Sixth Ghost Story - The College Entrance Exam Banned Song (2)

Finally, after what felt like an eternity—though it was just one class period—the bell rang.

Ding-dong daeng-dong~ ♬

The thirty or so students in our class bolted out of the music room like a stampede, no one waiting for anyone else. I blended into the chaotic crowd surging into the hallway, then hurried over to Seon-ah.

"Seon-ah, you okay?"

"Uh... yeah......" Seon-ah still looked terrified.

"That teacher's weird as hell, right?"

Seon-ah nodded silently.

"We're already on the fourth floor—let's take a breather in the club room."

"Okay......"

Here was the fourth floor; club room on the fifth. It wouldn't hurt to console her with a short rest. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gyeong-won and Ha-yoon naturally falling in behind us.

"Ata ma itten ja nai~ What's up with that teacher's head, dude~?"

Deok-hoon wiped cold sweat from his brow as he caught up to us.

The five of us piled into the club room, slumping into chairs with heavy sighs. Break time was only ten minutes—not long—but enough ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to steady our nerves.

The entire class had sat there tense as thorns under our asses, staring at that teacher mumbling lyrics in a daze the whole period. Now, in the sanctuary of the club room, my heart finally started to calm.

"Kkutsso, the club room feels bigger, huh."

"You're imagining it. Anyway, what the hell was up with that teacher?"

"It was scary......" Seon-ah murmured, then lifted her head. "Thanks for helping, Ha-yoon."

"No problem."

Ha-yoon replied nonchalantly. These two were deskmates but never seemed close—now they were finally warming up.

I did my best to soothe the huddled Seon-ah.

"Probably just some mental issues or whatever."

"Yeah."

"Don't sweat it. It'll sort itself out soon. She takes a break from school or something. Thirty kids in class all saw her like that for a whole hour."

"Bet the teachers' lounge phone's blowing up with pissed-off parents today."

"Yeah, for real."

Gyeong-won chimed in, then suddenly eyed me like he had something to say.

"Hey, president. Speaking of which."

"Yeah? What?"

"It just hit me 'cause we're the Ghost Story Club."

Gyeong-won adjusted his glasses with a glint.

"That song. Word is, tons of people nationwide are hooked on it right now."

"It's popular?"

"No, no. Actually addicted." His glasses flashed. "You know those old hits like Ring Ding Dong, Am Yoll Man, or Jin Jin Ja Ra? Earworms that stick in your head—people joked they were Suneung banned songs back in the day."

"Of course I remember. I was in elementary school; everyone was singing it."

"This trending track, Oh Yeah? Apparently way worse."

Gyeong-won's rundown painted a dire picture in the music industry. Porinseu's debut hit Oh Yeah was upbeat and catchy, with that addictive "Oh yeah~" chorus that glued itself to your brain. Topping real-time charts, it rocketed the newbie idol group from nobodies to stars.

Up to here matches my memories... but after that, shit gets weird.

The problem? It was too popular—beyond imagination. Convenience stores, big marts, restaurants, cosmetics shops—everywhere blasted it. Brands slapped the group on ads nonstop, shaking the nation. YouTubers remixed it, danced to it; it BGM'd unrelated videos. Overexposure had folks complaining the chorus haunted them even without the song playing.

"It's the earworm phenomenon—catchy melodies looping endlessly in your head. Severe cases even report hallucinations."

I'd struggled with ad jingles derailing my focus before; seemed like it was epidemic nationwide now.

"So the music teacher's just an extreme case?"

"Could be. She's older, and musicians are sensitive types."

I pondered Gyeong-won's words, then polled the club.

"Anyone been hearing this song a lot lately?"

Seon-ah and Deok-hoon shook their heads.

"Never even heard it......"

"Not my thing."

Seon-ah, poor and homebound, had no pop access; Deok-hoon stuck to J-pop, ignoring K-idols.

"Ha-yoon?"

"I don't listen to that stuff."

"You, Gyeong-won?"

"Heard it a bit... but I'm not into music. Just YouTube BGM a few times."

"Good."

I said gravely, "From today, everyone avoids that song."

"Why?" Seon-ah asked curiously.

"Just a hunch."

I stated it firm; all but Deok-hoon nodded meaningfully. Seon-ah, Gyeong-won, Ha-yoon—they'd bonded through the Dream within Dream ghost story, minds more open to this vibe.

"Time to head back. Break's almost over."

"Okay......"

Hoo, hoo. Down to the first floor again?

I'd warned them for three reasons.

First, in my original timeline, it never blew up this big. Flashy hook song, sure—but fizzled fast like others.

Second, the lyrics were different. Vaguely recalled: original had innocuous chants, not weird foreign gibberish.

Third, folks begging it to leave their ears—as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Gyeong-won said.

And yeah, my warning to the club hit the mark.

A week later, Friday again.

Getting ready for school over breakfast, the TV news my parents had on caught my ear.

"Joon-ah, you be careful too. Even Mom's stressed with it looping in my head all day. Sigh~"

Mom griped while grilling fish. Dual-income family; she part-timed at a mart cashier, blasted by it nonstop.

I nodded, finished prepping, and headed out.

Exactly a week since the creepy music teacher incident. The world had changed a lot.

Oh yeah♬ Oh yeah♬

At the crosswalk to school, noisy trucks stood out amid traffic.

Oi oh♬ Oh yeah♬ Eh shey♬ Tum! Eh tum! Keu dae beu ri~ shi♬

Like campaign vehicles, blaring from massive speakers as they roared by. I hummed something else to block it.

