The road twisted through the mountains, shrouded in thick fog. The air felt colder than it should have, despite the summer season. The bus’s headlights barely pierced through the mist, casting eerie shadows on the dense forest lining the narrow road.

Naabi sat by the window, watching the trees blur past. The feeling of unease sat heavy in her chest. Something about this place felt… wrong.

Across the aisle, Seo Joon-woo, the famous idol-turned-actor, sat with his arms crossed, his sharp features illuminated by the dim bus lights. His presence was commanding yet distant, as if he were both here and somewhere else entirely.

"How much longer?" Ha Jae-min groaned from the seat behind her.

Jae-min’s girlfriend, Jung Hye-jin, was half-asleep on his shoulder. Their closeness made Naabi’s heart ache, though she wasn’t sure why. She had never been in love, yet she longed for something she couldn’t name.

Choi Min-kyu sighed and checked his phone. "Still no signal." He turned to the bus driver. "Are we lost?"

The driver didn’t respond. His hands gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles white. The way his eyes darted between the road and the forest made Naabi’s unease grow.

Then, the bus jolted.

A loud thump echoed through the vehicle, as if something had hit the side.

"Did we hit something?" Lee Si-won asked, sitting up straight.

The driver slammed the brakes. The bus skidded violently, throwing everyone forward.

“Hold on!” someone yelled.

The tires screeched, the world spun, and then—

CRASH.

Darkness. Silence. The scent of blood.

Naabi’s eyes fluttered open. Everything was sideways. The bus had toppled, the windows shattered, the seats in disarray.

Pain shot through her arm as she unbuckled her seatbelt. The air was thick with the scent of dirt and something metallic—blood.

"Is everyone okay?" a deep voice called.

Naabi turned her head. Seo Joon-woo was already standing, his silhouette framed by the broken windshield. Even after a crash, he moved with an effortless grace, his sharp eyes scanning the wreckage.

One by one, the others stirred.

Jae-min groaned as he helped Hye-jin sit up. Min-kyu cursed under his breath, patting himself down for injuries. Go Eun-seo clutched her arm, wincing.

The driver… was gone.

The door of the bus hung open, leading into the thick fog outside.

"Where is he?" Park Da-young whispered.

A chill ran down Naabi’s spine. The trees outside stood too still, as if watching. The air was too quiet—no crickets, no wind.

Seo Joon-woo stepped toward the door. "We need to move. Staying here isn’t safe."

Min-kyu scoffed. "And going outside is?"

Joon-woo didn’t answer. He simply turned and stepped into the fog.

Naabi hesitated before following. Something about him felt... familiar, as if she had walked beside him in another life.

The others followed cautiously. The fog swallowed them whole.

The Cursed Town

They walked for what felt like hours. The road was gone, replaced by a narrow dirt path winding through the trees.

Then, suddenly, the fog thinned.

A town emerged ahead.

It was silent, too silent. Old-fashioned buildings stood abandoned, their windows shattered, doors ajar. Streetlamps flickered weakly, casting eerie glows over the cobblestone roads.

"This place looks… ancient," Hye-jin murmured.

Naabi shivered. "It looks cursed."

As if on cue, a distant melody floated through the air.

A song. Faint, haunting, beautiful.

"Where is that coming from?" Jae-min whispered.

Seo Joon-woo's expression darkened. "We should keep moving."

But before they could, a shadow moved in the distance.

Someone—or something—was watching.

And the real nightmare was only beginning

A heavy mist settled over the abandoned hill station, weaving through the trees like silent ghosts. The chilling wind carried a faint hum—almost like a song lost in time.

Naabi pulled her jacket closer, rubbing her arms for warmth. The bonfire in front of them flickered, its light barely cutting through the surrounding darkness.

The group sat in a loose circle around the fire. Laughter and soft chatter filled the air, but something felt off. The moment was too fragile, too forced—like an illusion trying too hard to be real.

Seo Joon-woo, the famous idol and actor, leaned back on his elbows, eyes half-lidded. "You guys realize how cliché this is, right? A group of people in a creepy old hill station at night, a thick fog rolling in… If this were a horror movie, half of us would be dead by morning."

"Well, thanks for the comforting thought," Hye-jin muttered, rolling her eyes. She adjusted the scarf around her neck, glancing around warily.

Jae-min smirked. "If this were a horror movie, you’d be the first one to scream."

"Excuse me?" Hye-jin shot him a glare.

"You heard me," Jae-min teased. "You literally jumped at a leaf earlier."

"That was a huge leaf, okay?"

Laughter rippled through the group, momentarily easing the tension.

