Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Friday #4
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Under Seong Yurin’s guidance, we arrived at the haunted house—a vast space that took up an entire large building.
For some reason, it lacked popularity with the kids. The surrounding areas bustled with crowds, but the haunted house entrance stood eerily deserted.
As we approached, a neatly dressed staff member greeted us.
"Hello. Are you the group of seven?"
"Yes."
"In that case, we'll split you into groups of three and four for entry."
Apparently, too many people entering at once would make it cramped and chaotic, so we divided into two groups again.
For some reason, Yoon Jiu and I ended up deciding the groups with rock-paper-scissors.
Because the guy had to lead the way, or so he claimed.
Doesn't this violate gender equality?
"Loser leads—rock-paper-scissors!"
"Paper!"
The first round went to Yoon Jiu.
Wearing a triumphant expression, Yoon Jiu took Lee Sea with him.
"Rock-paper-scissors!"
"Oppa! Win this one properly!"
......The second round also went to Yoon Jiu.
No, this guy’s actually good at rock-paper-scissors.
Yoon Jiu pondered for a moment before taking Hong Yeonseo.
"Eek. Me?"
Hong Yeonseo scratched the back of her head and moved behind Yoon Jiu.
Even so, I really wanted to win at least one round, so I tried some psychological warfare.
"What’re you throwing?"
"Rock. You?"
"Obviously paper."
I gave him an obvious answer, then twisted my arm.
Peeking at Yoon Jiu through the gap in my fingers.
"Jina.... What’re you doing?"
"This is how it’s done."
Lee Soyun stared at me with a look of disbelief.
For some reason, I felt embarrassed and reset my stance properly.
"Loser leads—rock-paper-scissors!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ......That bastard’s seriously good at rock-paper-scissors.
Of our two groups, mine entered first.
In the end, I recorded a dismal 0-3 record and entered the haunted house with Lee Soyun and Seong Yurin.
Finally, Yoon Jia, picked last by Yoon Jiu, threw a little tantrum about wanting to come with me, but Lee Sea shut her down and dragged her off quietly.
"Have a thrilling experience~"
The staff member closed the door to the entrance passageway as we went in.
"It’s way too dark in here."
Once the door shut, just as Lee Soyun said, the haunted house interior was pitch black except for a faint blue glow—no other light sources at all.
On top of that, it felt cold inside, like the AC was cranked up.
Goosebumps prickled my skin.
Lee Soyun and Seong Yurin must have felt the chill too, as they gradually pressed closer to me.
"Mind if I turn on my phone light?"
With the two of them glued to my sides from behind, I ended up at the front and pulled out my phone to switch on the flashlight.
It definitely brightened things up and made it easier to see ahead, but the flashlight’s beam somehow heightened the immersion, amplifying the scary atmosphere.
"H-huh, interesting. So they set it up like this."
It was Seong Yurin, desperately hiding the tremble in her voice.
"Let’s head forward slowly."
Following the slimy arrow marker painted in blood-like crimson, we proceeded cautiously.
"It’s a haunted house, so ghosts will pop out, right?"
"Probably staff in ghost makeup. I-I know all about it, so it’s not that scary."
Oh, really?
But the soft sensation pressing against my right arm from Seong Yurin’s body told a different story.
No matter how you slice it, she was trembling just like Hong Yeonseo, who’d tried to act tough earlier.
Lee Soyun staying quiet actually seemed more composed.
Relying on the phone’s flashlight, we walked on until a door appeared ahead.
"Looks like a hospital door."
"Jina, you open it..."
"Y-yeah. You open it. Seo Ijin."
......
"Gotta let go of my arms first..."
They let out an "Oh!" and finally detached.
I rolled my shoulders once and cautiously gripped the door handle.
Screeeeech—
Whether from poor maintenance or intentional effect, a chilling, eerie sound emanated from the door.
"Hiiiyaaak!"
Lee Soyun and Seong Yurin screamed in unison and latched onto my arms again.
Compared to the cold air around us, they felt warm.
"Let’s go."
They matched my footsteps as I moved forward.
True to the hospital door, the interior was decorated like a hospital room.
Of course, not a normal one—it was splattered in gore everywhere, utterly gruesome.
"Ugh."
Lee Soyun groaned and buried her face.
Even I felt chills from the creepy surroundings.
As if welcoming us, we crossed the center of the bed-lined room and headed slowly to the opposite side.
Screeech—
Thud!
"Waaah!"
"Kyaaah!"
Wh-whoa, that startled me.
