

I WILL TELL YOU A SCARY STORY

Bloody Conspiracy

Copyright 2019 Luka Claw

Published by Luka Claw at Smashwords

Cover by: Monika Kurianowicz

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Beware bushes

Chapter 2 – Uninvited guest

Chapter 3 – Castle and wine

Chapter 4 – I'm behind you, but I'm not

Chapter 5 – There's (no) reason to be afraid of dreams

Chapter 6 – Keep your eyes open. Or not... ?

Chapter 7 – Legend comes true

Chapter 8 – Shadow stalker

Chapter 9 – How death sentence becomes good news

Chapter 10 – Grudge feat. flying potatoes

Chapter 11 – When you're supposed to be gone but it fails

Chapter 12 – Laugh lurking in the dark

Chapter 13 – When you were to 'Find Clare' but found more

Chapter 14 – Sinister rollercoaster

Chapter 15 – Peek-a-boo

Chapter 16 – Fear is for the weak

Chapter 17 – Night game

Chapter 18 – Mystery after misery, misery after mystery

Chapter 19 – Lost souls

Chapter 20 – Hellish mission

Chapter 21 – Creeping from above

Chapter 22 – Hide and don't be found

Chapter 23 – Puzzle to solve

Chapter 24 – Clock is ticking, darkness is sneaking

Chapter 25 – Who do you most care about?

Chapter 26 – Nothing is as it seems

Chapter 27 – Unexpected conspiracy

Chapter 28 – Clare Clifford

Chapter 29 – Naoto Sakuyama

Chapter 30 – Story comes to an end, pt. I

Chapter 31 – Story comes to an end, pt. II

Bonus story

Coming next

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About the author

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# _Chapter 1_

# _Beware bushes_

I knew that telling each other scary story before our trip THERE was a bad idea. But this time I didn't have anyone near me to blame, because this story we heard from my sister, who loves horrors. Well, I and Chan love them too, but only if a real ghost doesn't plan to appear.

After our unpleasant adventure with L&F group, we had a month of healing. We spent time with our families, we were sightseeing South Korea, and so on. My favorite part from the healing month was sleeping, to be honest. But thanks to that I recovered and was ready to prepare to our comeback so we could perform at a big stage in Japan, which we had in the second week of February. That was why we were invited to a luxurious 'Endless Story' Hotel at the end of January.

We trained very hard. Fatigue from training always made me feel better. A day before our trip to Japan we gathered in my house due to my mother's birthday. She insisted I invite U-NIGHT's members instead of doing other bigger party. When my parents went to sleep, we went to my room.

"When did you change it?" Beomseok asked surprised, meaning figure collections on my shelves.

"Last time I was here," I answered. "It's kind of creepy that you know my room that well."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing at all."

"Aaah, the bed is mine!" Chanwoo shouted and fell on my pillows.

"Why's that!?" I outraged.

"Let's see... Because I won in rock-paper-scissors?" He grinned.

"The last one was about who'll wash dishes."

"There was another one after that."

"You're lying."

"Am I? Do you want to play again?"

"Fine. But you'll lose."

And I was the one who lost. Chanwoo hugged my pillows delighted and I covered my floor with mattresses.

"What do you say about telling scary stories?" Chan whispered. We already lay down and stared at the ceiling, when topics to talk about ended.

"Seriously?" I asked. "Aren't you tired?"

"Not at all! I can party all night!"

"I asked the wrong person..."

Beomseok, who lay next to the door, suddenly screamed and I switched on bedside lamp.

The door was slightly open and through them was levitating covered in hair head.

"What are you doing, Hana?" I asked my younger sister.

The head revealed the full body and my sister entered my room. "I've heard you're telling scary stories," she said with a sparkle in her eyes.

Oh my God, I forgot... My sister was like Chanwoo – she liked scaring people.

"No, we just –" I began, but Chan almost elbowed my head, when he fired from the bed violently.

"Yes! Do you want to join us?" he gasped.

"Great! I have an awesome story." She sat on my mattress, pushing me off it. I sighed and sat on the bed with Chanwoo and Youngho. Beomseok curled up next to the bed, holding Jongil's sleeve, who was the only one indifferent to this situation.

My sister took a deep breath and began her story, "Once there was a mysterious house, in which lived a young woman with an elder man. She was his servant, but local people thought she was his lover. What's more, the elder – known to be a wealthy and intelligent master of wines – was considered to be weirdly attracted to blood and some were afraid of him. Maybe his love for blood caused him to fall in love with wines, who knows. But one day the elder died in unexplained circumstances. Locals were shocked. They thought he would kill someone first. The servant was the only one in the house when this happened. But the strange thing is that the elder always avoided talking about his servant. Was he embarrassed? Or was he hiding her for a reason?

When the police brought out elder's body, some girl said she saw a woman's figure in the window, but when she wanted to show it to the police, the figure was gone. The house was searched few times but no one was found. Then the people decided to ask about this woman elder's grandson, who came to the funeral.

'I don't know what you're talking about,' he said. 'My grandfather detested people. He was living alone for years.'

The girl, who saw the woman in the window, didn't believe him and decided to search the house herself. She did it when the night fell, to avoid getting caught. She didn't find anything in the house, but when she was about to leave for good, suddenly she heard a strange noise. She concentrated and realized it was a whisper, repeating some words over and over again. She couldn't hear it properly, so she left the house to follow the whispers.

The whispers were getting louder and clearer as she walked into the garden. Besides the whispers there was deathly silence. At some point the girl finally heard the words clearly,

Roses are red, violets are blue.

House is old, story is true.

The girl frowned. She didn't understand the sense of it. When she got closer to the bushes, she heard another whisper, a little different from the previous one,

Roses are red, violets are blue.

Wine is sweet, you had no clue.

These worried her a little. She made another step toward the bushes but stopped and froze, when the leaves moved.

But there was no wind.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

Your eyes are stuck with a glue.

The girl turned around violently, hearing the whisper closer than before. She swallowed hard and tried to check the bushes. If there was a mouse, she would be mad at her cowardice.

But when she touched the branches, the voice said into her ear,

Roses are red, violets are blue.

I'm behind you... Guess who?

Suddenly a hand appeared and grabbed the girl's face, pulling her into the bushes."

At the same time a hand came out from under my bed and grabbed my wrist.

# _Chapter 2_

# _Uninvited guest_

I jumped and accidently hit Youngho's jaw, who screamed, which almost caused my ears to explode. Chanwoo fell from the bed on Beomseok, who curled up more and groaned. Only Jongil was relieved that nobody was touching him.

I looked under the bed and took out someone familiar.

"What are you doing here?" I asked shocked.

Daewon smiled and high-fived Hana, who was literally dying with laughter.

"Your sister invited me," he replied. "I didn't know you're afraid of horrors, Jin."

"I'm not!" I outraged, but the anger disappeared immediately. "Did Grumpy drive you here? Don't tell me you came here alone."

"Your dad brought me. Just after you went to your room."

"Did you eat?"

"Yup."

"And you stayed under the bed for this long?"

"It was fun. You're all scaredy cats."

I wanted to say something, but my sister interrupted me, "Okay! Who's ready for next story?"

"No way!" we heard suddenly and jumped again surprised. At the door was standing my mom. "You're all going to sleep. Especially you, Hana."

My sister sighed and went to her room. Mom stared for a moment at Daewon, then left. We exchanged looks. After a few minutes she returned with another mattress and clothes. "These are Jinwoo's when he was younger. You can have them," she said.

"Thank you!" Daewon said happily. To be honest, I didn't get used to his voice yet. He talked better than three months ago, but still I could hear a lot of hesitation as he was using some words.

My mother smiled and left, closing the door. Daewon put his mattress next to me and we went to sleep.

The next day we left early. I said goodbye to my family and Daewon, who was supposed to return home with my dad.

"Why can't I go with them?" he asked my mom disappointed.

"They aren't going on a vacation, dear," she replied. "They're going to work. You'll see them in two weeks."

Daewon made sad face, but after that he smiled and waved at us. I smiled too, but when we left, I got worried.

"He'll be fine," Youngho said, patting my arm. "You know that L&F is gone and he's under Grumpy's care."

"Yeah... But you know Grumpy is rarely at home. And I've heard Daewon goes alone to see granny. I think it's too risky."

"Even though he's nine, he's more mature than Grumpy or us," Chan said. "You can bug him if you're that worried."

I shook my head. I had to trust Daewon that he'll stay away from trouble. He was not alone anymore, so the situation with this psycho group shouldn't repeat.

We reached our destination in the evening. It was cold, snowy and dark. I came out of the taxi and almost had a heart attack when Youngho screamed into my ear. It turned out Jongil stepped on a branch and broke it loudly.

"Ah, really, Youngho..." I hissed, rubbing my ear.

"Sorry..."

Then I bumped into Beomseok. "What now?" I muttered and looked ahead from behind him, freezing too.

I didn't know what part of 'Endless Story' Hotel was luxurious, but for me it looked like it was luxuriously haunted.

The hotel was a big, old-fashioned castle. It was built with stone but I saw modern windows, so maybe inside wasn't that bad. But the sole construction and area were creepy. The wind blew and suddenly I heard rustle behind me. I turned around and saw bushes, behind which was a dark forest. I immediately remembered Hana's story and ran after everyone into the castle, before my mind would imagine dreadful whispers.

The interior was quite interesting. It was a mix of modern and medieval style known in the West. We stopped in the hall in front of stairs, that went up in four different directions. If not partially modern style, I would think we found ourselves again in the haunted house in which we recovered Rena's body. But here was a hotel with living people, who were accepting living guests.

"Welcome," I heard suddenly behind me.

I jumped and turned around. Tall and rather skinny elderly man in a suit bowed to us saying, "My name is Fukai. I'm a butler of this place."

"Butler in a hotel?" I said. "That's a little... unusual."

"Our hotel is special, Mr. Kim. Come this way, please."

"How do you know me?" I blurted.

"Your Korean is really good," Chanwoo added.

"Thank you, Mr. Oh." Then he turned to me. "We read our clients profiles before they arrive, Mr. Kim. It's to show our respect and that we want to know our guests better."

"Oh, if so then it's okay," I mumbled embarrassed.

Fukai brought us to our rooms. We got a room for four people, but Fukai was kind enough to add one more bed. I put my luggage on the bed next to the window and looked around.

The room itself was more like a chamber. It was huge, in medieval style with modern equipment and was surprisingly high. We could jump here on a trampoline and wouldn't reach the ceiling.

After we unpacked our things, we were invited to a dinner. It was another unusual thing in this hotel – all guests were eating together, even though they didn't know each other. We sat at big rectangular table and were served a feast.

The dining room was only illuminated by torches on walls and candles on the table. It was enormous and was on attic, so above us was a row of ceiling windows. It would be quite awesome, if there wasn't storm, that was from time to time startling us with lightning.

I started watching guests out of curiosity, when something dripped on my plate, right next to a delicious beef. I frowned and looked at it carefully. I touched it with my finger and smelled it. Then I tasted it a little. I grimaced right away. Familiar metallic taste gave me chills. I slowly looked up, at the same time as lightning illuminated the window above me.

On the glass was lying covered in blood pale girl and was staring at me with whites of her eyes.

# _Chapter 3_

# _Castle and wine_

I screamed and jumped, painfully hitting my knee, which caused my fall along with all my plates and food. The calm eating atmosphere was interrupted and everyone's attention was directed at me. But I ignored it, staring at the window.

As I predicted, the nightmarish girl was gone.

"Is something wrong?" I heard suddenly behind my back and jumped again. Fukai was squatting beside me.

"N-No..." I muttered, standing up red with embarrassment. I quickly started to clean the mess. "I'm fine. I was just... surprised."

"By what, if I may ask?"

"By –" I began, but then saw that ghostly girl behind him, as he bent to lift a bowl. "OH GOD!"

Everyone at the table was also startled, but I didn't know whether it was because of the girl or my shriek. Fukai turned around, without showing any reaction. After that he turned back to me and bowed, saying, "I'm so sorry you were so shocked, Mr. Kim. It's our hotel's tradition."

"What tradition!?" I gasped more shocked than I was before.

Then the girl took something out of her eyes and they came back to normal living person's eyeballs. It turned out she had white contact lenses. She smiled and bowed to us apologetically, taking off blond wig. Fukai put his hand on her shoulder with words, "This is my granddaughter Miyako. She's hotel's animator. Her role is to entertain guests, but our tradition is first to scare them."

"Great idea," I grumbled, trying not to sound too rude. "Had someone died of a heart attack before because of that tradition?"

I thought only Miyako heard the sarcasm, because she grimaced while Fukai only smiled. "Don't worry, Mr. Kim. It's because of our hotel's legend."

"Legend?" Chanwoo asked. I glared at him. It was suspicious that he was so excited. It sounded to me like another horror story.

And I wasn't wrong, as Fukai began his story, "It happened decades ago. Once it was a traditional, elegant castle with its master – Lord Clifford. It was around the end of the nineteenth century, so a lot of foreigners came to Japan, bringing with them Western culture and style. That's why this hotel is so different from others in our country.

Lord Clifford was known for his love for women, politics and wine. His daughter and her husband lived with him, but one day they argued and left, leaving their five year old daughter with him. They didn't come back. The girl, named Clare, was brought up by her grandfather as a fine young lady, but unfortunately, as she turned fifteen, she died due to disease. The lord was really frustrated. Yes, he loved her, but in his own way. He wanted to marry her to a wealthy son of his political rival, so his fortune would grow bigger. Because of her death, his relationship with his rival worsened.

As the lord was burying Clare, he heard from a local medium that if he painted her portrait, mixing her blood and wine with paint, he could bring her back to life. Blinded by the fortune, he believed the medium right away and did as she said. When the painting was done, he placed it in the hall, so everyone who entered the castle could see it and admire. However, strange things started to happen when lord's guests saw the painting. They either disappeared without a word, or unexpectedly died. When doctor checked the cause of death, it turned out to be a similar disease Clare had. After that the lord didn't have any guests and died alone in his room, with a glass of wine in his hand. The castle was closed and people, who were passing it few years later, said that they heard strange noises coming from the castle, similar to crying and dripping. After few more years the noises vanished, but the legend remained.

Till now the mysterious painting of Clare Clifford is our treasure and guests are pleased to see it. And I can assure you that no one died because of that."

Deathly silence fell after his story. We were just staring at Fukai with open mouths. This story wasn't exactly scary, but creepy as hell. Then one of the guests – a girl wearing cap and mask on her mouth and nose – pointed to the kitchen, saying,

"If no one died so far, why there is pool of blood over there?"

# _Chapter 4_

# _I'm behind you, but I'm not_

We all looked where the girl was pointing and froze. She was right. There was a pool of blood in the kitchen. Fukai and Miyako went to check it, while I stopped breathing. Please tell me it's another joke...

"No worries," Fukai called. "It's just wine that spilled from a bottle in the cupboard."

I breathed out with relief. Thank you...

The masked girl frowned, as if she wasn't convinced. We sat at the table again to finish our dinner, this time in peace. I took the opportunity and resumed watching every guest individually. Everyone had a nameplate. Another strange idea of Fukai, who probably thought it would be nice if guests knew each other's names.

In front of me was sitting Stella Brown – surely British, judging by her accent. Her moves were like those of aristocrat, which made me uncomfortable with my clumsy eating style. Beside her was a middle-aged man Jack, who was – from what I understood – her son. Both of them were rather delighted with Fukai's ghost prank, so I disliked them right away.

Next to them was a Japanese couple. The woman, Yuki Murama, looked a little scared but her husband, Takeru, was less timid and was in the middle of comforting her. Although they were Japanese, they didn't seem to know about this hotel. Maybe they weren't living in Japan and just came here for a vacation?

On our side, at the end of the table, were dark-skinned French mother with around seven year old daughter – Alexia and Fabienne D'Espoir. Alexia was certainly anxious but Fabienne didn't look like the horror story or the false ghost startled her. She was either unmoved by anything, or liked those kinds of things. She reminded me a bit of Daewon and I started to worry about him again.

But I stopped thinking about my cousin when I looked at the masked girl, who was sitting beside French family. She looked the most suspicious to me. Not only because of her secret appearance, but also her calmness. She just saw a pool of wine, that she took as a blood. And she said it very calmly, as if it was a daily matter for her. She was the only Korean besides us, named Ri Lee. She seemed like an outsider or was just hiding something. To be honest, I didn't want to know her secret.

Chanwoo nudged me and said with his eyes to eat. I realized I was the only one who gaped at guests without eating. When I was full I went to our room first. I looked around the corridor. It looked quite normal, despite the atmosphere of mystery in the hotel. Before I went into our room, I checked where others were staying by their plates on the door. Another curious fact: the hotel besides numbers on rooms' doors had also names of those who were currently staying in them. Interesting but kind of creepy. Our manager and three of our staff members were residing in another hotel near to this one. And – what irritated me a little – Ri Lee's room was in front of ours.

I sighed and touched the handle, but didn't open it, seeing someone's shadow next to me. Being sure that Fukai, Miyako or Chanwoo tried to prank me once more, I turned around with a rude words on a tip of my tongue, but I saw no one.

I froze. My imagination? I looked down, where the shadow was a moment ago and didn't see it. Perhaps this place itself knew how to scare people with the play of lights. I sighed again and entered the room.

I lay on my bed, covering the window with curtains. Man, I was so tired... The way here was long, Fukai's idea was annoying and that Ri Lee creeped me out a bit. Only food and bed were great here... I hoped the week will pass fast and I imagined myself on a stage in Tokyo.

I started dozing off, when I heard knocking. I lifted my head half-asleep and looked at the door. Lights were off, but not in the corridor, as I saw someone's shadow behind the door through the chink on the below. Did group members forget the key? I yawned and went open the door for them.

"Don't tell me you lost the key –" I began, opening the door, but stopped surprised.

There was no one behind it. I rubbed my eyes and looked outside. The corridor was empty too. I pinched my cheek.

"I'm not dreaming..." I muttered confused. "Maybe I really need sleep."

Suddenly some weird noise sounded behind me. Something like... small wooden planks hitting each other? I got goosebumps. It reminded me of a sound the ghost made in Japanese horror The Grudge. Then I saw shadow again.

Someone was behind me...

When I heard the sound again, closer to me, I realized it was slightly different than in the movie. It was irregular, more similar to cracking than hitting, and was mixed with breath, which scared the hell out of me. I turned around violently.

And of course there was no one in the room. I cursed in my mind, but shortly after that I screamed startled, when I turned back to the corridor.

"You scared me!" I hissed, seeing Fabienne. Then I realized she couldn't understand Korean, so I asked her in English, hoping she'll understand it, "What are you doing here alone?"

Fabienne touched her curly hair, still staring at me. I wondered if she was mute like Daewon at the beginning, but then she smiled and said in English, "You look terrified, brother Jinwoo."

"Well... yes. Weren't you scared by Miyako?"

"Not really. She is nice. I've met her before. Me and my mom are here for four days now."

"I see..."

"I feel sorry for sister Miyako though," Fabienne continued. She seemed to be quite talkative. I wondered if she always talked so much to strangers. "She can't speak at all."

"She can't?" I asked surprised. "Was she in some kind of accident?"

"No, Uncle Fukai said she was born mute, something was wrong with her vocal cords. But I bet she would have beautiful voice."

"Fabienne!"

I looked outside and saw Mrs. D'Espoir, waving at her daughter. I bowed to the mother but she ignored it. Fabienne answered something in French and suddenly took my hand with words, "Don't worry, brother Jinwoo. It'll end soon."

"What will end?" I was more and more puzzled.

Fabienne smiled again and looked at the room behind me, as if someone was there indeed. I shuddered for some reason. "The story," she whispered. "The story of this hotel will end soon, but you need to be careful, because yours is about to begin."

# _Chapter 5_

# _There's (no) reason to be afraid of dreams_

I closed my mouth only when I realized I must have been looking ridiculous. Fabienne wasn't stopping smiling widely. At the end she said, "That's what he told me." And she left without further explanation.

I jumped, feeling a touch on my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Youngho asked.

I cursed his sudden appearance in my mind and sighed, "Nothing. I'm too tired, I'm going to bed."

After a few minutes the rest of the group members joined us and we started preparing to go to sleep.

"What about a scary story?" Jongil said.

"Really?" I muttered. "In this place?"

"Why not? The atmosphere is awesome!" Chanwoo got excited.

"Awesomely creepy. The French girl creeped me out enough for today."

"What French girl?"

I repeated what Fabienne told me. Only Beomseok and Youngho looked shocked. Jongil and Chan stated she just teased me or lied.

"She's bored," Jongil added. "She's the only child in this hotel. No wonder she's making up stories."

"But I have this weird feeling since we've come here..." I grumbled. "Like someone's observing us."

"This place is surely a little creepy," Chanwoo added. "But didn't you listen to Fukai? It's its atmosphere. The British family enjoys it at least."

"Good for them," I growled and lay down. "Let's hope they're not going to regret coming here. To be honest, I'm already regretting it."

"Get some sleep, Jin. You're tired. We all are."

I admitted to that and closed my eyes. Slowly my mind entered a dream.

Okay, nightmare. Jeez, what a bother...

In this nightmare I woke up in hotel's room (dream in a dream is a horrible experience, I don't recommend it) and immediately sat down, feeling strange. The room wasn't hot from the beginning, but now I felt like hundreds of heaters were on. I wiped sweat from my face and left the bed, but sat on it right away, when I realized the center of the room had no floor.

