Episode 1: The Road to Mount Seoraksan

**[Narrator Voice]:** *The world is a dark, dangerous place, filled with monsters waiting in the shadows. But inside a sunny college campus, a different kind of storm was brewing. A storm of five souls, bound by friendship and destiny! Allow me to introduce our heroes. First, Da-hyun, a boy whose brain holds all the knowledge of the universe, yet he remains delightfully innocent about the world. Then there is Si-woo, the quiet, cute comedian who speaks rarely, but strikes with humor like a ninja.*

*And now... the girls. A-in, the smooth talker who can charm her way out of a burning building. Seo-yeon, the sweet savage who can destroy your entire life with a polite smile. And finally... my absolute favorite. Soo-ah! A glorious, beautiful explosion of chaotic energy and pure badass power. If a monster met Soo-ah in a dark alley, I would pray for the monster.*

*Our story begins not with a scream of terror, but with a scream of... vacation planning.*

"Mountains! We are going to the mountains, Da-hyun, and that is final!" Soo-ah yelled, slamming her hand on the table.

"No! The beach is objectively better!" Da-hyun argued back, puffing out his chest. "You get water, you get sand, you get peace! Mountains just have rocks and bugs, Soo-ah!"

"Beach is for losers! Mountains have glory! Mine is better!"

"No, mine is better!"

The two of them were practically nose-to-nose, arguing like five-year-olds. Right then, the rest of the group walked up to the table, holding their drinks.

Seo-yeon sighed, looking at them. "What happened now? Why are you two barking like stray dogs?"

Soo-ah pulled away and crossed her arms. "Let’s see where the majority is. We need a vote. Mountain or beach?" She turned to A-in. "A-in, speak."

A-in took a sip of her juice. "Beach. Definitely beach."

Da-hyun immediately let out a loud, mocking laugh right in Soo-ah's face. "Ha! See? Smart people choose the beach!"

Soo-ah ignored him and glared at Seo-yeon. "Seo-yeon. Choose wisely."

Seo-yeon smiled sweetly. "Mountain. I like the fresh air."

Soo-ah turned her head slowly toward Da-hyun, giving him a terrifying, victorious look.

Now, it was a tie. Two votes for the beach, two votes for the mountain. All eyes slowly turned to the last person. Si-woo.

Si-woo was just standing there, minding his own business. Suddenly, he felt a cold sweat run down his spine. Soo-ah was giving him a literal death stare. Her eyes said one thing very clearly: *Choose the beach, and you die.*

Si-woo swallowed hard. "Uh... mountain."

"Cheating! Cheating!" Da-hyun started shouting, throwing his hands in the air. "This is not fair! You scared him, Soo-ah! Look at his face, he is terrified!" Soo-ah just smirked. Da-hyun turned to Si-woo, totally offended. "Bro! You broke the bro code!"

Si-woo looked at Da-hyun with wide, serious eyes. "Bro, my head is more important than the bro code. If I said beach, she would have crushed my skull right here."

Si-woo then, his smart brain taking over. "Plus, think about it logically, Da-hyun. It is vacation time. The beaches will be completely crowded and noisy. Aren't you an introvert? You would hate it. A high-rated mountain cottage is quiet and private."

The group nodded. Even Da-hyun couldn't argue with that logic.

**[Narrator Voice]:** *And so, by a mix of logical thinking and pure physical fear, the destination was set: Mount Seoraksan. A place of deep, whispering woods, where no one can hear you scream...*

Soo-ah immediately took charge. She spent hours online and found a beautiful, high-rated Airbnb cottage surrounded by trees. Si-woo booked a rental car since he was the only one who volunteered to drive.

The rule was simple: everyone had to be at the campus gate by 10:00 AM sharp with their luggage.

At 9:55 AM, Soo-ah was already standing at the gate, her bags neatly packed. A minute later, Seo-yeon arrived, smiling neatly. At 10:00 AM, Si-woo drove up in a big, clean rental car.

But by 10:15 AM... two people were still missing.

Seo-yeon kept looking at her watch, her sweet smile turning into a scary grin. "If they make us late, I am going to use their luggage as firewood."

Finally, at 10:30 AM, Da-hyun and A-in rushed up to the gate, panting.

"Wow, Da-hyun," Soo-ah said, rolling her eyes. "We thought you were going to sleep all day and keep us waiting forever."

"Hey! I was actually on time!" Da-hyun protested, pointing an accused finger at the girl next to him. "I had to go pick up A-in. She was the one who was late!"

Soo-ah immediately stepped in front of A-in. "So what? She is a girl. She needs time to get ready and look pretty."

Da-hyun gasped loudly. "Hwww! You gender-discriminative person! That is so unfair!"

Soo-ah just stuck her tongue out at him. "So what? Cry about it."

Da-hyun looked at Seo-yeon for backup, but Seo-yeon just gave him a cold look. "Stop irritating Soo-ah and get in the car, Da-hyun. You are wasting our oxygen."

Da-hyun quickly shut his mouth, knowing better than to argue with both of them.

The luggage was thrown into the trunk. Si-woo got behind the steering wheel. Soo-ah immediately claimed the front passenger seat next to him, ready to control the music and the map. Da-hyun, A-in, and Seo-yeon climbed into the spacious back seat.

With a turn of the key, the engine roared to life.

**[Narrator Voice]:** *And so, our five young friends drove away from the safety of their college, heading straight toward the towering, mysterious peaks of Mount Seoraksan. Little did they know, something was waiting for them in those beautiful mountains. Something dark. Something hungry. But hey, at least they saved money on the Airbnb!*

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***