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The abandoned hotel stood like a forgotten memory at the edge of the coastline. They told the production staff it was abandon since covid. The management cannot cover losses so they have to close it down. Even from a distance, it looked wrong.
The windows were too dark, too empty, like eyes that had been scratched out. The paint on the walls had long peeled away, revealing dull concrete underneath, streaked by years of salt wind. It is still strong and clean because there are still people paid to come every now and then to clean the surrounding area and ensure there are no intruders.
Several production van was in the parking lot with staff busy packing and assembling things for the shooting.
“Okay,” James said as he leaned forward in his seat, squinting through the window. “So this is the ‘fun concept shoot’ they promised us?”
Martin, sitting in the front passenger seat, let out a small laugh. “It’s just a concept. Abandoned hotel theme. Mystery variety content. Nothing serious.” I heard that some reality show already make 2 shooting here before.
Behind them, Keonho immediately perked up. “Abandoned hotel? That sounds like a horror game map.”
Seonghyeon groaned. “Don’t start.”
Juhoon, quieter than the rest, was already looking at the building with a faint frown. “It feels… off.”
James unbuckled his seatbelt. “Everything feels off to you. You said that about the studio elevator last week.”
“It did stop between floors,” Juhoon muttered quietly.
The door of the van opened, and the afternoon cold air rushed in. The crew outside still busy setting equipment—lights, cameras, portable generators. Despite the number of people around, the hotel seemed to swallow sound. Even laughter felt muted here.
PD nim waved them over.
“Cortis! Get prepare, fix the makeup and we can shoot immediately. Hopefully it will end before midnight. We’ll start with entrance shots, then we move inside for games and quizzes. It’s supposed to be fun and interactive—just act natural. We will used all 3 floors.”
Keonho tilted his head. “All of them?”
The coordinator nodded without hesitation. “Security team confirm the area is safe. We’ve already checked everything.”
Martin clapped his hands once. “Alright. You heard the boss. Let’s do it. Stay focused, everyone.”
James stretched his arms. “Lead us, Captain.”
Martin rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. “Don’t call me that.”
They stepped inside together.
The hotel lobby was worse up close. The conditions inside are a bit dark and gloomy. The ceiling chandelier still hung in place, though several crystals were missing. Dust covered everything in a thick layer like ash. Seems like the staff leave it like that to add more effect. Their footsteps echoed far too loudly, as if the building was emptying the sound back at them instead of absorbing it.
A camera operator adjusted focus as they start shooting half an hour later.
“Okay, walk in naturally. Pretend you’re exploring.” PD nim voice giving them instructions through the ear piece.
Seonghyeon leaned slightly toward Juhoon. “Pretend? I already feel like we shouldn’t be here.”
Juhoon didn’t respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on the reception desk. When he was a little child, his mom always told him he was a sensitive boy and always worry about him.
James noticed his stare. “You, okay?”
“Nothing,” Juhoon said after a pause. “It just feels like someone is watching.”
Keonho immediately joked like he usually does when he wants to lighten the mood, “Maybe there is. A ghost receptionist. ‘Welcome to your checkout… NEVER.”
Martin shot him a look. “Don’t start that kind of talk when we just start filming.”
Keonho grinned. “Relax, hyung. I’m just joking.”
But even as he said it, his voice bounced strangely in the empty lobby—like the building didn’t fully accept it.
…………………………
Filming began.
The concept was simple: explore the hotel, complete small challenges, answer quiz questions about “mystery clues” hidden in rooms, and gradually move up floors.
At first, everything felt normal.
James kept teasing the crew between takes. Keonho and Juhoon (their resident scare cat) stuck together, quietly observing details around them. Martin stayed focused but still laughed when needed. Seonghyeon ran ahead more than once, curiosity getting the better of him.
They reached the first set room—a dining hall.
Long tables covered in white cloth, stained by time. Fake candles were placed for atmosphere.
“First game,” the PD announced. “Find hidden clues in the room within five minutes.”
Keonho immediately sprinted forward follow by Seonghyeon. “Easy!”
“Don’t break anything!” Martin called after him.
James shook his head. “He’s going to die first in any horror scenario.”
“Don’t say things like that easily!” Juhoon said quickly.
Keonho’s voice echoed back. “I heard that!”
For a few minutes, the mood lifted with laughter. The cameras rolled. Someone even played light background music to keep energy up. First game end easily as the maknae line was so very energetic looking for clues.
Then the break was called.
…………………………
Outside, the air felt lighter. They sat on portable chairs near the van, drinking water and talking casually while crew members adjusted lighting for the next segment.
Keonho leaned back, stretching his legs. “This is actually kind of fun. Like a haunted escape room, but in daylight.”
James nodded. “As long as nothing actually jumps out at me, I’m good.”
Seonghyeon glanced back at the building. “It’s too quiet though. Even outside it feels like it’s listening.”
Martin exhaled slowly. “Try not to overthink it. It’s just atmosphere. But the clouds are getting a bit darker. Hopefully it won’t rain.”
Juhoon, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke. “Did any of you see staff inside the dining room earlier?”
James frowned. “Staff? There were only cameras and props.”
Keonho blinked. “What are you talking about? There was a woman sitting in the corner, the darker side. I taught she will come out and surprise us, but she ends up just watching.”
Silence.
Not the normal kind. This one was sharp. Even the crew nearby paused in their movements.
Martin slowly turned his head to the staff. “There was a woman staff in there?”
Keonho shrugged. “Yes, there was. She was literally sitting there when we walked in.”
Seonghyeon laughed once, awkward. “Maybe you saw a staff member from security team?”
One of the crew members finally spoke carefully. “There’s no female staff assigned inside the set today. It’s an all-male team for safety reasons in the location.” Female staff will wait outside.
Keonho frowned. “I’m not making it up.”
James shook his head slightly. “Don’t worry, maybe you just saw an old curtains.”
The air shifted again.
Keonho’s smile faded a little with a pout. “Okay, maybe… but I knew what I saw.”
Martin studied him for a moment. “Maybe you misremembered. It’s a stressful place. Old buildings mess with perception sometimes.”
