CHAPTER 1: THE CURSE OF YONSEI
The cafeteria buzzed with the kind of chaos that could only mean one thing - lunchtime at Yonsei Boarding School. Trays clattered, someone yelled for extra kimchi, and laughter echoed like it owned the walls.
At their usual corner table, seven boys were in their element - throwing jokes, stealing fries, arguing about about grades, ghosts, and who'd forgotten to do laundry again.
"Bro, I swear, that's your sock in my drawer!" Minho protested, holding up the evidence.
"Then why does it smell like your fart?" Jiho deadpanned.
"NOT HERE JIHO, WE ARE HAVING LUNCH!"
Yoonha smashed the chopsticks on the poor table.
The table erupted in laughter.
Just another ordinary day at Yonsei.
Meanwhile, in the quiet corridor outside. the class monitor was leading a nervous-looking new student through the hallways.
"...and that's the science wing, that's the dorm path, and - well, the art room's technically closed because someone set it on fire last semester. Long story." he said casually.
The new student blinked. "Wait, what?"
The monitor grinned, "You'll fit in just fine."
They reached the double doors of the cafeteria, the chatter growing louder.
"Alright," the monitor said, lowering his voice as if preparing for a grand reveal. "We've toured
the whole school. Time to meet the important people."
He pushed open the doors dramatically.
The monitor sighed. "So...our teacher said I should introduce you to everyone in our class. But honestly?" he gestured to the roaring crowd. "That's impossible. So instead, I'll just show you the people you need to know."
The newbie gulped.
He scanned the room and pointed towards the corner table - that table - where seven boys sat in what looked like organized chaos.
"Behold," he announced dramatically. "The school's most famous friend group. The Seven."
The new boy blinked. "The Seven what?"
"The Seven disasters, probably." He grinned. "Let me break it down for you." He started pointing one by one.
"JIHO PARK - the leader. Straight - A student, responsible for 80% of our class projects and 100% of everyone else's stress. Don't let the calm face fool you; he's the only reason the school hasn't collapsed."
Across the cafeteria, Jiho calmly confiscated Minho's socks mid-food-fight without looking up.
"See that reflex? Legend."
"Next - YOONHA KANG, the protector. Big brother energy. Once broke up a fight between two seniors and carried a fainted freshman at the same time. We don't question him; we just respect him."
Yoonha raised an eyebrow from across the room, clearly hearing his name. The monitor waved innocently.
"DOYUN CHOI - brains of the group. Science fair champion, logic worshipper, sworn enemy of anything paranormal. Rumor says he once called a ghost 'statistically impossible."
"Because it is." Doyun said from afar, not even looking up from his notes.
"MINHO KANG - comedian. Chaos generator, possible caffeine addict. If there's laughter, noise or sudden explosion, he's responsible."
Minho flashed finger-guns at the new student, "You'll love me."
The monitor shook his head. "Moving on - before you do something weird - TAEHYUN LEE, resident empath. Can sense emotions faster than the wi-fi connects. He just knows what you're feeling. Last week, he bought Eunwoo a coffee before Eunwoo even realized he need one. He's peacekeeper; without him, those six would've burned down the dorms long ago."
Taehyun smiled shyly, pushing a juice box towards yoonha, who muttered thanks.
"EUNWOO HAN - quiet kid with spooky eyes. Says little, sees too much. People joke he's psychic; honestly, no one's sure if it's a joke."
Eunwoo looked up briefly, locking eyes with the new boy. A soft, knowing smile "Welcome to Yonsei."
"Finally - RIAN SEO," the monitor said, voice dropping a little. "The mysterious one. Doesn't talk much, always seems like he's halfway somewhere else. But he's part of them, somehow, he's the calm in their storm."
Rian looked up from his sketchbook and gave a small nod.
The monitor clapped his hands. "And that's the crew. Smart, annoying, legendary, and somehow still alive."
The new boy laughed, "They seem...fun?"
"Fun," the monitor said, "and cursed."
That made the new student pause. "Cursed?"
The monitor shrugged, suddenly quieter. "Old school rumors. You'll hear them eventually. Just-uh-one rule," he leaned in. "Stay away from the church."
