Chapter 35
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Gwigok Lodge Special (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The members' expressions slowly hardened as they took in Gwigok Lodge.
Every time the colorful banners fluttered in the wind, chills ran down my spine.
Cha Jae-hyun muttered with a pale face.
“I wanna go home.”
“Whoa, whoa. Calm down.”
Cha Jae-hyun started gesturing toward the van, then froze in place.
As everyone stood there speechless at the terrifying visuals straight out of a horror movie set,
Producer Ja-con spoke up.
“Alright, everyone! We’re filming here at Gwigok Lodge today.”
Damn it. I’d figured as much, but shooting here? Horrifying.
“We’ve got a bunch of fun games lined up for your one-night, two-day stay, so look forward to it.”
Starting off with Gwigok Lodge? The production team wasn’t holding back.
Just then, Song Yu-bin lowered his voice.
“In movies, when people go into places like this, something bad happens to one of them and…”
“Stop! Right there.”
Whiiiish—
An eerie wind howled through.
I stared blankly up at the lodge before speaking.
“What’s set up inside?”
“You’ll find out when you go in.”
We actually had to go inside.
Beside me, Baek Si-woo and Song Yu-bin clung tightly to my hands.
Eun Hae-sol seemed to have mentally checked out.
And Cha Jae-hyun…
“Hahaha. Guys, I’m really fine.”
His eyes screamed near-death, but he barely managed to curl the corners of his mouth in a pitiful attempt.
The production crew looked utterly drained too—probably squeezed by the company over Eun Hae-sol’s dating scandal and editing issues.
“Alright. Shall we head in?”
Step, step—
The cameras started rolling as we walked forward. The lodge came into sharper focus the closer we got.
Peeling outer walls and a roof covered in tattered colorful banners.
At the entrance, a sign came into view.
‘Welcome.’
The red letters carved into the ragged wooden plank oozed a creepy vibe.
Everyone recoiled in horror.
“Whoa, I hate this for real.”
“We have to sleep here?”
“Something’s gonna pop out, I swear.”
That’s when Cha Jae-hyun, who’d been scanning the lodge, screamed and bolted.
“Aaahhh!!”
The members’ faces filled with question marks at the sight.
Everyone was baffled when Cha Jae-hyun pointed at a second-floor window, his voice trembling.
“W-what is that?”
We all turned to where he pointed.
Inside the window loomed a horrifying doll.
“Argh, shit!”
“This is too much!”
“I made eye contact with it.”
At our intense reactions, smiles crept onto the production team’s faces.
“What’s wrong?”
“I couldn’t last a second up there. I’d get sleep paralysis just trying to nap.”
“One of the staff who scouted the place actually did get sleep paralysis.”
“Huh?”
Even I, who didn’t believe in ghosts, got goosebumps.
That’s when Eun Hae-sol casually stepped forward and entered the lodge.
“Hae-sol, you’re not scared?”
He grabbed the doorknob and said,
“People scare me more than ghosts.”
Well, true…
Creeeeak—
The unpleasant sound made everyone clap their hands over their ears.
The door slowly swung open.
Thud—
The interior came into view.
Creepy talismans on the doorframe fluttered in the breeze.
The living room was crammed with bizarre decor, but the scariest was the headless ballerina music box.
Cha Jae-hyun shuddered.
“Ughhh, this is the worst.”
As we tentatively stepped inside, Baek Si-woo froze, spotting something.
“Something just scurried across the floor.”
“Eek! What?”
“Spider, I think.”
An old lodge like this was bound to have bugs.
“A spider?”
Cha Jae-hyun freaked out and latched onto me.
“Alright, here’s what we’re doing next.”
Amid the chaos, the PD began explaining the shoot.
“We’ve prepared several games for you.”
“Games here?”
I couldn’t even guess what kind when the PD continued.
“First, you need to pick rooms to stay in, right?”
“Yeah.”
We waited for what came next when a staffer emerged from a room holding a pillow.
Staring blankly at it, the PD said,
“Rooms will be assigned based on game rankings. Your game is…”
He paused dramatically, and Baek Si-woo made sound effects with his mouth.