Juhoon didn’t say anything but his eyes were no longer relaxed. He didn’t see anything but a glimps of shadow. But he will not say anything to scare the already uncomfortable member. Especially Keonho.
James stood up first. “Let’s just go back in. Finish the shoot quickly and go home.”
No one really argued. But the mood had changed. Something small had cracked it.
…………………………
Back inside the hotel, the temperature felt lower. Or maybe it was just their imagination. The group moved to the staircase leading to the second floor. Cameras followed closely behind.
Keonho walked slightly slower now. Not much. Just enough for someone to notice.
Seonghyeon leaned toward him quietly. “Hey… you okay?”
Keonho nodded quickly. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
But Seonghyeon notice his eyes kept drifting. Up the staircase, to the landing above. Like he was searching where there was nothing.
Seonghyeon just lean closer to him. Knowing Keonho often hide it when he felt overwhelmed.
The second-floor ballroom was larger than expected. Wide space. Broken mirrors on one wall. A stage at the front with heavy red curtains still hanging.
“Next game,” the coordinator said. “Quiz relay. Each correct answer reveals a clue to a final prize box location.”
James clapped his hands once. “Alright, brain game. Finally, my area.”
Martin laughs faintly. “Juhoon, let’s go.” James looks at him feeling betray.
Juhoon nodded once, looking calm.
Seonghyeon tried to shake his shoulder. “I got this.”
Keonho didn’t speak immediately. He was just stand there staring at the far corner of the ballroom.
The cameras weren’t pointing there yet. But his eyes were.
“Keonho,” Martin called. “Focus?”
Keonho blinked. “Yeah. Sorry” he looked away and try to focus on filming.
And in the corner of the ballroom, where broken mirrors reflected nothing clearly, the light flickered once.
…………………………
The ballroom was colder than the rest of the hotel. No one said it out loud at first. No one wanted to be the one to admit they were uncomfortable.
The cameras were rolling, the staff were watching, and this was still supposed to be entertainment. A funny mystery variety episode, not a horror story.
“Okay!” the coordinator called, trying to bring back the energy. “Quiz relay starts now! The member with the most correct answers gets a special clue from the staff.”
James immediately pointed at himself. “That’s obviously me.”
Martin laughed. “Your confidence is amazing considering you almost failed our own debut anniversary quiz.”
“That was one time.”
“And the easiest one,” Juhoon corrected.
James turned to him in betrayal. “Why are you exposing me, my own roomate?”
The crew laughed at the member antics.
But despite the lighter atmosphere Keonho wasn’t laughing. In fact he look uncomfortable.
Martin noticed first. As the leader, he always did. Even when the cameras weren’t focused on them, Martin kept an eye on his members.
And right now, Keonho looked like he don’t want to be there. His shoulders were stiff; his hands were tightly gripping the hem of his jacket and his smile looked forced.
“Keonho” He discreetly call.
The younger boy immediately looked at him.
“Yes?” The answer came too quickly. Too sharp.
Martin softened his expression. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
For a second, something flickered across Keonho’s face. Fear. Raw and obvious. But it disappeared almost instantly. “Of course,” he said and smile.
A lie. Now even Seonghyeon, who was standing beside him, looked concerned.
But before anyone could question him further—
“Next question!” The coordinator held up a card. “Which member cried first after the group’s first win?”
“James hyung!” Keonho shouted immediately.
Everyone looked at James.
“What?”the said member looking at Keonho in disbelief.
“You cried before all of us.” Juhoon pointed a finger at him.
“I was emotional and it was a beautiful cry.”
“It was ugly, there’s snot,” Juhoon continue attacking his roommate.
The room filled with laughter again.
Then Keonho smile disappeared. Instantly. Like someone had turned off a switch.
His eyes moved past James, past the cameras, toward the far corner of the ballroom. The same corner he had been looking at before.
His breathing slowed. The laughter around him became distant.
Because she was there. Sitting on the floor exactly like before. Long black hair covering part of her face, pale skin and black bottomless eyes.
Her body was unnaturally still, her hands resting in her lap. Just sitting there watching. Watching him.
Keonho couldn't move. His throat became dry. No, she was not there. She wasn't.
Martin said there was no woman. The staff said there was no woman. So why—
The woman slowly tilted her head like she was mocking. The movement was too smooth, like her neck didn't have bones.
Keonho's fingers started trembling.
“Keonho?” he heard someone call his name but he was to stun to speak. He didn't answer.
The woman slowly raised her hand and pointed. At him.
“Keonho!” He jumped. The ballroom snapped back into focus.
James was holding his shoulder. “Hey.”
Keonho stared at him, pale face, wide scare eyes.
The corner was empty again. Nothing was there.
“Are you okay?” James' voice had lost its joking tone.
Everyone was looking at him now.
The cameras had lowered. The staff looked uncertain.
Keonho quickly nodded. “Yeah.” His voice cracked.
Nobody believed him.
…………………………
The filming paused for ten minutes.
Officially, it was because they needed to adjust lighting. Unofficially, everyone knew it was because Keonho looked like he was about to collapse. They gathered near the entrance of the ballroom.
Martin stood beside him. “You can tell us.”
Keonho looked down. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Keonho, I’m serious. Look at me” Martin demand.
Slowly, he did.
Martin's expression was calm. Not angry nor annoyed. Just worried.
“Did you see her again?” Juhoon suddenly ask.
The question made Keonho freeze.
James and Seonghyeon exchanged a glance.
Because Juhoon had asked it so naturally. Like he already expect the answer.
After a long silence, Keonho whispered. “Yes.”
The room became silent.
“Where?” Martin ask.
“The corner.”
James looked there. Empty. “Is she there right now?”
Keonho slowly shook his head. “No.”
A breath escaped everyone's lungs. For some reason, that answer was both comforting and terrifying. The didn’t ask anymore, just standing closer to their maknae.
They decided to continue shooting, not because they weren't scared, but because there was no logical reason to stop.
No evidence. No proof. Just Keonho seeing something nobody else could.
The next game required them to split into pairs and search for hidden clues in different areas of the second floor. No staff following, just them filming themselves.
Martin immediately objected. “No.” Not because he was scare, but because he know Keonho won’t lie about something like this. Separating them with only few staff around make him feel uneasy.
