The Second Ghost Story - The Smiling Woman (4)

···When I came to, I was sitting at my desk. Morning sunlight streamed into the classroom. Students sat quietly. It was school.

'···School.' School... yeah. I spaced out for a moment, then let out a deep breath. Hoo, hoo.

···I'm alive. Somehow, I'm still kicking.

'Back again.' To that damn entrance ceremony. Not the first time. Jesus. But something felt off. Morning classroom—same as before. Yet subtly different. What was it... something's not right.

···The lights. Morning sun was so bright it was hard to notice at first, but the classroom lights were on. During ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the entrance ceremony, there'd been a blackout—they were off.

'What day is it now?'

At that exact moment, the front door of the classroom slid open with a harsh rattle.

"Hah, hah···"

It was Seon-ah. Barely avoiding being late, she caught her breath and plopped down at a nearby empty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠desk. I'd returned to this morning.

A middle-aged balding homeroom teacher entered soon after, chuckling "hol hot hot," and announced we'd draw lots for seats.

"Alright, everyone. Come up one by one and draw a paper from here."

Students shuffled forward, lining up around the teacher's desk. I spotted Seon-ah and Gyeong-won standing awkwardly among them.

'Back to this morning, huh.' What was the reset point? Pondering that, I stood and joined the line.

'Which one did I draw last time? This one?'

I drew and unfolded it—26, thankfully the same number. Since I'd looped back anyway, I figured I'd stick close to the previous flow, observe carefully, and make changes slowly.

I found my assigned seat. Next to me, Deok-hoon was huffing and puffing, sorting his stuff.

'Last time, I greeted first and guessed he was an otaku from his speech, bumping up understanding.'

Curious if the system window had reset too, I pulled up Deok-hoon's status before saying hi.

'Hmm... Understanding's already up. Guess the system transcends time rewinds.'

♦ Anyway, I'd confirmed that last night via the main menu stats.

"Hey, nice to meet you. Let's get along."

"Hoo... Nice to meet ya···"

We chatted briefly, then I tossed out the question like before.

"Deok-hoon, you remember that school info sheet from yesterday's entrance ceremony? The one they handed out and took back right away."

"···Yeah."

"Heard there was some weird stuff on it. Ring any bells?"

Deok-hoon pulled out an earbud, staring off vaguely as he replied.

"Oh, you mean the smiling woman?"

"Yeah, that's it. Remember?"

The guy chuckled.

"If you run into the smiling woman, never act like you know her···"

"Act like you know her and you're screwed?"

"Damé."

"Anything else stand out?"

"Zenzen."

"Damé and zenzen—what's that? Japanese?"

Deok-hoon flinched, then answered.

"...Means 'no way' and 'not at all.'"

"Gotcha, thanks."

He popped the earbud back in and dove into his anime.

'Not much useful there.'

Next, Seon-ah's desk. First thing I noticed: Ha-yoon, exuding refined upper-class vibes, calmly reading. Beside her, poor Seon-ah fidgeted with her new deskmate.

Seon-ah lit up when she saw me, wanting to say hi but hesitating from shyness. Seeing her stirred an odd affection. From escaping death together? Or relief at restarting our easy friendship?

"Hey. Almost late today, huh."

"Grandma woke me up late···"

"You live with just your grandma?"

"Yeah."

"Your deskmate? Said hi yet?"

"Not yet···"

Ha-yoon glanced over from her book, then back. I greeted her.

"Hey, I'm Lee Joon."

She smiled brightly, like her blank face was a lie.

"Hi. I'm In Ha-yoon."

"Remember that info sheet they passed out yesterday and snatched back?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Weird warning on it—you recall?"

"Sure. Curious?"

"Yeah, tell me?"

She tapped a slender finger to her lips thoughtfully.

"If you spot a woman grinning creepily in school, ignore her completely and act natural until she passes··· Something like that."

"Creepy as hell."

Last time, Seon-ah felt left out, so we headed to the cafeteria. 'No cafeteria this time.'

I turned to Seon-ah to wrap it up.

"Right? Super creepy."

She startled, then smiled in relief.

"Yeah... weird."

We three chatted idly about middle schools till break ended. English class followed—first period, so self-intros in English.

Next break. Instead of cafeteria, I slipped into the hall alone, watching it through the window.

'Where'd that woman even come from?'

Soon, atop the wall marking the school boundary next to the cafeteria, something stark white popped up. A woman with a bone-white face, beaming ear-to-ear.

The smiling woman had been behind the wall. She crawled onto the cafeteria roof from outside, scuttled across, then dipped into the entrance.

'That's how she appeared in the crowded doorway.'

Cold sweat as I watched—then Gyeong-won approached.

"Hey. First proper greeting since yesterday. Whatcha looking at?"

"Uh, well... Gyeong-won."

I panicked; he followed my gaze out the window, frowned at the sight.

"···What's she doing?"

"Gyeong-won, that... "

I hesitated, then steeled myself.

"Gyeong-won, I think that's the smiling woman from yesterday's info sheet."

"What?"

Deok-hoon and Ha-yoon thought the warning weird but knew no more. Gyeong-won alone called it a manual ghost story. He might know something.

Students near the cafeteria buzzed.

"What the—scared me···"

"Lady, what gives? Don't block the way."

"Ah, fuck, blocking···"

She'd move soon. I pressed urgently.

"Gyeong-won, weird question—quick answer. How do you survive a manual ghost story?"

