episode_0060

I felt it even before entering the convenience store, but the street with no one around had an eerie atmosphere.

On the outside, it looked like a typical street that can be seen anywhere in the city, but the closer you looked, the more bizarre and scary it became.

Even while walking normally, the black blood stains on the wall of the building caught my attention, and if I looked away for a moment, a black shadow would stare at us from the edge of my vision and then disappear.

In this situation, the tension reached its peak. How can I survive for a year in a place like this when just walking is so scary?

Trap, trudge…

The sound of Sohee and I’s footsteps echoed unnecessarily loudly in the quiet street.

I was afraid that the sound of my footsteps might attract something, so I walked as quietly as possible, but the sound did not get smaller.

“Sihyeon, isn’t it nice today?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“I have always liked this dark and humid weather.”

Sohee looked straight at me and smiled, but I felt somewhat awkward. Sohee isn’t the type of girl who suddenly says something out of the blue…

“What can I say about weather like this? I feel like the moon is ‘following’ me. I like that feeling.”

At this point, while blinking repeatedly, I realized that Sohee wanted to tell me something.

The moon follows? Does it really mean that the moon is following us, or is it a metaphor that someone is following us…?

“Isn’t the moon really following you? There was a ghost story like that in the past.”

“Ah, but don’t look back to check. If the following moon is real, I’m so scared that I can’t stand it.”

I don’t know if it’s the moon or something else, but I’m sure something is following it. I didn’t feel anything, but was there some omen that only Sohee knew about?

I put my hands in my pockets. Before taking out the notebook, I looked at Sohee for a moment, wondering if I should do something like this, and she nodded slightly.

I took out the notebook and opened it with as natural a movement as possible, and as expected, a new rule had emerged.

2. Never look back. You are being chased.

2-1. Something chasing you doesn’t know what you’ve realized yet. Please act as naturally as possible.

I was able to realize it only after recognizing it. The fact that I and Sohee’s footsteps were heard, and at almost the same time, someone else’s footsteps were heard overlapping them.

3. You need to find a delicacy restaurant and go there. The restaurant is located in the first alley when you turn left at the intersection that you walk straight ahead.

“Sohee, aren’t you hungry? It’s been a while since I ate.”

“Actually, I’m a little hungry. Do you have anything to eat?”

Every time I took a step, I felt the pressure of being followed behind me.

The sound of something that had obviously overlapped with our footsteps at first as much as possible was now heard at a noticeably slower tempo.

3-1. Something is suspicious. Slow down and walk slowly while continuing the conversation.

The sweat on my forehead began to fall, one drop at a time, onto the notebook. A natural conversation that no one would suspect?

When I spoke consciously, it was actually difficult to carry on a proper conversation. Was conversation this difficult?

“Hmm, should I go to a restaurant I know? Since I’m a regular there, the lady even gave me service.”

“Then let’s go to that restaurant! But I’m more of a gourmet than you think, is that okay?”

“That restaurant is really delicious, so Sohee will definitely be satisfied.”

4. Just before you reach the intersection, he will be standing there. Talk to him and satisfy him and something will stop you from following you for a while.

If a new rule came out, to what extent would it be better? The conversation of asking to go out to eat in this crazy town didn’t seem natural…

I thought I had passed one hurdle, but as I approached the intersection in the distance, my heart began to beat violently again due to tension and fear.

“Sohee, that person in front of you…is that right?”

He stood motionless in the middle of the road, as if waiting for us.

“Of course, at times like this…”

Dark white makeup and bright red mouth makeup. No matter how you look at this being holding colorful balloons, it looks like nothing more than a clown.

“Cute girls. Don’t you need balloons?”

The clown had a more ordinary and caring voice than expected. I thought about the tearing sound, but was it fortunate?

“If you give it, I will be grateful.”

He held out a red balloon to Sohee. Red…if it’s red, it’s still okay. Sohee isn’t the third one yet, so there’s no problem.

“Thank you.”

When Sohee lowered her head and was about to receive the red balloon, he suddenly frowned. I felt uneasy from the look in his eyes as he looked at Sohee closely.

“Ahahaha! I was mistaken. You didn’t like red balloons, right?”

He put the red balloon he was going to give to Sohee into a pile of balloons and took out a black balloon.

“Ah…”

A short sigh escaped Sohee’s mouth. why? You’re not giving me a red balloon? Wasn’t it clearly given in order? Or…was it the third time?

Her face turned pale and her condition seemed to be deteriorating rapidly.

As Sohee held back her tears and held out her trembling hand toward the black balloon, the clown’s laughter began to get even deeper.

“Hey!”

“Sihyeon…?”

I held Sohee’s hand and shouted loudly to the clown. He glared at me with wide eyes, and for a moment I felt pressure so strong that I couldn’t breathe, but I managed to continue speaking.

“I haven’t received the balloon yet.”

“Ahahaha! I guess I couldn’t pay attention to this girl. Do you need a balloon?”

“Yes. I’m a greedy person, so I want to get my friend’s share as well.”

“Hoo. Then, is it okay if I specify the color and give it to you?”

I felt like this was the crossroads that would decide my fate.

The balloon Sohee should receive is black, but this clown will definitely try to give me a black balloon, right?