The coordinator blinked. “What?”
“We’re not separating.”
“It’s only for fifteen minutes—”
“No.” Martin rarely spoke with such a firm tone, but when he do, people usually obey.
The entire crew went quiet. Pd nim was saying something to the staff earpiece.
The young leader glanced at his anxious members. Especially Keonho. “We stay together.”
No one argued. James even nod slightly supporting the leader decision.
The search began on 2nd floor. Five members, five camera operators, two staff coordinators.
PD nim and other staff will supervise from lobby through earpiece.
All moving together. Nothing happened.
For almost twenty minutes they search around trying to find the clues. They joked around and tease each other.
James deliberately scared Seonghyeon with a fake scream and got hit in the arm.
“Stop doing that!”
“It was funny.”
“You almost gave me a heart attack!”
“You're too young to have one.”
“I will make an exception for you.”
Even Keonho laughed. A real one. And it makes everyone relaxed.
But suddenly Juhoon stopped walking. His expression changed.
“Juhoon?” Martin the one who walks at the back of the team noticed immediately.
“What is it?”
Juhoon looked at the end of the hallway. Nothing was there, yet his face was pale.
“What did you see?” Martin asked again.
Juhoon swallowed. “Nothing.” The younger boy looked at him. His normally calm eyes were uncertain.
“I just…” he hesitated. “I think I saw a silhouette move.”
The hallway became silent again. Juhoon looked toward Keonho. “I don't know” he continues. He was telling the truth. Because unlike Keonho, he only saw a glimpse. A shape of long hair disappearing behind a doorway. Gone before his brain could process it.
But the way Keonho's face lost all color, it said enough. Because Keonho knew exactly who Juhoon had almost seen.
For the first time since entering the hotel, Keonho refused to walk at the back of the group.
The hallway felt smaller after that. Nothing had changed.
The cracked wallpaper was still peeling from the walls. The dusty carpet still covered the floor. The broken lights still hung from the ceiling. Yet somehow, everything felt different.
What did Juhoon see?
Was Keonho really the only one seeing her?
…………………………
“Okay.” Martin’s voice broke the silence.
The voice he used whenever the members were panicking and he needed to be the one keeping everything together. “We finish this floor and leave.”
The staff exchanged glances. The Pd nim carefully talk through the earpiece.
“But we still have the final game scene and the rooftop”
“Can we please arrange it somewhere else, maybe on the front yard.”
The producer blinked. “Martin—”
“Please arrange it somewhere safer.” For an 18-year-old, Martin rarely object any order. But the firmness in his tone made everyone quiet.
James stepped beside him. For once, the oldest member wasn’t joking. “I agree.”
That surprised some of the staff more than Martin’s reaction.
James was usually the one who kept the mood light. The one who teased everyone. The one who would make ghost jokes in the middle of a horror set. But now he was staring down the hallway with his jaw tight.
“Our member isn’t okay.”
Keonho looked up. “I’m fine.”
Four heads turned toward him. Even Juhoon.
The youngest member immediately regretted speaking. Because the expression on his members’ faces told him exactly how convincing he sounded.
“Keonho.” Martin softened his voice. “Come here.”
“What?”
“Come here.”
“I’m already here.”
“You know what I mean.”
A small smile appeared on Keonho face despite the tension.
Only Martin could make an argument sound like a conversation with a stubborn child.
Keonho sighed and stepped closer.
Immediately, Martin put an arm around his shoulders. “There.”
“Hyung.”
“What?”
“You’re embarrassing me.”
“You were shaking.”
The smile vanished. Keonho went still. He hadn’t realized that his hands were trembling again. Slowly, he shoved them into his jacket pockets.
“I’m cold.” It was a bad excuse; everyone knew it but nobody called him out.
They moved together. Nobody separated.
The camera operators also stayed closer with the staff. Even they starting to feel the eerie.
They reached the old conference room. It was the last location they needed before leaving the floor.
The coordinator clapped his hands nervously. “Okay, quick game.”
Nobody looked excited.
“Very quick. Each member has to answer a question. Wrong answer means you have to enter the room alone for thirty seconds.”
“No.”again Martin rejects strongly
The staff froze. He just follows their earlier arrangement. Before all of this.
Martin looked toward the room. “Change the penalty.”
The staff looked like he wanted to argue but one looked at Keonho, the argument died.
“Okay.”
The game began. It was awkward. Everyone was clearly trying their best to make it natural. They trying to laugh and make jokes. Trying to pretend that the fear wasn't sitting between them.
The staff read the quiz card. “Who was the most forgetful member of Cortis?”
James answered a question wrong on purpose. “Martin.”
Martin blinked. “Excuse me?”
James nodded seriously. “Martin. Very old soul.”
“You are literally older than me.”
“Age is a mindset.”
The crew and member laughed.
Until— “Keonho~ ~”
Keonho smile froze. Did he imagine it? He looks around.
The members were still laughing.
The staff was still talking.
The cameras were still moving.
But he heard it.
Clear.
Soft.
Like someone whispering softly close to him.
“Keonho~ ~”
His breath stopped. No…he wasn’t imagining things.
So very slowly he turned his head to the open doorway behind him, the dark hallway. She was standing there. Again, with the head tilted. Watching him. Waiting.
Seonghyeon who was closer to him noticed immediately. “Keonho?”
Keonho stumbled backwards to a chair that crashed against the floor.
“KEONHO!” Seonghyeon reached him first. Holding his arm tightly like he afraid Keonho was going to stumble again.
“What happened?” Martin appears by his side. Juhoon was looking at the place Keonho was staring.
Keonho couldn’t answer. His eyes remained locked on the doorway.
The woman raised her hand. Slowly. A single finger lifted. One.
“No.” The word escaped before he could stop it. He quickly hide behind Martin, grabbing his shirt tightly and hide his face on Martin back.
Everyone panic. James looked toward the doorway and still see nothing. Keonho never act like this.
“Keonho.” Martin turn around and held both Keonho shoulders.
“Look at me.”
He couldn't. His eyes remain close tightly. “She’s there, hyung… she was calling my name…” The words were barely a whisper.
The room became cold.
“Where?” The question came from a camera crew.
