“Are you insane?”
Kang Ye-dam, looking menacing as if he was about to throw a punch, put his phone back in his pocket. Except for Han Ji-bin, Eun Ba-da, Yeon Ha-yeon, and me, all the other classmates froze, just glancing at each other nervously.
The air around us thickened, each second stretching into an eternity.
A silent, collective breath was held, the tension palpable enough to cut with a knife.
No one dared to move, fearing they might provoke Kang Ye-dam further.
His gaze swept over the frozen group, a predatory glint in his eyes that promised trouble for anyone who crossed him.
The murmurs that had filled the hallway just moments before had completely vanished, replaced by an eerie silence broken only by the distant sounds of the ocean waves.
Even the usual chatter from the other accommodations seemed to have quieted down, as if the entire world was holding its breath in anticipation of what Kang Ye-dam would do next.
Yeon Ha-yeon’s eyes, in particular, glittered excessively.
Perhaps excited at the prospect of watching a fight, she chewed her yogurt-flavored jelly leisurely, observing the situation outside with keen interest.
Her nonchalance was a stark contrast to the widespread fear, almost a performance of defiance that captivated a few nervous glances.
She seemed to be relishing the unfolding drama, her movements slow and deliberate as she savored her snack.
A faint smile played on her lips, suggesting she found the entire predicament amusing rather than alarming.
It was a peculiar reaction, one that set her apart from the general panic and underscored her unique personality.
She wasn’t one to shy away from excitement, especially when it involved a potential confrontation.
Her focus was entirely on Kang Ye-dam, analyzing his every move with a sharp, almost calculating intensity.
Gulp—
Someone swallowed dryly, the sound disproportionately loud in the sudden silence.
Just as the scowling Ban Eun-hyeol and Ji Gang-han were about to return to the accommodation, Kang Ye-dam grabbed each of their arms and looked towards the window where we were all huddled.
Immediately, one corner of his mouth curled upwards, a sinister smile that sent shivers down my spine.
His grip on their arms was firm, almost possessive, and they winced slightly under his hold.
The expressions on Ban Eun-hyeol and Ji Gang-han’s faces shifted from annoyance to a mixture of dread and resignation.
They knew they were caught, and the implications of being singled out by Kang Ye-dam were never good.
His eyes, fixed on our hidden vantage point, seemed to pierce through the glass, making me feel as if he could see each one of us individually.
“Ah, looks like you got a penalty, huh?”
His face instantly exuded an evil, almost demonic aura.
The shift was startling, transforming him from a typical high school student into something far more menacing.
The casual tone of his voice belied the intensity in his eyes, creating a deeply unsettling contrast.
His smile widened, revealing a flash of teeth that seemed unnaturally sharp in the dim light.
It was a smile that promised retribution, a subtle yet potent threat that hung heavy in the air.
The other students shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between Kang Ye-dam and the two unfortunates he held captive.
A collective gasp, barely audible, rippled through our huddle.
“Hey! You there! Isn’t singing the whole song the penalty?!”
Kang Ye-dam shouted loudly, looking towards our accommodation.
His voice boomed, cutting through the silence and echoing across the open space between us.
It was a challenge, an undeniable declaration of his intent.
No one dared to answer, the fear of his wrath outweighing any desire to speak up.
The students in our group huddled even closer, trying to make themselves invisible.
But Han Ji-bin, always the impulsive one, stepped forward, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled back.
“That’s right! Only a full song counts!”
Then he quickly sat down and hid himself among the classmates to avoid the murderous glares of Ban Eun-hyeol and Ji Gang-han.
His sudden outburst was met with a mixture of disbelief and admiration, quickly followed by nervous glances towards Kang Ye-dam.
Ban Eun-hyeol and Ji Gang-han, now fully aware of their predicament, shot daggers at Han Ji-bin, their eyes promising painful revenge later.
Han Ji-bin, despite his daring, was quick enough to seek refuge, burying himself amidst the other students, his face hidden behind a wall of nervous bodies.
The immediate aftermath of his shout was a stunned silence, followed by a ripple of nervous energy.
“They say so, don’t they?”
Kang Ye-dam said with a charming smile that could captivate anyone who saw it.
It was a sudden, disarming change in his demeanor, a smile so radiant it seemed to banish the previous menace.