“Dududududu.”
“Pillow fight!”
“A pillow fight?”
“Not just any pillow fight. Elephant trunk pillow fight.”
Elephant trunk pillow fight?
Clueless about this new game, the PD pointed to a square carpet on the floor.
“The game happens inside this carpet. You spin around holding the elephant trunk ten times, then fight. Step off the carpet, you’re out. Rankings based on who lasts longest.”
Got the gist.
Was I good at balance? Probably wouldn’t come last, at least.
The members looked tense too.
Someone here would finish dead last and get stuck with the worst room.
No clue what awaited, but last place was to be avoided at all costs.
“Everyone, step onto the carpet.”
The members stood on it with determined faces.
“Guys, it’s every man for himself. No teaming up to gang up on one.”
“Come on, Jae-hyun hyung. How could we do something so shameless?”
“Yeah, let’s do this fair and square.”
Baek Si-woo pinched his nose, talking in a nasally voice.
“We’re comrades on stage, but enemies here. Get ready.”
The PD checked his timer and yelled,
“Ready, set… go!”
Everyone spun the elephant trunk in unison.
My vision swirled dizzily. After ten spins, I lifted my head.
The living room spun in a chaotic blur.
‘Whoa, this is insane.’
I steadied myself and staggered forward.
No idea how I looked, but winning was all that mattered.
We eyed each other, waiting to strike first, when Baek Si-woo shouted,
“Gang up on Jae-hyun hyung, go go!”
We all gave Cha Jae-hyun meaningful looks.
Sensing doom, he wailed and fled.
“You bastards!”
“Sorry, hyung!”
We charged, hurling pillows at him.
“Gang bang!”
“Die!”
He withstood several hits at the carpet’s edge.
‘No sign of him budging.’
As the game dragged, Cha Jae-hyun dramatically fell off.
“Cha Jae-hyun, out!”
He slumped in defeat.
“You’ll regret this.”
Target down. Who’s next?
Tension hung thick.
Thwack—
Song Yu-bin swung his pillow at Eun Hae-sol’s face.
“Whoa, hold up.”
Eun Hae-sol blocked with his arms, flustered.
Thwack, thwackthwack—
Song Yu-bin kept swinging relentlessly.
Light hits, but with some real feeling behind them.
Eun Hae-sol raised his pillow to counter but backed off after taking more to the face.
“Eun Hae-sol, out!”
Song Yu-bin grinned.
I’d only seen him as the cute maknae—first time witnessing his scary side.
Now left: me, Baek Si-woo, Song Yu-bin. Three remain.
Post-spins, dizziness faded.
Pure strength now.
As we sized each other up, Baek Si-woo charged.
“Die! Jeong Eun-ho!”
I dodged nimbly; he couldn’t turn in time and went straight off.
“Baek Si-woo, out!”
“Wahhh.”
He walked off, fake-crying with fingers under his eyes.
Just Song Yu-bin and me.
‘Might as well go for first.’
I gripped my pillow tight.
Opponent: young, fit blood.
Brute force wouldn’t cut it—needed strategy.
‘I’ve got one in mind.’
Saved it for finals. Perfect timing.
“Hyung, no mercy.”
“Yu-bin, go chug more milk.”
Baek Si-woo, watching, flashed a cheeky smile.
“Milk? Ddangddang Milk! Shoutout to our sponsors!”
Song Yu-bin burst out laughing.
‘Now!’
I lunged at his momentary lapse.
“Yu-bin! Dodge!”
Too late—he turned, but I snatched his pillow with my free hand.
Caught off guard, he lost it helplessly.
I tossed it off the carpet.
“Gasp.”
“What?”
“He stole the pillow.”
“Is that allowed?”
Before the game, while prepping trunks, I’d snuck to the PD.
Whispered,
“Can I steal the opponent’s pillow?”
He pondered, then,
“No problem.”
Jackpot. Huge advantage—I slipped away quick.
Steal and toss? No weapon left.
Back to now.
