A ghost story set in a school.
This has always been part of an enduring tradition.
When hundreds of teenagers are confined to a single building all day, it’d be strange if no one ever showed interest in eerie rumors, mysterious rituals, or ghosts.
The seven wonders of the school, séances, and more…
Naturally, having graduated from school, I found such stories quite entertaining.
Isn’t it a universal, mainstream horror theme?
‘That’s why I mustered the courage to add my first exploration record there.’
Thankfully, it didn’t get bombarded with “Not Recommended” ratings and disappear. It even inspired me to write an original ghost story and post it.
But now...
‘I’m… going in there?’
It felt strange.
Of course, just the mention of entering a ghost story was enough to send chills down my spine, but there was something else—a peculiar uneasiness.
It wasn’t like the apprehension you feel before reading a manual. It wasn’t that.
Anticipation? Fear?
‘I don’t know what to call it…’
Either way, the manual had already been distributed, and at the very least, I had to attempt entry.
But the question is ‘how.’
“– Is it a short ritual before bed? I’m curious to see your special trick for falling into a deep sleep, Roe Deer!”
“It’s not that.”
I quietly arranged my bed.
“I’m trying to dream a ‘special dream’ the company instructed us about.”
“– Ah, you mean to visit that ‘high school,’ right?”
Exactly.
“If not this one, I’d still have to enter a ghost story eventually.”
Given that only a handful of people enter per a specific set of conditions, and the company scores these entries highly, it’s better to attempt this one.
“Huu…”
In the officetel at night, I opened the “specific book” provided by the company.
– When a full moon rises, read the specific book and fall asleep, and you might wake up in a nighttime school.
Just as Team Leader Lee Jaheon explained.
What was peculiar, though, was that it was a text file.
In the Shade of Darkness.txt
This file, allegedly found occasionally in internet “2000s Classic Horror Story Collections” (blatantly ignoring copyright), was said to sometimes appear.
Its size suggested it contained enough for at least two books. Yet...
When I clicked on the file to open it.
“This all happened on the day of our graduation ceremony.”
That single sentence was the entirety of the content.
And then, as if to amplify the strangeness, when I scrolled further down...
Unknown broken characters cluttered the text file…
₩ub124₩uac00₩u0020₩uc774₩₩u0020₩uae00₩uc774₩u0020₩uc77d₩ub294₩
The file cannot be opened.
It disappeared.
"..."
Sigh.
Nothing comes easy, huh?
‘At this rate, I might die of a heart attack first…’
Just then, a barrage of curses erupted from the room next door.
Baek Saheon must be preparing to enter the ghost story too. It’s mandatory for all employees, after all…
‘I might even run into him in there.’
Well, the odds of Baek Saheon meeting the exact conditions to enter were slim, though.
The conditions for entering this ghost story changed every time it opened.
‘But I know the “confirmed entry” conditions mentioned in the latter half of the exploration records…’
That’s why I’d already prepared for it.
The real issue was that I had no idea how much information about the ghost story had spread among the employees.
‘Even if the exploration records haven’t accumulated much yet, the nature of these ghost stories means rumors might’ve spread informally.’
Considering all employees were preparing to enter, this point bothered me a little.
Hmm.
‘Should I check?’
It was also the perfect time to keep someone in check before they did something stupid.
I walked over to Baek Saheon’s door and knocked politely.
Knock, knock.
“What—who is it?!”
“I’m coming in.”
Creak.
When I opened the door, Baek Saheon glared at me with a mix of surprise, fear, and annoyance before forcing a smile through gritted teeth.
“A knock usually requires a response of ‘come in’ before you enter, doesn’t it? Huh?”
“Oh, really?”
I stepped out and knocked again.
Knock, knock.
Knock, knock.
Knock, knock.
Knock, kno—
“You son of—just come in already!”
I opened the door and entered, casting him a pitying look.
“The result is the same.”
“...”
“You… live so inefficiently.”
Baek Saheon looked like he was about to explode, but he seemed to successfully suppress his anger. Hmm, it was nice to see that he was finally learning some social graces.
