The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Kim Do-Yoon sat on the edge of his bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his head slightly lowered. The light in his room was dim, barely enough to fill the corners.
It was night.
And for him… night had stopped being normal.
"…Why me?" he muttered.
His voice was low, almost like he didn't want anyone—even himself—to hear it.
His mind replayed everything again.
The man.
The accident.
The impossible recovery.
The illusion.
The faceless Min-Jae.
The eyes.
The book.
The story.
The words.
"YOU CANNOT REMOVE WHAT IS WRITTEN."
Do-Yoon clenched his fists.
"…What does that even mean?"
He stood up suddenly and started pacing around his room.
"This doesn't make sense… none of it makes sense."
He ran his fingers through his red hair, frustrated.
"I didn't do anything. I didn't ask for this."
His voice grew slightly louder.
"So why is this happening to me?"
No answer came.
Only silence.
The kind of silence that felt heavy.
Like something was listening… but choosing not to speak.
Do-Yoon stopped walking.
He looked at the empty wall in front of him.
"…Am I going crazy?"
The question stayed in the air.
But deep inside—
He already knew the answer.
"No… this is real."
He slowly sat back down on his bed.
His breathing was unstable.
"I need to tell someone."
A pause.
"…Min-Jae."
His eyes lifted slightly.
"Yeah… I should tell him everything."
Not half of it.
Not excuses.
Everything.
Afternoon Visit
The next day passed slowly.
Classes felt longer.
Voices felt distant.
Everything felt… off.
Do-Yoon didn't even realize how time passed.
Until—
It was already 4 PM.
Do-Yoon stood in front of a house.
Min-Jae's house.
He raised his hand.
Knocked.
Knock. Knock.
A few seconds later—
The door opened.
A woman stood there.
Min-Jae's mother.
"Oh, Do-Yoon?" she said with a small smile. "It's been a while."
Do-Yoon bowed slightly. "Hello, auntie."
"Are you here to see Min-Jae?"
"Yes."
She stepped aside. "Go in. He's in his room… probably doing nothing."
"…That sounds right," Do-Yoon replied.
She laughed softly.
Do-Yoon walked through the house.
The familiar smell.
The quiet atmosphere.
Everything felt normal here.
Too normal.
He reached the room.
Knocked once.
Then opened the door.
Min-Jae's Room
Min-Jae was lying on his bed.
Completely bored.
Staring at the ceiling.
"…Bro?" he said lazily.
Then he noticed who it was.
His expression changed instantly.
"BRO!"
He sat up quickly.
"When did you come?!"
Do-Yoon didn't answer immediately.
He just looked at him.
For a few seconds.
Min-Jae tilted his head. "Why are you staring like that?"
Do-Yoon finally spoke.
"…Bro."
"Yeah?"
"I'm here to tell you something."
Min-Jae blinked.
"…Why does that sound serious?"
Do-Yoon walked inside and closed the door.
"Because it is."
Five Minutes Later
Min-Jae sat quietly.
No jokes.
No lazy attitude.
Just silence.
"…So let me get this straight," Min-Jae said slowly.
Do-Yoon nodded.
"You saw the man."
"Yes."
"You saw illusions."
"Yes."
"You saw me… without a face."
"…Yeah."
"You found a book… that literally has your life written in it."
"Yes."
"And you threw it away… but it didn't end."
"…Yes."
Silence filled the room again.
Min-Jae leaned back.
"…Bro."
"What?"
"…We're dead."
Do-Yoon frowned. "What?"
"I mean it," Min-Jae said. "We are definitely going to die."
"Don't say that!"
"I'm serious!" Min-Jae replied. "This is not normal ghost stuff. This is… something else!"
Do-Yoon stayed quiet.
Min-Jae rubbed his face.
"…This is crazy."
"Now you believe me?" Do-Yoon asked.
Min-Jae looked at him.
"…Yeah."
That one word felt heavy.
Real.
Something Is Wrong
Do-Yoon was about to speak again—
But suddenly—
He froze.
"…Bro."
Min-Jae looked at him. "What?"
Do-Yoon's eyes slowly moved toward the corner of the room.
"…Do you see that?"
Min-Jae turned his head.
"…See what?"
Do-Yoon didn't reply immediately.
His breathing slowed.
His eyes focused.
"…There."
Min-Jae looked harder.
But—
There was nothing.
"…Bro, I don't see anything."
Do-Yoon stood up slowly.
"…No… it's there…"
His voice became lower.
"…It's moving…"
Min-Jae stood up too.
