**Three days earlier**

A black car silently came to a halt. Its exterior spoke for itself, it was expensive, and like everything else that was connected to the school wealth nauseated from it. The car stood proudly. Its finish gleamed against the moonlight. It had stopped short of the gate and not long after was followed by a second rather shy luxury vehicle. Three figures ejected the second car, their faces illustrated reluctance yet their actions spoke otherwise.

Although spring, the nights wind was bitingly unfriendly. Even the friendly trees looked menacing as they watched the three hooded figures sink deeper into the vicinity. Foxes were the inhabitants of the night, yet even those creatures didn’t dare to confront the disturbance. They were only onlookers, evidence was taken into their eyes and recorded in their minds, soon to be erased when a rabbit of prey was spotted.

Footsteps broke the silence, crunching the ground in the dead of the night. None of them too eager to carry out the task they’d been assigned. Dark branded overalls decorated the figures. However even that couldn’t add taste to their character. They began to speak in hushed whispers fearing that even the grass had eyes.

“The heck does that guy think he’s doing?” One demanded, rubbing his arms in order to heat himself.

“Yah, you wanna die? Don’t talk about him!” Two spoke, through gritted teeth. He was too afraid to look around in case he was watching them.

“But I don’t get it! Why does he wanna fire a teach?’” The third spoke, his question was on all three minds since they’d been assigned the task.

“Honestly, why does he make us do half the stuff we do? We’re not meant to know his business.” Two whispered, quietly hoping to satisfy the others.

“It would be nice to know.” One admitted truthfully. They were always asked for favors and his cold eyes were ones they couldn’t refuse.

“Seriously, I don’t think I wanna know what goes on in his head.” Two shuddered frightfully. There was too much going on in his head. He was not normal.

“Forget him. Have you noticed Seo Kang Jun’s taken a liking to someone?” The first one butted in fervently wanting to know the opinions of his classmates.

“I’m not the only one who noticed that?” Two was mildly startled at the coincidence.

“Eugh… I hate school! Why are we here on a week night and, on our way to the basement?” Three cursed under his breath rather bravely earning two wallops across the head for his antics.

Looks were exchanged before an unspoken decision was made.

“Cuz a dumb teacher’s down there and we gotta relay a message.” Two answered in caution.

“Why us? There are a ton of other people he could have asked!” One complained rather unintelligently only to receive blows from his fiendish friends.

“Honestly, though. I don’t see what Seo Kang Jun see’s in Seryung.” Three piped up after quite some time.

They were slowly reaching their destination and the desire for conversation was strong.

“A hot body?” One traced an ideally proportional female body with his hands. He grinned at the notion. It seemed unfathomable!

“Yeah, with the face of Sehun…” Two rolled his eyes. Oh Sehun had always been a thorn from a bush of nettles. He looked mundane but could be deadly.

“Seo Kang Jun got mad at us, over her!”

“Do you think he’s fallen for her?”

Raucous laughter followed shortly afterward. Their tones oozed arrogance despite their circumstances. They were boys-turning-into-men of power. An air of pride and unconcealed dignity clung to them. They were the students of the glass room. They were known by plenty of names. Some they were aware of, others not so much. They didn’t care. They were rich, and they were powerful, and that was all that really mattered in society.

The three minions huddled together. They stood outside of the basement door. No one thought too fondly about entering. They knew what lurked inside. They also knew what lurked outside. It was a matter of choice. Unwillingly the basement door was opened. It didn’t creak because it had been oiled recently. Nothing in the premise of the school was allowed to be less than perfect but perfection, didn’t really exist…

A hunched figure sat cumbersome, rocking back, and forth as if waiting to be tamed. It didn’t hear the sets of footsteps against the wooden stairs. Blood-shot eyes, an unshaven face, unwashed too from the look of it. He looked rather pitiful. He was a thing that one saw in movies. A crazed being. One on the verge of breaking and also one that couldn’t accept reality for what it was.

“Yo saem, what’s up?” One waved and gave a presumptuous grin.

“You’re quite stubborn. You got fired remember?” Two scrunched his nose. He’d never seen the inside of the basement until now. The storeroom was in need of dusting and moping. Some scented candles would help too.

“W-who are you people?” A papery voice wheezed in both shock and fear. Heavy eyes scanned their faces for the sake of recognition. It failed yet he felt as if he knew them from somewhere.

The third scratched the back of his head, “You know who we are already, saem.”

“What do you want?” The teacher asked his voice rose as if he were scolding. His hand reached for the nearest object for the sake of defense.

The boys eyed the brick rather tastelessly. They were cold, bored, and sick of doing odd jobs.

“Saem, do you wanna go to jail? Put it down.” Two stuffed his hands into his pockets audaciously.

The teacher’s grip tightened around the brick. It cut into his skin, yet there was no pain. His wild eyes watched them. They zoomed in and out of focus until the boys' faces came into view. He was ready to swing if required. He wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“Yah, if you didn’t wanna get fired you shouldn’t have done it.”

