Yui did not sleep.
Not even a little.
By morning, she looked like someone who had:
fought a ghost
found out her life was a contract
and might have to fight a ghost king soon
Which… was accurate.
She dragged herself to school, hair slightly messy, eyes half-dead.
Jae-min walked beside her, unusually quiet for once.
"…So," he said slowly, "last night wasn't a dream, right?"
Yui didn't even look at him.
"If it was, I'd like a refund."
Something Is Off
The school gates stood open like always.
Students laughed.
Teachers shouted.
Everything looked normal.
But—
Baek, walking slightly behind them, stopped.
"…Do you feel that?"
Yui paused.
At first, nothing.
Then—
A faint chill.
Like someone watching.
"Nope," she said quickly. "And I would like to keep it that way."
Jae-min hugged his bag tighter.
"I feel it."
Baek's eyes darkened.
"It's here."
Yui sighed.
"Of course it is. Why wouldn't a corrupted spirit come to school? Education is important."
The Hallway
The moment they stepped inside—
The lights flickered.
Just once.
But enough.
Baek's voice dropped.
"Stay close."
Yui rolled her eyes.
"When do I ever not stay close? I'm basically glued to you at this point."
"…True."
Jae-min whispered, "This is the worst field trip ever."
The First Sign
They walked down the hallway.
Students passed by normally.
But one girl—
Stopped.
Mid-step.
Her body froze.
Her head slowly turned toward Yui.
Her eyes were completely black.
Yui froze.
"…Baek."
"I see her."
The girl smiled.
Not normal.
Too wide.
Too still.
Then she spoke.
"He's awake."
Jae-min yelped.
"NOPE. I don't like that. I don't like that at ALL."
Before anyone could react—
The girl collapsed.
Just dropped.
Like a puppet with cut strings.
Students screamed.
Teachers rushed over.
Everything became chaos.
The Truth Gets Worse
Baek knelt beside the girl.
Checked her pulse.
"She's alive."
Yui let out a breath.
"Okay… good… good…"
"But," Baek added, "she was being controlled."
Mr. Lee suddenly appeared behind them.
"Yes," he said grimly.
"Corrupted influence."
Yui turned.
"WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS APPEARING LIKE A JUMPSCARE?!"
Mr. Lee ignored her.
"This confirms it. The King of Lost Souls isn't just waking up…"
He looked around the school.
"…he's spreading."
Jae-min whispered,
"You mean… anyone here could be controlled?"
Mr. Lee nodded.
"Yes."
Yui looked at the crowded hallway.
Students.
Friends.
Normal people.
Her stomach dropped.
"…That's not good."
Then It Gets Personal
The lights flickered again.
This time longer.
The hallway went dark.
When the lights came back—
Every mirror along the corridor reflected something… wrong.
Not the students.
Not the hallway.
But shadows.
Moving.
Watching.
Baek grabbed Yui's wrist.
"We need to leave. Now."
Too late.
A voice echoed through the hallway.
Deep.
Cold.
Every student froze.
Even the air felt heavy.
"So… you're the one."
Yui's heart stopped.
"…Me?"
The mirrors cracked.
One by one.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
A shadow began forming inside them.
Watching her.
Only her.
"The girl who shouldn't be alive."
Yui stepped back.
Her voice shaking now.
"…Baek?"
Baek's grip tightened.
"He sees you."
Mr. Lee looked pale.
"This is bad. This is very bad."
The voice continued—
"You belong to me."
Everything went silent.
Then—
The mirrors shattered.
Glass exploded across the hallway.
Students screamed.
Teachers panicked.
And just like that—
The presence vanished.
Aftermath
Silence.
Broken glass everywhere.
Students crying.
Teachers shouting.
Chaos.
Yui stood frozen.
Her hands shaking.
"…He knows me."
Baek didn't deny it.
Mr. Lee closed his clipboard slowly.
"The situation has escalated."
Jae-min looked at Yui.
For once, no jokes.
No excitement.
Just fear.
"…Yui."
She didn't respond.
Her mind was stuck on one thing.
The girl who shouldn't be alive.
Decision Time
Baek stepped in front of her.
"You can't stay out of this anymore."
Yui laughed weakly.
"I was never out of it."
Mr. Lee nodded.
"The contract offer from last night…"
He looked at her seriously.
"You need to accept it."
Yui looked between all of them.
Her weird life.
Her maybe-dead grandma.
Her ghost-hunting partner.
Her terrified friend.
And now—
A king of souls… watching her.
She took a deep breath.
"…Fine."
Baek's eyes softened slightly.
Yui clenched her fists.
"I'll do it."
"If I'm already in this mess…"
She forced a small, tired smile.
"…I might as well survive it."
END OF CHAPTER 16