‘The walls you’ve kept around you are extremely strong, but they’re also keeping that thing inside. You need to bring it down so that I can come in as well.’

Lu Han sits across him on the floor.

Lu Han’s apartment has the exact same layout as Minseok’s but reversed. It’s also strangely decorated in a similar way to Minseok’s own apartment. There’s a simplicity to his choice in furniture though his colour choice is slightly warmer than Minseok’s preference of blues and greys. Lu Han has splashes of brown, russet, and olive green around the apartment. The rug they’re sitting on is soft, decorated with some traditional styles- it also looks old, making Minseok believe it might be an antique.

‘You’ve protected your memories- to the point where you’ve forgotten them, and that’s where it’s going to be the most difficult,’ Lu Han explains, ‘When people process memories naturally, good or bad, eventually the details fade, and that’s normal. We even embellish it, maybe shift it from what we wish it had been. It’s natural- but this happens when memories are…when memories are allowed to simply exist as they were.

When you create walls, like the ones you have, it complicates things because, A: you don’t remember it, and B: you will be unreliable in remembering them, and lastly C: in our case, the memories you will be able to access might twisted on purpose by whatever else you’ve left locked in there.’

‘What can we do?’

‘This will take time,’ Lu Han admits, ‘And I’m sorry to say but I’ll need to you to get high or at least hypnotized.’

‘-…I think getting hypnotized might be better, considering all things.’

Lu Han narrows his eyes at him.

It’s kinda unfair how even at the dead of night, Lu Han looks absolutely stunning in his pajamas, frizzy hair, oily skin, and noticeable dark circles under his eyes. Minseok can’t relate because well, at the moment he doesn’t really want to see what he looks like, if he even had a face he recognized as his own.

‘You want to do this tonight?’

Minseok nods firmly.

‘It’s not going to be easy,’ Lu Han tells him, ‘And it’s not going to be quick either. We might have to do this across several days, for a few hours. It can be very exhausting.’

‘I’m okay with that.’

‘Exhausting for me too,’ Lu Han clarifies wryly.

‘Ah, yeah I mean-,’ Minseok winces. He feels guilty again, ‘Or we could do this in the morning-.’

‘No buns, we will do it now, when you’re absolutely willing, no doubt in your heart or mind,’ Lu Han shakes his head firmly. ‘It’s easier that way- also it’s night, easier to do hypnosis.’

‘Also probably more legal,’ Minseok jokes.

‘You know, I often find that regardless of what country you’re in, if you know where to look, you can find anything you could possibly need.’

‘I didn’t need that information at 2:30 AM.’

‘I’m the gift that keeps giving, buns.’ Lu Han gets up, ‘Okay I’ll be right back, don’t leave the place, and make yourself comfortable- if you need to pee or something, do it now.’

He waves in the direction of the toilet as he hurries to his bedroom.

Minseok exhales out, finally feeling like he can catch his breath. From where he’s sitting on the floor, he can see the door leading to the apartment. From the tiny gap between the door and the floor, Minseok sees shadows moving about in the thin hallway light that shines through vaguely.

When Lu Han comes back he’s brought his phone, charger, and a long extension cord. He has his laptop tucked under his arm. It’s also then that Minseok realizes Lu Han is wearing Gucci slides with the fur lining.

‘Don’t judge my Gucci slides.’

‘I literally breathed.’

‘Eyes up here buns,’ Lu Han drops all of his belongings onto the carpet (thankfully the carpeted area) before straightening out the cable for the extension cord. ‘I need to set up for our session- sure you don’t need to pee?’

‘Yeah-‘

‘-or like, take a dump? Once had someone literally their pants, I’d rather that not happen again.’

‘I’m good, thank you,’ Minseok says firmly.

‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ Lu Han says gravely. He sets up his plugs and cables before switching on his laptop. Lu Han’s screensaver is of his three cats.

‘What’s this for?’

‘Uh- well, this one’s for the lights,’ Lu Han explains.

‘The lights?’

‘Hypnosis right?’ Lu Han quirks an eyebrow, ‘Need to set the mood.’

Minseok regrets asking. Instead he just watches as Lu Han opens up YouTube and there selects a random video that appeared to have slow motion strobe lights. He’s clicking around furiously before he gets up again and picks up a random device that looks very familiar-

‘Alexa, could you connect the lights to my laptop screen?’

‘Right away.’

Minseok frowns, incredulous at what Lu Han was doing.

‘Isn’t this…kinda showy?’

‘It’s effective, that’s what it is,’ Lu Han replies, setting down Alexa and sitting in front of him again. ‘Okay time to set up the metronome.’

‘Metronome?’

‘Yeah- I need to set up the hypnosis environment for you- something to host your subconscious,’ Lu Han explains, ‘By the way, do something for me and start relaxing.’

‘…you say that like it’ll be easy.’

Lu Han rolls his eyes as he scrolls through his phone, fiddling with the charger absentmindedly.

