Chapter 4: Where Shadows Whisper Back
A boy with messy hair and average height.
It was Yoo Kishin.
Shoved to the floor, he faced a fuming guy.
“All this ghost and monster talk is just for fun, and you’re seriously trying to hunt them? Don’t you know when to shut up?”
“Ugh…”
“He’s ruining the vibe and doesn’t even realize it. Ugh, say one more dumb thing, and you’re done. Ghost hunting? Do it alone.”
The class went quiet.
Kids looked on, startled or curious.
“Who’s that?”
Kim Dodam answered my question.
“Pyo Jiseok. Rumor has it he’s a troublemaker. Was a delinquent in middle school.”
“Hmm. Is he tough?”
“Probably? He’s tall and built.”
“Tougher than you?”
“…Dunno. Never fought him. But that guy’s in trouble. Getting on a delinquent’s bad side.”
As he said, Yoo Kishin’s face was pale.
No one helped him up, and he staggered back to his seat.
The students whispered.
“What happened?”
“You know the ghost story going around? He suggested they go look for the ghost.”
“Oh, that? He mentioned it to me too. I said no, obviously. He’s really into that stuff.”
“No way ghosts are real. He probably just wanted someone to hang with, but bad luck running into Pyo Jiseok.”
The excitable kids laughed and chatted about the incident for a while.
By the last period, it had died down.
“Kids who believe in ghosts seem kinda dumb, don’t they?”
“Pfft, yeah. It’s all made up.”
Despite it being class time, Pyo Jiseok and his crew were loud.
I glanced at Yoo Kishin’s back, silent since the fall.
He looked dejected.
Anyone would be after that.
‘But that’s not like him.’
I alone knew it wasn’t true.
Like me in my past life, Yoo Kishin didn’t care about others’ opinions.
His focus was ghost stories and spirits, specifically seeing them for real.
Most would be scared, but he dove in headfirst.
So…
‘He’ll probably investigate alone.’
Ghost hunters work in teams.
Yoo Kishin, with that dream, knew the value of allies.
He must’ve asked around, but after being rejected, he had one choice.
He’ll come back after school.
Or maybe stay behind.
‘Reminds me of old times.’
I’d investigated ghost stories like that too.
Schools have plenty, like the seven mysteries.
I never saw anything real, though.
Knowing Yoo Kishin’s intent, what should I do?
‘Hm?’
I caught Lee Hwaseo glancing at him.
For different reasons, she seemed curious about him too.
‘For her, someone like Pyo Jiseok might be easier.’
He doesn’t poke into ghost stories.
She wouldn’t stay idle either.
Soon, it was time to leave.
“So what was that ghost story about?”
“Maybe ask the janitor when he’s back.”
“Kinda cool, though. A headless ghost? Like a movie.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you saw it~”
Hearing the kids’ chatter, I walked home with Kim Dodam.
“It’s been a bit since we started. How’s it going?”
As childhood friends with houses nearby, we often left together.
I shrugged at his question.
“Totally adjusted.”
“Yeah, seems like it. Solving problems like a pro.”
“…That’s your fault! I hate presenting. If I wasn’t vice president…”
“Hey, why blame me? Everyone voted for you.”
He dodged with a sly tone.
In that situation, anyone would’ve raised their hand.
I would’ve too, if I wasn’t the target.
“Ugh. I wish I could adjust perfectly like someone, but I’m not there yet.”
“Are you even listening?”
“With all this ghost story drama, delinquents, and that weird ghost-obsessed kid in our class.”
“Yoo Kishin?”
“Yeah. His rep’s not great. Today was rough for him… but don’t hang with him. Those types are trouble.”
It wasn’t that Kim Dodam was mean, it was a normal student reaction.
Without knowing the hidden world, it’s easy to judge.
“Sure, I’ll handle it~”
“You’ll probably do fine anyway.”
He gave a wry smile, then his face hardened.
