I Returned, and Now I See Strange Things-Chapter 42: Crunch!
The two of them moved forward slowly, just as Ayun had instructed.
Hyesung took the lead, holding the flashlight, and Hyeyeon walked backward, so close their backs nearly touched.
Ayun, the only one holding a weapon, kept watch over their blind spots, gripping the baseball bat tightly in her hand.
‘There’s a wall, but it’s questionable whether that’ll actually protect us.’
Having failed to sense the presence of the last statue she smashed, Ayun didn’t lower her guard and kept scanning their surroundings.
As she walked, she recalled what Aslan and Ignis had said just a moment ago.
‘They said they wouldn’t be able to help...’
It probably meant that because Hyesung and Hyeyeon were with her, they couldn’t use their power.
Still, if her life were really in danger... they would act.
‘In that case...’
Perhaps what they meant was that their gaze alone couldn’t stop the statues.
If that were true... then it made sense why they couldn’t help her right now.
Tink!
A stone kicked by Hyesung flew through the air.
When the rolling stone hit something with a soft thunk, Hyesung’s face turned pale.
“N-Noona, t-there’s one up ahead....”
As soon as Hyesung spoke, Ayun launched forward from the floor.
Gripping the bat with both hands, she leapt forward like she was flying, aiming for the statue’s head.
Her clothes fluttered as she moved, momentarily revealing skin, but Ayun didn’t care and swung the bat without hesitation.
CLANG—!
CRACK!
The moment Ayun’s feet hit the floor, the statue’s face caved in. Once she confirmed it wasn’t moving, she kicked it over, shook off her bat, and quickly returned to her position.
“You got it.”
“...Don’t say shit like that.”
From what little she saw while knocking it over, there was no blood on its body either.
‘Not this one, either.’
Just how many more of these things were lurking in the abandoned school?
Ayun checked the condition of her baseball bat.
...It didn’t look great.
No matter how cleanly she landed the hits, smashing into stone meant it was a miracle the bat wasn’t already broken.
It was crushed and warped like a crumpled piece of paper.
‘How many more hits can it take?’
Two more? Maybe three? It might snap completely on the next strike.
‘If I’d known, I would’ve brought spares.’
Frustrated by the unexpected situation, Ayun bit her lip.
“How far do you think we have left?”
“I-I don’t know... but I think we’re almost at the exit.”
If she were alone, it wouldn’t have been a big issue... but Ayun sighed inwardly.
Still, just like Hyesung said, they hadn’t come that far in, so if they pushed on just a little more, the exit should be close.
Ayun stayed alert and watched their surroundings.
Step, step.
Their footsteps echoed down the hallway.
With all three walking in sync, the windows of an empty classroom rattled, and the two flinched in surprise.
Hyesung fought the urge to glance sideways.
‘...This is insane.’
He couldn’t shake the feeling that one of those statues might jump out of the empty classroom.
He knew it wouldn’t come from where he was looking, which made him wish he had more eyes.
Even so, Hyesung felt, in some corner of his heart, that it was a good thing he’d come.
‘...If I weren’t here, would they even be able to keep walking?’
That thought made him a little worried.
Ayun, sure—if she used to fight ghosts or came from that kind of world, he wasn’t worried about her.
But his younger sister Hyeyeon was just a regular person who happened to really like the occult.
‘I was the one who suggested this... but is it really okay to let her keep coming to places like this?’
No matter how much they bickered and fought, they were each other’s only siblings.
It was a natural concern.
‘...And knowing her, it’s not like she’d stop if I told her to.’
Thinking of his sister, who clearly wouldn’t listen no matter how much he tried to stop her, Hyesung sighed and forced strength into his eyes.
They could think about it more after they got out.
Behind him, he heard Hyeyeon exhale a sigh.
“Hoo...”
Watching Hyeyeon’s exhausted posture, Ayun, who had been keeping an eye on both sides, spoke gently.
“We’re almost there. Just hang in a bit longer.”
“Yes...”
Hyeyeon was a bit worn out from her first encounter with true paranormal phenomena.
That eerie mix of thrill and terror.
She wanted to study it more, but if she died, none of that would matter.
‘...Still, my heart’s pounding.’
The fact that Ayun unnie and her brother had been doing this kind of fun thing without her...
‘Well, now... I’ll be joining them.’
Hyeyeon couldn’t understand her brother.
Their views were going up, and they had solid safety measures—so why was he so against these occult experiences?
