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I sighed.
Baek Saheon looked at me, his expression somewhat annoyed.
Right. It makes sense for him to feel that way. After all, after months of last seeing me, he was assigned to a darkness with me.
Not to say that I was exactly thrilled about it. The darkness we will enter is an E-rank and has a clear manual, but it is the type that makes me want to turn around and leave immediately.
※※※
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story
[Lovers Quarrel]
: A ghost story featured in the <Dark Exploration Records>, Daydream Inc. identification Code Qtew-E-326.
A ghost story that supports ‘lovers’. Age, Gender, Appearance or actual relationship status of the ‘lovers’ are of no importance.
There is a big garden with a small walkway leading through it, which you will take a walk on while holding your ‘lovers’ hands. It is not recommended to let go of your ‘lovers’ hands.
Anomalies will occur, which you must ignore under every circumstance. Do not let anyone else but your ‘lover’ hold your hand.
For detailed records regarding the anomalies experienced by explorers, refer here
※※※
Exactly that.
We will have to act as lovers, while being haunted by ghosts.
This is the kind of darkness that are in the Dark Exploration Records, because some people really love shipping people. And what is better for that, than a darkness that literally forces you to be ‘lovers’
Sigh.
Will Baek Saheon even manage to do that? He already looked as if he was ready to kill me.
Huu.
He was already wearing a scary expression. Why do I have to enter this with this guy of all people?
At least I won’t have to worry about him leaving me to die.
※※※
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story / Lovers Quarrel
Exploration Record #3
During the exploration the employees let go of each other’s hands. After that contact was lost, employees have been declared missing. Exploration attempt failed.
※※※
If you let, go of the other person’s hand you disappear. There have been no records of people who let go and escaped.
I will have to hold Baek Saheon’s hand the whole time. Of course he will feel every small movement, every small reaction of me.
The last thing I need is Baek Saheon knowing I’m scared and him using it against me.
Great.
Walking hand in hand with that guy while trying to keep him from noticing my terror. Nothing easier than that, right?
I looked at the rings front of us.
To enter this darkness, you had to hold them in your hands while having a fight.
Huu.
I picked up the ring and glanced at Baek Saheon.
“What the hell are you looking at?”
…
At least the fighting part won’t be hard.
I almost felt a little joy at being able to speak my mind.
“Oh, nothing, I just think your eyepatch looks stupid.”
Baek Saheon’s face fell for a moment as almost instinctively reached for it
“What…? … What the hell at least I don’t carry around plushed toys and watch children’s shows”
Ah. He knew about that?
“Are you acting all high and mighty now that you stopped being scared of me?”
“I was never-“
“Right. That’s why you never flinched at me?”
In truth the fight didn’t need to be extreme. Therefore, for sake of my own sanity I decided not to push him too hard.
“You need to start using your brain.”
He sounded annoyed.
“Because there is no way I would do that.”
“I very clearly did see you flinch multiple times.”
“Isn’t that because you’re a crazy psycho?”
“Ah? So, you admit it?”
“I am not scared of you. I changed my mind; I am leaving. I do not want to enter this darkness with you.”
He said that, but it was already too late. I heard Baek Saheon quietly curse next to me as we got sucked into the ghost story.
When the sight in front of us cleared there was a dark path in front of us. The only light available was the light reflected by the moon. Some trees stood on the edge of the path, spreading into a dark forest.
Blurred faces melted into the darkness. The longer I watched the clearer they became. Grotesque smiles, pitch black tears, coming closer, or am I coming closer? I felt a pull, a strange urge to come closer, to check out those faces of those laughing, crying faces.
Just as I was about to take a step towards the forest I felt Baek Saheon’s hand, grounding me.
Huu…
Cold sweat ran down my spine.
I took mind not to watch the forest too closely anymore.
Instead, I looked at the path in front of us. It was a long path, I didn’t see the end, or maybe there was no end to begin with?
I gulped and looked at Baek Saheon, who looked more annoyed than anything.
I guess his nickname wasn’t ‘the viper’ for no reason.
“Let’s go”
I heard Baek Saheon’s voice as he started walking on the never-ending path.
Other than the gravel crunching beneath our feet, it was eerily quiet. There was no wind, no life, no sound at all.
It was the kind of quiet where you knew there was something… something hiding within the unheard noises.
Something waiting for you to make a mistake. Waiting for you to turn around.
I felt like crying. This was too scary.
I tried to keep my hand from trembling as best as I could. Who knows what Baek Saheon would do if he knew just how much of a coward I am.
Sigh.
I wish there was someone else next to me instead. Someone who I could at least talk with. Although… I don’t know what kind of noises I would make if I were to speak right now.
