Gwiam Reservoir (6)
"What the hell are you talking about?"
The being that looked like I-sik let out a disbelieving chuckle.
"I just went to take a piss, so I'm here, obviously."
"What?"
"What are you doing without getting ready to film? Il-sik was pissed, saying you ditched him. That punk, slacking off even on our last memory trip."
"Il-sik... is here too?"
"Huh? Of course he is, you idiot! Me, you, and Il-sik. We made that pact at the Peach Blossom Oath at one o'clock on the day we swore to stick together even in death. You okay up there? Losing your mind?"
It was friendly. Even to a third party like me, the vibe between them screamed close buddies.
Sam-sik hesitated, still shaken from what happened earlier, unsure whether to approach.
"Hurry up, man. Il-sik's waiting."
He turned and started walking, as if it was a given that Sam-sik would follow.
"......"
"What're you doing? Come on!"
After a few steps, when Sam-sik didn't follow, he glanced back and urged him on.
Sam-sik kept trying to step forward—lifting his foot off the ground, leaning in—only to snap back to his original position, over and over.
I swallowed hard and grabbed Sam-sik's arm.
"Don't go."
"B-but... that's I-sik over there..."
"At least wait until Seorin gets back. You can hold out that long, right?"
Hearing me, Sam-sik steadied his wavering eyes and nodded with resolve.
"I-sik, sorry, but—"
"Hey, Sam-sik."
Cutting off what Sam-sik was about to say, I-sik tilted his head.
"What've you been doing since earlier?"
"—Oh, sorry. Late intro, huh? This is Mirinae, a fellow streamer."
"Mirinae?"
I-sik glanced at me following Sam-sik's gesture, then furrowed his brow.
"Uh, hi."
I figured I should at least greet him, so I dipped my head slightly. But I kept my guard up, ready to react if he tried anything suspicious.
However...
That vigilance crumbled with I-sik's next words.
"Who's that?"
"Oh, she streams on a different platform, so you might not know. Actually, she's—"
"No, not that."
I-sik waved his hand dismissively.
"Who the hell are you even saying is there?"
"Huh?"
"There's... nobody there."
My heart shook.
Sam-sik whipped around to stare at me. I could instinctively read the emotions in his trembling eyes.
Confusion. Suspicion.
"Hey, you... don't tell me you've been possessed?"
"P-possessed?"
"Fuck! This is creepy as shit... They said Gwiam Reservoir's crawling with ghosts! Snap out of it! You don't even know who you're talking to—you've been possessed by a ghost!"
Sam-sik's body shuddered at I-sik's shout. His pupils shook violently like an earthquake, flicking back and forth between me and I-sik.
"N-no! I'm not a ghost!"
I panicked too, waving my hands to deny it.
On the contrary, I was convinced.
That I-sik was fake.
Otherwise, he couldn't possibly not see me.
Because I was a real, living human!
...But.
"Wh-what?"
Sam-sik wouldn't believe me. The more I defended myself, the more he backed away toward the ghost disguised as I-sik.
"No no no, snap out of it! That's a ghost trap!"
"B-but."
"Think back! You met I-sik's ghost at the reservoir earlier—remember? You gonna fall for it again?"
I pleaded with him, reminding him of the ghost we'd encountered before, begging him to drop his suspicions.
"Hey hey! Whoever you're talking to, get over here quick!"
"I-it's... I-sik. Are you really... you?"
"Who else would I be... Did you run into a ghost that looks just like me after we split up?"
"Uh, um?"
"Fuck! Wake up! That's all the work of ghosts trying to possess you!"
The distance between Sam-sik and me kept growing.
"Sam-sik!"
"Hurry! Get away from that ghost!"
Perfectly centered between me and I-sik, Sam-sik was still gripped by confusion, unable to decide who to trust or whose words were true.
That was when it happened.
"Sam-sik."
The voice dropped heavily.
"Don't tell me."
'He' took a step closer.
"You're doubting me, right?"
His expression vanished from his face.
"After all these years together."
"......"
"You trust a ghost more than me?"
"......"
Something was off. The voice seemed to take form, sticking to Sam-sik like glue...
"Or."
"......"
In that instant, the trembling in Sam-sik's eyes stopped.
"Ah."
The light faded from his pupils.
"No."
One step.
Sam-sik moved forward.
Toward the ghost.
"Sam-sik!"
"I... I...!"
"No! It's a trap!"
