Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: Wojo
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Alright, let’s give up on the rides.
After trying a ride that spun around in the air, I quickly came to that conclusion.
Sara’s body wasn’t just bad at coordination, it seemed weak to anything that involved vigorous movement.
If I really tried to adjust, I could probably get used to it… but I didn’t come to the amusement park just to feel dizzy and throw up all day.
Moreover, the main reason I came to the amusement park today was to give Sara some will to live.
Not to instill a trauma that would make her think, “The outside world is dangerous.”
Even though Sara wasn’t verbally complaining right now, I could feel her displeasure.
Separate from the confusion I felt in this body, Sara was in a very bad mood.
I was starting to get a bit anxious.
Well, I guess it’s fine.
There’s no need to rush the results today.
After all, I would be with Sara for quite a long time, so things like this could be done slowly, over time.
However, first impressions are always important.
If your first experience with something is bad, it becomes harder to enjoy even a much better version of it later.
If Sara’s perception of this place gets twisted now, she’ll probably refuse to come here next time.
Sara can’t stop me from going anywhere, as long as I’m the one moving this body.
But I didn’t want to do that.
I wanted to help Sara, not force something upon her.
‘…’
…Huh?
It felt like the unpleasant emotions had eased up a bit.
“Sara, are you okay?”
While resting on a bench, Ha-neul looked at me with concern and asked.
“Yeah… I don’t think I can ride any more rides though.”
I answered honestly.
I felt sorry for the other friends who hadn’t been here in a while, but if I kept going, I might actually throw up in the car on the way back.
Although Yang Hye-in was a much better driver than I had expected, I wasn’t confident I wouldn’t get car sick on the way back, which was over an hour away.
“Well, if that’s the case, it can’t be helped.”
So-hee plopped down next to me and said.
The employees who had been following us around were sent away.
When I asked, “Isn’t it a problem for you to follow me around like this?” they turned pale and scattered.
…It seemed like following me had really caused a disruption in their work.
To make matters worse, they had heard that from the owner of the amusement park himself, so it was no wonder they were scared.
I felt a little bad, as they seemed quite frightened.
“Let’s just enjoy ourselves at a leisurely pace. There’s no need to force yourself to go on the rides.”
So-hee said, gently patting my back.
Hmm, patting the back of someone who feels like they’re about to throw up… was she trying to help me throw up?
It was a gesture of concern, so I didn’t say anything, but Yang Hye-in gave So-hee a long, pointed look.
Realizing she might be doing something wrong, So-hee quietly put her hand down.
…She was unexpectedly good at handling people.
Well, she had been someone who managed the servants of the mansion.
Choi Na-kyung hadn’t sent any additional servants after that.
To be more precise, all the mansion’s servants were essentially left unattended.
Since no one quit, it seemed like they were still getting paid regularly, but the servants’ faces always looked anxious.
Maybe they felt like they were in the eye of a storm.
Personally, I liked having less to worry about.
“…You don’t have to stay with me. You can go off and ride the rides.”
When I said that, So-hee opened her mouth to say something but closed it again.
After thinking for a moment, she said,
“Well, to be honest, I don’t really like rides either. The wait is long, and it’s over in just three minutes after waiting an hour and a half.”
She answered like that.
“I feel the same. There’s a lot to enjoy even without the rides.”
Ha-neul immediately agreed, nodding her head.
…Really?
There’s something to enjoy in an amusement park without the rides?
Well, yes.
I had heard that this place wasn’t originally built for the rides but for enjoying the flower gardens and the like.
At first, it was a European-style village, but to compete with other theme parks, they added all sorts of rides, changing the image.
Still…
Considering the entrance fee we paid, wouldn’t it be a waste to just enjoy the scenery?
“Let’s rest a bit more and go for a walk if you’re feeling up to it. It’s spring, after all. The flowers should be blooming beautifully up there.”
So-hee suggested.
Since she was being considerate and saying it for my sake, I couldn’t refuse, so I nodded.
Well, I can always come back when I’m feeling better.
I took a deep breath.
As the fresh air filled my lungs, I felt the dizziness in my head start to settle down.
“Oh, but what about Soo-ah…?”
I turned my head, realizing Soo-ah had gone quiet.
She was standing a few steps away from us, staring intently in one direction.
Following her gaze, I saw she was staring at the haunted house.
…Could she be the type who likes things like that?