We were walking in silence for quite a while, when I suddenly felt a presence behind me.
Ah.
That was to be expected, wasn’t it?
Just keep walking. Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Baek Saheon is right here. As long as I hold his hand, nothing can happen.
This was the first time since knowing this bastard that his presence gave me a sense of relief and comfort.
He could not sacrifice me to escape himself; I was his ticket out of here. Even if I had nothing to give to him in return, he would keep having to hold my hand.
It was quite comforting to have the feeling of another human’s warmth. It was sort of calming. A soft pressure of fingers interlaces with mine, a thumb caressing my own, a soft pull on my left hand, leading the way.
… Wait.
Left Hand?
I distinctively remember Baek Saheon being on my right side when we entered.
I looked at my right hand, where Baek Saheon’s fingers were interlaced with mine. Then I slowly turned my head to my left hand.
Eeek!
There was a black hand grabbing my hand, pulling me towards the forest.
I jerked my hand back instinctively.
It was a bit fast, and the hand seemed to be a little angry.
“A-h. I’m sorry, I’m here with my boyfriend. I can’t go with you”
Please leave me alone, please leave me alone, please leave me alone, please leave me alone.
Luckily the hand seemed to understand that and started retreating.
Phew.
I almost let out a sigh of relief, when I noticed Baek Saheon was frozen still.
“Goat-ss… Goat-ah. Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine.”
His voice was stiff when he answered.
Weird.
“Okay, then let’s continue walking?”
Baek Saheon starts walking without another word. He almost seemed pissed for some reason?
Whatever could have pissed him off just now? Crazy bastard.
Huu… Let’s just continue.
The forest became thicker the further we went.
Eventually the trees were so packed, anything else was barely visible. I managed not to stare too intensely even when the forest started almost overlapping with the path in front of them.
When it felt almost impossible to continue walking without coming in direct contact with the forest, the path suddenly split into two.
The right path seemed like a road for cars – it was asphalted and even had some streetlights on the side. The forest began to ease around it, until it opened up completely.
At the end of the path there was a house. It looked well kept, the walls were clean and the lights turned on.
It looked almost inviting.
On the other hand, the left side looked even darker and more dangerous than the way they have taken before.
And of course, that is the way they are going to take.
Huu. Let’s go, you can do this, Soleum.
My hands were soaked with sweat, but I tried schooling my expression as we walked towards the dark path.
The path was very narrow; it was barely wide enough for two people to squeeze through together.
Knowing the background of the ghost story, instead of dropping behind so that we pass through behind one another, I hugged Baek Saheon’s arm tightly.
He immediately froze. He almost seemed as if he would push me away, but he didn’t.
We continued squeezing through the bushes and trees.
Sometimes I felt something, which didn’t feel like a branch, touching my arm.
However, whenever that happened, I squeezed Baek Saheon’s arm a little tighter. Luckily that bastard did not push me away.
After what felt like hours the path finally began to broaden again.
I kept my arm linked with Baek Saheon’s as we approached a wooden arch, that almost seemed like a wedding arch.
Plants and flowers were woven into the white painted wood and two small lights hung on each side of the arch.
Around the arch there were flowers and statues with intricate detail.
It was almost beautiful, almost enough for me to want to stay here, to want to go back to the house with my lover, with my Sahe-
I stopped my train of thoughts and tore my gaze away from the arch, instead looking at what laid behind it.
Two inconspicuous doors stood upright, without a wall supporting them.
They were our tickets out of here. We would just have to pass through one of the doors each, and we would return.
There was just one problem.
The left door, the door on my side, was closed.
…
Shit.
“What the hell?”
We approached the doors.
I tried to open the left door, but of course, it was tightly locked.
Baek Saheon lightly pushed me to the side and rattled the door handle
I felt the panic rise as I frantically tried remembering what I read.
I know this had happened before… back then…
※※※
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story / Lovers Quarrel
Exploration Record #38
When Supervisor Park and employee Lee approached the doors, one of them was locked. They shook the door, but it didn’t open. They stood and waited for about three hours. Supervisor Park decided they would walk through the opened door together. Supervisor Park and employee Lee have not been heard of again. Exploration attempt failed.
※※※
Huu…
I saw Baek Saheon look at the open door.
Shit.
That bastard is going to leave me alone, isn’t he?
I took a deep breath.
I tried to think of other Exploration records, but none of them seemed to have a way to escape this.
Baek Saheon started becoming more and more impatient.
Then I remembered.
Ah.
