GSC: Chapter 158-Seventeenth Ghost Story – The Apocalypse (1)

[2019, May 13th | Monday, 07:20 AM]

[Lee Joon: Number of Attempts – 2]

[Ghost Story Points: 284]

[Causality Rate: 31%]

After Gyeongwon and Hayoon safely returned the human anatomy model to the Science Lab, we stayed in the clubroom a bit longer instead of going straight back to the classroom.

“Did anyone skip breakfast for coming to school early? I’ll buy you something.”

“Me.”

“Me too……”

I thought for a moment and opened the Store window.

If Dukhun had been here, I would’ve asked Jinhee to buy something through him, but he couldn’t wake up this morning because he went back to sleep.

Above all, since it was still early, the school store hadn’t opened yet, and the timing was a bit off to go out to a convenience store and come back.

I had been trying to save my points when it came to buying physical items, but in a situation like this, it might be best to just take care of it directly through the Store.

‘It’s not like it costs many points anyway.’

Being able to instantly summon the item you want in urgent situations like this is definitely one of the Store’s advantages.

I searched the Store for fresh food that could serve as a quick breakfast, and as I scrolled through the list, I found a product with cut fruit neatly packed in a cup, ready to eat.

“This looks good.”

[Ready-to-eat Fruit Cuts (Apple, Pineapple) x 5 cups – 1 point]

[Would you like to purchase it?]

Click.

[Purchase is completed.]

[Current Ghost Story Points: 284 – 1 = 283]

Then I went on to use another point each to buy various snacks like bread and milk.

[Unsweetened Korean Wheat Roll Cake 1+1 Fresh Cream Chocolate Roll Cake – 1 point]

[Package Goat Milk 200mL x 5 packs – 1 point]

Click.

[Purchase is completed.]

[Purchase is completed.]

[Current Ghost Story Points: 283 – 2 = 281]

Soon, Jinhee and Gyeongwon quickly went out into the hallway, brought the items, and placed them on the desk.

“This should be enough for breakfast, right?”

Even though it was just 1 point each, with each point being worth 10,000 won, I had effectively ordered about 30,000 won worth of snacks.

It was more than enough for the five of us to have a quick breakfast.

“Thank you for the meal…”

“Thank you~”

“I’ll eat well, President.”

If Dukhun and the Teacher Jang Hwaeun had been here, I probably would have spent a bit more points.

Jinhee, the most sister-like among us, divided the fruit cups and milk by quantity and cut the roll cakes with a plastic knife.

I also opened a pack of milk, inserted a straw, and said to them.

“No problem. I should be the one thanking you. You all volunteered to come to school this early.”

“Hehe… It feels weird, President.”

Gyeongwon smiled while taking a bite of the roll cake.

“I’ve experienced time looping before, in the Dreams Within Dreams ghost story, but in the end, it was all just a dream.”

“Right.”

“Coming back to a real day like this… it’s really my first time, so it’s pretty fascinating.”

“Right, right……”

Sunah nodded in agreement, mumbling through while chewing on the cake.

Soon, Gyeongwon took a sip of his milk and asked again.

“Does that mean today is just going to unfold the same way?”

“Probably. Unless something unusual happens, everything down to the smallest details.”

I also nodded while sipping my milk.

“How exactly the same?”

“Hmm.”

How exactly…

“From what I remember, even the small jokes people make, their habits, and the way they speak, all seemed to flow pretty much the same. It’s almost to the point that people seem like NPCs.”

“This is really amazing.”

Gyeongwon raised the corners of his mouth as if he was excited.

For someone with a strong sense of curiosity like him, watching how today would unfold again seemed like an incredibly interesting thing to observe.

After taking a break in the clubroom, we slowly made our way down to the first floor to begin our morning.

As we descended the stairs and arrived at the central entrance, we noticed a group of students gathered around the notice board next to the first-floor teachers’ office.

“Wow, this is amazing……”

“Take a picture, a picture.”

An official notice titled [Beware of Outsiders] due to the intrusion of an unknown person that occurred on Friday.