I blinked shocked. What the heck? Then I thought it might have been a dream, but I didn't have time to wonder about that, because suddenly a hand emerged from the hole and clenched the edge of plank, cracking it. I screamed and backed away toward the window.

But that was a mistake.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

Blood is flowing, it's so true.

I shivered. This whisper seemed strangely familiar. Even the cracking every few syllables. Haven't I heard it yesterday... ?

Roses are red, violets are blue.

You are now here... CUE.

I jumped, hearing the voice on my right side. Over there was indeed creepy dark corner, but it was empty. Then I looked again at the hole and saw that it disappeared.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

Horror will come, fear just grew.

I panicked. It sounded just like my sister's scary story. And I knew its ending. This poem seemed more dreadful though. Why it sounded like it was specifically addressed to me... ?

Suddenly I felt someone's presence behind me and cold fingers touching my neck.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

You will run... On two.

When the voice said 'one', I indeed ran toward the door. Meanwhile I checked group members' beds. They were empty and looked like never used.

When I reached the door and opened it, a tall man with shadowed face and half of his body emerged from the floor before me without a warning. I gasped and moved back staggering, but tripped over something and got caught by someone.

I opened my mouth to say 'thanks', but I just saw over what I tripped.

Beomseok's body. It was twisted in a horrible position and covered in blood. I shrieked terrified and grabbed the one, who had caught me earlier, but suddenly I was holding only his chopped off hand. I dropped it and realized it belonged to Jongil, who before my eyes crumbled like a statue made from earth.

I choked with tears and groaned, trying to move but couldn't. Then my feet started to crumble too.

All of a sudden someone grabbed tightly my arms from behind and whispered into my ear,

"Let the story begin."

# _Chapter 6_

# _Keep your eyes open. Or not... ?_

I woke up with a scream and sat down, looking around terrified. My eyes stopped for a moment on the window. Suddenly there was a lightning and I saw someone's shadow behind it. I shrieked again and without warning the curtain fell on me. I started panicking, but then the curtain was taken off me.

"What happened?" I heard Beomseok's sleepy voice. "You're so loud."

In a moment the scene of his death came back to me and without a word I hugged tightly him and Jongil. They got worried.

"What's wrong?" Jongil asked. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Nightmare... Just then I realized it was just a nightmare. I looked back at the window. There was storm raging outside, so I might have seen some tree's shadow, not the one that haunted me a moment ago.

I touched my neck, calming down. But if all of that was a dream, why my throat felt weird?

When group members went back to sleep, I went out to toilet, which was in the corridor. When I closed room's door, I heard a creak and saw that masked girl's room was slightly open. I shuddered and forced myself to ignore it.

As I was on my way to the toilet, I thought I heard familiar whispers. I shook my head to clear it and to fully wake up. Two doors away from my goal I sort of heard them again, but this time accompanied by footsteps. I slowed down, listening carefully. The footsteps slowed down too. I frowned, while the heartbeat of my heart speeded up. I stopped.

The footsteps stopped too, but after a few steps more I had a solid evidence there was someone behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, but of course didn't see anything or anyone. I sighed irritated. Damn nightmare... Why it was happening only to me? Beomseok was more timid than me.

I began my walk once more but stopped after few steps, when I again heard someone's footsteps. I turned around angry and sure there wouldn't be anyone, but I saw a dark figure and jumped startled, bumping into a wall.

Ri Lee raised her eyebrows, which now were almost unseen under her cap. She was also wearing the mask and black pajamas, which made her look creepier than before.

"It was you for the whole time!?" I enraged.

"When?" she asked innocently.

Was she mocking me? Didn't seem like it. My anger decreased. "Why aren't you in your room?" I said.

She squinted her eyes. "Why should I tell you this?"

"You're right."

She was silent for a longer time, so I thought she didn't want to talk and I turned around to finally get to the toilet.

"I couldn't sleep," she suddenly stated.

"Is that so," I muttered.

I made few steps and stopped, again angered. "Can you stop it?" I said through my teeth.

"Stop what?"

"Following me! I don't want to ask WHY do you follow me to the toilet, you know? I'm creeped out enough after a dreadful dream."

"Did you have a nightmare? Already?"

I glared at her. For a moment I thought she was cool, but her last word sounded so sarcastically that I returned to not liking her.

"Whatever," I grumbled and decided to ignore her, but as I made another step toward the toilet (man, I was so close yet far away...) she said, "I'm not following you."

"Say that again?" I growled. "If you're not following me, how do you call it? Stalking?"

"You didn't understand me." She squinted her eyes again, but somewhat differently, as if she smiled widely behind the mask. "I said I'm not following YOU."

I shivered for some reason. How did she do it? Everything she was doing was so damn creepy.

"What do you mean?" I whispered, though didn't want to know the answer.

She stayed silent, so I got scared and angry at the same time.

"Why aren't you going?" she said quietly, leaning toward me with her hands crossed on her back. She seemed like she enjoyed when someone was freaked out.

"W-Where?" I hissed.

"I thought you urgently needed to go to the toilet. Am I wrong?"

"Shut up. Just don't talk to me again."

"I won't. I don't like guys who are easily scared. Ah, one more thing. Don't get too surprised." And she left. Great. Did she and that Fabienne made some contract to scare and then confuse me? Maybe because of the French girl I had that nightmare and I hoped I won't have another because of Ri Lee.

Finally I safely reached the toilet, did my business and came to a sink to wash my hands. I also washed my face to forget about Ri Lee and her teasing. I looked at my reflection. I needed a good sleep...

I frowned, seeing something else. The door of the cabin behind me was slightly open. I could have sworn I closed it though. I shook my head, irritated at myself. Even though the hotel was modernly renovated, there were some old places, perhaps just to make the atmosphere scarier. The door could have been broken from the beginning.

I dried up my face and was about to leave, when the door worried me.

Now it was wide open.

I turned around violently. Yes, I didn't imagine it. The door was wide open and inside the cabin was a mess. I didn't leave it like that!

I swallowed hard and turned back to the mirror hesitantly. Thankfully, I didn't see anyone. But what was stranger, in the mirror I saw that the door was closed. I turned around puzzled and then a terribly pale and covered in blood girl appeared before me, opening her mouth widely, as if she wanted to swallow me up.

I screamed and hit the sink with my hip, almost falling. I blinked and the girl disappeared. I took few deep breaths and glanced at the mirror. The bathroom was empty and the door was still closed. But there was another thing that frightened me.

On my neck were left some marks. I took a closer look and realized there were handprint marks, as if someone was strangling me some time ago.

I gasped. Wait... but that was in the dream, right!?

I closed my eyes. I was probably too tired... When I open my eyes, I won't see the handprints...

I opened my eyes and the marks vanished indeed. I wanted to breathe out with relief, but as the marks disappeared, something else appeared.

A girl with dirty fair hair and hands bathed in blood stood right next to me, ready to continue the strangling.

# _Chapter 7_

# _Legend comes true_

I froze, watching the girl who wasn't moving and was nearly touching my neck with her blackened fingers. At some point I frowned. She looked strangely familiar...

Suddenly the door to the toilet opened and the girl vanished instantly. I breathed out and touched my neck with trembling hands.

"Are you alright?" I heard and flinched.

Takeru Murama was staring at me half asleep. I opened my mouth, but closed it, not knowing what to say. In the end I just nodded, bowed and ran from the toilet.

This time I didn't stop and ignored louder and louder whispers. A thought that just popped up in my mind wasn't good news. I burst into our room, waking up group members by switching on the lights and screaming, "GHOST!"

Everyone was momentarily up (Beomseok was even down, falling from the bed shocked).

"Ghost? What ghost?" Youngho muttered, looking for his pillow that mysteriously disappeared.

"What are you doing there and not there?" Jongil asked with half-closed eyes, first pointing at me and then at my bed.

"I just told you –" I began, but jumped as Beomseok stood up violently.

"You scared me!" he outraged.

That made two of us.

"What?" I blurted dumbfounded. Why was he so angry?

"I had an awesome dream and you interrupted it!"

"Let me guess," I said with a sneer. "You had room filled with chicken legs."

Beomseok opened his mouth surprised. "How did you know!"

"I wish I didn't," I muttered. "Anyway, we need to get out of here."

"This room?" Chanwoo asked.

"No, the hotel!"

"Why?"

"I... I just told you! Didn't you listen to me!?"

"Jinwoo, calm down and explain it to us," Jongil said.

I took few deep breaths and sat down on Beomseok's bed. I found Youngho's pillow and returned it to him.

I told them what happened in the toilet. Their reaction was similar to each other. They all seemed worried and a little frightened at the same time. Beomseok was even close to tears. Seeing a familiar gleam in Jongil's eyes, I said first, "I'm not imagining things, I'm fully awake, I'm not pranking you and that's definitely not a dream."

"Everything crossed my mind indeed," he said. He was looking at my thigh. "But you realize you're sitting on Beomseok's hand, right?"

I blinked dumbfounded, then looked at Beomseok. Oh, so that was why he was so teary...

"Sorry..." I looked at the oldest group member again. "So you believe me?"

"We have no reason not to," he answered. "This place is strange, I wouldn't be surprised if it was haunted."

"And you're saying this calmly because... ?" I said through teeth.

"If the building is haunted for years, there's no reason for ghosts to be interested in us. We're not the only guests here."

"I remind you about other haunted building we came across some years ago in a big city and with other living people too. And guess who was cursed."

"That was partly our fault," Jongil stated. "We were curious about the recording room and then got cursed. And here it's probably that girl."

"Girl?" I got angry. "Do you think I was tricked again by Miyako!? Why –"

"Not that girl. The one Fukai told us about."

Suddenly I remembered why the terrifying girl from the toilet seemed so familiar to me. I ran from the room. Group members followed me confused. I stopped panting on the half floor, just in front of hotel's front door. I switched on a flashlight in my phone and looked carefully at the painting.

It represented a teenage girl in a simple yet elegant dress, with blond hair and nice bright smile. I remembered only hair and the fierce gaze, but there was no doubt.

"It's her..." I whispered, when group members joined me. My throat felt like it was squeezed by a rope. "It's her! I'm sure of it!"

"You saw Clare Clifford!?" Chanwoo gasped. "Wow..."

"No, not wow at all!" I hissed. "If she appeared before me and seemed like she wanted to STRANGLE me, isn't it a proof that we're cursed again!?"

"Jinwoo..."

"If you think I'm exaggerating, come with me." And I went to the toilet in our corridor.

But Clare wasn't there. The cabin was also untouched.

"She will know!" I said and left immediately.

Jongil stopped me in the midway. "Jin, that's enough. You're tired."

"I'm not!" I said stubbornly. "She'll know!"

"Who? Miyako?"

"No! That Ri Lee girl!"

"You mean this creepy one in the mask?" Youngho asked. "I heard she isn't talking to anyone. Will she talk to us?"

"Well, she already insulted me this night, so she will."

Group members exchanged puzzled looks. Right, I didn't tell them about her. I explained quickly what happened before I reached the toilet and we went toward her room. I knocked a few times but she didn't answer. Damn, she was probably already asleep...

"Now what!" I growled angrily. Group members didn't answer me, so I glanced at them. They were looking at the floor near my feet. "What?"

"Jin, I don't want to creep you out" Chanwoo said quietly with widened eyes "but you have two shadows..."

Two shadows...

Then I heard the whispers. A shudder crept through me. I wanted to turn around, but suddenly someone grabbed my arm. I didn't jump but made weird sound, as if someone stepped on a mouse.

"Don't move" it was Ri Lee "or it'll get you."

I swallowed hard, not moving. Something in her voice forced me to believe her. Group members didn't move either, now looking at Ri with widened eyes. I wanted to know too what she was doing, but the whispers weren't stopping and I felt like they were closer than before.

Ri Lee herself whispered something in a strange language and suddenly jerked her body by hitting something behind me. The whispers stopped at once and I could breathe normally again.

"Thanks –" I began, but lost my words after I looked at my savior.

She took off her mask. I was struck by her harsh beauty. I was sure group members were too. I felt that my face was burning, so I asked something completely different, "What did you do? Do you like ghosts?"

Ri Lee snorted, let go of my arm and looked at me with contempt.

"Of course not!" she said. "I hate them."

"Then why aren't you scared of them?"

"Because I'm used to it." She hid something that reminded me of a wand. "I'm a medium. Ghosts are my job." She suddenly smiled sneakily. "And I think I just found a source of a fortune."

# _Chapter 8_

# _Shadow stalker_

Everyone was fascinated by that medium thing. I thought I was the only one who realized what her last words meant. But before I could dig deeper into this topic, she entered her room, closed the door and in the corridor fell silence.

"Now what," Youngho said.

"Now I'm really annoyed," I stated and went to our room.

When we were back in our beds, Chanwoo asked, "Do you think she was telling the truth? About being a medium?"

"Don't know, don't care," I grumbled, turning from the window, which was still giving me chills.

We were quiet for a moment.

"Jinwoo, are you okay?" I heard Jongil.

"Why do you ask?"

"You know why."

"Oh, so you believe me now?"

"I didn't say I didn't in the first place."

I sighed, rubbing my eyes. What an awful night...

"If Ri Lee is really a medium" I began "then this hotel must be haunted. If not, why would she be here?"

"Vacation?" Chan suggested.

"Should I really comment that?"

"Look, guys," Youngho said. "Even if the hotel is haunted, it's good that we have her. She fights them, right? So we're safe."

"Haven't you heard her last words?" I snorted. "She thinks of us as a source of money. That means she won't help us until we pay her."

"So let's pay her," Chanwoo said.

"Don't you remember how much we paid Creep last time? And now he's retired and on Hawaii! I doubt she's cheaper."

"Never hurt to ask."

"Well, it would hurt ME. You saw what she's like."

"Yup. Very pretty."

"Pretty rude." I glared at Chanwoo. "And we don't need one more person to argue with."

"What do you mean by that? We don't argue!"

"We're doing it NOW."

"Guys!" Youngho shouted, holding his hands up. I just realized I and the youngest got close to each other, ready to fight. "Let's sleep, okay? It was a long night."

I lay down offended, but he was right. I was already in bad mood, so I was only making it worse. I wanted to apologize to Chanwoo, but before I realized I fell asleep.

Something woke me up, maybe an hour later. I sat up and looked around half asleep. What a weird noise...

Then my senses were awake in a moment.

But I calmed down right away. These weren't whispers. It was only an old radio on the other side of the room, which according to Fukai was broken for years–

– and it was on. Why was it on... ?

I frowned, listening to it carefully. It was making sounds, as if it was looking for the right channel. Suddenly it stopped and so my breathing. I heard something like quiet, regular knocking, that at some point changed to the cracking. Cold sweat ran down my neck and temples.

Then the cracking stopped too. I thought it was the end, but suddenly breathing was heard from the radio. At the beginning it was quiet and irregular. After few seconds it became a little louder and regular. But only after another few seconds I realized terrified that the breathing wasn't louder.

It became CLOSER.

I looked at the floor under the radio and due to moonlight saw a shadow. It was slowly coming toward my bed. During the breathing again these strange cracks sounded. When the shadow was in the midway to me, I saw it wasn't longer a shadow. It was a tall man with a bit of a cocked head, as if he was always surprised. But I still couldn't see his face.

I opened my mouth to scream to wake up group members, when the man suddenly disappeared. I looked around to make sure he indeed wasn't here. I breathed out with relief and lay down, closing my eyes.

However, after a second I heard this crack once more and opened my eyes, just to see the man right above my head.

I screamed and jumped, leaning against the window. I waited two minutes, but he didn't reappear. The sounds also weren't hearable. Was he gone? I lay down again, but couldn't sleep till sunrise.

"Jin, you look awful."

"Thanks, Chan. You always know how to make me feel better."

"You couldn't sleep?" Jongil asked.

"Nope. That shadow stalked me."

"Maybe another nightmare?"

"Nope."

"Good morning!" someone suddenly shrieked into my ear and I almost jumped terrified at the nearest door.

Behind us was standing a girl in a leather jacket, with pinned hair and wide smile. I frowned. Who was she?

"Oh my God," Youngho whispered. "Ri Lee?"

"Very funny, Youngho," I laughed. "Ri Lee is definitely –OH MY GOD, YOU'RE RIGHT."

I just recognized her when she made that irritated look. "Is definitely what?" she growled.

"Is definitely here with us," I said. She raised her eyebrows but I didn't flinch, trying to look confident. Then she smiled again. This time I raised my eyebrows. "Why are you smiling?"

"Why? Can't I smile?"

"No, because it's suspicious. You're creeping me out."

She grimaced, which looked worse, but Jongil interrupted, "Is it true? That you're a medium?"

"Why would I lie?" she said, coming back to her rude self.

"And you can see ghosts?"

"Of course. That's the rule of being medium. You have to see it if you want to fight it."

"But we see them too," Chanwoo stated. "At least we did some time ago."

"Oh, really?" Ri Lee pointed to something behind him. "Can you see that boy then?"

Chanwoo froze and I got goosebumps. But there was no one behind him. At least I didn't see anyone, but somehow felt there was something sinister among us.

"Don't scare me like that!" Chan hissed. "There's nothing there!"

But Ri Lee didn't listen to him. She stared at ME. "Oh?" she whispered. "Can YOU see it, Jinwoo Kim?"

Group members looked at me with widened eyes. I shook my head. "I kind of... feel it."

"Feel it? That's interesting. Have you encountered ghosts before?"

"We did few years ago," Jongil said. "Why?"

"And I'm assuming you were possessed," Ri Lee continued, ignoring Jongil's question.

I gulped. "How... did you know?"

"I'm an expert, don't underestimate me. If you were possessed, I'm not surprised you can feel their presence."

"But I'm not cursed again, right... ?"

"No." But she thought about it again. "Well, not exactly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Youngho got angry.

"Where's Chanwoo?" I asked, suddenly realizing our youngest brother wasn't with us.

"He went to the toilet," Beomseok answered.

I calmed down and turned to Ri Lee to ask another thing, but someone's scream didn't let me.

"I SAW! I SAW!" Chanwoo ran to us, bumping into me and I grabbed his arms so he wouldn't fall down.

"What?" Beomseok groaned. "Did you see Clare?"

Chan shook his head, clenching his fists on my shoulders. He looked at me terrified. His face was as white as death. I felt anxiety.

"I saw him!" he panted. "I saw Junho Park!"

# _Chapter 9_

# _How death sentence becomes good news_

I felt like the floor under my feet crumbled. My stomach jumped to my throat at once and I staggered at Beomseok, who must have been also weak in legs, because both of us leaned against the wall.

"Who!?" Youngho gasped. "Junho Park... But he is –"

" –dead," I finished quietly.

"Right! So there's no way you could see him!" Youngho laughed, but stopped immediately, white on face.

"Are you sure it was him?" Jongil asked. He wasn't as calm as he was earlier. "Maybe you mistook him with someone... ?"

"No! I'm sure!" Chanwoo said, still not letting me go, as if he was afraid someone will separate us anytime. "I saw him in the toilet! He looked exactly the same... well, not counting freaking pale and scary face and whites of his eyes!"

"I don't believe it," I said. Everyone looked at me surprised, especially Chan. I clenched my teeth and fists. "He's dead. And if he turned into a vengeful ghost, why would he haunt us now? The case ended four years ago! He had plenty of time to appear before us, so now it doesn't make any sense."

"Not necessarily."

We all flinched startled. We forgot about Ri, who was surprisingly serious, thinking deeply about something. She bit her nail, a little worried, then explained, "Vengeful ghosts are tricky beings. When human dies, the soul is first taken to be judged. But if it doesn't arrive at the right place, for various reasons, it gets lost. Then it can become a harmless wandering ghost or ghost connected to one place, if it has some business left to do. In the worst case, the lost soul becomes a vengeful ghost, that wants revenge or another reason to harm the living. Sometimes there are wandering vengeful ghosts, but they need to have a really strong desire to become one. But the time when the vengeful ghost makes its move depends on the desire. It can come back right away, but also ten years later. Are you keeping up with me so far?"

"We are," Jongil said. "We heard most of it from someone who helped us once with a ghost case."

"Oh, then it's great. I thought I'm talking to muttonheads." Ri Lee glanced at me. "So, were you possessed by that Junho four years ago?"

"No," Youngho answered instead of me. "There was another ghost, Rena, connected to Junho Park. He was her CEO who killed her."

"Oh? So it's good news."

"How come!?" Beomseok outraged.

"If you were possessed once by a particular ghost" Ri continued "you can't be possessed by another. Even though the ghost that possessed you already left, you were 'used', so other spirits can't enter you. But because of that you're more sensitive to paranormal stuff." She smiled sneakily. "Welcome to the club."

It wasn't good news to me at all. I felt so empty inside...

Finally I could link recent facts with one another, but because of that I was more and more terrified. It wasn't that I didn't believe Chanwoo. I believed him right away, because now I recalled the last night. Junho Park was a ghost. What was more, he was the shadow that haunted me since we had entered the hotel.

But wait... No, wrong! He didn't start here, he –!

"Oh God..." I muttered and sat down, pulling Chan with me.

"What's wrong?"

"J-Jin?" Chanwoo whispered, staring at my face.

Why was I so blind!? I saw him much earlier!