“You’re lucky you know. Seo Kang Jun wanted you in prison, but he wasn’t allowed to do that.”

“You lucky a*****e. Look at you! You got away.”

“School’s rep would be down the toilet if word got out you murdered a student.”

“Also, where’s the body? Seo Kang Jun wants to have it returned to the parents.”

The trio talked in an offhanded manner. Not in a tone that would be expected of high-schoolers speaking to a teacher. They wore expressions of contempt and their posture was pompous.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! What body? How dare you accuse me! This slander won’t go unpunished.”

The teacher was disgruntled by their lack of, well, anything. Their words could have been a joke yet no mirth came from their eyes.

“This guy just doesn’t get it.” One observed dismissively.

“There one thing I don’t get. Why kill your student? What did you get out of it?” Two wanted details too. He was sick of being 'that guy's' lackey without much promise.

“You turned into a murderer.” Three taunted, jeering at the hunched figure who at the sound of his words rocked vigorously, brick still in hand.

“A-a-aren’t you afraid of me? Of what I can do to your hooligans?” His voice projected feeble against the walls.

Cackling reverberated across the basement.

“Pfft yeah. I dare you to try something funny. My dad’s in charge of the SWAT team.” One snorted and eyed the elder as if speaking to an incompetent junior. He watched with glee as the brick was placed on the ground without so much as a protest.

“Why? Why is Seo Kang Jun doing this to me?” The teacher’s voice was hollow.

He couldn’t remember what he’d done wrong. It had been a mistake on his part. He hadn’t meant to. It had just happened. Everything had just happened. He was about to rock faster until-

“It’s not just Seo Kang Jun… It’s him too. Be careful. He’s not as nice.”

Him... He was ruthless - everyone knew that - from his souless eyes to cold blood and piercingly handsome features. Nothing of warmth ever emanated from him. He was sinister.

"My job… I’m working under contract. You cannot fire me before the contract ends!" The teacher struck the floor with his hand. His last demand for attention would be thus.

"Dude, you murdered your student. What was her name?" Three slapped his forehead. He was aware the teacher could be high, his eyes were too lazy to be otherwise.

"Yang?"

"Yeah that one. You were her home room teacher, saem."

"Being honest with ya saem. That guy’s waiting for you. If you want the details chat to him." Two cut the conversation short, he was no longer interested in the story of Yang Jin Sung who’d been at the wrong place at the wrong time.

A teacher high on drugs. An unlucky soul. A misunderstanding followed by a mistake that could only lead to more mistakes. It was a rather depressing story and Two wanted to hear no more of it. This was his territory, he would be the one to relish it.

-

Miyoung grumbled to herself traveling through vortexes borrowed from a memory that didn’t belong to her until she came to a standstill. She clenched her teeth and looked up at the building.

“A school? It just had to be one of those didn’t it?”

Miyoung kicked the gate have expecting her foot to collide with something but she was back a few inches.

Her brows rose and temporarily vanished into her bangs. This was a new sensation. She veered closer to the gate and stuck out her hand. As expected, there was a boundary that restricted her entry. She pushed her hand forward only to be thrown back. She fell on her bottom and stared at the ground.

It had felt solid. Was the ground always hard? She couldn’t recall the texture from when she was still living. What did it all mean?

She grazed her palm against the pavement but it didn’t feel as coarse as it looked. It was only strong. An invisible boarder that couldn’t be defined, yet it was there to keep her in her place.

She stood up in her spot and let her feet touch the ground. She mimicked the art of walking which seemed harder than it looked because a slip of concentration made her levitate again.

It was like being told: You can’t have this. You’re dead.

Miyoung quivered. She clenched her teeth, and was about to shout expletives at the world that couldn’t hear her when she felt eyes on her.

She whisked around and met with a dark, piercing gaze. fell open. She pointed at him as if he too consisted of empty air.

“Are you a ghost too?”

He didn’t give an answer, but he began to frown at her. His menacing eyes flashed with annoyance.

“Idiots.”

Miyoung tilted her head. He walked towards her. She could have sworn he was looking right at her, but he passed through her to pick something up. Miyoung blinked and whipped around confounded by his actions. She rushed to his side and peered into his face. He looked oddly familiar. She felt like she’d known him at one stage of her living life. Perhaps a classmate? She couldn’t remember too well.

“Do you know me?” She asked walking beside him as he returned to his spot. He his hands into his pockets and stared at the school. Miyoung followed his gaze and squinted her eyes.

“Are you planning something?” His name ticked in the back of her head, but it escaped her when she tired to reach for it.

Irritation was written on his face while he muttered incoherently under his breath. He began to walk again and the ghost trailed him. He pushed the gate open and sauntered through without difficulty. Miyoung stopped in her tracks. She couldn’t wander inside. She rested her forehead against the boundary and strained her ears.