'It won't be that easy~ The world that allowed me~ ♬'

Waiting students glared at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the truck. Lately, inexplicable antics like that driver's were rampant: belting Oh Yeah solo on streets, max-volume phone loops on subways.

Even my apartment complex had endless noise complaints from homes blasting it TV-loud on repeat.

"The world's gone mad."

I muttered, heading to school.

"Alright~ You know things are chaotic with that weird song lately? I trust our class'll skip it and focus on studies. Oh-hot-hot~"

Homeroom teacher warned in his usual nasal twang. But by lunch, shit hit the fan.

"Ah, fuck! Turn off that damn song already!"

Third period, back to music—but teacher was hospitalized (psych ward, probably), so self-study in class.

A twitchy guy suddenly shot up yelling.

"Wh-who's playing it! Who's blasting the song nonstop! Fuck! Can't concentrate!"

He glared at empty air, trembling.

Class stared silently; broad-shouldered hunk next to Gyeong-won turned and barked,

"Hey, snap out of it."

Deep, authoritative voice. Banjang-hoon, class prez by landslide this week.

"I-it's... loud. Keeps playing...... Huh?"

Twitchy dude scanned the quiet room, still shaking.

"Wh-who? Teacher said... no more of that song today. Please turn it off... please......"

Banjang stood, muscles rippling under uniform.

"Hey, get a grip."

Should intimidate anyone—but twitchy kept looking around.

"Please, turn it off. Haven't slept since yesterday 'cause of it. Please......"

"Hey! Enough—"

Sudden school PA blared. Voice of one male broadcast club senior.

The PA exploded with the blaring song—shrill girl idol voices on monotonous beat. The chorus.

I was dumbfounded, wondering if I was hallucinating—but classmates' agitation confirmed it was real.

"Kkyaaaaaaaah!"

Twitchy yanked a sharp from his case, swinging wildly behind him.

"Turn it ooooff~! Please! Shut that song uuuup~!"

Whoosh—whoosh—

"Shut the fuck uuuup!"

"Kyaaak, what the hell! He's lost it!"

Nearby kids scattered in panic. Deok-hoon, zoned into J-pop with earbuds beside me, gawked wide-eyed.

But the chaos didn't stop.

"Uh... ughuh, ughut! Ughututututututu~!"

Some gloomy back-row guy burst laughing, kicking his desk as he stood.

"Ughutut~! Ughuuuuh~!"

He rampaged, flipping desks everywhere.

Crash—

"Hey! Fuck, what's his deal! Someone stop that psycho!"

"Ughuhuhut, ughuhut!"

"Turn it ooooff~! Kill the song ooooff~!"

"Kyaaaaak! Run!"

"Ughuhuhuhut, ughuhuhut!!!"

Thud, thud. Crash.

Class turned into pandemonium. Dodging the sharp-swinging maniac, kids tumbled; amid it, another flipped desks while charging. Even charisma-king Banjang flailed in confusion.

"Deok-hoon!"

I smacked the gaping, stunned Deok-hoon's hefty side.

"Uung~?"

"Club room—evac, now!"

"Yoshi!"

We bolted for the door.

"Hey! Calm down! Drop that, you fuck—kya!"

"Shuuuut iiiit ooooff! Fuuuuck!"

Twitchy still whirled the sharp dangerously. Banjang tried restoring order, but it devolved further.

I shoved past fallen classmates toward Seon-ah and Ha-yoon.

Seon-ah frozen; Ha-yoon blank-faced.

"Guys! Club room!"

"Uh... y-yeah!"

PA chorus still blasting. Other kids cracking too—clawing hair, hopping on desks randomly.

Ignoring screams, Seon-ah, Ha-yoon, Deok-hoon hit the door; Gyeong-won dashed after.

As I exited, I glanced back—Jin-hee at the back, just waking groggily. Club member; couldn't ditch her.

"Jin-hee!"

She blinked sleepily at me.

"Club room! Hurry!"

Grumpy from drowsiness, but she stood and followed surprisingly obediently.

Outside, the other four were gone—already to club room.

Hallway pandemonium. Other classes spilling out, buzzing; some convulsing on floor.

"Ah, you fucking asshole! So damn loud!"

Jin-hee spat curses irritably.

Undeterred by chaos, PA replayed chorus.

Pretty idol voices echoed down the hall.

Jin-hee and I rushed stairs up.

On second floor, teachers mobbed broadcast room, pounding door.

"Which punk's pranking! Open up!"

Elderly teacher kicked it—no response, locked from inside.

Up to fifth: nonstop mayhem.

"Aaaak! This fucker bit my arm!"

"Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeeeaaah~"

"Fuck off, all of you!"

"Hah, hah."

Stairs drained me; gasping on fifth. Jin-hee, unfazed, ahead—flung club door open.

"Joon-ah!"

Seon-ah jumped up worriedly.

"Everyone made it safe."

"Uh... you okay?"

"Yeah. Just winded from stairs."

Door shut muffled broadcast and noise. I caught breath midway across room.

Jin-hee plopped casually.

"Hmm, let's see."

I muttered; felt members' eyes on me.

What's this sudden vibe?

Realizing: I stood before whiteboard; five seated members facing me. Classic prez briefing pose.

Seon-ah, Gyeong-won, Ha-yoon, Deok-hoon, Jin-hee—all staring at prez me.

Was this my cue to take charge?

"Ahem."

Hands behind back, I cleared throat awkwardly.

Now 11 AM. Normal club time post-lunch CA—but we'd fled here early.

Members' eager eyes burned. Always a loner outsider; leading felt off.

Situation's the situation—no choice.

Grabbed marker from board.

"Everyone, eyes here?"

Two hours till official CA. Ghost Story Club started early.