Chapter 100.
Min-ji just now.
Doubted the words of the woman in front of her.
Doubted her own ears.
But as if to confirm that doubt, the high school girl before her repeated the same question persistently.
Relentlessly.
“Does someone named Han-sol like a man named Park Yeon-jeong?”
“…….”
Min-ji answered the question with silence. Naturally, the other party showed no intention of backing down.
“So does she like him? she has feelings for him, doesn’t she?”
“…….”
The endless obsession of a high school girl.
Min-ji knew something was going terribly wrong right now.
But she was painfully aware that she had already missed the time to run away.
Min-ji, at this moment.
Had been caught by the ankle by this strange high school girl.
“I’ve heard in the media that silence can be taken as affirmation. So, she does like our Master… Indeed, Master is quite a charming person. That much is undeniable.”
“…….”
Master, she says.
Referring to that man, Park Yeon-jeong, with such an absurd title as ‘Master.’
There was only one assumption Min-ji could make.
‘This high school girl, sister…’
Is crazy.
Completely and utterly crazy.
She could tell from just a few words that this was someone she should never associate with.
Of course, Min-ji understood Han-sol’s feelings.
‘Sister must have assigned this girl to my team because she was worried about me…’
But she picked the wrong person to ask.
‘Sister… This person is weird.’
Min-ji decided not to answer any of this crazy girl’s questions. She didn’t even plan to make eye contact.
“W-wait! Don’t tell me you’ve already spent the night with our Master… or something.”
“…….”
“Was I… not enough for you? Master…”
Min-ji sincerely resolved not to engage with the girl in front of her.
*****
“…This place.”
The members of Team 6, who had moved to the location where the third test would take place.
The first one to start surveying the surroundings was Han-sol.
Calmly, she assessed the atmosphere of the space they had moved into and checked for potential dangers.
Under the intermittent glow of streetlights, a space thick with darkness.
A playground of considerable size, the kind where children would usually play.
No one would think the space they had landed in was an ordinary playground.
Han-sol slowly surveyed this playground and swallowed dryly.
This was the third time.
Since falling into this strange world, this was the third time she had set foot in such a bizarre space.
A grotesque library.
A grotesque circus tent.
And now, this grotesque playground.
In the previous two locations, she had barely survived with someone’s help.
She had always relied on someone else’s help.
Since falling into this world, the days have piled up with a growing sense of helplessness, like accumulating mileage.
It felt as if her own existence was shrinking endlessly.
‘This can’t go on…’
She couldn’t keep living like this, always depending on others.
She couldn’t stay behind forever.
And the moment the name ‘Park Yeon-jeong’ was mentioned by that Man with black flames in the circus tent, it was like a jolt to her senses.
This time, she thought it was her turn to help him.
Han-sol had applied to this GRA for one sole purpose: to meet that one ghost story again.
So, more than anyone else, she desperately wanted to pass this test.
No more…
She didn’t want to fall behind anymore.
“…Sister?”
“!”
When the whisper of a girl reached Han-sol’s ears.
Her gaze slowly fell upon Hye-seon, who was looking at her with worried eyes.
Hye-seon, one of the victims who had fallen into this strange world like Han-sol.
Kim Hye-seon.
‘…Pull yourself together.’
Han-sol’s own anxiety was spreading to the others around her.
Han-sol’s current goal wasn’t just that Man with black flame.
She was also the sole protector of these two girls.
‘I can’t act like a child myself.’
Han-sol, as always, wore a calm smile on her lips.
“Hye-seon. If things get dangerous, don’t forget to take off the bracelet, okay?”
“…I-I can do it too! I’ll pass this test with you and Min-ji!”
“…Yeah. Let’s both do our best.”
Hye-seon might always seem clumsy on the outside, but her heart was warmer and more thoughtful than anyone else’s.
And compared to what Han-sol had worried about, there didn’t seem to be any obvious emotional changes yet.
That was a relief.
But,
They weren’t the only ones in this space.
In the very center of this dimly lit playground, a man stood with his hands on his hips, boldly shouting.
“I never thought I’d see this place in real life! This feels surreal!”
“…….”
Even if the ghost story they had brought was for the test, Han-sol couldn’t help but fixate on Ryu Jin-ho, the man who maintained that absurd composure.
Ryu Jin-ho spent a long time surveying the surroundings.
Whoosh—!
His gaze eventually landed on the two girls.
“But for me, it’s a piece of cake! You two! Just follow me, and we’ll clear this E-grade ghost story in no time. Don’t fall behind, keep up!”
“…….”
His tone made it sound like he already knew about this ghost story.
And in the aura emanating from Ryu Jin-ho, Han-sol felt the same dissonance she had sensed from Park Yeon-jeong, the man who had saved them.
So, Han-sol wanted to ask.
“You’re Ryu Jin-ho, right?”