Keonho’s eyes filled with tears. “End of the hallway.”
The light on the hallway flickers several times the moment Keonho said that. No one breathed.
Because this was no longer a joke or a misunderstanding.
Keonho wasn't trying to scare anyone. He was terrified. There’s something there with them. And for a reason Martin didn’t understand, only Keonho and Juhoon can feel or see it.
“Everybody out.” PD nim voice was quiet from their earpiece. But nobody questioned him. The crew immediately agreed. “Pack up. We’re leaving.” Cameras were turned off. Equipment was gathered.
The members surrounded Keonho. James stayed on his right. Seonghyeon on his left. Juhoon walked Infront of him. Martin at the back with the crew. Like a shield.
They started walking toward the stairs to go down. It’s getting darker outside. Close to 7.
Keonho stopped completely. The younger boy was staring at the empty end of the hallway on the exit sign.
“Keonho?” Juhoon turned.
Keonho face blank, his eyes didn’t move. He slowly raised his head toward the ceiling, the rooftop they had cancelled.
Then Keonho whispered, “She’s upstairs.”
The lights in the hallway flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then everything went dark. Darkness. Complete darkness because of the heavy curtain blocking what left from the daylight outside.
For a few seconds, nobody moved. Nobody spoke.
The silence that filled the abandoned hotel was far worse than any scream. Because when the lights disappeared the building felt alive.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed somewhere above them.
BANG.
Seonghyeon flinched hard, holding the arm of person closer to him which is Juhoon. “W-What was that?”
Nobody answered.
The sound came from the floor above. The rooftop. The same place Keonho said she was waiting.
“Flashlights.” the crew voice was shaky. “Everyone turn on your flashlights.”
One by one, small beams of light appeared.
Phone lights, camera lights and emergency light from the crew equipment.
The hallway slowly returned. The cracked walls, the old doors and the dusty floor. Everything was exactly where it should be. Except nobody felt relieved.
Because Keonho was still staring upward.
“Keonho.” Martin stepped closer.
The leader's hand gently touched his cheek. Trying to make the maknae look at him.
“Look at me. Keonho.”Again, nothing.
His eyes were unfocused, as if he was listening to something far away.
James immediately moved to his other side.
“Hey this is not funny Keonho.”
Usually, James voice work with their maknae. Especially when the oldest using his stern serious voice. James always knew exactly how to get his attention.
This time—nothing. They cannot move forward if Keonho stood frozen like that. A cold feeling settled in everyone's chest.
“Keonho, sorry” Seonghyeon whispered before he slaps him hard.
The youngest finally flinch.
Like been wake up from sleep, he slowly look around.
James swallowed. “Keonho.” The older member forced his voice to remain steady.
“What did you hear?”
Everyone looked at him.
Keonho's fingers curled into fists. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
He nodded. “She doesn't talk. She just cries.”
The crew looked at each other. Some of them looked genuinely afraid now, disturb. Even the cameramen who had spent years filming horror concepts.
This was different. Because this wasn't acting. There was no camera in his face. No reason to perform. He looked like a terrified seventeen-year-old trying to understand something nobody else could see.
“Hurry up, we're leaving.” Martin quickly hold Keonho hand and lead him towards the staircase.
They moved quickly. The stairs were at the end of the hallway. The same hallway where Keonho had seen her standing but nobody mentioned that.
James kept his hand on Keonho's shoulder. Seonghyeon and Juhoon walk closer on his back. Almost like they were afraid that if they giving him space, he would disappear.
“Don't do that. Don't hold me.” Keonho told them still being drag by Martin.
James looked at him. “Why?”
Keonho didn't answer. His eyes slowly moved to the side.
“She don’t like that.” Keonho whispered.
Martin snap at him. “Keonho.” His voice was firmer. “Do not look, do not listen to whatever it was.”
The younger boy looked confused. “Why?”
That single word made Martin's heart sink. Because he sounded like he genuinely didn't understand. “Because there’s nothing there.”
Keonho stared at him. Then, very softly “Yes, she is.”
Nobody knew what to say. Keonho is being weird. They reached the stairs. The moment they did, every flashlight flickered.
Then stabilized. Everyone stopped breathing. They quickly started descending from the secong floor.
Almost there. The lobby was right below them. The exit.
Then, Keonho stopped again.
“We can't go out.”
“Why?” ask Martin.
He took a shaky breath.
The woman had spoken. A voice only he could hear. Soft and broken. Inhuman.
“Don't leave me alone again.”
Keonho's knees gave out. “Keonho!”
James caught him before he can tumbling down the stairs. The staff rushed forward.
“Move back!”
“Give him space!”
“Is he unconscious?”
“No, he's awake—”
Keonho grabbed James's jacket with trembling fingers. His eyes were full of panic. “Hyung.”
James immediately leaned down. “I'm here.” His voice was steady despite the fear inside him. “I'm here, Keonho.”
The younger boy looked at him like he was holding onto the only thing keeping him grounded.
“She… she’s been calling me crying non stop, crying…saying don’t go...”
The entire staircase fell silent.
Behind them, from the dark second-floor hallway they had just left a faint sound echoed.
A quiet, broken, woman's sob.
And this time, everyone heard it too.
The sound of the crying stopped suddenly. Just like that. As if it had never existed.
Nobody moved and nobody dared to look back toward the second floor.
The few staff members still with them held their flashlights tighter. Some looked like they wanted to run, while others were frozen in place.
Juhoon was the first to break the silence. “We need to leave now.” His voice was quieter than usual but firm.
He looked down at Keonho, who was still clutching James's jacket, his breathing uneven.
“Can you stand?”
A small nod. “I can.”
James helped him up carefully hand never left Keonho arm. “Stay between us.”
“I’m not a child, hyung.”
“Right now, I don’t care.”
Normally, Keonho would complain. But this time, he said nothing.
They continued down the stairs. Step by step to the lobby. The doors were wide open with staff downstairs already outside, waiting except the PD nim and 2 security staff at the end of the staircase waiting.
Outside light poured inside the lobby from the van and flashlight. For the first time in what felt like hours, everyone felt something close to relief.
“Go!” The producer didn't even try to maintain professionalism anymore.
