Morning sunlight slipped into the living room, soft and golden, like the house was trying to make up for what it had done the night before.
For the first time in hours, the place didn't feel heavy.
Re-ha shuffled out first, wrapped in a blanket and yawning like a sleepy cat. She walked straight to the kitchen.
Coffee first. Survival later.
As she opened the cabinet, she heard footsteps.
Lila entered, hair messy, wearing mismatched socks, and holding a tiny plush keychain she slept with.
"Morning, sunshine," Re-ha teased.
"Don't. Talk. To me."
Lila dropped her head dramatically onto the table.
Re-ha laughed. "Rough night?"
"Night? I think I aged ten years," Lila mumbled. "When the attic slammed, I swear my soul packed its bags."
Re-ha handed her a mug. "Drink. Your soul is dehydrated."
Lila perked up. "Bless you."
A moment later, Agani came in — surprisingly fresh, though her eyes held a quiet tiredness.
Re-ha noticed instantly. "You okay?"
Agani nodded and forced a little smile. "Just thinking."
"About the attic?" Lila asked.
"No," Agani replied honestly. "About… everything."
Before either could answer, Nira appeared in the doorway — hair neatly braided, expression soft.
"Good morning," she said in her calm, gentle tone.
Lila blinked. "How are you so peaceful? Did you not hear the house trying to open a portal last night?"
Nira sat gracefully at the table. "I meditate."
Lila squinted. "Teach me. I want that level of not panicking."
Re-ha placed toast on the table. "It's not that she doesn't panic. She just hides it better."
Nira smiled faintly. "Something like that."
The girls settled into a soft, comfortable silence.
For a moment, it felt like any normal house with friends starting their morning.
---
IJ Arrives (And Ruins the Peace)
Suddenly, the front door clicked open.
IJ stepped in, yawning and carrying two paper bags.
"Morning, roommates I technically don't live with but still feed," he announced.
Re-ha raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here so early?"
"I couldn't sleep," IJ said. "Kept thinking about the map. And about how Agani almost walked into the world's creepiest attic."
Agani groaned. "Can we not talk about that for at least one breakfast?"
"Fine," IJ said, dropping the bags dramatically on the table. "Then let's talk about the real crisis."
Everyone looked at him.
IJ lifted his finger with theatrical seriousness.
"Who finished the last of the banana milk and left the empty box in the fridge?"
Lila slowly raised her hand.
IJ gasped. "Traitor."
Lila defended herself. "I was emotionally unstable!"
"You're always emotionally unstable," IJ muttered.
"That's rude," Lila said.
"But true," Re-ha added.
Everyone laughed, the tension lifting more and more.
IJ sat beside Agani and nudged her lightly. "Hey. You alright?"
"I'm okay," she said softly.
"You look okay." He paused. "But the kind of okay where someone says they're okay but they've actually started a fight with life."
Agani hid a smile. "IJ…"
He grinned. "Just checking."
---
A Normal Breakfast… Almost
Re-ha opened IJ's bag. "You bought pastries?"
"Yup. Peace offerings."
Lila grabbed one instantly. "Bless you again."
Nira smiled, sipping warm tea. "Thank you, IJ."
"You're welcome, Nira, only person here who appreciates me."
Re-ha snorted. "Don't push it."
For a few minutes, they ate quietly — toast, pastries, fruit, and too much coffee.
Lila suddenly said, "Guys… do you think we should explore the place on the map?"
"No," Re-ha said instantly.
"Yes," IJ said at the exact same time.
They glared at each other.
Nira gently placed her cup down. "We don't need to rush. Today… we rest. We talk. We just exist."
Agani nodded. "I agree. Yesterday was a lot. We'll go step by step."
IJ rubbed his forehead dramatically. "Wow. Agani being sensible. Who would've guessed?"
Agani flicked a crumb at him. "Shut up."
Lila giggled. "A married couple."
Both choked on their food.
"EXCUSE ME?" IJ sputtered.
"We are not— what— NO," Agani said in horror.
Re-ha laughed so hard she almost dropped her mug. "I support this chaos."
Nira shook her head. "Children."
---
Plans for the Day
Re-ha grabbed her planner. "Okay. Let's be productive. What's everyone doing today?"
Nira spoke first. "DCK University emailed me. I have to meet a professor today."
Lila clapped. "Go Nira, go teach brilliant students!"
Nira smiled. "I'll try."
Lila added, "I also have work. And I'm not burning anything today. Hopefully."
IJ pointed at her. "Please don't write 4114 anywhere near the stove."
Lila shivered. "Never again."
Re-ha tapped her pen. "I have a photoshoot later."
Agani nodded. "And I have to file the report on House 4112."
"Want help?" IJ asked.
"No," Agani said.
"Yes," Re-ha corrected.
Agani sighed. "Fine. Maybe."