The newbie frowned. "There's a church here?"
The monitor's smile faltered. "Yeah. Out past the dorms. No one goes near it. Administrations banned the area for 'repairs'.....but everyone knows that's not the reason."
Before the boy could ask more, a tray crashed inside, followed by Minho shouting. "It was an accident!"
The monitor sighed. "Anyways - Welcome to Yonsei."
As they stepped inside, laughter and noise filled the air again - but somewhere underneath, faint and almost human, came a whisper. Seven.
The cafeteria buzzed with noise - trays clanking, people yelling across tables, the smell of ramen and fries mixing in the air.
"Minho, if you throw one more fry at me, I swear I'll--" Jiho started.
"--what? Tell Mrs. Kim I assaulted you with carbs?" Minho grinned, dodging the next fry before it even came.
Taehyun rolled his eyes. "Every lunch feels like babysitting a zoo."
"Correction," Doyun said, scrolling through his phone, "a stupid zoo."
That earned him a chorus of laughs, even from Yoonha, who rarely laughed at all. Then suddenly, Eunwoo froze mid-laugh. He turned his head sharply - eyes scanning the corner behind them.
Eunwoo frowned a little. "Thought I heard someone say 'seven' "
The laughter died down for a second. Rian looked up from his tray. "Well, no one wants to talk to you, so maybe it was a ghost."
"Ha-ha, very funny." Eunwoo shook his head, forcing a smile, but his hand brushed over the silver locket hanging under his shirt. For some reason, it felt warmer than usual.
The cafeteria's messy chaos immediately drifted away Eunwoo's never-ending uneasy thoughts.
Rian was trying to convince Doyun that he definitely saw a ghost in the dorm corridor last night, while Jiho was busy stealing Yoonha's fries one by one.
Taehyun, halfway through his third bowl of ramen, stretched with a groan. "Yo, anyone wants extra ramen?" he mumbled, standing.
"Bro, sit down before you turn into a sodium balloon." Minho said, smirking.
Laughter rolled across their table- light, unbothered, the kind that only belonged to people who felt safe in each other's chaos.
Until the cafeteria door slammed open.
The sound sliced through the noise like a blade. Everyone froze.
Daeho. Hyun. Joon. Minseok.
Four senior boys with too much ego and too little soul. Their reputations walked into rooms before they did - blacklisted for fights, threats, and one mysterious "incident" last term no one dared to mention.
Daeho led the pack, his grin cruel and lazy. Hyun trailed behind, flipping his lighter open and shut. Joon's knuckles were wrapped from a fight that probably hadn't happened too long ago. Minseok was quiet, but his stare - cold and empty - said enough.
The entire cafeteria fell silent. Even the fan above seemed to stop.
Taehyun, meanwhile, had just returned from the counter, balancing his ramen carefully. He didn't notice Daeho's eyes follow him.
He didn't see the smirk.
He only felt the chair vanish beneath him.
The bowl hit the floor with a crash, broth splattering up his sleeve. A roar of laughter burst from Daeho's gang.
Taehyun blinked, stunned for half a second, before he stood. Slowly.
The air around the seven tightened.
Rian's smile faded first.
Minho pushed back his chair.
"Pick. It. Up." Eunwoo said quietly, his gaze on Daeho.
Daeho raised a brow. "Excuse me?"
"Apologize." Yoonha added, voice steady but sharp enough to cut.
Hyun snorted. "You kids think you own the place? Cute."
"Not cute," Jiho said, stepping forward. "Just not scared of your ugly faces."
The cafeteria gasped.
Daeho's grin widened. "Big mouth, little man. Let's see if it's still there after lunch."
Taehyun's hands curled into fists. "You done barking, or should I get you a leash?"
That did it.
Hyun shoved his tray aside. "Say that again."
Minseok took one step closer, and suddenly the seven were standing too - chairs scraping back in perfect sync, a line of defiance cutting through the middle of the cafeteria.
Yoonha's tone dropped. "Touch him and I'll rearrange that smirk for you."
For a moment, it looked like the fight would explode - muscles tensed, jaws locked, everyone waiting for someone to throw the first punch.
Then--
"ENOUGH!"