Minseok fights the urge to roll his eyes back. But he tries to relax. It’s obviously not easy.

‘Think of something that calms you- something, I dunno, comic books, cooking, something just, easy and simple and makes you just kinda float in that vein I guess.’ Lu Han adds as he fiddles around with his phone, ‘Some people think about , not my kinda thing but hey, what would I know.’

Minseok sends a glare towards Lu Han but it’s blissfully ignored as soft glowing lights light up the dim space. Maybe Lu Han did have a point. The faint slow pulses feel like something from a dream, or something you see when you close your eyes- strangely dim neon lights pulsing under your eyelids as you lose your train of thoughts to follow after a dream.

And maybe it’s predictable that Minseok thinks of editing. There were some parts of this episode that were going to be painful to edit- though quite fun too. He already saved and bookmarked a few clips that just showcased Hyunwoo and Wonho’s muscles. He also has the perfect music for it as well as Jongdae and Baekhyun’s reactions to be played side by side, possibly in slow motion.

Jongdae would probably be slightly embarrassed by the editing but Baekhyun would probably be quite pleased. But Minseok knows their limits and styles in terms of comedic editing. The final cut would need to be approved by all 3 of them after all. He’s sure he’ll get an email from Baekhyun first thing in the morning and before he can even open it Jongdae will be calling him to explain the contents of the email and some question about the sound or pace of their footages. They had a lot of b-roll for this shoot in specific, especially with the challenge they had partaken in. Minseok thinks he should maybe find some online workout to continue staying in shape or at least to keep up a healthier routine.

‘Thinking about your boyfriends? That’s nice,’ Lu Han smiles indulgently at him. Before Minseok can reply he continues, ‘Okay, ready?’

Minseok hadn’t realized the metronome was already going off.

‘What were you thinking of? Preferably not please.’

Minseok rolls his eyes.

‘Editing,’ he explains, ‘I was thinking of editing.’

‘For Unsolved?’

‘Yeah.’

‘New episode?’

‘Yeah- actually it’s when we went to shoot this video that I saw It for the first time.’

‘Yeah? Tell me about it.’

Minseok doesn’t realize it immediately but with his mind latched onto the sound of the metronome, and his peripheral vision surrounded with soft lights which are bright stars in Lu Han’s steady gaze.

‘-‘

‘-keep looking at me,’ Lu Han’s voice is gentle and soft, ‘Keep looking at me, and tell me about that day.’

‘I-,’ Minseok takes a deep breath. ‘I was going out of the bunker, to get to one of the cameras to check it, and then…It was there, it was just there. Tall, looming- just…It said It was waiting for me. But strangely I wasn’t…I wasn’t afraid.’

Minseok can still see how it had stood so high, shadows emerging from an extension of his own across the grounds.

‘You don’t seem afraid.’

‘I wasn’t,’ Minseok explains, looking up at the figure and then down at himself. He didn’t appear afraid- just a sort of, resigned expectation tainted with apprehension. ‘I wasn’t afraid- I wasn’t surprised either, not really. It was like looking around and seeing your shadow there…as though maybe the light that was shining on me then, shining on me now, was too bright. It makes the shadow inevitable, stronger as well.’

Minseok walks after himself, entering the barracks. It lingers outside.

‘It’s not fully formed- not what we saw most recently.’

‘No, it’s still…vague, I guess. But here-,’ Minseok reaches out and pulls Lu Han into the barracks. He points down to his own figure in bed, ‘When I turn, and I fall asleep, that’s when-‘

The eyes open in the shadows. Fully formed, awake, and aware.

‘It’s strong,’ Lu Han remarks, leaning in carefully. ‘You’re seeing this?’

‘Yeah,’ Minseok nods. ‘It…it makes me remember from here.’

‘From here?’ Lu Han looks around at him before he turns to the Minseok on the bed and turns him over, placing his palm over his forehead.

The sound of rain surrounds them.

‘Is this your childhood home?’

Minseok looks around at the smudged memory, like some impressionist attempt of his childhood home.

‘It is- sorry it’s not clear.’

Lu Han waves a hand, shaking his head, ‘At least it’s not spinning.’

Minseok doesn’t want clarification to that statement. At that moment, the sound of a door opening can be heard.

His bedroom doorway is clearer, more defined than the rest of the house. A pathway that’s clearer and more defined lays out before them as a young Minseok walks out.

‘, you’re adorable buns,’ Lu Han grins at him, squatting down to look at his small self waddle over to the kitchen area.

‘There,’ Minseok points to the windows.

‘Ah,’ Lu Han makes a funny grimace. ‘I see…you remember this very clearly.’

‘For some reason yeah,’ Minseok agrees, watching the lurching figures pressing up against the window, the sound of rain clearer, and thunder rumbling far into a night long gone and lost. ‘I remember thinking…that there were people outside, and that it would be better if they came inside.’

