The Silent Scream of the Dormitory

The night was as still as the dormitory itself, save for the occasional creak of the wooden floors. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow through the small windows of the room. Inside, three teenagers sat huddled together, their breaths mingling with the tension that filled the air.

Han Ji-woo, the dormitory's top student, was a girl of few words but many secrets. Her eyes were always on the ground, her thoughts somewhere else. She was the object of desire for both Ji-min, the charming football star, and Ji-hoon, the quiet, artistic boy who painted the walls of the dormitory with his dreams.

Ji-min leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "Ji-woo, I know you're here. I can feel you watching us."

Ji-woo's head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Ji-min's presence. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Ji-min's smile was confident. "You know what I'm talking about. You're the one who keeps us apart. You're the one who haunts us."

Ji-hoon's hand reached out, gently touching Ji-woo's arm. "Ji-woo, I—"

Before he could finish, the dormitory door creaked open. Ji-min's hand instinctively went to his pocket, where he kept the small, ornate key that opened the door to the forbidden room. The room that no one dared to speak of, the room that was said to be haunted.

"Who's there?" Ji-min called out, his voice firm but tinged with fear.

The door swung open, and there was no one there. The silence was oppressive, the room dark and empty. Ji-woo's heart raced as she felt a cold breeze brush against her skin. She turned to look at Ji-min and Ji-hoon, their faces pale and drawn.

"What was that?" Ji-hoon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ji-woo shook her head, her eyes darting around the room. "I don't know," she whispered back. "But I've felt it before. Like someone's watching us."

The next night, the same scene played out. Ji-woo, Ji-min, and Ji-hoon were again huddled together, their fears growing with each passing moment. The door creaked open, and this time, a faint, haunting sound echoed through the room. It was a sound like a woman's scream, but it was silent, a whisper that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.

"Ji-woo," Ji-min whispered, his voice breaking. "I think it's her. I think it's her who's haunting us."

Ji-woo's eyes widened, and she nodded. "I know," she said, her voice barely audible. "I know."

The next day, Ji-woo confided in her friend, Soo-yeon, the only person she trusted. "Soo-yeon, I think it's her. I think it's her who's been haunting us."

Soo-yeon's eyes widened with concern. "Who, Ji-woo? Who are you talking about?"

Ji-woo hesitated, then whispered, "It's her. It's the girl who died in the dormitory. The girl who loved Ji-min."

Soo-yeon's eyes filled with tears. "How do you know?"

"I just know," Ji-woo replied. "I felt it in the air, in the walls, in the very bones of the dormitory."

That night, Ji-woo decided to confront the ghost. She stood at the threshold of the forbidden room, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath and stepped inside. The room was dark, the air thick with the scent of old wood and decay.

"Who are you?" Ji-woo called out, her voice trembling. "Why are you haunting us?"

There was no answer, just the sound of her own voice echoing through the empty room. She felt a cold hand brush against her shoulder, and she spun around, her heart racing.

There was no one there. Just the empty room, the silent scream that seemed to come from everywhere.

The next morning, Ji-woo found Ji-min and Ji-hoon sitting on the dormitory steps, their faces pale and drawn. "What happened last night?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Ji-min looked up at her, his eyes filled with sorrow. "We found her," he said, his voice breaking. "We found her in the forbidden room."

Ji-woo's eyes widened with shock. "You mean... you mean she's real?"

Ji-min nodded. "Yes, Ji-woo. She's real. And she loves you."

Ji-woo's mind raced. She remembered the cold hand, the silent scream, the haunting presence that had been following her for so long. "But why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why me?"

Ji-min looked at her, his eyes filled with compassion. "Because you're the one who can set her free. You're the one who can make her whole again."

Ji-woo felt a surge of hope. "How?"

Ji-min took her hand, his grip firm and steady. "We need to tell her the truth. We need to tell her that we love her too."

Ji-woo nodded, her eyes filled with tears. "I'll do it," she whispered. "I'll do anything to set her free."

The next night, Ji-woo, Ji-min, and Ji-hoon stood before the forbidden room. Ji-woo took a deep breath and stepped inside. She felt the cold hand brush against her shoulder again, and she turned to face the ghost.

"Ji-woo," the ghost whispered, her voice filled with sorrow. "I love you."

Ji-woo's eyes filled with tears. "I love you too," she whispered back. "And Ji-min and Ji-hoon love you too."

The ghost's eyes widened with surprise, and then they filled with joy. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for loving me."

And then, she was gone. The silent scream faded into the night, and the dormitory returned to its usual silence.

Ji-woo, Ji-min, and Ji-hoon sat on the dormitory steps, their hearts filled with relief and hope. They had set the ghost free, and they had found a way to love each other too.

But the dormitory was never the same. The air was different, the walls felt different, and the silence was different. Because in the end, the dormitory had become a place of love, a place where ghosts and humans could find peace together.