Chapter 22
EP 3. Nostalgic Game: Escape Room
4:44 a.m.
A woman stood nervously in a deserted alley.
“Please, please…”
Her trembling hands were clasped together as she whispered something under her breath.
Then—
Vroooom.
The silence was broken by the sound of an approaching engine.
The woman’s head snapped up. The sound was getting closer.
Soon, a motorcycle stopped in front of her.
The rider, wearing a pink helmet and a leather jacket, said nothing as they dismounted.
The woman stayed still, hands still clasped, holding her breath.
The rider lifted the seat and pulled out a black plastic bag. It was heavy—so heavy that the handles strained, threatening to snap.
“Oh my god!”
The woman took the bag, opened it, and immediately collapsed to her knees.
“Aaaah…!!!”
Even as she fell, she held the bag tightly to her chest, terrified of jostling what was inside.
“Did you check the contents?” the rider asked.
The woman nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face.
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”
Without a word, the rider got back on the motorcycle and sped away, leaving the woman sobbing alone in the dark alley.
In her arms, she held what had once been part of her daughter—
the daughter who had been brutally murdered by a “don’t-ask-why” serial killer and whose remains had never been found.
* * *
That morning, after Machohae’s disappearance, was one of the few times I’d woken up feeling somewhat refreshed.
‘Probably because one less thing is weighing on me,’ I thought.
I blinked slowly, still sprawled on the bed. Stretching, I sat up and stared blankly out the window.
Cold wind lashed against the glass.
“Cold,” I muttered.
Winter was coming.
I climbed out of bed and started getting ready for school. Pulling on an oversized yellow hoodie over my shirt finally took the edge off the chill.
‘One thing’s solved, but still…’
The face in the mirror looked gloomy, completely mismatched with my bright clothes.
‘I still need to find Chohae.’
Grabbing my bag, I stepped out of the dorm room, thinking as I walked.
That online Urban Legend Community ghost…
Even if I hadn’t found Machohae at Eden Villa, the “tips” about defeating the Key Ring Ghost had been real.
So maybe the part where it led me to Eden Villa when I asked about finding Machohae was true, too.
‘Or maybe… it led me to Dan Seo-hyuk on purpose—he could be the clue to finding her.’
What I’d asked that ghost was, “How do I find the missing people of Eden-dong?”
I’d never asked where Machohae was directly.
Since Seo-hyuk was the story’s protagonist and also one of the missing person’s relatives, maybe the ghost had directed me to him because he had more information.
‘I should try asking that internet ghost again.’
Maybe this time, I’d really find my sister. The faint hope made me clutch my bag tighter.
When I reached the classroom earlier than usual, Yoo Chae-song was already there, studying from her textbook.
“Morning,” I greeted.
She looked up at the sound, smiling. Her face looked much better than yesterday, when dark circles had shadowed her eyes.
“Morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah. Slept deeply for once—makes studying easier.”
She laughed softly to herself, mumbling something about staying up too late the night before.
A small box of band-aids sat on her desk. I was about to ask if she was hurt when the door opened.
Who’s that?
Turning my head, I saw Tak Yeon-ho step in—with Dan Seo-hyuk right behind him.
What were they doing here so early in the morning, and in another class’s room?
“Cho-yeon, you’re here early.”
“Look who’s talking. What are you two doing here this early?”
“Ah, I was worried about Chae-song…” Yeon-ho said awkwardly, setting a sports drink down on her desk.
“I thought she might be tired, but she was studying, so I brought her something to drink.”
“Since when were you two this close?”
Oh no. That slipped out loud. And I sounded so confrontational!
I hadn’t meant it that way, but Yeon-ho’s face fell instantly.
Ugh, what do I do now?!
“S-sorry!” I blurted.
He smiled faintly. “No, you’re right. I was just… worried on my own.”
His voice sounded weak, deflated.
I didn’t mean it like that at all!
Thankfully, Chae-song stepped in to defuse the tension. Taking the drink, she smiled shyly.
“Thanks, Yeon-ho. And for the band-aids too.”
Seeing him brighten with relief, I sighed in turn.
Note to self: Watch your mouth. Just because they’re guys doesn’t mean they’re all like Seo-hyuk or Jang Hyun-woo.
