Corey, an auditor for the Hoenn Regional Film Bureau, was responsible for reviewing movies. For him, this was quite a good job. After all, what he had to do every day was simply watch films—something that was both a duty and a kind of leisure. And with the wide variety of films submitted, many were genuinely interesting.
What made it even better was that Corey himself was a passionate movie lover. He adored films, had been obsessed with them back in college, and had watched countless classics. Never would he have thought that after graduation, his career would still revolve around watching movies.
So, Corey had always liked his job very much.
Of course, sometimes he would come across strange or overly niche films—tedious productions that made him want to fast-forward. But Corey still took his work seriously, carefully completing his reviews even when enduring dullness.
He knew well that the movie market was huge, and only a fraction of films ever made it to theater screens. The majority would disappear into obscurity, unseen by most. Yet, every single one of them needed to pass through the Bureau's approval process. As such, Corey had watched an enormous number of films of vastly varying quality—some so poor they gave him a headache.
Even so, Corey persisted. Because beyond the bad ones, there were still plenty of outstanding films.
And then came the greatest challenge of his career—
Director Edward Stone.
A rising star, a new-generation filmmaker who both loved and excelled at directing horror films. His technical skills were remarkable, and his unique style had brought a breath of fresh air into the Pokémon film industry. Ever since his breakout film Dead Silence, the horror genre within the Pokémon world had undergone a drastic transformation.
Before his arrival, horror films had always followed the same tired formula: ghost-type Pokémon playing tricks, only for some unlucky ghost to be caught by a trainer or subdued by League investigators. It was repetitive, predictable, and boring. Corey had seen so many that he could guess every ending before the halfway point.
But once Edward Stone emerged, everything changed.
Horror films became genuinely frightening.
Others began imitating Edward's style, producing horror films with similar aesthetics. But none could fully escape his influence; traces of his vision lingered everywhere. His mastery of sound and jump scares had startled Corey countless times.
Even so, Corey could accept it. After all, he loved his job. Watching films, earning a salary—what more could a movie enthusiast ask for?
That was until Edward unveiled his new patented technology.
A technology that created an overwhelming sense of immersion.
The day Corey watched Alien, he couldn't eat meat for two full days afterward. He went vegetarian. Because every bite of meat made him recall scenes of aliens ripping humans apart in grotesque ways. The facehuggers lunging directly at his face… the horror of feeling their tendrils forcing into his mouth to implant embryos—those images stayed with him vividly.
Corey was devastated. Even closing his eyes brought back visions of being impregnated by those creatures.
For the first time, he truly considered resigning.
But then he remembered—Edward Stone was heir to the Devon Corporation. He probably wouldn't have time to make films frequently. And even if he did, Corey might not always be the one assigned to review them, since the Bureau worked in shifts. Not every film landed on his desk.
"Should I resign?" Corey muttered at his desk, staring at the reel in his hand with deep reluctance.
"Come on, Corey, let's go. What can we do? It's our turn today." Nine colleagues walked up, looking grim. Corey rubbed his cheeks, unwilling. The movie in his hands was Edward's newest work—titled simply Ju-On. Just two characters. No frills, no embellishments.
But Corey knew Edward well enough to understand: the simpler the title, the heavier the weight it carried.
"Curse Grudge" (Ju-On)—words that already carried dreadful connotations. Curses. Resentment. Hatred. None of it sounded good.
"Haah… is it too late to quit now?" Corey sighed, wishing he could crush the reel in his hands so he'd never have to watch it.
"Have you paid off your mortgage? Did you buy your child a house yet? Do your parents have enough for retirement? Enough money for healthcare?" a middle-aged colleague asked heavily, patting his shoulder. Corey's mouth twitched.
At that moment, all thoughts of resignation vanished.
"You know the rules—if you want to quit, you need to file a resignation request a month in advance." A female colleague sighed. Corey suddenly stood up straight.
"Compared to Director Edward's horror films, unemployment in middle age is far scarier," he said seriously. Motivation surged within him. Because in the end, Edward's horrors were still just movies. Ghosts on screen were played by actors. They couldn't actually crawl out of the screen. But middle-aged unemployment, mortgages, car loans, saving for the future—that was true horror.
The ten auditors exchanged looks, then carried the reel to the screening room. Other colleagues outside glanced at them sympathetically.
Everyone in the Hoenn Film Bureau knew by now—watch anyone's movies, just not Edward's. His films were far too terrifying. With the new immersion technology, watching them felt like you yourself were trapped inside, hunted by ghosts.
And just as Alien had finally finished its run, here came that man again, bringing another new nightmare.