In front of it, students were crowding around like last time, admiring Teacher Jang Hwaeun’s sensual latex cosplay.

Even the female students were giggling and poking each other, probably because it was a highly stimulating sight for students in their teenage years.

But we rushed into the classroom, took our seats, and just then, Dukhun entered through the front door, carrying his bag.

“Konnichiwa~”

“Hello, Dukhun.”

He sat down with a nonchalant expression, his belly sticking out.

“Did you have a good weekend?”

“Ah, yes. Thanks to the PS that the President bought me.”

“That Persona or something?”

“Yeah……”

As he spoke while sitting down, Dukhun suddenly made a blank expression.

A moment later, he tilted his chin and let out a hmm sound.

“Huh. I feel like we’ve had this conversation before.”

“Must be your imagination.”

“Sodesune……”

Dukhun scratched his head, then pulled out his phone and started playing a mobile game featuring cute girls.

[Sojozensen!!]

Unlike the members whose memories were vivid as soon as they woke up and rushed to school, Dukhun seemed to have a blurry recollection, probably because he went back to sleep again.

“Good morning~ Hohoho……”

Soon, the homeroom teacher entered the classroom to start the morning assembly.

Standing at the podium, he glanced around at the students and then turned his gaze toward us with a kind expression.

“Although this teacher has surpassed the age of forty, there is still one small wish I want to fulfill in the remaining years of my life: for Dukhun and Joon to please stop using their phones. Your teacher is standing in front of you.”

“Oops…”

Dukhun quickly put his phone away.

I stayed silent, but felt wronged.

“It’s May, the Month of Family Celebration. We’ve been receiving all kinds of official notices, from campaigns on greeting people properly to movements about not using bad language.”

The homeroom teacher tapped the attendance book on the podium, as he started the morning assembly.

Gyeongwon, who was sitting right in front of the podium, looked up at the homeroom teacher as if he found it fascinating.

“We’re planning a few events, including a traveling concert that we’re going to hold at school, but today is the day students have a consultation session with their homeroom teacher. It’s up to each class to arrange the session, but…..”

It is truly astonishing how each day flows by exactly the same, without a single word out of place.

“….You’ll take turns meeting with me throughout today, in order of attendance numbers.”

The teacher repeated the same explanation again, his belly sticking out.

Sunah watched with her mouth agape, and Jinhee silently mouthed a ‘Wow’.

Even Hayoon, who’s usually reserved, seemed to be enjoying it with a slight smile on her face.

“…And that’s it. Now, attendance number 1 and 2, come with me.”

As the homeroom teacher finished the assembly, the two students stood up from their seats and followed him.

Today would continue like this, with students coming and going throughout the lessons.

* * *

“So today is my last class with you. It’s really a shame… The new teacher is young and pretty, so I hope you’ll all follow her well. Alright?”

“Yes……”

Second period music class.

The students raised their voices in regret at the announcement that our middle-aged music teacher, who had been in charge of the class until now, would be retiring due to health issues.

Feeling a bit anxious, I took out my phone to check for messages, but there was still no word from the Detective.

‘…I wonder if things are going well on his end.’

We had done our part in resolving the incident within the school.

Now, all that’s left is for the Detective to successfully prevent the bombing outside.

‘… Huu. Let’s not be too anxious.’

Anyway, the bombing on the road is supposed to happen around the middle of fourth period.

There’s still more than two hours left until then.

If the bomb had already been planted, the location was certain, so he would’ve found and defused it by now and contacted me, but the fact that there’s still no word means.

‘…The bomb hasn’t been planted yet.’

Most likely, the terrorist planned to set it up right before carrying out the attack.

If that’s the case, there’s nothing to do but wait until the fourth period.

‘Anyway, there’s nothing more I can do here.’

I could only trust the Detective and the police and wait.

“Attendance number 7, Park Hyoseung. Number 8, Ban Janghoon, you’re up.”

“Got it.”

Soon, the Class President stood up and left the music room, while I tried to calm my anxious mind, tapping my foot.

