Author’s Note:

Wow, how long has it been since I updated this story? I’m sorry for not updating guys. Lots of things happened and I was overwhelmed… and lazy… I won’t make excuses for myself haha :( but yeah! This is chapter four, not much is going on except for the emphasis of how much of a crackhead Ijeon is. I wouldn’t live there.
ALSO! Red Velvet has returned with RBB and gosh it really fueled me to write this story more. The concept really reminded me of Peekaboo (even though the title is like Bad Boy 2.0) and I LOVE THE SONGS MY GIRLS NEVER FAIL TO DELIVER. Also this is Wenri’s era don’t @ me.

Anyhow, that’s all for chapter 4, again, sorry for missing so long, I admit I suddenly forgot how to English and write because of the long procrastination :(
However, I hope you guys have a nice weekend. Take care <3

Four.

Witches, Vampires and Werewolves.

Over the next few days, Sehun managed to adapt and settle with the new life in Ijeon. Jisoo and Aunt Kim helped him unpack and decorate his new flat—university starts just a few days after and he managed to make new friends.

There’s Choi Jinri, a free-spirited girl who, Sehun learned, came from a very rich family in Seoul but chose to go to Ijeon because her “family can be overwhelming sometimes.” Then, there’s Jackson Wang, a foreign student from Hongkong, Park Chaeyoung who spent her high school in New Zealand and Byun Baekhyun, a local.

The first few days were happy period. Ironic, but he can’t exactly recall when the last time he felt as happy and free. He’s walking on clouds, the sky was the brightest of blues and colors had never been so vivid. Every day was a fresh new page on the book and he had complete control in how he wanted it to be—it’s not like he always wake up with a bright smile on his face, but he was always ready to start the day. The happy and motivated period only lasted for a short period, though, and then the blues comes back like they always do.

Just like today.

He’s awake far before the alarm even rings, eyes staring at the gray ceiling above him. Was he really staring at it, though? No, he is staring into nothingness. While his body lays rigid and unmoving, bad thoughts are ravaging his mind and his insides like cold invisible hands and worms, tearing and scratching at his chest. It’s always that part, just below his throat, spreading down to the middle of his chest and sometimes it reached the top of his ribs.

There are no visible wounds whatsoever but it’s constantly in pain, like a black gaping hole oozing with blackness and anxiousness. It gets worse at night, the pain manifests into something even sinister, clouding his mind, poisoning his dreams and Sehun can only lie down helplessly on his bed.

When the first few days after he moved to Ijeon, he was happy. Not truly 24/7 happy but at least he feels fine and content and okay and there is drive to do anything and things are so much more interesting and funny and he thought this is it, his fresh start, his new page in a brand new book.

Turned out the monsters and the ghosts have no intention to leave him at all because they return, guiltlessly and innocently they return like a kid who returned to his hometown on summer break of college. These past few days, he can’t feel happy even if he wants to.

Sehun’s heart jumps slightly when the alarm suddenly rings. He let it be for a few seconds, the ringing somehow acts like a wake-up call that he’s alive, he’s here, he’s flowing inside the current of life and nature and universe. It rings for a minute and a half before Sehun finally has the will to move his limbs, reach for his phone and turned it off, his movement casting shadows on the wall beside him.

Waking up is so much effort but Sehun managed to get up, wobble onto the bathroom, strip the clothes off of his body and turns the shower on. He lingers for a few moment, one hand on the wall and eyes staring at how the water goes down the drain, carrying away the remnants of his nightmare and bad thoughts.

He finished getting ready, dragging himself to campus, glad that he’s feeling a bit better when he spots Baekhyun, Jisoo and Jackson already on their seat.

“Yo. Jinri invited us to her house later. You should go.” Jackson says, giving him a fist bump.

“Her house?”

“Don’t you know?” Jisoo looks up from her notebook. “Her parents brought her a small house in the middle of town. I heard it has a small pool.”

Sehun shrugs. “Sounds cool. I’ll tag along.”

*

Jinri’s house is small but luxurious and it sits right in the middle of Ijeon. The wind is slightly strong when all of them gathered on Jinri’s backyard, soft electronic tune slowly humming in the air and can of beers in hand.

“Wow, your house is so comfy!” Jisoo compliments cheerfully. “Must be nice to have your own home, huh?”

Jinri shrugs. “Sometimes.” She answers with a smile.

The conversation flows like water droplets falling from leaves to the ground, Sehun pays little mind to it, his head is busied by the sharp tang of beer and the chilly wind.

“Anyway, have you guys head about that missing hiker? Do you think there are still hopes that he can be found?” Chaeyoung asks.

“Probably. I mean, it’s not like he went missing when he’s hiking the mountain—chances of survival is bigger on the forest, right?” Jackson asks, arching his eyebrows.

Jisoo was about to respond to his statement when Baekhyun speaks. “Not here. Not in Ijeon.” The boy says solemnly, looking at them with a somber smile on his face.

“Huh.” Jinri murmurs, tilting her head to the side. “Elaborate on that, please, Mr. Byun.”

“Well, if we’re speaking logically, the forests here are so dense and it’s very dark at night. Plus, the forests and the mountains are teeming with wild animals, especially predators, honestly if you’re not careful enough you could be eaten by bears or the wolves. Also, it’s not like the terrain is flat and easy for regular hiking, there are rocks and cliffs and there are solid chances you could fall to your death.”

It’s quiet for a moment when they let the gravity of the situation sinks in. Sehun has heard of the missing hiker, his face was plastered on all over the local newspapers and news of his disappearance appear almost on all local news channel. His name is Kim Doyoung, if Sehun recalled correctly, a university student from Busan.

“You said, ‘logically’.” Jackson speaks, eventually. “What’s the need to insert ‘logically’ into your statement?”

“Because this is Ijeon.” Jisoo mumbles. “You really don’t know when it comes to the forests and the mountains.”

“That’s not a very scientific explanation.” Jackson replies, shaking his head before taking a sip of his beer. “You know, ever since I come here, everyone keeps on warning me to be careful of the mountains and the forests and not to go there after sunset. Real spooky , in my opinion. No offense, though.” He says, tilting his head to Baekhyun.

The latter simply waves his hand dismissively. “Outsiders don’t really understand. You gotta spend more time living here to understand how bizarre this town is.” Baekhyun says. “But yes, logically, lost hikers could die of starvation or because they became prey for predators, or simply because they fell to their death. However, there has been a few… unnatural cases that can’t really be explained by science. Facts and evidences exist, but they don’t offer us any clue or clarity. Instead, they made the case even more confusing.”

From the corner of his eyes, Sehun can see Jinri smiling. “Oh, I like this talk.” The girl says, sitting straighter. “Mysteries, murders, dead people. It’s so exciting.”

“I don’t think so.” Chaeyoung sighs.

“No, no. I want Baekhyun to go on.” Jackson insists, supported by Jisoo, who is nodding her head vigorously.

Baekhyun shrugs. “Well, there are instances where the police found those missing hikers dead from accident, or at l