HLFH | Chapter 13

“Do I look okay?”

“Yeah, except for your face.”

“Oh, damn.”

“Is it true that Jaeeon-nim is eating, breathing, and peeing with us in the dorm?”

“You idiot.”

“It’s holy water.”

“Holy water, my ass.”

“You’re pretending not to be nervous.”

“Oops, already wet my pants.”

The kids returning from their daily routines gathered at the dorm entrance, buzzing with excitement. After all, how could they not be thrilled that ‘Ki Jaeeon-nim’ would be living with them from today? In their minds, they were already imagining themselves drinking with him, arm in arm.

Building a personal connection with Ki Jaeeon? That’s insanely cool.

“I’m betting everything today to call him hyung.”

“I’m making him family today.”

“Huh? Aren’t you an only child?”

“Sorry, Jaeeon hyung, I’m getting married.”

“What about Jaeeon hyung’s opinion…?”

“Let’s try polygamy!”

With dreams in their hearts, they flung open the door.

And exactly a week later, their expectations were utterly shattered.

[Has anyone seen Ki Jaeeon-nim?ㅋㅋ]

A message popped up in the group chat of the Bonryeong dorm kids.

[Do we even have someone like that in our dorm??]

[Just a bunch of rumors]

[Haven’t seen him once in a week;;]

[Is he a ghost?]

[For real, for real]

[@@@@ Looking for someone for lunch at 1 PM today @@@@]

[Are we all just collectively hallucinating?]

[(Emoticon)]

[Hmm… Haven’t seen him eat, but sometimes laundry appears]

[How do you know? Creepy; did you sniff it out?]

[Who the hell among us wears a 2,000-dollar shirtㅡㅡ]

[Lol, the smellㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ](♥)15

[Me lol bought it secondhand yesterday lol]

[Is no one having lunch?]

[Gyeonghak, it’s two million won ^^]

[Lol, stop joking lol]

[(Link) This] (♥)8

[What…? Why is he real;;;]

[I think I saw him too lol next time I’ll check it out hmm hmm]

[As expected, Jaeeon hyung ㅠㅠbbbb]

[But what’s the point if he never comes out]

[Maybe he’s still uncomfortable with us?]

[Yeah, that could be it]

[Is no one really having lunch?? Please answer, damn]

[Huu Jaeeon-chanㅠ if you’re too uncomfortable, just let me take care of you in my room;]

[Crazy bastard trying to kick him out?]

Indeed, no one had seen even a strand of Ki Jaeeon’s hair, let alone call him hyung. Occasionally, his laundry confirmed he was alive, but that was it.

Ki Jaeeon quickly became known as the dorm ghost.

And another week passed.

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is this a protest at this point?](♥)23

It was enough time for negative comments to start bubbling up.

Naturally, whatever story Ki Jaeeon had, the kids didn’t know, so it just felt like a one-sided rejection. A very unpleasant rejection. In communal living, greetings, meals, and conversations are crucial, but he participated in none, leaving his involvement abysmally low. In a way, it was his own doing.

The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.

The kids, who initially had a high opinion of Ki Jaeeon, were quite disheartened.

At first, they thought he just wasn’t used to it yet, or maybe he was shy, and they tried to be considerate. But when once became twice, and twice became thrice, they realized, ‘Oh, is he doing this on purpose?’

Soon, suspicion turned into certainty.

He’d bathe and eat when the kids were out, and knocking on his door or calling him always resulted in silence or missed calls.

At this point, it seemed like he was telling them to just leave him alone. Anyone with a bit of sense would realize he was avoiding them.

It was a complete and utter disregard.

Eventually, the kids got twisted.

Their thoughts shifted from ‘Why is he like this?’ to ‘Does he think he’s too good for us?’ and finally concluded that they were being ignored.

[What a jerk ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[In the end, Ki Jaeeon is looking down on us because we’re Bonryeong. Not expecting anything anymoreㅇㅇ](♥)5

Some expressed intense anger.

In summary, Ki Jaeeon’s image was in shambles.

‘This guy’s screwed.’

Kim Juwon, who had just caught up with the group chat, clicked his tongue.

After being swamped with exorcism requests, he finally had a moment to breathe, but it seemed like he couldn’t relax.

Kim Juwon recalled the gloomy face that lacked any social skills.

“I knew it.”

He muttered with a sigh, typing a message with a casual posture. The silver ring on his finger gleamed.

