During lunch break, Kim Do-Yoon dragged his friend Park Min-Jae to the cafeteria.
"Bro, sit down. This is serious," Do-Yoon said, pulling a chair.
Min-Jae lazily sat down with his tray. "If this is about that 'truck man' again, I'm leaving."
"I'm not joking!" Do-Yoon said, leaning forward with a serious face.
Min-Jae stared at him… then started eating like nothing happened.
"Bro… are you even listening?" Do-Yoon complained.
"Yeah, yeah," Min-Jae said with a bored face. "A man got hit, stood up, walked away… sounds like a movie."
"I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES!" Do-Yoon shouted.
Some students looked at them.
Min-Jae slowly moved his chair away. "Bro, why are you shouting? People will think you're crazy."
Do-Yoon facepalmed. "I'm trying to tell you the truth!"
Min-Jae took a bite. "Then show me proof."
Do-Yoon froze for a second… then his eyes became serious.
"Fine," he said. "I promise. I'll make a video and show you."
Min-Jae shrugged. "Okay, bro. Do it. This might actually be fun."
That night, everything went normal.
After dinner, Do-Yoon stood up.
"I'm going to sleep early," he said.
His sister looked at him suspiciously. "That's new…"
"Yeah… I'm tired," he replied, avoiding eye contact.
A few minutes later, he quietly left the house.
Outside, the cold night air hit his face.
Before starting, he called Min-Jae.
"Bro, I'm going now," Do-Yoon said.
Min-Jae yawned. "You're serious about this?"
"Of course."
Then suddenly—
"Wait, bro," Min-Jae said. "Why don't you video call me?"
Do-Yoon blinked. "Huh?"
"So I can see everything live," Min-Jae said. "If something happens, I'll watch it directly."
Do-Yoon's eyes lit up. "That's actually a good idea."
"Of course it is," Min-Jae smirked. "Now hurry up. Entertain me."
Do-Yoon started walking through the empty streets, holding his phone.
The video call was on.
"Bro, I don't see anything," Min-Jae said.
"Shut up and watch," Do-Yoon replied.
Minutes passed.
Then an hour.
Then two hours.
Both were exhausted.
"Bro… I'm sleepy…" Min-Jae said, half lying on his bed.
"I'm tired too…" Do-Yoon muttered, walking slowly. "Why can't I find him?"
Min-Jae laughed. "Because he doesn't exist."
"Just wait," Do-Yoon said.
"Bro, give up," Min-Jae replied. "Let's go to sleep—"
Suddenly, both of them went silent.
Do-Yoon stopped walking.
His breathing became heavy.
"…Bro," he whispered.
Min-Jae sat up. "What?"
Do-Yoon slowly turned his phone.
"There… look…"
Under a streetlight, a man was standing.
Looking directly at him.
Min-Jae's smile disappeared.
"…Bro… that's not funny…"
The man's body looked wrong.
Dark liquid dripped from him… like something was not normal.
Do-Yoon's hands started shaking.
"…It's him…"
The man took a step forward.
Do-Yoon panicked and turned around.
"RUN!" Min-Jae shouted.
Do-Yoon started running.
His footsteps echoed loudly in the empty street.
"Bro, keep running!" Min-Jae yelled.
Do-Yoon looked back—
The man was suddenly right behind him.
"WHAT?!" Do-Yoon screamed.
"How is he so fast?!" Min-Jae shouted.
Do-Yoon ran faster.
But no matter how far he ran—
The man kept appearing behind him.
Like he was teleporting.
"There's no escape!" Do-Yoon cried.
The phone shook in his hand.
"Bro, I'll help—" Min-Jae started.
Suddenly—
The call ended.
"BRO?!" Min-Jae shouted from the other side.
Do-Yoon kept running.
His breath became heavier.
Then suddenly—
Everything went dark.
He stopped.
"…Where am I…?"
The street was gone.
Instead—
He saw two figures.
His eyes widened.
"…Mom…? Dad…?"
They were there.
But something was wrong.
They were screaming.
"HELP US!""DO-YOON!"
"No… no…" Do-Yoon stepped forward, shaking. "Stop…"
He tried to move, but his body felt frozen.
He could only watch.
Their voices echoed again and again.
"HELP US!"
Do-Yoon covered his ears. "STOP IT!"
His vision blurred.
His mind broke under the pressure.
Morning Again
"Oppa! Wake up!"
Do-Yoon suddenly opened his eyes.
He was back in his bed.
Sweating heavily.
Breathing fast.
"…Again…?" he whispered.
His sister stood there. "Why do you look like that? Bad dream?"
