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HAPPY READING
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In the damp, dark stillness of the night that wrapped around the forest, a gentle breeze brushed through the thick black hair of a young police officer.
Between his slender fingers rested a cigarette, its tip just beginning to burn.
The scent of the wet forest and tobacco blended together, forming a strange, heavy aroma.
With a flashlight and pistol in hand, the man walked slowly, enjoying the cigarette that grew shorter with every drag.
ckrrtt.. ckrrttt...
The sound of the walkie-talkie in his pocket made him stop.
"What is it, Inspector?" he asked casually, still smoking.
"Rafael Kahl! I know you're slacking off with a damn cigarette in your mouth!" the inspector's voice snapped harshly.
"Stop smoking that thing before you die of lung cancer, Ael! Focus on the mission! We can't let him escape again tonight!"
"I know! Stop preaching already!!"
Beep...
Ael turned off the walkie-talkie without hesitation.
"Damn old geezer! Go retire already!" he shouted at the device he'd just shut off.
He resumed his slow walk deeper into the forest, his cigarette still resting stubbornly between his lips.
...
On the other side, the inspector glared furiously at the walkie-talkie that had been rudely switched off by his subordinate.
"What's with that look, Inspector?" asked a young man beside him.
"Do you know what's wrong with your rude partner, Renan?"
"You mean, Ael?"
"Yes! That brat! You should talk some sense into him! How dare he mock an inspector like me?"
"Haha… I'm sorry, sir. He's just a little rebellious."
"Oh, right — who's he working with tonight?" Renan asked, still smiling.
"Of course, I sent him out alone!" the inspector said without hesitation.
Renan's smile froze. His face turned pale, and the flashlight in his hand slipped as his body stiffened.
"You're telling me you sent Ael out alone for this mission?" he asked, confirming in disbelief.
"Yes, why?"
"A–Ael's directionally challenged, sir..."
"I swear I've been here before… why the hell am I back again?" Ael muttered, finally realizing he was lost.
Srak...
Hearing the rustle of leaves behind him, Ael quickly turned around.
"Who's there?" he called out, flashlight darting around in search of the source.
He exhaled harshly and began walking again — in no particular direction — unaware that every step dragged him deeper into the forest.
Huff... Huff... Huff...
In the middle of his trek, his flashlight suddenly went out, plunging him into total darkness.
"Shit! Don't tell me I'm lost!" he cursed, panic rising in his chest.
"Seriously, I'm lost?!"
His breath quickened. His head grew heavy, his body weaker with every second.
"Why the hell did this flashlight have to die now?! What am I supposed to do? What if I get kidnapped by some forest ghost? I mean, come on — I'm handsome, brave, and hot! She'd love me for sure!" he rambled pointlessly, his words doing nothing to solve his problem.
Like an idiot, Ael kept walking — even though he knew he was lost.
Hours passed. The cigarette was long gone. His legs ached.He leaned on a large tree, then slowly slid down, sitting weakly with his eyes half-closed.
"I swear, I'm asking for a raise after this," he grumbled."Who the hell sends me into a damn haunted forest in the middle of the night?!"
Srak...
The sound of rustling leaves returned, just as Ael's body refused to move.His mouth went dry. Fear, real fear, froze him in place.
"Who's there?" he asked, voice trembling.
Footsteps approached — slow, deliberate. The air grew heavier, the wind colder.
"I said, who's there?!" Ael shouted, sweating cold.
Greb...
"AAAA—!!"
Someone tackled Ael — but instead of claws or fangs, he was met with a strange, warm embrace.
"I've missed you so much… Ael."
"W-who the hell are you? A ghost?!" Ael asked, trying to see the figure holding him.
But the man didn't answer.
Instead—
Cup...
Ael felt lips press against his.
"Nghh—!"
Ael froze. No way — did a ghost just kiss me?!
He pushed, weakly, trying to resist, but the harder he pushed, the more intense the kiss became — until he was forced to give in, breathless under the stranger's control.
Tears began to slip down Ael's cheeks.
When the kiss finally broke, the other man's sobs filled the silence.
"I-I'm sorry... hiks... Ael, I'm so sorry... hiks..."
He kept apologizing over and over, voice shaking with grief — leaving Ael too stunned to speak.
Is this guy even a ghost...? Ael thought.
He wanted to ask, but his lips wouldn't move.
In between the sobs and endless apologies, Ael suddenly felt a sharp pain on his neck.
"Argh!"
The pain spread, and his consciousness began to fade.Sounds warped, like sinking underwater — until everything went completely dark.
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TBC