“Just get outside!”
The nearest staff members ran first.
They crossed the entrance. Nothing happened. They made it outside safely. The cold night air rushed into the lobby.
Freedom. They were almost there.
Martin looked back. “Seonghyeon, Juhoon, go first.”
It wasn't a suggestion.
Seonghyeon hated leaving them behind.
His eyes moved to Keonho, who looked like he was barely keeping himself together. Like his legs were made of jelly. Clutching at James tightly.
“I’m not leaving him, we walk together.” Juhoon broke his silence.
“Seonghyeon, you need to listen.” this time it was James.
The younger member's expression crumbled.
“I—”
“You go outside. We are right behind you.” James give Martin cue to walk faster.
After a moment, he nodded. “Okay.”
Seonghyeon and Martin walk faster towards the exit. He crossed the doorway. Nothing happened. Outside, their manager grabbed Seonghyeon and pulled him farther from the entrance.
The moment Martin reached the outside he spun around. “Come on!”
Inside, James moving with Keonho clinging to him slowing them down. Juhoon stayed close on the other side refuse to walk faster.
Only a few staff members remained inside with them walking slowly behind the idol. PD nim, the coordinator and 2 security team.
A few more steps.
Keonho~ ~
Keonho froze. Everyone inside did because he wasn't the only one who reacted.
No one outside heard the voice. But they saw the way his entire body went rigid and stop.
James immediately continue walking. “Keonho don’t look.”
The younger boy's lips trembled. “Hyung.”
“DON'T LOOK.” James had never raised his voice at him like that.
Keonho flinched. And for one second his eyes left the darkness.
“Just a bit more.” James pulled him forward.
Outside, Martin was reaching his hand through the doorway. “Hurry!”
Keonho reached out. Their fingertips almost touched.
Almost.
Then— BANG!
The doors slammed shut in front of Martin making him and another staff at the door stumble backward in shock. The sound echoed through the entire hotel loudly. ANGRILY.
“KEONHO!” Seonghyeon screamed. “JAMES HYUNG! JUHOON HYUNG”
Martin immediately grabbed the handle.
It wouldn't move.
“OPEN!”
He pulled harder. The staff outside rushed forward.
“Move!” Several people tried together. The doors didn't even shake.
…………………………
Inside.
Everyone stood frozen. They heard people outside trying to pull the door open but fail. The sound mute…
Keonho hand was still stretched toward where Martin had been. He was pale and shaking badly.
Juhoon immediately pull him and James away from the door afraid if something happen. “Are you okay?”
Keonho didn't answer. He just turning back looking at the receptionist desk.
The remaining staff followed his gaze.
Empty.
Dark.
Nothing there. But they seem to knew what he was seeing.
…………………………
Outside, Seonghyeon was breaking down. “Open the door!” His fists hit the old wood.
“KEONHO!”
Martin grabbed him before he hurt himself. “Stop!”
“LET ME GO!”
“We need to think!”
“They were trap inside!”
“I KNOW!” That was the first time Martin shouted.
Everyone went quiet.
Martin eyes were red. His hands were shaking but his voice was steady.
“I know.”Martin was the leader. He had always been the one who kept everyone together. The one who promised they would all leave a place together. And now, three of his members were trapped inside.
“The line was dead. We can’t contact anyone from outside;” a staff inform them.
Whatever it is, it definitely won’t let them go easily.
…………………………
Inside the hotel, Keonho whispered. “She's happy.”
The remaining staff froze.
James slowly turned to him. “What did you say?”
Keonho's eyes were fixed on the darkness. Tears formed.
“She was laughing…” his voice cracked.
For the first time that night, James felt truly helpless.
“Keonho shi, what does that mean?” Pd nim ask him. The older man never left their side.
No response.
“Keonho” James shake his body.
The younger boy blinked slowly.
As if he had forgotten James was standing next to him.
“Huh?”
“What did she say?”
Immediately, his expression changed. His eyes moved downward.
“She said…”
His breathing became uneven. “She said she’s been lonely for a long time.”
The emergency lights above them flickered. The lobby was covered in a dim red glow from exit light.
Juhoon stepped in. “Don’t look over there.” His voice was quieter than James’s. But somehow more serious.
Keonho looked at him.
For a brief second, Juhoon remembered the hallway. The glimpse. Long hair disappearing around the corner. He had convinced himself it was a trick of the light.
But now? Now he wasn't sure. Still, he refused to show fear, because Keonho was already carrying enough of it.
“Look at us,” Juhoon said. “Not her.” That worked a little.
Keonho turned away. “I don’t want to see her anymore.” The sentence was so small. So, unlike him. The usual Keonho was loud, smiley and energetic.
This Keonho looked exhausted. Like he had been running for hours.
James swallowed the tight feeling in his throat. Then he did what he rarely did. He reached out and ruffled Keonho’s hair.
Keonho looked up.
James smiled a fake smile but a warm one. “Don’t worry too much. You have two annoying hyungs here.”
A tiny laugh escaped Keonho.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
All of them froze.
A sound loud enough.
Like a nail hitting glass and it’s getting closer to them.
Outside.
Martin immediately lifted his head. “Did you hear that?”
The staff around him nodded. Everyone had heard it. A knocking sound coming from the other side of the door.
“JAMES!”
Martin slammed his hand against the door. “JAMES! CAN YOU HEAR ME?”
Inside.
James heard him loud and clear. “Martin!” He ran to the door.
Juhoon grabbed Keonho’s wrist and followed.
The remaining staff rushed behind them. Together they try to pull the door open.
James reached the door and hit it. “We’re here, we’re okay!”
A second later, Martin’s voice came back.
“Move away from the door!” Martin shouted. “We’re trying to break it.”
“Do it faster!” James yelled.
“Not helping!” Martin shouted back.
Juhoon almost smiled. Only James and Martin could argue while trapped on opposite sides of a supposedly haunted hotel.
Keonho grip on Juhoon’s hand tightened. Hard.
“Keonho?” Juhoon looked back.
The younger boy was staring toward the grand staircase. The one leading to the second floor. The one they had just escaped. The one they should never have to see again. His face went completely white.
“Keonho.” James noticed immediately.
