Chapter 580: Ghost Exorcism Method
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 580: Ghost Exorcism Method
“Puh-ha!”
“Why is this prick acting like he’s in a photo shoot in the middle of a valley?”
“It’s pathetic. Stop trying so hard to look cool.”
We were in the middle of playing in the stream.
Jeong Chan-woo had just emerged from the water like he was filming an electrolyte drink commercial, and Ahn Hyun-ho and I immediately started ragging on him.
That guy always had such strange delusions of grandeur.
“If just diving and coming back up is ‘trying too hard,’ then maybe I’m just a naturally cool person?”
“Should I just kill him?”
“How can he be so shameless?”
Hyun-ho and I grumbled as we shoved Jeong Chan-woo back under the water.
I looked around to see where the older guys were playing, figuring that even if I hit them with an underwater scooter, it wouldn't count as a traffic accident.
They were already far off in the distance, having the time of their lives.
Damn, I’m so jealous.
I wanted to ride one too, but those bastards absolutely refused to lend them out. Since I’d ignored them during the group purchase last time, they weren't giving me an inch of slack.
If I’d known it would be like this, I should have clung to I-seo and begged her to buy me one when they said they were getting theirs. Or maybe I should have acted cute for the wealthy Ye-rin.
Regardless, it was a huge regret.
Just then, a tube came drifting toward us, carried by the current.
As I caught it, a woman who looked to be about college age approached with a bright smile.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. We were playing around and let go of it.”
“It’s fine. No problem.”
Even after I handed her the tube, the college student didn't leave. She looked at us shyly and asked, “Um, by any chance, are there just three of you? There are three of us, too.”
“Pardon?”
I glanced behind her and saw two other women around the same age whispering and looking over at us bashfully.
I knew exactly what this situation was.
A "hunting" attempt.
When I peeked back at my friends, Ahn Hyun-ho and Jeong Chan-woo were already struggling to keep their grins from reaching their ears.
Jeong Chan-woo is one thing, but what’s up with Ahn Hyun-ho?
Gyu-a is coming tomorrow; is he really this happy about being approached?
“Well, actually, we—”
I was about to turn her down immediately, but Hyun-ho pulled me back while Jeong Chan-woo stepped forward.
The "face of the group" was moving out, I guess?
“Oh, really?” Chan-woo said, instantly flashing a charming smile.
“Ah, yes.”
The woman’s face turned bright red—a complete 180 from when she was talking to me—and she began to peek at him with a fresh, youthful nervousness.
It’s not that she was doing anything wrong, but for some reason, it made me feel gross.
“Excuse me, do you know what the purpose of this trip was for us—mmph?!”
I tried to reject them right then and there because this was absolutely not okay, but Ahn Hyun-ho covered my mouth with his hand.
I glared at him, wondering what a guy with a girlfriend thought he was doing, and he whispered back embarrassedly.
“Let’s just play for a bit. We’ll just hang out here in the valley and then pretend we don’t know them at the pension.”
“...”
“Come on, it’s kind of depressing just hanging out with guys. Right? It’s not like we’re dating them.”
“...”
“And sure, we’re here for a couples' trip, but what about Chan-woo? We have to let him find some ‘local procurement.’”
This crazy bastard.
He was actually viewing this as a chance for Chan-woo to get laid.
I glanced over at Jeong Chan-woo.
“Oh, really? We actually did just come here as a group of guys. We’re college friends.”
“Really? Wow, so are we! My friends are actually really shy and have never done anything like this before. We really gathered our courage to come talk to you.”
The woman smiled shyly, looking awkward.
As Kim Woo-jin—a man currently living with multiple women—I could tell instantly that she was lying. From the way she let that tube drift away, her skills were no joke.
But Jeong Chan-woo, whether he knew it was a lie or not, seemed to see it only as an opportunity. He nodded along to everything she said.
Seeing Chan-woo acting so proactive yet desperate made me feel strange. Seeing a handsome guy struggle so hard for attention was a bizarre sight.
It made me wonder why he even came on this trip, and I briefly regretted not telling Bong-geun to bring one more female acquaintance.
“So, Woo-jin, you get it, right? Please, just stay still. I don’t care what you do, just don’t interfere.”
I nodded.
“There are three women back there, right? We give Chan-woo his chance, and we each take one to keep them occupied. Okay?”
I nodded again.
“We’re friends, after all. We’ll let Chan-woo have the one he wants, and we’ll just kill time. Got it?”
Nod, nod.
“You know, right? We’re all holding knives to each other’s throats here. But I only have one knife, while you have at least six, don't you?”
Nod, nod.
“Good. Let’s go.”
Ahn Hyun-ho slowly opened his mouth to speak. The women had already waded through the water to reach us. They approached naturally, as if they had already decided among themselves who would handle which of us.
I, Kim Woo-jin, have done some crazy things in my time, but my sense of loyalty is second to none. I do not betray those who trust me, and I do not stab my people in the back.
“Hello,” Ahn Hyun-ho said with a beaming smile.