“Anyway, why on earth did you suddenly decide to barge into my room in the dead of night?”
As he spoke, it seemed like he came to a realization.
“…Hey, don’t you also have to enter the ghost story as per company orders? That high school thing.”
“Yeah.”
“Ah, I knew it. So, you’re preparing right now?”
Baek Saheon’s gaze darted swiftly and greedily past me, locking onto the pillow on my bed, as if trying to extract a clue.
‘Oh, please.’
I deliberately didn’t bother blocking his view and smirked.
“Yeah. That’s right.”
“Really? They said you wouldn’t know if you’d enter until you fall asleep, but you look awfully confident. Got a secret, huh?”
“You’re awfully curious.”
“Well, since you came all the way to my room, I figured I might as well hear you out.”
I tossed out a casual remark.
“You need a hint?”
“…Would you tell me if I did?”
“Why would I?”
“...”
Baek Saheon forced a smile through gritted teeth.
“…How about I wire you three days’ worth of my salary?”
“I don’t need money. I want to hear something from you.”
“…!”
“You want to enter, don’t you? Why?”
A brief yet fierce conflict flashed across Baek Saheon’s face.
He didn’t seem unwilling to tell me, but rather he was carefully weighing whether revealing this information could somehow net him something more from me.
Eventually, he reached a conclusion and spoke in a deliberately casual tone.
“…There’s a rumor going around the company.”
A rumor?
“They say anything you obtain in that ghost story can be brought back with you… so it’s a win if you go in and grab something, anything.”
“...”
“And apparently, you don’t even die that easily in there.”
Hmm. So that’s the current understanding among the employees.
‘A ghost story where entering is profitable no matter what.’
“Honestly, I doubt whatever hint you have is worth much, but as your roommate and fellow employee, I thought I’d share this tidbit with you…”
Oh, look at him trying to subtly undermine me.
I nodded seriously, on purpose.
“You’re right. My hint probably isn’t worth much.”
“…!”
“Guess you don’t need it, then. Let’s forget this conversation happened. Oh, and thanks for sharing.”
“…!! You fu—”
I stared at Baek Saheon, and he swallowed his curses before forcing another smile.
“...Supervisor, if an employee in the same officetel resorts to extortion and steals the paycheck and personal information of a poor junior employee, don’t you think I could request a formal meeting with HR about workplace bullying?”
Oh, dear.
I looked at Baek Saheon with a pitying expression.
“Do you… really think this company cares about that?”
“...”
“Well, I mean, you’re free to believe whatever you want.”
“...”
Baek Saheon seemed caught between anger and despair…
I suppose that’s enough for now.
‘I should give him something.’
I spoke casually.
“Put a picture of yourself from high school under your pillow before you sleep.”
“…?!”
“On the back, write your grade and class, like a yearbook profile.”
I even took a sticky note from his desk and jotted down an example for him.
[Name: ]
[Message to friends: ]
“Then see what happens.”
“...”
Baek Saheon, still skeptical, peppered me with questions about whether I’d also used a high school photo.
To prove it, I went to my room, pulled the picture from under my pillow, and showed him.
It was a printout of one of my high school photos saved on my smartphone.
“...”
Baek Saheon stared at it in disbelief, then fell silent.
“Did you think I was lying?”
“Well, considering your silver tongue and all, it’s… hard not to assume so, Supervisor.”
“Really? I’ve never told a lie.”
“...”
“Think about it carefully.”
Baek Saheon seemed dazed as I sent him back to his room.
“Anyway, I still have preparations to finish with Braun, so you can leave now.”
“– Have a safe journey, ordinary fellow employee!”
Baek Saheon gave me a strange look—somewhere between weary and bewildered—before retreating into his room.
Thud.
‘All set.’
Dealing with him every time like this was exhausting, but what could I do?
Think of the new employee who joined Team D. That’s just how society works….
“Phew.”
Back in my room, I returned to my pillow.
The tip I gave Baek Saheon was true.
Exploration Log #15:
Using a high school graduation photo of the explorer, confirmed entry of all three members of Team K into Sekwang Technical High School.