Si-won picked up his guitar, strumming a few soft notes. "Maybe some music will lighten the mood."

Joon-woo raised an eyebrow. "You do realize that singing at night in a haunted place is literally how horror stories start?"

Min-kyu groaned. "You’re seriously the worst person to bring on a trip."

"Why? Because I point out the obvious?"

"Because you kill the vibe!"

Joon-woo just smirked.

Naabi chuckled softly, watching the exchange. Her gaze drifted to Greenforest—the man who always stood by her side. He was sitting a little away from the group, eyes fixed on the fog. His quiet presence was steady, reassuring.

She nudged him lightly. "What are you thinking about?"

His gaze softened as he looked at her. "Just… listening."

"To what?"

"The silence."

Her smile faded slightly. The silence.

Now that she focused, she realized the forest was too quiet.

No rustling leaves. No chirping insects. Not even the distant sound of an owl.

Just… nothing.

Si-won’s voice cut through the air as he began to sing. The melody was slow, melancholic—a ballad that seemed to blend into the mist.

Then—

A whisper.

Soft. Barely there.

Naabi stiffened.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Greenforest’s brows furrowed. "What?"

She glanced around. The others were still talking, laughing, unaware.

But then—

The bonfire flickered violently, as if something had passed through it.

The laughter died instantly.

A strange pressure settled in the air, thick and suffocating.

Then, the whisper returned.

This time, everyone heard it.

A voice—multiple voices—layered over each other, speaking in a language none of them understood.

The flames of the bonfire flared up, illuminating the terrified faces of the group.

Then, just as suddenly—

The fire went out.

Darkness swallowed them whole.

The First Sign

"Light it back up! NOW!" Min-kyu’s panicked voice cut through the silence.

Si-won fumbled with the lighter, his hands shaking. Sparks flickered but failed to catch.

The whispering grew louder. Closer.

Naabi’s heart pounded. Her fingers dug into Greenforest’s sleeve. Something was coming.

Then—

A scream.

Hye-jin.

She stumbled back, her eyes wide with terror. "T-There! I saw something! By the trees!"

Everyone turned.

The fog had thickened, but through it, a figure stood watching.

No eyes. No face. Just a dark silhouette, barely visible in the mist.

Then, it moved.

A single step forward.

Naabi’s breath hitched.

Joon-woo reacted first. He grabbed a stick from the ground and shoved it toward Si-won. "Try again!"

Si-won struck the lighter. This time, the flames caught.

The bonfire roared back to life, casting long shadows across the trees.

The figure was gone.

But the whispers…

They were still there.

Trapped

"That’s it. I’m done. We’re leaving," Jae-min announced, standing up. "I’m not sticking around to be ghost bait."

"Agreed," Eun-seo said, grabbing her bag.

"We can’t just leave in the middle of the night!" Min-kyu argued. "The fog is too thick. What if we get lost?"

Joon-woo crossed his arms. "Then we wait until morning."

No one wanted to argue.

Naabi sat down, exhaling shakily. This wasn’t normal.

She glanced at Greenforest. His jaw was clenched, his gaze dark.

"You felt it, too, didn’t you?" she whispered.

His eyes met hers. "Yes."

A deep understanding passed between them. Something was watching.

A New Fear

Hours passed. No one dared to sleep.

The fire burned low, casting a dim glow.

Then—

A cry.

A faint, ghostly wail carried through the wind.

It was a woman’s voice.

Naabi’s blood turned cold.

Joon-woo stood up. "What now?"

Then, from the darkness—

Footsteps.

Slow. Heavy. Inside the mansion.

The group froze.

"We’re not alone," Greenforest said quietly.

Naabi’s grip on his hand tightened.

The air felt thick, charged with something unseen.

Then—

A door creaked open.

And the whispering stopped.

Silence.

Not the comforting kind.

The kind before something happens.

Then—

A loud thud from upstairs.

Naabi felt it deep in her bones.

Something was waiting for them.

Watching.

Hungry.

And it wasn’t leaving.

To be continued…

The old mansion loomed in the darkness, its once-grand facade now draped in vines and decay. The fog curled around its edges like ghostly fingers, making the windows look like hollow eyes watching them.

Inside, the air was thick with dust and silence.

No one spoke. No one moved.

Naabi gripped Greenforest’s arm tightly, her heartbeat loud in her ears.

The thud from upstairs had stopped, but the tension in the air had not.

Seo Joon-woo exhaled sharply. “Okay. Someone tell me why we’re still standing here instead of running far, far away?”

