EPISODE 27

With the encouragement of their members, the Jihan&Yulmu Team took a strong step forward.

Upon entering, there was a frightening smell of chemicals that stung the nose. As the door slammed shut with a rusty clang, darkness immediately engulfed them.

[Yulmu: You can't run away. Got it?]

[Jihan: Right back at you, don't ditch me.]

The only thing they were given was a small flashlight.

They stood side by side, but Jihan, who was vaguely ahead, yanked at Yulmu. A stern warning not to fall behind followed.

- Jihan just cursed with his eyes.

- Yulmu got a bit scared ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

- Why is the flashlight red? ㅋㅋㅋ That makes it scarier.

[Course 1: Emergency Room]

A haunted house with a hospital theme.

The red lights blinked irregularly with the eerie sound of wind that could be constantly heard. Most of the beds lined up were in shambles, with vivid traces of blood. The ceiling curtains were torn and tattered.

[Yulmu: Ah... I think something's going to come out.]

[Jihan: Quiet.]

[Yulmu: One hundred percent, something's going to come out of here.]

The item Jihan and Yulmu needed to find was a bouquet of flowers.

As they passed by the beds, Yulmu's fussing began to make Jihan's composed gaze waver. At that moment, the telephone on the desk rang.

Riiing!

[Yulmu: Uaaaagh!]

[Jihan: Aack! Ah, come on!]

The bell rang the moment Jihan cautiously lifted the curtain. Yulmu, startled, grabbed the arm next to him.

Jihan was more startled by Yulmu than by the sound. The agitated cat glared at his nemesis and sighed.

//TN: Nemesis because Yulmu's animal representation is a puppy and cats and dogs are known to be "enemies".

- The Mongnyangz are so cute. I'm dying. ㅋㅋㅋ

//TN: The Korean onomatopoeia(=sound effect spelled out) for barking is "Mong" and for meowing is "Nyang"

- Answer the phone, guys ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

- Wow… if it were me, I'd have wet myself

- Isn't there something sticking out from the desk?

The telephone continued to ring.

The two cautiously approached, scanning their surroundings. There didn't seem to be any noticeable dangers.

Yulmu picked up the receiver.

[Yulmu: H-hello?]

Not just holding the receiver, Jihan also leaned in, listening attentively alongside Yulmu.

Bang!

At that moment, the cabinet next to the desk burst open and a ghost in a hospital gown came out.

[Yulmu&Jihan: Uaaah!]

They were frightened out of their wits. Startled, they both instinctively threw each other in front of the ghost to protect themselves.

[Friendship ♥]

[It's all about living and looking at myself first.]

Funny subtitles were added.

The two people who quickly calmed down. For a moment, the two members were bickering, asking 'How could you push me' while calling each other hypocrites Yulmu, soothing his startled heart, promised not to scream for real now. The oath was sealed with a pinky promise.

With newfound resolve, Team 1 moved on to the next course.

[Course 2: Operating Room]

After passing through the emergency room, they found themselves in an operating room bathed in green light. Inside, a mannequin lay on an operating table. Somehow, it seemed like it might move the moment they walked by.

After arguing about who would go first, the two decided to resolve it through a game of rock-paper-scissors. Yulmu emerged victorious after a fierce battle.

Thus, Jihan took the lead in the second course.

[Jihan: I-I'm sorry. I'm just going through.]

With a polite greeting, he took a step forward, his gaze fixated on the surgical table in the center of the room.

An insistent stare, trying to figure out if that thing lying there was a mannequin or a person. However, the eerie atmosphere and the lifelike quality of the figure left them uncertain…

[Yulmu: That's a person. Looks like a real person. Ex-excuse me, do you happen to know where the bouquet- aaaah!]

[Jihan: Aagh! Hey!]

Clatter! Clatter!

The sudden movement of the surgical table led both of them to flop down on the floor. Jihan closed his eyes tightly as a throbbing headache hit him, while Yulmu clutched his pounding heart, barely breathing.

At that moment, the remaining members heard their screams from outside.

[Minsung: I think this is the first time I've seen Jihan so excited?]

[Yuyeon: Ahaha! That's so funny! Seriously!]

[Baekya & Chung (Not Sleeping): …]

There were only two types among them: those who were having fun and those whose souls had left their bodies.

- They're going to cry before they've even entered

- I've never seen Jihan so excited before. ㅋㅋㅋ Well, maybe not exactly excitement.

- Yuyeon is hitting with his dimples

- I can't wait to see the next team go in!

[Course 3: The ward]

Meanwhile, the same-aged duo arrived at the third course. There were still no sights of the bouquet. Thinking it was most likely here, the two decided to get inside as quickly as possible to get this over with.

With their hearts somewhat trained after two experiences, Jihan and Yulmu shouted their team chant and opened the door.

But when faced with the truth, the door slammed shut again before anyone could say anything.

[Yulmu: Oh, my god. D-did you see that?]

[Jihan: Yeah… It wasn't just me, right?]

Wind blowing through a half-open window. Fluttering blood-red curtains. And the wheelchair ghost.

The bouquet was placed on the bed right next to the ghost.

- Woah, damn, even I got surprised.

- What's with the wheelchair? Scared the heck out of me ㅠㅠ But that thing looks really human.

- Oh dear… to put the bouquet there like that…

Not daring to open the door again, they decided to look in through the small window above the door. The wheelchair ghost was a little further forward than when they first saw it.