‘You were a nice kid,’ Lu Han grins, slowly getting up.

‘I often thought if that…if that was an invitation for whatever it was, to come inside.’

Lu Han gives him a serious look in the yellow light of the kitchen as he comes to stop right by his younger self carefully eating leftovers.

‘This is not your fault,’ he tells him clearly, ‘You’re a child here. Consent is tied with awareness. You cannot consent to something without being aware of what it is. You were just…you were just a good and sweet child, worried about possible rain-drenched people outside your windows.’

‘Then how does It come in?’

He points at the figure now already sitting there.

‘No- don’t do that,’ Lu Han snaps his fingers, breaking the beat of the metronome and with a nauseating pull, Minseok is back in Lu Han’s apartment. He’s feeling cold. ‘Don’t add to your memory- you told me that you only saw it after you were done eating. Do not imagine it there for me, I want to see everything as plainly as possible.’

Minseok nods, taking in a deep breath and clenching his fists over his crossed legs.

‘So you’re eating, and you’re finished up.’

Minseok nods.

‘I clean up in what is clearly a way I think my mum won’t notice,’ Minseok points as his younger self simply wipes clean the spoon he was using.

‘Your mum 100% noticed.’

‘She probably did,’ Minseok laughs as they trail after little Minseok. Right before the entrance he pauses.

‘There It is,’ Lu Han crosses his arms, looking at the figure on the chair, lowering himself a little to be in direct eyelevel as Minseok’s younger version.

The details blur and shift, narrowing down to the ground as Minseok’s younger self looks down and away. It gets up, only the motion of it creating spaces in the blurred darkness that formed Minseok’s memory, gradually taking form and shape into what was roughly an outline of Minseok’s dad.

‘This is because you thought this was your dad?’

‘Yeah,’ Minseok takes a step back without meaning to. There’s a strange horror to seeing his memory like this. He’s not sure if he’s comfortable with this. Lu Han is watching carefully, still on the same level as Minseok’s younger version.

A hand, not quite formed, not quite right, pats his head. Shivers run down Minseok’s back.

Quietly, they follow after Minseok inside the room.

And they stand there for every night Minseok remembers. Even if they’re blurred forms and shapes of the bed dipping as it sits there.

And then they come to that night.

‘I don’t like this,’ Minseok tells Lu Han who gives him an encouraging pat on the shoulder as Minseok’s younger version kicks It by “mistake” in his sleep. This was the last night he somewhat vaguely remembers before completely missing out nearly 5 years in his childhood memories. Suddenly fear and panic surge through him, the room rapidly blurs and stretches, horrible gaping yawning darkness tears through the walls of his memories, under his bed, over his blankets.

‘I don’t want to hear- I don’t want to remember-‘

Minseok watches in horror as It bends down over him, and he knows It’s about to whisper in his ear-

It suddenly turns, darkness so stark it almost burns, and Its face is half-forming, screaming in delight and suddenly this is no longer a memory, this is no longer looking back into his childhood memory this was-

‘I’VE BEEN WAITING! YOU’RE HERE!’

And it lunges straight at him.

*

‘Welcome back guys to today’s chapter “The Bamboo Grove”!’

‘Let’s find out if bamboos are terrifying!’

‘For that we’ll need a special guest won’t we?’

‘I agree, preferably an expert!’

‘Minseok-hyung, can you introduce our special guest who specializes in bamboos?’

‘Of course! Say hi Jongin!’

‘I’m not an expert in bamboos!’

‘We’re on the internet! People love pretending to know more than they actually do it’s fine!’

(we do not condone lying about your credentials on the internet)

‘Say hi!’

‘Hi!!!’

(here is an uncut 15 seconds of Kim Jongin just giggling and waving violently at the camera, you’re welcome!)

‘First of all, love your hair!’

‘Thank you! Hyung, your hair is amazing too!’

‘-ah, thank you Jongin-ah-‘

‘-it’s like a poodle!’

‘…’

‘-ahAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!’

‘What did I say?!’

‘So for people who might not know Jongin, he’s a good friend of the channel and like a younger brother to us all here! We’re really happy to have you here Jongin-ah, we’ve been having people requesting you to show up nearly every episode!’

‘Ah, hyung, that’s an exaggeration- please-.’

(here’s 10 seconds of Jongin being shy)

‘We’re linking Jongin’s channel in the description box below, but maybe do a short introduction as well!’

‘Oh, yes of course!

Hello every one!

My name is Jongin, though maybe some of you may know me as Kai.

I dance, do reactions to dance, and basically vlog as well!’

‘You also bless all your subscribers with beautiful performances, honest vlogs on the difficulty, dedication, and passion of your art- you’re selling yourself too short.’

‘Ah- no hyung-!!’

(15 seconds of Jongin blushing)

‘But honestly, people really loved your episode with us all the way back in season 1.’