Weaponless Song Yu-bin pouted at the crew.
“What now?”
“No weapon? Rules say you can steal Jeong Eun-ho’s.”
“Do I have to get that desperate?”
Cha Jae-hyun muttered watching us.
“Winning’s always ugly.”
Fully pissed, dark mode activated. That gang-up hit hard.
Song Yu-bin eyed me, then reached out.
Swoosh—
I dodged desperately, but he grabbed the edge.
“Sorry, hyung!”
He yanked with monstrous strength.
‘Gonna lose it.’
I gritted my teeth, holding on.
Tug-of-war over one pillow.
Rippp—
White feathers flew. Pillow torn.
We all looked to the PD.
“What now?”
Unexpected—the PD huddled with staff.
“What do we do?”
“My take is…”
“Yeah, let’s go with that.”
He nodded and turned back.
“Jeong Eun-ho and Song Yu-bin, joint first. One more game.”
“Another game?”
Annoying, but fine.
What kind, though…
“Your game: Of Course Not Laughing Edition.”
“Of Course Not Laughing?”
“Yeah. Classic Of Course game, but hold back laughter. Laugh once, out. Fail to say ‘Of course,’ out.”
I got it.
“Start.”
PD spun the pen; it landed on me.
“Jeong Eun-ho starts.”
I smiled at Song Yu-bin across.
“Yu-bin, honestly, you think you’re the best-looking in the group, right?”
“Of… course.”
Members roared.
“Ooh, Yu-bin…”
“Yeah, he’s handsome.”
Song Yu-bin suppressed a grin.
“Eun-ho hyung, you always pick out the black beans from your morning salad like a baby, right?”
Murmurs rose.
“Harsh!”
“Eun-ho hates being called babyish.”
I shot back “Of course!” and went at him.
“Yu-bin, remember trainee days? We snuck chicken, manager came—you grabbed the box and tripped running to the bathroom.”
Laughter exploded.
“Pfft, hahaha.”
“Can’t laugh.”
Song Yu-bin bit his lip hard.
“That chicken leg hit the floor—you let me have it, said three-second rule. But I got sick from it.”
“Keuk…”
Baek Si-woo wheezed on Cha Jae-hyun’s shoulder.
Cha Jae-hyun tsked.
“That a question?”
Song Yu-bin gritted “Of course.”
“Eun-ho hyung…”
“He’s smiling?”
“Nah. Eun-ho hyung, that teary chicken was tasty, right?”
“Of course.”
Members whispered.
“Rain-soaked chicken?”
“Germ-soaked.”
Song Yu-bin’s lips twitched.
‘Time for the finisher.’
Deep breath.
“Yu-bin.”
He looked puzzled.
“You use the book Cha Jae-hyun hyung gave you for your birthday as a pot holder now, right?”
Baek Si-woo covered his mouth, glancing at Cha Jae-hyun.
“Nah, it’s fine. Happens.”
Smiling lips, eyes blazing.
“We ate tasty ramen thanks to it.”
“W-when?”
Song Yu-bin faltered, couldn’t say “Of course.”
Members lost it.
“Aww~”
“Yu-bin lost.”
“Don’t wanna piss off Jae-hyun hyung, huh.”
Game over, we faced the camera.
PD said,
“Time till lunch—rest in your assigned rooms.”
“Yeah.”
We headed off.
In the hall, Cha Jae-hyun passed, waving with a smile.
“Lucky you.”
“Hyung, I’ll check your room later.”
“Sure.”
Watching his lonely back as he entered, I turned—
“Aaahhh!”
Cha Jae-hyun’s scream.
Hall members gossiped toward his room.
“Something in there?”
“Yeah, ghost jumpscare right at the door!”
I shook my head and kept walking.
‘Wonder what room’s mine.’
201, right? Spotted the door.
‘Here.’
As I reached for it, a presence beside me.
Turned—Eun Hae-sol, face darkened.
“Eun Hae-sol!”
I approached.
“Let’s talk.”
Plenty of time till rest—time to plan debunking that bogus rumor.