The shout cracked through the room.
Professor Han stood at the doorway, face thunderous. "All of you - out. Now!"
Daeho chuckled under his breath, stepping back.
As he passed Taehyun, he leaned in, voice a whisper only the seven could hear.
"Let's see if you're still this brave when the lights go out."
Taehyun's jaw tightened, but eunwoo's hand found his shoulder, pulling him back.
"Don't," Eunwoo murmured. "He's not worth it."
The bullies walked out, laughter fading into the hallway.
Slowly, the cafeteria began to breathe again - quiet chatter, the clink of tray, life returning to normal. Except it didn't feel normal.
Because just before Daeho disappeared around the corner, eunwoo's eyes flicked towards the window.
Out past the rain - specked glass, a faint movement near the church caught his eye - a shadow shifting in the distance.
And then he heard it.
Soft.
Faint.
Close enough to make his spine go cold.
"Seven....not all will stay."
*TIME PASSES TO MIDNIGHT*
The dorm lights flickered once, then gave up completely.
"Power cut," Jiho announced, already pulling a flashlight from his drawer. "Again."
"Bro, it's not a power cut - it's destiny," Minho said, shaking a bag of chips like a maraca. "We're meant to bond under candlelight."
"You mean set the place on fire." Doyun muttered, sitting cross-legged on the floor, textbooks still open because of course he was the only one studying during a blackout.
Yoonha leaned against the wall, arms crossed, "Let him. Maybe the ghosts will finally take him instead of haunting us."
"Rude," Minho said, clutching his chest dramatically. "I'm the emotional center of this friend group."
"More like emotional damage." Doyun corrected.
Taehyun laughed quietly, handing a candle to eunwoo, who lit it with careful precision. The soft flame threw shadows across their faces, turning the room golden.
Eunwoo didn't say much; he never did. But the way he watched them all - eyes reflecting the candlelight - made Jiho realize he didn't have to.
Rian sat by the window, gaze lost somewhere beyond the glass. Rian started tapping softly against the panes.
"Hey," Minho said, tossing him a pack of biscuits. "Don't zone out too far. You might leave us for the other world or something."
Rian caught it, smiled faintly, "I think the the other world's quieter."
Everyone laughed - everyone except Eunwoo, who glanced towards him, expression unreadable.
"Okay," Doyun said, closing his book finally. "Rules. No horror stories tonight."
"Boo" Minho groaned, "What about one tiny ghost story?"
"Minho." Yoonha warned.
"One sentence!" he bargained, "Once upon a time--"
The lights suddenly blinked back on with a crackle. Everyone froze.
"--the power came back." Minho finished weakly. "Told you destiny loves me."
Jiho sighed, "I'm starting to believe the ghosts left out of secondhand embarrassment."
Taehyun chuckled, curling up beside Eunwoo. "We're lucky to have each other, huh?"
"Yeah," Eunwoo said softly, almost to himself. "Lucky."
For a moment, the world was simple : seven boys, candlelight, laughter echoing against the walls. No curses. No whispers. Just warmth - fleeting, fragile, and utterly human.
And somewhere in the corner of the room, a faint hum answered back.
MEANWHILE-
The rain hadn't stopped since evening. The courtyard behind Yonsei High was empty except for five figures - four seniors in drenched uniforms, cigarettes between fingers, that lazy confidence that came with being untouchable.
"Hey," said one, his voice sharp through the rain.
"You. Transfer boy."
The new student froze mid-step. He'd just been fetching his notebook from the dorm.
"Look at him," one of the seniors laughed, kicking at the puddle near the boy's shoes. "Shaking like a leaf. You lost, newbie?"
The boy tried to answer, but his voice caught in his throat. "N-no...I was just--"
"Just what?" The leader, Jung Daeho, grabbed his collar and yanked him close. "Just sneaking around near the dorms at midnight? You think this place's your playground?"
The other boys snickered behind him- Minseok, Joon, Hyun.
They were known around school. Not for their grades. For what they could make people do.
"Maybe he's the one who's been spreading those ghost stories," Minseok jeered. "Trying to scare everyone off so he can sneak out alone."