Jae-min scoffed. “Because we’re not idiots. The fog outside is still too thick. If we leave now, we’ll get lost.”

“Better than getting killed in here.”

Min-kyu shook his head. “We don’t know if it’s dangerous.”

“Are you serious?” Eun-seo’s voice wavered. “Did you not hear that?”

Greenforest’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the staircase. “We need to check. If something’s really in here, we should know.”

Naabi looked up at him, uneasy. “You want to go upstairs?”

He glanced down at her, his gaze gentle but firm. “It’s better than waiting for it to come to us.”

She swallowed hard. “Then I’m coming with you.”

His brows furrowed. “Naabi—”

“I’m not staying here while you go alone.” Her grip tightened on his sleeve.

His expression softened, and after a beat, he nodded. “Alright. Stay close.”

Joon-woo groaned. “Fine. If the lovebirds are going, I’m going too.”

Jae-min smirked. “Didn’t you just say we should run?”

“Yeah, well, I also don’t trust these two to investigate alone and not get themselves killed.”

Hye-jin sighed. “Guess that makes all of us idiots.”

One by one, the group hesitantly followed, their footsteps echoing against the wooden floorboards.

The Second Floor

The stairs creaked beneath their weight.

Each step felt like walking toward something waiting.

As they reached the top, the air shifted.

Colder. Heavier.

Naabi shivered, instinctively stepping closer to Greenforest. He noticed and gently took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

The hallway stretched into darkness, lined with dusty doors on either side. At the far end, a mirror stood against the wall, cracked and foggy.

Joon-woo hesitated. “Anyone else getting serious horror-movie vibes?”

Jae-min chuckled dryly. “Oh? So you’re scared now?”

“Shut up.”

Min-kyu pointed at the nearest door. “Let’s start here.”

With a deep breath, he pushed it open.

Inside was a bedroom.

The bed was covered in a tattered sheet, and an old rocking chair faced the window. A portrait on the wall was covered in deep scratches.

Naabi’s stomach twisted. “Someone was here.”

Hye-jin ran a hand along the dresser, revealing fingerprints in the dust.

Suddenly—

The rocking chair moved.

Everyone froze.

It creaked slowly, back and forth, as if unseen hands were pushing it.

Then—

A whisper.

Soft. Gentle. Almost sad.

Naabi sucked in a sharp breath. “Did you hear that?”

Greenforest nodded, his grip on her hand tightening.

Joon-woo took a step back. “Okay, I’m officially done. Let’s—”

BANG!

The door slammed shut behind them.

A gust of wind burst through the room, scattering old papers into the air.

And then—

They saw her.

A woman.

Standing in front of the mirror.

Her reflection was clearer than she was.

She wore a long, tattered dress, her face obscured by her dark hair.

The air around her rippled.

Like she wasn’t really there.

Naabi’s breath caught.

Then, the woman lifted her head.

And her eyes met Naabi’s.

Not hollow. Not empty.

Just… sad.

A Plea for Help

Naabi’s chest tightened.

The woman raised a trembling hand—

And pointed toward the crib in the corner.

Jae-min’s voice was barely a whisper. “She… she’s not attacking us?”

Naabi swallowed hard. “I don’t think she wants to hurt us.”

She took a hesitant step forward.

Greenforest immediately pulled her back. “Naabi, wait—”

“She’s asking for help.”

His brows knitted together. “How do you know?”

Naabi looked back at the woman. “I just… feel it.”

She turned to the crib, heart pounding. The sheet covering it was stained.

Slowly, she reached out—

And pulled it back.

Inside—

A single, old baby shoe.

As soon as she touched it—

The woman vanished.

The room shook.

The mirror cracked further.

And the whispering returned.

A Promise in the Dark

The group rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind them.

Naabi’s hands trembled as she clutched the tiny shoe.

“She lost her baby,” she whispered.

Greenforest exhaled sharply, watching her. “You really felt it, didn’t you?”

She nodded.

He hesitated, then reached out, gently cupping her face. “I don’t like seeing you this shaken.”

His touch was warm. Steady.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Joon-woo groaned. “Seriously? We almost got ghost-murdered, and you two are having a moment?”

Jae-min smirked. “Let them be. He’s clearly in ‘protective boyfriend’ mode.”

Greenforest shot them a glare, but Naabi just smiled softly.

The fear hadn’t left her.

But somehow, with him so close, she felt safer.

She glanced down at the shoe in her hand.

The spirit wasn’t evil.

She was a mother.

A mother who lost something precious.

And Naabi had a feeling—

This wasn’t over yet.

To be continued…