I sprinted through the dense underbrush, my long legs taking massive bounds over hidden roots while the mob of broom-wielding classmates chased my loud, thrashing footfalls through the dark woods.
Looking over my shoulder at the cluster of flickering flashlights and swinging brooms, I couldn't help but feel like a creature in an ancient European fairy tale being hunted down by enraged villagers coming to burn the local witch.
The only thing missing was actual pitchforks and flaming torches.
Once I created enough distance in the pitch-black timber, I executed a sharp left turn, ducked behind a massive oak trunk, and held my breath.
"WHERE DID IT GO?!"
"IT WENT TOWARD THE RIDGE! HURRY!"
The shouting mob surged right past my hiding spot, their flashlight beams disappearing into the trees.
I let out a long, quiet sigh of relief, wiped a glob of cold mud off my chin, and made a stealthy, wide detour around the forest perimeter back toward House No. 3.
Luckily, I quickly find the path.
I slipped through the back door of my villa like a shadow, bolted straight into the bathroom, and locked the door behind me. I stripped off my mud-soaked, foul-smelling jacket and sneakers, threw my body into a scalding five-minute shower to wash off the marsh water, and frantically stuffed the ruined clothes into the bottom of my travel duffel.
Since my heavy winter jacket was now officially out of commission, I had to improvise: I layered my last clean t-shirt underneath my thickest fleece hoodie, pulled up the hood, and zipped it to my chin.
Fifteen minutes later, looking completely pristine and remarkably innocent, I strolled casually back out into the bright, roaring firelight of the main courtyard.
The central clearing was a scene of utter, hilarious chaos.
Kneeling on the cold gravel in a neat, trembling row directly in front of a furious Ms. Choi were five second-year students.
The mysterious "monster" Ji-min had spotted earlier turned out to be none other than the missing Jae-young, who had covered herself in fake theatrical blood and a torn bedsheet as an elaborate prank.
Ji-min, Jae-young, and three of their accomplices were currently getting the absolute lecture of their lives, their heads bowed low while Ms. Choi's stern voice echoed across the complex.
The rest of the student body was scattered around the log benches, either cracking up with laughter at the kneeling troublemakers or trickling back into the courtyard from their own foolish forest expeditions.
Eventually, the adults stepped in to save the five pranksters from total execution. Several parents, and even Mrs. Smith gently intervened, calming down a flushed Ms. Choi and a sweating Mr. Kim.
"Ah, let it go, Ms. Choi," one of the fathers chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "They are just teenagers being energetic! Honestly, a midnight walk in the fresh mountain air was quite refreshing for all of us."
I pushed through the crowd, my eyes searching the perimeter for two specific people.
I spotted them almost immediately.
Jun-seo was sitting on the far left edge of the log benches, his hands tucked neatly into his coat pockets, staring with intense, unwavering focus into the crackling flames. On the absolute opposite side of the fire pit—at least ten meters away—sat Ha-neul, clutching a paper cup of warm tea, her eyes fixed firmly on her shoes.
They weren't looking at each other.
They weren't talking to anyone.
They were acting so blatantly, painfully awkward that it was practically screaming into the night sky.
'Huh?' I deadpanned internally, my jaw twitching as I stared back and forth between them. 'Are you two seriously playing the 'we are totally distant strangers' card right now?! You were supposed to come back holding hands!'
A wave of exasperated disbelief washed over me.
'Yah! I literally smeared freezing marsh mud all over my own face, roared like a dying bear, and led an armed mob of nine screaming students deeper into a dark forest just to cover up your secret midnight rendezvous! Don't let my noble, muddy sacrifices go to waste, you quasi-Romeo and Juliet!'
I shook my head in pure amusement, deciding it was probably safer not to confront either of them until we got back to the privacy of Seoul.
Ms. Choi finally let out a long, long-suffering sigh, rubbing her temples as she addressed the entire gathered crowd.
"Alright! That is enough excitement for one night!" she commanded, clapping her hands sharply. "Everyone return to your assigned houses immediately and get some sleep! We are loading the buses and heading back to Seoul tomorrow morning!"
The students let out a collective chorus of groans and tired murmurs, rising from the benches and scattering toward their wooden villas under the starry winter sky.