The Eighth Ghost Story - The Cursed Midterms (1)
March was a total whirlwind. March 4th: the guidance broadcast that exploded people's heads the moment they followed its instructions. March 5th: the crazy lady who climbed over the school wall, laughing as she slit students' throats. March 6th: the ghost pretending to be a mom, hiding in the house. March 8th: trapped in endless dreams with the club members during our first CA period. From March 15th to 22nd: swept up in a vengeful song that threw the whole country into chaos. Then a week later on March 19th: possessed by a ghost story, doing nighttime gymnastics with the teacher.
Truly a hectic month.
Looking back now, I can't help but laugh. Back then, I was racking my brain trying to figure out what the hell was going on and how to fix it—pure stress. But now? It's just hilarious.
Chased out the mom ghost by mimicking a mother-in-law? "Pfft."
Wild. How did I even think of that? It was pure desperation to survive in the moment, but replaying it, I'm like, How the hell did I pull that off?
And now I'm wondering, Can I keep pulling it off? Cunning tricks don't always fire on cue.
Still, one thing stands out: I never faced anything alone. There was always someone by my side. Seon-ah, Gyeong-won, Ha-yoon, Jin-hee, Deok-hoon...
The teacher... She's the exception. Feels like she got the short end more than anyone.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat. Anyway, time to quit the game.
"That was fun. Really."
I shut down the computer game I'd been enjoying. Because midterms were right around the corner, and I needed to study.
> [Lee Joon - Round 2]
> [Ghost Story Points: 202]
> [Causal Rate: 11%]
Incredibly, after facing the psychopath ghost story a whole month ago, nothing had happened to me.
"Alright~ Starting tomorrow, you'll be taking your first midterms as high schoolers! Don't fall for those weird rumors that first-semester freshman grades don't count—study hard, okay? Good luck."
During homeroom, the homeroom teacher teased us, already drained from midterm stress, then chuckled "hol hot hot" and left the classroom.
The past month had been utter peace. So normal it felt suspicious—regular school days, rolling around at home playing games. My parents are pretty laissez-faire, no forcing me into hagwons, so I'd been gaming all evening lately.
As a result, the Ghost Story Club had turned into a casual hangout spot.
We used to charge to the broadcasting station in a frenzy, resolving a ghost's grudge together. Now? Napping in the club room.
But the silver lining: the members had gotten way closer.
Nakseong High, 5th floor. Club room. Sleepy lunchtime.
«r-7,, Zzz»
Jin-hee had lined up four chairs in the corner of the club room and was crashed out on them. Better than face-planting on her desk in class, apparently.
"Huff, huff."
Deok-hoon was hauling chairs he'd swiped from the study hall down the hall in both hands—thanks to Jin-hee hogging all the room's chairs for her bed.
"Hold up, Deok-hoon. Lemme pass."
Ha-yoon slipped past him, toothbrush in hand, heading into the room.
"Oh, thanks. Deok-hoon's the man."
"Thanks, Deok-hoon."
"Huff, huff... No biggie."
The guy wiped his sweat, looking heroic at our praise. The extra chairs he stole let us finally sit.
He whipped out his phone, plugged in earbuds, and dove into anime.
"Joon, how's the studying going?"
Seon-ah set down her textbook and asked. No money for workbooks.
"Yeah, okay. Want this workbook?"
"Th-thanks..." It was brand new and clean—I'd bought it at the bookstore just for her.
"You... okay without it...?"
"I already finished it."
"Really? Looks unused..."
"I just skim it and write solutions in a notebook."
"Oh... Thanks..."
Seon-ah peeked at it hesitantly. Total lie—I hadn't studied at all. Plan was to check answers post-exam, then suicide and loop back.
"...President."
Gyeong-won glanced at the workbook I handed her and spoke up.
"That's gonna bite you. Freshman grades matter."
"Eh, I'm confident."
"Hmph." He adjusted his glasses.