At his sight, one by one, the female students clutched their noses and collapsed, seemingly overcome by his unexpected charm.
A few male students even let out surprised gasps.
It was a testament to his peculiar charisma, an almost magical ability to shift moods and command attention.
The air, which had been thick with tension, suddenly felt lighter, though the underlying threat remained.
His eyes, however, still held a mischievous glint that suggested his charming act was merely a prelude to more mischief.
“Why are you even here instead of closing the gate…?”
Ban Eun-hyeol gritted his teeth and asked, glaring at Kang Ye-dam as if he wanted to rip him apart.
His voice was strained, a desperate attempt to maintain some semblance of control in the humiliating situation.
The frustration was evident in every line of his body. Kang Ye-dam shrugged at the question and pointed towards the Saryeoni Forest Path, where the gate had reportedly appeared.
“Do Yi-hyun went there. I didn’t need to go too, that’s what I mean.”
Then he crossed his arms, tilted his head, and added, with a casualness that grated on Ban Eun-hyeol’s nerves,
“Now, shall we get to the full song?”
After that, Ban Eun-hyeol and Ji Gang-han’s humiliating moment, which would be remembered for ages, unfolded before the entire student body, who were secretly watching.
It was a performance of reluctant talent, full of off-key notes and exaggerated movements, much to the amusement of Kang Ye-dam and the mortification of the two singers.
The air was filled with suppressed giggles and the occasional outright burst of laughter.
Even Yeon Ha-yeon, who usually maintained her cool, had to stifle a chuckle behind her hand.
The spectacle was truly unforgettable, a moment that cemented Kang Ye-dam’s reputation as a master of manipulation and a harbinger of public embarrassment.
The two boys, red-faced and visibly uncomfortable, stumbled through the song, their voices cracking in places, their movements stiff and uncoordinated.
It was a scene of pure, unadulterated humiliation, and everyone present knew they were witnessing a truly legendary moment in their school trip history.
***
The game continued.
The King’s Game couldn’t proceed any further because Ban Eun-hyeol fiercely glared and burned all the papers with numbers and penalties, his temper flaring after his public ordeal.
His frustration was so intense that small embers seemed to dance around his fingertips as the papers turned to ash.
The atmosphere, which had been lightened by the singing, now carried a faint scent of burnt paper and lingering anger.
Ji Gang-han, standing beside him, nodded in agreement, his own face a mask of annoyance.
The other students wisely decided not to press the issue, sensing that pushing Ban Eun-hyeol any further would lead to even worse consequences.
So, the game they came up with was hide-and-seek.
The tagger wore a blindfold and walked around the living room, and the person caught became the next tagger.
It was a simple game, but once you played it, you really got into it.
The simplicity of the rules belied the intensity of the experience.
Anticipation hung in the air, each rustle or whisper amplified in the darkness.
Groups huddled together, devising strategies, their faces illuminated by the dim light filtering in from the outside.
The game began after the classmate chosen as the tagger put on a blindfold and turned off the living room lights.
The tension doubled because someone had turned off the lights, saying it was more fun when you couldn’t see.
The sudden plunge into darkness heightened the senses, making every sound and whisper more pronounced.
The tagger slowly took a step forward, their movements cautious and deliberate, their hands outstretched into the blackness.
The air itself seemed to vibrate with suppressed giggles and nervous anticipation.
The game transformed from a simple childhood pastime into an immersive, heart-pounding experience.
Amidst the quiet, with no one making a sound, a friend standing behind me moved and nudged a bag of snacks on the floor.
At the same moment the rustling sound occurred, the tagger’s head snapped in my direction.
Their movement was like a scene from a horror movie, swift and unnervingly precise, as if they had a supernatural ability to pinpoint the exact location of the noise.
My heart leaped into my throat.
The soft rustle, barely audible, had somehow echoed through the silent room like a thunderclap.
The tagger’s blindfolded face, turned directly towards me, felt intensely menacing even though they couldn’t see.
The tagger quickly started approaching this way.
I hurriedly left my spot and headed towards the wall with the curtains, hoping the fabric would offer some concealment.
Ban Eun-hyeol was already there, leisurely leaning against it, watching the tagger move around the center of the living room with an almost bored expression.
He seemed completely unconcerned, his casual posture a stark contrast to my own rising panic.
The darkness made his outline a little blurry, but I could still make out the faint sheen of his eyes as he followed the tagger’s progress.