[Hey, stop talking nonsense and clean up]

[Why does he always type like his fingers are broken?]

[Clean upㄷㄷ open church closed doorㄷㄷ]

[Not everyone gets everything……. Like Gyeonghak’s face…….]

[? Just sitting here ?]

[Hey Juwon ㅎㅇ]

[Is it over now?]

[Kim Juwon hyung^^ clean up X clean up O]

These punks?

[ㅇㅇIf you’re not sleepy, let’s do dawn training]

Look how they quiet down immediately.

“More vicious than evil spirits…….”

Kim Juwon vowed to exorcise them someday as he opened the front door and walked in.

“Ah, I’m so tired.”

It wasn’t a joke; he could faint standing up.

‘I’m capable, but this is too much.’

Wasn’t this kind of workload considered youth abuse? While pondering alone, the word ‘abuse’ reminded him of someone.

Slightly wavy black hair, dark circles under the eyes, pale complexion.

Someone who had become the public enemy in the dorm.

His gaze naturally drifted to the third floor.

Should he give advice? Kim Juwon hesitated and then shook his head.

“Forget it. He’s not a kid.”

He’d apologized and shown him around the dorm. What more could he do?

‘He’ll manage.’

Shrugging, Kim Juwon smacked his lips and headed to the bath instead of his room. He planned to just shower, but he decided to soak in the hot tub.

The bathhouse, as expected, was empty when he arrived.

Well, it was quite late. He stripped off his sweaty clothes and opened the door. As soon as he stepped in, the familiar warm scent hit him. It was a comforting smell that relaxed both body and mind.

Hmm- Closing his eyes, Kim Juwon cracked his neck a couple of times, washed his grimy body, and headed straight for the tub. The thermometer read 39°C.

Splash, he gritted his teeth and submerged himself in one go.

The initial heat made his cold body tingle, but soon the warmth melted away his fatigue, and he let out a satisfied sigh. Kim Juwon splashed water on his face and leaned back. His muscles relaxed, and it felt like heaven. This is amazing. Chuckling to himself, he opened his eyes.

“……Ah.”

Blink.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Splashing, slipping—splash!

He screamed and flailed, eventually falling dramatically into the boiling hot tub. Kim Juwon shook his head wildly to shake off the water and looked at the ghost, no, Ki Jaeeon, standing awkwardly in front of him.

“C-crazy bastard, you scared me!”

His trembling voice was far from impressive.

Kim Juwon, showing off his thick muscles, roughly swept back his wet bangs. His heart was pounding as if someone was playing a rhythm game with it. Damn it! Muttering curses, he slowly stood up.

Ki Jaeeon avoided eye contact and mumbled.

“……But you’re an exorcist……?”

“?”

Was this guy mocking him for being scared of ghosts as an exorcist?

Did he think mumbling would make it inaudible?

Kim Juwon forced a smile and snorted.

This jerk, mocking me when he looks like he needs an exorcism himself? Does he have no conscience?

But regardless of Kim Juwon’s reaction, Ki Jaeeon timidly slipped into the tub. Splash! A small wave rose. His expression looked like he was going to his death, yet his hands skillfully splashed water over his shoulders and collarbones.

Is he a real weirdo or what?!

Kim Juwon frowned, watching him, and noticed Ki Jaeeon quietly moving to a corner, perhaps conscious of his gaze.

Bubbling.

Having his solo relaxation time interrupted, Kim Juwon now wore a thoroughly annoyed expression as he glared at Ki Jaeeon soaking in the tub from a distance.

Why is he washing up now?

‘……Ah, could it be.’

He recalled the group chat messages he’d read earlier.

No one had seen Ki Jaeeon, but his laundry kept appearing.

Was it not a ghost story but just him avoiding the kids while washing?

‘Wow, this guy is seriously something.’

If that’s true, isn’t it an effort worth acknowledging?

‘But is there really a reason to avoid them so much?’

He pondered while splashing hot water on his face.

‘Is he uncomfortable showing his body? Why? Because the kids make him uneasy?’

Then he suddenly remembered Kim Young’s words.

—‘That kid seems to be in a very dangerous state.’

Kim Juwon’s gaze subtly shifted toward Ki Jaeeon’s body. He had no ulterior motive. It was just a guess that if he was indeed being abused, as Kim Young suggested, there might be visible traces.