Corey inserted the reel into the projector. The ten sat down in the darkened screening room. Professionalism—or maybe just sheer survival pressure—forced them to straighten up and take the review seriously.
"Alien was just gore and blood, so maybe this won't be too bad. Probably just another film full of killings," the middle-aged colleague next to Corey tried to reassure him. Corey forced a weak smile.
And then Ju-On began.
The opening explained the curse:
A grudge born from those who die with deep hatred. The place where they perished becomes stained with their rage. Whoever enters will themselves die, and a new curse is born.
Strange text flashed on screen, eerie flickers setting Corey's breath uneven.
Then a name appeared—
[Kobayashi Shunsuke]
A man came into view. An ordinary middle-aged man. But Corey instantly sat upright. He recognized the actor—Jim Carrey, a once-famous comedian. His acting skills were superb, but he had never won the award he longed for. He had disappeared from the screen for years.
And now he was suddenly starring in Edward's film.
"Corey… Shunsuke? That's his name?" Corey winced. His own name coincided with the character's. His colleagues noticed too, but none of them laughed. They were all too focused on the screen.
Drawn in, Corey lost himself in the story.
On screen, "Shunsuke" spoke to his pregnant wife during dinner, mentioning a missing student. The boy's name: Toshio Saeki. His parents: Takeo Saeki and Kayako Saeki —once known as Kawamata Kayako, a name Shunsuke remembered from college days.
Kayako, now a mother…
Shunsuke decided to make a home visit to check on Toshio.
After work the next day, he arrived at the Saeki residence. No one answered the bell, so he stepped inside. The house was cluttered with strange drawings. Toshio appeared, silent. Shunsuke tried talking, but the boy barely responded. He pulled out his phone to call Toshio's parents, but at that moment, his wife phoned him instead.
He moved to the window for better reception. Behind him, Toshio suddenly opened his mouth and let out a bizarre, catlike cry. The camera pulled back—to reveal a white-dressed woman watching silently from the second-floor window.
Toshio's segment ended abruptly.
A new name appeared—
[MiMiyuki]
This time, Corey found himself watching from a third-person perspective, beside MiMiyuki, a young tutor. She taught a girl, who then left hurriedly to feed the school rabbits, leaving MiMiyuki alone.
The once-happy household grew eerily silent.
Strange sounds echoed again. MiMiyuki put on her headphones, listening to music. But soon the music warped, glitching into grotesque noises. The sound cut out. For an instant, the world became vacuum-quiet.
Then came the bubbling, rattling noise again.
Corey swallowed hard. The sound felt as though it was directly above him, vibrating from the ceiling. His unease grew unbearable.
Miyuki, too, sensed it and moved toward the door. But as she opened it, the world outside had plunged into black night—though it had been bright daylight only moments ago.
A sudden meow split the silence. A Litten darted inside. Miyuki screamed, scrambling into a closet.
The perspective shifted into Miyuki's eyes.
From inside the closet, Corey stared down at the Litten, fear pressing on his chest. Then—the rattling, bubbling sound again, this time from directly overhead.
Corey slowly raised his head. Above was a dark opening leading into the attic.
Curiosity pulled at him. He climbed up, striking a lighter to see.
In the dim glow, a ghastly face materialized—then lunged at him, icy hands clamping onto his head. He screamed in despair as he was dragged upward into darkness.
"The closet just moved! I'm not watching anymore!" Corey shrieked.
The lights snapped on in the screening room. He clutched his head, still feeling phantom hands gripping his skull.
"Haaah… haaah…" Corey panted heavily, shaken.
"I vote for an adults-only rating," a female colleague whimpered, voice trembling with tears. Corey looked at her sympathetically. He understood—her home had the exact same layout as the movie house.
It was unbearable.
"…Do we keep watching?" a quiet colleague finally asked.
Silence. Then the room darkened once more.
They had no choice. This was their job. If they didn't finish, their livelihoods were at stake.
Corey inhaled deeply. For the first time, he found himself wishing desperately that a movie would just end. Every second felt like years.
On screen, a new name appeared—
[Takeshi]
Corey remembered this name: the son from the Tokunaga family, with a girlfriend named Mizuho. Sweet, ordinary kids.
But now, his name on screen could only mean one thing—death.
Which meant Toshio, the first child, must already be dead.
"…So that kid… was already gone?" Corey shuddered. The film had shifted again, from horror into mystery.
And against his will, Corey found himself drawn deeper in.
(End of Chapter)
TN: I'm certain the names here are incorrect since it doesn't match to any names in the cast but I'm not gonna watch at 11 pm so gg.