In the past, I would have moved to another spot, but ever since Ban Eun-hyeol gifted me a bookshelf, he had been speaking to me casually like a friend, making me quite comfortable.
The unexpected kindness had broken down some of the initial barriers, and now, being near him didn’t feel as daunting.
When no sound was heard, the tagger, who had been spinning in place, stopped and turned towards my direction, their senses apparently zeroing in on our general area.
A shiver ran down my spine.
Then they boldly approached this way.
Just then, Ban Eun-hyeol put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me towards him, pressing me tightly against the wall.
I had been about to move away as the tagger’s hand came very close, but I froze on the spot, my breath catching in my throat.
The tagger’s hand fumbled right in front of my face, so close I could feel the slight displacement of air, caught nothing but empty space, and was then withdrawn, moving on to blindly search other areas.
My body was stiff with a mixture of surprise and fear, my muscles locked in place by the sudden proximity and the imminent danger.
Ban Eun-hyeol bent down and looked at me, mouthing words.
‘Stay here.’
Pressed tightly against the wall in a crumpled posture, I nodded, my heart hammering against my ribs, and carefully watched the tagger’s movements.
They seemed certain there was someone in our direction and absolutely refused to go anywhere else, their blind search becoming increasingly concentrated around our hiding spot.
The darkness amplified the sounds of their shuffling feet and their heavy breathing, making their presence feel even more imposing.
Every second felt like an eternity, stretched thin by the palpable tension.
Just as it was starting to feel awkward being so close to Ban Eun-hyeol, the tagger turned in another direction, seemingly giving up on our area for the moment.
It felt like the tension released all at once, a sudden exhalation of relief that left me lightheaded.
My muscles, which had been rigid, slowly relaxed.
The game continued, but the immediate threat had passed.
Ban Eun-hyeol’s hand slowly slipped from my shoulder.
My heart pounded as if it would burst, a frantic rhythm against my ribs.
I couldn’t tell if it was because I had almost been caught by the tagger, or because of the sudden physical contact, the unexpected intimacy of his arm around me.
The part of my shoulder where Ban Eun-hyeol’s hand had touched felt hot, a lingering warmth that seemed to spread through my entire arm.
A strange flutter ignited in my chest, an unfamiliar sensation that added to the lingering adrenaline.
***
After playing the game for a while, we each took a break, the energy of the hide-and-seek having run its course.
Those who wanted to watch TV gathered in front of the TV, drinking the snacks and drinks spread out in the living room, a collective sigh of contentment filling the air.
Friends who wanted to chat scattered into their own groups, their voices a low hum of conversation.
The living room became a mosaic of activity, a comfortable blend of individual pursuits and shared relaxation.
The earlier tension had completely dissipated, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and ease.
Yeon Ha-yeon and I, however, opted for a change of scenery and went for a walk on the beach in front of the accommodation.
The lights from the pension spilled onto the dark night sea, creating a rather atmospheric walking path, the golden glow dancing on the gentle waves.
We walked along the sand, the cool grains shifting beneath our feet, mainly talking about the Blood Scent Guild and the news we saw on the bus before coming to Jeju Island.
The rhythmic sound of the waves provided a calming backdrop to our conversation.
“Yeon Hyeong-gwang is also just waiting for you to join our guild. Whenever you want to participate in guild activities, just tell me, and I’ll add you right away,” Yeon Ha-yeon said, her voice earnest.
She truly seemed to believe I would be a valuable addition.
“Then I’d be grateful. Thanks to you, I don’t have to worry about guilds,” I replied, forcing a smile.
It was a blatant lie.
Even as I spoke, I had to worry that Yeon Ha-yeon might notice my lie.
My heart thrummed with the anxiety of discovery.
I was particularly bad at lying, my discomfort usually betraying me.
The words felt heavy on my tongue, tainted by the deceit.
My gaze darted away, hoping to avoid her perceptive eyes.
While we were talking, a cheer erupted from the area above the pension, a celebratory roar that carried clearly on the night air.
I looked up in the direction of the sound and saw the awakeners, led by Do Yi-hyun, returning like heroes after closing the gate, their figures silhouetted against the dim light, a sense of triumph radiating from them.
They walked with a swagger, confident in their recent success.