Now I knew I wasn't hallucinating then. Do you remember the last scene with L&F case? Yes, that time when I was about to be sacrificed in a stupid psycho ritual. When group members and Grumpy came to my rescue, I told you I thought I saw six of them, but in the end there were only five. Creep could be the sixth, but he came in by a ventilation duct from the other side. Another time is when Grumpy left through the door after the case ended. I saw a tall shadow beside him, but when I blinked, it disappeared. Well, I thought I was too tired then and probably still drugged, but now I knew that I really saw him that day.

"Damn..." I mumbled, hiding my face in my hands. "I'm so doomed..."

I told them what I've been thinking. After that a dreadful silence fell.

"You... really saw him... ? In Seoul... ?" Beomseok muttered.

"Yeah... That would explain him being a wandering ghost. No..." I bit my lip. "Wandering vengeful ghost."

"Again?" Chanwoo groaned.

"But Rena was different," Jongil grumbled, thinking. "She didn't have anything against us. Personally. Junho is dangerous because of his personal hatred toward... us."

"You wanted to say 'Jinwoo'," I growled.

"No, us. We all made him mad and he probably thinks that we caused his death."

"In my opinion it's not about his death," Youngho added. "He was obsessed with money and his job, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was about us ruining his career."

"That would be crazy," Chanwoo groaned. "Is he crazier after the death?"

"RIGHT!" Ri Lee suddenly shrieked and we all jumped scared. We again forgot about her. She was medium, but was easy to forget about, as if she was invisible as ghost.

"Right WHAT," I hurried her.

"That would explain a lot," she said. Her eyes were sparkling with craziness, which worried me. "Junho can't possess Jinwoo, for which he probably hoped. That's why he's so mad and is driving other ghosts crazy. But here Jongil is right too. It may not be only about Jinwoo."

"You mean..." I began slowly. I felt a sudden cold, as if the winter entered the hotel.

"Now that he can't possess you, your friends are in grave danger."

# _Chapter 10_

# _Grudge feat. flying potatoes_

That was the time when my stomach finally rebelled and I ran to the bathroom. When I emptied it and felt a lot better, I glanced in the mirror. I looked like a zombie, but if you saw my thought then, you would look the same, if not worse.

After Ri's last sentence I recalled the nightmare with the shadow. Now I understood it. It wasn't a normal dream. It was a warning. Junho Park showed me that if he can't get ME, he'll kill my friends. What was worse, even if I wanted him to get me, I couldn't. Ri Lee said I couldn't be possessed anymore because of Rena. I touched my chest, where was ghost's mark few years ago. We couldn't do anything. We didn't have Creep, even Grumpy's freaky ideas. We were totally defenseless...

I clenched my fist on blouse. No. I must protect them. They always protected me, now it was my turn.

I turned around to left the toilet, but I faced Clare Clifford instead.

I gasped and moved back. Then I froze. The ghost wasn't moving either. She just started at me, freaking me out. The light blinked, ready to burn out. My fingers flinched at the same time. I moved a little toward the door. She didn't attack, or anything. Her eyes just followed me. I swallowed hard and reached to the handle.

Everything would go smoothly if I wasn't so clumsy and didn't push the metal soap container, which fell causing an echo. Clare widened her eyes angry and shrieked, throwing herself at me.

I ducked, running to the other side of the toilet. As she flew into the mirror, all of the sinks suddenly broke and the pressure from water overturned me. I hit the door of the cabin, which I thought she was haunting. When she emerged from the mirror and flew at me, I clenched my teeth and reached out my hands. If no ghost could possess me, why was I afraid? She should either pass through my body, or escape as she gets closer.

"DON'T TOUCH HER HANDS, YOU IDIOT!"

I reacted immediately, lying down, and Clare disappeared in the toilet.

For a few seconds I was lying on cold floor, breathing fast. The ghost was gone. There was no more sinister presence. Well, if you didn't count furious Ri Lee, who burst into the toilet together with my group members.

"You're an imbecile!" Ri Lee continued, waving at me with her strange wand, as if she wanted to cast a deadly spell on me. "Total idiot!"

"I get it, you told me that already!" I growled, standing up. "Now I would like to know WHY am I so stupid. You said I can't be possessed anymore."

"Yeah, you can't!" Ri Lee outraged. "But it doesn't exclude you from being killed! Didn't you have strangle marks after your nightmare? It isn't cursed mark, but can also affect your life!"

"Strangle marks!?" group members shouted shocked into my ears and I got dizzy.

"It doesn't matter, I don't have them now!" I said to them with anger. I turned back to Ri Lee. "What's your problem anyway? Are you that worried about my life or money that you can get from us? I'm sure you knew from the beginning that we're being haunted by Junho and that we'll ask you for help!"

Ri Lee got confused. In a moment my anger disappeared too and I felt regretful, but she said, "You're right. I hunt ghosts for money, but I can't bear seeing humans die. I've already seen that a lot."

Awkward silence fell. As always, Jongil looked at me angry, but before I could apologize, Ri Lee stated, "Let's go eat. We're late."

We followed her quietly. When we entered the dining room, guests were in the middle of eating. We sat down without a word and began the breakfast.

"Sorry," I muttered to Ri after a few minutes. This time she sat next to me.

"You should be," she answered. "I'm here only for ghosts. I don't care about anything else."

Great. So now my life wasn't even a bit important. I guessed her good side was vanishing faster than it was appearing.

"Why did you tell me not to touch her hands specifically?" I asked.

"You're brighter than you look. You know how Clare Clifford died, right? Her illness is still a mystery, but it was contagious. The story about victims of Clare's curse was true. Those people choked to death when blackened stains appeared on their bodies. Perhaps the stains had some effect on their nerves and killed victims from inside. Anyway, they died because they touched the ghost's hands, on which the illness began. Her grudge will continue as long as this place is open to other people."

"Oh..." I mumbled. If it wasn't for her, I would be dead. "Thanks... I guess..."

Ri Lee ignored my thanks, finished her breakfast and left the dining room. The other guests also left and only five of us remained. I sighed and raised my fork to continue my dish, when I saw group members' faces. I guessed they heard Ri Lee too.

"Don't worry," I said. "We just need to avoid Clare. We don't have to come to her toilet, there is another one downstairs."

Group members didn't reply. Then I realized they weren't looking straight at me, but at something above my head. I got goosebumps and turned around, but had to duck immediately to avoid being hit by a –

"Potato!?" I gasped with disbelief.

As if it couldn't get any weirder. We got up and came closer to each other. Potatoes from every plate flew above the table, then we were attacked by them. I ducked once more, but three potatoes hit my back and I fell on Chanwoo and both of us landed on the floor.

"What's going on!" the youngest screamed, hiding us behind chair. "I don't remember doing something bad to potatoes!"

Jongil grabbed a tray and started bouncing the potatoes as in baseball. Youngho got hit in the forehead and staggered at Beomseok, who on the other side was quite delighted and was eating every potato that flew to him.

"Is he mad!?" I hissed.

"Really?" Chan said. "Don't talk about madness when it's about Beomseok and food."

Suddenly I heard a laugh. I shook my head. Did I get hit by a potato too hard? But when another potato bumped into our chair, I heard the laugh again, as if it was coming from these vegetables. Kind of creepy, if you think about it longer.

After a while our situation became worse, because raw potatoes from the kitchen decided to flew as a reinforcements to their baked friends. I exchanged looks with group members and we did one thing that came to our mind: we fled.

We burst into the corridor and went upstairs. Along the way few potatoes hit hardly Youngho's head.

"Hey!" I shouted, grabbing him by arms. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live..."

Then the laugh sounded again, a little too close to my left ear. A shudder crept through me. I turned around violently, but the corridor was empty.

"Jeez, you're so annoying," I heard suddenly near my right ear and jumped startled.

Ri Lee emerged beside us just like ghost and pushed us to the nearest room. After that she waved her wand, finishing potatoes' rebellion.

"It's over," she said, straightening up. "At least for now."

"Was it Clare?" I whispered. The room was dimmed and somehow scary. Hah, as if it was something new here...

"Or Junho... ?" Beomseok groaned.

Ri hesitated for a second and opened her mouth to answer that, when Youngho squealed, scaring us. He was sitting in front of the wall, illuminating it with his phone. We came closer to him and I felt as if an invisible rope tightened on my stomach.

On the wall was a sentence written in blood. It was old, judging by the half scrapped words, but below it were additional words, still fresh:

TO COME HERE YOU ARE WELCOME BUT TO LEAVE YOU ARE FORBIDDEN

YOU'RE NEXT U-NIGHT

# _Chapter 11_

# _When you're supposed to be gone but it fails_

"What the hell!?" Chanwoo gasped, pointing at our group's name written with blood.

"Warning," Ri Lee said. "Junho must have done it."

"How would he do it with BLOOD?"

"It's not blood," she said, then touched the words and sniffed it. "It's paint."

"So the other sentence is too –"

"No, that's blood. It was written at least a decade ago."

"Is that also paint?" I asked, showing them a pool of something red, coming from behind the curtain, next to covered with planks window. We all froze, thinking what to do. Ri Lee snorted and came to the curtain with confidence, but gasped and backed as she moved it.

Stella Brown was staring at us with an empty look in her eyes, leaning against the wall. Under her body was a pool of something red. The stench coming from it assured me what happened. I turned pale and my legs felt weak.

She was dead.

"Oh God, is she –" Youngho groaned, clenching his fists on Jongil's arm.

Ri Lee came to her senses and tasted the pool. She spat with disgust. "Blood," she confirmed my fears. "Still fresh."

"That's not funny..." I whispered. "Someone just DIED!"

"I'm not laughing, you imbecile," she growled, standing up and looking around. "I told you I'm used to this stuff. But I'm afraid it wasn't done by human."

"What are you saying... ?" the youngest muttered.

"R-Right..." I stammered. "Junho died choked by Rena." I looked at Ri Lee with widened eyes. "I-Is it possible? That the murderer is a ghost?"

"Yes," she stated. She checked the body again. "I'm pretty sure of that. See?" She showed us the deadly wound on Stella's occiput, then she pointed to the curtain and nails, coming out from the wall. "I'm suspecting she saw a ghost, was surprised and slipped on too long curtain, then fell on the wall."

"And cut her occiput with nails," Jongil added.

Ri Lee nodded grimly.

"You came to this rather quickly," I said.

"It's an obvious deduction. Jongil also see that, right?"

The oldest group member nodded too. Was I the only one who didn't come to that 'obvious' deduction? Thankfully Chanwoo and Beomseok had similar faces to mine, so that meant I wasn't the only dumbass here.

"What should we do now?" I asked. "The body –"

"MOTHER!"

We all jumped surprised and turned around. At the door was standing Stella's son – Jack. Right, now we didn't have to worry what to do with the body. I was sure the son will take care of it.

I thought that until he grabbed me by blouse with words, "Why! Why did you kill her! WHY!"

"What... !?" I gasped, more dumbfounded than before.

"What did she do to you!? Answer me!"

He tightened the grasp, because of what I could hardly breathe and group members had to help me break free. We moved back.

"Why would I do that!" I outraged.

Jack almost choked with tears. "I don't know, you tell me!!" he groaned.

"You must have a lot of time crying over it and not taking your mother's body," Ri Lee said coldly. "Or maybe it was YOU who killed her? I saw you had some problems."

"H... How dare you!!"

"Let's stop getting wrong conclusions," Jongil stood between them. "For now it's sure that someone did it but it wasn't us. Just take care of your mother's body, please?"

Jack glared at him, as if he wanted to burn his soul, but did as Jongil said. He brought out his mother, crying again. I felt bad. Even if the ghost killed her, I felt it was somehow my fault too.

The dinner was depressing. Everyone was mourning. Well, beside Ri Lee, who was whispering to me all dinner about her theories. The more I heard, the more ridiculous it sounded to me.

"Could you... shut up!?" I hissed, when she almost shrieked that the killer was Alexia, because one day she argued with Stella over who should go first to the bathroom. "Anyway, didn't you just tell us that the ghost is the culprit?"

"Well, we should consider all possibilities," she said. She counted something in her mind, looking at the ceiling. "Three."

"What?"

"Three ghosts are here. In the hotel."

I shivered. Great. There were three of them.

Ri must have seen my face, because she snorted with laughter. "Don't worry, scaredy cat. Not every ghost wants to be seen and if they're not visible to the living, they're harmless."

"That's reassuring," I said sarcastically, thinking about Clare and Junho.

Ri Lee ignored that. I snorted with contempt and wanted to return to eating my soup but I couldn't, because in my bowl was floating someone's head.

I screamed terrified and backed off, kicking the table with my knee. Man, it hurt...

When I looked at the bowl again, there was nothing there. Right. What was I expecting? That the head will stay and say 'Hello!' to me? But I've been still feeling someone's presence. I threw scared look at Ri Lee, who must have felt it too, because she frowned while looking around.

"Jinwoo, what's wrong?" Beomseok whispered, pulling my sleeve.

"Someone's here," I said.

"Can you stop interrupting our dinner?" Alexia said with anger.

"I'm not –"

"Is everything alright?" Yuki asked. "You're quite pale."

"No, it's not alright! Here –!"

"Jin, sit down, please..."

"You don't under –"

"You're so pathetic."

"I'm not!" I outraged. "Why am I pathetic!?"

Everyone stared at me surprised. Then I realized that no one said that. The voice was coming from behind me. Ri Lee widened her eyes in shock, which was unusual for her.

"Please, let it be my imagination..." I prayed to myself and slowly turned around.

Stella Brown reached out her hands to me, planning to crush my head too.

# _Chapter 12_

# _Laugh lurking in the dark_

All of us reacted in a moment. I squatted, Ri Lee threw her wand into Stella's whitened eye, group members got up loudly, causing a ruckus, because of which Stella disappeared, so no one beside our six saw her.

I breathed out. My heartbeat was slowing down. Someone stood beside me. "And that would be four," Ri Lee said, grabbing and hiding her wand.

I gasped with anger, but before I could tell her something rude, guests became angrier and we had to leave the dining room.

"Now what, genius?" I growled at Ri. "You're the holy medium. Do something."

"I wouldn't exaggerate with 'holy' though," Ri Lee muttered, looking for something in her pockets. "One more ghost to deal with, what's the problem? Day like any other."

"Maybe for you! I didn't do anything to this woman and now she'll haunt ME!?"

"Don't be so full of yourself. You just happened to be in her way. Has anyone ever told you that you're unlucky?"

I hated that word. It sounded like a curse.

"From what I know so far" Ri Lee continued shamelessly "only Junho haunts you personally. Clare Clifford scares off everyone she encounters. If it's about Stella, I think she'll be like Clare, so no worries."

"I'm so glad you're around," I commented with sarcasm. "So I can freely touch her hands unlike Clare's?"

"Well, you can if you also want to have a hole in your head. Those, who died tragically and got stuck in the living world usually try to get rid of people in the same way they had died."

"That's strange," I said slowly. "Doesn't that mean that the world should be full of ghosts? A lot of people die tragically."

"Just the ones who have some kind of grudge. It doesn't have to be revenge."

"Well, I hope it's not worse than revenge," I grumbled.

We stopped between doors to our rooms. "Have a nice rest of the day," she said gravely and slammed the door.

We weren't moving for a moment.

"Is she angry, or something?" Chanwoo whispered.

"She's always angry," I growled, angry myself.

I reached to the handle, but stopped in the midway, seeing that something moved on my left. I looked there and saw a small figure, facing the wall in a creepy way.

"Do you see that?" I asked quietly, showing the figure to group members.

They stared there for a few seconds but saw nothing. I squinted my eyes. Or maybe was I seeing things? But knowing my luck as paranormal stuff magnet, I doubted. I looked more carefully. Although the end of the corridor was darkened, I was sure I saw a figure of a young boy.

I got goosebumps. Now the figure was facing us.

Then I heard whispers and suddenly the lights at the end of the corridor were switched on and the boy disappeared. Instead of him we saw Fabienne, who was whispering to a wall.

"Isn't that –" Youngho began.

"Who are you talking to?" I interrupted.

Fabienne looked at me with curiosity but didn't answer.

"Maybe she doesn't understand English," Beomseok said, grabbing my wrist to take me to the room, but I took a step forward.

"She does," I assured him. She creeped me out once after all.

At some point I heard a giggle near to my right ear. I froze. Group members too, so they also must have heard it. The giggle stopped as soon as it started, but then I felt an unpleasant presence next to my left side.

Suddenly I got kicked in the back and fell. "What the heck, guys!" I burst out with anger, turning to them.

But they were so shocked that I realized too late what just happened and at the same time someone lay next to me and whispered to my ear, "Want to play?"

I jumped to the wall, looking around. This someone wasn't anywhere to find, but instead we heard this familiar laugh, that made an echo and finally stopped.

"I know this laugh..." Youngho said, sitting beside me, tired.

"Yeah, me too..." I grumbled. "Potato thrower decided to show up."

Another giggle answered me. I looked back and realized that Fabienne was still standing in the same place as before, staring at us. I took a deep breath and went to her. "What are you doing here alone, Fabienne?" I asked, squatting before her.

She didn't reply, just stared at me intensively. I started to feel uncomfortable and irritated at the same time. "Why are you sta –"

"You won't escape," she suddenly said.

In a moment I forgot the sentence, which I planned to say earlier, and this time I started staring at her.

"What?" Jongil asked, standing next to me with other group members.

Then Fabienne blinked, as if she woke up from some kind of trance, and shrugged. "That's what he said."

"He means who?" I pressed.

Fabienne looked at me, as if I should know the answer. Well, after a few seconds I knew.

"You... You talk to him... ?" I whispered. "He talks to you?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't he?"

"I don't know. Maybe because he's creepy, dangerous and unpredictable?" Chanwoo poked me to stop being sarcastic to a child, but she seemed like she was playing a fool.

"He isn't!" Fabienne suddenly outraged. "You don't know him!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Yes, I do know him, better than you. I've met him when he was still alive."

This time Fabienne was surprised. "You didn't," she said.

"Of course, you know better..." I got poked again. "I know!" I growled, waving at group members to stop.

"Actually, I know," she said and smile, which was suspicious to me. "If you've met him, you should be now at least fifty years old."

"Wha – Stop poking me!" I got angry and turned around. Group members weren't behind me. They stayed on my left, with terrified faces.

I realized none of them was the one who was poking me. I cursed under my breath and turned back to Fabienne, but instead of her I stood face to face with a dreadful kid, who was hanging from the chandelier upside down.

"Want to play?" he asked, smiling widely.

# _Chapter 13_

# _When you were to 'Find Clare' but found more_

I got ready to shriek, when the ghost was first to do it, before it vanished. I blinked confused and closed my mouth, but opened it again shocked, seeing Ri Lee with talisman in her hand and crazy smile on her face.

"Damn, you're so lucky!" she shouted, then laughed.

"I am?" I blurted, even more puzzled. In a second I came to my senses. "I-I'm not! What the heck, Ri Lee!"

"I couldn't make them to come out myself," she continued, ignoring my words. "Wait, that makes sense! You, who was connected to them earlier by possession, are interesting to them! They can't possess you, of course, but your sole spiritual energy draws them to you! Amazing. Really fascinating –"

"Really disgusting and creepy, so let's end this chit-chat and go to our rooms," I proposed through my teeth.

"No!" Ri Lee grabbed my wrist when I was reaching the handle. I raised my eyebrows. "You can't go."

"I can't because... ?"

"All guests are to meet in the dining room," we heard suddenly Fukai's voice from above.

"What the –" Chanwoo began.

"Was the speaker here the whole time?" Youngho asked surprised.

"Let's go," Ri said, pulling me to the stairs, before any of us protested.

Guests found themselves rather quickly in the dining room. Everyone was sitting at the table, so we joined them. They looked at us with disapproval, probably not forgetting today's unpleasant dinner.

"Apologies for summoning you here." Fukai entered the dining room with Miyako but didn't sit with us. "Today is the 1st of February. I apologize we have to do it in such conditions, I mean Mrs. Brown's unfortunate death, but we have no choice."

"What are you talking about, Mr. Fukai?"

"It's our tradition and a must. In a moment we will begin a game."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Alexia outraged. "A game!? When someone's mother died!? Where is the police anyway! Why won't they take the body!"

"She has a point," Chan muttered to me.

Fukai bit his lip and that was the moment I understood how grave the situation was. "When the first of the month approaches, the time fills up with cockroaches," Fukai said something which sounded like poem (though curse is more accurate word). "When the clock strikes midnight, you'll have it in your sight. But then it's too late, which is your fate." Fukai looked at everyone's terrified faces with a frown. "The game is called 'Find Clare'. You all know about hotel's legend, so it won't be much of a problem."

"It is a problem already," Yuki said. "You're ordering us to find... a ghost?"

"Yes."

"I see another problem," I added. "Why are we here now? You said we'll see her at midnight."

"I explain it now," Fukai said. "Your mission is to LOOK FOR Clare. But you should fail to find her."

"I don't get it," Takeru admitted.

"I'm afraid I do..." I muttered.

"If you find her before midnight strikes, you'll die."

After his last words everyone, except our six, Fukai and Miyako, burst out laughing. Only now I realized someone was missing. "Where is Jack Brown?" I asked Fukai.

"He's resting in his room," Fukai said. "He refused to participate in tonight's event."

"I'm not surprised," Alexia said angered. Fabienne squeezed her hand, perhaps to calm her down. "That's it. We're leaving tomorrow at dawn. I have enough of this ghost nonsense."

I looked at Fabienne, who made scared face. I bet she mentioned the potato boy to her mother.

"Unfortunately, it's not possible," Fukai suddenly said.

We all looked at him confused.

"What do you mean by that!?" Alexia shouted.