"I'm not!" the boy gasped. A slap cracked through the rain.
Daeho smirked, "You're not? Then prove it."
He turned his head towards the looming silhouette of the old church.
The iron gates hung open - the wind making them groan like something alive.
"Go inside. Just a peek. Let's see if you're brave or just another useless brat."
The boy froze. "The teachers said no one's allowed--"
"The teachers don't run this place," Hyun hissed in his ear. "We do."
They shoved him towards the gate. He stumbled, falling into the mud. The rain made it worse - every time he tried to stand, another kick landed on his ribs or back.
"Get up!" Daeho barked, "Or do you want us to drag you in?"
The boy's breathing turned ragged. His knees scraped the gravel.
His hands shook as he looked towards the church- its broken cross outlined by lightening. The stained glass was cracked, the windows black.
"I can't," he whispered.
Joon leaned down, smiling. "Then maybe you'll learn to listen next time."
He grabbed the boy's wrist and yanked him up. The others followed, laughing like this was all a joke - a game.
Daeho pushed the boy forward until his face was inches away from the church door. The metal handle was freezing cold.
"Say a prayer before you go in." Minseok said mockingly, "Maybe someone's still listening."
The boy's voice trembled. "Please. Don't do this--"
"Go!" Daeho roared, shoving him hard. The door creaked open under the force. The smell that came out was...wrong. Rot and rain and something burnt.
He stepped inside. The heavy door groaned behind him, swinging half-shut. The bullies smirked and lit another cigarette.
One minute passed.
Two.
Then, a sound - faint at first, like whispering from the walls.
"Do you hear that?" one asked.
"It's just the wind, idiot."
The whisper turned into a a sob.
A woman's sob.
"Okay, not funny anymore," said the shortest one, throwing his cigarette away.
Then - a scream
High. Sharp. Real.
The sound tore through the rain, echoing against the stone walls.
Something heavy crashed inside.
The leader ran forward, yanking the door open.
The church was empty. The new boy was gone. Only his shoe lay near the altar, soaked in rainwater - and muddy footprints leading deeper inside.
Footprints that didn't belong to him.
*THE MORNING AFTER*
By dawn, the rain had stopped - but Yonsei didn't feel dry.
The courtyard smelled of wet earth. The whispers started before breakfast even began.
Someone's missing. Some saw blood. Someone heard screaming near the old church.
No one said it too loud - as if the walls themselves might listen.
Jiho walked into the cafeteria, tray in hand, eyebrows furrowed at the tense silence. Usually, this hour meant chaos - Minho spilling juice, Doyun arguing about test marks, Taehyun trying to mediate while Eunwoo silently rolled his eyes.
But now, the room buzzed differently.
"...What's going on?" Jiho asked, sliding into their table.
Minho leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You didn't hear? That new kid - transfer from Busan. He's gone."
Eunwoo's head snapped up, "Gone?"
"As in missing." Doyun , answered before Minho could dramatize. "Last seen last night near the church. With those idiots - Daeho's gang."
"Holy-" Minho started, but Jiho glared, and he quieted down.
Taehyun fiddled with the rim of his cup. "They say the teachers found the gates open. And there were...footprints. But they stopped halfway to the altar."
No one spoke for a moment.
By lunch, Yonsei was drowning in rumors - some said the boy ran away, others swore they saw shadows dragging him inside.
And by evening, the news hit harder: Daeho's gang was expelled. Just like that. No warnings, no explanations.
To calm the panic, the staff announced that the transfer boy had "moved back to Busan" due to personal reasons.
Everyone believed it.
Everyone - except the seven.
Rian, sitting across them, barely touched his food. He looked pale - his gaze distant, fixed somewhere beyond the table.
"They're lying," he said suddenly. His voice was quiet but sharp. "The teachers. They said there's nothing in that church, right? Then why would they seal it again?"
Eunwoo glanced at him. Something flickered in his eyes - curiosity mixed with that quiet sensitivity he hated people noticing.
He could feel something, even if he didn't say it. Something cold, faint, and lingering - like someone was still there.
Jiho exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Let's not get involved. You know what happens when people stick their noses in Yonsei's secrets."
