“Real delinquents, huh? What’re you up to this late?”

“D-delinquents…!” Hwaseo sputtered.

“You’re out late too,” Kishin grumbled.

“Not playing—coming back from my part-time job,” Gahee said.

“Job?”

Her face looked worn, not like someone who’d been having fun.

“…What’re you staring at? Never seen a kid with a job?” she snapped.

“A student working this late?” Kishin asked.

“It happens,” she said, looking away, checking her watch, and pedaling off. “Mom’s waiting. Later, kids~”

Her small back carried a rare passion.

“…Is she really a delinquent?” Kishin muttered.

I agreed.

Next day, lunch break.

We gathered at yesterday’s spot.

Swish—swish—

No ghost or eerie voice appeared.

Kishin swept the sand, but it just trickled down, ordinary.

“Maybe we need to check at night,” he said.

“Could be…” Hwaseo agreed.

“Why don’t ghosts show up in the day?” Kishin mumbled.

I dodged his question, looking away.

The canteen was bustling, about to get busier.

Buying what we wanted, we split up.

“Oh.”

I forgot to return Kishin’s camera.

He was already gone.

“I’ll give it back later.”

A breeze brushed my blue hair, a pleasant human sensation.

Deciding to stroll the campus, I wandered leisurely.

Then, I saw something odd—or potentially odd.

“…”

“…”

Lee Gahee, flaunting her short skirt and blonde hair, was with Han Siha, the P.E. teacher.

‘A teacher and student alone?’

My corrupted brain briefly imagined something scandalous.

But the vibe wasn’t like that.

Still, Gahee’s unusually bright smile raised suspicions.

I couldn’t hear their conversation.

As I sharpened my hearing—

Click!

I accidentally pressed the shutter.

Hurrying away, I muttered, “…They didn’t hear, right?”

No one followed, so probably not.

I sighed in relief.

“Lu-chan, ever been in love?” Gahee asked, undeterred by my trials.

I stared blankly.

“…Out of nowhere?”

“Yeah. Bet you have, right?”

“Nope.”

“What?!”

She seemed genuinely shocked.

“Why?” I asked.

“Why what?”

“There’s gotta be a reason.”

“Just… never thought about it.”

In my past life, obviously not.

As Seol Haru, romance wasn’t on my radar.

I couldn’t date women, and men? No way.

‘Reminds me of middle school.’

A guy confessed to me once.

Back when I couldn’t fathom it, I brushed him off coldly.

Wait, I’m a ghost.

Forgot the biggest issue.

“Anyone you like?” Gahee pressed.

“Nope.”

“So you just study?”

I didn’t, but my grades made it hard to deny.

“Pretty much.”

“Lu-chan… you should enjoy your youth more.”

“…”

I wanted to.

But how, with my situation?

“What about you, Gahee—”

“Ugh, my full name? That stings~”

“…Gahee, then?”

“No relationships, but… maybe someone I’m curious about.”

“Curious about?”

That earlier scene flashed back.

‘No way.’

She paused, thinking, then grabbed my arm, pulling me to a secluded spot.

“It’s a secret.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t tell anyone. Got it?”

“…Yeah, I won’t.”

Why’s everyone spilling secrets to me lately?

Tense, Gahee took a rare deep breath and confessed.

“I think Mr. Han Siha likes me.”

My head rang.