Fukai cleared his throat nervous, but it seemed to me like he was telling this a lot, maybe previous guests. "This hotel is cursed, you know it from the legend too. Those, who came here, can't leave. That's the rule."

I recalled the sentence in one of the rooms. So it was Clare who wrote it? Without the part about us, of course. We all knew who wrote THAT.

"Then, let's break the rule," Takeru suggested.

"Stop, we may die because of that too," Yuki laughed, but stopped immediately, seeing Fukai's face. "Wait, seriously... ? But ghosts don't exist! You're just joking to scare us, like this little girl did yesterday!" She pointed at Miyako.

As Fukai was arguing with other guests whether he was telling the truth or not, I whispered to Ri Lee, "Doesn't he know that the hotel is haunted NOT ONLY by Clare?"

"Oh, he knows. If he didn't, I wouldn't be here in the first place."

"Wait, so he really hired you?"

"Yup."

"And... you're doing nothing. Good job so far."

"I'm not doing NOTHING, dumbass," Ri Lee growled, throwing glare at me. "Every night I walk around the hotel looking for ghosts."

"Shouldn't be hard to find one," I couldn't stop myself.

"To be honest, it is. I told you that ghosts don't show themselves in front of ANYBODY. I'm, as a medium, no exception. You may think that I'm surrounded by ghosts every day, but it's the opposite. They're hiding especially from me."

"I have no problem with that..." I grumbled to myself, then glanced at her. "What?" Her expression was a little worrying. "No. Don't even think about it."

"Too late," she said with sneaky smile and grabbed my collar, leaving the dining room to begin the game.

"How bad my luck can be..." I groaned.

The two of us went ahead and soon I lost sight of my group members. It was bad, because we knew what could wait for us in this partly darkened castle.

"Stop!" Ri Lee suddenly hissed and I got goosebumps for unknown reason.

We were in a corridor, which end was dimmed. I remembered the potato boy.

"Who was that boy anyway?" I whispered. "Do you see something?"

"Not yet, but I feel it. You don't?"

"I'm feeling it all the time, if that helps."

"Not at all." She glanced at me over her shoulder. "His name is Naoto Sakuyama. He died here almost thirty years ago. I don't know how and why though. At first he didn't seem to be dangerous, but his 'games' are too risky, as you experienced with the potatoes attack. Stupid idea, by the way. He and Clare are the main reasons I'm here. But now we have Stella and Junho to deal with too. Eh, what a nightmare..."

"Do you –" I began, but some sound interrupted me.

We went silent and looked at the end of the corridor. We didn't see anything but heard it clearly. The cracking sound. I turned pale. It was closer and closer, and because of the echo I couldn't locate which direction it was coming from. But I knew one thing for sure.

Junho Park was on his way to us.

# _Chapter 14_

# _Sinister rollercoaster_

When the cracking sound disappeared, I was sure Junho left too. I was ready to breathe a sigh of relief, but suddenly I felt cold breath on my neck and froze. Judging by Ri Lee's face, I guessed the ghost was behind me.

"Just... don't... move..." Ri Lee said voicelessly, reaching into her bag.

"Very funny," I moved my lips irritated.

The medium slowly came closer to me, but she was too late. When she prepared her wand to hit Junho, I felt cold grip on my shoulder and screamed with squeaky voice. While jumping I struck the ghost in its jaw. I groaned and squatted, holding my head. It hurt...

Hurt... ?

I turned around and saw Chanwoo who was sitting on the floor, holding his jaw. He looked at me with teary eyes.

"Chan!?" I gasped half annoyed, half relieved. Suddenly I got hit in the same spot on my head, which earlier met Chanwoo's jaw, and sat down puzzled.

"Oh," I heard and glared at Ri Lee, who quickly hid the wand.

"What's going on!" I hissed, looking at Chanwoo, then at Ri Lee. "Where's Junho?"

"You saw him?" Chan whispered terrified and looked around, as if the ghost would appear at any moment.

"First we heard him," I answered. "Then I was sure he was BEHIND me, but it turned out it was you."

"Are you mad at me, Jinwoo... ?"

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "No, I'm not... I'm just stressed out. What are you doing here? Where are the others?"

"We split up..." Chanwoo stood up, but staggered and I grabbed his wrists, so he wouldn't fall.

"Are you –" I frowned. "Why are your hands so cold? Are you feeling okay?"

Chanwoo smiled and nodded.

"Jinwoo," I heard Ri Lee. "You said you felt Junho behind you a moment ago, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well... He's behind you right now."

I got goosebumps but in a second thought she was joking and turned around to say something rude, but I didn't face her.

Do you remember how Junho Park died? Yes, Rena strangled him. That's why I had similar marking when I first encountered him here – it was a reminder. And about the dead Junho... He changed. He was still in clothes he died in, although torn, as if he fought his way out of the afterworld back here; and his hair was messy. New were his pale skin, dreadful whites of his eyes, marking on his throat from Rena's last attack, and stooping silhouette (at this point he reminded me of zombie, which was not very good combination with his ghostly nature...). But what worried me the most was the strange way he was showing himself to us. His body, or some parts of it, was disappearing into the shadows from time to time. It was like he was merging with them...

Before I fully analyzed his appearance and weird shadow skill, he grabbed my neck with his cold fingers. I gasped, suddenly having squeezed throat, even though he didn't even tighten the grip. Then some words in different language came to my ears and Junho released me, disappearing into shadows.

I gasped and fell on my knees, breathing heavily. I looked up and saw Ri Lee, who lowered her wrapped in talismans wand. I took a deeper breath to thank her, when I remembered Chanwoo and turned to him worried.

"Are you okay?" I asked, grabbing his hands. He was looking at the floor, seeming either mad or terribly sad. "Chan –"

"You're the only one," he said all of a sudden. He was mad, I heard it clearly.

"What?"

"You're the only one who understands me, Jin."

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Chanwoo looked at me, smiling sadly. Then he put his hand to my heart. "Yes. This is very wrong." He squeezed my wrist painfully, which wasn't like him.

"Chan, what –"

"Get away from him!!"

I glanced at Ri Lee, who got ready the wand again, but this time she was pointing it at us.

"Are you crazy!?" I hissed. "Don't point it at me!"

"I'm not pointing it at YOU, dumbass! Focus!"

As she said it, suddenly I felt weak with fear, then hesitantly turned back to Chanwoo.

Naoto Sakuyama smiled as wide as Cheshire Cat and pulled me to himself. Ri Lee jumped between us with her talismans, that split us, and we flew in two different directions. I rolled on the floor, stopping on my stomach, while not so happy Naoto vanished into the ceiling.

"Come on!" Ri Lee pulled me. "He'll be back."

"Y-You knew!?" I gasped, tripping over my weak legs, when we started to run. "About –"

"No. I had no idea he could do something like this."

"But what about REAL Chanwoo!? Is he –"

"I don't know, so shut up!" She calmed down a little. At some point we met a dead end. "Your friend is probably alright. From what I've heard, the spirits that are able to imposter living human for a short time don't have to kill the person they're changing into."

"It's crazy!" I groaned. "And very disturbing."

"Also dangerous," Ri Lee added grimly. "This kid must have killed a lot as a ghost, if he's able to do that. I'm not talking about your group members," she growled, presumably seeing my face. "This ghost is here for nearly thirty years, so there were a lot of unfortunate guests. Eh, you still know so little..."

"Then tell me!" I angered.

"We don't have time now." She stiffened, as if she heard something. "Get in here!"

She pushed me into the nearest room. "Hey, what's your deal –!" I outraged.

"Stay here," Ri Lee whispered. "I'll be back after I deal with them. You'll be safe here." She thought about something. "For now, at least." And she closed the door.

I didn't move for some time, listening. When I didn't hear anything suspicious, I stopped holding my breath and looked for a light switch. I found it, but it didn't work. Right. Why would it work? I sighed irritated and turned on flashlight in my phone.

The room was big and rather creepy. It seemed more like a storage room. Ah, wait. I found destroyed bed in the corner. But I couldn't imagine someone living here, especially soundly sleeping.

I decided to look for some clues to fight Naoto. He was here for thirty years, right? Some documents, photos, even toys would be helpful now.

When I illuminated the bed in the corner, I saw something under it. I went there full of hope, passing the partly broken mirror. I saw my sweaty face and got more irritated because of that. I sighed once more and continued the walk, along with the person following me.

I stopped abruptly, feeling empty inside.

The person following me...

I swallowed hard. But I didn't hear anything, how could someone be here? I turned around, but there was no one behind me. I came back to the mirror unwillingly and I saw only my frightened reflection.

At least I thought that until I saw in the mirror someone's bloody hand on my shoulder.

# _Chapter 15_

# _Peek-a-boo_

I didn't move. The hand either. I wasn't even blinking and because of that my eyes soon began hurting. Suddenly I heard a noise from the corridor and flinched scared. I looked at my shoulder again but didn't see the hand. I sighed relieved, almost bursting out laughing. I turned around to check if Ri Lee came back, but I had to rethink it as in front of me was Stella Brown.

She still looked horrible, as you can imagine. I opened my mouth and screamed as loudly as never. I thought I surprised the ghost too, because I ran through it and didn't meet any reaction from it. I bumped into the door, forgetting it was closed. I opened it (still screaming) and almost bumped into someone. I took a deep breath and continued the shrieking, together with the person before me. I was the first one to come to my senses.

"Beomseok!?" I gasped hoarsely. "Why –" I frowned. "What are you doing?"

Beomseok also stopped screaming, but didn't lower the broom. "R-Rescuing you!" he squealed.

Now I raised my eyebrows. "Good job," I praised him sarcastically. "But what could you do to ghosts with that broom? They would only die with laughter."

"They are DEAD already."

"Shut up. That's just a saying." I looked behind him. "Are you alone? Where're the others?"

"We split up."

That reminded me of something. I pushed Beomseok and jumped out of the room, making distance between us.

"Why!?" Beomseok said surprised.

"Are you really Beomseok Park?" I asked suspicious, getting ready my fists, but that was as dumb idea as the one with the broom.

"What question is that?" he outraged.

"Prove it."

"Prove WHAT?"

"That you're Beomseok Park."

"H... How can I prove something like that!"

He had a point. How could he prove it?

"What do you have on your bed in our dorm?" I started the interrogation.

"What are you –"

"SAY IT."

My murderous gaze (which I practiced recently) worked and he said, "Pikachu..."

Okay, checked. If he wasn't Beomseok, he could have said anything, like phone or books, but he said the mascot's identity first. I frowned. But that wasn't enough proof. Naoto could have heard it somewhere.

"Your favorite food?"

"Chicken legs."

"Sleeping habit?"

"Singing."

"Favorite k-pop group?"

"Stray Kids."

"Mm..." I squinted my eyes. He got everything right so far. "When Doraemon anime came out?"

"In 1979. What are you doing?" He took a step closer to me. I stiffened, still being on guard. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine!"

"Do you have fever?"

Before I realized, Beomseok was beside me, checking my forehead with his hand. Warm hand. Right... Naoto's hands were cold as ice when he pretended to be Chanwoo.

"You're weird," Beomseok said slowly. "But you don't have fever."

"Now I'm fine," I said.

"Sorry to interrupt such a heartwarming moment," we heard suddenly and flinched startled "But we should get going." Ri Lee waved at us with her wand and we followed her.

"What about the ghosts?" I asked her when we reached the fourth floor, where the big, old-fashioned clock was. It was fifteen minutes to the midnight. When did it happen... ? Besides, I had a bad feeling about this floor. We weren't here before and the clock was rather suspicious.

"I –" Ri Lee began, but was interrupted by voices coming from the nearest corridor.

"Hide!" I hissed, pulling Ri and Beomseok behind the clock.

Soon we saw Miyako, then Fukai, who was talking to somebody. After a second it turned out Alexia and Fabienne were with him.

" –and here we have our ancestors' territory," Fukai was saying. "It's said that when midnight strike –"

"Can we just go?" Alexia sighed, while Fabienne was staring at something behind her. I got goosebumps for some reason. "I want this game to end and you assured us we won't meet this so called ghost till the midnight as long as we're with you."

"I haven't said that..." Fukai muttered, but I clearly heard him. "Okay, should we go over there? I have another interesting story to tell you, about..."

"Is he serious?" I whispered to Ri Lee, when they disappeared in some room. "How can he calmly do a sightseeing tour when there are ghosts on rampage?"

"He has no choice," Ri Lee grumbled. "I told you he hired me, so he knows about the ghosts. All of them."

"Even Stella?"

"Yeah, he talked to me when I was chasing the ghosts a moment ago. I have one more job. To chase away Stella."

"That's not good."

"I agree. He doesn't know about Junho though. That ghost is... complicated. I still need to research his case..."

"What did you mean saying he has no choice?" Beomseok asked.

Ri Lee rubbed her forehead, looking troubled. "The game is a must on every beginning of the month," she started explaining. "That's Clare's rule. If you don't participate, you're as good as dead. Well, if you find her BEFORE the midnight, you're dead too. So the best choice is to wander around the hotel till the clock strike the right time. No, we can't stay in hideout either," she added, probably guessing Beomseok's another question. "It's the same as waiting for her to find YOU. And it's way worse, believe me."

"And I thought nothing worse could happen," we heard and turned around.

Jongil, Youngho and Chanwoo smiled at us. I immediately ran to them, checking whether their hands were warm and whether they were my real group members.

"Is there something we don't know?" Chanwoo asked puzzled.

We told them about Naoto and his tricks, then about Junho and his freaky skill.

"It's still seven minutes till midnight," Youngho said, looking at the clock. "It's too short, so we should be okay, right?"

"There's one more thing that worries me," I muttered and looked at the corridor, from which Fukai, Alexia and Fabienne came earlier. "I have a feeling that Fabienne has a similar connection to the ghosts as me and she saw something."

"I caught her once when she was playing with Naoto," Ri Lee added. "But strangely he treated her differently than us."

"She could have seen Naoto on this floor," I said. "We should keep moving."

I turned to the direction where Fukai went, but suddenly something passed me and I got chills.

"What was –" I turned back to group members at the same time as Jongil fell on his knees. "Jongil!?"

Youngho and Chanwoo kneeled beside him.

"Is he sick?" I panicked, squatting in front of him. After that I touched his arm. "Jongil?"

"Wrong," he muttered.

"What?"

All of a sudden Jongil smiled and started laughing quietly, which wasn't like him. I felt that invisible rope tied my stomach when I realized what just happened.

My oldest brother grabbed my wrist and looked at me with whites of his eyes, saying,

"Peek-a-boo."

# _Chapter 16_

# _Fear is for the weak_

I was out of my mind until Jongil squeezed me so strong that my wrist started getting numb.

"Jongil, what's wrong!?" Beomseok said shocked.

"Jongil!"

"No!" I gasped and broke free, staggering at Beomseok and Youngho. "It's not..."

"What are you –"

"Look at his eyes!" I shouted hysterically. "It's not Jongil. It's Junho Park."

Everyone looked at Jongil terrified. Jongil/Junho, on the other hand, smiled. "Why?" he said. His voice was like a combination of Junho's and Jongil's voice, so it was only creepier. "Aren't you happy that you see me?"

"Get out," I growled, clenching my fists.

"This is a really great place!" Junho looked around fascinated. "Great place to haunt AND hunt, if you know what I mean."

"Get out of him!!"

Junho squinted his eyes, looking at me. I shivered and clenched my fists harder.

"To be honest, Jinwoo," he said. "I would like to get into you. But, as you already know, I can't. Isn't that lucky for you. But wait." He smiled sneakily. "Is it really?"

I froze. Damn him. He knew my weak point. Only group members and Ri Lee seemed confused.

"Jin, what is he talking about?" Chan whispered to me.

"Oh, they don't know?" Junho asked innocently, took a vase and suddenly threw it on the floor, breaking it. Then he grabbed a sharp piece of glass and put it to Jongil's throat.

"Stop!!" I screamed with fear. I took a step toward him, but stopped abruptly, when Junho smiled wider and scratched his skin. A drop of blood ran down the glass.

"Life is short, Jinwoo," he whispered. "And you know that."

"Don't you even dare!!" I enraged, opening my arms. "I'm the one you want!"

"No, no. You ALL ruined me, although you have special place on my black list. If I possessed you, it would be easier, but I realized I'll make you suffer more if you lose your precious people."

I threw myself at him without thinking. He was a bit surprised by my move, so he had to protect himself instead of hurting Jongil. Well, he couldn't possess me, so I was safe. Now I had to take him out of Jongil somehow. As we were struggling, suddenly I heard a swish on my left and almost got my head cut off. In the last moment someone pulled me back and I sat down confused.

"Are you nuts!?" Ri Lee scolded me. "You can't be possessed, but you can be KILLED!"

"I must protect them!" I shrieked, trying to break free from Beomseok's grip.

"Must!? Who told you that! Why!?"

"Because I'm a HUMAN BEING!" I glared at her. "Are you not?"

Ri Lee probably felt offended, but it wasn't time to feel wrong about that. Jongil was still in danger.

"Clock is ticking, U-NIGHT!" Junho suddenly shouted and Jongil fell down.

"JONGIL!" we screamed and ran to him.

"Hey..." I groaned, checking his pulse. "Thank God... Did he leave?" I turned around to Ri, who was still dumbfounded.

"Jin, look!" Chanwoo panted beside me.

I looked at Jongil's chest. There was no mark like I had when Rena cursed me.

"What's going on?" I muttered. "I'm sure Junho just now –"

" –did what?" I heard suddenly from behind me.

Beomseok and Chanwoo jumped on their feet, while I stayed on the floor. Youngho smirked and looked up at us, with whites of his eyes. Then he grabbed Ri Lee's arm. She froze, not knowing what to expect.

"It's impossible..." I groaned.

"Why?" Junho asked, now using Youngho's body. "You have a medium with you. Didn't she tell you what some ghosts can do? I mean, unique ghosts, like me. Fear is for the weak, boy. I think you know what I'm talking about."

"Let him go!!" I cried.

"And then what? Who should I possess next? Choose, Jinwoo. You're the only one who should be blamed. If you didn't sniff around Rena's and Hyeonju's death, you wouldn't be in this situation."

I clenched my fists and bit my lip. I tasted blood when I cut it with my teeth.

Just now the clock struck midnight. One game was over.

"I remind you: your own clock is ticking. If you give me good reason why I shouldn't kill your friends, I'll may reconsider my revenge. You have time until tomorrow night."

# _Chapter 17_

# _Night game_

After these words, Junho left Youngho's body. Chanwoo ran to him and caught him, before he hit the floor. For a while there was deathly silence.

"He left?" Beomseok whispered.

"Think so," Ri Lee muttered.

Chanwoo checked Youngho's chest too and looked at me puzzled, shaking his head. There was no cursed mark on his chest either.

"Let's head back," Ri Lee ordered. "The game is over, we can go sleep now."

"We're not going anywhere," I growled. "Not until you explain everything!"

"Really? Now?" Ri Lee said through her teeth.

"Yeah, now!"

"I'll explain, but in your room. Your friends have fever and we need to take care of them."

Right. How stupid was I? Jongil and Youngho were our first priority no matter what was going on!

"What Junho said was partly true," Ri Lee began, when we put Jongil and Youngho to beds and made cold compresses on their foreheads. "I know about ghosts like him, although it's rarer case than Naoto's skill. But I didn't know Junho was that kind of ghost."

"Jongil and Youngho don't have cursed marks like I had," I said.

"Yes, because cursed mark appears only when ordinary ghost curses you. One person for one ghost to possess, that's their rule, or something. You said Junho was killed by Rena, right?" We nodded. "Rena was a ghost. It's different and more dangerous when GHOST kills THE LIVING. Then the balance between the worlds is a little shaken. It's said that then human becomes the ghost capable of possessing more than one person."

"What a mess..." I groaned, sitting on Jongil's bed, for some reason exhausted. Suddenly something popped up in my mind. "Wait! So... Stella can do that too!? You said she was killed by a ghost!"

"No, she was SCARED by it," Ri Lee corrected me. "At least I think it was like that. I wasn't there, remember? Anyway, we're in luck for now."

"How's that?"

"Junho's ability to possess different people isn't fully developed. He didn't vanish because he wanted to. He just couldn't stay longer. The more often he possess, the better his skill becomes."

"But what can we do now?" Chanwoo whispered. "Can we even fight him... ?"

Ri Lee scratched her nose in deep thought. "Every ghost is to send away," she said slowly. "We just need to find a way. I'll think about it. Meanwhile, don't get possessed."

"Easier said than done..." Chan muttered, when Ri Lee left. "Jin?"

I looked at him, partly with my mind elsewhere. "Huh... ?"

"Get some sleep. I'll watch brothers."

I nodded and went to my bed, covering the window with curtains. I fell asleep in a few seconds.

I woke up feeling cold. I shivered and closed the window. When I covered it with curtains once more, I suddenly heard someone's breathing behind me. I turned around hesitantly but no one was there. Group members were sleeping, the door was closed.

Hhhh...

I was awake in a second. The breath turned out to be a whisper. But I didn't understand it. It didn't sound like Junho or Naoto though. Then there was only one ghost left...

Just when I was about to scream to wake others, the ghost whispered again, this time spreading its arms on both sides of my head, as if it tried to cover my eyes. Instead, cold hands grabbed my face and slowly turned it, so I could see slightly behind me.

Stella Brown got so close that I couldn't breathe with fear. I also felt like I had stones tied to my chest.

Hhheee...