The floor I’d stepped on suddenly gave way beneath, making a huge noise.
I staggered in shock, and the two girls clinging to me freaked out too.
"Jina.... Yurinah...."
True to form as our group’s biggest scaredy-cat, Lee Soyun’s eyes were already welling up. Seong Yurin’s pale skin had gone even whiter, ghostly so.
"I-it’s okay. W-we’re here, r-right?"
Are you buffering or something?
I barely calmed them down and resumed walking.
We hadn’t even covered a quarter of the way to the exit yet.
Halfway down the hallway, Lee Soyun suddenly spoke up quietly.
Tap tap.
"Mm. I’m fine, Yurinah."
"......Huh?"
Tap tap.
"......I said I’m fine?"
"......What?"
Tap tap.
"Why do you keep doing that? I said I’m okay now."
"......Soyunah. I have no idea what you’re talking about."
"......Huh?"
Lee Soyun’s steps halted abruptly. Seong Yurin and I stopped too.
Glancing back, Lee Soyun’s face had drained of color.
"Y-Yurinah. Quit messing around."
"What joke are you talking about?"
Hold on.
I know this script.
And at the same moment, the two of them seemed to realize it too.
We turned our heads like malfunctioning robots, screech screech.
Kyaaaa—!
"Kyaaah!"
"Uwak! H-hey, Lee Soyun!"
As expected, a haunted house staffer in ghost makeup stood right behind Lee Soyun.
We panicked at the sudden face-in-your-face scream.
Lee Soyun bolted forward in terror.
In the chaos, Seong Yurin clung to me, her soft sensation pressing in.
"H-hey! Back off a bit."
"Uegh...."
I pried off the dazed Seong Yurin, grabbed her arm, and chased after Lee Soyun.
After that, it was Lee Soyun’s one-woman show.
Thanks to her efforts boosting the staff’s satisfaction to 120%.
She triggered every trap, freaked out at every jump-scare from the staff, and by the time we reached the exit, she was utterly exhausted—I had to carry her out.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeees...."
Near the exit, smiling staff members greeted us cheerily.
They must love guests who scream so perfectly. Obviously.
"Thank you! Come again~!"
"Y-yeah.... Haha...."
With the grinning ghosts waving us off, I emerged from the exit midway, supporting the broken Seong Yurin and the drained Lee Soyun.
I sat them on a nearby bench and got drinks from the vending machine right beside us.
The cold liquid coursing through them finally snapped the two back to reality.
"I-I’m never going in a haunted house again...."
".........Me neither."
They slumped against each other, utterly spent.
How long did we wait for the four who’d gone in after us?
Eventually, the four emerged from the exit.
Well...
Three walked out. Yoon Jiu was carried out by Hong Yeonseo.
"Ugh. Pathetic."
Yoon Jiu looked too wiped to retort to Yoon Jia’s jab.
I could roughly guess what happened, but I was curious anyway.
Spotting us resting on the bench, the four approached.
"Wait long?"
"Nah, about ten minutes. You guys look fine."
Surprisingly, everyone except Yoon Jiu seemed unscathed.
"Uh, u-uh? Ah."
Suddenly, Lee Sea clutched her head and wobbled.
"Ahh. My head’s spinning all of a sudden~"
"......"
Anyone could tell it was fake acting.
Lee Sea, acting’s not for you.
Sensing everyone’s cold stares, Lee Sea cleared her throat and straightened up.
"......Just kidding."
"I got scared, but with someone even more hysterical next to me, it kinda balanced out."
Hong Yeonseo pointed at Yoon Jiu as she spoke.
"Urgh."
Yoon Jiu couldn’t even argue.
True to his lack of horror resistance.
We spent a good while sharing Lee Soyun’s tale of woe, while the other group shared Yoon Jiu’s.
Before we knew it, dusk was settling in.
"How about we head to dinner now? I reserved a party room at a restaurant inside the amusement park."
At Seong Yurin’s words, we all clapped like seals.
"Ooh."
"Sounds fancy."
"As expected of the young lady."
"Y-young lady?..."
Even though she should be used to it by now, Seong Yurin averted her gaze at Hong Yeonseo’s teasing and started walking.
"Oh, right. Need to grab my bag."
"Ah, me too."
"I asked the driver earlier. The luggage should already be at the restaurant by now."
The moment I remembered the bag with Lee Soyun’s birthday gift and mentioned it, Seong Yurin replied as if she’d anticipated.
"Ooh."
"So fancy."
"Lady Yurin."
"S-stop...."
She really is fun to tease.