“After identifying that the red substance found splattered in the alleyway of the two buildings is indeed blood, authorities are looking – “

Haneul glanced out of her kitchen to see her television screen. Seeing photos of the crime scene, she temporarily forgets about her breakfast and places her attention on the morning news while walking into her living room.

“There is no indication of a body in the area and it is too early to make assumptions that this could possibly be a homicide.”

Her hands instinctively grip the back of her couch as a spike of fear visited her. The address was somewhere close by and it only happened last night. This doesn’t help the anxiety that already plagues her.

She didn’t need her paranoia to get worse. 

***

“Haneul!”

The young woman looks up to find Bobby waving at her enthusiastically from down the hall. She greets him upon meeting up. “Good morning.”

“Don’t forget there’s a meeting today.” He kindly reminds her.

“Oh.” And it was a good move he did. It had slipped her mind while other things bothered it. “Yes, of course.”

The grin never disappears from his lips. “Today is going to be fun.”

“What’s today?”

“We’re going on an adventure.”

“Adventure?” Did they mention it yesterday? She would have heard if they did, right?

Bobby nods while unable to hide his excitement with whatever they have planned. “But first, we have a short meeting to go over the formalities.”

After saying her goodbyes to Bobby, she quickly arrived at her first class. Remaining focus on the work that she knew would start piling up if she failed to pay attention, the day passed quite quickly for Haneul. Before she knew it, she was standing before the Supernatural club office once again.

“You’re right on time.” Yunhyeong cheerfully appeared behind her and like yesterday, he gave her a little helpful push, hurrying her inside the room that was filled with the same boys. 

“Look at that, she returned.” Junhoe looked honestly surprised at the young woman’s attendance. 

“We managed to keep a member.” Donghyuk commented.

“Not to mention, a girl.” Chanwoo adds from the side. 

“Come in and take a seat, Haneul.” Hanbin tapped the chair beside him and with the urging smiles from the others, she did so. Not even a second passed before she flinched in surprise at the loud thud incited by the thick binder dropped in front of her. Something tells her this is something to get used to. 

“…What’s this?”

Proudly, Hanbin reached out for it and opened it up. “This is the book of knowledge.”

“It’s just a book of random notes.” Junhoe clarified for Haneul.

Hanbin continued. “Every time we think some supernatural activity occurred, we remember to record it in this.”

She stared on –

“And today, we need to add the murder from last night.” Hanbin said in thought before dating the activity and writing the information.

Haneul looked at him in surprise, the news from this morning? “They’re not certain that they were…murders.” Her words trailed off once catching the expressions upon each of their faces.

“Of course, they were murders, Haneul.” Hanbin remarked as if it was the most obvious reasoning that she failed to conclude.

“And anything that can’t be explained –“ Junhoe begins to simplify. “ – Is considered supernatural unless proven otherwise.”

Haneul didn’t know much about this supernatural business but she thought it was the other way around. But, she could be wrong. “…I see.” Haneul looked down at the binder and found tons of notes crossed out. It seemed a lot of events were deemed supernatural and proven wrong plenty of times. So this is the work they do? “So what do you do with the information you gather?” She peered up at them.

“Oh, it’s all for fun.” Hanbin responds.

But, this was so much work.

“Now then –“ Hanbin finishes writing down his notes. “I heard Bobby told you that we were planning something.”

Haneul nods her head, curious about what they had in mind.

His lips promptly stretched into a sly smile. “We’re investigating a haunting.”

“Haunting?” The young woman naturally stiffens up at the word.

“Don’t tell me you’re scared of a few ghosts.” Bobby nudged her from the side. 

“Where?”

“Here.” They responded in unison, their faces varying in expressions while staring back at her.

“Here?” As in this University?

“Here.” They answered once more. “Specifically, in the math building.”

***

“What the hell!” Seungyoon jumped in surprise. He eyed the man sprawled out on the floor of his kitchen. Both full and empty blood bags were scattered around. “What are you up to…?”

“You’re going to need some more blood bags.” Mino mumbled while tossing another empty one aside and before grabbing for another. No matter how much he drank, he couldn’t get his fill. When was the satisfying full feeling supposed to kick in?

“What is this?” Seungyoon’s eyes shift across the room, counting the bags as he did. “Did you go through everything that was in the fridge?”

Mino glanced around. “Maybe?” 

The younger didn’t know what to say as he continues to take in the sight.

“Tell me you have more somewhere. You have another fridge in this big house, right? Seungyoon?”

“You know there’s only one fridge here.”

“Then what is the use for such a big house?” Mino questioned through clenched teeth.

“If you’re going to be cranky, go home.” Seungyoon retorts. 

“You try to peel me off this floor first.”

Surely, Mino is just going through a small phase – it has to get bad before it gets good, right?

Right.

***

Trailing after the group, Haneul glanced around the dark hallway. Their path only lit by flashlights in each of their hands and she made sure to keep as close as she could to the others. This wasn’t exactly the time to get lost.

“Is this considered trespassing?” Haneul questioned softly in fear of whoever that was still here. Imagine all sorts of trouble they could get into if someone found them. 

“Only if we get caught.” Bobby replies.

“I’m usually the one that makes sure we don’t.” Junhoe appears beside her to say.

“We’re almost there.” Hanbin announces from the front of the group. 

“What do you think it will look like?” Chanwoo questioned in hushed whispers.

“What? The ghost?” Bobby responds. “I hope it’s a pretty girl.”

Yunhyeong smacks him on the arm but that only encourages the quiet laughter to leave the boy’s lips.

Avoiding their playful shoving back and forth, Haneul walks forward and stays beside Hanbin. “What’s the story?”

Hanbin keeps his eyes straight ahead. “It is said that every year, a student gets driven nuts by exam week – the pressure from home, pressure to get good grades, pressure on oneself and then she decided to –“ He makes a motion as if to hang himself. 

The explicitness makes Haneul swallow hard.

“Come on, Haneul.” Jinhwan comes up from behind. “Do you want to be left behind?”

Quickly shaking her head, she made sure to keep up the pace. In the next moment, the whole group freezes upon hearing the sound of something scraping across the floor. It was a sudden and abrupt sound that stopped as quickly as it started. 

“…What was that?” Bobby stared ahead, wide-eyed. “It wasn’t just me. You heard it too, right?”

“I didn’t hear anything.” Yunhyeong immediately denied.

“Maybe we should turn back.” Chanwoo voiced everyone’s silent thoughts.

Hanbin spun around and faced the group. “Guys, do you know what this means?”

Looking at Hanbin, Haneul felt at least one person in the group was brave enough for all of them.

“We’re signing our death sentences?” Junhoe questioned quite calmly. 

Haneul nudged him. “I thought you said you’re the one that makes sure no one dies.” She stated innocently upon remembering his first few words to her.

“No one is going to die.” Hanbin quickly brushed off their words. “We can