I frowned. She didn't seem to be in attacking mood. I had a feeling she wanted to tell me something.

At some point she leaned toward my ear and whispered into it,

"Help."

Then I heard cracking sound near my other ear and suddenly Junho threw himself at me from behind Stella.

I gasped and woke up. I still had trouble breathing. After a moment I knew why.

I could have sworn I fell asleep alone. But now Beomseok's legs were occupying my chest. For some reason he was lying on the floor and only his feet were on my bed. I looked to my right and saw other group members safe in their beds. I sighed and started analyzing the dream.

I knew that dreams in this hotel weren't merely dreams. The first nightmare here, with Junho, was a warning. Now it was probably another warning, but only the part with the CEO. I still had a strong feeling Stella tried to tell me something. Help? What did she mean by that?

All of a sudden I heard a rustle and sat, freeing myself from Beomseok's feet. I switched on bedside lamp and saw Jongil going to the door.

"Jongil... ?" I murmured. He stopped. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," he replied. "Going out for a while."

"To the toilet?" I got up and went to him to check his forehead. "Is your fever down?"

"It is," Jongil answered.

I didn't believe him. Jongil always tried to be the most caring because he was the oldest, but there were times when we needed to take care of him too. When I was about to touch his head, I stopped abruptly, seeing something that gave me chills.

Youngho seemed to be still unconscious. As Beomseok found himself next to my bed, Chanwoo stayed beside Jongil.

Yeah... Jongil was still sleeping in his bed.

Too late I realized who was standing before me and I got hit in the chest, flying back on my bed, violently waking up Beomseok with my scream, who automatically caught me.

"What's going on!?" Chanwoo was on his feet immediately, half asleep.

"Naoto!" I warned him.

"I'm Chanwoo, Jin..." the youngest muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"No! In front of you!"

Chan ducked, finally fully awake by my voice. Naoto's fist made a hole in wooden wall.

"Holy potatoes!!" Chanwoo shrieked and jumped toward me. "Jongil!? I could have sworn... Ah, I see." Only now he realized into whom Naoto turned and who was lying on the bed.

"We need to get them out of here!" I ordered Chanwoo and Beomseok.

"No! We need Ri Lee!" Beomseok protested.

"We need a plan," Chan suggested.

"You need to play."

"No, let me think! We –" I stopped, realizing that the last voice didn't belong to any of us.

Naoto grabbed my forehead and threw me on the floor. I hit it with my head painfully and the world around me started spinning. Chanwoo shouted panicked and kicked Naoto. Thankfully, when Naoto was pretending to be a living person, he had to at least make his body touchable.

"Can you stand?" Beomseok asked worried, helping me to get on my feet.

"Yeah... Take brothers..."

Chanwoo took Youngho on his back, while I and Beomseok hurried to Jongil, but then Naoto attacked again, sending Beomseok on the window.

"NO!" I shrieked.

Chanwoo was faster than me and in the last moment grabbed Beomseok's hands, before he fell out of the window.

"If you don't want to play, you're not needed," Naoto said grimly, planning to throw chandelier on Jongil.

Hearing the crack of a chain, that was holding the chandelier, the only thing I could think of was to protect Jongil.

# _Chapter 18_

# _Mystery after misery, misery after mystery_

When I wrote I wanted to protect Jongil, I didn't mean doing it by clumsily tripping over my legs. But it worked anyway. I fell on Jongil and clenched fists on his arms, as the chandelier's chain was completely cut off.

Suddenly – when I was sure it was over for me – few things happened at the same time. The door slammed, someone screamed, I felt a strong grip on my shoulders and fell with Jongil on the floor, as the chandelier shattered above our heads into a thousand pieces.

After this fell deathly silence.

I opened my eyes slightly and faced Jongil, wide awake and with fear and anger in his eyes. "Are you nuts!?" he scolded me. Probably it was him who pulled me.

"Why?" I blurted, ignoring the scolding. I was just happy he woke up and seemed alright.

This... couldn't be said about me though. Why my back was stinging... ?

"Made it!" we heard and saw Ri Lee with her wand. She must have been the one who destroyed the chandelier before it crushed on us. Suddenly she turned pale. "Or not... ?"

"What? Why?" I said.

"Jinwoo, don't move," Jongil said, also pale.

"Why!? Is he behind me!?"

"No... Don't you feel it?"

Only when something warm ran down my shoulder, I realized what was wrong with me. Chandelier was destroyed indeed and didn't crack our heads, but a piece of glass from it stabbed my shoulder blade. I wondered why it didn't hurt so much and I moved, but then a pain literally knocked me down.

"I told you not to move!" Jongil hissed.

"At least Naoto is gone..." I muttered. Beomseok took me by my arm and transported to the nearest bed.

"We need a doctor!" Chanwoo groaned. "There's so much blood –!"

"He'll be fine, don't panic," Ri Lee said.

"How can I not panic!? Anyway, it was YOU who did it!"

"Hey, I saved them! If it wasn't for me –"

"Stop it!" Youngho yelled, coming to us. Thank God, he was awake too. "Arguing won't help. Is there first aid kit in this hotel?"

"Downstairs, in the kitchen," Ri Lee replied. "But –" Youngho left the room without any comment. "Aaah, whatever. He's not deathly injured! There isn't much blood either. Have you ever seen someone bleeding heavily? The glass hit his bone, so it didn't enter deeper."

"Well, that's reassuring..." I growled. "Will you take it out, or should I wait to bleed out over the night?"

"So you're saying we should do NOTHING!?" Jongil outraged.

"Ah, I don't want to argue with you," Ri snorted. She pointed at me. "It's his fault anyway! He's a magnet to ghosts like for flies is –

"Okay, stop!" Chanwoo shouted. "I don't want to know."

Me neither.

We waited another few minutes in silence. At some point I started dozing off.

"Hey, Jin?" Jongil saw that. He patted my cheek. "Hey, don't fall asleep!"

"Hey!" Chanwoo said. "Think about something else! Do you remember when Beomseok built sandwich tower and it exploded with mustard?"

"Don't make me laugh..." I muttered, smiling weakly.

"I'm back!" we heard suddenly and Youngho ran to us with the first aid kit.

But he wasn't alone. Alexia D'Espoir followed him in.

"What are you doing here... ?" I asked confused.

"Stop talking and think about something nice," Alexia said sharply, rolling up her sleeves. "It won't be pleasant."

"What won't be pleasant?" I got worried and tried to move away, but my arm went numb. "What are you going to do!?"

"Don't worry, she's a nurse," Youngho said.

"How do you know we can trust her?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Bite it," Alexia said, all of a sudden putting a cloth into my mouth.

I wanted to protest once more, but group members held me down.

After that I felt a terrible pain in my back and jerked shocked. Tears gathered in my eyes. After the glass was removed, along with the cloth from my mouth, and after Alexia started stitching, I kind of dozed off, but still was awake enough to hear and see what was going on in the room. I lay my head on a pillow and looked left, at the door.

There was a figure of a man, standing next to it.

I blinked puzzled. He disappeared. Was I too tired? He didn't look like Junho. I glanced at group members, but they didn't seem to see him. I looked at the door again and saw that the man appeared again, this time a little closer to us. I stiffened and immediately felt sharp pain. Alexia hit me lightly in my forearm, ordering to stay still. I looked hesitantly at the place, where the man was a moment ago. He probably vanished for good. I breathed out and finally could fall asleep.

Heee...

Hhheee...

HEEEELP.

I woke up stiffened, as if I didn't move for ages. I gasped when I wanted to sit down. I was lying on my stomach, because of the stitches on my back. I decided to go back to sleep, when I heard hissing. I froze, but relaxed as I took it as a raging wind outside.

But after a few seconds the hissing came back. And it was closer to me than before. With my heart racing faster and faster I realized these were familiar whispers.

Hhheee...

Stella... ? Was she here? But –

Heeee...

The whisper was clearer and closer than before, because of which I got goosebumps. What did she want?

I took a deep breath and tried for the last time to sit down and I made it! But as I sat down, I faced Stella Brown in person. I froze, too shocked to even scream.

"Help," she whispered like the last time and vanished.

I needed a few seconds to come to my senses, then sighed with relief and relaxed. My back hurt because of that. I clenched my teeth and left to the kitchen, feeling sudden hunger. It took me a while, but finally I was three doors away from the dining room. During the walk I passed the room with slightly open door. I stopped. Strange smell was coming from it.

I looked around, but no one was in the corridor. For a few seconds I was fighting with my thoughts and eventually went back to the room. I looked at the plate with names and realized it was Stella's and Jack's room. I frowned. I just remembered Jack wasn't participating in the game and stayed in his room. Did he go somewhere leaving the door open? Why would he do that?

"Hello... ?" I said quietly, knocking and entering the room.

It was dimmed and messed up. Right... He must have been frustrated and depressed after his mother's sudden death. I switched on the light. It illuminated the room a little – only one bulb was working. I cursed under my breath, stepping into spilled alcohol.

Although messy, their room looked more expensive than ours. It even had a private bathroom. I wondered why Stella would argue with Alexia about who goes bathe first if she had her own bathroom. When I passed it, I realized the strange smell was coming from the inside. I knocked once more and went into the bathroom, again stepping into something watery. I switched on the light.

I shrieked shocked and backed off violently, hitting the door. My back exploded with pain but I ignored it, this time dealing with craziness of my stomach.

The good news is that I found the owner of this room. The bad news is that he was clearly dead, lying in a bathtub full of blood.

# _Chapter 19_

# _Lost souls_

I didn't know how I've done it, but I returned to our room really fast. Group members were up, probably worried I wasn't where I was supposed to be, and I almost fell on Beomseok when we opened the door at the same time.

"Downstairs... Blood..." I panted, holding my chest, trying to tame crazily beating heart.

"What!?" Beomseok checked my back. "Why would you do this? You know it's a fresh wound!"

"No... Not me... I mean, not only... Downstairs... Dead –"

"Who's dead!?" I jumped, hearing Ri Lee behind me.

I took a deep breath. "Jack Brown. In his room."

Ri frowned and ran downstairs. I wanted to go after her, but group members pulled me into the room. "You're staying HERE," Jongil ordered. "Chanwoo, watch him."

"I –" But Jongil, Beomseok and Youngho already left. "What's his deal?" I muttered, meaning Beomseok. "He hates that stuff..."

I turned around and saw Chan sitting on my bed and looking at me so terribly sad that I felt guilty. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm worried." He patted place beside him. "Let me change the bandages."

I nodded and was about to go to him, when I heard a silent crack and looked at the door.

"Oh God!" I hissed, jumping with surprise. "I saw you leaving!"

Beomseok also made sad face and I felt more guilty. "I know," he answered.

"You hate ghosts and dead bodies."

"I remembered that when I was next to the stairs."

I sighed and sat beside Chanwoo, who began treating my wound.

"What do you think has happened?" Beomseok whispered, sitting in front of us on a chair, putting his arms and chin on its back.

"He died. What's more to it?" I looked at the clock. It was already 5 a.m.. There will be sunrise soon.

"But isn't it strange? Over twelve hours earlier Stella died and now her son."

"Maybe because they laughed at ghosts?" Chanwoo muttered.

This isn't stupid theory though, I thought and felt goosebumps on my neck.

"How do you know they died because of ghosts?" Beomseok continued stubbornly.

"What's your point?" I asked. "You're not usually that talkative if it's about paranormal stuff."

"I just want to solve it and go home! I have enough of this hotel!"

"We feel the same," Chan said. "But what can we do? We're not police like Grumpy, nor mediums like Ri Lee."

"I know..." Beomseok bit his lip nervous. "But what if Jack haunts us too? Stella came back."

Only when Beomseok said that, I suddenly felt nauseous and squeezed shirt on my chest.

"Jin!?" The youngest grabbed my forearm. "Are you okay? You're so pale!"

"Oh my God..." I groaned. "Why am I so unlucky!"

Yeah, I saw Jack's ghost. Not long before I discovered his body. When I was dozing off as Alexia was stitching my shoulder blade, I mentioned I saw some man who surely wasn't Junho. He couldn't be Naoto either because of the height. And except them I didn't know any other male ghosts here.

"How many are there... ?" I mumbled, rubbing my temples.

"Five... ?" I heard Beomseok.

"Ri Lee said it was four –" I muttered but stopped and looked up.

He was looking at his phone with big eyes. When I saw what was behind him, I realized he must have seen this on phone's screen.

Jack Brown was looking at Beomseok with sad face, but that wasn't the worst. His whole body was covered in blood. When I recalled the scene of his death, I felt nauseous again.

"What do you want?" I asked the ghost. Beomseok looked at me more terrified. "Your mother came to me asking for help."

Jack slowly turned his whitish eyes on me.

"What happened to the two of you?" I continued the risky game. "You're different than the other ghosts in this hotel. You don't want revenge."

Just when I said it out loud, I realized it was the truth. Stella was not going to hurt me from the beginning. She approached me wanting to tell me something. But only one word – 'help' – wasn't enough for me to understand the situation.

Jack opened his mouth, as if he wanted to tell me something, but all of a sudden he vanished. I thought my plan didn't work and I was about to relax, when I felt coldness on my right side and felt that Jack reappeared there, whispering into my ear, "Kill..."

Then he disappeared and didn't come back.

"That was... creepy..." Chanwoo commented with trembling voice. "What did you mean by Stella's asking for help? Did she really come to you?"

"Yeah..." I muttered. "I didn't tell you, because I just realized it was the case when I told him that." I looked at the door. "What takes them so long?"

"Maybe we should check it," Chan got worried.

"No, that's –" I heard the door opening. "Oh, see? They're ba –"

But there was no one there. I felt goosebumps and guessed too late what just happened.

A shadow flashed from the door to us, pushing us to the window. Beomseok grabbed my hand in the last moment, before I once again hit my back, and he pulled me out of the bed.

"Chanwoo –!" I shouted and froze.

Chanwoo sat down, ran his hand through his hair and opened whitish eyes. Then he clucked, pretending to be sad and said, "You had rough night, Jinwoo. Are you okay?"

"You bastard!!" I hissed. Now it was Chan!? "It's not the time yet!"

Junho smirked, which on Chanwoo's face looked scary. Our youngest brother would never make that creepy face.

"I know, I was just so excited that I couldn't wait!" He smiled wider. "Shall we begin our negotiations?"

# _Chapter 20_

# _Hellish mission_

"What the hell are you saying!?" I growled. Beomseok grabbed my arms, stopping me from attacking Junho/Chanwoo.

Junho kept smiling. What enraged me the most was that, that he was doing it as Chan. And judging by his posture, Junho was crushing him from inside. I thought he was longer in his body than in Jongil's and Youngho's...

"Get out or –!!" I gasped panicked.

"Or you do as I tell you." Suddenly his smile disappeared. "I need you to do something for me, Jinwoo."

"W-What... ? Why me!?"

"Would you prefer him to do it?" He pointed at Beomseok, who flinched. I was about to refuse, when Junho continued, "He couldn't do it anyway. It has to be you."

"Why?"

"Because only YOU she'll take."

I frowned. Junho smirked saying, "Yes. I'm talking about the medium."

"What about her? What do you want exactly?"

"You know what I want. But to do that, I need something more. And only she has it."

I opened my mouth to ask what she could have, when I guessed it suddenly and widened my eyes. "You're not saying –"

"You're still smart, that's good. Her medium staff. I need it."

Why would he need her wand? Wasn't it working only in medium's hands?

"It isn't," Junho laughed. I shivered. Great, I thought with sarcasm. His skills lacked only reading minds. "You need to fix your habit, boy. Your face tells me everything."

I bit my lip.

"Your assignment is simple. You just need to take the staff from her and bring it to me. What can go wrong?"

"Oh, I don't know!" I got angrier. "Maybe Ri Lee herself? She's not stupid!"

Chanwoo's face darkened when Junho got angry. I got goosebumps.

"I'm sure you'll think of something," he whispered and crossed his legs. "I'm waiting. If you value your friend's life, you'll go now."

I cursed him and ran out into the corridor, midway giving Beomseok sign to keep an eye on Chan.

When I was in the middle of the stairs, I almost bumped into Youngho and Jongil.

"Jinwoo!?" Jongil said surprised. "What are you –"

"Where are you going!" Youngho shouted, but I was already on first floor.

How do I find her, I thought nervous. I burst into Jack's room and moved back immediately, remembering what was inside. She wasn't there. Then there was one place –

"What are you doing?" I heard from behind me and jumped startled.

Ri Lee raised her eyebrows.

"Y... You're here!" I gasped, trying to act normal.

"Indeed. Where should I be?" She wrinkled her nose, watching me carefully. "You're really something. You just had a hole in your body and now you're so lively like nothing happened."

"I heal quickly!" I lied. Only when she reminded me about the wound, I started feeling it again. I clenched my fists to not show it on my face. "Shall we go?"

"Where?"

"To hunt ghosts! What else?"

I went toward the door first, but she blocked the exit with her wand. I looked at it. My hand trembled.

"What's going on, Jinwoo Kim?" she asked. "You're acting weird." She stopped. "Okay, weirder."

"Am I?" I snorted. "Well, sorry about that. If you don't want my help –"

All of a sudden she grabbed my forearm. "I didn't say that," she whispered and took me with her.

We were going around the hotel for some time, not encountering anything supernatural. From time to time I was looking at her hip, where she had her wand. Damn, I didn't have time for this stupid hunting! Chanwoo is –

Oh God, how long has it been... ?

"How did you become one?" I asked.

"What now?"

"Medium. How did you become one?"

She didn't answer and I got worried that I won't be able to distract her, when she said quietly, "When I was twelve I was in accident. Our school bus fell from a hill and I was the only survivor. That's the time when I began seeing ghosts. At first I thought everyone survived, but later I realized I was talking to the dead that suddenly attacked me. I escaped into the forest and was roaming around it for days.

At last, after a week, I was found by a local police, who found out about the accident. I nearly died from hunger and dehydration. In the hospital I've met a woman, who was also hospitalized and was an ex-shaman. She was about to be send to a mental hospital, as she lost her mind because of ghosts. She recognized in me someone who could fight and hunt evil spirits.

After her relocation, I spent four nights alone in the room, haunted by dead patients. I was really scared, but after the fourth night I understood what the shaman had meant. It's said that mediums have power to fight ghosts and that it frightens them. When I got angry at the spirits, they suddenly vanished terrified. Then I decided to try to become medium and after I was taken to my aunt, I secretly learnt about ghost hunting and practiced at night." She sighed and put her hands on back of her head, looking at the ceiling. "My aunt told me that every medium and shaman ends in mental hospital or dies. There weren't any exceptions. But I ignored that and thought that I'll be this exception. I've kept my word and perhaps scared my aunt with this attitude, who eventually threw me out of the house when I was fifteen." She looked at me and frowned. "What are you doing?"

I flinched, as if I was taken from another world by force. I realized I was so deep into her story that I forgot midway what I was supposed to do. I froze reaching to her hip, which probably looked at least strange.

"Um... nothing." I straightened up quickly. "That's a sad story... Sorry."

I saw a flash of understanding in her eyes. "Did you just –!"

"No!" I shouted, not really knowing what she meant.

Suddenly something made a noise near us. I jumped and looked around. A vase next to the mirror was broken.

"It's here!" Ri Lee gasped, forgetting she was just mad at me.

"What makes you so sure?" I whispered, turning to her.

Ri Lee was staring at my feet without any emotion. I knew I shouldn't have followed her gaze, but I did it anyway.

I slowly looked under my feet and met Clare's white glare. Then she flew into the air and grabbed me by jaw.

# _Chapter 21_

# _Creeping from above_

Only when Clare clenched her fingers on my skin, I remembered about her deadly touch. I backed off violently, tripping over my legs. Ri Lee stabbed the ghost with the wand and Clare vanished with a scream.

"Oh my God..." I gasped, looking at my hands. Ri Lee also seemed shocked, which didn't really comfort me. "Oh my God!"

"Calm down."

"Calm down? Are you serious!? Didn't you see that she TOUCHED me!?"

"Yes, I saw it clearly."

"I'll die! I'll seriously die in a moment!"

"You're seriously annoying and loud, that's for sure." I looked at Ri Lee with disbelief. "Think a little. If you were to die because of her touch, you would be dead already."

I came back to staring at my hands, but Ri Lee was right. They didn't become black, neither the rest of my body. My heartbeat was slowly returning to the normal pace.

"Why?" I panted dumbfounded. "You said –"

"I know. I'm surprised too. Perhaps Clare's curse doesn't work on someone who's been cursed before. That's interesting..."

"Good!" I sighed and wiped my face from sweat. "One ghost less to be worried about."

"Not necessarily."

I groaned, massaging my head that started aching. "I'm afraid to ask what do you mean."

"She may leave you alone, or the opposite. Although she can't possess or curse you, she can still haunt you. You're inconvenient to her."

"Great. That's what I wanted to hear."

"Let's go. I'm planning to start with Stella."

"Why her? Clare –"

"Stella is the best target, because she's the 'youngest' spirit here. She'll be the easiest to catch."

I was a bit confused. Stella and Jack were the only ghosts I had doubts about. They weren't trying to harm me or my group members. But I had to meet Stella once more to get to know what she wanted from me. But before that I needed to snatch the wand from Ri Lee and rescue Chan.

As we were going through another corridor, I again got ready to take the wand, when I heard something similar to scratching. I stopped, listening. Did I imagine that? Now I wasn't hearing a thing...

