Fantôme derrière toi

Chapitre 1

1

Beauty and aloofness can be combined so perfectly in one person.

When Chen Yan transferred to their class, all the boys' eyes roamed freely over her entire body. Lin Han was no exception, but he believed his gaze wasn't as filthy as the others'. The focus of everyone else's attention was on her taut breasts beneath her white T-shirt and her long, shapely legs under her matching white miniskirt. But what he noticed first were her eyes, overflowing with melancholy, like the shimmering moonlight at the bottom of a clear lake.

It was a late summer afternoon; the sky was a clear blue, without a single cloud. Lin Han's originally sunny disposition was suddenly replaced by a deep melancholy in Chen Yan's eyes.

Time flies, and the season has shifted from late summer to late autumn. Withered yellow leaves linger on the branches, reluctantly shedding their leaves, performing their final dance of death in the chilly autumn wind. It's been almost two months since Chen Yan transferred schools, yet she always wears all white, keeping to herself amidst the ardent gazes of the boys and the envious looks of the girls. She has no friends and never speaks a word to anyone. No matter what class it is, she sits alone in the last row, her face still aloof, her eyes filled with melancholy.

Chen Yan did not live in the school dormitory; she rented a room in a private house not far from the school. Watching her from afar every day and constantly glancing back during class was no longer enough to satisfy Lin Han's growing desires. He finally decided to secretly follow her after school, hoping to find a suitable opportunity to express his feelings.

However, opportunity after opportunity slipped through Lin Han's fingers, and he was always unable to seize them. He could only watch helplessly as Chen Yan pushed open the door, her almost translucent white skin disappearing into the shadows behind it. Each dull slam of the door closing amplified his disappointment, causing a dull ache in his chest.

One evening after dinner, listening to his roommates' increasingly offensive gossip about Chen Yan, Lin Han angrily left the dormitory and went to the tiered classroom. The couples embracing tightly under the shade of the campus trees had just stirred his thoughts, making it impossible for him to concentrate on his textbook. In his imagination, those couples transformed into him and Chen Yan. He let her long hair slip lightly from his fingertips; her long, moist eyelashes trembled and drooped slightly, casting two dynamic shadows on her snow-white cheeks; her nostrils flared slightly, and her warm, red lips exuded immense allure.

Just as Lin Han's parched lips were drawing closer to those two full, red, alluring mounds in his reverie, a slight commotion stirred the tranquil waters of the classroom. Lin Han looked up in annoyance, a dazzling white figure flashing before his eyes, long, flowing hair carrying a delicate fragrance. Chen Yan suddenly appeared in his line of sight, causing his cheeks to burn and leaving him flustered and at a loss for words.

Chen Yan ignored Lin Han's presence, coldly walked straight to the empty seat at the back of the classroom, sat down, took out her textbook, and began to review diligently. Lin Han swallowed hard and secretly turned around, but he couldn't see her face covered by her long hair. Only her beautiful hands and slender fingers danced lightly as the pages of the book turned.

His concentration grew increasingly difficult, and time flew by as he secretly watched. When he looked up again, only Lin Han and Chen Yan remained in the classroom. An excited voice inside Lin Han reminded him that this was a golden opportunity, and he couldn't let it slip away again. He wiped the sweat from his palms on his rough jeans, picked up an English textbook, and nervously walked to Chen Yan's side, but his throat felt tight, and he couldn't utter a sound.

Sensing someone standing beside her, Chen Yan looked up from the shadow cast by Lin Han, her face still expressionless. Under her melancholic, dreamy gaze, Lin Han held his breath, his flustered eyes involuntarily sliding from her unnaturally pale face to the low neckline of her white sweater. A faint cleavage, barely visible, made his heart pound, his exposed Adam's apple bobbing violently.