Validated.
Once entry was confirmed, the next priority was obvious.
“What do I bring with me?”
Only the items placed under your pillow before sleep would become your possessions within the dream version of Sekwang Technical High School.
Since the size of items was limited to what could fit under a pillow, every choice had to be deliberate.
‘If I try to bring something via wrist tattoo and it doesn’t work in the dream, I’m screwed.’
With this ghost story known for altering appearances, I was a bit wary of taking risks.
After carefully arranging my essentials like a game of Tetris, I made space at the corner for Braun.
Well. Naturally… he ended up in a weird position.
“– …”
A resigned voice.
‘Sorry. Is it cramped?’
“– Oh, it’s bearable! Though, if this were a studio, I’d probably call for a staff member. Haha!”
‘Ah… thanks.’
It meant it was very uncomfortable.
Still, I couldn’t risk inconveniencing this resident of the ghost story further.
Carefully, I lay down on the pillow, ensuring I didn’t squish Braun.
‘This pillow is so lumpy…’
“...”
But.
My eyes were closing.
A miracle, considering my recent insomnia.
Quickly, a sense of drowsiness enveloped my mind...
Mist.
Dark shadows.
And...
[Ding-Dong-Ding-Dong-]
…School.
[Ding-Dong-Ding-Dong-]
I opened my eyes.
The classroom appeared in a dim, almost dark state, with no lights on.
Turning my head, I looked at my clothes.
I was now in my school uniform.
[■■ High School]
The uniform felt the same as that of my old school, with the name of the school scratched out like it was erased with a needle, was neatly put on me.
I couldn’t confirm it directly, but I knew.
My appearance had somehow returned to when I was a high school student...
And then—
“Wh-What is this??”
Remember the feature of this ghost story that you heard earlier?
– They said you wouldn’t know if you’d enter until you fell asleep…
To put it another way, this means that not only the employees from our company can enter.
“Huh? Huh? Why am I in a school uniform...?”
“Oh my gosh!”
“Excuse me, do you happen to know where this is?”
In a classroom at midnight, with not a single light bulb on.
People sitting at dark desks started to get up one by one, confused, screaming, and looking around.
These were civilians who had been accidentally brought here.
“Is this some sort of event? Hah.”
“Wait, why am I in a school uniform... huh? Wait! Why am I a high school student?!”
“This must be a dream.”
“Did anyone see outside the window? I think we’re on the second floor...”
‘…It feels like I’m back in the subway ghost story.’
As I watched the people who were hesitating between confusion, fear, curiosity, and amusement, I felt a twinge in my stomach.
And... intense tension.
“Huh?”
A person who was wandering around suddenly spotted something in the corner.
They finally found it.
A student sitting completely still.
“Why isn’t this person moving?”
It was a strange sight.
In the dark classroom, amidst the chaos of people shouting and moving around in various school uniforms, one person was sitting completely still.
Not even blinking.
That student, who looked like an incredibly realistic wax figure, had a perfectly intact name tag attached to them.
[Sekwang Technical High School]
"Is this a mannequin?" someone whispered, poking at the figure.
Poke–
"Ah!"
The person who poked it jerked their hand away in shock.
"It's warm!"
"No way, really?"
I stood up from my seat, unable to tear my gaze away from the immobile figure. Slowly, I made my way toward the door of the classroom.
‘Better open the door in advance.’
As I moved my hand toward the door, I accidentally almost dropped a stuffed keychain from the pocket of my school uniform. I quickly grabbed it, relieved.
Phew.
‘Thank goodness, Braun.’
No response.
“...Braun?”
I looked at the plushie in my hand. It was limp, lifeless.
"...!"
I quickly pressed the plushie’s belly, checking its interior for the coin I had used as part of the ritual for summoning my 'good friend.'
But it wasn’t there.
"..."
It was just a doll.
The Silver Snake Coin was gone.
‘My ‘good friend’ didn’t come with me into the dream after all...’
"..."
“Over there, outside… Aa-Aah-AAAAHHH!”
I’m fucking cooked.
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