[â–¶Kiyomiâ—†(9): Sashimi! Where are you? We brought fireworks, let’s do them together >_<]
Just then, a chat window appeared in front of my eyes, an overlay of digital text on my real-world vision.
I blurred my vision, pretending not to see anything, hoping it would simply fade away.
But then Yeon Ha-yeon’s reply appeared afterward, her swift response indicating she had seen it too.
[Sashimi(1): Beach in front of the pension.]
[â—†Kiyomiâ—†(9): I’ll head over there! ^0^]
“The Four Heavenly Kings are coming soon. They said they bought a fireworks set, it might be worth watching. Right?”
Yeon Ha-yeon said, a touch of excitement in her voice.
“Oh, a school trip just isn’t complete without fireworks,” I replied, a soulless answer slipping out.
Having already known the information from the chat window, my enthusiasm felt forced, a hollow echo of her genuine excitement.
However, Yeon Ha-yeon didn’t seem to care about my reply, her attention already focused on the upcoming fireworks.
It was just as I was walking, letting out a sigh of relief that my unenthusiastic response hadn’t been noticed, that a male student I didn’t recognize ran up and called Yeon Ha-yeon, his voice urgent.
“They’re gathering the class presidents and vice presidents from each class! It seems like there’s an announcement?”
“What kind of announcement?”
Yeon Ha-yeon asked, her brow furrowed in curiosity.
“I don’t know? Don’t we have to go see?” the boy replied, shrugging.
At his words, Yeon Ha-yeon obediently turned towards the Gamsung High School accommodation, her interest piqued.
She tried to take me with her, extending a hand, but I quickly said I wanted to walk a bit more on the beach, feigning a sudden desire for solitude.
I gently squeezed her hand and then released it, sending Yeon Ha-yeon off alone and staying behind by myself on the night beach.
The soft sound of the waves provided a comforting presence in the ensuing quiet.
Perhaps because it wasn’t very bright and quite dark, there were no other students seen walking on the night beach, just me and the vast expanse of the ocean.
The stars, usually obscured by city lights, were surprisingly clear, twinkling like scattered diamonds in the inky sky.
Whoosh—
As I walked alone, listening to the rhythmic sound of the waves in the quiet place, it felt as if all my worries and stress had flown away with the salty breeze.
The vastness of the ocean, stretching out before me under the blanket of night, offered a sense of profound calm.
I had just found a spot, sat down, pulled my knees up to my chest, and was gazing at the sea, lost in the tranquil beauty of the moment, when a voice shattered the peace.
“You, you’re Dana, aren’t you?”
The unknown boy who had conveyed the gathering message to Yeon Ha-yeon earlier walked over and asked, his voice unexpectedly close in the quiet night.
He stood a few feet away, his silhouette barely visible against the darker backdrop of the unlit beach.
“Yes, why?”
I replied, a hint of caution in my voice. His sudden appearance was unsettling.
“Someone was calling you over there,” he said, gesturing vaguely further down the beach.
“Who?”
I asked, standing up slowly, a sense of unease starting to prickle at the back of my neck.
“I don’t know. I didn’t know him,” he replied, his explanation vague and unconvincing.
It didn’t seem like the Four Heavenly Kings who were bringing the fireworks set; they would have just called my name loudly.
I was trying to guess who it could be, shaking off the sand from my clothes and getting up, just about to follow the boy’s steps, when a sudden, chilling sensation washed over me.
Someone abruptly approached from behind and cast a mind control skill.
The world seemed to warp for a split second, my thoughts becoming hazy, as if a thick fog had descended over my mind.
A strange compulsion began to settle in, a subtle nudge to follow the boy without question.
My steps, previously hesitant, became automatic, drawn forward by an unseen force.
“Huh? Isn’t that Dana over there?”
Han Ji-bin, who had entered the beach carrying an armful of pre-prepared fireworks, looked in one direction and said, his voice carrying clearly in the night air.
Where his gaze landed, an unfamiliar boy and Dana were walking somewhere together, their figures growing smaller in the distance.
The sight immediately struck him as odd, a deviation from the expected.
Ban Eun-hyeol’s brow furrowed as he saw the scene, a flash of concern crossing his face.
Seeing this, Han Ji-bin called out to Dana in a loud voice, his voice echoing across the sand.
“Dana! Dana, Dana!”