“But seriously, stay away from Pyo Jiseok. You don’t know what he might do.”
“High schoolers are all the same.”
“You don’t get it. Some kids are wild these days. Like—”
“Enough. What, you my dad now?”
“…Just saying. Be careful. And, uh, if he messes with you, tell me.”
“Whoa~ Protecting me?”
“What? No! I just don’t want my friend getting hurt.”
His neck flushed slightly.
Why say embarrassing stuff if he’s bad at it?
We bickered a lot, but he was a good guy.
I rolled up my sleeve, flexing my arm like I was showing muscle.
“Don’t worry. I can fight.”
A pale, thin arm.
No muscle, just soft skin. Kim Dodam laughed, finding it cute.
“Yeah, sure you can.”
‘It’s true.’
Does he know this frail arm could smash a stone wall?
Rain fell unexpectedly.
I reached the darkened school and folded my umbrella.
“Been a while since I felt this vibe.”
Day and night feel different, even in the same place.
In a big, crowded place like a school, negative energy often lingered.
As a ghost, I felt it vividly on my skin.
In my past life, I’d felt eerie at school at night but couldn’t name it.
Now I knew it was spiritual or negative energy.
Schools are like hubs for it, and Paradise High’s was especially thick.
“Like the headquarters of all things impure.”
Recalling Spirit Exorcism’s events, that wasn’t far off.
A place humans should fear, yet I strode in boldly.
Step, step—
The rain stopped, and only my footsteps echoed in the dark.
Whether ghosts made sounds varied.
Contrary to common belief, many did.
I could choose either way.
“No need to hide it.”
I was living as a human, after all.
The interior was dark, but I didn’t need a flashlight.
My eyes pierced the darkness just fine.
I checked from the first to the fourth floor, but no Yoo Kishin.
“Did he not come?”
Maybe he planned to come tomorrow.
Or his passion wasn’t as strong as in the game.
Thinking it was a wasted trip, I headed down when I heard footsteps coming up.
“…Yoo Kishin?”
The boy looking around was definitely him.
He did come—I was just early.
He moved suspiciously, exploring the school, and I followed quietly.
Raindrops tapped the windows.
He flinched at every gust of wind, but not from fear.
He was checking if it was a ghost’s sound.
As he reached the end of a hallway, a flashlight flickered ahead.
“Thought I heard something…”
A janitor on patrol.
Not the one out sick, but a younger man filling in.
“…”
The janitor was coming this way.
But this was a dead end.
No escape, and getting caught could mean big trouble.
Especially if they heard why he was here at night.
Already seen as a weirdo, this wouldn’t help.
As he panicked, a pale hand grabbed him.
“Gh-ghost?!”
“Shh. It’s me.”
I pulled Yoo Kishin into a nearby classroom and shut the door.
Right after we ducked, the janitor’s voice came close.
“My imagination?”
His footsteps faded.
Yoo Kishin sighed in relief.
“Th-thanks. Uh… Seol Haru, right?”
“Yup. Good memory. You’re so quiet, I thought you wouldn’t know.”
“I don’t know most kids’ names, but you stuck out…”
“Really? Why?”
“Well…”
He stared at my face, then shook his head.
“That’s my line.”
“Oh, I’m here to hunt ghosts! You heard the rumor, right?”
His eyes lit up at the mention of ghosts.
His voice pitched higher.
“My ghost hunter instincts tell me Paradise High’s got a creepy vibe. That story’s likely true.”
“So you’re here to check if it’s real?”
“More like I want to see a real ghost with my own eyes… Why’re you here, Seol Haru?”
“Me? Uh…”
I hadn’t thought of an excuse.
In times like this, blending in was best.
“Same reason. To see if the ghost story’s true.”
The school’s abuzz with rumors.
As vice president, I’m checking to ease the students’ fears.
A stretch, but a normal person might question it.
“Got it. That’s cool!”
Yoo Kishin nodded, totally on board.