Monday Service (1)

My consciousness was clear, but my body wouldn’t move.
It felt like my mind was trapped in a huge prison called my body.

This feeling.
This is sleep paralysis!

How long has it been since I last experienced sleep paralysis?
At first, I didn’t think much of it, but as time passed, I began to feel scared.
Because I felt someone continuously watching me.

Suddenly, a story came to mind about how if you leave a chair by your bedside, a ghost would sit there all night watching you sleep. If that’s true…?
I need to get up now!

“Ugh!”

After giving my whole body a hard push, I finally regained my senses.
Soon, I locked eyes with the eyes that were watching me.

“Dahee, what are you doing?”

“Watching.”

Yoo Dahee was sitting in a chair, watching me.
She was already in her school uniform.

“Youngwon, we need to go to school.”

“School?”

I was out of it.
Then I remembered it was Monday.

The time was 7 AM on Monday.
If I got ready now, I wouldn’t be late for school.

“You’re sweating a lot. Youngwon, did you have a bad dream?”

Yoo Dahee asked me.
Yeah.
I had a nightmare last night!

*Ding*

Soon, letters floated in front of me.

Congratulations!

You have safely returned from the Nightmare Corridor!

Calculating rewards for 2 survivors and 1 death.

Oh, shit!
Amazing points!

540 points… that’s like 5.4 million won in cash!
I earned 5.4 million won in one night!
And I got an item.

Luxury Bag
You can start your journey with up to 2 items.

Oh…!
It’s like an inventory that lets you carry up to 2 items at the start!
It’s a lower version of Yang Juhui’s trait, “Tool User,” but still, it’s something!

For a moment, I felt happy, but the next letters chilled my mind.

One person who died acquires an Eccentricity.
Yang Juhui ◀ Click to view

Yang Juhui: Kleptomania
There are many reasons why they steal. But the endings for most thieves are quite similar.

Death.
Although I had just woken up and was still out of it, I could clearly remember Yang Juhui’s death.

We entered the Nightmare Corridor and used the talisman from the basement to help Jeong Seok escape. Yang Juhui was killed by an unknown ghost, and I somehow managed to escape.
Everything began to come back vividly.

“……”

I looked at Yoo Dahee, who was sitting on a chair, swinging her legs.

Last night, we met Yoo Dahee in the corridor.
And in my case, I even saw Yoo Dahee being horribly devoured alive.

“Why?”

But Yoo Dahee tilted her head as if she knew nothing.
She looked very innocent and pure.

Really?
Is that really so?
Is Yoo Dahee really innocent and pure?
I asked Yoo Dahee.

“Dahee, did you have a dream yesterday?”

“Dream?”

“Just… I’ve heard that many people have bad dreams when they sleep at my house. I was wondering if you were okay. Didn’t you have a nightmare or anything?”

“Um… um… I don’t know. I don’t think I had any dreams. I slept well.”

Is that a lie?
Or is it true?

In this “Nightmare Corridor,” I thought I had learned a lot about Yoo Dahee, but she was still a girl with many question marks.

I decided to wash up.
And while Yoo Dahee wasn’t looking in the bathroom, I removed Yang Juhui’s Eccentricity.

“Status Window.”

Shop ◀ Click to open
Treatment Center ◀ Click to open
Training Room ◀ Click to open

My points total was 978P.
It was a huge number, and even though I hadn’t eaten breakfast, I felt full.

There were really a lot of things I could do with these points.
I could upgrade the shop, copy my traits, or get a bunch of items.

Welcome to the Level 2 Shop.
Our shop sells a variety of items to aid in battles against warriors.

When you level up the shop, additional items and discounts will be applied.
Shop Level 2 Lv (0/500)

1. Trait Draw Ticket - 90P
2. Capsule Draw Ticket - 90P
3. Unlock Locked Items - 90P
4. Open 2nd Floor of Old School Building – 900P

To unlock a new locked item, I had to raise the shop level to 3, right?
I was really looking forward to what would be unlocked next.