‘Oh hyung, I love it so much, but my throat hurt so much!’

‘If you guys want to watch that episode, we’re linking it somewhere here on the screen!’

‘Ah, but hyungs, you guys are doing so well- I’ve been watching every episode-

I mean I try to.

I get scared but-‘

‘You literally told me to watch the Conjuring because you said, and I quote!

“it’s a really fun movie about how a family solve their problems together by conjuring strength from within themselves”!’

‘Honestly if you fell for that, that’s just a you problem.’

‘So! Today’s story!’

‘I’m so excited! Bamboos don’t sound particularly scary right?’

‘Trust me Jongin-ah, anything can be scary.’

‘Let’s start!’

When my mum was around 8 years old she wasn’t really aware of the unrest in her country. She wasn’t aware of international relations and what was happening around the world then. And so when one evening, her father came home in a rush, yelling for everyone to get out into the courtyard and to wear their sturdiest shoes, she had been confused but not scared. Her eldest brother and mother and aunts and uncles were rushing to grab bulky parcels that were stored under their beds. She didn’t even know those were there, and she just remembers their dad hurriedly switching off their electric bulbs.

‘You know how you have certain memories from your childhood, and it’s like, it didn’t make sense for the longest time and then you realize, well , that was going on at the time.’

‘Yeah, I know what you mean! It happened to me when my mum had my younger sister!

One moment it was like that realization, it wasn’t just me anymore you know?’

‘Oh you mean like when you realize there was a time that was the last time your parents ever picked you up?’

‘…’

‘…’

‘…

-Baekhyun why would you say something so sad like that-‘

They hadn’t had electricity for a long time, and their house had been one of the few in the neighbourhood to outfit the whole house with the glass bulbs she wasn’t allowed to touch while they were being cleaned. She remembers her dad yelling at her brother for trying to carry down their heavy television set, another thing that was quite rare.

She remembered that people would come to watch the black and white screen, listening and watching with rapt attention almost every evening and well into the night after her bedtime. She remembers the crackling sounds, murmuring of low voices, and a heavy atmosphere would permeate the evenings.

Instead her father grabs the portable radio and heavy kerosene lamps and they rush out into the night. All the houses are dimly lit.

The hills and valleys that dipped down and climbed up were in a strange varying state of darkness as lights from windows blinked out.

‘Can you imagine- how disconcerting this must be for a child?’

‘Yeah, even now as an adult, if someone told me to pack up out of nowhere I’d just- I dunno, stop functioning.’

‘If it happened now during a pandemic I swear to god-‘

‘-zombie apocalypse?’

‘-zombie apocalypse?’

‘-zombie apocalypse?’

‘Exactly. My mind would jump there at once.’

‘Yeah I see that happening.’

‘We’d have zombie deniers too.’

‘I think we can safely say these movies don’t exaggerate the chaos and sheer stupidity enough.’

She remembers being picked up at one point, put over onto one of her uncle’s backs as the whole neighbourhood rushes out to the street, all carrying large sacks. She remembers how there’s not a lot of talking, but instead a loud ruckus of dogs barking. It’s only then that she starts to feel afraid.

It’s incredibly dark, houses that once were alit with candles or lamps or even those shiny bulbs only echo darkness back to her from their looming windows and doors. She remembers her mum handing her a piece of sugar cane.

When she wakes up she finds herself not in the familiar neighbourhood of her home, or even the area of the church the whole family walked up to every Sunday, or even to the school grounds down the hill and past the river.

Rather they’re in a bamboo forest. There’s some light now but it’s not quite enough for her to see. She just sees crowds and crowds of people walking all around, blending in and out with the trees. She hears the occasional call of name, hushed voices like leaves rustling in the wind, carrying all around her. She also hears some children crying- and it makes her want to cry.

‘I too cry when I hear children cry but it’s for entirely different reasons.’

But every time she wants to cry, her mother appears from the back, brushing her hair and patting her back.

‘It’s all right,’ she would say. And she would secure the cloth that was being used to wrap her onto her uncle’s back. His uncle would murmur at her to stop fiddling with the attachments.

‘Go back to sleep,’ her mother would whisper.

And she would fall asleep.

And every time she woke up, her mother’s comforting presence would be there to make her feel better, warm hands brushing down her hair occasionally.

‘Isn’t that nice? One nice thing in all of this confusion.’

She wakes up once when everyone is resting by a natural pool and small stream. She’s sleeping next to some other children including her younger sister and cousin brothers. She sees a few of the adults around her in the dim kerosene lamp light.

She sits up, feeling the need to pee. She spots her aunt by the trees to the side and calls for her. But she doesn’t hear her. She calls again but she’s too far away.

‘What’s wrong?’

Her mum appears from behind her, kneeling down to check over her and her siblings and cousins.

‘What’s going on?’

‘Nothing to worry about,’ her mum assures her with a sigh, ‘We just need to be quiet okay? I thought your uncle and aunt were watching over you guys. Go back to sleep.’