Keonho whispered: “She’s closer hyung, she’s coming.”
A cold air moved through the lobby. Not a breeze. There were no open windows. All had been barricaded to avoid theft.
Nothing that could explain it, yet every person inside felt it. The temperature dropped. The remaining staff looked around nervously including Pd nim although the man try to remain calm.
Outside, Martin kept banging against the door. Suddenly it was silent inside. Too silent.
“JAMES!” “JUHOON!” “KEONHO!” His voice cracked. “Answer me!”
Inside.
James slowly turned.
A staff member whispered with a trembling voice:
“Who…”
His throat closed.
“Who is that?”
Keonho’s eyes filled with horror. Because she had never appeared to anyone else before...She had always sat in the corner. Always watched him. Only him.
But now, she stepped out from the darkness like a blurry shadow with black gritty hair covering her face. Moving silently or more like floating. They all saw it…the transparent figure. Blurry but enough. The eyes was only a black hole. To say the view was scary is understatement. It was worst.
The woman raised her hand and pointed. Not at Keonho but at James in front of him, shielding him.
“No.” Keonho whispered. To the others, the figures are blurry, but to Keonho it was as sharp as daylight.
James heard him. “Keonho, stay back.” His voice was calm. The same voice he used whenever the younger members were scared. “Stay behind me.”
But Keonho wasn’t listening.
Because suddenly he remembered something. A memory from only a few hours ago.
The laughter, the excitement.
His own voice joking without a single thought.
Maybe there is. A ghost receptionist.
Everyone laughing.
Then another joke.
The one that had seemed harmless.
The one that he wished he could take back.
“Welcome to your checkout… never.”
James whispered “…What?”
The woman’s head tilted further at impossible angle before it came flying closer.
Keonho finally screamed.
“JAMES HYUNG, DON’T LET HER TOUCH YOU!”
Outside.
“JAMES HYUNG, DON’T LET HER TOUCH YOU!”
Keonho’s scream echoed through the entire lobby.
Outside the doors, Martin’s heart stopped.
“KEONHO!”
Seonghyeon immediately grabbed the door handle again. “No. No, no, no, no—”
His hands trembled as he pulled desperately. “Open!”
The staff outside tried to calm him, but he pushed their hands away.
“James and Juhoon hyung is in there!”
“Seonghyeon—”
“Keonho is scared!” His voice broke.
Martin close his eyes for a second regretting his decision earlier. How he pull Seonghyeon outside. How he left his three members behind.
Inside.
Keonho’s face lost all color. His breathing became uneven. He shouldn’t have said that., shouldn’t have joked. All this started because he can’t keep his mouth shut. A tear rolled down his face.
“Keonho?” Juhoon looked at him.
But the younger member stepped forward.
“Keonho, wait—”
He didn’t.
James’ eyes widened. “KEONHO!”
In a second Keonho ran past him straight toward the woman before anyone could stop him.
He stood tall between her and James ignoring his hyung pulling his arm.
The entire room went silent. In the dim room, they can’t see clearly.
The silhouette stopped moving. Her hand remained stretched out only inches away.
Keonho was shaking so badly that his knees almost gave out but he didn’t hide. He bowed his head. And cried. “I’m sorry.”
The words came out broken. “I’m sorry.”
James felt his chest tighten. “Keonho…”
The younger boy continued. “I shouldn’t have joked. I shouldn’t have said those things carelessly.” His voice cracked. “I was scared, so I made jokes.”
The room felt colder.
But Keonho kept speaking.
“Please…”
His hands clenched.
“Don’t hurt my friends.”
His voice became desperate. “Take it out on me if you’re angry.”
“NO!” James immediately grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t say that!”
Keonho flinched but ignore his hyung. “Take me and leave them alone.”
James turned him around roughly.
His eyes were red. He looked angrier than anyone had ever seen him. “You are not staying behind for anyone.”
“But—”
“No.”
His voice shook.
“We came here together.”
His grip tightened, he was scare...“And we leave together.”
That’s all did it. Around them, the temperature changed. The heavy feeling in the room slowly lifted. The silence became normal and the pressure disappeared.
Juhoon noticed first. His eyes moved toward the reception desk. The shadow was fading like smoke disappearing into darkness.
“James hyung…” Juhoon whispered.
James looked at him. “What?”
“It’s gone.”
Everyone turned to where Juhoon was looking. The staff saw nothing. Not even a shadow, only an empty space.
But Keonho remained frozen. His eyes fixed at the top of the stairs. He could still see her. Barely. Far away, watching. No longer reaching or angry. Just watching.
The emergency lights stopped flickering. The air became warmer.
For the first time since entering the hotel, it felt like an abandoned building again.
Just a building. Nothing more, nothing less.
Outside
BANG!
The entrance doors suddenly opened.
“KEONHO!”
“JAMES!”
“JUHOON!”
Martin and Seonghyeon ran inside immediately. They didn’t care about the staff telling them to be careful.
Seonghyeon reached Keonho first. He hug him so tightly that Keonho almost stumbled.
“You idiot!” His voice broke. “Why are you always trying to scare me?”
Keonho laughed weakly through his tears. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize like that!” Seonghyeon hit his arm.
A very weak hit.
More of a desperate touch to make sure he was real.
Martin arrived seconds later looking at his 3-member upside down. Checking for any injuries. The leader’s expression finally broke while he grabs James and Juhoon in a hug. “Don’t ever do that again.” His voice was almost a whisper.
Keonho lowered his head. “Sorry, hyung.”
Martin pulled him into a hug after Seonghyeon let Keonho go. “You apologize too much today.”
…………………………
The night air hit them the moment they stepped outside.
Cold.
Fresh.
Real.
The kind of air that should have brought relief. They were finally out.
The lights from the production vans were shining.
People were talking. Staff were checking equipment and cleaning around.
PD nim were calling the company, explaining that the shoot was cancelled.
Everything should have been over.
But Keonho couldn't move.
The moment his feet crossed the threshold of the hotel, his body finally stopped holding itself together. His vision blurred.
The lights from the vans became too bright. The sounds around him became distant. His legs felt like they weren't his. Like they were made of water.
"Keonho?" Martin noticed immediately.