When I returned to walking, I clearly heard it once more. The scratching was regular and slow, as if some cat was scratching the door, or some rat was running in the corridor. I shivered and caught up with Ri Lee. I looked ahead and swallowed hard. We were going into darkness.

"I-Is this the right way?" I whispered to Ri Lee.

"Yes. Are you doubting me?"

"No, I just don't think that going into the dark is a good idea."

"Ghosts don't attack in the full light." I snorted with contempt to that, so she added, "Usually. There are some exceptions."

"It seems I've met only exceptions –"

The scratching was hearable again. I grabbed Ri Lee's arm. "Did you hear that?" I muttered.

"What?"

"The scratching. It's following us."

"Scratching or cracking? Do you mean Junho?"

"No, it's not him."

"Why are you so sure about it?"

Because he's IN someone else, I thought gravely.

"It's like –" The sound interrupted me, this time being right beside me.

I turned violently to the right with flashlight, but saw nothing. I searched the floor, hoping it was really some stupid rat, but space around me was also empty.

Empty except one thing.

I stopped the light at the curtain, behind which I saw someone's feet. I got goosebumps. Suddenly the scratching sounded on my left and I turned there, encountering emptiness. I gulped nervous and returned with the light to the curtain.

The feet were gone. But I didn't hear any footsteps. That meant –!

The scratching passed me and I jumped startled, illuminating the corridor like crazy. I stopped abruptly, seeing some movement above me. I turned the flashlight there and thoroughly searched the ceiling.

"What the hell... scaring me like that..." I mumbled, wiping my forehead. I looked at my hand and gasped.

Blood.

I touched my forehead again and checked my palm. The blood disappeared. I was even more confused. What was going on... ?

Then the scratching came back. First I heard it from behind me, after that near the curtain, and at the end just above me. I illuminated there and shrieked, seeing Clare attached to the ceiling like a spider.

Suddenly my flashlight was turned off. I screamed again and fell on my butt. I tried to make the phone work, but without any effect.

"Ri Lee!?" I called terrified. "Are you here? Ri Lee!!"

No answer. I only heard my fast beating heart and heavy breathing. At some point I froze, holding my breath.

The breathing was still hearable. So earlier it wasn't me at all...

I closed my eyes, waiting for the worst, when the breathing suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes and once more tried to turn on the flashlight. It worked! I pointed it before me, wanting to know where I was, but that was a mistake.

Naoto smiled widely, squatting right in front of me.

# _Chapter 22_

# _Hide and don't be found_

I held my breath, not knowing what to expect from the ghost. Naoto was still smiling, which gave me the creeps.

"Play with me," he whispered, which gave me more creeps.

"Don't want to!" I blurted without thinking.

Naoto stopped smiling and cocked his head like a curious animal. "Why?"

I was afraid of that question. Somehow I knew if I didn't answer, I would be in more trouble than now. What should I say so I won't die? We didn't know the culprit yet, so there was possibility it was Naoto who killed Stella.

"I... I don't have time," I risked.

Naoto didn't attack me. He was just staring at me like predator at its victim. I swallowed hard.

"Okay," Naoto suddenly said. I blinked confused. Would it be so easy... ? "I'll let you go on one condition." He smiled unnaturally widely. "You'll hide and I'll seek. You have three minutes." And he vanished, laughing.

"That's not fair!" I shouted into the empty space. "I said I don't want to play..."

I decided to abandon the game, but as soon as I thought about it, I felt like Naoto was lurking behind me.

"Don't ever try to deceive a ghost, especially an old vengeful one. Its revenge will come to you doubled." I recalled Ri Lee's warning from the last dinner.

I shivered. I didn't want another vengeful ghost's revenge on my back. I just hide from him for few minutes, then find Ri Lee and take her wand to save Chanwoo.

I found an empty room in two minutes and entered it.

I illuminated it with the flashlight, because, of course, the switch didn't work. I looked around. There were a lot of places to hide – bed, closet, curtain. I just didn't know how Naoto imagined that. Human was to hide from ghost? Ridiculous and impossible...

First, I tried under the bed. I coughed because of dust and barely fit in anyway. Boxes and unbelievably big spiders were residing there. I ran toward the curtain, but changed my mind as soon as I saw someone's feet behind it. I decided not to check who that was and went to the door to look for another room, when I heard humming, from time to time interrupted by laughter.

Naoto had started his hunt.

I stepped back slowly. What now... The only hideout that was left was the closet. I didn't want to get in, but I had no choice. I jumped into it at the same time as the door to the room opened with a quiet creak. I covered my mouth and nose, silencing the breathing.

For some time there was no sound hearable, except my heartbeat. I looked through the crack in the door with hesitation.

The room was empty, now illuminated a little by slowly rising sun. The room still looked creepy though. Suddenly I heard only one footstep. I frowned, watching carefully the room. Another footstep sounded from the other side. Shudder crept through me. I blinked and then froze terrified.

Naoto was in the room and currently was standing facing the bed, so I saw his back. The sole fact that he knew I was in this room was a reason to panic. But he wasn't checking whether I was under the bed. He was just standing without any movement with a little cocked head.

Suddenly he looked aside.

I moved back scared, almost hitting the back of the closet. My hand, with which I was covering my mouth, started trembling. The inside of the closet was getting hotter and hotter, at some point I felt like suffocating.

There was no sound for some time, so I gathered the courage and looked through the crack once more.

The room was empty. And the sun must have hidden itself behind clouds as it had risen, because the room was still dimmed. Then from under the bed the box slid itself out. Or there was someone under the bed who pushed it out. I watched it carefully, not knowing why. But it was so mesmerizing that in a moment I forgot about the situation I was in. After a few seconds the lid of the box began coming off. Slowly and quietly. I frowned. What was that about?

When the lid completely fell off, suddenly Naoto's face appeared right before me. I gasped and hit the back of the closet with fear. I was sure I'll die, but Naoto just giggled with words, "Found you! Let's play next time too..."

And he disappeared.

I needed a longer moment to calm down. I guessed that all his 'games' ended with guest's death from heart attack. I was about to come out of the closet, but I heard a rustle on my left. I looked there and another portion of fear grabbed my lungs and throat.

Jack Brown stared at me emotionlessly with his dead eyes. Suddenly a thought appeared in my mind: was he with me here the whole time... ?

"... kill..." he whispered the same word he said last time.

"You... want to k-kill me... ?" I mumbled.

He shook his head a little. I got confused.

"... kill me..."

"But you're dead already, remember?"

"... killed me..."

Killed? He changed the tense. I got goosebumps for some reason.

"Killed you?" I whispered more puzzled. "Someone killed you?" So it wasn't a suicide? "Another ghost?"

"She... killed... me."

# _Chapter 23_

# _Puzzle to solve_

Suddenly the door to the closet opened violently and I jumped startled that Naoto changed his mind and came back to eliminate me.

"Jinwoo!"

"There you are!"

"Are you okay?"

I was speechless. I wasn't expecting group members to find me here. Did I scream unconsciously? Then I remembered something terrible and important. I grabbed Youngho's blouse, almost falling out of the closet.

"Chanwoo!" I gasped. "What about Chan!?"

Group members exchanged looks, which worried me more.

"He's alright," Jongil said. "Junho left him as soon as you ran to search for the staff. Beomseok stayed with him."

"He... left him so soon... ?" I whispered confused. I was sure Junho will wait till I bring him the wand. Then I remembered this ominous feeling when I'd started the game with Naoto. So it wasn't Naoto who followed me to the room... ?

"I told you he's not ready to possess for too long," I heard from the door.

Ri Lee fixed her messy hair and glared at me angered. She looked like she came out of the chimney.

"What happened to you?" Youngho asked shocked.

"Why did you leave me with the ghost!" I shrieked at her furious. "I nearly died from heart attack!"

"But you didn't," Ri Lee growled. "How was I supposed to know it'll happen!? When I heard your squeal I was on my way to you, when I fell into some dirty forgotten room! This hotel is like a ninja house, only traps and secret rooms! I bet Stella also fell into some trap when she was alive."

She killed me, I suddenly remembered Jack's words and turned pale, looking at Ri Lee.

"Did you kill him?" I gasped without thinking.

Everyone looked at me confused.

"What are you talking about now?" Ri Lee snorted with contempt.

"Jack Brown. Did you kill him?"

Group members in a second stepped away from Ri Lee, who only raised her eyebrows, saying, "Who told you this bullshit? I'm medium, not murderer, idiot."

Right, I thought. Jack said 'she', he didn't mention any name. And in this hotel were four females besides Ri Lee. I told group members and Ri Lee about game with Naoto and then the encounter with Jack in the closet. Ri Lee searched thoroughly the closet, but Jack was already gone.

"Sorry," I muttered. "For accusing you..."

"I would be suspicious too," she said. "But I'm still mad at you." She glared at me. "If you needed my staff, you could have just asked!"

"Would you give it to me?"

"Of course not!"

I sighed.

We returned to our room, where Beomseok was guarding sleeping Chanwoo.

"Is he alright?" I asked.

"Feverish, but he'll be fine," Alexia said, suddenly coming out of the shadows. "Why are you injuring yourselves all the time?" She clucked displeased. "Troublemakers."

I stayed silent until the sound of her footsteps died down. "Do you think it's her?" I whispered to group members. Ri Lee also came back to her room.

"The one who killed Jack?" Jongil said. "But are you sure he wasn't lying?"

"I'm sure. If he was, he could have killed me at our first meeting."

"But what did he do to Alexia that she would want to kill him?" Beomseok asked. "Did they even know each other?"

"They stayed here longer than us, so they might have some problems," I said.

"What about the Japanese couple?" Youngho suggested. "They seem suspicious."

"In what way? I haven't heard anything about them."

"Exactly. The psychopath is always the quietest and innocent one."

"I haven't met such psychopaths," I growled, recalling four of them. "And wait, one of them is even with us in this hotel, though already dead."

"Hey, calm down," Jongil said, patting my back. He stopped, looking at it worried. "You hit it again? We need to change your bandages..."

"Huh? Mm..." I forgot about it completely.

As Jongil and Youngho were taking care of my back, I continued the investigation.

"What about Miyako? We don't know anything about her either."

"It's similar like in Japanese couple's case. We can't accuse them not knowing anything."

We were quiet for a few minutes.

"I need to take a walk," I decided.

"I'll go with you!" Beomseok suggested and we left.

The walk was supposed to be a relax for my mind, but Beomseok's company only made it worse. I meant, I was glad he didn't let me go alone, but he was scared by every little thing we encountered, even his own reflection.

"Mirrors are creepy," he whispered to me.

And after few seconds,

"Oh God, elevators are creepy too!"

"There isn't any elevator here," I said with raised eyebrows.

"I was just reminded of it when I looked at the stairs. They're also creepy, by the way."

I sighed. What's not creepy to you, I thought. At some point he jerked me.

"What now!" I growled.

Beomseok pointed to the stairs that we just passed a moment ago. Next to them was standing Fabienne. She was looking down, as if someone was standing there. I shivered. She was one creepy girl, but she may know about her mother's and Jack's relationship, if there was any at all.

"Hi," I said to the French girl.

She looked at me emotionlessly, nodded and came back to staring at the stairs. I glanced there hesitantly, but thankfully didn't see anything.

"I need to ask you something," I continued, squatting before her. "Did your mother know Jack Brown? You know, the son –"

"I know who. He's dead."

I was surprised she knew about that already. Fabienne glanced at me, saying, "He told me himself."

"So you've met him too?"

"Too?" She finally became curious and stopped creeping me out by looking at the stairs. "Do you also see them, brother?"

"Unfortunately yes. What did he tell you?"

"Nothing important. He was just crying about his and his mother's deaths."

So he talked to her more than to me. I was about to ask her another question when she smiled widely, but somehow creepily. I got goosebumps. "I do wonder who killed him though. Don't you, brother?"

# _Chapter 24_

# _Clock is ticking, darkness is sneaking_

When I was about to ask her something, I heard a rustle behind me, coming from the stairs. I turned around and saw Clare, standing few stairs lower. She was lowering her head, which caused her dirty fair hair to cover her face. All three of us weren't moving for quite a while. Only when I felt sharp pain in my back, I flinched and so did Clare's head.

Now she was looking aside, still lowering her head, so I couldn't see her expression (not that I wanted to see it anyway). I glanced at Fabienne to see whether she was okay, but to my surprise she didn't look afraid at all.

"Are you mad!?" I hissed at her. "Why aren't you running away!"

"Why?" she asked emotionlessly.

"Are you possessed, or something!?"

"No. But I'd like to be."

I stared at her completely dumbfounded. That was... an unexpected answer.

"You'd like to be possessed," I repeated, just to make sure I haven't misheard that.

"Yes. I think it would be an interesting experience."

"You don't know what you're saying..."

"Ah, right." She looked at me, more curious. "You've been possessed before. How it's like?"

"Horrible," I answered immediately. "You feel like dying every time. And don't remember what you've been doing when being possessed. You don't want to be like that."

"It would be better than my life now..." she whispered, but after that she glanced at me scared. In a second she returned to her emotionless self. I frowned. "Don't you have to run?" she added.

"Why?" I blurted.

Fabienne pointed at me. "Because she's right behind you."

I shivered and at the same time felt someone's breath on my neck. I flee without looking back.

I stopped abruptly after a minute, when some thought popped up in my mind.

I could have sworn Beomseok was with me...

When I was about to come back for him, suddenly the nearest door opened violently, hitting my nose and almost breaking it. Then someone burst out from inside the bathroom and both of us screamed startled.

"Beomseok!" I scolded my brother, who tried to calm down, holding his chest with both hands. "Where have you been!?"

"B-Bathroom!" he muttered. "You've been talking to Fabienne, so I went quickly to the bathroom! But there was –"

"I saw Clare," I interrupted him. "Down there –"

Beomseok widened his eyes, pointing to the bathroom. "I saw her too... Over there..."

I froze. How could it be? Could she move that fast?

"Are you sure you saw her... ?" I asked slowly. "Because I'm pretty sure she was two corridors away just now."

Beomseok opened his mouth, but closed it quickly confused. Suddenly an unpleasant thought haunted me. What if it wasn't Clare but –

"Long time no see, Jin," I heard next to my right ear and jumped at Beomseok, who wanted to jump at me at the same time, so in the end we both fell.

I saw Clare in front of us, but I could have sworn I just heard Naoto's voice...

Could it really be... ?

"How did you do it?" I blurted shocked. "You can impersonate ghosts too... ?"

Clare smiled sneakily and changed into Naoto. "You're so clever, Jin," he said. "Do you want to play again?"

"What are you really up to?" I asked angrily. "I don't believe that you're interested in me just because I was possessed once."

Naoto's face darkened. I got goosebumps, but endured his whitish gaze. Then his expression changed back and he said, "Clock is ticking. We have no more time left. And if we disappear, something terrible will happen not only to this castle."

"What do you mean?" I said surprised. "What do you mean you're going to disappear? And what about the castle?"

Naoto vanished and reappeared next to me. Beomseok flinched as if he wanted to run away, but he endured it. "The forbidden one will destroy everything," Naoto whispered. "And not alone." Then he and his presence disappeared completely.

We were silent for a moment. I was thinking about Naoto's words, or should I say riddle, while Beomseok probably was coming back to his senses.

"What did he mean by that?" he muttered to me out of the blue.

I looked at him. So he was thinking about that too. I shook my head. "No idea. We just need to ask Ri Lee. She knows ghosts' world and their crazy traditions better than us."

"Brothers..."

We turned around and saw Fabienne. She was looking at the floor. Her hands were trembling. I squatted before her.

"What's wrong?" I asked calmly. "Are you feeling sick?"

She shook her head. Beomseok patted my arm, but I ignored it.

"I'm sorry..." Fabienne suddenly said.

"About what?" I raised my eyebrows. "If it's about earlier, don't worry."

"No. I'm really sorry... It's my fault..."

I was more and more confused. And Beomseok was more and more annoying with patting my arm. "What!" I hissed to him, turning around.

He was staring terrified at something in the corridor. I turned back to Fabienne and saw at the end of the corridor a shadow, coming closer and closer to us. I stiffened.

"I'm sorry!" Fabienne continued. She was crying. "I did it!"

"Did what?" I said, not really paying attention to her but to the shadow.

Suddenly it disappeared.

"I-I killed him."

I looked at Fabienne. She was looking into my eyes sad and scared at the same time.

"What did you say... ?" Beomseok whispered.

"I killed him," Fabienne repeated quietly. "I killed Jack Brown."

# _Chapter 25_

# _Who do you most care about?_

Before I could ask Fabienne what was that all about, she suddenly stiffened and gasped. Only then I realized why the shadow from earlier disappeared.

"No!!" I shouted, but too late.

Junho smiled and looked straight into my eyes. I shivered. Then he looked at the body he found himself in and nodded with satisfaction. "Want to know something interesting, Jinwoo?" he said, now playing with Fabienne's fingers. "Someone wise once said that practice makes perfect. And I agree with that." Suddenly he broke Fabienne's pinky. "Don't you think so too?"

I trembled with anger and clenched my fists. What should I do in this situation...

"Jin!"

"Jinwoo, Beomseok!"

My heart beat faster as I turned around. Youngho and Jongil, with Chanwoo on his back, ran to us. "Chan..." I gasped.

The youngest group member smiled lightly, assuring me he was slowly getting better.

"Aaah, family reunion," Junho said, spreading his arms. "Touching."

"What do you really want, Junho?" I growled, turning back to him.

"I thought I told you."

"Seeing me suffering isn't enough for you, right? So I think there is another reason why you're doing this. And that's why you need Ri Lee's staff."

Junho squinted his eyes. "Your brightness is sometimes scary, boy."

"Don't tell me..." I widened my eyes. "You're the forbidden one that will destroy the castle... ? But you're not supposed to do it alone." I turned pale. "I-Is it Fabienne? The one who'll help you?"

"This child?" Junho giggled creepily. "This is just an appetizer. I was going to kill her anyway. Though it's your fault she's going to die sooner."

"Wha –!"

Junho smiled and put a piece of glass to Fabienne's throat.

"STOP!"

But he didn't listen and cut Fabienne's throat right in front of us. Before the child died, she came back to herself for a second and looked at me shocked. When the tears ran down her cheeks, she closed her eyes and fell. She didn't move anymore.

I fell too. With shock and fear.

"She didn't do it..." I whispered. "She couldn't have killed Jack..."

"Jin..."

"We need to get out of here!" Youngho muttered. "Before we die too!"

"I have to ask him," I said, standing up. I staggered.

"Jinwoo!!"

But I already ran to Jack's room. Fabienne couldn't have done it. She was... a child. Just a child...

That died a moment ago.

I stopped abruptly. The corridor was so deathly silent that I heard my own tears dripping on the floor. "Damn him!" I hissed, clenching my teeth and fists. "Damn him!!"

At least I didn't want to see Fabienne's ghost regretting what she didn't even do. I wiped my eyes quickly and was to open Jack's room, when I heard footsteps and turned around violently, getting my fists ready to fight.

Ri Lee snorted with contempt and probably wanted to say something rude, but she saw my face. "Are you crying?" she asked.

"N-No," I muttered, wiping my eyes once more. "Have you seen Jack? I need to talk to him."

"Talk to the ghost? Are you mad?"

"I have to! Someone just died and he can –"

"Who died?" Ri Lee interrupted me shocked.

I swallowed hard. My throat seemed to be swollen. "Fabienne. That French girl. Junho killed her during the possession..."

Ri Lee's face darkened for a second, but she quickly came back to herself, thinking about it. Seeing so many deaths perhaps made her immune to sadness, but that still looked heartless to me.

"I don't know where Jack is," she said as I wanted to repeat the question.

"W... Will Fabienne become like Junho... ?" I whispered.

"No. If Junho killed her while being inside her, it counts as a suicide. She did that with her own hand after all."

"What should we do... ?" I asked terrified. "Everyone is dying! What if Junho killed Stella and Jack? Fabienne said that she killed Jack but I –"

"Fabienne said that?"

"Yes..."

Ri Lee turned around and started walking. I caught up with her. "Where are you going? What am I supposed to –!"

"I haven't seen neither Jack, nor Stella. I have to check something. Go back to your friends."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Ri Lee shut herself in her room. I returned to group members. They didn't move from the scene of tragedy. Fabienne's body was lying in a pool of blood. How were we supposed to tell her mother about this... ?

"Are you alright?" Jongil said quietly.

I shook my head. Chanwoo was able to stand on his feet again.

"We have to call our manager," Youngho added. "And if possible the police."

This time I nodded. I turned to Beomseok, who was surprisingly calm and quiet. He was staying in front of a wall and was digging in the wood with his nail.

"Beomseok, if you continue this, you'll get hurt," I warned him.

Suddenly he smiled. "I know. That's why I'm doing it."

"Junho!" I screamed with horror. "Get out of him!!"

"Why? Like you said, Jinwoo. There should be another reason for me to be like this. What could it be?"

"Stop playing and just say what you mean!"

"I'll stop. After you answer my question." Junho turned to me. "Who do you most care about, Jin?"

I froze. Group members too, probably thinking about the same thing. I heard similar words from Min Jang from L&F, almost killing my brothers and myself. These words meant Junho was up to no good.

Suddenly he jumped toward us, but stopped just beside me, putting his hand on my arm.

"I hate waiting, boy," he whispered. "Taking too long with the answer means death."

I shivered and felt sick with fear, then turned around.

Behind me was standing Youngho with shocked face. I looked lower and saw sharp piece of glass buried in his left side.