Black shoes, black trousers, a collared white shirt, the daunting student stood tall, smartly dressed quite unlike the ruffians he’d sent to the basement. The moonlight contoured his sharp features. His mouth was but a straight line as he waited patiently. Hands in pockets he had his back to the school, his cold eyes stared into the distant.

A ghost was watching him with intense interest. His last collaboration with one had hindered his plot. Now another one was trying to bother him. His hair had been tousled out of disdain, there was only one person he was interested it at that moment and that was a rather unruly teacher.

The three cretins were quick to run as soon as they saw his back to them. The unproclaimed underlord smirked, he’d trained them well. They hung to his every action. He waited till they were gone before beginning.

The teacher watched them scurry like lab rats that’d accidently been freed. He was enjoying the moment knowing there wouldn’t be another but then the sinister fellow’s voice reached his ears.

"I didn’t think you’d accept reality so quickly."

The teacher narrowed his eyes until nothing but slits were left. There was only one person who’d known of his crime, and that person now had his back to him. "How did you know?"

'That guy' was expecting some sort of question relating to the event.

"Pesky kid, that one. I struck a deal with her and she went ahead and messed up my plan, so count yourself lucky. She wanted you dead but I want to return the favor by foiling her plan. I will let you live but if you ever go crying to Kang Jun I will have you shot. Understand?"

"I-I-I, yes."

"Good. Now I want to offer you a proposal. I don’t think you’re in a position to turn it down."

Miyoung wanted to follow them out of curiosity. Darkness loomed over them it was strangely, suffocating. They were drenched in the scent of murder. She was puzzled over it. She was sure there was no blood on their hands.

The three students also seemed strikingly familiar. Miyoung furrowed her brows at them. The scent of murder that clung to them was fresh, yet they weren’t tainted in visibly. She expected to see blood but they were clear. They were quick to sit into their respective cars and zoom off.

She waited for the one with cold eyes. The one who was lying to her. The one who’d locked eyes with her, but pretended not to see her. She wanted to ask him what his problem was, and haunt him until he finally admitted his ability. She was excited to make a few friend. There weren’t many who could see her at all. The finding was thrilling in itself.

When he eventually emerged Miyoung was surprised to find he also stunk of blood. It was impossible. She’d kept her eyes on him the whole time he hadn’t even lifted a finger. Where her senses toying with her?

She opened to speak following him to his car she wanted to ask him what was going on. Why was he at school at this time?

He continued to ignore her. It was troubling to have someone keep watch on his movement. He liked his privacy. Being watched was not on his to-do-list. Instead of avoiding her he stopped and let the curious ghost catch up.

Miyoung chewed on her lip still trying to recall his name. He was an upper classmate, a popular one. He had tons of friend’s who listened to his every word. There was more, she just had to recollect the rest.

“Remember not to cause problems. I don’t give second chances.”

Miyoung’s train of thought was intercepted by a strong waft of gruesomeness. She yelped as her perception flooded with the stench of murderous intent. She hid behind the familiar figure, and stole a secret glance at the murderer. One glimpse of him told her everything she needed to know about the killing in question, from how it was conducted to the thoughts of the parties involved.

“Of course. You can trust me.”

-

“A murder in school?” Miyoung tapped her chin in the safety of Oh Seryung’s empty living room. She contemplated sharing this piece of news with Seryung but, revealing such a thing to a living-being counted as interfering between the two worlds.

“Well, how else is that poor soul going to find comfort?” Miyoung sighed, and tumbled onto the couch. She stared at the roof.

Yang had been tricked into committing ghostly treason.

“Why? Why would Yang be implicated? It wasn’t her fault! She didn’t even know the rules. She was just mad. It’s not her fault she died. She was killed for crying out loud. She had every right to be mad.”

Miyoung’s head filled with treacherous thoughts. She cringed wanting to forget what she knew. She didn’t like the overpowering feeling she was getting. The aftertaste of Yang’s grudge-bearing thoughts before she was wiped out of existence was overpowering. Miyoung felt drunk on them.

‘Murderers shouldn’t have been allowed to live. Evil should never be able to triumph over good. It isn’t fair.’

“Murderer,” Miyoung tasted the word on her tongue. An image painted itself into her mind. Intense hatred, jealousy, envy and vengeance prodded her goadingly. Pity for Yang, was replaced with empathy and empathy was grotesque. It told Miyoung that Yang was in the right. That she should also defend her own honor. That if she was still a ghost, after ten years, it was better to do something about it than stay frozen in such an existence.

Revenge was sweet. It called on Miyoung to embrace it. What was wrong with wanting to avenge ones self? Didn't parents also teach their children to strike back, if someone hit them? It was only fair! Getting even was just, and justice was right. It was that simple. Why was she hesitating? A small crime would be easy. An ounce of torment would slide under the radar. Yang had been foolish. She'd gone to far. Miyoung on the other hand knew the limitations. She could walk on the line that Yang had crossed. Revenge could be extracted.

Miyoung jumped, “No, no, no, no, no!!! The reaper will come after you!”