"Bro, you're scaring me. What do you see?"
Do-Yoon pointed.
His hand slightly shaking.
"…A shadow…"
Min-Jae stared at the same spot.
Still nothing.
"…Describe it."
Do-Yoon swallowed.
"It's… small."
"…Like what?"
"Like… a shape."
Min-Jae frowned.
"…A shape?"
Do-Yoon's eyes widened slightly.
"…It's growing."
"What?"
"It's getting bigger."
Min-Jae's expression changed.
"Wait… are you serious?"
Do-Yoon nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
His breathing became heavier.
"It's not stopping…"
Min-Jae stepped back.
"…Bro… this is bad."
Do-Yoon couldn't look away.
The thing—
Was real.
To him.
It was there.
A black mass.
Shapeless.
But alive.
It moved slowly.
Expanding.
Like something was forming.
"…It's getting closer," Do-Yoon whispered.
Min-Jae grabbed his arm. "Move back!"
They both stepped away from the corner.
But Do-Yoon's eyes stayed locked on it.
"…It's watching me…"
Min-Jae's grip tightened. "BRO, SNAP OUT OF IT!"
Do-Yoon shook his head.
"No… you don't understand…"
His voice trembled.
"…It's not just a shadow…"
Min-Jae's heart started beating faster.
"Then what is it?!"
Do-Yoon slowly said—
"…It feels like… that man."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Min-Jae's face turned pale.
"…No way…"
Do-Yoon nodded.
"It's the same feeling."
The same fear.
The same pressure.
The same presence.
The Growth
The black shape grew larger.
Do-Yoon stepped back again.
"It's… changing…"
"How?" Min-Jae asked.
"It's not just a shape anymore…"
Min-Jae swallowed. "Then what is it now?"
Do-Yoon's voice dropped—
"…It's forming something."
Min-Jae looked around desperately.
"I STILL CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!"
Do-Yoon's eyes trembled.
"…It has a face…"
Min-Jae froze.
"…No."
"…Not fully…"
Do-Yoon's breathing became unstable.
"…But it's trying to become one."
Min-Jae grabbed his head.
"Bro, this is insane!"
The air in the room felt heavier.
Colder.
Harder to breathe.
Do-Yoon felt it clearly.
"It's coming closer…"
Min-Jae pulled him back.
"Stay with me!"
Do-Yoon whispered—
"…It's looking at me…"
Min-Jae shouted—
"STOP LOOKING AT IT!"
But Do-Yoon couldn't.
He just couldn't.
Something was pulling his gaze.
Locking it.
Forcing him to see.
The Moment
The black mass suddenly twitched.
Do-Yoon's body froze.
"…It moved fast…"
Min-Jae tightened his grip.
"Bro, we need to get out!"
But Do-Yoon didn't move.
"…Wait…"
"What now?!"
"…It stopped."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Do-Yoon's eyes slowly narrowed.
"…It's gone."
Min-Jae blinked. "What?"
"It disappeared."
Min-Jae looked around again.
Nothing.
No shadow.
No presence.
No feeling.
Just a normal room.
"…Are you serious?" Min-Jae asked.
Do-Yoon nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
Both of them stood there.
Not moving.
Not speaking.
Just breathing.
Aftermath
A few seconds later—
Min-Jae let go of Do-Yoon.
"…Bro."
"…Yeah?"
"…We are in deep trouble."
Do-Yoon gave a weak smile.
"…I know."
Min-Jae looked at the corner again.
"…I didn't see anything."
"I know."
"…But I believe you."
Do-Yoon looked at him.
"…Thanks."
Min-Jae sat down on the bed again.
"…First the man."
"…Then the illusions."
"…Then the book."
"…And now this?"
Do-Yoon slowly sat beside him.
"…It's getting worse."
Min-Jae nodded.
"…Yeah."
Silence again.
Then—
Min-Jae spoke.
"…Bro."
"What?"
"…Whatever this is…"
He looked at Do-Yoon seriously.
"…It's not done with you."
Do-Yoon looked down.
"…I think so too."
Min-Jae leaned back.
"…Then we don't run anymore."
Do-Yoon raised his head.
"…What?"
Min-Jae smirked slightly.
"…We face it."
Do-Yoon stared at him.
"…You sure?"
Min-Jae sighed.
"…No."
"…But what choice do we have?"
Do-Yoon thought for a moment.
Then slowly—
He nodded.
"…Yeah."
Outside, the sky was getting darker.
Inside the room—
Something had already started.
And whatever it was—
It was growing.