# _Chapter 26_

# _Nothing is as it seems_

We all panicked. I pushed Junho, for a moment forgetting it was Beomseok. Youngho fainted. Jongil and Chanwoo were right away beside him. Sudden rage hit me, I screamed and threw myself at Beomseok, trying to pull Junho out by force.

I didn't know how though. Maybe he'll get irritated. Or try to possess me somehow. I didn't care. It was alright as long as it was me.

"Stop!" I suddenly heard and turned around.

Youngho was conscious and sitting. He was pale, but looked fine. I let Junho go and ran to group members. I checked Youngho's wound, but... there was no wound. I looked at him shocked. He smiled and showed me a broken mirror, which he always had with him.

"Seven years of bad luck," he said. "Let's hope it won't be worse than till now."

"Oh God!" I sighed and relaxed. "You scared the hell out of me..."

"Sorry."

"I'm happy for you!" we heard. Junho opened his arms and smiled sneakily. "We'll see each other soon." He glanced at something at the end of the corridor. "I guess sooner than you think." And he left Beomseok's body.

We were silent for some time, staring at Beomseok's sleeping face.

"You know he'll remember this," Chanwoo said.

"I know," I answered grimly.

"He holds grudges."

"I know."

Beomseok's face was a little bruised and his lip was cut. Thankfully, Youngho stopped me before I did worse.

"Are you okay!?" someone suddenly shouted from behind us and we jumped startled.

Ri Lee rested her hands on her laps, catching breath. She looked like she ran a marathon.

"Did you find them?" I asked immediately. "Stella and Jack?"

She shook her head and straightened up with a frown. "It's strange," she said. "They're like they never existed in the first place. I mean, their souls. There's not even a trace of them."

"You think Junho did something to them? We don't know all of his skills..."

"Don't think so. Even a ghost like Junho couldn't send other ghosts away."

"Send away?" Chan asked confused. "Isn't it –"

"Anyway, I have to check one more thing," Ri Lee stated and left us with words, "Go back to your room. We'll meet at the breakfast."

"Hey, what about –!" I began, but she already disappeared around the corner.

"What now?" Youngho whispered at the same time as Beomseok groaned and sat up.

We froze, observing him carefully. He looked around puzzled, then touched his face and hissed with pain. He looked at us dumbfounded. "What happened... ?"

"I'm suddenly hungry," I said quickly. "Let's go to the kitchen. I'll starve if I'm to wait for breakfast."

"Right."

"I agree!"

"Let's go."

I patted Beomseok's back and left first. He followed us staggering, even more dumbfounded.

When we were two corridors away from the kitchen, I turned around to ask something Chanwoo, but he wasn't behind us.

"Did he go to the toilet?" I asked group members.

They shrugged, so did I. He knew we were going to eat, so he'll join us later. But after we entered another corridor I got worried. We shouldn't split up in this situation. Junho's last words were still ringing in my ears.

"Hey, guys. I think we should –" I stopped, shocked.

Now Youngho was gone too.

"What's going on!?" I ran to the end of the corridor from where we came.

It was empty. I got goosebumps.

"Something must have happened to them!" I said sharply.

I took Beomseok and Jongil by their sleeves, so I won't lose them out of my sight too. As we were passing the mirror, I suddenly saw that someone was following us. I turned around violently, for a moment letting go of Beomseok's sleeve. When I turned back, I only saw shocked Jongil.

"Where's Beomseok!?" I gasped, looking around terrified. "He was just beside me!"

"I-I don't know!" the oldest said. "I didn't see him going anywhere!"

"That's it!" I got angry. "We're going to Ri Lee."

"We don't know where she is."

"Then we'll ask Naoto."

Jongil looked at me, as if I've finally gone crazy.

"Well, what am I supposed to do then!?" I outraged.

Jongil widened his eyes, looking at something behind me.

"Duck," he said.

I blinked dumbfounded. What... ?

"Duck," Jongil repeated, pointing at the floor behind me. "Over there."

I followed his gaze and really saw a rubber duck, sitting peacefully on a carpet.

As we were staring at the duck, not knowing what to do, it suddenly flew to the ceiling and exploded. I flinched surprised.

"What the heck..." I muttered. "Do you know what this mean?"

I turned around. "Jongil... ?"

He was also gone. I panicked. I was left alone in creepy corridor with parts of ripped off rubber duck. Group members vanished. Just like that.

I turned to the rubber duck and froze.

At the end of the corridor was standing Clare. I didn't blink for two minutes, but my eyes started stinging and I had to. After I blinked, Clare appeared few steps closer to me. I shivered and returned to the corridor where we lost trace of Beomseok. There I saw something out of place.

The mirror, in which I saw someone following us a moment ago, was crooked. I didn't remember it was like that earlier. I came closer to it and realized it was a hidden door. I opened it and saw stairs leading down, perhaps to the basement. Another shiver crept through my skin, but I gathered the courage and slowly went down.

Downstairs was pitch black, as I predicted. I turned on the flashlight in my phone and looked around. There were hills of clothes in the corner. I froze. Why this seemed familiar... ?

Suddenly a groan came from this hill and I jumped with a gasp. The clothes moved. I was waiting like stupid for something to come out, but then I recognized the groan.

"Chanwoo!" I hissed and jumped to the hill.

I found them, all of my group members! Thank God... But they seemed semi-conscious for some reason and had scratches all over their bodies. What was more, and way worse, they were tied up. Something in my head told me that no ghost would be capable of doing that...

I widened my eyes, when a sudden thought popped up in my mind, but I was one second late to react.

"I told you you're one lucky guy," I heard from behind me and stood up, slowly turning around.

Ri Lee smiled. Suddenly something heavy hit my neck and the world around me went back to pitch black.

# _Chapter 27_

# _Unexpected conspiracy_

I was woken up rather brutally by being splashed by water. I gasped violently and coughed shocked. I needed a moment to come to my senses. When my vision sharpened, I realized I was still in the basement. I looked around, then sighed relieved. My group members were here. Still tied up but alive. I moved confused. I wasn't.

"Welcome back, Sleepy Beauty," I heard and looked up.

Ri Lee was sitting before me on a chair with crossed legs, playing with her staff. I frowned. She looked like a completely different person. I didn't know she could look this devilish with her harsh beauty.

"W-Why..." I panted, trembling because of coldness and anger.

"That's a stupid question, Jin. If you ask that, you know what I answer." She suddenly leaned toward me, pointing her wand at my throat. "I would say that it was revenge. Or to eliminate witnesses. Ah, or what about making the world better? Haven't you heard that a lot lately?"

I clenched my teeth. She knew my past encounters with Lee Brothers, Junho and Min Jang. I frowned more. "Are you... Junho?" I whispered.

Ri Lee smiled sneakily and moved back to her chair, calling, "Junho. Someone wants to see you."

Fear squeezed my heart. Takeru Murama came out of the shadows and leaned against pillar with crossed hands, staring at me with creepy smile and whitened eyes. Yes... That was definitely Junho. I felt it. But that meant –

"You... ?" I whispered with disbelief, staring at Ri Lee. "You killed... all of them... ?"

"Not all of them," she replied calmly. "Just Stella and Jack."

"Jack? But Fabienne said –"

Suddenly Ri Lee laughed, which gave me goosebumps. "Fabienne? That child? Don't make me laugh. She indeed stabbed him on my orders, but she panicked and couldn't finish this simple task. Lucky for me, the last person Jack saw before he fainted was Fabienne, so even after his death he thought that it was her who killed him. Stella is another story. She wasn't supposed to bother me after her death, but I didn't think of one thing." She glanced at me coldly. "That she'll come for help to you."

"B-But you are hunting GHOSTS! Not humans!"

"The living are blind and so naive," Ri Lee sighed.

"Y... You're a living person too..." I mumbled.

Ri Lee smiled and pointed her wand at her chest. "I'm dead here, my dear."

All of a sudden she stood up. Me and group members flinched, scared of what she was about to do now. But she just started pacing and continued, "Many would say I'm crazy. Well, I can't disagree. I am. Like every medium. I already told you that. But is it so wrong to have enough to live on?"

"Wait..." I felt weak. "You're saying you've been killing for more requests? For... money?"

Why is it always about money... ?

"It sounds really crazy when he said that," Junho said with a smirk.

"Money is a funny thing, you know?" Ri Lee said, ignoring Junho. "But I was alone. Everyone left me, so why should I be sympathetic toward them? Life is short but difficult and for me death is just too beautiful. I hate beautiful things. They disgust me. Anyway, mediums aren't so popular nowadays like they were few decades ago. I'm not counting those, who ended in the mental institution though. It was a simple decision. I had to kill to have more requests."

"You're mad..." I muttered, feeling sick from her words.

"Mad, you say. Till now I was called worse."

"H-How long?" Chan suddenly said. "How long have you been deceiving us!?"

Ri Lee glared at him and I thought terrified that she'll hurt him, but she answered, looking back at me,

"From the beginning. You are here only for three days. I've been here over a week and at first planned to get rid of all guests while waiting for you, but I had problems to find my two main dishes: Naoto and Clare. And then you appeared!" She smiled crazily. I crawled back toward the hill of dirty clothes. "I didn't know about your uniqueness earlier. There aren't many like you, I must say. Most of them die eventually for a lot of reasons. But you're even mentally stable! Anyway, you all are so predictable and naive." She looked at group members. "I told you I'm not 'holy' medium, right? And you still trusted me. That's so kind of you, thank you!" Chanwoo and Beomseok turned paler and looked like they were about to faint. I started trembling again. "But the most important clue was my past. Wasn't it strange to you that I remembered all my terrible experiences? It's normal for people to forget the most unpleasant memories, but I forced mine to stay clear to me. Because I needed them to motivate me."

She was so... different than the others. Yeah, she was a psycho, but aware of her doings and she was even bragging about them! Lee Brothers were obsessed with money and additionally hooded man was mentally disabled. Junho thought only about his career and was more murderer than actual psycho (couldn't say that now...). Min Jang was similar to Ri Lee, but I had a feeling she was way more dangerous than him. She had both worlds on her side now – the world of living and the afterworld.

"Don't think too much of a strategy, Jinwoo," Ri Lee interrupted my feverish thoughts. "You can't do anything. The balance between worlds must be kept."

Balance... ?

"What are you going to do?" I asked through my teeth.

She pointed to the floor behind her. I saw a strange drawing. An unplanned groan got out of my throat. Horror movies with occult and witchcraft came through my mind.

It was a circle. From the look of it, it didn't bode anything good.

"The plan is simple." She leaned toward me once more, grabbing my jaw and smiling sneakily. "You're going to help me send away Clare and Naoto. And then the real fun will begin."

# _Chapter 28_

# _Clare Clifford_

Ri Lee pushed me out of the basement. I looked back for the last time at group members. Junho stayed down there, watching them. I was more worried about them than me. I could deal with Ri Lee, while Junho was dangerous and unpredictable.

"He won't do anything to them until I tell him to," Ri Lee stated, probably seeing my face. She pocked my ribs with her staff. "Go."

"Where?"

"Keep talking and it will be a cemetery. GO."

"Do you control him somehow?" I hissed, when she hit my back exactly in the wound, about which I forgot till now.

"Junho? I'd like to, but no. He's just eager for my staff."

"So you're going to give it to him just like that?"

"No. And don't talk to me, I know where you're going with it. It was all lies, Jinwoo Kim. Don't think I'll change or something. I've heard it's your terrible habit. Trying to change people."

"Heard from whom?" I asked slowly. "You know about my other psycho encounters. Who are you really... ?"

"Other psycho?" Ri Lee smiled creepily. "So you're saying I'm a psycho too?"

"I didn't say that..."

"But your face did. Like I said, I've been called worse. A psycho is rather complement than offence. It means I'm intelligent and will live long."

"Two of them died though..." I mumbled before I thought.

"Right, Junho died. But that was because of his arrogance. And Min Jang. From what I've researched, he was a fool who didn't know where to look for advice."

"Researched!?" I gasped. "Why? When... ?"

Ri Lee stopped. For one dreadful second I thought I crossed the line and she'll kill me right here and now, but she pulled me to her violently, so I could see her emotionless expression, and said, "I knew all about you and your brothers for a long time. Since Hyeonju case, to be precise. I remind you that I'm a MEDIUM and I know everything that is connected to ghosts. This case interested me, but I didn't know the details until Junho came to me few months ago. He must have heard about me from other spirits and thought that I'll be a great tool for his revenge. But we made another deal, about which we won't talk. Anyway, he didn't follow YOU here, but ME. He's here since I'VE arrived. But, as you probably guessed, he was spying on you when you were dealing with Min Jang in his organization's hideout. Then he got to know about your plans and told me about them. I found this place to where you were going and was told that it was haunted. What a brilliant coincidence! Don't you think? I offered my talent to Fukai and he accepted it gratefully. After you got here, the plan began." She pushed me painfully once more. "The storytelling is over. Now it's your turn."

"F-For what?" I stammered. "What do you want from me!"

"I want your ability. You'll draw out Clare and I'll get rid of her. Then we'll do the same with Naoto. And you'll be free. Oh, wait." She smiled. "It depends on what Junho plans to do with you."

Get rid of Clare and Naoto... ? But that –!

"You can't do that!" I blurted. "You can't send them away! Then not only this place will be endangered!"

"Oh?" Ri Lee whispered. I cursed my stupidity in my mind. "And how do you know that? Did Naoto tell you?"

I kept silent, but she dug her wand into my wound, opening it, and I didn't have a choice but to say, "Yes! He told me!"

I gasped, when she pulled the staff out, and staggered at the wall, holding my trembling arm.

"I knew you were special, Jin, but didn't know that you were dangerous too."

"W-What?" I muttered and turned to her, then froze terrified.

She was pointing her wand at me.

"People, who are able to communicate with spirits with no intention of sending them away are dangerous. The balance must be kept and you're in my way. I changed my plan. I thought I'll take you far away from Clare's painting, because I have to burn it to eliminate her. After that I would take you to the circle in the basement to get Naoto. If he told you such things like asking for help, it means he likes you and trusts you. Over years I learned that people are more stupid after death."

"NO!" I screamed hoarsely. "Don't!"

"Why?"

I didn't answer, just shook my head violently. Only then she realized that I wasn't looking at her and my lungs were squeezed with fear. She turned around and saw Naoto.

"RUN!" I screamed to him. Ri Lee punched me in the face and followed the ghost.

I wanted to go after her, but suddenly felt someone's presence behind me. I turned around and faced Clare. She stared at me without any movement, so I did the same. Then she reached her hand to me, as if she wanted to hold my hand. I hesitated, but remembered her curse didn't work on me, so I touched her hand.

Suddenly my body was jerked and I felt familiar feeling, as if I found myself in a washing machine. Soon the feeling disappeared and I opened my eyes.

I knew right away that I was in Clare's memories. But now it was somehow different than in Hyeonju's case. Now Clare was still in front of me, holding my hand. When she pulled me to follow her, I understood we both were non exiting beings here.

As we reached the stairs, I heard raised voices. We went down, where Clare's painting was. Under it were few people, including an elder, elegant man, who seemed a little drunk. He was the only one who was turning his back to the painting, while others were screaming at him, pointing at the castle's treasure.

Castle? Only now I realized the hotel looked totally different. I didn't see any modern part, only the ancient ones, like –

"Are we in your times?" I asked Clare. I didn't know we could travel back so far in memories.

She didn't answer but stared at the people, so I looked at them too.

"You can't do that!" the elder was shouting. "She made a promise!"

"She's a witch, you old fool!" some man snorted. "You can't bring your daughter back with this sinister painting, Lord Clifford!"

"Come to your senses, my Lord," groaned some woman. "People are dying! We need to get rid of this devilish thing!"

"NO!" Lord Clifford cried, protecting the painting with his body. "I won't let you!"

Suddenly people started screaming louder, but with fear. They moved back, staring at the painting. I looked at it and shivered, widening my eyes with shock.

From Clare's painted eyes were running red tears. It looked like the painting was crying with blood. Then the world around me turned and I found myself in a morgue. Two people were standing next to someone's body. I came closer and saw it was Lord Clifford's corpse. I covered my mouth, feeling nauseous.

"Have you investigated this rumor about the cursed painting?" one of the men asked.

"Kind of. But I heard a stupid legend."

"About?"

"About that painting of course. They say that the Clifford's castle isn't cursed by the girl's ghost, but the painting itself. And the one, who placed the curse, was that shaman herself. Everyone knows that the only way to get rid of the girl's ghost is to burn the painting, but every attempt to do that ended with someone's death by the same illness she had. Also I've heard a story from one of the witnesses, whose friend died like that, that the ghost is trapped."

"That's so stupid! How ghost can me trapped by an object?"

"I know, right? If it was the truth, then it would be a vicious circle. You can't burn the painting, because the ghost will get you, and you can't eliminate the ghost, because the painting will kill you."

I didn't hear their further discussion, because I was drawn out of the memories by force. I gasped and fell on my butt, feeling that Clare let go of my hand. But when I opened my eyes I didn't see her, but someone more frightening.

Ri Lee grimaced and pulled a rope. Suddenly I found myself in the air with a noose around my neck. I looked at her terrified.

She was going to strangle me. And from what I saw, she was going to succeed.

# _Chapter 29_

# _Naoto Sakuyama_

I gasped for breath. Only second before she tightened the rope around my throat, I managed to slid my hands between the rope and my neck. That was the only reason why I didn't get strangled right away. But I knew I won't last long. My body had its weight and my hands began getting numb...

Suddenly I heard Ri Lee's scream and looked down.

Brothers!

Jongil was the one who hit Ri Lee with a bar, on which usually curtains were hung.

"Jin!!" Chanwoo shrieked terrified.

"Cut it!" Youngho squealed and they started looking for something sharp.

Ri Lee was clever enough to tie the end of the rope to a pipe, so she had free hands to fight back.

"I got it!" Beomseok shouted, holding a sharp piece of a glass from a vase.

He was just about to cut the rope, when Junho emerged from the shadows in Takeru's body and hit Beomseok's stomach. Junho smiled sneakily and shook a finger at him like on a naughty child. His face was bruised, probably because of Jongil's bar.

"Beomseok... !" I panted. My hands got sweaty and my left hand suddenly slipped out of the rope. I was jerked and hit my throat painfully with the rope. I gathered the strength I had left in my right hand.

"Jinwoo, don't give up!!" Jongil screamed with panic and attacked Junho, but was easily pushed away. "MOVE!"

Then my right hand lost its strength and also slipped out. I was losing consciousness, when something flashed before me and cut the rope.

I must have died, because I found myself once more in hotel's old times. Or maybe Clare took me back into her memories?

"Brother!" I heard and turned around.

Naoto Sakuyama smiled and waved at me. He looked very different. He was smiley and clean, just like when he was... alive?

"Naoto's memories," I realized. So it was him, who cut the rope.

I came to him, but then he ran away with laughter. After that someone passed through me. A boy, few years older than Naoto. So he wasn't addressing me. He had real older brother. When I wanted to follow them, the scenario rapidly changed.

Now I was in a hall full of guests. The castle must have been already a hotel thirty years ago. I looked at Clare's painting. It didn't scare everyone off. Had it lost its power? Then the scenario changed again and I found myself in some dark and closed place. Before I panicked, I heard fast breathing and sobbing. When moonlight slid through the crack in the wardrobe, I recognized Naoto. He seemed like he was hiding from someone.

"Brother..." he groaned in Japanese. "Where are you..."

"Naoto." Suddenly the wardrobe opened and a young man with a candle reached to Naoto. "I came for you."

"Brother!" Naoto shouted happily and hugged him. I was the only one, who saw that something was wrong.

Naoto's brother had whitened eyes. Just like every possessed person I've met.

"No! Don't go with him!" I shrieked to Naoto, but of course he couldn't hear me. It was just a memory. I couldn't do anything.

I ran after them and saw they stopped before Clare's painting. Guessing what was going to happen next, I covered my mouth with shock.

Naoto was going to be cursed by this painting. From what Ri Lee told me, he must have killed a lot of people after he became the ghost. Suddenly the young man pulled out a knife and stabbed Naoto. The boy gasped and fell down, dead. I gasped myself, covering my eyes too. I didn't see it, but felt that the memory changed.

I opened my eyes and saw an awful and disgusting view. Everywhere was blood. Literally everywhere. And in the hall were lying dead guests. All of them. Naoto himself was standing in the center as a cursed ghost.

"I saved them, brother," he muttered to his feet. "Like you said. Now everyone is free."

His brother couldn't reply, because he was dead too, lying next to Naoto's feet.

"Brother?" Naoto called surprised. "Why aren't you answering?"

A dreadful silence fell, during which I felt like the atmosphere in the castle became more dangerous than it already was. Suddenly Naoto shrieked terribly and I felt weak in legs, falling on my back. I squinted my eyes as the view gradually disappeared, bathed in blood. Then I closed my eyes, unable to bear the scenario.

"Who are you... ?" I heard Naoto's voice like an echo, but didn't open my eyes.

"The only family you have left," I heard an unfamiliar girl's voice, but somehow knew right away it belonged to Clare. "Come. We're going to protect this place together."

I could hardly breathe. It felt like something was squeezing my lungs. My body felt weak.

" – n –"

Huh? Who was that... ?

" – nwoo –"

My body was getting numb...

"JINWOO!!"

