Humans and Ghost Stories Are Both Wildly Mistaken
People and ghost stories alike were deep in delusion. My mind went blank as dizziness washed over me. Just seconds ago, I'd been at home... and now, when I opened my eyes, I was in the middle of a square? What kind of bullshit situation was this?!
"······."
Pulled here against my will by that damn Notification Window, right into Bosinsak Square. The place was pure hell. Some people were collapsed on the ground, trembling. Others stared blankly into space, completely zoned out.
This crazy Notification Window...! At least explain the situation before dumping me here.
Even if it had politely explained, I probably would've said no thanks anyway.
Whatever.
Hoo...
I quickly scanned the surroundings to get a read on things. And sure enough, the first thing that caught my eye was a small, cute silver-haired girl.
Not sure if 'cute' is the right word for her, though...
Pale silver hair and sparkling golden eyes. Without the dark crimson aura swirling around her, she'd look like your standard pretty girl. But no, she was the mengmang-grade ghost story, the Collector.
Tap, tap—
"······You... interesting···?"
The Collector was slowly walking toward me. Her steps were light and bouncy, like a kid who'd spotted a shiny new toy. Guess the guy who popped into the square amid a black whirlwind had piqued her interest.
We're totally fucked.
Was there a better way to sum up my feelings right now?
This was the ghost story that flicked away Korea's top awakeners like flies. In novel terms, she'd be a top-tier worldbreaker. And now she was interested in me?
Might as well bite my tongue and cross the Jordan River.
...Hmm, first things first—maybe flop face-down on the ground and think from there? Groveling might earn me a pass?
If anyone could read my mind, they'd probably think, This guy's got no pride. But screw that! I had no choices here! Choices are for the strong. Weaklings like me have to grovel to survive!
Alright, time to hit the deck—
Tap.
Huh?
While I was lost in these thoughts—
"······What are you···?"
The girl muttered from a short distance away, staring at me.
"What is this··· feeling···."
For a long while, she just stood there. Staring at me intently, murmuring to herself.
"Wanna... look closer···."
With those words—
Whoosh—!
The girl closed the gap in an instant, like she'd leaped through space itself. Right in front of me.
"······."
She stared up at me from so close I could feel her breath. Then—
Smoothly, she raised both hands toward me. Like she wanted to grab hold.
Ha, haha...
Even in this do-or-die moment with a mengmang-grade reaching for me, all I could do was curse the Notification Window. No point running from something like her anyway.
If you're sending me to fix the story, at least give me some powers!! Dumping me in with nothing? What kind of trash game skips the beginner package?!
Guess this is how I go out—a lifelong solo player. I braced myself for the end, inwardly roasting the Notification Window one last time.
Grab.
I felt her small hand lightly clutching my collar. To think the first woman's touch in ages would be like this—my life really was cursed.
Next life, make it an isekai, please... haha.
The moment I closed my eyes with that thought—
Squeeze!
The silver-haired girl buried her face in my chest and hugged me tight. With surprising gentleness.
. . . . . . .
Ten minutes had passed since the Collector hugged me. Time that would've flown by normally felt like a decade to me.
At least I haven't passed out... small mercies!
I'd always hated how my 'night form' sometimes acted against my inner thoughts, but right now, that disconnect was saving my ass.
Rub, rub.
Ignoring my confusion, the silver-haired girl kept nuzzling against my chest, tilting her head.
"Warm···."
Warm, familiar—she kept murmuring nonsense I couldn't parse, hugging me tighter like she was confirming something.
No clue what she's doing, but... better shut up and stay still!
The girl in front of me was a mengmang-grade ghost story. One wrong move, and boom—instant death trigger. Head and everything below, sayonara.
If I don't wanna go from 'Yoon Si-hyeon' to 'Yoon / Si-hyeon,' act natural.
First... let's sort this out.
This girl who'd suddenly run up and hugged me—it didn't seem like mere curiosity.
"Waited so long···."
Her voice was clumsy, laced with eerie sadness.
That's definitely the tone of someone missing another person.
—Oppa Si-hyun! I've been waiting forever!
—Haha, sorry sorry. I was late, right, Ga-eun?
My one and only childhood friend-slash-little-sis from elementary school always called me like that. So I was sure of it.
The Collector was missing someone.
But...
Letting her keep mistaking me for whoever without knowing who it was? That could bring a shitstorm later. Tricking a mengmang-grade ghost story? I'd need ten lives and still come up short.
Can't start with lies, then...
"Hoo."
I took a deep breath and slowly opened my mouth.
"······Sorry, but."
"······?"
"I don't know who you're missing, but I think you've got the wrong guy."
"Mis···take···?"
She paused at "mistake," but just tilted her head. Still glued to me.
"······I don't know you."
"Then why hug?"
"······Dunno, just... familiar feeling···."
Her golden eyes peered even deeper into mine. She hugged me again, whispering softly.
"···Familiar. So... wanna stay by your side for now."
"···????"
What? Don't know me but familiar? What the hell does that mean?!
* * *
Meanwhile, while Si-hyeon was struggling with the silver-haired girl—
"The mengmang-grade ghost story... hugged that guy?"
"Am I seeing things right now?"
A tiny spark of hope bloomed in people's hearts.
At first, they'd all thought it was over. The girl who'd one-shot Han Do-jin, Korea's top awakener, and Seo Ji-hoon, the headquarters chief. No one left could stop her.
Trapped in a mengmang-grade's domain... no way anyone survives.
Everyone had resigned themselves to that. Until—
Splash—!!
A man appeared in the square amid a black vortex. Pale white skin, flowing black hair. Eyes deep and dark as the night sky. The moment he showed up, everything changed.
Squeeze!
The silver-haired girl, who'd ignored everything else, leaped straight into the black-haired man's arms.
Too far to hear their words, but they were talking. Naturally, like old friends.
"The mengmang-grade hugs him like she's glad to see him... Does that mean he's mengmang-grade too?"
"M-Maybe···? Wait, isn't that guy... Phantom? The rumors match perfectly."
"···Whoa?! Yeah, it is!"
"The man cloaked in black energy... That's definitely Phantom!"
Rumors swirled about the ghost story that looked scary but was actually benevolent. The mysterious figure who appeared out of nowhere, saved people, and vanished—everyone who knew, knew.
"B-But why's Phantom here···?"
"Maybe... to save us?"
"Phantom's a ghost story, but he always saves people and dips... Maybe this time too···!"
The panicked crowd's thoughts tilted one way. Doubt turned to conviction, then blind faith.
"Everyone...! Phantom's definitely here to save us!"
"Y-Yeah···! We're saved!"
"H-He really came for us···?"
One by one, the despairing people rediscovered hope.
* * *
"Ha, haha···! We're saved!"
"Phantom came to rescue us···!"
Countless eyes fixed on Phantom, burning with hopeful flames.
But.
The very guy who'd sparked that hope, Si-hyeon, was inwardly screaming.
Quit bullshitting and save me, you idiots!!
His guts were burning black.
One way to sum up Si-hyeon's plight:
As expected of hyung! You came to save us!
No, I'm caught too. Fuck.