I rushed over desperately and grabbed his arm.
"Let go!"
But Sam-sik twisted his face in rage and shook off my hand violently.
The force sent me tumbling to the ground.
"Ugh!"
"I... I'll never abandon a friend. Never, ever..."
Mumbling nonsense in a daze, Sam-sik staggered toward I-sik.
I reflexively looked at the ghost.
The ghost mimicking I-sik—no.
I-sik, now a ghost.
Looked down at me.
And sneered.
"Sam-sik!!"
As I tried to get up again.
My head suddenly spun.
"Urgh...!"
My vision warped.
Especially my eyes... they burned like they were scorching.
"A-aaah!!"
How to describe this sensation? My senses expanding? Or new ones awakening?
Something I'd never felt before was now clear.
—I saw.
In my blurred vision: Sam-sik shambling blankly toward the reservoir.
And the dozens of pale hands emerging from the water's surface, pulling his arm.
And clinging to my body, binding me—a soaked, pallid-faced I-sik.
"U-ugh!"
"S-snap out of it! Sam-sik!!"
I screamed until my throat tore, but Sam-sik didn't stop, as if he couldn't hear, heading straight for the reservoir.
His foot entered the water.
"Why... why are you doing this?! You're Sam-sik's friend! Shouldn't you save your friend!!"
I-sik paused for a moment.
Then—he shrieked.
"U-ugh!"
The deep grudge in that resentful wail hit me vividly.
At the same time, the horrific pain scorched my eyes again.
"Kyaaaaah!!"
I saw and heard.
Il-sik stabbing his own belly with a knife—the friend he'd trusted.
Himself collapsing, bleeding out.
Sam-sik fleeing, abandoning him.
Crying for help, but Sam-sik never looking back.
Being dragged into the reservoir.
'S-sorry. We lost one sacrifice.'
'Aigoo, don't be so mad. We got one solid catch at least, right? Couldn't be helped. That I-sik punk was sharp...'
'Don't worry.'
'We'll prep another sacrifice soon and bring it over.'
'So keep your promise. I've offered nearly twenty already—you can't forget my contributions.'
'Yes, until next time.'
'Bishop.'
"Urp! Blergh!!"
My stomach churned, head spinning.
Yellow bile spewed from my mouth.
"Haa... haa... ugh!"
My gut ached. Even though I'd never been stabbed.
In I-sik's memory, the spot where Il-sik knifed him throbbed insanely.
As if I had been stabbed.
"S-stop... stop...!!"
"S-stop... stop...!!"
In that moment, my mind flashed to—Seorin.
Seorin at the abandoned kindergarten, casually dispatching the director ghost.
If only Seorin were here...
She could've saved Sam-sik.
Pathetic.
Everything. Relying solely on Seorin. This helpless me, unable to save even one person—
—Felt utterly pathetic.
"Seorin...!"
"You called?"
"Huh?"
Slash!
Something was cleaved.
I-sik's scream rang out.
And my body felt incredibly light.
My eyes no longer burned, my stomach settled.
I looked up.
"You okay?"
Unlike his cold, bloodless killer vibe that wouldn't bleed even if stabbed, his voice brimmed with concern for me.
Seorin.
Seorin was right in front of me!
"S-Seorin... waaah! Seoriiiin!"
Pent-up emotions surged, and I threw myself into her arms, sobbing.
What was this feeling? Relief, probably.
Relief that Seorin was here.
"Yeah, it's okay. You're fine."
Seorin patted my back, waiting patiently until my cries subsided.
After a long wail, I wiped my red eyes and pulled away from her.
"You could've hugged longer?"
"D-don't tease!"
Crying in the arms of a same-age friend... My face burned with embarrassment.
Then, I spotted Sam-sik collapsed in my view.
Seorin must've saved him.
"More importantly, you had it too, huh?"
"H-huh? What?"
"Spirit Eye."
My body froze.
"...I had a Spirit Eye?"
"Yeah, seems it was sealed tight. Broke free during the supernatural stuff."
Seorin slowly stood.
"I'll explain later. It's here."
"Huh? What's—"
"What else."
As Seorin's eyes turned to the reservoir.
Shhh.
Mist rose.
No.
Countless souls in the form of mist gathered.
"...Huh?"
"Mirinae, get ready."
Beyond the souls, a shadow loomed faintly.
Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face. Face.
"Boss battle starts now."
Innumerable faces revealed themselves.