Yui woke up and made a decision.
A serious decision.
A life-changing decision.
"I'm taking a break."
Baek, sitting in the corner like a shadow with trust issues, didn't even look up.
"No."
Yui threw a pillow at him.
"YES. I am a student. I have school. I have assignments. I have a life."
Pause.
She looked around.
"…Okay, I had a life."
Jae-min raised his hand from the floor.
"You still have math homework."
Yui pointed at him.
"Exactly. PRIORITIES."
The Plan
Yui grabbed her bag.
"Today, I am going to school, sitting in class, eating lunch, and not fighting a single ghost."
Baek nodded once.
"…We'll see."
"I hate when you say that."
School (aka False Hope)
For the first 10 minutes?
Normal.
Too normal.
Teacher talking.
Students chatting.
Nothing possessed.
Nothing floating.
Nothing screaming.
Yui almost cried.
"…This is beautiful."
Jae-min whispered,
"Don't jinx it."
"I'm not jinxing it. I'm appreciating it."
Lunch Break (The Beginning of the End)
Yui sat outside with her food.
Peaceful.
Quiet.
No ghosts.
No shadows.
No weird whispers.
She smiled.
"…Maybe things are getting better."
Jae-min froze.
"You said it."
"I said WHAT?"
"THE THING YOU SHOULDN'T SAY."
Immediately…
A girl at the next table dropped her drink.
It spilled across the ground.
Then—
The liquid… moved.
On its own.
Yui stared.
"…No."
The juice slowly crawled back up the cup.
Against gravity.
Jae-min whispered,
"…That's not physics."
Yui stood up.
"I take it back. I TAKE IT BACK."
The Chaos Returns
The girl blinked.
Confused.
"…Did that just—"
The cup exploded.
SPLASH.
Juice everywhere.
Students screamed.
Yui grabbed her head.
"WHY CAN'T I HAVE ONE NORMAL LUNCH?!"
Baek Appears (Of Course)
Baek appeared behind her like he had been waiting.
"You felt it too."
"Yes, I FELT THE JUICE DEFY REALITY."
Baek looked serious.
"This isn't random."
Mr. Lee appeared (because obviously).
"Multiple minor disturbances in one location."
Yui groaned.
"Translation?"
Mr. Lee:
"Something is spreading."
It's Not Just One Spirit
Baek looked around.
"Not a single ghost."
Jae-min's eyes widened.
"…Multiple?"
Right on cue—
A locker slammed shut.
A window cracked.
A chair slid across the floor.
Students started panicking.
Yui whispered,
"…Oh no."
Yui Snaps (Again)
She stood in the middle of the chaos.
Hands on her head.
Voice rising.
"OKAY—LISTEN—WHOEVER IS DOING THIS—"
Everything paused.
Literally.
Everything.
Yui blinked.
"…Wait."
Bad idea.
A voice whispered.
Soft.
Close.
Too close.
"You attract them."
Yui froze.
Her breath caught.
"…Stop talking to me like that."
Baek Steps In
Baek grabbed her wrist.
"We need to leave."
"For once, I agree."
They ran out of the cafeteria.
Chaos still behind them.
Outside
Yui stopped.
Breathing hard.
"…This isn't normal, even for my life."
Baek nodded.
"It's getting worse."
Mr. Lee looked serious.
"The King's influence is spreading faster."
Jae-min whispered,
"…So even school isn't safe?"
Yui laughed weakly.
"School was never safe. But now it's supernatural unsafe."
Emotional Moment (but still Yui)
She looked down.
Quiet for a second.
"…I just wanted one normal day."
Baek didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"You don't get normal."
Yui sighed.
"…Yeah. I figured."
Pause.
Then she straightened up.
"Fine."
Jae-min blinked.
"Fine?"
She cracked her knuckles.
"If chaos wants me…"
She smirked.
"…it can at least wait until after lunch next time."
Final Scene
Far away—
In the shadows—
Something watched.
Smiled.
And whispered:
"Soon."
END OF CHAPTER 21