28. A cat's cradle

955 68 6
                                    

''We'll begin at eight o'clock sharp.'' Rang said looking at his pocket watch.
''Okay.''
''Hey, tie it.'' Rang gave one end of the string to Yeon.
''Is this my way back ?''
''Just in case.''
''Thank you for worrying about me.''
''Dont ever die. You know if you die there, you cant even save your soul.''
''Y/n.'' Yeon called out, breaking her staring contest with Moo yeong.
''Be careful of everything. And everyone.'' Y/n emphasized the last bit as Yeon nodded, patting her head.
The couple turned around after a final look and closed the door with Yeon and Moo yeong on the other side. Rang being Rang, couldn't wait so he poked a hole through the salmun*.

[*Salmun (살문) - They are doors made of thin, wood grids and paper. Salmun were used until the 1970s for doors inside mass-produced houses.]

The lights inside had dimmed. The only thing shining in the darkness were the cat's eyes, which slowly disappeared making Rang flinch by surprise.
''What happened ?'' Y/n asked. Rang hadn't even had the chance to frame his words when the string in his hand started to pull him inside. He immediately rolled the stick the string was on, letting it loose, at the end only leaving a few rolls of string left. He finally breathed when the string did not pull any longer.
''Yeon.'' Rang called out but there was no response. He then looked at y/n with a nod that said im gonna open the door now.
With a hana, dul, se, count in his head he pushed open the door leading to mere darkness as he walked in, y/n just a step behind him.

He let go of y/n's hand—that he instinctively held onto in the dark—to hold out the lighter.

He let go of y/n's hand—that he instinctively held onto in the dark—to hold out the lighter

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

When the room lit up, they were bewildered by the sight. The whole room was covered in zig-zag string to the other end that was in Rang's hand.
''What the hell, this is like a huge cats cradle maze.'' Y/n looked around touching the strings carefully, in amazement.
''Where did Yeon send Shin ju ?'' Rang asked.
''To grann-- Taluipa. Probably to inform her, you know, just in case if things go south. He said he'd call if he finds out anything.''

Rang cleared his throat, ''You didn't seem surprised at my suspicion on Moo yeong.''
''Well, it would be weird if you weren't. That would be unlike you. I know just because you dont involve yourself doesn't mean you aren't observant. You're Rang, aren't you ?''
''How do you always have the right answers ?'' Rang murmured to himself when the loud ringing of a telephone made them flinch.
''That sounds like it's coming from Hong joo-ssi's room. It could be Shin ju-ssi, i'll go get it'' Y/n rushed to the end of the hall way to Hong joo's room as she received the call.

''Hello ?'' She waited for a few seconds but there was no reply from the other end.
''Shin ju-ssi is that you ?'' She spoke again answered by dead silence.
''Y/n....'' A voice whispered through the phone. Y/n's eyes widened, her hands trembled at the horrid familiarity of the voice calling her name. Her life's worst nightmare flashed before her eyes in seconds. His eyes, his face, his voice. The imoogi's voice.

Y/n put the phone back, taking steps backwards, when the phone rang again. Her fingers turned into a fist, nails digging in her palm as she walked forward gathering her courage.
''Hello, it's me Shin ju.'' She unclenched her fist-exhaling her long held breathe-she replied back,
''Shin ju-ssi....''
''I've been trying to call since long but the line was busy. Anyway y/n-ssi, listen to me carefully. No matter what happens, Lee Rang-nim shouldn't get blood on the thread. It's the only way Lee Yeon-nim can come back and if even a single drop of blood falls on the thread, it'll be an invitation to the Jangsan tiger. You heard me, right ?''
''I'll see to it.''

Y/n put the receiver back, making haste towards the room where Rang was. She tried to open the door and inform Rang about the crucial information she had learnt but things weren't going so smoothly. The door wouldn't budge.
''Rang, the door won't open.'' Y/n called for the gumiho through the door.
''That's easier for me. Stay there.'' Y/n could hear a clear difference in his voice. It felt like he was speaking while running on the treadmill.
''Rang, listen to me. No matter what we can't get blood on the thread, Shin ju-ssi warned that it would be like inviting the demon here.''
''I think...... It's a little late for that.'' He sounded exhausted. Y/n put her ear closer to the door imagining the worst possibility which had already happened. Rang had already smeared blood on the thread and was now dealing with the dark consequences.

''What's going on here ?''
''Yeo hee ? What are you doing here ?'' Y/n asked but gave no chance to answer,
''No, it doesn't matter. You need to leave, right now.'' Y/n said making her turn around.
''I came to meet Rang but it seems somethings wrong. Is he alright ?''
''That's none of your--
It's dangerous for you to stay here.''
''That means Rang is in danger, right ?'' She tried fidgeting with the door but couldn't unlock it.
''Just stop it all of you !'' Rang's scream made the two on the other side of the door even more concerned.
''If you're staying, then at your own risk. Dont say I didnt warn you.'' Y/n gave Yeo hee a 'no nonsense' look, composed herself to think straight and feel what was going on. A negative energy though not as strong, she could feel it.

''Rang, are you alright ?'' Yeo hee asked continuously banging on the door as anxiety made her.
''Can you stop that, it's not helping me. Let me get a grasp of what's going on on the other side.'' Y/n lashed out at the mermaid.
''It's the Jangsan tiger. He's good at imitating others. That means he's probably playing with Rang's mind.'' She thought to herself then with a determined look called for Rang.
''Rang, can you hear me ?''
''There are a lot of them. They're talking too much. Make it stop !''
''Rang, calm down. Listen to me. Close your eyes, don't look at them, don't listen to them, don't think about anything else. Just focus on my voice, nothing else. The thread in your hand connects to the end with Yeon. It is his only way of coming back. And we both know the demon doesn't want that. He wants you to lose the skein. But I know you won't. You still have it tightly held in your hand. You won't let go of it, I trust you. All the Jangsan demon wants is for that thread to break. And it was his biggest mistake to think that he could make you do it. That some mere hallucinations could make you lose your will.''

Y/n slowly slid the door open, which now somehow did, to find Rang standing in front of her with his eyes shut.
''Because he doesn't know that you would do anything, without giving a thought about yourself, when the people you love and care about are in question.'' Y/n caressed Rang's face with her hands as he slowly fluttered his eyes open. A single tear slid through y/n's cheek looking at the wounds on Rang. He didn't even bother to look around to make sure that the supposed spirit tormenting him was no longer there. His gaze was fixed on y/n as her's was on him. Tracing her finger near the injury on his face, she held a bittersweet smile,
''Why are you always covered in scars ?''

A/N

Did you guys ever lie about something with good intentions but then you were continuously being put in situations where you had to top a lie on another thus creating a mountain heap of lies. And then feeling like you've come so far that you cant tell the truth at the given point ? Cause im in a similar predicament :)

Btw we're at 25k+ on this story y'all 😭✨

Back to you (TOTNT 1938 Lee rang version)Where stories live. Discover now