Ghost Story Club

 

“Hello, ma’am. Do you have any empty snack boxes?”

 

5th period, during CA (Club Activity) time.

 

Gyeongwon and I went to the cafeteria to get some paper boxes. To play the corner game, we had to make sure that the clubroom was completely enshrouded in darkness with zero light leaking in. Therefore, we thought of using the boxes to put on the window to block the light from leaking in.

 

Fortunately, the lady on the counter generously lended us some.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Let’s see… five of them should be enough, right, Prez?”

 

“We have to make sure no light is leaking in and block the part from where it could leak completely, so let’s take some more.”

 

* * *

 

Slid-

 

“Good job!”

 

As soon as we entered, Teacher Hwaeun greeted us with her usual hyperactive energy. I and Gyeongwon wiped our sweat after putting down the paper boxes we had brought with us into the clubroom.

 

After that, the girl members of the club immediately began to cut the boxes with a boxcutter and attached them to the window.

 

“More tape please, it’s becoming loose here.”

 

Screeech, snip.

 

“All done, huuu. After all the work, I believe no light will leak in. Turn off the light.”

 

Click.

 

“I think it worked.”

 

Except for the light coming from the corridor outside through the glass window on the clubroom door, the room was completely dark.

 

“Sunah, can you block the window on the door? We have to test if it works or not.”

 

“Okay.”

 

At my request, Sunah lifted the cushion on the sofa and attached it to the window, trying to cover it properly.

 

Finally, the clubroom became completely dark.

 

“How is it? Can anyone see anything?”

 

“No. I can’t see anything.”

 

“Good. Let’s stay in the dark like this for a while. Once we get used to the dark, we should be partially able to see things. But if we can’t see anything even after our eyes have adjusted to the dark, we can call it a success.”

 

Needless to say, our goal was to create an atmosphere devoid of any light. To play the corner game, we had to make sure the surrounding was enshrouded in complete darkness.

 

If we could see things after our eyes had adjusted to the dark, we would definitely notice If something did go wrong. Therefore, it was necessary to create an environment of complete darkness where we couldn’t see anything.

 

The condition of this ghost story was that we must create the illusion of ‘playing the game’.

 

‘… Although that is a huge leap of logic based on the ghost stories that are floating around.’

 

Everyone held their breath in anticipation as they waited for their eyes to adjust in the darkness.

 

About a minute later.

 

I suddenly felt someone start groping my body.

 

Pat, pat.

 

“Ahh! Who the hell!”

 

In panic, my fist reflexively thrusted forward and hit someone. A second later my fist hit the person, he screamed and I realized who it was.

 

“Keuuk!”

 

“….Dukhun?”

 

“I-I’m sorry… I was trying to move to the wall.”

 

“No, I’m more sorry for hitting you.”

 

After the brief commotion, a few minutes passed in silence again.

 

“So what now? Can anyone tell who is who?”

 

As I threw the question in the dark, members around answered in murmurs.

 

“No. I can’t see anything.”

 

“I can’t either.”

 

“Me too…”

 

“Perfect. Sunah, go turn on the light!”

 

Click.

 

“Uuuggghhh.”

 

“Too bright.”

 

Everyone closed their eyes at the sudden brightness and frowned in displeasure.

 

“We have finally succeeded in creating a perfect dark environment for the game. Let’s play the game right away!”

 

* * *

 

After a brief break, 6th period began.

 

Since the corner game was related to the corners of a room, we had to move the desk, sofa, and whiteboard to the center of the clubroom. We would have to walk along the wall to the corners so we had to make sure that nothing would get in the way.

 

“Huu, setup is complete!”

 

“Okay, everyone gather around.”

 

At my call, seven people gathered near the entrance to the clubroom.

 

“Only four people can play this game, however, there are seven of us in total. I’m sorry but about the three of us, except me, will have to go outside and wait until the game is over.”

 

“Let’s decide with Dedenchi.”

 

The game Dedenchi is a children’s game for splitting sides. Depending on which region’s children are playing, the game named ‘Dedenchi’ could also be called ‘Turn over, turn over’.