※※※
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story / Lovers Quarrel
Exploration Record #24
Two civilians walked all the way up to the house. It seemed peaceful and safe. When they walked inside dark shadows began chasing them. They tried to escape and ran deeper into the house. All doors were closed except for one. They ran inside. One of them shouted for a ‘key’. Soon after their voices stilled. Exploration attempt failed.
※※※
I might have to turn back to find the key.
Yeah, there was no way this guy would go along with that. If he could escape, he would – and for that he doesn’t need me anymore.
Already calculating my next move, I said: “Just leave. I will find a way.”
“Are you crazy? You will die. Let’s just both go through this one.”
“No. Just leave. I will go to the house and try to find a way to escape.”
“You are going to die if I leave. If you have a plan, let’s just go.”
I was stunned.
“You’re not going to leave?”
“Who says I will make it out if I leave alone? So, let’s go before I change my mind”, he snaps back at me.
That was false, and Saheon probably knew that. If he walked out of that door he was almost guaranteed to return, as long as I didn’t follow him.
However, he didn’t need to tell me twice. I started walking back to where we came from.
The forest seemed even more chilling now, almost as if it knew that there was no escape.
Still having Saheon holding my hand once again comforted me.
Who would have thought I would say those words. Yet alone twice in a day.
We walked back towards the fork in the road.
The closer they got, the more the path seemed to ease up.
We finally returned to the fork, the house still standing bright and inviting.
It felt truly too inviting.
I felt a strange urge pulling me towards the house.
Everything screamed at me to return to the dark path, to not follow the street, to just turn around, but I still took my first step on the concrete.
The pull immediately strengthened by a tenfold.
The closer we got, the harder it felt to turn around. It now felt more like the house was sucking me in, like this is where I was supposed to be all along.
I tried not to concentrate on it too much. My goal was to escape.
The wooden planks of the porch creaked as we walked towards the open door.
Inside there was a well lit hallway.
It seemed like it was calling out to me. Like I was finally home.
I grabbed Saheon’s hand tighter and took a step inside.
The air immediately began to shift. The light died and we were immediately surrounded by darkness.
The door behind us was gone.
The serenity was replaced by an immediate sense of danger.
Panic rose within me.
I again hugged Saheon’s arm instinctively and immediately began to feel a little more at ease.
…
I will deal with this bastard’s reaction later.
I took a deep breath and we started walking again.
All doors were closed, as it was also described in the exploration records. A stairway led up to the second floor.
I felt the shadows creep in with every step we took.
It felt like they will get us. They will get us and tear us apart. They will get us, they will kill us, we are not welcome, we are not welcome, we are not welcome.
I shifted closer towards Saheon, his presence grounding me.
Then we finally reached the second floor.
The doors were again all closed. All but one, at the end of the hallway.
Redish- black goo ran out of each and every one of the closed doors.
Uwah.
I want to leave. I want to go home. This is wrong. This is wrong.
My fingers basically clawed into Saheon’s arm. I was grabbed by blank panic.
Yet I managed to somewhat calm down as we walked towards the only well-lit room in the house.
It was the master bedroom.
And strangely enough, it felt like this was the core of this darkness.
As if the path was just for passersby and this was only for the select few.
I could hear all alarm bells ring, but it was too late, wasn’t it?
We stepped inside.
Immediately all of the shadows began closing it. They began pulling me, gnawing at me, tearing me apart.
This is wrong, this is wrong this is wrong this is wrong thisiswrongthisiswrongthisiswrongthisiswrongthisiswrongthisiswrongthisiswrongthisiswrongthisiswrong
nononononononostopnohelpnohelpstoppleaseno
Without thinking I tightly held onto Saheon.
My mind immediately cleared up a little, before I felt the shadows creeping back up again.
Is this it?
Is this why Saheon’s presence kept comforting me?
I kissed Saheon.
The pressure immediately eased up.
So I was right. This darkness was not only about making it out holding hands. It was about lovers.
Lovers who fought and are to make up again. Anyone who wasn’t properly deemed ‘lovers’ was deemed unworthy and cast out.
I sighed in relief as my lips left Saheon’s.
The room now looked truly welcome. I spotted the key and-
“Mmpf-“
My string of thoughts was cut off when Saheon kissed me again.
The kiss was demanding, almost desperate.
!!!
I was pressed against the wall, Saheon’s hand was around my neck slowly going up my hair, while the other slightly tilted my face downwards.
His tongue was entangled with mine. It felt hot. It felt soft. It felt like… too much.
I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe.
My hand dropped and lightly landed on Saheon’s chest.
Saheon immediately stiffened and lunged back, as if stung by a wasp.
I didn’t move. I was confused; my mind was a mess. What just happened?
Without noticing I had touched my lips. My face felt like it was burning.