Even Machohae had a sensitive side I’d overlooked because of my blunt tone.
I was about to apologize again when Seo-hyuk cut in, his voice flat and cold.
“Explain that sword from yesterday.”
“Ah.”
I knew this was coming.
Instinctively, I glanced at Chae-song.
“Let’s talk outside. She needs to study.”
“It’s fine. Talk here,” she said.
Chae-song glanced around. Luckily, no one else was in the classroom yet.
“I was involved too, remember? I want to know how you resolved it.”
Fair point.
‘It’s fine to tell them, right?’
The blonde ghost hadn’t told me not to talk about her.
After a short pause, I explained everything that had happened since the nurse’s office—the warning message on the wall, the dagger, the appearance of the blonde ghost.
The three of them listened intently. When I mentioned that she’d appeared even when I stabbed the Key Ring ghost, Seo-hyuk frowned.
“She didn’t show up to me.”
“Not all ghosts are visible to everyone,” Yeon-ho reasoned, folding his arms. “Maybe she’s your guardian spirit or something?”
“Given she’s blonde, I doubt she’s an ancestor,” he added. “You mixed race or something?”
“I don’t think so. My parents never said anything like that.”
“Then what is she? Doesn’t sound like a normal ghost.”
“Ghosts don’t help people,” Seo-hyuk muttered.
Sensing he was about to say something unpleasant about her, I quickly interjected.
“But she did help! The dagger was useful, and her advice was real.”
“Maybe she’s earning your trust first before pulling something.”
“She could just be a kind ghost who genuinely wants to help!”
“Based on what?”
“That’s…!”
“Peanut.”
Seo-hyuk suddenly stepped closer. His height made his shadow fall over me, and I instinctively shrank back.
“Didn’t I tell you not to trust ghosts?”
“You did, but—”
“Still talking back.”
Ow—why is he pulling my cheeks like that?!
Getting scolded like a kid in front of everyone was mortifying. The more I squirmed, the more my cheeks stretched.
“Stop it, you jerk!”
“Guys, calm down,” Yeon-ho said quickly. “That’s not the main issue here.”
“Then what is?” I asked.
“That ghost from the Urban Legend Community—the one that gave you instructions.”
Chae-song, who had been listening quietly, spoke softly.
“If its method was real after all…”
She looked at me seriously.
“Maybe it can help us find Chohae.”
She’d come to the same conclusion I had.
I nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. Last time, I only asked, ‘How can I find the missing people of Eden-dong?’”
“And that’s how you met Seo-hyuk, right?”
“Yeah. I didn’t find Chohae, but maybe meeting him was part of the clue.”
Of course, they didn’t know—Seo-hyuk’s the protagonist of this horror story. Before long, he’ll encounter the Human Trafficker Ghost too.
“So this time, I’ll ask directly how to find my sister.”
“In that case,” Chae-song said, “why not try it right now?”
I blinked. I hadn’t expected that. Seo-hyuk nodded.
“Better we watch than let her mess with it alone.”
Wait—what do you mean mess with it?! Why are you both agreeing so fast?!
“Well… fine by me,” I muttered.
But I couldn’t hide the uneasy expression on my face as I pulled out my phone. The three of them crowded around me immediately.
I logged into the Urban Legend Community and started writing a new post.
“So you post something like this, and the deleted comment is probably from the ghost?” Seo-hyuk asked.
I nodded.
(It was what he had done in the original story, after all.)
Judging by his serious look, this Seo-hyuk didn’t know that yet. One day, he’d probably use the same method to search for his parents.
Of course, in the novel, the author made sure he never found them easily, so… it wouldn’t end well.
Thinking about that made me pity him a bit. This might be his one fragile thread of hope. I couldn’t bring myself to call it futile.
“Oh! A deleted comment appeared!”
“It’s messaging you already!”
I snapped back to attention and tapped the flashing red chat notification.
I’d done this a few times before, so I wasn’t scared anymore.
Until I saw the first message.
<You’ve entered chat with ‘tkffuwntpdy.’>
<tkffuwntpdy: You’re not alone, are you?>
All three of us—except Seo-hyuk—let out a silent scream.