 

[T/N: “Dedenchi” is a children’s game played widely in many parts of Asia, mostly in Southern and Eastern parts. The term is most likely derived from the Japanese word 手天地 (tetenchi, ててんち), where te (手) means hand in Japanese, and tenchi (天地) literally means “heaven and earth”. It could also often be used to mean “to turn over”. For more information, click here: https://namu.wiki/w/%ED%8E%B8%EA%B0%80%EB%A5%B4%EA%B8%B0]

 

According to the game’s rules, the members all diligently turned their palms over and over until the ratio of the people participating in the game became ‘4:3’.

 

“Dedenchi. Dedenchi.”

 

“Ah, I lost.”

 

“So it’s decided. Me, Gyeongwon, In Hayoon, and Lee Jinhee would stay and play the game. Sunah, Dukhun and Teacher Hwaeun must leave the clubroom.”

 

“Huuu.”

 

“Take our cell phones, MP3 players, PMPs, and any other things that could disrupt psychic phenomena with you outside. We should take off our shoes too. It may make noise when we walk, so let’s take them off.”

 

“Even our shoes…”

 

“We have to make sure everything is perfect.”

 

I wasn’t as bothered as other members since I knew the members waiting outside would protect our things anyway.

 

The four of us, who would be staying inside and playing the game, handed our phones and whatever devices we had to Sunah and others, who would be waiting outside. I could hear someone grumbling, seemingly dissatisfied with the decision.

 

As Sunah, Dukhun and Teacher Hwaeun left, only the four of us remained in the clubroom.

 

We took our position in the corners.

 

“Who will switch off the light?”

 

“I’m close so I can do it.”

 

When Gyeongwon asked, Hayoon, who was sitting in the corner that was closer to the door, answered as she got up and approached the switch. Just as she touched the switch of the light, I opened my mouth.

 

“Okay. You all know the rules of the game, right?”

 

Before starting the game, I explained what we were about to do once again to the three of them.

 

“The first and most necessary condition for this ghost story is that we must be under the illusion that the game has no problem playing with only four people. However, since we all know the story already, if something paranormal were to happen, we would notice it immediately. So, to stop us from panicking and to create the appropriate illusion properly, we will first change our position a few times after turning the light off.”

 

Knowing the rules and outcome of the game would do us no good as long as we knew what was going to happen and how it was going to end.

 

Therefore, before starting the game, we planned to circle around the room about 10 times and change our position after turning the lights off.

 

After that, we would be moving from one corner onto the next.

 

Then, after circling about 10 times, when our position would be changed, we would finally start the game.

 

One person then would randomly start the game at my signal.

 

“After turning the light off, keep moving along the corner. Until you are confused where you are in the dark.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“We would start the game after circling around a few times. One person among us would move to the next corner, and touch the person there.”

 

Jinhee, Hayoon, and Gyeongwon, who were standing in their corners, nodded.

 

“Okay, let’s get started. Turn off the light.”

 

Click.

 

As soon as Hayoon turned the light off, the inside of the clubroom became completely dark. As if a black curtain was thrown over our heads, even an inch in front of me could not be seen or distinguished.

 

The extreme darkness was evidence that the hard work we put to stop any light from leaking in with the help of paper boxes was successful.

 

Tick, tick.

 

As everything was enveloped in darkness inside the clubroom, only silence was heard.

 

Amidst the deathly silence, we started walking slowly around the corner.

 

Step, steps.

 

‘It became wider than I thought.’

 

Perhaps it was because my senses became more sensitive because of the dark?

 

Or was it because the clubroom has been upgraded twice?

 

Whichever was the reason, I couldn’t help but feel as if it was taking longer than usual to reach the next corner.

 

In the pin drop silence, only the sound of socks rubbing against the floor could be heard.

 

After circling around a few times, I was unable to tell which corner I was standing.

 

‘Perfect. At this rate, we all must have been confused for circling around like this.’

 

As a signal to start the game, I knocked on the wall.

 

Knock. Knock.

 

Footsteps of others suddenly came to a halt.