Chen Yan indifferently withdrew her gaze, glanced at her chest, then raised her eyelids again, curled her lips, and said, "If you love me, play a game with me." After saying that, she ignored Lin Han's reaction, picked up a pen, wrote a line on the manuscript paper, tore it off and gently placed it on the corner of the table, packed her backpack, and gracefully walked past the dazed Lin Han, stepping out of the trapezoidal classroom.

This was the first time Lin Han had heard Chen Yan's voice; though cold, it was undeniably melodious. When he finally snapped out of his reverie, drawn by that enchanting, musical voice, he found himself alone, standing motionless in the stark white light of the fluorescent lamps in the vast, trapezoidal classroom. Turning around, Chen Yan was gone; the surroundings were deathly silent. He picked up the note she had left him, feeling his left hand tremble uncontrollably.

Tomorrow night at 11:44 PM, in the large classroom on the third floor of the North Building.

The thin strip of paper seemed to be permeated with Chen Yan's subtle fragrance, a scent that no perfume could match. Lin Han brought the paper to his nose, inhaling greedily. The simple, elegant handwriting was like Chen Yan's eyes, revealing a deep mystery. He hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly, just like in every dream he had.

Although the long-abandoned North Building was known as the "Ghost Building" on campus and had all sorts of terrifying legends, in Lin Han's mind at this moment, that forbidden place that he dared not approach on ordinary days suddenly seemed to become lovely, like the Eden that everyone longed for. He clutched the note tightly, not even knowing how he got back to his dormitory.

2

After a restless night, Lin Han's eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles spreading around his lower eyelids. As Chen Yan passed by him, she remained aloof and unapproachable, staring straight at him, as if everything that had happened last night was just a beautiful dream for Lin Han.

Restless, Lin Han waited until nightfall before the dormitory lights went out, then slipped out of his room. He patted the pocket where Chen Yan's note lay, and walked alone towards the grove of trees separating the North Building from the campus under the cold moonlight. Reaching the edge of the grove, he suddenly stopped. A breeze blew, and the trees, tinged deep black by the moonlight, emitted strange, low whistling sounds, as if countless wronged souls were weeping and lamenting their misfortunes.

His breathing became heavy, and Lin Han couldn't help but shrink back. Glistening beads of sweat on the tip of his nose reflected the moonlight, shimmering brightly. Stepping into this grove of trees known as the "Black Forest" meant entering forbidden territory. A terrifying legend that had long circulated at the school, as if to heighten the atmosphere, jumped into Lin Han's mind.

Twenty years ago, legend has it that a junior in college fell madly in love with a freshman—the beautiful campus belle who was admired by everyone. After dozens of unsuccessful attempts to win her over, the boy, consumed by hatred, stabbed her to death in the North Building on a beautiful moonlit autumn night. Then, in a frenzy, he rushed into the grove and hanged himself from a branch of an old locust tree.

It is said that the junior female student was found dead in the large classroom on the third floor of the North Building, her scalding blood splattering and staining the pale fluorescent lights and soaking the worn wooden floor. The male student who committed suicide out of guilt was found hanging from the old locust tree, his face bruised and purple, his eyes bulging, his swollen tongue almost reaching his chest. His body, stretched long by gravity, swayed gently in the evening breeze, the rope rubbing against the branches, making a rhythmic creaking sound.

From then on, the North Building was no longer peaceful. Students often said they encountered the ghost of the junior female student during evening self-study sessions, and some even saw blood flowing all over the floor of the large classroom. The lights in the North Building would also flicker inexplicably from time to time, and countless people had heard a girl weeping. Not only the North Building, but also the grove of trees, which was originally considered a paradise for lovers, was said to be frequently seen with the hanged boy, hanging from the old locust tree, swaying back and forth with a "creak, creak" sound, just like the night the incident happened.

The ghost stories grew increasingly outrageous, and students dared not venture into the North Building or the grove. After barely managing to continue using it for a few more years, the school finally had no choice but to abandon the North Building over a decade ago. "Do not easily enter the restricted area"—this seems to have become an unspoken school rule passed down through generations.