Minho gave a small snort. "Since when do we not stick our noses in things?"
That broke the tension a little - Yoonha laughed softly. "Yeah. 'The famous Seven' can't just sit quiet when ghosts are trending."
But Eunwoo didn't smile. His fingers brushed the small locket around his neck, the one the priest had given him years ago.
He didn't need to open it to know what he felt - a faint pulse, like a heartbeat, that wasn't his own.
He looked out the cafeteria window, toward the fog-covered hill where the church stood. The clouds were thicker there.
Almost like they were hiding something.
And somewhere deep down, Eunwoo knew - this wasn't over.
The day after the incident, Yonsei's hallways were quieter than usual. No one dared mention the missing boy, but the silence itself felt heavier - like the walls knew something everyone else didn't.
Doyun was in the teacher's office, collecting the extra math notes Jiho had forgetten again. He wasn't planning to eavesdrop - not at first. But then he heard it.
Two staff members near the window, whispering low:
"They found something near the church wall last night."
"The headmaster said not to mention it."
"Then why was there blood?"
The papers slipped slightly from Doyun's hands. He froze, pretending to fix them while his ears strained for more.
"They said the church doors were open again." one of them murmured. "And no one's had the key in years."
That was enough. He didn't wait to hear the rest.
Doyun walked out, heart thudding louder than his footsteps. The moment he reached the dorm, the others were already sprawled across the room - Taehyun sketching something absentmindedly, Minho tossing a ball at the ceiling, Jiho trying to finish homework he clearly didn't start.
He shut the door behind him.
"Guys," he said. "You'll want to hear this."
The change in his tone pulled everyone upright.
"Two teachers were talking. They said something was found near the church wall last night. And.....blood."
"Wait- blood?" Minho's voice cracked slightly. "You mean like - "
"Yes," Doyun cut in. "And the church doors were open."
No one spoke after Doyun's story. The dorm felt heavier somehow, like the air had thickened.
The talk about blood and open church door replayed in their minds, looping over and over until it crawled into the silence.
They all agreed it was serious. But as night crept in, so did fear - and the usual teenage logic of "someone else will handle it."
By eleven, everyone was pretending to sleep. Everyone except Rian and Taehyun.
The two exchanged a glance in the dark. Neither said a word, but both knew exactly what the other was thinking.
Taehyun sighed. "We're actually doing this, huh?"
Rian gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah. Curiosity kills, right?"
They quietly stuffed their bags - flashlight, notebook, Yoonha's stolen school map (borrowed, technically) a pack of biscuits, and for some reason, Minho's lucky coin.
Just as they turned towards the door, about to sneak out --
"Going somewhere?"
They froze.
Standing there, blocking the doorway, were Jiho, Doyun, Yoonha, Minho, and Eunwoo - all fully dressed.
Minho crossed his arms. "You two really thought we'd let you become ghost snacks alone?"
Doyun grinned, tossing a flashlight in his hand. "We knew your curious brains wouldn't last past 11:30."
Jiho added with a smirk, "You should thank us, without supervision, you'd probably end up haunting Yonsei yourselves."
Taehyun rolled his eyes, "You guys are ridiculous."
"Ridiculously loyal," Doyun said, already holding open the window.
The "Brilliant" Plan.
The operation - as Jiho proudly called it - was named "Ghost Recon : Yonsei Edition"
Step 1: Taehyun distracts the night guard with fake stomach pain.
Step 2: Minho sneaks to the side gate and unlocks it with the extra key he "found" during detention.
Step 3: The others slip through in pairs, keeping flashlights off till they're past the chapel gardens.
Step 4: Don't. Make. Noise. (Minho broke that rule immediately.)
Everything went almost smoothly - until the night guard caught Taehyun actually eating biscuits during his "pain attack".
"You're supposed to look sick, not snack!" hissed Doyun as they ran through the corridor, half laughing, half panicking.
But somehow, they made it.
The church stood before them - tall, dark, half swallowed by vines and fog. The once - white stone walls looked like they'd been crying for years.
Rian's voice was barely a whisper. "It feels....colder here."