* * *

“Psychology, you say? It might be better to keep psychology as a hobby unless you truly enjoy studying it and are passionate about it….”

Third period, a meeting with the homeroom teacher.

I carefully observed him and watched for any reactions, but once again, his behavior was exactly the same as during the previous time.

“It’s usually expected that someone in psychology will continue on to graduate school. If you look here…..”

‘This person didn’t return.’

I couldn’t help but wonder if our club members were the only ones who came back after reality was replaced by a dream.

The consultation session with the homeroom teacher went on with the same exact routine.

After leaving the teachers’ office and changing into my gym clothes, there was still no contact from the Detective as I headed to the auditorium to prepare for the fourth-period P. E. class.

“President, still no word?”

“Yeah. Hoo, really…”

I let out a deep breath, gripping my phone tightly.

Beside me, Sunah muttered with a worried expression.

“Why is it taking so long…?”

“It’s possible the bomb wasn’t planted in advance, and the culprit is planning to bring it with himself at the right time.”

“I see……”

My heart was burning inside, but truly, there was nothing to do but wait.

The long-awaited 4th period, P. E. class.

While the rest of the class was busy practicing basketball dribbling for their performance assessment, we just sat on the sponge mats by the auditorium windows, waiting anxiously for any word from the Detective.

After a while, Jinhee, having finished her session, walked into the auditorium with the Vice Class President and called out loudly.

“Hey~ Number 17 In Hayoon, number 18 Joo Yeseul, it’s your turn.”

Hayoon and Yeseul put their balls down and walked away lightly.

At the same time, Dukhun lunged to grab the basketball Hayoon had just set down.

“Wheeze, wheeze, it’s mine……”

Since there weren’t enough basketballs for all 30 students in the class, Dukhun had been lurking around awkwardly, just waiting for a chance.

Soon, he waddled off, happily bouncing the ball around the auditorium.

“I called dibs on this before I was even born…”

Suddenly, I glanced at the entrance and saw Hayoon walking out. She was also looking back at me as she walked.

As soon as our eyes met, Hayoon gave a slight smile before turning her head.

Was that a smile telling me not to eavesdrop this time?

It was a relief that Gyeongwon and Sunah next to me didn’t know about it.

‘They came to the broadcasting room much later, after all.’

In the previous time period, when we were solving the mystery, the fact that I had been behind the store when the murder occurred came out of the blue. Thankfully, I didn’t have to explain the part about secretly spying on Hayoon in detail and it was smoothly glossed over.

Although Jinhee knows, I don’t think she’s the type to casually reveal something like that.

… Wait a minute.

‘In the previous time period… the people who were with me in the broadcasting room…’

I slowly lifted my head and watched the Vice Class President as she joined the group of female students.

‘… Lee Chaerin. Joo Yeseul.’

And Teacher Han Ari as well.

Up until now, there was no contact with those three in our movement, so I never observed them closely, but when I turned everything into a dream and went back, these three people were definitely in the clubroom with me.

‘… I should observe them more.’

I stared intently, like a hawk, watching Vice President Chaerin as she mingled with her friends.

When a friend playfully handed her a basketball, she lifted her cat-like eyes and laughed.

‘… She’s kinda pretty.’

Just as I thought that, secretly watching the Vice Class President, suddenly, a message popped up before my eyes.

Pop–

[You have come across and survived an S-rank ghost story – The Apocalypse]

[You have survived by preventing the signs of destruction of the world.]

[You have earned 500 Ghost Story Points.]

“……!!”

500 Ghost Story Points.

It was an enormous amount of points, considering I hadn’t even defeated it and just survived.

‘…If just surviving earned me this much, then actually facing and defeating something like that might’ve rewarded me with thousands of points.’

Just as I was thinking this, my phone vibrated.

Riiing-

☎︎ Detective Park Gangwoon

“It’s the Detective!”

“F, finally……!!”

I carefully moved toward the storage area in the corner, making sure the teacher didn’t see, and answered the call.

Gyeongwon and Sunah followed me, their faces tense with concern.

Dud–

“… Hello?”

[Joon, we caught the culprit.]