But no matter how much he called, Dana didn’t even turn her head towards the Four Heavenly Kings, as if she couldn’t hear.
Her steps remained steady, her attention seemingly solely on the boy beside her.
She just kept walking, following the boy, her form receding further and further into the darkness.
A knot of unease began to tighten in Ban Eun-hyeol’s stomach.
Ban Eun-hyeol, with his long strides, walked quickly, intending to grab Dana himself, a grim determination set on his face.
The distance between them seemed to shrink rapidly with his powerful steps.
As he got closer to Dana, Ban Eun-hyeol blinked and immediately realized what had happened before his eyes. Dana was gone.
The boy, who seemed to be from Iljin Commercial High School, and Dana had evaporated from the sand without a trace, leaving only faint footprints in their wake.
A flustered Ban Eun-hyeol tried to sense their presence, his spiritual senses reaching out into the night, but Dana’s presence couldn’t be felt nearby.
It was as if they had simply vanished into thin air.
“What bastard had the guts to pull a stunt like this,” Ban Eun-hyeol expressed his rage, spitting out the words, his voice low and dangerous.
A vein throbbed visibly on his forehead.
He indiscriminately summoned low-level fire spirits to search the surroundings, sending them darting through the air like tiny, glowing orbs.
He needed to find out quickly where Dana had disappeared to.
His hands clenched into fists, his aura practically radiating fury.
Ji Gang-han, Eun Ba-da, and Han Ji-bin also understood the gravity of the situation and quickly summoned their own low-level spirits to search not only the vicinity but also the entire Jeju Island, spreading out in a coordinated effort.
The air filled with the faint hum of summoned energy as their spirits fanned out, their combined efforts aimed at locating the vanished girl.
The lighthearted mood of the evening had abruptly evaporated, replaced by a desperate search.
Just then, Yeon Ha-yeon was walking towards the Four Heavenly Kings, gripping an Iljin Commercial High School student by the collar, her eyes blazing with an intense fury.
The male student, who couldn’t utter a single word while being dragged by the collar, his feet barely touching the sand, was unceremoniously thrown onto the sand, landing with a soft thud.
His eyes were wide with fear, and he scrambled backward, trying to distance himself from the enraged Yeon Ha-yeon.
“Where is Dana?”
Yeon Ha-yeon asked, her sharp eyes glaring fiercely.
This question was directed at the Four Heavenly Kings, her gaze demanding answers.
But when Ban Eun-hyeol and the others shook their heads, saying they didn’t know, a chilling stillness descended upon Yeon Ha-yeon.
She changed her target, her gaze now piercing the cowering Iljin Commercial High School student.
“Where is Dana?”
It was the exact same question, word for word, as before.
The intonation and the emotion in her voice were chillingly identical to before, devoid of warmth or hesitation, a terrifyingly precise repetition that sent shivers down my spine.
The male student suddenly began to grin like a madman, a disturbing, vacant smile that spread across his face, as if he were under some kind of spell.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
His voice was flat, devoid of emotion, making his words even more unsettling.
At those words, Ban Eun-hyeol, with a vein throbbing on his forehead, stepped forward to punish him directly, his patience completely worn thin.
He roughly grabbed the Iljin Commercial High School student by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground, and warned him in a low growl, his voice laced with menace.
“If you don’t want to die, you’d better spill it.”
The Iljin Commercial High School student, trembling slightly at the menacing warning from the #1 ranked individual, kept glancing at the phone in his hand as if he needed to check something, his eyes darting towards it with an almost desperate urgency.
The phone was immediately snatched by Ban Eun-hyeol, his movements swift and decisive.
“So this is how you’re communicating, huh?”
Ban Eun-hyeol said, shaking the phone in front of its owner, a dawning realization spreading across his face.
He instinctively understood something; they were operating as a group, meticulously planning this abduction.
“Hey, let go,” the male student, who had been resisting and screaming as if he had some loyalty to uphold, also succumbed to the murderous aura of the Four Heavenly Kings and Yeon Ha-yeon.
His struggles weakened, his voice dying down to a whimper.
Just as they were about to figure out the password, unlock the phone, and start digging through messages for clues, a text arrived.
It was a message with an attached photo, the screen of the phone lighting up with the new notification, a chilling beacon in the darkness.
She’s supposed to be A rank technically S rank and she gets easily subdued THAT EASILY. What kind of crap writing is this