‘I need to pee.’

‘I’ll go call your aunt to take you,’ her mum says, standing up before noticing her hair. ‘Did your uncle do this? It’s quite neat.’

She doesn’t know what her mum’s talking about but doesn’t have time to answer as her mum gets up to walk away.

‘Wait- wait…wait a minute-‘

‘-that was suspicious right? Is anyone else suspicious?’

‘I’ve been suspicious about this since the whole carrying cloth adjustment thing.’

Feeling a bit more awake, she sits up a little straighter, and listens closely to the words coming down around them. The bamboo around them is tall and old. Not like the younger fresh green ones closer to the town and even around the church. Standing up, she looks around to check to see for her mother or aunt.

Someone calls her name- it’s her mum.

Looking around, her mum is waving to her from the bamboo grove to the side.

‘Over here!’ she calls.

‘I DON’T LIKE THIS I NEED TO STOP YOU AND TELL YOU I DON’T LIKE THIS-!’

She carefully walks over her sister’s still sleeping form and over to the bamboo grove. But before she can step through and follow after her mum, her aunt finds her.

‘There you are! Why are you moving around in the dark? It’s not safe,’ her aunt scolds her, taking her hand.

‘Was following mum,’ she whines, annoyed. She really needed to pee.

‘I KNEW IT SOMETHING WAS WRONG!’

‘Come on, be a good girl, or I’ll box your ears,’ her aunt threatens, tugging her away.

She manages to pee, feeling better after that. Her aunt takes her back and it’s time for them to move again. She’s assigned to her aunt this time who is annoyed at being given the task of baby-sitting. At 15, it’s understandable. But at least she answered some questions.

‘There’s nothing more annoying than being a teenager and having to take care of kids I can confirm this.’

‘Where are we going?’

‘You don’t know?’ her aunt scoffs, ‘We’re hiding from the planes- that’s why we left the city.’

‘Planes?’

My mum didn’t quite understand what her aunt was talking about, but she guesses it’s dangerous and that bad people in planes were trying to catch them.

‘Will we be safe here?’

‘Who knows,’ her aunt replies, ‘We’re going to that abandoned hospital area to settle for the next few days I think.’

Hospitals were good right? Safe- that’s what my mum thought at the time. She gets too tired eventually, and her aunt carries her on her back. And just like before, her mum comes to check on them.

Closer to the morning, when the sky is less dark and people were starting to speak in a volume louder than whispers, my mum wakes up again. They’re skirting around a field, not quite out in the open. She also notices that there’s actually not a lot of people around. Did some other people go in another direction?

She’s being carried by her mum this time.

‘NO!’

‘You’re awake?’

‘Hm?’

Her mum adjusts how she’s carrying her and continues to walk ahead.

‘Go to sleep.’

Half-awake, half-asleep, my mum looks away from the brightening fields that’s making her eyes water and instead to the side to the forest. The bamboos were far lesser and the trees more populous here. Between their trunks she spots a few people walking through; she occasionally smells cigarette smoke and chewing tobacco as they walk past.

To her confusion, her mum walks along a little to the back. But her sleepy semi-conscious mind is not quite understanding what she was seeing.

But her mum there isn’t smiling at her. She’s staring at her, and doesn’t look away. She keeps walking, getting closer and closer.

‘I HATE THIS SO MUCH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH-!!!’

‘The mosquitoes are terrible here,’ her mum says, ‘Here, cover your head, we’re gonna start seeing the sun too.’

Something falls over her head and she hurries to fix the soft cap around her head and her mum behind her is no longer there.

They reach the abandoned incomplete hospital structure, remains of a no longer funded missionary project from several years ago. It’s lacking a lot of walls and the windows have no glass or frames. My mum remembers finding it unsettling. They enter the place sometime around the afternoon and most of the people decide to nap while a few others start up an area where they can cook and some others go out to gather.

Her mum puts her down inside the hospital and tells her to sleep. But my mum is at this point quite awake and so are the other kids, having slept quite solidly throughout the strange night. So the adults who are awake charge them to go find wild vegetables around the place. My mum and her younger siblings and cousins all run out though not before they’re warned not to go into the forest.

They look around for vegetables and herbs and mostly enjoy playing out on the soft weeds in the sunlight after that strange night of darkness and hushed silence. They yell and scream, playing around, enjoying themselves until the sky starts to dim a little, the shadows spreading out of the forest.

She goes to the rough set-up of a kitchen in the abandoned hospital building to find that all the adults were now awake. She hands her uncle the mustard plants she’s found and she’s awarded with an apple.

Chewing on the apple she walks out again, wondering what she can do. She spots her mother by the edge of the forest again. She waves at her, and my mum waves back. She calls to her, beckoning with her hand.

‘I DON’T LIKE THIS AT ALL HYUNG I CAN’T-!’

