ℙ𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 𝔾𝕣𝕖𝕪 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕, Beomjun

019

Later at the campsite, the boys sit in their fold-out chairs with pleasant smiles on their faces and bellies warm from deliciously spiced food. The fire emits soft crackles into the quiet of the night, its flames casting their faces in a golden glow and warding off shadows the few feet around them.

Hueningkai yawns, the ghost of air materialising past his lips. He looks over his shoulder and leans forward, resting his elbows on his spread knees, beer forgotten in his hand. "Have you ever heard of the Vanishing Hitchhiker?" he whispers like they should fear the hitchhiker might've heard him, a devilish glint in his eyes.

Beomgyu scoffs. "A ghost story, really?"

"We built a den earlier," Soobin quips, sliding his eyes over to Beomgyu as he takes a swig of his beer. As he lowers his can he wipes his hand with the back of his mouth.

"Touche." Beomgyu shrugs, slugging into his chair.

Yeonjun chuckles, eyes darting back to Hueningkai as he speaks, unmoved by Beomgyu's lack of enthusiasm. "It's said that you sense her before you see her," he begins, eyes travelling over the others with an unsettling intensity. "The twisting in your gut, hairs rising on the back of your neck, the tensing of your hands as you resist the urge to turn back."

"You should be a story-writer," Yeonjun jokes. Feeling giddy from the effects of alcohol in his system, cheeks and neck flushed, he closes his eyes, letting Hueningkai's voice carry him.

"Thanks, Hyung," Hueningkai replies, uninterested. Yeonjun thinks he wasn't even listening. "She appears out of thin air, and survivors have advised that you don't turn down her request for a ride."

"Why not?" Soobin whispers, glancing behind him when he hears the crunching of leaves. Paranoid, he hikes his legs up on his chair, fearing something might reach out for his feet.

Hueningkai takes his time to meet Soobin's eyes, voice low and gravel. "No one ever has a story of what happens if you say no." He pauses. Then adds, "Because no one's ever lived to tell the tale."

"It's rumoured that she pops up every so often as you continue your drive without her. The further you go, the more often she appears." Hueningkai takes on a rhythmic flow to his passage, every sentence punctuated by a haunting second to reflect. "And the closer she gets to the vehicle."

Yeonjun opens his eyes, slowly, finding Beomgyu's eyes on him. A relaxed and content smile on his face. Butterflies swarm his stomach, drowned by an overwhelming warmth and affection, surprised to find Beomgyu's focus on him. His face feels hot, hotter than it did moments before, hotter than the campfire and alcohol make him.

Yeonjun tries to dampen his eager thoughts. Knowing Beomgyu he's probably spaced out and imagining the story, but Yeonjun doesn't dare confront him. It'll only embarrass him if he thinks Beomgyu's watching him, or in turn embarrass Beomgyu for not being confronted about not listening to Hueningkai.

Instead, Yeonjun gives him a small smile, then flicks his gaze to Hueningkai. His thoughts urge him to glance back and see if Beomgyu's tender smile is still on him, struggling to focus on the story as he resists the temptation.

"It's too late to help her now, she doesn't want your help." Hueningkai laughs, shaking his head like the person was a fool for offering the fictional character a ride so late. "She wants blood," he clarifies in a deadpan voice.

Yeonjun thinks it's a bit silly, and too cliche to be intimidating, but maybe it works to some degree because Soobin looks terrified, arms cuddling his legs.

"When the driver pulls up and lowers his window, she stares, blankly. When he asks her what she wants, she stares. Then slowly, she lifts her hand... She reaches forward and—"