Also, the item 4. Open 2nd Floor of Old School Building - 900P caught my eye.

My current points were 947.
If I wanted, I could unlock the 2nd floor of the old school building.

Until recently, I wondered, ‘Is it really necessary to spend such expensive points to unlock that?’ but now it was different.
I learned that each floor has a special “Statue,” and each statue definitely has an escape talisman attached.
Right now, the only places I can go are the basement 1st floor and the ground 1st floor.

There were 2 statues and 2 talismans.
If I unlock the 2nd floor, the talisman that can be obtained from the 2nd-floor statue will increase by one.
It meant that up to three people could escape.

“I need to think about it.”

*Shwaaa*

After washing my hair and face, I came outside.
Yoo Dahee was looking at me with wide eyes.

“What?”

“It’s my first time seeing a boy wash.”

Is that so?
Somehow, it felt like we were living together, and I felt a bit embarrassed.
Suddenly, I remembered that Yoo Dahee had run away from home.

What’s she planning to do from now on?
Is she going to sleep at my place again today?

Anyway.
We went to school together.

I thought it would be okay since I had experienced going to school with Yang Juhui a few times but walking with Yoo Dahee was awkward and embarrassing in many ways.

“Youngwon, look over there! A cat!”

Yoo Dahee seemed to find everything fascinating, like an elementary school student going to school for the first time.
Because of that, Yoo Dahee drew people’s attention, making me feel embarrassed for no reason.

“Dahee, we’ll be late if we don’t hurry.”

“Really? I didn’t know. I always came to school by car, so it’s my first time walking!”

Now that I heard it, it made sense.
Yoo Dahee said she started going to and from school by car after experiencing something in elementary school.
She said it was in the summer of 6th grade.

*Hot*

Maybe because I was thinking about summer, it already felt hot.
I suddenly became curious.
What happened to Yoo Dahee in the summer of 6th grade?

Could the ‘dreams’ Yoo Dahee experiences be related to that incident?

“Ouch.”

Yoo Dahee suddenly stopped walking.
It seemed that the slippers I lent her were uncomfortable.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay. But we’re almost at school. Oh! I just remembered I’m on duty today! Youngwon! I have to go ahead! See you this evening! I’ll make delicious food tonight!”

*Patter*

Yoo Dahee said that and ran off quickly.

See you this evening. She’s going to make delicious food?
Does that mean she’s staying at my place again tonight?

“Did you hear that? She’s cooking dinner.”
“Wow. Damn. First-years these days are something else.”

The students heading to school were whispering while looking at me, who was left behind.
They probably thought Yoo Dahee and I were dating.
Somehow, I felt a sense of superiority.
In reality, it’s a daily occurrence filled with eerie and scary things happening.

Feeling that way, I arrived at school, and the playground was quite noisy.
What’s going on? I saw Yang Juhui running around the playground.

“Wow. She runs really well. She’s a first-year, right? Did we have a student like her at our school?”
“Isn’t she running better than Bong Jiyeon, who was a promising athlete?”

I wondered why Yang Juhui was running on the school playground so early in the morning. Then I remembered her mission or quest from the “Training Room.”

Yang Juhui - Training List!

“Wow.”

When I checked the Training Room, I saw that her progress was faster than I had expected.
She must have worked hard while I was struggling to find my missing mom.

I thought about talking to her, but she seemed busy, so I didn’t.
I wasn’t confident enough to handle the attention of people swarming around Yang Juhui.

“What the hell, Yang Juhui. Annoying.”

Then, I saw Bong Jiyeon among the crowd.
Bong Jiyeon openly shows her dislike for Yang Juhui, who is running on the playground.
Now that I think about it, Jeong Seok mentioned that Bong Jiyeon used to do track.

I went into the classroom.
It felt like I hadn’t been there in a long time.
I haven’t attended classes properly in recent days because I’ve been looking for my mom and other things.

“Hey, Ha Youngwon. Glad you’re here.”

*Slide*

Jeong Seok, who seemed to have been waiting for me in the classroom, approached me.
And handed me a notebook.