IJ grinned proudly.
---
A Moment Between Agani and IJ
After breakfast, as everyone went to change or wash dishes, Agani stood at the sink.
IJ came to rinse a cup beside her.
"Hey," he said softly.
She looked up. "Hmm?"
"If anything happens today… call me."
Agani paused, water running over her hands. "I will."
"And I mean anything," he said, "ghost, mysterious wind, creepy letter, you just feeling strange— anything."
Agani stared at the cup in her hands.
Then she said quietly, "Thank you."
IJ smiled gently — not teasing, not joking — just real.
"I'm here. Don't forget that."
Her chest warmed a little.
"I won't," she said.
---
Meanwhile, in the Living Room
Lila turned to Nira. "Do you think… this thing is dangerous?"
Nira thought for a moment.
Her eyes were soft but thoughtful.
"I don't know," she whispered. "But I know this — we're supposed to face it together."
Re-ha nodded. "Exactly. Whatever this is… we won't let each other go through it alone."
Lila exhaled, relieved.
"I'm glad I found this house," she said softly.
"Even with its creepy attic."
Re-ha smiled and pulled her into a half-hug. "Same."
---
The Chapter Ends With Calm
As they all got ready to leave for their day, the atmosphere had shifted.
Not heavy.
Not haunted.
Not fearful.
Just… normal.
Warm.
Connected.
The map lay quietly on the table.
The house hummed with morning light.
And for the first time since everything began, the four women and IJ felt like a team — steady, grounded, and ready, even if they didn't know what was coming.
Because today was peaceful.
Tomorrow… would not be.
The morning sun was soft, not too bright—just enough to make the campus look warm and familiar. Nira walked through the gates with her usual calm smile, holding her books close to her chest. Even though she had been feeling strange ever since the incident at the mansion, she tried to keep her steps confident. She didn't want her students to worry.
As she entered the corridor, voices filled the air, students chatting and laughing. She felt comfort in the routine.
Just then, someone called out,
"Ma'am! Good morning!"
It was Arjun, one of her best students—quiet, respectful, and always watching people a little more deeply than others. He jogged toward her, holding his notebook.
"Ma'am, are you feeling better now?" he asked, slightly out of breath, but his eyes filled with genuine worry.
Nira blinked in surprise.
"Better? Of course, Arjun. I'm perfectly fine," she said with a bright smile.
But internally… something pulled at her chest.
A strange warmth.
A small flutter.
As if her soul recognized something before her mind could understand it.
Arjun looked relieved.
"That's good. Last week you seemed… distracted. I was worried."
Nira gave a soft laugh.
"You shouldn't worry about your teacher like that."
He smiled shyly, pushing his hair back.
"Can't help it, ma'am. Some people… you just notice."
Those words hit her unexpectedly.
Nira froze for a second.
Why did her heartbeat skip?
Why did she suddenly feel like she knew this boy from somewhere far beyond this lifetime?
She forced the thought away.
"Alright, go to class. And thanks for checking on me."
Arjun nodded and walked off, but Nira stood still for a moment—holding her chest gently, unable to explain the emotion rising inside her.
---
Scene 2: Agani on Her Way to Work
Downtown was buzzing as usual. Agani walked toward her workplace, holding a thick stack of documents her boss had asked her to handle. She was running slightly late, so she hurried up the staircase of the office building.
But halfway up—
Her foot slipped.
Papers flew everywhere.
"Ah—no, no, no! Not again!" she groaned, dropping to her knees and scrambling to gather the sheets.
She was annoyed, stressed… until a soft clink sounded.
Her necklace—a pendant shaped like a small moon on a thin silver chain—slipped out from under her collar.
It sparkled under the staircase light.
At that exact moment, footsteps approached rapidly.
Re-ha.
She was heading the same way, flipping through her phone casually, until her gaze lifted—
And she froze.
Her eyes widened, glued to the pendant hanging against Agani's collarbone.
A cold shock shot through her.
"That pendant…" Re-ha whispered, voice trembling.
Before Agani could ask anything, Re-ha's vision blurred, like shadows overlapping the present. Her mind filled with flashes—unknown faces, a girl crying, a burning mark, someone whispering "4114," and a hand wearing… the very same pendant.
"No—stop… not now…" she whispered weakly, clutching her head.
Agani straightened up, confused.
"Re-ha? Are you okay?"
But Re-ha couldn't hear her.
Her knees buckled.
And—
She collapsed.
Her body hit the staircase floor.
Agani gasped, dropping the remaining documents.
"Re-ha!!"
She rushed forward, shaking her gently, panic rising in her voice.
Re-ha remained unconscious, her breathing shallow and uneven.
The pendant glowed faintly under the light, as if reacting to her collapse.
And Agani realized—
This was not normal.
Something was happening to all of them…
Something tied to those numbers.
And perhaps…
To each other.