Eighth Ghost Story - Cursed Midterms (5)
The club members stared at me with cold eyes.
"That... time. When I got back..."
I couldn't bear the awkwardness and let out a fake cough.
"...Honestly, some people might not believe it. It's simple, though. If a call comes in from the teacher later, just answer it for me."
"Huh? That's not hard, right? Just pick up if it rings. Heart attack stuff like that... only believe it if you can."
"...Hoo."
An Gyeong-won let out a sigh.
"And you've been watching the whole exchange, figuring out that the vice president plans to remember everything and return at the end."
"That's right."
"Your shamelessness knows no bounds. But, vice president."
He adjusted his glasses.
"I'll help."
Yoon Seon-ah nodded along.
"Me too, Joon-ah. I'll help too..."
"...Thanks, Seon-ah."
"I'll do it too."
In Ha-yoon chimed in calmly last, making Oh Deok-hoon flinch and sigh.
"Yare yare... Well, if it's just answering a phone. I'll play along."
Lee Jin-hee stood with her hands in her pockets, muttering "Tch" before turning her head away.
Even with that reaction, I knew she'd tag along indifferently when the time came. I nodded.
"Thanks so much for helping out, everyone."
The next day.
First period of midterms, math class.
I'd scribbled randomly on the test paper and was double-checking the plan one last time.
The club members would answer my phone and play the quiz game with the science teacher. He'd throw out new questions to dodge the curse rebounding on him, and we'd fire back info-gathering questions, right or wrong answers be damned.
If An Gyeong-won flubbed it and died, Yoon Seon-ah takes the baton, then repeat.
Hoo. Hope it works out.
The science teacher's curse target was me. The members were all 17, not yet 20. First hurdle: could they shoulder the curse meant for my phone?
...If Gyeong-won said yes, it probably is.
In ghost story lore, passing curses to others is straight-up cliché.
Second worry: even if we had a ton of questions, if a member died on a wrong answer, game over.
I wanted ping-pong questions dragging out info forever. But one death and he hangs up? Plan fucked.
Oh Deok-hoon said it was doable, for a ridiculous reason.
> Switching from 1v1 to team relay makes it a chain format, duh, obvious fact right neung.
Sounds just like bomb tag at a family arcade.
Passing the curse bomb around, frantic Q&A nonstop. Death quiz till one side's wiped out.
He'd spill everything, like it or not.
Then second period, English class. Jang Hwa-eun prowled the room with a bored look, idly tapping the wall with her pointer. I focused on the floating system window.
Welcome to Nakseong High School, brimming with mysteries and secrets.
Uncover the school's hidden dark secrets, battle urban legends and ghost stories to earn Ghost Story Points and acquire Special Abilities.
Gather comrades and thwart the Demon King's revival before graduation.
The world rests in your hands.
Been ages since I last saw this message.
Come to think of it, the science teacher wasn't the first to know about ghost stories.
Excluding Jang Hwa-eun, who seemed clueless, there was one more.
Homeroom teacher.
School's hidden dark secrets. Thought it was just Demon King and anomalies, but maybe literal secrets here?
Third period finally hit—science time.
Quiet room, everyone heads-down on tests. Only footsteps from the proctoring science teacher and faint scribbles of sign pens.
As I reviewed the plan and mulled things over, he slid up and asked,
"Why aren't you solving problems?"
Irritated, I sighed. "I did."
"Looks like random guesses."
"Mind your business and move on."
A few gasps in the silent room.
The usually stoic teacher's face twisted for the first time.
"...What'd you say?"
"Mind your business and move on."
His thick face creased deeper.
"You, come with me."
"Nah. Gotta do this midterm."
Meaning the cursed one's past variant problems, of course.
His tree-trunk face hardened. "Then stop slacking and solve the test."
"Kinda hit a study crisis suddenly."
"Why bother studying for good colleges? That kinda doubt popped up, can't focus or turn in the paper."
Pin-drop silence, not even breathing easy.
Random question, but maybe baiting me to read the ghost story? He didn't yell.
"Why that doubt now?"
"'Cause it's now. Test time."
"Gotta prep and take these like ten more times. Bugs me."
He stood arms folded behind, listening.
I sighed dramatically. "Solve that doubt, and I'd look at the paper."
He loomed intimidatingly awhile, then raised one brow sternly.
"Can't get into good college, can't be a good person."
A snort from the back wall desk—In Ha-yoon covering her mouth, laughing. I smirked and nodded.
"Your support fires me up, teacher. I'll do my best."
"Good. Work hard."
He turned like he'd dropped adult wisdom, but side-eyed if I'd actually test.
I chuckled, flipped to the last page like he wanted, pretended to read.
Finally nodding, he patrolled on.
Assholes like him are everywhere.
Not just in this weird school's ghost story class—universal.
Zero interest in students till they need you, then fake life advice.
I stretched lazily, yawned big.
A teacher trying to kill a student thrice? Payback's a bitch.
🔔 Ding~ Dong~ Daeng~ Dong 🔔
The second the bell rang, six Ghost Story Club members bolted up.
"Hurry, hurry!"
"Huff, huff."
We stampeded out the door. Teachers and students gawked at us sprinting the hall.
The science teacher, heading up post-proctoring to call me, passed our thundering six up the stairs.
Fifth floor club room.
"Huff, huff... Fucking high up..."
Only tough Lee Jin-hee looked fine, trained athlete vibe. We rushed to array around the table.
And then.
My phone on the table center slowly chimed its eerie tune.
All eyes locked on the sinister ringing phone.
"Vice president, I know the most, so let me take first—"
"Wait."
I stopped An Gyeong-won reaching out.
Lazy afternoon sun pierced white curtains into the club room.
Midterms day one over—students' excited chatter drifted distantly through windows.
Amid that normal school scene, us six stared at the phone's sinister melody.
"Joon-ah, aren't you gonna answer...?" Yoon Seon-ah asked puzzled.
What if we ignored it? Probably no happy ending.
School has secrets hidden. People already know ghost stories.
Then.
I crossed my arms slowly. "In Ha-yoon, you answer first."
She glanced up at me.
Members stared, shocked at my sudden vibe.
Volume ramping like a don't-ignore-me warning, music box ring swelling.
I repeated firmly. "In Ha-yoon, you take it."
She gazed steadily.
Yoon Seon-ah and An Gyeong-won shot me why eyes.
But I glared at In Ha-yoon stone-faced.
"Answer it. Now."
Yeah. In Ha-yoon.
You're suspicious too.
Ghost Story Club