“Oh no, don’t tell me you’re already falling for me…”
“You were in that ‘library,’ weren’t you?”
“…….”
Han-sol’s voice grew sharper.
“I remember. You were with that man, Nam Yi-ryeong, outside.”
“…….”
At Han-sol’s question, Ryu Jin-ho fell silent.
The lips that had never once stopped smiling began to tremble slightly.
When Ryu Jin-ho’s voice echoed through the space again.
He was…
Laughing.
“You survived that library? Was there another escape route besides the interview room? Or… do you also know about the <Ghost Story Record Storage> ?”
Ghost Story Record Storage ?
Escape route?
She didn’t know.
Han-sol had no idea what Ryu Jin-ho was talking about.
But one thing was certain.
This man, Ryu Jin-ho, knew.
His actions and tone were proof that he knew what this world was.
And if, even inside that library.
He had already known an escape route.
If Park Yeon-jeong hadn’t told them to fill out the application…
They would have died.
Right there.
Unlike Park Yeon-jeong, Ryu Jin-ho and Nam Yi-ryeong hadn’t tried to save anyone else.
Crack—
As Han-sol’s fist tightened.
Ryu Jin-ho began to act friendly toward her, as if he had met a long-lost classmate.
“I never thought I’d meet ‘one of us’ in a place like this… Perfect! I was just thinking I needed female members…”
“No, thanks.”
Twitch—
Ryu Jin-ho’s lips trembled slightly again.
“You’re really… quite a rude girl, interrupting me twice.”
“If that’s how you feel, then good. And I’d prefer not to get involved with you any further.”
Han-sol grabbed Hye-seon’s hand and moved away from Ryu Jin-ho. Completely disregarding his presence, she walked forward silently.
But Han-sol sensed danger.
An instinctive feeling wrapped around her body, telling her to stay far away from Ryu Jin-ho.
And she vowed not to make the same choice as him.
She would never abandon someone else and run away alone.
‘Because Yeon-jeong would never do that.’
Whoosh—
Soon, a sinister atmosphere enveloped the entire space.
It was indescribable, but it felt like someone was watching.
And before long.
【Hide and seek~ I see your hair.】
【Hide and seek~ I see your hair.】
【Hide and seek~ I see your hair.】
A chilling voice echoed repeatedly.
Instinctively, Han-sol whispered to Hye-seon.
“Don’t move.”
Somehow, she felt that moving would be a bad idea.
In response to Han-sol’s reaction, Ryu Jin-ho’s loud voice rang out from behind them.
“Oh! Good reaction.”
He let out an exaggerated exclamation in a playful tone.
But,
The next words from Ryu Jin-ho carried a hint of laughter.
“But, this is hide-and-seek, right?”
…Hide-and-seek?
……!
“Hye-seon! Run!”
Creak—
A sinister smile spread across Ryu Jin-ho’s lips.
“So, you’re not one of us after all?”
Han-sol turned her gaze toward Ryu Jin-ho, but he had already vanished.
She’d been tricked.
‘…No, this is my fault.’
She had acted rashly, swayed by her emotions. Soon, a sinister voice pierced Han-sol and Hye-seon’s ears.
【Found you~】
Thud—
A girl in a red dress materialized from Han-sol’s shadow.
In the girl’s hand was a kitchen knife.
A kitchen knife drenched in red blood.
Swish—!
!!
“sister!”
At Hye-seon’s loud cry.
Just before the blade could pierce Han-sol’s abdomen.
Tap, tap, tap—
Along with the familiar sound of footsteps.
【…Huh?】
When Han-sol opened her eyes again, the knife should have already stabbed her.
Instead, a massive black figure came into view.
To be precise.
A giant teddy bear, the size of an adult, stood before her.
“……A teddy bear?”
Its appearance was familiar.
The giant teddy bear, radiating familiarity, immediately grabbed the wrist of the girl in the red dress.
Whoosh—!
Without hesitation, it flung her far, far away.
“…….”
“…….”
A single giant teddy bear.
Had resolved the situation in an instant.
As Han-sol stared at the giant teddy bear, Hye-seon urgently grabbed her hand.
“S-Sister! Run! Hurry!”
“……Yeah.”
Han-sol let Hye-seon lead her away.
Tap, tap—
The giant teddy bear twisted its body toward Han-sol, raising its stuffed arm high.
Sway, sway—
It began waving left and right.
As Han-sol stared at the giant teddy bear, a forgotten memory seeped into her mind like a stain.
The person who had left an unforgettable memory in her.
—The Man with black flame.
That being.
‘Is he… here right now?’
And as Han-sol and Hye-seon safely ran away, one person…
…Haa.
Let out a deep sigh.
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Thanks for the chapter—and wow, 100 chapters! Thanks also for the hard work you put into translating this story!