The Forgotten Manor: Part 2

Weeks passed since their terrifying night in the manor. Tae and Jungkook promised never to speak of it again, but the memory lingered like a shadow over their lives. Jungkook, in particular, began acting strange.

At first, Tae thought Jungkook was just shaken from the experience. He would catch him staring off into the distance, his expression blank. Sometimes, Jungkook would mumble in his sleep, words Tae couldn’t understand.

But then, things became worse.

One night, Tae woke up to find Jungkook standing by the window, his back to the bed. The moonlight bathed him in a pale glow, and his posture was unnervingly still.

“Kook?” Tae called softly, his voice trembling.

Jungkook didn’t respond.

Tae got out of bed, approaching him cautiously. “Hey, are you okay?”

When Jungkook turned, Tae’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes were dark, almost black, and his smile was eerily familiar—the same unnatural grin they had seen in the mirror.

“Tae,” Jungkook said, his voice low and distorted. “Why did you stop playing the piano?”

Tae stumbled back, his heart pounding. “W-What are you talking about?”

Jungkook tilted his head, the grin widening. “You were supposed to finish the song.”

Before Tae could respond, Jungkook collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Tae rushed to his side, shaking him awake. When Jungkook opened his eyes, they were back to normal.

“What… happened?” Jungkook asked groggily.

“You don’t remember?” Tae asked, his voice shaky.

Jungkook shook his head. “I just had a nightmare. It felt like I was… trapped in that room again.”

Tae didn’t want to scare him, so he stayed quiet. But deep down, he knew something was wrong.

---

The next day, Tae did some research about the manor. He found an old newspaper article that sent chills down his spine.

The manor had once belonged to a reclusive pianist named Elias. Obsessed with creating the perfect symphony, Elias would lure young men into his home, forcing them to play his music. Those who failed to complete the pieces would disappear, their souls trapped in the manor forever.

Tae’s hands trembled as he read the final line: “The only way to free a soul is to finish the song they began.”

“Tae!” Jungkook called from the other room.

Tae quickly closed his laptop, trying to act normal. “Yeah?”

“I think we need to talk.”

Jungkook walked in, his face pale. “I’ve been hearing… music. At night. It’s coming from the manor.”

Tae’s blood ran cold. “You’re sure?”

Jungkook nodded. “And I think it’s calling me.”

---

That night, they returned to the manor. Tae insisted they go together, not willing to let Jungkook face whatever was happening alone.

As they entered the cursed house again, the air seemed even heavier than before. The sound of a haunting piano melody echoed through the halls, growing louder as they approached the same room.

The piano sat waiting, its keys gleaming in the dim light. The mirror was cracked now, but Tae could feel something watching them from within.

Jungkook walked toward the piano as if in a trance. Tae grabbed his arm. “Kook, don’t. We’ll find another way.”

Jungkook turned to him, tears streaming down his face. “I don’t think I have a choice.”

Reluctantly, Tae sat beside him at the piano. “If you’re doing this, I’m staying with you.”

Jungkook placed his hands on the keys, and the room seemed to shudder. As he played, the melody grew more intense, each note pulling them deeper into the manor’s grip.

The mirror began to ripple, and shadowy figures emerged, their faces twisted in agony. They surrounded Tae and Jungkook, their whispers growing louder.

“Finish the song,” they chanted. “Free us.”

Tae’s hands trembled, but he joined Jungkook on the piano, playing the harmony. Together, they poured their hearts into the music, the melody filling the room with a haunting beauty.

The shadows screamed, their forms dissolving into the air. The mirror shattered, and the piano fell silent.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, the door creaked open, and a warm breeze swept through the room.

Jungkook turned to Tae, his eyes filled with relief. “We did it.”

But as they stood to leave, Tae noticed something strange. The piano was gone, and so was their reflection in the broken mirror.

“Tae…” Jungkook whispered, pointing to the doorway.

Standing there was a man in old-fashioned clothing, his face eerily familiar. It was Elias. He smiled at them, his eyes glinting with malice.

“You finished the song,” he said. “But now, you belong to me.”

---

To Be Continued...

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