The leader was always the first one to notice. "What's wrong?"
"I..." Keonho tried to answer.
His voice sounded far away.
"My legs..." Before he could finish, his knees gave out.
"KEONHO!"
Four voices shouted at the same time.
James caught his upper body before he hit the ground.
Juhoon and Seonghyeon reached his other side.
Martin was already kneeling in front of him. "Keonho."
The kind of calm that meant he was trying very hard not to panic.
"Look at me."
Keonho looked up.
Immediately, Martin's expression tightened.
Their maknae looked exhausted. His face was pale. Eyes red from crying. And he looked like he hadn't slept for days.
"Are you hurt?"
Keonho slowly shook his head. "Head."
"Did she touch you?" James quickly ask making Martin and Seonghyeon look in shock. Because they were not inside to witness what just happen.
Silence fell. Even the nearby staff went quiet.
Keonho's eyes trembled.
For a moment, everyone regretted asking.
But he answered. "No, I don’t think...."
A breath escaped from all of them.
"No." He repeated more firmly.
"She didn't, almost, yes."
"Then what's wrong?" James asked quietly.
Keonho swallowed. His head hurt. It felt like something was pressing behind his eyes. A heavy, pounding pain that wouldn't leave.
"My head..."
James' expression changed. "Head?"
"It hurts."
"How much?"
"A lot."
The oldest member immediately looked toward the staff.
"Please get the medical kit."
Someone ran without hesitation.
"I'm okay, just need some time..."
"No, you're not." Four voices answered immediately.
Keonho blinked. Even in his exhausted state, he almost smiled. "Wow." He whispered. "Same timing."
"Not funny." Seonghyeon scold immediately. His eyes were still watery. "Don't joke when you were hurt."
The words were sharp. But his voice broke at the end and everyone knew why. Only a minutes ago, Seonghyeon had been outside. Unable to open the door. Unable to reach them. Listening to Keonho scream from the other side. And there was nothing he could do. The memory was still fresh.
"Seonghyeon."
His twin looked away.
"It’s fine." A lie. A terrible one. Keonho reached out weakly. His hand grabbed Seonghyeon's sleeve. "I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing." The answer came with a glare. Seonghyeon looked back at him.
"I'm serious."
"Seong—"
"Stop." His voice cracked.
"I was outside." The words hurt. "I was outside and I heard you scream." His breathing shook. "I thought..." He couldn't finish.
They all became silent.
A staff member returned with the medical kit. "Should we call an ambulance?" The question made everyone freeze.
Keonho quickly shook his head. "No." Too quickly. His head immediately throbbed harder. He grabbed his temple.
"Keonho." Martin's voice became firmer. "Don't move."
"I'm okay, just a bit headache. It will pass."
"Ahn Keonho." The use of his full name made him go silent.
"We're checking you, if it’s became too much tell me. We go to clinic immediately. That or hospital. You choose." No arguments.
While the staff checked his condition, James sat beside him. Not leaving. Not even for a second. Keonho noticed. "You can go rest, hyung." Because there’s no need for them to be too worried, they were safe outside.
James stared at him. Slowly. Seriously. The kind of look that made Keonho immediately regret saying anything. "Are you stupid?"
"Hyung."
"I'm asking."
"Maybe a little" Keonho smile playfully.
"Keonho."
"I said maybe."
A tiny laugh escaped Juhoon. "He's being annoying again."
A small smile appeared on Martin's face. "Good." He was still kneeling beside Keonho. His hand still resting on the younger's shoulder. "That means he's coming back to us."
The words made the joking stop. For hours, Keonho hadn't been himself. He had been weird, scared, shaking, quiet, apologizing and crying. The usual bright, annoying maknae had disappeared.
And hearing him complain again...Even a little...making everyone feel a bit lighter.
But then, a staff member who had remained inside the lobby with them spoke. Quietly. Almost like he was afraid of the answer. "Keonho shi..."
Everyone turned.
The man looked uncomfortable. "Can I ask something?"
Keonho looked up slowly. "Yes?"
The staff swallowed. "When you were inside... When you stood in front of James..."
Keonho's fingers tightened, he already knew what was coming. The question that had been waiting.
The staff whispered—"Who did you apologize to?"
The staff member immediately regretted asking. "Sorry." He looked away. "I just..." His voice trailed off.
Nobody blamed him. They had all seen Keonho standing there. Crying. Talking to someone. Begging. But there had been nothing there, nothing most of them could see.
Keonho lowered his head. His headache was getting worse. The throbbing pain behind his eyes hadn't faded at all. If anything, it had become stronger. Like his body had finally decided it was safe enough to collapse.
Martin noticed immediately. "Enough."
The leader stood up. "We're done."
The staff nodded. Nobody argued. Nobody wanted to stay near the hotel any longer than necessary.
A few minutes later, everyone was loading equipment into the vans. The hotel remained in the background.
…………………………
"Can you walk?" James asked.
Keonho tried. The result was embarrassing. The moment he stood, his legs nearly folded again.
"Okay." James immediately grabbed him. "No walking."
"I can walk."
"You absolutely cannot."
"I can."
"Yes you can, like a baby deer."
Seonghyeon actually laughed a short laugh.
Keonho sighed. Then immediately regretted it because even breathing made his head hurt.
James crouched slightly. "Get on."
"What?"
"Get on."
"No."
"Keonho."
"No."
"Get on."
"I am seventeen."
"And currently functioning like a wet noodle."
"Hyung."
"Get on."
One minutes later, Keonho was on James's back. Complaining the entire way. "This is humiliating."
"You're welcome."
"People are watching."
"Good."
"James hyung."
"Yes?"
"I don't like you."
"That's okay. I like me enough for both of us."
For the first time after all that happen, Martin also laughed. A genuine laugh.
…………………………
The ride back was quiet. Much quieter than usual. Normally, after filming, the van would be full of noise.
James would be talking.
Seonghyeon would be singing.
Keonho would be interrupting everyone.
Martin would be composing.
Juhoon would pretend not to listen while listening to everything.
Tonight, nobody had the energy.
Keonho sat between James and Seonghyeon.
Not by choice. By force. They didn’t care the cramp space.
Martin hadn't even stopped them. Just took one look and take his seat beside Juhoon.