I opened my eyes widely and breathed in violently. I coughed, shocked with sudden air in my lungs. My eyes got teary with the effort, which was only the breathing. My heartbeat was so abnormally fast that I felt nauseous. I touched people who were around me and felt my hands were grabbed tightly by them. In a few seconds my sight fully returned and I recognized my group members. They were crying.

"Who died... ?" I asked hoarsely, then coughed again.

"You!" Youngho shouted and sniffed. "You didn't breathe for a minute!"

"I didn't... ?"

Chanwoo sobbed and threw himself on me, crying like never. The rest did the same. I was teary again, but for another reason.

"You're definitely lucky, Jinwoo Kim."

I sat with group members' help and saw we were back in the basement. Ri Lee and Junho were standing next to the circle. But there was one thing that terrified me more than them.

Naoto was kneeling inside the circle made for him. He looked up at me. Bloody tears ran down his pale cheeks. He moved his lips, as if he wanted to say 'brother'.

He was trapped. So were we. And if we won't stop Ri Lee's craziness, the painting's curse will get us too.

# _Chapter 30_

# _Story comes to an end, pt. I_

"You can't burn the painting!" I screamed and then coughed again. "Never mind that. You can't even get near it!"

Ri Lee squinted her eyes. "Are you telling me I can't do it?"

"That's not it! You don't understand!"

"Right." Ri Lee clenched her fists, suddenly losing her calmness. "Everyone says that. You don't understand, Ri Lee. You can't do it, Ri Lee. You're nothing, RI LEE."

That's not what I meant, I thought nervous.

"I told you that you're unique," Ri Lee continued, despite my warning. "I didn't know you were immune to some drugs."

I opened my mouth shocked. She drugged us!? Ri Lee laughed and said, "Don't look at me like that. I had to bring you here somehow before we went hunting. While your friends were quite not with us, you seemed totally fine when we woke you up."

"You're a freak!" I muttered, then glanced at Junho. "Both of you!"

"Don't involve me, Jin," Junho said innocently. "I'm just doing what she tells me to."

"And since when you've been this obedient!"

Junho frowned. Chanwoo pulled my sleeve warningly. "If I wasn't, you would be dead before your arrival to Japan," Junho whispered menacingly.

I shivered. Ri Lee came closer to me and out of the blue cut my cheek with a pocket knife. I flinched and group members moved me away, but she only smirked and went with my blood on the blade to the circle. In a moment I realized what she was intending to do.

My blood was strange, I knew that since the encounter with L&F. I was also connected somehow to the afterworld, because of Rena's curse years ago. I didn't know what my blood could do to a ghost, adding medium's weird magic, but surely nothing good. And in this case doing something bad to Naoto or Clare was a disaster to us and all guests. I didn't think much and threw myself at Ri Lee, before she entered the circle.

We rolled to the hill of clothes. Group members attacked Junho, when he wanted to grab me. Ri Lee jerked and almost put her wand into my eye.

"Get off me!" she growled, kicking my stomach. I gasped but didn't let go.

"I know you want to get rid of every ghost you encounter!" I panted. "But this time you can't! It's the PAINTING! Not CLARE!"

"What are you talking about –!"

"The painting is cursed, not Clare! Clare didn't do anything wrong, the painting did! Shaman's curse did!"

Ri Lee stopped jerking and just stared at me. "The painting has been killing people," she made sure. "The painting. Not the ghost."

"That's right!"

When I thought we came to an agreement, she suddenly smiled sneakily with words, "You thought I didn't know that?"

I was so surprised that I loosened the grip and she took an advantage of it, kicking me aside. I turned on my stomach and shouted to Naoto, who was observing our struggle disoriented, "RUN!"

Naoto hesitated, but eventually broke free from the circle and vanished.

I was about to stand up, when Ri Lee grabbed my hair and hit the floor with my head. I groaned, seeing double. She sat on my back, now trying to break my neck.

"HEY! GET OFF HIM, YOU UGLY WITCH!" we suddenly heard and Beomseok fired up at Ri Lee like a petard. She fell on a glass, breaking it and hurting herself.

Ri Lee blinked dumbfounded. Even I was shocked. Jongil helped me up. Ri Lee clenched her hand on the knife, glaring at us. Beomseok momentarily lost the courage and darted behind us. I glanced at the door. The way to it was clear.

"Go!" I hissed and group members understood in a second my intentions.

"Every ghost should disappear!" Ri Lee shouted after us, when we ran into the corridor. "Along with evil people!"

"Whom she had in mind?" Chan panted, when we reached the first floor and went toward dining room. We had to warn other guests.

"Don't think about it," I said. "We don't listen to psychos, remember?"

"Then how about me?"

We all ducked at the same time, surviving the rod, which destroyed handle to the dining room. Junho clucked disappointed, then attacked again. I fell on a chair, falling with it on the floor. Jongil got hit pretty hard in his arm and fell on Chanwoo. Youngho threw himself at Junho with a broom, taken out of nowhere (now that I thought of that, I had no idea how he was finding brooms wherever we were). Unfortunately, Junho seemed to have his ghostly abilities in Takeru's body, because he pushed Youngho so easily, as if he was a feather. Youngho flew toward a fireplace. I screamed panicked. Luckily, Beomseok grabbed him and purposely fell, so they wouldn't reach the sharp fireplace's decoration.

I breathed out with relief, but held my breath in the midway, hearing scratching on my right. I looked there slowly and saw Clare under the table.

I jumped terrified. No matter how she and Naoto were good, they were still scary and creepy as hell! She reached her hand to me, but I didn't want to be pulled into her memories again. I saw enough and thought we had worse problem to deal with than her nostalgia. She must have seen refusal on my face, because suddenly she became aggressive.

The table exploded and I moved away quickly, avoiding sharp pieces of wood. Junho was distracted by it, so I pushed my group members out of the dining room, returning to wandering through corridors.

"What should we do about the painting?" Youngho asked, when we passed the painting twice. At first I didn't see it, but when we passed it again, Clare's painted face had bloody tears. Just like in her memory.

"Nothing," I answered. "We need to get out of here."

But it wasn't easy, because suddenly we found ourselves in an abandoned part of hotel where we haven't been before. This part wasn't renovated like the rest of the hotel. I knew it, because it looked exactly like the castle from Clare's memory.

"Where are we... ?" Beomseok groaned.

We entered one room, which was as big as our practice room in our agency. I illuminated it with the flashlight.

"Clare's room," I guessed.

It surely belonged to a girl, judging by design. A bed with canopy was partly sunken, while boxes and closets were opened with their messed up content. We even met some spiders. For some reason I got goosebumps and knew we shouldn't be here.

"Let's get out of here," I muttered and turned toward the door, but it was closed.

However, we didn't hear it closing.

"Jin... ?" Chanwoo whispered, looking at me. Then he widened his eyes.

I froze. The box behind me moved slightly, as if something came from under the bed.

At some point I felt a cold breath on my neck and I clenched my fists with fear. After that my eyes were covered by someone's hands and I was pulled under the bed.

# _Chapter 31_

# _Story comes to an end, pt. II_

Group members reached to me, but too late. I ended up under the creepy bed, full of spider webs, dolls without heads and Clare herself. I screamed, kicked her (of course it didn't affect her) and crawled out. She tried to pull me in again, but this time Youngho was able to grab my hand. Beomseok grabbed my other hand and they managed to pulled me out.

"Let's go!" Chanwoo squealed and we left the room.

But as we burst out, we bumped into Clare once more. I pushed my group members back, protecting them. Maybe she didn't think of it yet, but I won't let her possess any of them.

"Jin, don't be stupid!" Jongil hissed and pulled me back into the room, slamming the door.

We fell on each other, plunged into the darkness.

"What the heck, Jongil!" I outraged at the oldest. "I could have –"

" – been killed!" he scolded me instead. "We all know you can't be possessed anymore, but that doesn't change the fact that she can kill you! Why do you think she pulled YOU under the bed? You're a threat to her!"

I felt guilty. Right. I didn't thought about that. I was sure I could be killed only by Ri Lee and Junho in someone's body. But Junho was also a human killed by ghost, so it was possible. And I didn't want to become a freaky ghost like him.

"Then how do we deal with her..." I grumbled, sitting with crossed legs like a scolded child.

"Like you said" Jongil squatted in front of me "we can't let Ri Lee get rid of Clare and Naoto. That means, we can't do anything to ghosts either. We just need to hide before them until we know how to deal with Ri Lee first."

"You need to fight back," we heard suddenly and jumped.

Naoto was squatting behind me. His face was grim.

"Fight back? How?" I asked.

He vanished. Great. Being ghost was so easy, you just had to scare everyone without helping when they were in need. Just great!

"It's strange though," Chan suddenly said, deep in thoughts. "From what you said, Clare doesn't attack anyone who doesn't try to destroy the painting. Why is she attacking us?"

"You're saying there is a reason?" Youngho whispered and I frowned.

"The only reason for all of this is Ri Lee," I growled and left the room.

I was so mad that I would ignore Clare, if she appeared before me again, but this time it wasn't her.

Junho grabbed me by shirt and threw on the wall on the other side. I gasped, losing suddenly all my breath, and fell down in pain. Group members began fighting with him, while I tried to come to my senses. I shook my head and sat, but my wound on the back threw me back on the floor. I groaned, clenching fist on my arm. My back must have started bleeding again.

I attempted to sat up once more, when Clare emerged from the floor in front of me and grabbed my neck. I hissed. No... I didn't want to end up like Junho...

"NO!!"

Suddenly a gust of wind hit Clare and she flew into her room with a shriek. I breathed in violently, falling on my knees. Naoto stood before me with opened arms, as if he was protecting me.

"Naoto..." I whispered hoarsely.

"Remember what Fabienne told you?" Naoto said, not looking at me. "The story of this hotel will end."

"What do you mean by that... ? You said you can't vanish or all Japan will be in danger!"

"That's not true. The one that can't vanish is sister Clare. I'm sorry, brother Jinwoo." He looked at me with a sad smile. "I was selfish. I just wanted to stay here a little longer. But I guess that's not the option."

"Naoto, what are you –!"

"You have to destroy this evil," Naoto interrupted me, pointing at Junho. "The evil that's inside this man."

"You mean Junho? Why –"

"He's the reason Clare is so enraged. Because of painting's curse she can't harm the living when they're not harming the painting. But the vengeful ghost's evil aura infected this place. You have to save us, brother. Please."

"Naoto, wait!!" I shrieked, but Naoto already attacked Clare, who wanted to get me.

Meanwhile I heard Chanwoo's scream and looked around. Group members were in trouble. I took a deep breath, counted to three and threw myself at Junho with battle cry. I had to take him out of Takeru's body somehow.

Suddenly I heard Naoto's squeal. I turned around, just to see him vanishing. My heart pounded faster. I didn't feel his presence anymore. I bit my lip, trying not to cry, and was brought back to the harsh reality with Junho's punch.

As we were struggling, at some point I felt anxiousness behind me and jumped aside, while Junho was attacked by Clare. I was breathing fast, fighting now with my stomach and dizziness. I must have lost too much blood...

"Jinwoo... !" Group members fell on their knees beside me.

We were observing in shock what was happening before us. Clare was winning. She grabbed Takeru and started strangling him. No! He'll become like Junho... !

"Man, what a mess."

We turned around violently. Ri Lee came calmly to Junho and touched him with her wand, making him unable to move.

"What... are... you... doing!" Junho panted terrified and angry at the same time. "You promised... !"

"Only fools believe in promises," Ri Lee said coldly. "You served me well, Junho Park. Farewell."

When she said the last word, Junho screamed and left Takeru's body, which fell on the floor. Clare squeezed Junho's true form – ghost surrounded by shadows – and he disappeared with a horrifying howl.

We all felt the difference with Junho's disappearance. The atmosphere became lighter and I stopped feeling the squeezing in my chest, which was with me almost all our stay here.

He was gone. Junho was finally gone... But it wasn't over yet.

Ri Lee turned to us.

"You lost," I muttered. "You can't do anything now. Junho is gone. Naoto too. You can't touch Clare. You lost the battle, Ri Lee."

She smiled instead of being angry, which worried me.

"But I'll win the war." She suddenly dropped the staff and put her hands behind her head, still smiling.

Then we heard a lot of footsteps and in a moment the corridor was full of police officers.

"W-What going on... ?" Chan mumbled shocked. "How... ?"

"There you are!" our manager ran to us. "I knew you'll get into trouble!" He saw my back and turned pale. "Jinwoo..."

"I'm fine..." I assured him. "When did you call the police?"

"As soon as I could. The hotel made contact with us only an hour ago. Although we arrived few minutes later, we couldn't get inside. Strange..."

Not at all, I thought grimly. I guessed that the hotel was open as soon as Junho disappeared. I looked at Takeru's body. He didn't survive the possession. Junho was too long inside him. I wondered if I could end up like that too, if I wasn't rescued by Hyeonju from Rena's possession.

Before I relaxed and forgot about the last terrible days, I heard a giggle.

I looked at Ri Lee, who was immobilized by two police officers. She didn't say a thing, just stared at us with a creepy smile. She didn't stop smiling even when she was taken out. I shivered. What the hell was wrong with her...

"This changes our plans a bit," manager said. "We'll come back home for now. Hopefully, we can do the concert next month."

We nodded and went to pack our luggage. Before I entered our room, I saw Clare at the end of the corridor. She didn't seem to be angry anymore. When I blinked, she vanished.

Few days later Grumpy came to our dorm. He was more irritated than we were at this 'adventure' in Japanese hotel. Since we've come back, Daewon wasn't leaving my side, so maybe Grumpy was angry that his adopted son was spending more time in our dorm than in his house.

"You'll give me heart attack someday!" Grumpy growled at me, then pointed at other group members. "All of you!"

"I'm sure you didn't come here to tell us that," I said.

"Right. We had a bit of a problem with your new psycho. But it's okay now."

"What kind of a problem?" I asked worried. "Don't tell me she escaped!?"

"No, no. Of course not. She's guarded by more men and resources than other patients, even prisoners in jail. But you need to see something."

Ri Lee was sent to a mental hospital. Thankfully, a different one than Grumpy's mother was in. She was about to be sentenced to life imprisonment, but she suddenly made a ruckus in the court, then was examined by doctors and diagnosed with mental instability. Just like the other mediums. I guessed she wasn't an exception like she claimed.

Grumpy put a USB flash drive to our computer and played a short video. It was a fragment of a CCTV from Ri Lee's room in the mental hospital. She was sitting on her bed without any movement for at least few minutes, but suddenly we realized the time was speeded up, so she was sitting like that for hours. How was that possible... ?

"Watch," Grumpy muttered, seeing that I wanted to say something.

At some point Ri Lee got up, looked around and started pacing. She really went crazy. Then she stopped and violently looked straight at the camera. We all flinched startled. After that she smiled and moved her lips. There was no sound, but I understood it right away, reading her lips,

"The battle may be lost, but there's still war. See you soon, U-NIGHT."

END OF VOLUME 4

BONUS STORY

Ghostly notes #2

Mirror, mirror on the wall, show me who I want to kill most of all

They knew it was a bad idea, but went there anyway. A house in their friend's neighborhood was known to be haunted and no one ever left it alive. Everyone was too afraid to check what was going on there and who was the killer, but Jongil and Chanwoo were school's mystery maniacs. They bet with their friends that they'll search the house, find an evidence that there were no ghosts and come back in one piece.

"Are you sure we should do it?" Chan asked, when they entered a creepy corridor.

"Chill out. There's nothing here."

But Chanwoo wasn't comforted by this answer. He was worried about the sole story of the house.

Few years ago lived here a family – a married couple and their two daughters. Their relationship wasn't good. Father was an alcoholic and a gambler, while mother preferred spending her time with friends, shopping and flirting with other men. Daughters – seven and eleven years old – weren't listening to anyone. Sometimes the older was even hurting the younger. One day they were left home alone. The older decided to scare her sister, so they played hide and seek.

While the older hid in an empty, wooden chest, the younger wandered to an attic, where she found an old-fashioned – surprisingly undestroyed – mirror. She looked at it fascinated for few seconds, then lost interest in it. She turned around to go down, when she heard tapping on a glass.

The younger looked around and saw a piece of glass, probably from the window, in which was now the new glass. She came closer to it, watching it carefully. Nothing was here. She sighed a little disappointed, when suddenly the tapping sounded again, this time from different side.

She turned around and realized it came from the mirror. She went to it to check it out. There was a handprint on the mirror, but it disappeared quickly. The younger frowned. Suddenly a hand appeared on the other side of the mirror, hitting it with a bang. The younger screamed terrified and fled from the attic.

The older heard the screaming and wanted to get out of the chest, but she couldn't. Someone locked the chest from outside? The older hit it with anger, thinking it was the younger's idea. After few minutes of struggle, she was able to open it, but as she was stepping outside, all of a sudden something grabbed and let go of her ankle. She gasped and ran away toward the attic.

Both girls bumped into each other in the midway. The younger tried to explain what she saw, but the older didn't believe her and pulled her to the attic to see for herself.

The mirror looked the same. Only the glass near it seemed to have more cracks than earlier. The younger was shocked when they saw nothing and no one on the other side of the mirror. The older wanted to scold sister, when she saw a corpse staring at her from behind the glass. A pool of blood was under it. Girls screamed and turned to the mirror, just to encounter a terrible woman, who grabbed them by collars and pulled inside it.

Few hours later girls' parents returned home and were shocked that they couldn't find their daughters anywhere. They were reported missing and their bodies weren't found till now.

"Stop worrying about a stupid story," Jongil snorted, when Chanwoo said out loud his thoughts.

"B-But here – OH MY GOD!" he screamed, when they stopped next to the mirror. It wasn't old and smaller than in the story. Also, there was nothing except Chan's scared face.

Jongil snorted with laughter, patting his friend's arm.

Sister.

Jongil stopped abruptly. What was that?

"Did you hear that?" he whispered to Chanwoo.

Silence. Jongil turned around and realized Chanwoo was gone. "Chan!?"

Sister.

Jongil stiffened, hearing the creepy whisper again. He looked around and stopped next to the dark, narrow corridor on his left. He saw someone's lower body. The rest was hidden in shadows.

"Chan... ?" Jongil muttered, coming closer to the corridor, but as he blinked, suddenly the person disappeared.

"SISTER," Jongil heard in his right ear and fled, without looking back.

He eventually entered the attic.

"Where is my sister!" Suddenly a creepy girl appeared before him.

Jongil screamed and squatted, hiding his head in his arms. He was in this position for a while until he heard a familiar voice, "Jongil?"

He looked up violently. Chanwoo was standing before an old, big mirror in the attic.

"Chan!" Jongil gasped and ran to him. "Where have you been! Did you see – What are you doing?"

"I don't know..." Chanwoo muttered, staring at the mirror expressionless. "But it's so mesmerizing..."

"Stop!" Jongil grabbed his arms and turned him away from the mirror, but at the same time a hand came from the object and grabbed Jongil's wrist. He shrieked and kicked the mirror, breaking it. Boys fell on the floor, when their ears were struck with a dreadful squeal, coming from the mirror.

After that a longer silence fell. Jongil and Chanwoo were panting, as if they were running for hours.

"I-Is it over... ?" Chan mumbled, sitting.

"I think so," Jongil answered. "Let's go home. That was the last bet in my life."

They turned around to the door, but suddenly a young girl appeared before them with words, "I found you." After that she giggled, happily adding, "Let's go home."

Then she pushed boys toward the broken mirror, from which this time both hands of older girl came out and grabbed them, pulling inside.

END

COMING NEXT

I found the toilet without any problems and nearly burst into it, so I could use it quickly and come back to group members. The toilet was rather in poor condition, but I didn't care. When I was washing my hands, I looked at my tired expression in a partly broken mirror and gasped startled.

In the mirror was someone's reflection. I turned around violently, thinking it was another ghost, but I saw a living man behind me. He staggered at me. I moved back terrified and smelled alcohol. He sniffed and left the toilet.

After few seconds I realized I wasn't breathing, so I breathed out, putting hand to my fast beating heart. I was about to leave the toilet too, when I bumped into someone else.

"Sorry..." I muttered and bowed lightly.

This someone snorted with contempt and passed me without a word. I looked back at him out of curiosity. He had a really strong perfume, but somehow a smell of blood reached my nostrils. I stiffened, staring at him. But it was surely my imagination, because he looked very neat. His suit was elegant, yet shoes were dirty as if he was wandering through mud. On his left ear was a diagonal scar. The man began turning to me, but I sprinted to the van, this time without looking away.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading my book, I really appreciate it. If you enjoyed it, won't you please leave me a review at your favorite retailer? It'll take only a moment.

Thanks!

Luka

About the author:

Scaredy-cat, fan of scary stories, unforeseen twists, Japanese, Korean and Chinese folklore and culture.

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Not weird enough?

In fact, one day the author is a modern ninja - who wants to discover all the secrets of the world (not only written ones), and another an ancient scholar - who loves to keep head in the clouds. Completely absorbed in fantasy and crime/horror, the author doesn't allow the reader to breathe even for a moment, because of emotional roller coaster.

The inspiration for stories comes from dreams, passion for Asian culture and vivid imagination, because of which even seeing a horror movie requires soundproof room.

Discover other titles by Luka:

I Will Tell You a Scary Story, Volume I: Psycho's Mail

I Will Tell You a Scary Story, Volume II: Beyond the Nightmare

I Will Tell You a Scary Story, Volume III: Lost Child

Connect with me:

Follow me on Twitter: <https://twitter.com/LukaClaw>

Favorite me at Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lukaclaw