Their flashlight beams shook slightly as they moved closer. That's when Yoonha spotted it first - faint scratch marks along the church wall carved words, barely visible under the moss: "It's not gone."
Everyone went silent. Even Minho stopped breathing for a second.
Eunwoo stepped closer, his hand unconsciously touching the small locket around his neck - a habit he didn't even notice anymore.
And then - a faint, golden glow.
"Wait - what's that?" Jiho asked, his tone sharp.
Eunwoo froze. "Oh no... the locket..."
Doyun frowned. "You've been wearing that since forever. Why is it glowing?"
"It only does that when..." Eunwoo hesitated "...when something's here."
"Something's - what do you mean something?" Minho said, his voice rising an octave.
Eunwoo took a shaky breath. "When I was five, my mom took me to a church, to get me a locket which would protect me. The priest.....he said this locket would protect me. That it has a way of sensing the unseen - things not of this world. He told me the powers would awaken when i turn fifteen."
For a moment, no one spoke. The wind picked up, brushing dead leaves across the stone floor.
Finally, Doyun scoffed softly. "So....what, it's like a ghost detector?"
Eunwoo gave a weak laugh. "Maybe."
Jiho folded his arms. "Or maybe it's just your lucky charm. Something your mom gave you for protection, like people wear crosses."
Yoonha nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Let's not jump to ghost - hunting conclusions yet."
But Taehyun and Rian weren't convinced. They both felt it - that quiet, heavy air pressing down around them.
And then, in the silence, from somewhere inside the church, cam a sound - faint but real.
A single knock.
Then another.
And another.
Eunwoo's locket glowed brighter.
"Guys..." he whispered. "It's not gone."
The silence that followed that last knock was worse than any scream.
Nobody moved. Nobody blinked. The air around the church felt like it had stopped breathing.
Then, suddenly - a low rumble tore through the sky.
Clouds rolled in without warning, swallowing the moon in seconds. The wind howled against the chapel walls, and a sharp chill cut through their clothes like a blade.
"W-what the hell-" Minho's voice broke as a loose shutter slammed open behind him. He screamed. Loudly. Like movie jump-scare loudly.
"Shut up!" Jiho hissed, but his voice cracked halfway.
Lightening flashed, blinding for a split second - and in that light, they all swore they saw something inside the broken glass window. A silhouette that didn't belong.
"Please tell me someone else saw that too," Taehyun whispered.
"I'm telling you, we should LEAVE!" Doyun snapped grabbing his bag. "This isn't curiosity anymore - this is suicide!"
They all started arguing at once - panic boiling over into noise.
Minho was practically yelling, Jiho tried to reason but his voice trembled, Taehyun was halfway between prayer and profanity, and Rian couldn't decide if he wanted to faint or film it.
Yoonha, ever the protector, stepped forward. His tone was firm.
"Come on, guys. It's just the wind. Shadows. We came here to investigate, remember?"
A strong gust whipped his hair back, the vines rustling violently as if laughing.
"Yeah?" Minho yelled, pointing toward the church. "Then YOU go first, Captain Courage!"
"Fine, I will--"
Before he could take another step, Minho's leg shot out in reflex — BAM! — kicking yoonha squarely on the thigh.
Yoonha stumbled back, shouting, "WHAT THE— Minho?!"
"Sorry bro! Instinct!" Minho screamed, already backing away. "Let's just GO!"
Now the wind screamed too. Dead leaves spiraled around their feet like something was chasing them. A deep, distant thud echoed from inside the church. Then another. Then closer.
"RUN!" Jiho barked, voice cracking in a way that left no room for argument.
And they did.
Seven boys bolting through the fog, shoes slamming the wet ground, their breaths ragged and uneven. None dared to look back.
By the time they crashed through the dorm window one by one, all of them were shaking.
Panting. Sweating. Silent.
Except Eunwoo.
He sat on the floor, his palms pressed hard against his ears, rocking slightly.
"No, no, stop..." he whispered. His voice was trembling, hollow, as if it wasn't entirely his own.
Taehyun dropped to his knees beside him. "Eunwoo! What's wrong?"
Eunwoo's eyes were wide- unfocused. "Those voices...." he breathed, his tone breaking apart. "I can't - I can't shut them out...."