My mum easily walks ahead, she’s already halfway there when out of nowhere one of their neighbours grabs her and heaves her over his shoulder and takes her back to the hospital. Shocked, my mum doesn’t react quite yet, dropping her apple in the process. Then later she finds her voice and protests the sudden way she’s taken away. But her neighbour is calling for all of the kids. She looks up and finds her mum walking back to the forest- but it’s strange because she’s walking backwards, not looking away from her.

It’s then that she starts to feel strange and uncomfortable.

Once inside, her neighbour starts to yell for the adults to come as well, but he doesn’t let go of her arm. Then she spots her parents walking in from the other room attached to the make-shift kitchen, eyes wide and confused, looking at her in worry.

‘What’s wrong-?’

‘I already told all of you,’ he’s half-yelling, ‘That we shouldn’t let the kids wander off around the forests, especially by the bamboos-‘

‘-for ’s sake,’ someone yells from the back, ‘-it was the fastest way to get out of the city- I think possibilities of bombs landing on our heads is a little more worrying than some spooky in the forests-‘

‘-what are you talking about?’ my mum’s dad demands, ‘Let go of her!’

He turns my mum around to face him, ‘Tell them, what did you see out there?’

‘Uh-‘ my mum is overwhelmed and doesn’t know what to say. ‘-um-.’

‘You’re frightening the children-‘

‘-she’s not the only one!’ he yells, pushing my mum away who runs straight to her dad, avoiding her mum in the process. ‘There’s other kids- and it’s not just that- I saw them too.’

‘Saw what?’ someone demands.

‘Those ing forest dwellers- they steal your face and will steal you too.’

There’s a loud pause.

‘That’s old-wives tales,’ someone frowns, ‘Stupid we were told as kids-‘

‘-that’s why I said we should have built those churches instead-‘

‘-this isn’t just some church thing- this is bad. Did you all forget that people keep vanishing up in these parts? We’re lucky to find bodies when they do.’

‘Okay that’s enough, everyone calm down,’ someone states firmly.

‘What’s wrong?’ my mum’s dad asks her.

But my mum’s too scared to say anything. So no one pushes her and in a way, the adults chalk it up to the stress of the situation.

It isn’t until later that night after dinner and everyone’s settled in to sleep that my mum overhears her parents talking to another person.

‘What was he talking about anyways?’ her dad asks.

‘I think…I think it might be about stories, about the people? Or spirits I guess that’s the only way to put it, who live in the bamboo forests in this area,’ their friend replies hesitantly.

‘Do you believe it?’

‘I can’t say no because well- my son, he keeps asking me why there’s two of his brother.’

‘What?’

‘Yeah,’ he sounds uncomfortable, ‘I think it’ll be best to keep the kids inside, keep some adults on watch for the night. Not just for this but well, you know.’

‘Yeah, lets go talk to the others.’

My mum hears them leave and wonders about what they said. Turning over on her bed, she sees her mother by the open frameless window, looking in.

She knows she’s already left. My mum knows that. She heard them leave, and if she looks around she’ll easily spot her talking to the other adults just next door. But she’s also there, standing outside the window, wearing the same clothes, hair tied away the same way, every single thing is the same.

Suddenly a little boy by the other window starts to scream.

Another boy is by the window and he’s trying to pull up the little boy. My mum starts to scream as well and the adults come running in but as if they were never there to start off with, the windows are framing nothing but the dark of night.

They stay there for another 3 days, during which the children are kept under close watch and there’s a night guard set up. Adults sleep around the children, forming a protective shield around them.

My mum refuses to look out into the forest, fearful she’ll see her mother waving for her to follow her into the forest.

When they return it’s with relief. But it’s also with unnerving news that 2 children from the opposite side of their area were lost in the forest. They set up search parties but don’t find a single trace of the children.

‘Well, for sure I can say I hated every single second of that-…

…

Jongin? You there?’

‘-did- did he actually physically leave?!’

(Short Break!)

‘Okay and he’s back!’

‘Can’t believe Minseok-hyung had to actually call you back.’

‘I couldn’t listen anymore! That was so terrifying I just- I just hate that idea so much!’

‘To be honest I agree. I don’t know how much of it was true, or just, well- kids don’t have the greatest object permanence-‘

‘-you mean babies don’t have object permanent- at 8-9 I think my object permanence was very good.’

‘I just really hated that, it was really good, but I also really hated it. Thank you for submitting this story but also I-…is your mum okay? I mean that very respectfully, is she okay, um- that must have been harrowing, please take good care of your mother, I mean, yes you’re both probably adults and you can process this at your time and well- if it doesn’t register as trauma, is it trauma? Wait, no, that’s a terrible thing uh-‘

‘HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-‘

‘-HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA-‘

‘Jongin-ah, do you want me to edit that part out of the video?’

‘Please!!!’

(An Ad!)