Even now... wasn’t he standing guard protectively?
‘Well... I guess just looking at her makes it kind of obvious.’
Where did someone like Ayun get her abilities?
She’d asked around among people who were supposed to know this stuff, but no one had recognized her by her appearance.
That made Ayun feel even more trustworthy to Hyeyeon.
It made her seem all the more “real.”
...And above all, she was cute too.
‘She’d be even prettier if she dressed up a bit.’
For some reason, Ayun seemed really uncomfortable with dressing up. Even when they were filming, they had to beg her just to get her to sit at the makeup table, where she’d close her eyes like a pig being dragged to slaughter.
‘...Maybe she was part of some cult or something?’
Hyeyeon imagined Ayun having once been part of some secluded group before cutting ties and returning to society.
While she was imagining that, they arrived at the central hall where the grandfather clock lay toppled over.
“We—we’re here.”
“Huh? Already?”
“Hey! Are you sure you saw that thing right?”
“I saw it just fine, okay? That’s how we made it this far.”
Feeling a little safer, the two resumed their usual bickering, and Ayun cut in.
“We’re not out yet, so if you wanna argue, do it outside.”
...Calling it ‘cutting in’ might be generous, but it got them to shut up, so let’s go with that.
Following Ayun’s lead, they slowly passed the grandfather clock and headed toward the glass doors.
One step at a time.
The glass doors grew closer.
When they reached the entrance, Hyesung asked Ayun,
“D-Do I open it?”
“Yeah.”
Whoosh—!
With a heavy sound, the thick glass doors opened and outside air rushed in.
The stirred-up dust clouded their vision in all directions.
“Get out! Now!”
Sensing danger, Ayun shouted, and the two, startled, dove through the open doors.
Once she confirmed they were safely out, Ayun turned her back to the entrance and started slowly backing out as well.
“Achoo!”
Dust had gotten into her nose, tickling it.
Sneezing, Ayun reflexively shut her eyes.
[O-Open your eyes, quickly!]
At Ignis’s shout, Ayun snapped her eyes open.
Bloodshot from the dust, her vision returned—
And in front of her stood a statue with a horribly distorted face, its mouth gaping wide in rage.
It was definitely carved from stone.
But unlike the others, this one was grotesque in the extreme.
Its snow-white eyes had blackish-red streaks running from them like ink, and beneath that, between its stretched lips, were rows of jagged, pointed teeth.
Behind that hungry mouth lay a black void, like a deep abyss.
The outstretched hands, seemingly ready to strangle, were drenched in dark, dried blood of unknown origin.
Ayun’s eyes stung from the dust, but she forced them open and stared at the thing.
“...Fuck.”
She’d nearly died.
Muttering the curse under her breath, Ayun raised her bat above her head—
And slammed it down with all her strength.
Thwack!
She’d hit stone, but the sound was more like a wet thud—like flesh being struck.
Without pause, Ayun hit it again.
CRACK!
Her bat dented, and a fracture split the statue.
‘...So this is the main one.’
Once more, she raised the bat—
And struck.
Crunch—! Clang!
With a sound just /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ like the previous ones, the grotesque face collapsed.
At the same time, Ayun’s bat snapped in half, the broken piece flying through the air.
Clatter—!
As it lost its face, the statue’s body began to slowly disintegrate.
Ayun kicked the crumbling remains in frustration.
Thud—!
The thing collapsed onto the ground and turned to dust, leaving behind nothing but its remnants.
“...Phew.”
Killed—no, probably best not to say that.
Ayun shook off the thought clouding her mind,
And, in case any statues remained, she backed out of the school.
When Ayun emerged, her eyes bloodshot, Hyesung and Hyeyeon rushed to her in a panic.
“Unnie, are you okay?”
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“W-What happened?!”
Ayun, who had been feeling pretty awful because of that thing just now, found herself oddly softened by their concern.
‘...Hmph.’
It felt surprisingly nice—being genuinely worried about by someone.
Ayun rubbed her eyes, gave a small smile, and spoke.
“One of them came at me just now. Must’ve been waiting for the moment I was heading out. Honestly, that’s when you’re most... off guard...”
“D-Did you take care of it?”
Ayun nodded.
“Probably. So...”
Hyesung and Hyeyeon swallowed nervously, waiting for what she’d say next.
“...Let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving.”
At her words, Hyeyeon let out a giggle,
And Hyesung gave a helpless laugh.