The city lights passed outside the window. The farther they got from the hotel, the better everyone felt.
The tension slowly eased.
The fear became distant.
Like a nightmare fading after waking up.
Until Keonho suddenly sat up from his drowsiness. A sharp breath escaping him.
Everyone looked over immediately.
"Keonho?" Martin's voice was instant. "What happened?"
Keonho stared toward the back of the van. His heart racing.
For one horrible second, he thought he saw long black hair through the mirror.
A figure sitting at the car boot.
But when he blinked, nothing. Just bags, equipment and empty seats.
"Keonho." James gently nudged his shoulder. "What did you see?"
A long silence. "Nothing."
Four members stared at him. Now they knew exactly how bad that answer was.
"That's what you kept saying in the hotel." Juhoon said quietly.
Keonho looked down. "...Sorry."
"Stop apologizing." Seonghyeon answered angrily. The words came out so fast that everyone looked at him. His ears turned red. "I mean..."
He awkwardly looked away. "You've apologized enough for one lifetime."
A weak smile appeared on Keonho's face.
…………………………
They reached the dorm near midnight. Usually, everyone would head to their own rooms. Showering, eat something or just relaxing. Tonight, nobody moved from the living room.
Martin stood in the living room looking at the others.
The others looked back. A silent conversation happened with their eyes. One they all understood
"Let’s just sleep here tonight. All of us." Martin finally said.
Keonho blinked. "Where?"
"The living room."
The youngest member groaned. "Hyung. Nothing happened." Keonho trying to resist but immediately realized his mistake after all the glare they sending his way.
…………………………
Twenty minutes later, all five members were gathered in the living room. Blankets and pillows everywhere. The television was on.
The room felt safer that way, brighter and more alive.
Around 2 a.m., Seonghyeon was the first finally asleep. Curled up on one side. A blanket half covering him.
James took a picture immediately.
Juhoon lasted another thirty minutes.
Then slowly drifted off as well. Head resting against a pillow. Arms folded. Peaceful.
Eventually, even Martin started dozing after trying to stay awake.
Only two people remained awake.
James and Keonho.
The living room was quiet. The kind of quiet that only existed after midnight. The kind where every small sound seemed louder.
James looked over.
Keonho wasn't watching the television. He wasn’t doing anything but staring at the corner of the room.
The oldest member's stomach dropped. Because it wasn't the first time.
In the van.
Keonho looked at a corner.
At the company parking lot.
He looked at a corner.
When they entered the dorm.
Another corner.
Now, again. James followed his gaze. Nothing. Just a lamp, wall and a shadow.
"Keonho."
The younger boy flinched. "What?"
James tried to sound casual. "What are you looking at?"
Then Keonho quietly and honestly answered. "...Just making sure she's not there. I just keep imagining things..."
The living room remained silent. The television was still playing without sound. The small light from the screen painted the room in shades of blue and gray.
James remained awake, not because he wasn't tired but every time he looked at Keonho, he couldn't make himself sleep.
The youngest was still not moving. Waiting.
"Keonho." He call in a soft voice.
The younger looked over. "Yeah?"
"Come here."
Keonho frowned. "I'm already here."
James almost smiled. Some parts of him were still the same. "Closer."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
For a second, Keonho looked like he wanted to argue. Then his expression dropped. Because he knew, James knew.
They were both pretending to be normal. Because normal was easier than admitting the truth.
That Keonho was scared to close his eyes. Scared that when he opened them, she would be there. In the corner.
Slowly, he moved closer.
James didn't say anything. He simply pulled the blanket over both of them. A silent promise.
You're not alone.
That was how the first night passed.
…………………………
Two days later.
The company officially announced that the abandoned hotel content had been cancelled.
The statement was simple.
Unexpected safety concerns.
Filming difficulties.
Production issues.
Nothing more.
…………………………
But rumours spread. They always did.
Crew members talked, not out of malice but because they couldn't keep something like that inside forever.
They talked about the youngest idol who kept seeing someone no one else could, the hallway where the lights died, the entrance doors that shut by themselves, the cold that had no explanation and the crying from upstairs.
But the highlight was the moment a terrified seventeen-year-old stood in front of empty air and begged something to leave his friends alone.
Some crew members refused to ever return to that hotel. Some refused to film abandoned locations again. One intern even caught a fever the next day after filming.
Even years later probably, they would still lower their voices when someone brought it up.
"Remember the Cortis hotel shoot?"
And everyone who was there would become quiet. Because they remembered every detail.
One week later.
Nothing was normal. Keonho tried. But trauma didn't disappear because someone wanted it to. He couldn't sleep alone in the room when Martin and Seonghyeon is not there.
Every night, someone will stay with him. Sometimes it was James. The oldest would bring his blanket and complain dramatically.
"You're lucky I'm such a nice hyung."
"You're lucky I tolerate you."
"You love me."
"Unfortunately."
Other nights, it was Martin and Seonghyeon, his roommate.
The leader would sit on his bed while working until he makes sure Keonho is asleep. Pretending he wasn't watching him.
Until Keonho whispered, "Are you staying awake?"
Martin would answer, "Until you sleep."
"Hyung, you have work tomorrow."
"So do you."
"Then sleep. You're stubborn."
A small smile. "Learned from you."
Sometimes, Juhoon stayed when others are not available. Those nights were the quietest.
No unnecessary words.
No forcing him to talk.
Just sitting beside him.
Sometimes playing a game.
Sometimes listening to music.
Sometimes simply existing.
Because Juhoon understood something important. You didn't always need to fix someone's fear. Sometimes you just needed to stay.
And Seonghyeon? He’s the worst. He became his shadow. Following him around the company. In the house, he’ll keep Keonho in his field of vision.
One day, for the first time in days, Keonho laughed. A genuine laugh at all this ridiculousness. Because he understood what everyone had felt.
"I'm okay, really." He looks at his brothers. An honest answer.
The room became quiet as his hyung look at him. Several days has pass since that day.
Keonho looked down.
"Not 100%, but I will be, because I knew hyungs won’t leave me" he smiles the genuine smile they all miss.
That time they knew it will be okay. The hardest time has pass.
THE END