He tilted his head.

"Quick, now. How does the protagonist survive in one?"

"···Protagonist?"

Visibly confused.

"Anything, fast!"

"Well... I said yesterday, most don't have a clear protagonist. No real plot."

His gaze turned slightly condescending.

"You still don't get it? It was simple."

I pushed harder.

"I get it, fuck—just how do people who see it survive? Tell me quick!"

High pride, low curse immunity—he flinched at my bark, eyes darting, then relented.

"Probably... follow the manual? It's warnings and cautions, basically."

He smirked, peering out again.

"You're weirdly serious. Over that lady? She's just some crazy bi—"

"Noooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The woman shrieked gutturally, hurling something our way. Industrial cutter knife. It flew straight, shattered ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the window—

Crash—

—slammed into Gyeong-won's forehead. No scream, just a gurgle "Uk," head snapping back. The force dragged his body across the floor.

Thud. Stopped against the wall. Head lolled, glasses askew. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠My prideful friend of one day, An Gyeong-won.

Too fast. A few kids down the hall gasped; no one else noticed yet. His spot was hidden from the cafeteria window. Students still yelled at her to move.

I dashed back inside.

'Follow the manual? Ignore her?'

Insane... Act natural while a psycho grins and murders in front of you? Even actors couldn't.

'Fuck, fuck... Whatever. I'm no hero tackling hard shit. Cops or army handle that bitch. Just escape.'

Grabbed my shoe bag from the locker to bolt—but spotted Seon-ah. Sitting oblivious, eyeing her indifferent deskmate.

I hurried to her.

"Seon-ah."

"···Yeah?"

She turned, beaming.

'Can't survive alone like last life. While she's rampaging in the cafeteria, escape school with Seon-ah. Run to the subway like before—should work. Rest later.'

Panicking, desperate to survive this.

"Seon-ah, wanna... take a walk to the playground with me?"

Her eyes widened.

"Break's almost over···"

"Extended. School stuff."

Ha-yoon glanced over. I ignored, bullshitting.

"Twenty minutes extra. Entrance ceremony messed the schedule. C'mon, walk."

"Oh... okay."

She stood reluctantly; we hurried out.

'Kyaaah—'

'Uwaaah—help—'

Screams rose from the cafeteria.

"Huh? That···"

"Hurry."

Seon-ah peered out curiously, but followed my urging.

Cafeteria was behind the main building; front was playground. Noise hadn't reached yet—still peaceful. Seniors kicking soccer, girls giggling on strolls.

"This way."

"Uh···"

We joined the walkers, circling toward the main gate. I strode fast; she trailed shyly. Silent march.

Gate open—delivery truck unloading cafeteria supplies. Guard chatted weather with the driver.

I waited silently by the gate's basketball court. Seon-ah eyed me, stood still.

'Kyaaah!'

'Uwaa, uwaaaah!'

Screams faintly from main building. Far across playground, but audible. Walkers paused, shading eyes toward it.

"What's going on?"

"Look, over there."

Mid-floor windows: something whooshed amid screams, kids swarming. Curtains flapped; bodies tumbled visible sporadically.

Some kids yelled from windows.

"Help! Call the cops!"

"Save us!"

A few clung to drainpipes, sidling out windows to flee. Playground buzzed. Guard and driver peeked from truck.

"···What's that?"

"Hmm."

A boy squeezed out a mid-floor window, climbing pipe to next—then the woman poked her head from his window, pointing and cackling madly.

"Kya kya kya kya kya kya kya kya kya!"

He panicked at the laugh, slipped—

"Uwaaaaaaaa—"

Splat—

"Kya kya kya kya kya!"

"Kyaaah!"

"Someone fell!"

Playground chaos. Seon-ah stared anxiously.

"Seon-ah."

"Yeah?"

I grabbed her, explained carefully.

"Listen close. Some psycho invaded with a weapon. Stay out of school till it's over. Dangerous."

Her eyes widened, then she nodded reluctantly.

"Gotta sneak past the guard. Crouch low, follow me. Got it?"

Nod nod.

I led her behind the truck, past distracted guard, out the gate.

"Kyaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!"

"Uwaaaaaah!"

Sudden screams from playground behind. What? She reach there already? A few steps out, I turned—

White lady, beaming, kicking up dust cloud, charging: pa-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba!

"Don't ruuuuuuuuuuuun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Like sped-up VHS, limbs twisting wildly, she vaulted the truck.

Grinning white face loomed: kya kya kya kya!

Shwick—

'···Fuck.'

Head airborne, I blacked out watching her butcher my body and Seon-ah, cackling.

Rattle— Thud.

"Hah, hah···"

Seon-ah, barely not late, slumped toward an empty desk. Classroom again. Confront her—die. Flee—die.

'What the fuck do I do.'

Gyeong-won's hint: manual ghost story—follow the manual.

Superhuman acting: behave naturally before her. Only way...?

'Insane. How?'

Ignoring isn't just averting eyes—victims turned away, trembled shut-eyed, still died. Means act like she isn't there.

Behave casually while seeing her.

'Gonna lose my mind... Possible? At least make her less terrifying. Ghastly white-faced, maniacally swinging cutters, cackling middle-aged horror. Fuck, won't piss myself—that's win.'

'Gotta try... Face her one-on-one. Alone, before others gossip and agitate. Before she climbs roof from wall—go beyond wall first, confront solo, follow manual.'

Ghost Story Club