It wasn’t supposed to be more than a dare. Just one night in the old Hanwol House—one of those local legends everyone swears is cursed but no one’s actually brave enough to test. The kind of place that kids whisper about during sleepovers, where doors supposedly close on their own and lights flicker even though the power’s been cut for decades.

You didn’t plan to go. But Eom Seonghyeon did.

He’s always been like that—calm, quiet, impossible to read. The kind of person who walks straight into the dark while everyone else hesitates at the edge. So when he said, “Come with me. We’ll be fine,” something about the way he said it made you believe him. Maybe it was the confidence in his voice, or maybe it was the unspoken promise that he wouldn’t let anything happen to you.

Now, standing inside the house with only a dim lantern lighting the dust and decay, you’re not so sure. The air feels thick—like it’s listening. Wooden floors creak beneath every step. Old portraits hang crooked on the walls, their painted eyes following you no matter where you stand.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” you whisper.

Seonghyeon glances back at you, his expression unreadable in the faint light. “You think?” His tone is dry, teasing, but there’s a tightness in his voice that betrays his nerves.

The sound comes again. A soft dragging noise—like something being pulled across the floor upstairs. You both freeze.

“That was…?” you start.

“Not the wind,” he finishes, his voice low.

He moves closer, the faint glow of his flashlight reflecting off his sharp features. There’s something strangely grounding about him, even here. You can feel the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes dart between the walls, always watching for something unseen. And yet, when his fingers brush yours, you find yourself clinging to the small comfort of his warmth.

“Stay close,” he murmurs.

You nod, following as he leads you deeper into the hall. The further you go, the colder it gets. Dust dances in the lantern’s beam, and the air smells faintly of iron—metallic and old. Then you hear it. A whisper. Faint, but right beside your ear.

“Get out…”

You flinch, spinning around—but no one’s there. Just empty space and a wall lined with peeling wallpaper. Seonghyeon grabs your arm gently, steadying you. His eyes meet yours, calm but alert. “You heard it too, didn’t you?”

You nod.

For a second, he doesn’t speak. Then his expression hardens, and he mutters, “We’re not alone.”

The lantern flickers. Once. Twice. Then dies completely.

Darkness swallows you both. You can feel his breath against your cheek, quick and shallow. Then something—someone—moves in the dark. A shuffle. A low laugh that doesn’t sound human.

“Don’t move,” he whispers, voice trembling for the first time. His hand finds yours again—tight, protective. You hear him swallow hard before he says softly, “If it touches you, don’t scream.”

The laugh grows louder. You squeeze his hand.

Then, suddenly, he pulls you toward the nearest door, slamming it behind you both. You stumble, crashing into his chest. The room is barely lit by moonlight through a cracked window, dust swirling between you. He’s holding you close, heartbeat racing against your ear.

“Still think it was just a dare?” he murmurs, his voice low but laced with a nervous smile.

You look up, your pulse matching his. “You’re insane for bringing me here.”

He grins faintly. “Maybe. But I wasn’t going to let you face this place alone.”

The whisper returns, softer this time—like it’s right behind you. And that’s when you realize… the door you just closed wasn’t locked before. But now, it is.