Come to think of it, that’s kind of a cliché, isn’t it?
In these kinds of games, the quiet characters tend to like intense or scary movies, while the tough-looking tsundere characters are the ones who are usually afraid of that stuff.
“Do you want to go?”
“Huh? Uh, yeah?”
When I suddenly spoke to her, Soo-ah was startled and stammered.
“…Ah, yeah. I want to go.”
Once she realized what I was talking about, she quickly nodded.
Maybe she was embarrassed that her true feelings had been revealed, as her face flushed slightly.
“Oh, that’s good. We won’t have to worry about getting motion sickness there.”
So-hee casually leaned back in her seat and looked towards the haunted house, amused.
…Or not?
Could it be that clichés don’t apply here?
In the highlight videos I had seen, there was no amusement park event.
It seemed like something that should have happened at least once, but since it wasn’t something they would cut out of the highlights, it must not have happened at all.
Why?
Well, from my personal experience, Yoon Da-ho didn’t seem like the kind of person who would come to a place like this.
If anything, he’d prefer to go on a date at a fancy restaurant with a great view.
In Shin So-hee’s route, there didn’t seem to be any mental space for this kind of leisurely activity.
Her story involved being ostracized at school and running away, so there wasn’t much room for a carefree amusement park date.
So, I didn’t know the preferences of the kids here.
Well, I guess that’s to be expected.
Even though we’re close, it’s only been about a month since we became friends.
I guess we’re still in the stage of getting to know each other.
Feeling much better after resting, I stood up and said,
“Alright, shall we give it a try?”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Ha-neul asked, looking at me with deep concern.
“What’s the worst that could happen?”
While I wasn’t great at watching horror movies, being startled by something like this was a different matter.
Maybe it was because I had a firm belief that ghosts didn’t exist in reality.
At least, I didn’t remember being particularly scared during courage tests on school trips.
After all, the things that jump out are just people in costumes.
In movies, it’s all CG, and the premise is that it’s real, but there’s a limit to how realistic a costume can get.
At best, it would be like zombie makeup, right?
‘It’s not like the haunted house staff are going to hurt us, so I have no reason to be scared.’
Are you sure?
Even though I felt fine, I still asked Sara just in case.
‘Do what you want.’
Sara still seemed a bit sulky, but she wasn’t extremely angry, so I wasn’t too worried.
‘But isn’t it a bit hasty to say there’s no such thing as ghosts? You and I, from other people’s perspectives, would easily be mistaken for ghosts.’
…
Uh…
Wait, now you’re making it sound a little scary.
That’s true.
This world was much more like “fantasy” compared to where I had lived before.
If you think about it, the fact that someone who died by suicide could live again in another body is kind of like necromancy, isn’t it?
‘A ghost being scared of another ghost… That’s funny. I like it.’
No, seriously, stop it.
*
Maybe it was because of what Sara said earlier, or because the haunted house was better designed than I expected.
As soon as we entered, I was completely scared out of my mind.
Yes, even if ghosts don’t exist, people do.
In this world, I was someone who would jump and make strange noises if anyone so much as poked my side.
No matter how brave I had been in my old body, using Sara’s body, I screamed every time something jumped out.
“Ah!”
“Eek!”
“Hiii!”
My screams must have been music to the ears of the staff dressed as ghosts and zombies because they kept popping out.
And beside me—
“Are you okay?”
Soo-ah calmly comforted me with an expressionless face.
…
Yeah.
Clichés are clichés for a reason.
After we split up and randomly got paired together, Soo-ah flinched a couple of times but never screamed pathetically like I did.
…Not that I knew how brave the others were.
For the record, there were two emotions I felt from Sara.
One was fear.
Despite acting like she wasn’t scared earlier, every time I screamed, she was screaming inside as well.
If she were here physically, she’d probably be clinging to me or Soo-ah.
The other emotion was irritation.
Every time I screamed and, without thinking, clung to Soo-ah, Sara’s irritation was palpable.
Was she annoyed at me for dragging her into this place?
“It’s alright. It’ll be over soon.”
Soo-ah, who had been a reliable source of comfort, hugged my arm and reassured me, making Sara’s irritation skyrocket.
…Alright, let’s get out of here as quickly as possible and never come back here again, I promised myself.
…Not that that was the only reason.
For the record, Sara kept up her tough act till the end.