The House Beyond the Trees

The forest grew denser the deeper they drove, tall trees leaning into the road as if whispering secrets. Fog drifted low along the ground, clinging to the wheels of the black car like smoke from an unseen fire. Jungkook leaned forward slightly as he drove, brows furrowed, following the GPS signal as it led them off the paved highway and into the narrowing wilderness road.

 Minji sat beside him, silent, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her eyes remained locked to the window, watching the scenery blur past, her expression unreadable.

They hadn’t spoken in nearly twenty minutes.

“We’re almost there,” Jungkook said finally, his voice quiet, cautious.

She didn’t reply.

Jungkook sighed, rubbing his thumb along the edge of the steering wheel. “I thought… this place might be good for us. Quiet. Isolated. Time to talk. Time for me to really be present.”

“It’s not just for me, Minji.”

“It never is.”

“You didn’t say it was this remote, Jungkook,” Minji muttered, her arms crossed tightly as the car curved around yet another bend in the thick jungle road.

“I told you it was secluded,” Jungkook replied, keeping his eyes on the overgrown path ahead. “That was the point.”

“Secluded is a cottage by a lake. This is... cursed forest energy.”

“You said you wanted peace.”

“I said I wanted your time. Not ghosts and mosquitoes.”

Jungkook sighed, the frustration bubbling quietly inside him. “I cleared my schedule. No deadlines for the next three weeks. I thought this could help us.”

Minji scoffed. “You cleared it for your writer’s block. I’m just tagging along as your emotional support prop.”

“That’s not fair, Minji.”

“You haven’t even touched me in weeks. And now you think dragging me to some horror movie set will fix it?”

Before Jungkook could reply, the iron gate came into view—rusted, half-swallowed by vines. The mansion loomed beyond it, tall and hauntingly silent, framed by overgrown trees and a bruised sky.

“Here we are,” he said quietly.

Minji leaned forward, frowning. “That’s the place?”

“Yeah.”

“Why does it look like it eats couples for breakfast?”

Jungkook gave her a sideways glance. “That’s dramatic, even for you.”

“Just being honest.”

The gate creaked loudly as it opened, and they drove through. The mansion stood as though time had forgotten it—its stone walls weathered, windows blank, its silence heavy.

“This place is ancient,” Minji whispered as they stepped out of the car.

“It’s got character,” Jungkook offered, grabbing their bags from the trunk.

“It’s got mold,” she snapped.

Inside, the air was colder. Each step echoed across dusty floorboards and empty halls. The chandelier above trembled faintly, as if disturbed by their arrival.

“This is… a lot,” Minji muttered, glancing up at the cracked ceiling.

“I like it,” Jungkook said, brushing his fingers over the banister. “It’s quiet.”

“It’s creepy.”

“It’s inspiring.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“It’s bigger than I expected,” Jungkook murmured.

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