To go in or not to go in? Lin Han hesitated, pacing back and forth along the edge of the woods, fear still taking over. After much deliberation, he finally turned away, too afraid to continue, and tried to give up.

The wind continued to blow intermittently, and under the clear moonlight, the shadows of the grove flickered. A dark cloud drifted by, and the night instantly darkened. Lin Han's raised right leg remained suspended in mid-air, his heart pounding erratically. Because, he clearly felt something lightly brush against his neck the instant he turned around.

His entire body was covered in goosebumps, his muscles stiff as stone. Lin Han dared not move an inch, standing on one leg, facing off against the unknown thing behind him in the shadow of the dark clouds. A faint warmth emanated from his left chest, and at the same time, the moon struggled to emerge from the clouds, once again shrouding the night in its clear light.

With light, he felt less afraid. Lin Han put down his aching legs, the warmth still radiating from his chest. He pulled out the note Chen Yan had left him from his breast pocket with surprise. Before he could even fully unfold the damp note, it underwent an unbelievable change. It rapidly yellowed, became brittle, and the black pen writing faded beyond recognition.

Lin Han's mouth gaped open in a red "O" shape as he watched helplessly as the paper in his hand turned grayish-black, cracked, and then silently crumbled into ashes. A cold wind brushed his face, and the black dust drifted away without a trace.

"Holy crap, no way? Am I dreaming?" Lin Han slowly closed his wide-open mouth, but accidentally bit his tongue. The excruciating pain jolted him awake, making him realize he wasn't dreaming. It was this pain that brought a completely new thought to mind: A conspiracy, this must be a conspiracy.

"Oh no, Chen Yan is in danger!" Lin Han exclaimed, his intense worry for Chen Yan's safety overriding his fear. He turned sharply and rushed into the grove without hesitation, sprinting towards the north building behind the grove at top speed.

3

The wind whistled past his ears, and the horizontal branches, like ghostly claws, tried to stop Lin Han's advance. His mind was only on Chen Yan; fear had been completely cast aside, and now nothing seemed to be able to stop him from running. Sharp branches stung his cheeks.

In the very center of the clearing in the woods, there stood a tall, old locust tree, its branches spreading out in all directions, sending gusts of cold wind through it. Lin Han's heart tightened, and though he didn't slow his pace, his gaze couldn't help but timidly drift toward the dark shadow of the tree.

The wind seemed to be blowing faster and faster, the rustling sounds coming from all directions, tugging at Lin Han's nerves. Around the tree branch that was more than a person's height above the ground, a faint green glow appeared, and a series of creaking sounds drowned out all other noises. A slender, stiff human body swayed back and forth in the wind.

A legend?! Could the legend be true? Fear swept over him, and Lin Han dared not slow down. Holding his breath, he sprinted away. A sinister laugh drifted around him, not loud, but like a leech, it wouldn't leave.

Running had become an instinctive, mechanical action. Lin Han dared not look at the green light anymore, squinting his eyes, his body curled up into a ball as if to increase his speed. Suddenly, he felt a rope wrap around his neck from behind. The rope was rough, slippery, and cold, as if it had been soaked in water.

"No!" A beautiful voice descended from the sky, cold yet imbued with authority. The slowly tightening rope suddenly loosened, and Lin Han stumbled and fell to the ground. Years of accumulated fallen leaves supported his body, so he was neither injured nor in pain. He almost immediately got up after falling, but before he could regain his footing, a great fear made him stagger back several steps, his back slamming heavily against a hard tree trunk behind him.

The chilling green light illuminated everything in the forest with crystal clarity. The rope that had just wrapped around Lin Han's neck rapidly retracted, a viscous, bluish-purple liquid flowing from it. With just one glance, Lin Han realized it wasn't a rope at all, but a tongue—a tongue over ten feet long, its owner hanging from a branch of an old locust tree, swaying back and forth. It was a man; his exposed skin exuded deathly palpable, his bulging eyes resembled two crimson ping-pong balls, and a blackened hemp rope was deeply embedded in the base of his neck.

