The morning bell rang—sharp, cold, too loud for someone who barely slept. I blinked awake, the early light leaking through the curtains. My heart was still heavy from last night's haunting thoughts, but the room felt strangely peaceful.
Except…
Jan wasn't beside me.
I sat up immediately, rubbing my eyes. Her blanket was folded neatly at the edge of the bed. She must have left quietly, I thought. Maybe she didn't want to disturb me.
Still, I felt an uncomfortable pinch in my chest—an uneasiness creeping into my veins.
"Let me check on her," I muttered, slipping into my slippers.
I walked down the corridor to Jan's room. The hallway was oddly quiet—the kind of silence that makes you feel watched. When I reached her door, my stomach tightened.
Locked.
Completely locked.
And no sound inside.
I knocked once—no response.
Twice—nothing.
My breath quickened.
"Jan?" I whispered, pressing my ear to the door.
Silence.
Fear instantly clawed at my stomach. I stepped back, almost trembling. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, but with everything happening recently… anything felt possible.
I rushed down the corridor, scanning the faces of the few students walking around.
"Have you seen Jan?" I asked each one, but all I got were confused looks and shakes of heads.
"No…"
"No idea…"
"I haven't seen her today."
My palms grew sweaty. "Oh no… no no…" I whispered to myself. I couldn't take another disappearance.
I ran back toward my room, almost tripping on my own legs. My fingers shook as I turned the knob—
And there, standing in the middle of my room, holding a towel…
was Jan.
I froze.
My breath caught.
My heart felt like it stopped and restarted again violently.
"Jan—you frightened me!" I gasped.
She blinked innocently. "I did? I heard you rush out of your room. I… I was in the bathroom taking my shower. I didn't want to wake you."
My knees almost buckled in relief. I walked straight to her and hugged her tightly—the tension melting into a shaky breath.
"Please," I muttered into her shoulder, "always tell me when you're going somewhere. I thought something happened."
She hugged me back softly. "I'm sorry, Jina. I didn't mean to scare you."
When we pulled apart, she gave me a tired smile.
"Go shower. It's time for class."
I forced a smile back. "Okay. Wait for me."
I took a quick shower—even though the whole time I felt like something heavy, something unseen, was clinging to the back of my head. Watching. Listening. Wanting to be acknowledged.
By the time we dressed and stepped into the hallway, the building had come alive—students filling every corner, chattering loudly, masking the eerie silence the school carried beneath.
When we entered the class, Jan headed to her usual seat while I dropped into mine. Automatically, my eyes scanned the room.
No Raven.
Again.
Of course.
I bent to pick my notebook from the bag at my feet when suddenly—
Someone grabbed my wrist.
Startled, I jerked up, only to see Jan's tense face.
"Jina," she whispered urgently, "come."
She dragged me outside the classroom, her grip firm but trembling.
"Jan, what is it?" I asked, my heartbeat already rising.
She looked around first, scanning the halls for anyone who might be watching. Then she leaned closer.
"Jina… I have something for you. I know where Yen is living," she said quietly, her voice cracking slightly.
"What?" My eyes widened.
"I think we should start from there," she whispered.
"How did you find out?"
"I asked one of her not-too-close friends," she said. "She told me. Maybe this weekend— we can start."
I stared at Jan with a mix of shock and gratitude.
"Jan… thank you. This helps me more than you know. But…" I placed my hand on hers, "please be careful. I don't want anyone suspecting you."
She nodded and slipped back into class first. I followed minutes later.
Classes ended early, and as always, the students emptied the building like it was on fire. I returned to my room, my mind restless.
My bag lay on the bed where I had dropped it earlier. I sat down, unzipped it, and pulled out my father's camera.
The camera I shouldn't have brought.
I turned it in my hands. Something about it looked… different. A faint scratch across the lens that wasn't there before? A subtle hum I never heard earlier?
I ignored the feeling and pressed the power button.
The screen flickered once… twice…
Then opened to the same content—my father's study room.
Except now…
It was not the same.
The first time I saw the footage, the video showed only one thing:
EUNWOO
written on the wall.
But now—
There was more.
A tall, blurred figure stood against the wall.
Its posture twisted, its movements unnatural.
And my father—
My father was in front of it, shaking violently, his hands raised as if begging for his life.
"No…" I whispered, leaning closer.
My father's voice was faint through the static:
"Please… please—
My blood froze.
Just as the figure moved closer toward him, its head slowly turned—
And looked straight at me through the camera lens.
I dropped the camera instantly.
It hit the ground and burst violently—
Sparks shooting out in bright, angry flashes, sizzling like something alive was dying inside it.
I screamed and stumbled back.
The room smelled like burnt circuits…
My heart pounded so fast I thought I would pass out.
What was that?
That wasn't a camera glitch.
That… thing… wasn't human.
I backed toward the door, unable to take my eyes off the broken camera lying on the floor, its burnt body smoking faintly.
No. No. I couldn't stay in this room.
I ran down the hall toward Jan's room.
Her door was locked again.
"Maybe she went to the cafeteria," I whispered shakily.
But doubt clawed at my thoughts.
Something felt very wrong.
Wrong in the walls.
Wrong in the air.
I stood outside her door, unable to go back. My legs trembled beneath me. My chest tightened with fear. I didn't want to enter my room again—not alone.
What was that thing in the video?
Who—what—killed my father?
Why did the camera change its footage?
I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling cold, my thoughts racing uncontrollably.
"I don't know what's going on…" I whispered to myself. "I don't know how to deal with this. I don't know…"
Running away won't help.
Staying won't help.
I wasn't safe in this school.
I wasn't safe at home either.
My breath shook as I stared down the hallway.
I was still lost in my deep, spiraling thoughts when—
a hand touched my shoulder