‘Okay but I can’t stop thinking about this- guys.’

‘Hm?’

‘Imagine, just close your eyes, everyone, and think

Two Minseok-hyungs.’

‘Oh my god, two Minseok-hyungs? One each for us, I already love this idea so much-‘

‘-yeah, take me to a shady bamboo grove Minseok-hyung, I’d be honoured-‘

‘-I literally hate you both so much right now, hyung, how do you tolerate this-?!’

‘I zone out most of the time!

But yeah, Lu Han and I enjoyed that story a lot. According to the date and location “Maze In The Mirror” provided us with, we were able to fact check that at the very least, historically it does check out. But the myths and lores of the area are probably very local, so we don’t know much about that.’

‘That’s so interesting and cool! I’d love to find out more behind it, like, why is this a thing? How and when did these stories start? Are there any more strange things related to this still happening now?’

‘TBH if I saw my own doppelganger I’d probably be like, ‘wow he’s handsome’ or something-‘

‘-oh no, are you that person who would argue hooking up with your doppelganger was not -‘

‘-WHY ARE YOU BOTH LIKE THIS-?!’

‘Two Baekhyun’s would cause permanent ear damage.’

‘HYUNG!’

‘Hyung is not wrong!

‘I think two of me would be quite fun!’

‘Oh I’m sure many people would agree.’

‘Right? I could eat more!’

‘I-…’

‘…you know, you’re right Jongin-ah, you absolutely could.’

‘And my nephew and niece could have more of me to play with! This way I’ll finally stop feeling guilty about not being able to give them my complete and undivided attention.’

(These are not still shots of Jongdae and Baekhyun, they’re genuinely shook)

‘So! That was today’s story. Like we said, we really enjoyed it, and we thought you guys would enjoy it too.’

‘You’re right hyung! I dunno why, but because I know for a fact that this took place a long time ago, it doesn’t feel like it could immediately effect me, so I’m not as scared?’

‘I know what you mean! I feel better because of that too, but wow, wouldn’t it be cool as a movie?’

‘Absolutely. I genuinely enjoyed it too actually. Thank you Minseok-hyung and Lu-hyung!

I think the reason why this story works is because of how everything seems kinda likely-

I mean we’ve said this before in the previous episodes but-

When you’re a kid and you don’t understand things and you’re scared, you do tend to well…’

‘-see ghosts and doppelgangers along with other kids without any form of communication?’

‘…that’s- oh no, that’s terrifying!’

‘Well, I was going to say you tend to imagine things to help cope with the situation but sure.’

‘We would like to thank Jongin for joining us today again!

And also to user Maze in the Mirror thank you so much for this story.’

‘Yes! Please tell your mother thank you from us!’

‘Yeah! Thanks a lot Maze in the Mirror’s mum!’

‘I hope you’re doing well! And not seeing anymore doppelgangers!’

‘Let’s hope no one sees their doppelganger!’

‘See you next time!’

‘Bye! Stay safe!’

‘Hehehe, bye!’

*

Maze in the Mirror: omg I can’t believe they actually liked my story and read it out I’m so grateful! I never thought my story would be frightening enough! I’m glad you enjoyed the story! My mum is doing well!

167 is average height: I swore I had this happen to me as a kid and with doppelgangers – is this something that happens more frequently with children? Would love to know more about it if there’s any such research

DaeDroid: Imagine you’re Jongdae and you see your doppelganger and you just think ‘wow he’s handsome’ ALFJHGLDSFJHGDSILFJGFD WHY IS HE SO FUNNY

It’s Kaisoo Month Y’all: Omg it’s Jongin why is he showing up here and not HIS OWN CHANNEL I’M CRYING

I Wish You a Beary Good Day: LMAO SOMEONE SAVE JONGIN HE ALWAYS ENDS UP HAVING REGRETS - though man, i love this dude so much, when he dances its like...wow phew, but he also???? doesn't seem to understand what baekhyun is trying to imply get you a man of duality

Professional Procrastinator 3000: Hey wasn’t he in season 1?????????? I loved him so much he was so funny

Baguette Au Pain: Wait Minseok and Jongin know each other as well???????? Minseok clearly dotes on Jongin a lot look at them!!! So cute!!!

Clips & TV Reel: Is it just me or them taking Unsolved Autopsy over to twitch is like =\

It’s like just another way of trying to get money idk man, I just feel like they want more money at this, rate, without the effort of actually doing stuff like going out and research, we’re doing all their work for them

Mareete: Grandma as a kid is braver than me as an adult how do I process this information

GrimArtandStuff: James Wan you wanna take this up and direct a new movie?

Erikyoooooooonggggg_ggg: @Clips & TV Reel - hey, idk where you’re living atm but there’s a ing pandemic right now and no one’s supposed to be leaving their home unless it’s essential work so maybe consider that before you think they’re not working “hard” enough yeah? And no ones asking you to sign on to their twitch account or sub them, its still all free.

