Chapter 7
Seol-ah’s arm brushed against his bare skin.
“……”
She couldn’t even bring herself to turn her head and look at Soo-hyuk, just gulped down her saliva instead.
She could feel his firm shoulder and arm lying right next to her.
It was the first time this bed had borne the weight of two people.
The whole situation felt so foreign that her mind went blank.
— You’ve heard the saying “fool the ghost,” right? That’s the impossible mission you two need to pull off right now. Especially you, our bride! Keep your wits about you.
“Yes…”
Seol-ah’s trembling voice answered the shaman Cindy through the earphones.
— The ghost in your house has weak hearing. But it sees everything, senses everything, so do this right. Play the married couple properly. Now, start. Look deeply into each other’s eyes… Are you looking at each other now?
But despite the shaman’s scolding, Seol-ah was so nervous she couldn’t hear a thing.
She only clutched the blanket tightly and squeezed her eyes shut.
Tap, tap.
Soo-hyuk lightly tapped the back of her hand.
Startled, Seol-ah’s eyes flew open.
“Look at me, won’t you? I said look.”
“……!”
At some point, his face had come so close their noses nearly touched.
“Uh? Ah, yes…”
Her own shocked face was reflected in Soo-hyuk’s eyes.
“Nervous?”
“N-no! I mean… I don’t know.”
— You’ve got to act like a couple that’s madly in love! Like it’s your wedding night and you can’t live without each other.
Cindy’s urgent instructions continued, completely ignoring Seol-ah’s near-panic.
— Treat each other like the tongue inside your mouth.
“H-huh? T-tongue? W-what are we supposed to do with our tongues?”
Wasn’t this way too much for a first order?!
Her shocked protest burst out before she could stop herself.
— Haah…
A heavy sigh came through her ear.
— Not your tongue! Agh… Bride, fake bride! Pull yourself together! Unless you want that ghost dragging you off as its bride later!
“Y-yes…”
On the bed, she felt like she was being scolded within an inch of her life.
— Groom, bride. Look at each other so sweetly it’s like you’d even give up your liver and kidneys for one another.
It was an order far more embarrassing than Seol-ah had anticipated.
She hung her head like a child given the hardest homework in the world.
“……!”
Soo-hyuk lifted her chin.
Looking down at her with a lazy, seductive gaze, he said,
“If you’re going to do it, do it right.”
His voice was low and firm, like a flame that refused to go out.
She thought maybe this man she’d just met today felt even more dangerous than the ghost.
And yet, strangely, his commanding tone steadied her heart.
In just a short while, when the clock struck midnight, she might be dragged to the afterlife.
Facing that lonely hour of death with no one to lean on, Seol-ah clung to Soo-hyuk’s decisiveness.
— Now, groom, bride, slowly embrace each other…
Soo-hyuk pulled her straight into his arms.
When her lips brushed against his solid chest muscles, Seol-ah gasped and looked up at him wide-eyed.
Like a meerkat, Soo-hyuk thought, staring into her large, dark eyes.
His gaze softened as he looked at her, making Seol-ah quickly lower her eyes.
The only place she could hide her blushing face was, ironically, his embrace.
It was her first time seeing a muscular man’s bare body outside of a sports broadcast.
If she didn’t keep her hand on his chest to maintain distance, their lips would meet right away.
But pressing her hand there just made it look like she was touching him on purpose, leaving her flustered.
While she fidgeted in his arms, the next order came.
— From now on, no matter what happens, do not look back! Even if you know, pretend you don’t. Even if you see, pretend you didn’t. Got it?
“Yes…”
Seol-ah’s frightened eyes answered.
— Good. Looks like the ghost is catching on. It’s starting to waver. Don’t get excited or provoke it. Slowly now… Kiss.
“W-what?”
Seol-ah froze, startled.
— The groom and bride will now kiss…
As Soo-hyuk leaned closer to her lips, his eyebrow arched slightly.
Seeing the meaning hidden in her wavering eyes, he let out a quiet, amused laugh.
That someone still considered a mere kiss so precious—it was fascinating.
— Bride and groom, kiss!
To Seol-ah, a kiss felt like a ritual of true emotion, something to share only with someone you really connected with.
But now, it was just the fake wedding night of a fake couple.
In other words—showtime.
That’s right. This is just like the horror version of a king’s game. King’s game, king’s game…
Resolving to play her role as host of this bizarre show, Seol-ah turned to him with sudden determination.
Caught off guard, Soo-hyuk even leaned back slightly.
— The ghost is staring straight at you now! You have to show it! Hurry, kiss!
Seol-ah squeezed her eyes shut and leaned toward his lips.
“……?”
But his hand came down on her mouth.
Covering her lips with his palm, he pressed a brief kiss onto the back of his hand instead.
Smack—
The sound was crisp as his lips touched and left his skin.
Then he whispered softly into her ear,
“Let’s say that counts.”
And gave her a crooked, mischievous smile.
That playful grin somehow reassured her again.
— Good job. See? I told you, you could do it.
Leaning close once more, Soo-hyuk whispered almost inaudibly,
“It’s certain the ghost can’t see this side.”
His joke gave her enough relief to finally laugh a little.
— You know time’s running out, right? Let’s move faster. Groom, undress the bride. It’s coming closer! That bastard!
Hearing such colorful cursing paired with instructions to strip was surreal.
What a messed-up wedding night.
Soo-hyuk gave a small shake of his head, then reached for the top button of Seol-ah’s blouse.
She stiffened instantly, shoulders shrinking.
He paused, looking her directly in the eyes.
“If my guess is right… you want this to remain an emotionless arrangement, correct?”
“…Yes. I’d rather there be no feelings at all. After tonight, we won’t see each other again.”
Her tone was calm and composed—hard to believe she had been panicking moments ago.
— What kind of nonsense is that?! I told you to act like a truly in-love couple! You’re cutting out the emotions? Are you two improvising when there’s already a director here?!
Cindy’s furious voice shrieked in her ears, but Soo-hyuk ignored it with ease.
“In that case, I’ll enjoy this time in my own way. You, on the other hand, just focus on using me to get through this. Don’t think about anything else.”
“……”
Was he always this persuasive, or was it just her?
In truth, Seol-ah’s mind was a tangled jungle.
Will this plan even work?
What if, despite all this, the ghost doesn’t leave, and when the clock strikes twelve I’m dragged away?
Will this man be left with the horror of lying in bed with a corpse?
That would be terrible…
And besides, isn’t it mortifying to bare myself in front of a man whose name is all I know?
…How could he possibly know her head was overflowing with such thoughts?
Even knowing how reckless it was to trust a stranger, she wanted to rely on his judgment.
Seol-ah nodded.
— Oh right, bride! I almost forgot—no matter what, act like you’re enjoying it. Even if you don’t, overact and make it look like you do.
At that, Soo-hyuk frowned slightly.
He lifted a finger to his earphone.
He looked like a bodyguard standing firm to protect his bride.
Gazing lazily down at Seol-ah, he spoke into the earphone.
“I don’t even know why I’m trusting this right now, but… is twelve o’clock ‘in’ or ‘out’?”
