The portal snapped shut behind them as they re-entered the school, the familiar oppressive weight pressing down on them once more. The air smelled the same—stale and heavy, like the remnants of a nightmare. Jungwon’s heart raced as he looked around at his friends.

"Let's finish this," Heeseung said, his voice tight with determination. His usually calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a fierce resolve. The others nodded in agreement.

They marched through the familiar hallways, past the eerie doors and dimly lit corridors. The school had never felt more like a mausoleum. Each step echoed, as if the building itself was holding its breath, waiting for what would come next.

Their goal was simple: reach the old door. Confront the cafeteria lady. End the curse.

But nothing was ever simple in this school.

---

Finally, they arrived at the rusted door. The very one Jungwon had seen before, back when he was a child, back when he had first died. The one that had haunted him through every step of this endless cycle.

The door was so familiar, yet terrifying. Jungwon’s heart skipped a beat as he reached for the handle, but the moment his fingers touched it, a voice broke through the silence.

"You shouldn’t be here."

The cafeteria lady emerged from the shadows, her twisted form lurching forward.

Her body was unnatural. Her limbs were elongated, her skin stretched thin like tattered fabric. Her eyes gleamed with hunger, malicious glee written across her deformed face.

“You’ve tried so hard, little ones.” She grinned, revealing teeth that were far too sharp, far too many. "But it’s too late."

With a loud screech, her body shifted, her disjointed form suddenly warped and elongated as if reality itself bent around her. Her hands twisted into grotesque claws, and her mouth opened impossibly wide, snapping with hunger.

"I won’t let you take it from me." She hissed, her voice like nails on a chalkboard.

But the members were ready. They stepped forward, bracing themselves for the fight that would decide it all.

---

As they fought, they noticed something they hadn’t seen before: seven deep holes in her back, each perfectly round, each the size of their necklaces.

Jungwon’s heart sank when he realized what this meant. Her body had been corrupted by the necklaces, just as he had been. She was the reason this endless cycle had started, the reason the students had died and been trapped in this place. The necklaces had bound them together, and now—

"We have to put the necklaces in her back!" Jungwon shouted.

The members understood immediately. They dashed toward the lady, each of them grabbing their necklaces, each of them determined to finally end the curse. But the lady was relentless, her disjointed limbs flailing, blocking their every attempt. She shrieked in rage, clawing at them as they dodged and weaved.

Her form was unstable, like a broken puzzle, constantly shifting and stretching. She scrambled to protect herself, her eyes wild with terror.

“No!” she screamed, her voice cracking. “You can’t!”

But the members were stronger now, and they had no choice. This was the only way to break the cycle.

Heeseung was the first to strike, lunging forward and driving his necklace into one of the holes on her back. The lady screamed in pain, her body jerking violently, but the necklace fit perfectly, just as they had feared.

The other members quickly followed suit, each one inserting their necklaces into the remaining holes. The lady howled in agony, her form beginning to twist and distort, her body no longer able to contain the power of the necklaces.

Finally, Jungwon stepped forward, his heart heavy with the knowledge of what had to happen. He held his necklace tightly, his eyes meeting the lady’s for one final time.

"This is it," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

With a final, shuddering breath, he pressed his necklace into the last hole.

The lady let out a blood-curdling scream, but it was too late. The sound echoed, and suddenly, the entire room collapsed into chaos. The walls cracked, the floor shattered, and the school—this nightmarish place that had trapped them all—began to fall apart.

---

The members quickly turned to run, the floor crumbling beneath their feet. They raced for the door, their hearts pounding in their chests as the sound of destruction consumed the space around them.

Just as they reached the doorway, the school collapsed, and they were thrown into the air. They landed in a heap outside, the cold air hitting their skin like a slap.

They looked up, their breath catching in their throats. The police had arrived.

Blue and red lights flashed across the campus. Teachers were being arrested, some taken away in handcuffs, others on stretchers, their faces twisted in horror. The scene was a grotesque one—bodies, blood, the remains of something too dark to comprehend.

Jungwon’s eyes sought out the others, his heart filled with relief—but something felt wrong.

Something was missing.

---

The members slowly stood, their bodies bruised and battered, but the relief was short-lived.

They looked around, and Jungwon was no longer there.

“Jungwon?” Heeseung’s voice cracked as he turned in a panicked circle. "Jungwon, where are you?"

And then—

Jungwon was standing there, his back to them.

But his body was fading, slowly, like dust carried away by the wind.

“Jungwon, no!” Ni-ki shouted, running to him.

“Please!” Sunghoon cried, his voice breaking. "Don’t go! Don’t leave us!"

Jungwon turned slowly, a soft smile on his lips as he reached out toward them.

"I’m sorry," he whispered. "I can’t stay."

His form wavered, his body fading more with every second.

“No!” Sunghoon grabbed his arm, trying to hold on, but it was like grasping air.

The others rushed forward, their arms outstretched, but Jungwon was already disappearing.

"Please…" Heeseung’s voice cracked. “Don’t leave us…”

But Jungwon smiled, his face peaceful, even as he vanished into the wind.

The others stood there, frozen, helpless as the wind took him away.

And with that, Jungwon was gone.

---

Epilogue: The Fading Memory

Weeks later, the members returned to their normal lives. The curse was over. The school was shut down and torn apart, the horrors within it erased.

But no matter how much time passed, no matter how far they went—they would never forget.

Jungwon had saved them all. He had been the key to breaking the cycle.

And in the deepest part of their hearts, they would carry his memory forever.

Even if they could never see him again, even if his ghost faded away like the dust carried by the wind, he would always be a part of them.