"Hehehe..." The man chuckled coldly, his tongue, which had retracted halfway, extended forward again, as agile as a venomous snake, coiling towards Lin Han. At this moment, Lin Han was already dumbfounded, looking pitiful and helpless, leaning against the tree trunk behind him, trembling.

"Let him go!" The stern yet melodious voice rang out again. The tongue abruptly stopped in mid-air, trembling as if hesitating. After a long while, a sigh escaped, the green light gradually dimmed, and the tongue, along with the dangling man, slowly became translucent until it disappeared.

That voice… that voice was both familiar and strange. As his consciousness returned, Lin Han immediately recognized it as a woman's voice, a voice that gave him a feeling of being bathed in a gentle breeze. This feeling made him incredibly relaxed; his eyes closed slightly, his relaxed facial muscles revealing a sense of comfortable enjoyment. Having experienced so much, he seemed to have forgotten the purpose of his run, and even more so, the inexplicable change in the note.

The night breeze seemed to soften. Lin Han slowly opened his eyes, looked around, and was utterly astonished. He found himself outside the forest, and standing before him was a tall, dark building that radiated an eerie glow in the moonlight.

"Was what I just witnessed just a hallucination caused by fear?" Lin Han wondered to himself, completely baffled. No one could give him a definite answer, so he decided to make the best of it. He glanced back at the dark grove of trees, still shaken, and looked at his luminous watch. It was already 11:40 PM.

What kind of game is Chen Yan going to play with me? Could it be…? A thought made Lin Han blush deeply, but he immediately dismissed the almost absurd idea, feeling ashamed of his own thoughts. He felt that he shouldn't have such dirty thoughts about the exceptionally beautiful Chen Yan; it would be a desecration of her. He mentally slapped himself twice, calmed his burning breath, and walked towards the north building.

The once grand and imposing entrance has fallen into disrepair over the years. The two glass doors are askew, the broken glass grime dirty and sharp as devil's teeth. Overlapping cobwebs hang limply, and moonlight cannot penetrate the darkness inside.

Lin Han took a half step back and subconsciously looked up. On the third floor, several windows were lit, their lights dim and flickering. Chen Yan had arrived before him, but he couldn't tell whether the light was from a flashlight or candlelight. Just then, a figure walked to the open window in the middle. It was a girl, her snow-white skin glowing softly in the darkness.

"Chen Yan," Lin Han called softly, his voice barely audible. In just a few seconds, the full moon disappeared into the dark clouds, then quickly emerged again, casting a faint blue, mysterious glow around Chen Yan, like a spotlight on a stage.

Lin Han noticed that on this chilly autumn night, Chen Yan was wearing a pure white spaghetti strap dress. The dress hung loosely, and Chen Yan's slightly upturned face exuded a mesmerizing, divine beauty. He didn't know how to describe her beauty tonight; all words seemed pale and powerless. The only two words that came to mind in his blank mind were "perfect."

Chen Yan seemed to sense two burning gazes. She gracefully lowered her head, her delicate features expressionless, only habitually pursing her lips. She waved to Lin Han downstairs, then turned and disappeared through the open window. Only then did Lin Han realize that her beauty had taken his breath away, almost making him faint. He took a deep breath, pulled out his phone to use as a flashlight, and ran up to the third floor, ignoring the groaning of the old wooden stairs beneath his feet.

4

Walking down the deep, dark corridor on the third floor, listening to the echoes of his hurried footsteps, Lin Han was in a good mood. He imagined what it would be like to see Chen Yan soon; perhaps he should give her a hug, or perhaps she would throw herself into his arms, followed by a passionate kiss. Everything that should and shouldn't happen might very well happen in the next moment. Fear and hallucinations became insignificant at this moment; the night suddenly became wonderfully beautiful.