The women giggled and greeted him warmly.
I also greeted them naturally.
“This guy is gay, this guy has a girlfriend, and I’m a married man.”
“...”
“...”
“...”
Instant silence.
As the women stared at me blankly, I gave a solemn nod.
“Please don’t waste your lives on us.”
I was serious. I don't betray my people. And that meant I wouldn't betray my wives.
“No need for thanks. I’ve just saved you from these pieces of trash, so just thank the heavens and be on your way.”
I gave them a big thumbs up. Ahn Hyun-ho, watching from the side, finally spoke.
“You son of a bitch.”
* * *
“Did you really have to sabotage us like that?! Huh?!”
We were back from the valley. We were currently at the Gwigok Mountain Lodge, grilling meat and talking.
“Seriously, was it that hard to help Chan-woo out just once?! Tomorrow, we’ll all have our girlfriends by our sides, but what is Chan-woo supposed to do?!”
“He should figure that out himself.”
Everyone was condemning me as a traitor, which was why I was the one stuck grilling the meat, but even if I were given a hundred more chances, I’d do the exact same thing every time.
“I’m different from you guys, you bastards,” I said irritably.
They looked even more dumbfounded by my words.
“Ha! ‘Different,’ my ass. A guy dating six women has some nerve.”
“You’re the worst of us all. You double-standard-loving prick.”
“You could have at least stood there like a background prop so Chan-woo could have some fun with them.”
No, they were misunderstanding.
“I’m not saying I’m ‘different’ in that way. I’m saying if I get caught, I literally die.”
I wasn't joking. There was a very real possibility of death. Even if I only got hit once by each of them, that’s six hits. And some of them, like Yoo Ah-rin and Senior Ju-hee, were heavy hitters.
Chan-woo? I knew it was unfortunate for him, but he’d just be a little bored for a day. I, on the other hand, could have my entire life ruined.
“...”
“Shit.”
“When he puts it like that, it’s hard to argue.”
My persuasion seemed to work, as they all looked disgruntled but stopped nagging me.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. My crown might look incredibly flashy, but it was also heavy as hell.
Anyway, we finished dinner. Chan-woo was disappointed, but he eventually understood my position.
“...Ah-rin is really scary when she’s mad.”
As her childhood friend, he’d apparently been burned by her temper a few times, so he could empathize.
After eating, we goofed around together. It was like we were on a school field trip—we did everything from pillow fights to playing zombie tag with towels over our eyes and telling ghost stories.
The fact that we were drinking while doing it meant it wasn't exactly a school trip, but we played like we’d returned to our childhood.
“Wow, is there anyone else in the world who plays as wholesomely as us?”
“Wholesome? You’ve drunk so much you’re literally wobbling, you prick.”
“Ugh, my head hurts. I’m going to sleep.”
It’s a national rule that you clean up the party mess the next morning. We were about to wrap things up and head to our respective rooms when—
Click!
The lights suddenly went out.
“Eh?”
“What?”
“Ugh, who’s playing around now?”
“I’m too tired for this. Let’s just sleep.”
We grumbled, but the lights didn't come back on. Then, I remembered what the pension owner had said earlier.
“I heard the water cuts out here sometimes. Did the electricity go out too?”
At my words, everyone immediately started ragging on Pyo Jin-ho. Usually, you’d curse the pension in this situation, but for some reason, we all blamed Jin-ho.
Anyway.
Without the lights, it was pitch black. It was dark outside too, creating a chilling atmosphere.
“A ghost is gonna pop out, dammit.”
“Why did we have to tell ghost stories earlier?”
“Jeong Chan-woo started it out of nowhere.”
As we were sighing and talking amongst ourselves—
Creeeeeak.
We heard the sound of a door opening.
Even though all of us were right here in this room.
“...”
“...”
“...”
We all glanced at each other. Someone suddenly grabbed my hand, and I didn't pull away. I was suddenly terrified.
“Ah, s-shit. Did someone just come in?”
“Are y-you scared?”
“Someone go out and check, quickly.”
“I told you the vibe here was weird.”
The fact that we’d been calling it the "Gwigok Mountain Lodge" earlier came back to haunt us. It felt like there really might be a ghost, or maybe a serial killer wandering around.
While everyone else was paralyzed by booze and fear, I screamed out.
“If you’re a virgin ghost, don’t come over here! You’ll get ravished if you come in here!”
“...”
“...”
“...”
The idiots all stared at me. They looked at me like they were wondering what the hell this madman was talking about, but then—
Realizing my intent, they started screaming too.
“Our dicks are all over 30 centimeters long! You want your organs ruptured?!”
“I’ll just kill you! For real! You’re already dead, but I’ll kill you again!”
“There are five of us here! If we take turns, we can go forever like a perpetual motion machine!”
“Come on! Try it! We even do guys! Shit, we’re crazy gay bastards!”
In that moment, as we were all bolstering each other’s courage—
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!
We heard the sound of someone outside the door sprinting toward the entrance to escape.