Saheon’s head was turned away, one hand covering half of his face, while the other still held onto me.
Ah, of course this guy’s survival instinct wouldn’t waver even in a moment like this.
I almost had to smile.
I wanted to say something. Anything to make sense of this situation, to make sense of the fact that… Saheon just kissed me.
“I-“
“There is a key.”
“What?”
“Here.”
Saheon points to the wall.
“A key.”
“… Right... Right.”
My mind was still jumbled up a little as he grabbed the key.
I barely noticed the way back to the doors.
It was only when Saheon inserted the key into the keyhole, when I started thinking straight again.
The door opened with ease.
“Goa-”
“Let’s get out of here.”
“…”
We walked through the doors. We kept holding hands until the last moment. I stepped into nothingness and then…. we were back at the headquarters.
“Sah-“
“I’ll write the report.”
I starred helplessly as Saheon left the room without letting me speak another word.
Why do I feel like he is avoiding me?
***
It was late evening when Baek Saheon arrived home. He had to explain how they escaped again and again. But he will get a lot of points from it so he didn’t mind.
And he did not have to see Kim Soleum after… well.
He felt quite relieved that he wasn’t living with him anymore. Although sometimes it did feel kind of… quiet. Though, he wouldn’t admit that out loud.
When the door opens it’s oddly quiet. The familiar darkness felt off.
Feeling panic rise, Baek Saheon raised his hand to remove his eyepatch and-
***
I watched as Baek Saheon tried to walk right back out of the door.
“Plan on sleeping on the street tonight?”
Ah.
The old habit of out-crazying Saheon was hard to lay to rest.
“I’m not-”
“Not running away?”
“…”
I sighed.
It seems I have fundamentally misunderstood Saheon for who knows how long.
“Saheon.”
“What.”
His tone was harsh. As if all he wanted was to just make me leave.
Well, that won’t happen.
“Do you like me?”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t answer, but his face said it all.
How is this possible? Since when did Saheon hold these kinds of feelings for me?
And why?
Is it possible that the affection he held for the ‘Agent’ has somehow transferred over to me?
But how could that be?
He always hated me, didn’t he?
He always hated me and I didn’t like him, so why?
Why did Saheon like me?
And why did I not seem to mind?
In fact, it almost scared me how much I didn’t mind.
I actually wanted him to say it.
For him to say that he like-
…
Have I been contaminated?
Is this it? Has the ghost story contaminated me? Is that why my heart is racing? Is that why I feel my face burning up? I have been contaminated?
That must be it, right?
This…
“Saheon.”
“… what.”
“You-”
“Why ask if you already know?”
“That’s not what I-”
“Well? You can just act as if it never happened. Just continue acting as if I’m your least favourite co-worker. We… we never went into that darkness, and we never- we never kissed and you never… Never found out about… this”
“Since when are you one to let yourself be stopped from getting what you want?”
It slipped out before I could stop myself.
Ah.
“What…?”
Ah. This was bad.
I have made a mistake.
I took a step back. Baek Saheon followed.
Ah. Shit.
“I’m… I’m just saying.”
“You’re right.”
“What?”
“There is no reason for me not to do it, right?”
“Saheon- I-”
“’Saheon’. Is that what you call me in your mind?”
Was it?
Was it? I guess it was, but… I distinctly recall always calling him bastard, psycho or at least viper. When did it switch? When did I…
Why…?
“This is on you.”
This is the last thing he said, before our lips clashed again.
Ah.
I see.
Saheon pushed me against the wall, as his hand slid into my hair.
This is what this was.
His tongue brushed past my lips.
I was not contaminated.
He held my face. He held it gently, unbelievably so. How could a man like Baek Saheon have such soft hands?
I liked this.
My hands tightly held onto Saheon’s back. I felt overwhelmed. My stomach felt mushy. Actually my head felt mushy too.
Ah.
I really did like this. No, I didn’t just like this… I… I liked Baek Saheon.
When our lips finally parted, I gasped for air.
I felt dizzy.
“I like you.”
I heard my own voice.
Ah. I said it.
I just found out and blurted it out without thinking.
I can’t think straight. This too much, this is-
He hugged me.
Saheon wrapped his hands around me tightly, pressing me close as if that is all he ever needed.
“I like you too, Soleum-ah. I really- I really like you so much.”
It felt absurd. Just hours ago, I thought Saheon detested me. Just hours ago, I was dreading having to act as if we were lovers.
And now…?
Now I felt like dying if he stopped hugging me. Now I longed for him to call me Soleum again, for him to hug me and kiss me and tell me he liked me.
Is it possible to be contaminated by a person?
If it is I… I think I am fine staying contaminated.