At the entrance of the large classroom, Chen Yan leaned against the doorframe, seemingly waiting for Lin Han. Upon seeing her cold gaze, Lin Han immediately panicked, his mind a jumbled mess, and his body burning hot.

"Come in." Chen Yan said decisively, not even glancing at Lin Han, and turned to enter the large classroom. Lin Han nodded haphazardly, not daring to follow too closely.

The spacious classroom exuded a sense of decay; dust had obscured the original color of the wooden floorboards. A large mirror, over a meter tall and nearly two meters wide, stood out starkly in the position of the podium, appearing quite old. A circle of lit white candles encircled the mirror, their flames flickering. The air was thick with the pungent smell of wax.

"Hmm..." Lin Han was still blushing, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

"I heard that the junior sister who was killed back then died in front of this mirror, her blood splattered all over the mirror surface, it was terrifying." A male voice suddenly came from behind.

"I'm going to die!" a girl's trembling voice rang out, "You know I'm scared, and you still say these things."

Lin Han turned around in surprise, only to realize that he and Chen Yan weren't the only ones in the classroom. In the shadows where the candlelight couldn't reach, three other figures were indistinct. Seeing Lin Han, the three stopped talking and stepped out of the darkness. He immediately recognized the two girls and the boy: the boy was Lu Hao, the school's "school heartthrob"—who looked remarkably like Song Seung-heon, the male lead in the Korean drama "Autumn in My Heart"; one girl was Li Leyu, the former "school beauty" and Lu Hao's girlfriend; and the other was Ye Chang, Li Leyu's best friend.

"Everyone's here. Now I'll tell you the rules of the game," Chen Yan said coldly, her body half-lit and half-shadowed by the candlelight. "If anyone doesn't want to play, they can quit now. But if they want to leave later, it won't be possible."

For a moment, Lin Han felt that the voice he had heard during his terrifying experience in the grove sounded very much like Chen Yan's voice. He frowned, racking his brains, but couldn't be sure if it was hers. He decided to stop thinking about it and casually looked up, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the other three. Lu Hao stared at Chen Yan's figure, his eyes filled with an uncontrollable longing. Li Leyu and Ye Chang, however, were glaring at Chen Yan with eyes blazing with hatred.

Seeing that no one showed any sign of backing down, Chen Yan slowly and clearly explained the rules of the game. Her voice seemed to possess a certain magic; Lin Han felt his consciousness gradually becoming confused, and he no longer paid attention to the reactions of others. Only then did he realize that what Chen Yan wanted them to play was a ghost-summoning game that was absolutely forbidden to be touched.

This game requires three girls and two boys. It must be played on a full moon night in a room with a large mirror, at a distance where everyone can see each other. The boys stand on either side, memorizing the mirror's position. After standing for a while, as midnight approaches, they begin walking in circles. One girl starts by blowing air onto the nape of the neck of the person in front of her, making sure not to make a loud noise, and so on, while continuing to walk in circles. When someone feels two breaths on their neck, they say "Here it comes!" and turn their back to the mirror, while the other four look back at their reflection.

However, it's important to note that no one is allowed to peek into the mirror during the process. Whatever you see, don't run away; everyone must say "Go!" and turn around together. Ideally, someone should be the leader giving this command. If the leader is facing away from the mirror, everyone's fate is in their own hands.

Lin Han remembered seeing this game online. It was said that those who played it saw all sorts of terrifying visions in the mirror. Why "it was said"? Because legend had it that everyone who played the game died, and to this day, no one can truly say what kind of terror or danger those who met their demise experienced.

The minute had just struck 11:44 when the game started on time.

Outside the window, a cold wind howled past, piercing the clear moonlight. In the wind, Chen Yan's long black hair and snow-white dress fluttered, making her look like a beautiful fairy about to ascend to the moon, but her gaze was even colder than the moonlight.

