Chapter 7
“Hey, this is kinda tough.”
“Isn't it because it's so big? What kind of tent is the size of a playground?”
Everyone was grumbling about the difficulty. For some reason, Han Yaseong felt like he could pitch it in no time, but he didn't want to step up, so he just lent a hand here and there. It was fun watching them struggle, after all. Besides, he had no desire to draw attention by taking charge, so he simply observed as his seniors and peers fumbled around.
In the end, Senior Euna—who had finished setting up the girls' tent—took the lead and got the guys' tent up in about an hour with her calm directions.
“We could fit twenty people in here.”
Senior Euna shook her head at how oversized it was and walked off. She wasn't wrong; it was big enough to fit single beds inside.
“Still, bigger is better than cramped.”
The guys were all satisfied with the space. The Mystery Club guys were all mild-mannered herbivores, which made it comfortable. The four girls were gentle types too, so no one felt out of place.
Once the tents were up, they prepped dinner. Cooking together, they whipped up kimchi stew and various side dishes. With the bonfire crackling, the sea stretching out before them, and burners hissing as they stirred pots, it had a real charm. Maybe it felt extra special because in that other world, Han Yaseong always ate alone.
When the rice was done, they dug into the kimchi stew loaded with pork belly, sides, and all. It tasted like honey. Sharing a meal on a deserted island with a group like this was pure bliss. With his appetite sharper lately, Han Yaseong polished off two bowls. Everyone was stuffed and happy.
After cleanup, as darkness fell, they gathered around the bonfire for the stories they'd prepared. Being the Mystery Club, each person was set to share a spooky tale.
The third-year guy who'd brought the big tent kicked things off.
“I heard this one recently—it's seriously creepy. Cool if I go?”
“Go for it. That's the whole point.”
Senior Euna replied like it was obvious. Night had settled over the dark, deserted island, waves crashing in the background, bonfire flickering as they sat in a circle—everyone's faces a mix of excitement and tension as they listened to the third-year senior.
“It's about a haunted house. Someone I know had to spend the night in one out in the countryside.”
From there, everyone took turns sharing their prepared mysteries. When it came to Han Yaseong, he pondered what to say. Making something up felt off, and spilling about the portal was a no-go... so he went for a middle ground.
“Alright, Han Yaseong's turn.”
At Senior Euna's call, all eyes turned to him. Uncomfortable with the spotlight, he stared into the fire and began.
“This happened a long time ago. Something I actually went through... One day, a portal opened up.”
“A portal?”
One of his peers widened his eyes. The sudden mention caught him off guard.
The club president, Senior Euna, shut it down immediately. “No tangents. Just listen.”
“Sorry.”
Interrupting was forbidden, so Han Yaseong pressed on.
“It was wrapped in this strange light—clear and transparent. I reached out without thinking and got sucked in. When I opened my eyes, I was somewhere completely new. Forests all around, trees in every color imaginable.”
Everyone listened quietly, picturing it in their heads.
“At first, I thought it was a dream or hallucination. But looking around, it didn't feel like Earth. The trees were different sizes and shapes, the little animals too. Made me wonder if it was some alien planet. That's when I figured the light might be a portal.”
Han Yaseong was sharing his real experience, more or less. It fit the mystery theme, after all.
“No people, no aliens—at least none I saw. I was a bit scared, so I couldn't venture out of the forest. Deeper in, there might've been something, but I didn't risk it. A day passed like that, then the light reappeared. I jumped right in and came back here. Haven't been able to find it since. Still don't know if it was a dream or real.”
He wrapped it up with a touch of embellishment. They sat in silence for a beat, then clapped.
“If that wasn't a dream, it'd be wild. Not something from a book or made up, right?”
The second-year girl senior asked.
“Nah, no point sharing fiction. Plenty of scarier made-up stuff out there.”
“True. This one's pretty mellow...”
They all seemed intrigued, like it was a first for them. Han Yaseong wouldn't have thought of it either if he hadn't lived it.
A quiet moment passed, then one peer spoke up.
“Kinda like the green mist, right? Back in Europe, people vanished when that showed up.”
“Yeah. Maybe those were portals too? Linking to other worlds?”
“The world's full of mysteries we don't understand.”
They bantered on. Han Yaseong was content—he'd finally hinted at that other world to someone. It eased the secret like the king's ears being donkey ears.
After the last story, around 10 p.m., things wound down. As they rose to tidy up, Senior Euna's phone rang.
“Yeah, it's me. Now? You're here? Yeah. But will the boat head out? Got it. I'll call the captain.”
As she hung up, the other third-year guy asked curiously.
“Who was it?”
“Yujin. She just arrived. Asked where to catch the boat.”
“Choi Yujin? Why's she coming?”
“Beats me.”
From the talk, it seemed third-year Senior Choi Yujin had shown up. She'd never once attended club before, so her sudden MT appearance baffled everyone. Still, the guys—including his peers—were thrilled. She was the school's acknowledged queen, after all. Han Yaseong had joined the club on a whim after her recruitment pitch, so it wasn't awkward.
While Senior Euna called the captain, the rest did dishes and tidied the area. With Yujin on the way, they sat by the fire waiting.
“Hope she didn't bring booze again.”
Senior Euna looked worried. The third-year guy's face clouded over.
“Not like two years ago, right?”
“Who knows. Yujin's unpredictable.”
Something had gone down back then. A peer subtly probed.
“What happened?”
The third-year sighed. “Two winters ago, we did MT at Chiaksan. Yujin came too, got wasted, caused a scene—got kicked out of the minbak. Begged our way back in, but other college kids nearby gave us dirty looks. She was so pretty they didn't hassle us much, but it was a headache. Euna suffered most—chasing after Yujin all night as she bolted everywhere. Seniors swore off bringing her again after that.”
Everyone chuckled, easily imagining it. The queenly Senior Choi Yujin apparently turned into a drunken mess.
“But why crash our MT out of nowhere? She's got options everywhere.”
The third-year couldn't wrap his head around it. She was in ten clubs, after all.
Senior Euna sighed. “Ran into her a few days ago, mentioned our MT offhand. Didn't think she'd actually show.”
A casual invite, apparently. Still, she was a member. Her real arrival left even the usually composed, quiet Senior Euna stumped—Yujin was trouble.
Soon, a motor hum cut through the night sea.
“Guys!”
A woman's voice shouted from the water. A motorboat slowed, approaching the island. Inside, the slender Senior Choi Yujin waved both arms, grinning.
The boat docked, and she hopped onto the sandbar. As everyone gathered, the driver handed down her bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she beamed.
“Everyone, so nice to see you!”