Woosh!

The sound of the wind conveniently came in.

[Jihan & Yulmu: Waah!]

Startled, the two clutched their chests. Realizing that the longer they took, the more disadvantageous it was for them, the two decided to charge through head-on.

It was operation 'Strike first to win'.

Startle the ghost first before it can move!

The result was a success.

[Jihan: Please, accept it.]

[Yulmu: Please.]

The two of them, having successfully grabbed their target object, sprinted like madmen towards the exit where the gatekeeper was.

Although the bouquet of flowers became disfigured during the process, the sight of Jihan offering the bouquet to the gatekeeper warmed the hearts of those watching.

- …What's with this sudden romance?

- Wasn't this a horror genre just a moment ago? ㅋㅋ

- Is this a proposal? Should I book a wedding venue right now???

- Kyaaah! I'm so excited!!!

[Jihan & Yulmu's Escape Successful!]

The first team that transcended horror and romance has finally come out. The members made fun of the two who looked much more exhausted than when they entered.

[Yuyeon: Puhah! Both of your faces look completely drained.]

[Minsung: Are you guys okay? You were screaming quite a bit.]

[Yulmu: …You're laughing? Why don't you go in yourself? Let's see if you'll still be laughing then.]

[Yuyeon: Eyy. I don't get scared~]

[Jihan: We'll see about that.]

Although they were worried that they might have screamed too much, Jihan and Yulmu were relieved to have completed their mission.

After laughing and chattering for a moment, Baekya and Minsung got up in response to the announcement of the next team's entrance.

[Chung: Hyuuung… Make sure to come back alive, okay?]

[Baekya: Chung-ah…! (Choked up)]

[Minsung: Where are you going to die? Come here.]

For a moment, it looked like they were about to unfurl the Korean flag and wave it around.

Minsung, who firmly took hold of Baekya, led him to the rusty iron gate.

[Team 2, The Petite Ones, Entering]

- Why is this team's name like this? ㅋㅋ

- Is it because those two are the shortest in DASE?

- A powerful rabbit!

Fans were immediately delighted by the entrance of the second team.

Creeeaak.

The rusty iron door slammed shut making a chilling sound. The Peach froze in fear of being trapped in the dark. The target object the Baekya&Minsung Team had to find also happened to be a peach.

[Baekya: …You can't abandon me.]

[Minsung: Why would I abandon you? But if you're going to stay still without moving like this then I might have to consider it.]

The two had not even gotten near the first course yet. It was because of Baekya, who had flopped down on the floor as the darkness had grown even scarier after the door closed.

[Baekya: Th-the peach might have fallen on the floor, so I was just checking.]

[Minsung: Sure. Not finding anything, right? Then let's go now.]

When Baekya fumbled on the floor for some nonsensical reason, Minsung decided he had waited long enough and pulled Baekya to his feet.

His terrified face was clearly visible even in the darkness. Already pale to begin with, he looked like he might faint at any moment, which made Minsung slightly worried.

[Minsung: Do you want to hold me if you're scared?]

[Baekya: I-I'm not scared! I'm not a kid… But still, I shouldn't lose you so…]

Even while denying it, afraid that Minsung might change his mind, Baekya nervously grabbed the hem of Minsung's clothes.

[Course 1: Emergency Room]

Blood-stained beds and torn curtains. The cart with medical instruments was toppled over in disarray.

With Minsung's lead, Team Petite Ones inspected the emergency room.

- Whoa, Minsung doesn't have one bit of fear in him.

- He just casually looked through the curtains, Do Minsung is so cool ㅠㅠㅠ

- Baekya being so scared is so cute ㅜㅜ

Minsung wandered around the haunted house like it was his own bedroom, while Baekya pretended not to be affected and followed closely.

Just then, an old telephone rang.

Ring, ring!

[Baekya: Kyagh!]

[Minsung: Hello?]

Baekya, terrified out of his wits due to the sound of the telephone, and Minsung, confidently walking over and picking up the receiver without hesitation, the reaction of the two was so contrasting that it was fascinating to watch.

[Baekya: I hate ghosts so much. Really hate them. Super hate them. I'd prefer cockroaches. (Mumble, mumble)]

Baekya, who found ghosts scarier than Mr. C, kept muttering 'Bushinsaba' without letting go of Minsung's clothes.

- What's with the stuff this baby is saying when freaked out? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

- What is Baekya mumbling about?

- Bunshinsaba???

- Isn't that a spell to invite ghosts though? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Yukyung (a.k.a BFF) has been telling Baekya, who was afraid of ghosts, that 'Bunshinsaba' was a spell to banish ghosts. Baekya had believed his friend's words for years.

[Minsung: I think the phone is just bait. They probably rang it intentionally to lure us here.]

As Minsung looked around, the cabinet right next to the desk opened, and a ghost popped out.

Bang!

With the perfect timing to pierce through one's psyche. Of course, the ghosts startled only Baekya.

[Baekya: Keuhp. (Not muted)]

The clenched fists up in the air.

The stopped breathing.

Baekya, frozen in place, was in such a great state of shock that his almost-dead complexion would make the person frightening him feel guilty.

Baekya's pupils slowly moved as the ghost questioned him if he was all right. His eyes seemed to have a lot to say. But who could blame him? The sunfish had genuinely almost died just a moment ago.

[Warning!]

[Stress Index has reached the 'Caution' level: 54%]