“It’s okay, but is it okay if I put one condition on it? It’s not that I don’t like black or anything like that.”

“Haha! Ah haha! What conditions are you trying to impose? Don’t you already know? Which balloon will you get? Okay, great! Say it! Gacy will listen to anything!”

Gacy? Is this the name of a clown? Please, I hope this method works…

“Mr. Gacy. As I said before, I am greedy, so I want to receive a balloon now and then receive another balloon when I meet Mr. Gacy.”

“Again?”

“Yes. So, please give me a balloon so we can meet again next time.”

If there were balloons other than black balloons that could kill, it wouldn’t mean anything, and he might kill me if he got angry over a simple pun…

Of all the ways Sohee and I could both live, this was the only thing I could think of right now.

The clown, who heard the conditions I made, came right in front of me and grinned.

The smile that split the corners of the mouth all the way to the ears and showed sharp teeth was reminiscent of a monster.

“That’s fun. Miss, what is your name?”

“Sihyeon, it’s Sihyeon…”

“Sihyeon? …was it a boy?”

Instead of answering, I nodded slightly. After seeing my reaction, he repeatedly hit my forehead with his hand and started laughing even louder.

“That’s fun! She said you said it was a girl, but I was fooled! Ah haha!”

she? Is there anyone else who knows about me and talks to clowns?

“Now, take the white balloon here. This is a small gift for you who made this lowly clown smile.”

He took a white balloon from a pile of balloons and placed it in my hand.

Let’s look at the white balloon that has never been seen before and boom! It exploded with a loud noise.

“Ahaha! It exploded right away. Next time we meet again, I will give you a balloon that won’t burst. Until then, please stay healthy.”

The clown lowered his head towards me and disappeared into the dark alley.

After confirming that he had completely disappeared, I held on to Sohee’s hand, who was staring at me blankly, and started running.

“Uh, uh…you can’t run! Now behind…”

“I know! But I have to run now!”

I didn’t think I would be able to continue a natural conversation, and anyway, I thought he might have noticed something while talking to the clown, so I ran desperately.

If you follow rule number 4, you definitely have time. The intersection is right in front of you, so it’s okay if you just go into the first alley.

Although I was out of breath and my legs were sore, I ran and ran as fast as I could. If you get caught, it’s over…

Sohee…is fine. On the outside, it may seem like she doesn’t have as much physical strength as me, but perhaps because she’s in my older sister’s blood, she’s really strong…

“Haa…haa…just a little more, just a little more…”

“Sihyeon, where exactly are you going now!”

“On the left side of the intersection…Jinmi Restaurant in the first alley…”

Sohee, who was running next to me, grabbed my waist. When I looked at Sohee, who was having trouble running properly, she smiled sweetly at me.

“Please endure motion sickness!”

Sohee lifted me up and put me on her side and started running like crazy. The surrounding scenery changed in an instant and I felt like my head was being shaken violently.

“Wait a minute, that’s impossible…”

“If you can’t hold it in, throw up!”

If you vomit, it will hit Sohee directly, so how can you do that…

I covered my mouth with my hand as much as I could and endured it again and again. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for us to arrive in front of Jinmi Restaurant.

“But why did you want to come here? The door here is always locked…”

Calming my dizzy head, I opened my notebook. The next rule should have come out…

5. Ask the owner of a delicacy restaurant for a set meal for two. You must say that the ingredients were brought in from outside.

5-1. If food is served, you must eat it neatly without leaving anything behind.

I felt like I was vomiting, which I had barely been able to hold back. Ingredients, cooking…

“Si-hyeon, your complexion is pale… Are you going to run somewhere else right now…?”

Drurr.

The restaurant’s door opened and a strong odor began to emanate. The stench was so disgusting that I could still smell it even if I blocked my nose, and it was a smell I remembered smelling somewhere.

“Are you a guest?”

The owner of the voice was a person who seemed more normal than expected. Rather, wouldn’t she be able to fall into the category of beauty?

But her outfit screamed that she was by no means an ordinary person.

The red apron that covered the entire body with white spots here and there, and the kitchen knife covered in internal organs and all kinds of debris, gave off an extremely disgusting smell.

“Oh, do you mind the smell? Sorry.”

The kitchen knife she was holding was dripping onto the floor with a mixture of pus and blood. She swung a kitchen knife to shake off the remaining debris, then looked at us and smiled sinisterly.

“Can a set meal be served for 2 people?”

As she barely restrained herself from gagging, her face lit up.

“Did you bring the ingredients?”

“Yes. I brought it from outside.”

“Good! It’s been a while since I cooked to my heart’s content. Welcome in!”

As she turned around and entered the store, I could see that she was wearing nothing other than an apron.

The large, fleshy buttocks and slimmer-than-expected body would have aroused sexual desire under normal circumstances… but it only heightened my sense of fear.

“Sihyeon, the woman you just met…is definitely not an ordinary person.”

“I know that much when I see it…”

There was something similar to a cow’s tail swaying on her buttocks, showing once again that she was not a human.

“Should we eat at a restaurant like this…?”

“…I can’t help it. Let’s go in…”

Sohee and I slowly entered the restaurant, holding back our nausea. Please…I hope it’s better than you think…