Under Chen Yan's cold and stern gaze, Lin Han and Lu Hao walked to the mirror according to the rules. Lin Han noticed that the other three had blank expressions, as if they had been controlled by some mysterious force. Although his mind was still clear, he was bewildered to find that his legs no longer seemed to belong to him, but were being pulled by an external force to the designated position.

No! No! This game can't continue! Lin Han screamed inwardly, but he couldn't open his mouth or make a sound. He looked at Chen Yan in panic, but he couldn't see any change in her expression. He didn't know if she had also realized something was wrong, just like him. Perhaps, she, too, was powerless to resist.

Everything proceeded according to the rules of the game, step by step. The wind howled stronger, the moonlight grew colder, and the temperature slowly dropped. Three girls joined the circling.

Behind Lin Han was Chen Yan. One, two, three… He felt a current of air rhythmically brushing against his neck, devoid of warmth, yet carrying the alluring fragrance of a young girl. He began to feel intoxicated, his mind drifting, his steps seemingly floating on clouds, light and unsteady.

As the number of circles increased, the temperature dropped further, and Lin Han could clearly see his own breath, milky white, spreading outwards in clumps. Mist rose and swirled, ethereal like serpentine wisps, strangely, it only slowly rotated on the outer edges, never converging towards the center. The feeling was as if a transparent glass cylinder surrounded a mirror or a person.

A series of chattering sounds echoed in the empty space, sharp and piercing, like eerie whispers tormenting Lin Han's auditory nerves. It seemed the sounds were coming from the enormous mirror.

Lin Han breathed heavily, cold sweat pouring down his face, his eyes darting back and forth in their sockets. Despite his constant warnings to himself: Don't peek! Don't peek at the mirror! But that mysterious force, from who-knows-where, held his gaze firmly, dragging his eyes inch by inch toward the mirror.

5

The smooth mirror reflected the moonlight, emitting a ghostly blue glow that was chilling and eerie. Thick fog, tinged with blue, swirled and rolled around the mirror, as if an invisible hand was violently stirring it.

Deep within the mirror, as black as ink, something seemed to move—a tiny white dot, drifting and fluttering towards the surface. It grew larger and larger until Lin Han could finally make out that it was the back of a person, the shapely back of a woman, her long, flowing shawl gleaming, her white halter-neck dress moving without wind.

Chen Yan?! How come it looks so much like Chen Yan's back? Lin Han thought to himself, still able to feel the cool breath on his neck. He was horrified, realizing that from Chen Yan's current angle, the mirror could only reflect her profile at most.

At this moment, the figure began to slowly rotate, its movements unreadable, as if the person in the figure was standing on an electric rotating platform. In an instant, it turned to face the person, and the woman gently raised her slightly lowered head. Who else could it be but Chen Yan? That near-perfect face and impeccable figure were already deeply imprinted in Lin Han's mind; he would never mistake her for someone else.

The Chen Yan in the mirror seemed even more aloof than the one outside the mirror, her deep black eyes shooting out two icy beams. Under the piercing gaze of these two beams, Lin Han felt his blood rapidly freezing, and the cold sweat covering his forehead seemed to solidify into sharp little ice crystals, stinging his skin.

My God! Something is flowing from her eyes? In a moment of stunned silence, Chen Yan in the mirror saw not only her eyes, but also her mouth and nostrils, from which something was slowly flowing—a thick, dark red liquid that climbed up her snow-white cheeks. Her skin was white, blood-red, exuding a chilling, eerie beauty. Her bleeding eyes continued to stare at Lin Han outside the mirror, her long black hair flying wildly around her terrifyingly pale face. The blood began to turn black rapidly, no longer flowing downwards, but spreading across her face at an unbelievable speed.

Lin Han tried to scream, but no sound came out; he couldn't even open his lips. In the mirror, Chen Yan's lips curled slightly upwards, seemingly smiling, but the smile was colder than her gaze. The whiteness on her face was freezing, like a plaster mask riddled with cracks. The chattering sounds became clearer, like a shrill female voice rapidly chanting a spell.