"You planning to peek at answers and time-loop back?"
"Do that, and I'll quit the club."
Cold as ice from Gyeong-won. I'd shared the Porinseu incident with him, Seon-ah, and Ha-yoon, so they knew about my regressions.
Jin-hee and Deok-hoon were clueless, but among us, it was accepted fact.
I stood silent, and Seon-ah shot me a you weren't serious, right? look.
"Uh, well, um... Ah, haha."
She glared at my awkward laugh.
"You haven't already looped once, have you?"
"...Nah, man. Relax."
"I'll trust you."
Yeah. Looping just to slack off? That'd mean telling them their next week was meaningless—would vanish on my whim. Terrifying from their side. They'd live their best week, only for it to rewind without memory.
Doing it secretly might fly, but obvious like now? Disappointing as hell.
"Of course I'm studying properly. No cheap loop tricks."
"Oh? Prove it—solve this."
He pointed to an English passage. I skimmed and answered.
"Number 3."
Gyeong-won blinked in surprise.
"You really studied. Sorry."
"Whatever."
Truth: three years of exam hell made it easy. Do I even need to loop and cheat? Already aced this stuff once. Different school, but Nakseong High tests wouldn't differ much. National mocks and CSAT? Identical problems for sure. Cram a bit, and average-plus was guaranteed.
Watching friends grind unknowingly while I could loop? Torture. Suicide for grades? Worse.
Sigh. Better study straight—no schemes. My grades were always solid anyway.
That night, I sat at my desk, workbook open... watching YouTube.
"Whoa, Faker's mechanics are insane? Real world-class battle..."
Faker's a legend...
Messing on my phone, clock hit 1 AM.
"Already 1? Gotta shut off and study for real."
Last check: Ghost Story Club group chat. Deok-hoon posted earlier.
"Huh, what's this?"
Link attached.
"Stray cat in someone's house?" Clicked to YouTube: woman comes home, stray slips in, claims the place.
"Cats are unreal."
Giggling through cat antics, clock hit 2 AM.
"Okay, seriously shutting off to study! Members are probably grinding."
Tossed an emoticon in the group chat.
Read count dropped to 1 instantly.
"Oho, who's up?" Waited—no reply. Probably Jin-hee. She never reacts in chat, but reads everything.
"Jin-hee working night shift before exams?" Not a studier up this late. Her fast-food job night shifts? Explains daytime sleepiness.
"Minors allowed?"
Seon-ah. Up late too.
"Pfft."
"Gah."
Ha-yoon's sudden entry made me jump. She always tenses me up somehow. She's quiet usually, gets along fine with others, but not me.
Phone off, into bed.
Time to sleep. Gotta ace tomorrow's exams without dozing. Ultimate goal: stop the Demon King's revival. Club needs massive growth for that—more adventures with members. Good grades mean less parental nagging, maybe pocket money.
"...I see. That's why it got quiet for a month."
Lying there, it clicked. Club growth stalled. Demon King's goal: prevent it.
Endless monsters aren't always best—hero levels up, becomes bigger threat. No sure kill? Let 'em slack, waste elite forces. Time's on Demon King's side. Peaceful hero party? Straight to bad end.
Not good at all.
Early month: me, Seon-ah, Gyeong-won, Ha-yoon battling ghost stories nonstop. Leveled up mentally and with points from clueless newbies to anomaly-handlers.
This month? School routine, no gains—dulled senses.
Compared to Demon King rising in 3 years, endangering world, midterm prep is laughable. Should drop school, hunt ghost stories everywhere.
"That's why the club has 'Ghost Story Collection' stat."
RPGs: offense over defense. Heroes raid dungeons, farm mobs for growth.
This month's peace: wasted time.
Ghost Story Collection. Club's passive. Time to snag a ghost story... but silent. Level 1 cooldown too long?
Midterms over, restart adventures. Fell asleep with that resolve.
Thankfully, shit hit the fan next day.
Ghost Story Club