Do-Yoon stayed silent.
The day went normal again.
School. Classes. Everything.
But his mind was not normal.
The Truth
During break, Min-Jae rushed to him.
"BRO!" he shouted.
Do-Yoon looked at him.
"…You saw it too, right?" Do-Yoon said quietly.
Min-Jae grabbed his shoulders.
"What happened to you last night?!" Min-Jae asked. "Are you okay?!"
Do-Yoon's heart dropped.
So it wasn't a dream.
Min-Jae saw everything.
The running.
The man.
The fear.
Do-Yoon slowly clenched his fists.
"…It's real," he whispered.
And this time—
There was no doubt.
Something was coming for him
During lunch break, Kim Do-Yoon and Park Min-Jae sat in the cafeteria again. Both looked serious this time.
"…So what do we do now?" Min-Jae asked, staring at his food.
Do-Yoon crossed his arms. "We saw the same thing. That means it's real."
Min-Jae nodded slowly. "Yeah… but what is it?"
Silence.
Both of them just stared at the table.
"…I have no idea," Do-Yoon said.
"Same," Min-Jae replied.
Another silence.
Then Do-Yoon suddenly spoke, "Let's tell others."
Min-Jae looked at him. "You sure?"
"Yeah. Maybe someone knows something."
A few minutes later…
"YOU TWO ARE CRAZY!"
The entire cafeteria burst into laughter.
"No way a man got hit and stood up!""Stop watching too many movies!""They've lost it!"
Do-Yoon and Min-Jae sat there, completely embarrassed.
"…I regret this," Min-Jae muttered.
"Same," Do-Yoon sighed.
Both of them slowly walked back to their seats, feeling hopeless.
"What do we do now, bro?" Min-Jae asked.
Do-Yoon looked down. "I don't know…"
Min-Jae suddenly raised a finger. "Wait! I got an idea!"
Do-Yoon's eyes lit up. "Really?! What is it?!"
Min-Jae froze.
"…I forgot."
Do-Yoon stared at him blankly. "Bro…"
"Give me a second," Min-Jae said, closing his eyes. "It was something genius…"
A few seconds passed.
"…Yeah, it's gone," he said.
Do-Yoon facepalmed. "Can you be serious for once?!"
Min-Jae leaned back on his chair. "What's the point? We can't do anything. That thing is not normal."
Do-Yoon looked at him for a moment.
Then suddenly—
He stood up and slammed his hands on the table.
"BRO! DON'T GIVE UP!" he shouted.
Min-Jae jumped. "Why are you shouting again?!"
Do-Yoon pointed at him dramatically. "We are the main characters of our own story!"
"…What?" Min-Jae blinked.
"We survived that night!" Do-Yoon continued. "We ran, we saw everything, and we are still alive!"
Min-Jae slowly sat straight.
"So what if it's scary?" Do-Yoon said. "We're bros! We face it together!"
Min-Jae's eyes started to shine.
"Bro…"
"And also," Do-Yoon added, "if we don't solve this, we might keep getting nightmares forever!"
Min-Jae suddenly stood up. "NO, NOT THAT! I NEED MY SLEEP!"
"Then fight back!" Do-Yoon said.
Min-Jae clenched his fist. "Yeah… you're right, bro!"
"Say it!" Do-Yoon said.
"We are bros!" Min-Jae shouted.
"We are not scared!" Do-Yoon added.
"We are a little scared," Min-Jae corrected.
"…Yeah, a little," Do-Yoon agreed.
Both nodded seriously.
Then Do-Yoon leaned closer. "I got an idea."
Min-Jae whispered, "Tell me."
"We go find that man again."
Min-Jae nodded. "Okay…"
"And if he shows illusions," Do-Yoon continued, "we do nothing."
Min-Jae blinked. "…That's the plan?"
"Yes."
"That's a terrible plan."
"I know."
"…But we don't have anything better."
"Exactly."
Both looked at each other.
"…Let's do it."
That night, Do-Yoon stood near the door.
"I'm going to sleep early," he said to his sister.
She narrowed her eyes. "Why do I feel like you're lying?"
"I'm not," he said quickly.
Meanwhile, at Min-Jae's house—
"Mom, I have to study with a friend," Min-Jae said.
"At night?" she asked.
"…Yes," he replied.
After some effort, both finally escaped their homes.
Under the dark sky, they met on the empty street.
Do-Yoon looked at Min-Jae.
Min-Jae looked at Do-Yoon.
A cold wind passed by.
Min-Jae put his hands in his pockets and said,
"So bro… now what?"