 

The game has finally begun.

 

‘Who is moving?’

 

The dark room was only filled with quiet silence.

 

The first person was walking very carefully, almost making no sound.

 

Rustling.

 

The movement halted, and then the sound of clothes rustling, as if someone was getting up was heard.

 

‘…Must be the second runner.’

 

Although we were all wearing socks, I could still hear the sound of the footsteps of the second person quite audibly.

 

‘Seeing how this person is making noises carelessly, this must be Jinhee.’

 

If that was the case, then the first runner, who moved carefully barely making a sound was more likely to be Hayoon.

 

Although the sound of sock scratching on the floor wasn’t that loud, the careless movement indicated it was probably Jinhee.

 

After moving for a while, she reached the next corner and touched the person there. As soon as she stopped moving, the third runner got up with a rustling sound and started moving.

 

‘This must be Gyeongwon.’

 

The steps that I thought were Gyeongwon moving seemed to be walking for a long time again.

 

Perhaps because all the lights were turned off, it was taking them time moving along the wall. Not to mention, the clubroom had been expanded twice already, so the space has become slightly larger. Probably this was the reason why it took them time to reach every corner.

 

Even so, it was taking longer to move from one corner to the next than I thought.

 

Soon, I heard rustling sound in the darkness in front of me. As my thoughts scattered, someone in the dark tapped my shoulder.

 

Tap.

 

‘It’s finally my turn.’

 

Although I knew none of us could see it, I nodded and started moving to the next corner.

 

‘I think it was originally the corner where Hayoon stayed.’

 

So the person who started to move first was Hayoon, and I was the last one. However, since Hayoon started first and moved to the next corner, the space was probably empty now.

 

For some reason, I felt like we were playing baseball. And I was returning home from third base.

 

I moved slowly toward the last corner, leaning on the wall.

 

Rustle, rustle.

 

The surrounding was so dark that I couldn’t even see an inch ahead.

 

Although the desk, whiteboard and sofa have been moved, if I move carelessly, I may bump into them.

 

So I stayed as close to the wall as possible and moved slowly, one step at a time.

 

Perhaps because of the darkness, and the expansion of the clubroom twice which made it bigger than it was, I walked quite a long while. However, I still felt like there was still a long way to go?

 

In the pitch black darkness, all my senses seemed to have grown more sensitive. The corner that seemed just a few steps away with the light on now felt so far away.

 

Tuk.

 

Eventually, as I fumbled and stretched out my hand, my hand felt something.

 

What I touched was the wall.

 

I arrived safely at the next corner without anything paranormal happening.

 

‘Hmm.’

 

I fumbled my hands around in case I could feel something. Although I knew I couldn’t see anything in the darkness, I still tried to squint my eyes and look around. However, all I could feel were walls blocking me on both sides as my gaze returned to me.

 

I had reached the corner which was completely empty.

 

‘I guess, a simple experiment like this can’t bring the ghost story into reality…?

 

Well, that could be the case.

 

If ghost stories could be materialized and made appear through experiments like these by high school students.

 

Then this world would have turned chaotic a long time ago. Gone would be the normal world if that were to happen.

 

Then it could mean only two things; either the Demon King sends ghost stories to kill me, or the system materlizes them randomly.

 

Then, should I just wait for either of those two things to happen?

 

‘Huuu. But the science teacher seemed to use ghost stories as he pleased. Then, why isn’t it working for us….’

 

So should we just give up and end this session?

 

….No.

 

We have put a lot of effort into creating the dark environment. Not to mention, the members were also anticipating and excited for something to happen. Since we have come this far, why not try a little more?

 

What if now I move to the next corner?

 

What would happen then?

 

‘Hayoon will be surprised.’

 

…No, I don’t think that girl knows what being surprised means. She seems too calm and collected to be bothered by a simple prank as sneaking up to her.

 

However, I couldn’t help but be curious.

 

She always had a lukewarm attitude towards others. Along with her kind, quiet and calm expression, she seemed like someone out of this world.

 

I could never figure out what was going on in her mind.

