ULAS 43

Chapter 43

“Chaesong-ah.”

“Hm?”

Our class had finished a bit earlier, so we were waiting for the boys in front of Class 1.

I glanced at Yoo Chaesong, who was using her phone screen as a mirror to fix her bangs, and asked:

“You’re not going because you feel pressured, right? You didn’t even get to rest during break time because of our promise, and you studied the whole time.”

“Oh.”

She lifted her head—almost like someone running without breathing to save time—and, noticing my worry, gave a small grin.

“It’s fine. I’m worried too, and studying all day every day actually stresses me out. Oh—! But I’m not saying I’m tagging along just to change the mood or anything!”

“I know that’s not what you meant. I was just worried…”

Then I realized this was my chance and quietly leaned closer to her.

“More importantly… you. Don’t tell me you’re interested in Tak Yeonho?”

“Me?”

Yoo Chaesong pushed her hair behind her ear, then let it fall back, repeating it.

Like she was checking which style looked better.

“As if. How could that be?”

It definitely looks like it though?

Suspicious…

She said no, so pushing further felt rude. I nodded as if convinced, when Chaesong suddenly spoke.

“But what about you, Choyeon? You seem pretty close with Seohyeok. Anything going on?”

“What do you mean anything? You’re not talking about something horrifying like romantic interest, are you?”

Ugh.

I must’ve made a disgusted face without realizing it. Chaesong looked startled.

“Why that reaction? Seohyeok’s good-looking.”

“Good looks aren’t everything. Guys have to be kind!”

“Come on, he’d treat his girlfriend well. Being kind to everyone isn’t that great, you know?”

“I prefer that, actually.”

“Yeah… I don’t think you’d say that if you actually dated.”

Chaesong tilted her head. Well, she’s dated a few boys before—unlike me, the eternal single.

But this has nothing to do with dating experience! Isn’t a guy who’s known for being kind to everyone obviously better?!

By that standard, Dan Seohyeok was a total fail. A complete dud!

…Well, okay, he did smile at the hospital staff.

Just a little! He acted a tiny bit mature then.

But only then. His attitude toward Tak Yeonho, toward Chaesong, even toward other classmates was cold at best.

And toward me, it was the worst!

“He’s just a friend. A friend for life!”

“Oh? So you do call him a friend? You two bicker all the time, so I couldn’t tell if you were close or not.”

“We just don’t… vibe the same.”

But what can I do? Even grudges can turn into affection eventually.

Chaesong smiled softly, as if she understood without me saying more.

“You two are cute, you know.”

“You think Dan Seohyeok looks cute? Chaesong, you need glasses.”

“I meant his behavior.”

Which made even less sense! How could anyone look at his rude behavior and call it cute?!

Does she like Seohyeok and not Yeonho?

But Chaesong never talked to him or looked at him. And he’s the exact opposite of her usual ideal type.

Ugh. I dunno.

“But seriously, why are Class 1 kids taking so long?”

“Right? The teacher’s talking forever.”

We both looked toward Class 1. When I peeked inside, the teacher was saying something with a serious expression.

What, some important announcement?

While we were chatting in the hallway, students finally began to come out.

“Sorry, kept you waiting.”

Tak Yeonho approached, holding his backpack straps with a tired look. Behind him, Dan Seohyeok followed, expressionless as always.

That jerk didn’t even pretend to apologize!

“Did something happen?”

Chaesong asked Yeonho. No shy expression, no flustered tone.

…Did I misunderstand? Does she not like Yeonho?

She talked to him like she talks to me.

And Yeonho didn’t act differently either.

Yep, my romance radar is broken. No way a couple will come out of these four.

We walked out of the building while talking.

“The missing person from Eden-dong was apparently someone our teacher knew.”

“Gasp. You mean what you said in the group chat earlier?”

“Yeah! He warned us to be careful and explained the kidnapping method. I think the other classes will hear it soon too.”

“Was it his friend?”

“No, he said it was the daughter of an older guy he knew well. A girl around our age.”

I let out a sigh without meaning to. Another missing student, right after Macheo-hae.

Who on earth is kidnapping them?

Whether it was a human or a ghost, the intent was clearly bad. Even imagining it was terrible.

Ever since I saw that underground auction…

Don’t tell me all those people were the recent missing cases?

Probably not. The number didn’t match.

Ugh, thinking about it only made me more depressed.

“But did the teacher actually say it was kidnapping? Most missing cases in Eden-dong say the victims just vanished without a trace.”

My expression must have darkened, because Chaesong glanced at me, then continued the conversation with Yeonho instead.

“This time, the situation made it easier to assume kidnapping. The police are treating it as such too.”

Yeonho also looked at me briefly, so I hurried to fix my expression. I didn’t want my friends to worry.

“The girl and her friend were on their way to a karaoke room when a woman asked for directions.”

A woman approached two girls on the street. Not a man. Just asking for directions. Nothing suspicious.

It wasn’t far, so they opened their map app and offered to guide her, Yeonho said.

“The woman was pregnant. So the girls were even more willing to help her. They didn’t think they were in danger.”

The problem came after.

The woman suddenly felt dizzy and crouched down. One girl panicked and ran to a convenience store to buy water.

The other stayed to support the woman.

They were on a residential street—not an alley, but also not a place with lots of people.

When the friend returned with the water, the woman and the remaining girl had vanished.

“The other cases involved victims walking into CCTV blind spots, but this time, a van was caught on camera forcing the girl inside.”

“A van? So she lured them somewhere quiet on purpose and dragged it out by pretending to feel sick?”

“Looks like the police think so too.”

So the investigation was officially being treated as a kidnapping. No wonder the teacher warned us.

“I’ve heard kidnappers use elderly people or children to lure victims… but now even pregnant women?”

Chaesong shuddered, creeped out.

Something I once dismissed as an urban legend was happening in real life.

“It’s different from the other cases, so I don’t know if it’ll help us find your family, but…”

“Let’s just go check anyway.”

We couldn’t assume it was unrelated.

Both Yeonho and Chaesong nodded.

“Peanut.”

The voice belonged to Dan Seohyeok, who had been silent until now.

“Hm?”

“Before we go, listen to this.”

“What is it?”

“The description of the woman given by the student who was left behind.”

Seohyeok summarized it.

Extremely thin body. Wearing a hat, but not a single strand of hair visible. Only the belly sticking out, so she looked pregnant.

…Huh?

“Doesn’t she remind you of someone?”

The woman who gave Jang Hyunwoo the keychain…

Seohyeok seemed to have had the same thought.

Yeonho, alarmed, asked if we knew the person.

Of course we remembered. It wasn’t a normal appearance.

And the belly wasn’t pregnancy… it was because her boyfriend’s head was attached to her by a curse.

The grotesque image popped into my head, giving me chills.

Then—

“Hold on.”

Chaesong raised her hand with a startled expression.

“…I think I know that woman.”

A statement none of us expected.