Im Just A Kidult in a Capitalist World: IT’S JONGIN HE’S BACK I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM UPDATE HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL IN SO LONG I HOPE HIS INJURY IS BETTER CAN'T WAIT FOR NEW CONTENT FROM HIM

Where there is a will, there is an iam: @Clips & TV Reel - maybe also realize that this way they’re able to talk and communicate more freely with their viewers? They’ve answered more questions on this latest Autopsy than 3 of the regular autopsy’s put together

Fairy of Shampoo: Minseok and this Lu Han have…alarmingly good taste in what stories are just…truly unsettling I don’t know why that story was effecting me the way it did but wow, goosebumps everywhere man

LuckyFrogSong: Can we keep the comments a little positive please thanks, why are people complaining so much lately

AHGASE4LYFE: I cannot get over how this is actually such a plausible story im gonna cry becase my mum had a very similar story to this too

I Got the Dab:  This is, as the kids say it, free real estate, if you don’t like what you’re seeing, move on, there’s no need to give your two-piece over something. The comment section is not a counseling session neither is it a place for you to pretend you’re on some higher moral ground for apparently calling out capitalistic endeavors of a youtube channel

Yves Saint Awkward: Bros low-key bamboos only remind me of pandas I cannot imagine it being creepy even with this story

I will float my dream like a catcher: @Yves Saint Awkward - that’s a racist assumption to have about bamboos

minghaoFrogagenda: @I will float my dream like a catcher Pandas literally eat bamboo wtf????

Have You Got Seven Minutes: Why- just why, is the idea of a doppalganger so terrifying to me. Also I’m with Jongin on this, I had to rewatch this 10 times because I couldn’t complete listening to it

See the Light: What the is wrong with the comment section lately???????????? Like, literally everywhere tbh

SinB is My High Priestess: Listen, the idea of two Jongin’s is not displeasing to me am I right or am I right

What is Driver’s License and Why is it Trending: LMAO NOT THEM SAYING TWO BAEKHYUN’S WOULD CAUSE PERMANENT DEAFNESS

Sehun_omayaaaaaa: People are bored and stressed, the injustice they feel from a situation they have no control over yet one that’s directly effecting them is making them seek out situations where they think they can safely assert control over something think they have a right to without consequence because the world teaches them that ultimately in the end, it seems like there are no repercussions after all

*

(Author’s Notes)

Dabs aggressively: this one’s for you Bambam

STRAIGHT UP GOT7 VIBES ONLY IN THIS HOUSE

EVERYONE LET’S ING CELEBRATE ICONIC GOT7 AND LEAVING JYPE NEATLY, POWERFUL, AND IN FULL CONTROL LET’S GO BOYS

Also low key sad because Ive never been able to see them live and though I probably wouldn’t have survived seeing park jinyoung live I would have still gone and died a great death

If you’re aghase, lets all share a massive hug

Also comment which got7 song is your favourite? Or like, top 5 because asking for one song is...yeah, so I’ll start with mine:

See the light (catch me sobbing listening to this song)

Moon U (catch me sobbing listening to this)

Face (catch me sobbing listening to this too)

Look (catch me vibing and dabbing)

You are (catch me vibing but also crying)

Also I love every song from Verse 2 because I am JJP trash and Don’t Wanna Know helped me through so much when it came out, also had Jinyoung’s The Day as my morning alarm for almost a year and it was honestly a delight to wake up listening to his voice it was eye-

my dudes I almost had Feelings™ for a real living man

(my best friend will remind me that it’s not “almost” because I can’t even look him in the eye when he appears in music videos)

Btw, if any of you do have actual creepy stories you’d like to share, please do so! If you wanna leave a comment on here or send me a message on tumblr or twitter please feel free!!

Today’s story is brought to you by my mum! This is her childhood story.

Btw all my Asians reading this, does your country have like specific things about bamboo forests because.

Yeah.

Regardless of where I am if I see a kinda place that’s filled with bamboos even if its not big im like

*Nervous laughter* Hahaha no

This isn’t unique to my mum’s culture, I’ve combined the folklore from my country’s folklore too, as well as embellishing it a little for fun! Heh, but yeah these are things that happened when my mum was super young. The story leading up to the creepy part is pretty much 100% true and relayed from what my mum told me. She did not see her mum’s doppelganger that up close, but they were VERY guarded from the forest and some other kids from another part of the city went missing during their trek through that forest !

fun note!

Last week someone went missing in this forest and they haven’t been able to find him till now. The thing about these doppelgangers is that they literally call them forest dwellers, not quite…nature-related spirits, not quite…ghosts? Just, strange things that exist there. and those who do actually come out of the forest die within a week or so, and it’s like they’ve been drained of their life-supply or something, completely withered away and often looking incredibly aged, with white hair

So! Hope you enjoyed that!

Also did I low-key make Lu Han ace? Yes.