This room, which she saw in her nightmares, made her feel faint. She held tightly to Chansung's hand, as if she was afraid that if she walked away from him, something sinister would grab her and devour her.
Out of fear, her heart beat harder and her breathing sped up. With terrified eyes, she looked around her, realizing that this place was in no way different from the one in her dreams.
It was just as cold and chilling.
She stared at the statue of the devil from which she thought all those sounds were coming.
- Where exactly do you think the Kim family's daughter might be? - Jungkook asked.
The redhead pointed her finger at the large, terrifying statue.
- There - she replied, staring at it without batting an eyelid. - I just know it - she added in a whisper, seeing their puzzled looks.
Before they could move, Chanmi let go of her friend's hand and walked in that direction. They watched her as she stood to the side of the statue and grabbed the door handle.
- This has to stop - she added before she went inside. A shrill chill pierced her body, chills appeared all over her body, and her gaze was fixed on a single point. She stared at the glassed-in bed, where inside she could see the frosty air escaping, enveloping the body of the sleeping girl.
The blue light that emanated from a device that sounded like a refrigerator carefully illuminated the young woman. White as fresh snow, with her hair reaching her feet, she lay there like Snow White.
Chanmi turned to the boys as they joined her. They looked astonished by the sight, more so than her.
- The real daughter of the Kim family is really here - whispered Jungkook.
- Is she frozen? - Asked Chansung, scratching his head.
- Yes - replied the redhead, walking closer to the glass bed, which looked like a coffin. - She is like Sleeping Beauty, waiting to wake up and lead a happy life. This is her parents' and sister's greatest dream. To welcome back the real Chanmi, at the expense of the life of the scapegoat, they tried to treat as a family member. - A sour smile appeared on her face. - She is beautiful. In beauty, she does not stand out from her siblings at all.
- But she would rather not live. She asks you to let her go.
- Because she has been living in suffering all these years, and she is afraid that when she wakes up, this suffering will be even stronger - Chanmi said, watching her snow-white face.
- Can you do that? - Jungkook asked, not taking his eyes off the girl, who was the most important thing in the world to him.
- I seemingly am, but I'm afraid I won't be able to handle being called a murderer. I know this will follow me all my life - she replied in a whisper, looking at the button with which it was enough to turn off the device to let biological daughter Kim go.
- So let me do it - Chansung spoke up. - Let me thus take revenge on these people for the harm they have done to me and my family. Killing their real daughter will be satisfying enough for me because I know how much she means to them, how much they are waiting for her return.
The burnt boy approached the device, and the redhead looked at him with a caring gaze.
- Are you sure you want to do it, that you can do it?
- I have been waiting for this moment all my life. For a moment to repay this cursed family.
He and Jungkook watched the boy as he, without hesitation, pressed the button of the device that held Sleeping Beauty's body perfectly still. The moment it became dark and quiet, Chanmi felt somehow strange. It seemed to her as if her body began to regain the energy she had been losing all her life. The feeling of warmth that flowed through her chest made her no longer cold.
- Are you all right, Chanmi? - Jungkook asked, capturing her hand. In his other hand, he held a phone with a flashlight on.
- Yes, I feel I'm starting to regain my strength.
- Let's get out of here.
- We need to take the body with us. That's the only way we'll be sure that no one will save her - Chansung stated, opening the coffin with a glass. A shrill cold gushed toward them, as if they had entered a freezer.
- I'm not surprised that this girl suffered - Jungkook said.
Slinging the dead body over his shoulder, Chansung moved toward the exit. They followed him.
Lighting the way with the flashlight on their phone, they moved with their hearts beating hard, pleading in their minds that they could get out of there unharmed. It was almost over, it could all work out, but they just had to leave this scary place.
- You don't have to be in such a hurry. It's all over now anyway. The contract with the Lord of Darkness has been broken. - They heard a loud voice, and then a yellow light flashed in the corridor.
They stood as if paralyzed when an old man appeared in front of them, probably the man who was the head of the sect.
- Just like that? - Chanmi asked, swallowing her saliva harder. She had a bad feeling that this couldn't have worked out for them just like that, that there was a catch.
- Yes, because the Lord will settle for other victims. - A creepy smile appeared on his face. - Your soul - he announced, pointing his finger at Chansung. - And the misfortune of this girl's family.
The redhead momentarily became weak.
- Why exactly the soul of my friend? - She asked in a panicked voice.
- Because he was the one who disconnected her from the device - he replied. - It was fun to watch you on camera.
The young people were concerned, only Chansung looked unconcerned. He put the cold body of Kim's real daughter on the floor, leaning it against the wall.
- Don't worry. In this situation, I can leave peacefully because my revenge has come true. They will not get their child back, plus they will meet with misfortune - he announced, forcing a cheerful smile.
- Chansung! - The girl shouted his name, horrified at how calm he could be in this situation.