 

So I couldn’t help but wonder, If I surprise Hayoon like this, how will she react?

 

‘Let’s give it a try.’

 

Based on Hayoon’s personality, which I concluded after spending some time with her over a month, I didn’t think she would be angry or upset about anything.

 

Sneak.

 

With that thought in mind, I approached Hayoon in the dark.

 

My movements were much more careful than before.

 

‘I can’t even make a sound.’

 

Although since I was wearing socks that barely made a sound against the floor, I still took extra precaution of not making a sound in case Hayoon noticed someone was approaching her.

 

As I moved like a thief like this holding my breath, I fumbled my hands forward.

 

Tuk.

 

However, my fumbling hand touched something cold and hard.

 

‘The wall.’

 

I reached forward again. But only blank wall was what touched my skin once again.

 

‘….What?’

 

Leaning my back in the corner, I reached out and fumbled in every direction around me. Hoping that I would touch something humanoid and not the empty air or the cold hard wall.

 

However, nothing could be felt in my hands as I was standing in the corner. But which corner was I?

 

If I head back the way I came from, I would reach the corner where I was just now.

 

This place where I was now should have been the corner where Hayoon was.

 

However, it was devoid of any human being.

 

What is happening? What happened?

 

‘…Did she notice me approaching?’

 

Although I made sure to not make a sound, perhaps Hayoon noticed I was approaching her. So she quietly moved to the side, or rather to the next corner.

 

‘Her senses are sharp.’

 

Thinking about it in the quiet darkness, I couldn’t remember Hayoon to be the stupid type of person.

 

Rather, she was the kind of person who had extraordinary knowledge about certain things and liked to tease people.

 

‘Hmm. I think I should try one more time.’

 

Feeling a bit disappointed, I decided to move to the next corner. With that thought in mind, I started walking sideways, holding the wall with one hand.

 

If things were how I thought them to be, then Hayoon should be in the middle of approaching the next corner, where Jinhee was staying.

 

Sneak, rustle.

 

Just like before, I began walking in the dark holding the wall toward the next corner, which for some reason seemed even further than before. As I continued walking around and fumbling my hands in the dark, my hands finally hit something.

 

‘Gotcha!’

 

A wall.

 

I reached a blank wall again.

 

This didn’t make sense. Even if Hayoon cleverly hid somewhere, where was Jinhee?

 

No, maybe I was mistaken.

 

Perhaps Hayoon, just like me, was continuing this game without consulting with anyone.

 

Now we’re just circling around the corner and playing tag with each other.

 

‘….As expected, In Hayoon. You’re a tough opponent to handle.’

 

All right then!

 

Let’s play tag in the dark!

 

Since I understood her motive, I didn’t bother to hide my steps this time and quickly walked to the next corner.

 

However, an empty wall greeted me again.

 

‘Faster.’

 

My dignity as the president of the club was at stake here. If I were to be surprised by being touched by Gyeongwon, who was probably running behind me, there would be no bigger embarrassment than this.

 

I would have to use the little bit of intelligence I have.

 

In Hayoon, just wait for me!

 

Rustle, rustle.

 

I moved quickly in the dark, groping the wall around.

 

Slid.

 

Slid.

 

To the next corner and then to the next.

 

Blank wall.

 

Blank wall.

 

Rustle, rustle.

 

Blank wall again.

 

Slid.

 

Another blank wall.

 

Rustle.

 

This time too, a blank wall.

 

After circling around the corners a few more times, I suddenly started realizing that something was wrong. Even after walking so fast, almost running, I couldn’t touch or hear the sound of my other members moving. The strange dark atmosphere made me open my mouth.

 

“…Guys?”

 

“….Hey guys?”

 

Silence.

 

“…I think we should stop now. Someone turn on the light.”

 

Silence.

 

“….I said we’re ending the game. Hey, guys?”

 

“In Hayoon. Lee Jinhee. Please answer me.”

 

“…. Gyeongwon? Gyeongwon, answer me. Gyeongwon?”

 

However, all that replied to my urgent call was silence, and nothing more.

 

 

 

 

 

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