“This is the assignment that Teacher Kang Haneul gave us. I took notes diligently.”

Assignment?
What an unexpected assignment.

*Flip*

When I opened it, I saw very neat handwriting.

Nightmare Corridor 2nd Entry Report

Entry: Ha Youngwon, Jeong Seok, Yang Juhui

Content: Encounter with Shaman Ghost. Exploration of Basement 1st Floor. Encounter with Yoo Dahee…

“Ah.”

Now that I think about it, I told Jeong Seok to write down everything he remembered as soon as he woke up.
It seemed that Jeong Seok had written everything I told him in a detailed report format.
He looked a bit tired, either from staying up all night or because of the nightmare.

“You wrote it well, Jeong Seok. I also survived last night.”

“What? Fuck, how?”

Is it surprising enough to curse?
I would have cursed, too, if I were him.
Because a friend he thought was definitely dead came back alive.

“Yang Juhui died, and I survived. I found the talisman of the 1st-floor statue and escaped, and Yoo Dahee helped. I roughly figured out the identity of the third ghost. It’s a long story.”

“Hey, I’m so glad you remember!”

Jeong Seok looked like he was about to jump and hug me.
But I couldn’t say too much here.
It would be better to discuss the details via text.

“Jeong Seok, I’ll show this notebook to Yang Juhui first.”

“Sure. Oh, and didn’t the note we found in the basement say something about burying something at Gaeryongsan? How about we go check it out this weekend?”

Should I say it’s a good idea?
We needed as many hints and clues as possible, so it seemed okay to agree.

“Let’s ask Juhui for her time too. Without Juhui, we’re a complete mess. If the two of us go up the mountain and mess up, it’ll be a big problem.”

“That’s true.”

That’s how the day started.
Today’s tasks were to use the points exceeding 900P and have a “Crew Meeting.”
Also…

*notification sound*

My phone rang.

Joo Chanmi: Youngwon, it's Chanmi unnie ㅎㅎ Are you free this evening? There's a Monday service at Church of Glory today, so you must come! I'll give you a gift if you come!

Right, I almost forgot.
There was also the Monday service at the Church of Glory.
That’s how lunchtime came.

“Hey! Ha Youngwon! Jeong Seok! You guys, come out to the back of the old school building!”

Yang Juhui growled.
Seeing that, the class kids trembled.

“Yang Juhui has been quiet lately, and now she’s at it again.”
“Even Youngwon is one thing, but the vice president too?”

Anyone would think she was calling us to extort or bully us.
Soon, Jeong Sojin flared up.

“Hey! Yang Juhui! If you keep doing this, I’ll tell the principal directly!”

“What. I was just going to eat some bread with them.”

Yang Juhui showed a nonchalant attitude.
Soon, Jeong Sojin asked me.

“Youngwon, is Yang Juhui bullying you?”

“No, Sojin. We’re really just going to eat bread together.”

Jeong Sojin looked at me with a pitying expression.
I was dying inside.
When I was being bullied before, everyone ignored me so much, but now…!
It’s fucking annoying.
Anyway.

We headed to the back of the old school building.
It was eerie, even in broad daylight.
In the past, there were a bunch of kids smoking here, but ever since the teachers started patrolling frequently, not a single person came.

“Damn, I’m dead?”

Yang Juhui frowned deeply.
She seemed to find it unbelievable that she was dead.
Jeong Seok asked.

“What do you mean you got help from Yoo Dahee?”

“It’s exactly what I said. Wow, just thinking about it again gives me chills.”

I explained everything.
After hearing the whole story, Jeong Seok asked again.

“Then Yoo Dahee is also dead. Did you ask her if she remembers everything from last night?”

“I asked her directly as soon as I woke up, but she didn’t know. Her face didn’t seem like she was lying.”

Hmm… Jeong Seok held his chin.
Yang Juhui also spoke.

“How could you ask her as soon as you woke up and look at her face? Did you sleep with Yoo Dahee last night?”