- I got my revenge, and more importantly, I saved your life. Don't get mad at me, Chanmi, because I am satisfied with this turn of events. You are safe now, you have my brother by your side, and I am sure he will protect you from all the evil in the world. I can be at peace as long as you are together. - The redhead looked at Jungkook with broken eyes. This was the first time she noticed tears running down his cheeks. He wiped them away with the top of his hand, turning his face in the opposite direction. - Leading my life so far, I was unhappy anyway. Meeting you again was the only light during my last years of life. I look like a monster, I'm a laughingstock to people, I'm afraid to leave the house with my face uncovered, so this life is a nightmare for me.
- I beg you not to say that because this is still your life. For me and Jungkook, you are everything, we care about you very much.
- That's why you have to understand that I'm not lamenting the fact that I'm going to die in a while because it makes me feel relieved. I want to leave the world, which is hell for me anyway.
She looked at the old man with pleading eyes, as if seeking help from him, while Jungkook walked quickly to his brother and took him into his embrace. He squeezed him tightly, crying like a child.
- Bastard, it's not why my father and I saved your life ten years ago that you should give up so easily now.
- You saved my life so that I could take revenge. Even posthumously I will be grateful to you for everything you did for me.
Chanmi leaned her hand against the wall, feeling as if it would crumble shortly.
- Is there really nothing we can do to help him? It scares me to think that his soul will go to hell. And it's because of me - she whispered. - I shouldn't have done it.
Chansung stroked his brother's hair, then approached his friend.
- Not only my soul, but also the soul of the daughter of the Kim family. I can see her. My time is coming, and she is waiting for me so we can leave together. She is grateful to me that I was able to disconnect her from the machine. - These words made the redhead cry even more. - In hell, at least I won't stand out in appearance from others. There, no one will point fingers at me, so if you blame yourself, I swear I will haunt you at night. - He hugged the girl, stroking her hair. - I have a beautiful companion, so you don't have to worry about me. The fact that she's from a family I hate doesn't prevent me from having her accompany me to hell. I feel that we will get along. After all, she is not to blame for her parents' mistakes. - He kissed her forehead goodbye, and she watched him with hysterical eyes as he walked away from her. She wanted to run after him, but Jungkook stopped her. He held her shoulders, preventing her from following Chansung, who was retreating into the room with the devil statue. He turned to them and sent them a smile, reassuring them that he did not regret his decision.
- You can take the body with you and give it to her family. I'm sure they will be pleased - the old man replied, heading after the boy.
Chanmi cried in Jungkook's arms, feeling her heart break into a million pieces.
- He decided, and we can't change it, even though it hurts so much. He did everything he could, so we should be grateful to him for that - the brunette whispered.
She couldn't get over it.
*
Such frightened and pale faces of the family that took care of her for twenty years, Chanmi had not seen in her entire life. Big eyes, open mouths and skin as white as chalk, that's what people looked like as they watched the weeping face of the redhead and the Jungkook who accompanied her. The boy threw the dead body of their biological daughter at their feet, and a scream broke from the mother's lips.
- It's over - the brunet announced, piercing them with a hateful gaze. - Your plan has failed. You will not get your daughter back, and Chanmi will no longer be her vessel.
- I know you guys don't give a damn, but I will never forgive you - the girl declared, wiping her face of tears. - And it's not about me anymore, it's about the fact that I lost my best friend because of you. He sacrificed himself to save me. What kind of person do you have to be to kill others and not feel remorse?
Jieun, who was standing to the side turned to Jungkook.
- You bastard, did you help her do this? You were acting behind my back the whole time? - She asked in a shaky voice, but the brunet ignored her.
The parents stood in the middle, looking at their daughter's lifeless body with horrified eyes.
- This is how contracts with the devil end. They warn not to sign them because later everything turns the other way. I am satisfied that misfortunes will befall you from now on - Jungkook stated.
The mother slumped to the floor, with her husband still embracing her.
- Chanmi, how could you do this? You killed her - the man turned to her.
- If I hadn't done it, you would have killed me. I just saved myself - replied the redhead, looking at them with disappointed eyes. - You can't even imagine how much my heart hurts. I thought you were my real family, you were everything to me.
- I never considered you to be my sister, you're a step-sister! - yelled Jieun, throwing her arms around her. Jungkook immediately reacted and pushed her away from Chanmi.
- Stay away from her! - He threatened her, sticking his finger out. - Because if it wasn't for the fact that you were close to her, I would have never been interested in you. I have no taste for psycho girls.
- Chanmi... - Going downstairs Jin looked horrified. Walking past the dead body, he only glanced at it, then took the redhead in his arms. - I was so worried about you. I'm glad you're okay.
- Are you crazy? Hugging the girl who killed your biological sister! - At that moment it was Jieun who was most aware of what was going on in the house. Her parents looked as if they were in some kind of amok.
- Yes, because I also helped her do it - he declared in a loud voice. - And it was not she who killed our sister. Our parents did, prolonging her suffering all those years. And you also took part in it. You are just as much a monster as they were.
Dark clouds were gathering over Kim's family home, preparing fear, pain, and suffering for them.
The failed contract with the devil came at a price.