"What voices?" Jiho asked, his usual confidence gone.
Eunwoo's hands shook as he finally looked up at them terrified.
"They're louder now...not whispers this time."
The room went still.
He swallowed, voice cracking when he said it-
"They said....'leave. leave"
No one spoke after that.
The rain outside hammered the glass like impatient fingers and somewhere far in the dark, the church bell rang once - though no one had touched it in years.
They didn't know it yet, but that night, Yonsei stopped being just a school.
It became a warning.
*THE MORNING AFTER*
Morning light spilled weakly through the cafeteria windows - soft, but not warm. The air was heavy, almost reluctant to move.
The seven of them sat at their usual table, trays untouched. No one spoke at first. No teasing, no dumb jokes, no Minho's loud laughter echoing through the room. The spark that always followed them around had burned out overnight.
They all looked.... drained.
Rian stirred his cereal without eating it. Jiho's notes sat beside his plate, but even he wasn't in the mood to read. Doyun's usual sarcasm was gone; he just kept tapping his spoon against the cup, staring blankly at nothing.
"It felt like dream." Yoonha finally muttered.
Minho let out a shaky breath. "Yeah. A nightmare I didn't wake up from."
Eunwoo stayed silent, staring at his hands. He could still feel the echo of that voice from last night, crawling under his skin.
Doyun tried to break the tension. "Maybe it really was the wind. Or...you know, imagination? Night messes with people."
"Yeah," Jiho said quickly, too quickly. "Let's just...forget it. We have class."
They all nodded - not in agreement, but in surrender. Some things were easier to bury under routine.
By the time their first lecture ended, things almost seemed normal again.
The chatter of students, the scrape of chairs, the usual chaos - it was comforting. Ordinary.
The seven lingered after class, half-packing, half-daydreaming.
Doyun copied notes from the board like the perfect student, while Rian was too busy staring out the window, lost in some alternate universe again.
Jiho sighed and stretched . "Alright, geniuses, let's move before lunch disappears."
They gathered their books and turned toward the door - until Taehyun's eyes drifted to the corner desk.
The new boy's desk.
He hesitated, voice soft. "Poor kid...he had dreams, you know? Guess they stopped too soon."
For a second, nobody said anything. Just silence - respectful, uneasy silence.
Then Eunwoo Frowned.
"Wait."
They all looked at him.
He stepped closer to the desk, eyes narrowing.
There - on the wooden edge - a wet handprint. Smudged, faint, but fresh enough to glisten under the light.
Rian blinked. "That's....water, right?"
"Or blood." Minho whispered, immediately regretting it. "Kidding! Just kidding, ha-ha - okay no one's laughing, fine."
Jiho leaned in. "It's still wet."
Yoonha shook his head, trying to sound confident. "Probably another prank. You know how people are here - couldn't leave the poor guy alone even after he's gone."
One by one, they nodded. Even Rian. Even Taehyun.
All except Eunwoo.
He started at the handprint, his chest tightening. For a moment, the air around him wrapped - sound dulled, his pulse loud in his ears. Then he heard it again.
A whisper.
Soft. Hollow. From nowhere and everywhere at once.
"Seven must return."
Eunwoo froze. His lips parted slightly.
"...what?" he whispered back, not even realizing it.
"Hey-" Doyun snapped his fingers in front of his face. "You good? Come on, man, lunch time."
Eunwoo blinked, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
They filed out of the classroom, their laughter slowly returning as they reached the corridor. The noise of students swallowed the tension - like nothing had ever happened.
But Eunwoo lagged behind.
He turned once more toward the new boy's desk, the faint mark already starting to fade.
For a moment, he just stood there - silent, watching.
Then-
"BROOO, YOU'RE COMING OR SHOULD I PACK YOU WITH THE LEFTOVERS??" Minho yelled from down the hall, waving dramatically.
The spell broke.
Eunwoo snorted despite himself. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, idiot!"
He jogged after them - the sound of their voices blending into the normal school chaos again.
But as the door swung shut behind him, the sunlight hit the desk one last time. And faintly - barely visible - the wet handprint began to darken again, spreading outward like something beneath the surface was still alive...