This wasn’t just any ordinary case of sleep paralysis—it was serious enough for Kim Mu-ryeong to personally visit. That alone meant that it was actually supernatural.Seung-joo’s face turned pale at the realization, but Mu-ryeong remained completely unfazed, simply shrugging.“You’ve already come this far. No point in complaining now.”“I hate this so much…”Seung-joo shuddered. He always claimed he wasn’t easily scared, but moments like these exposed him completely. Mu-ryeong knew that his reaction was actually the normal one.As they entered the apartment complex, Hwan-young spoke up.“So why ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) does sleep paralysis happen?”Mu-ryeong rolled his eyes upward, recalling a past request from his second year. Back then, a student from another class had come to him, exhausted and sleep-deprived, asking for help.“There are a lot of reasons.”That student had been experiencing sleep paralysis every night for two weeks—unable to move, stuck listening to someone sobbing right beside their ear.Mu-ryeong had asked all the usual questions: Had they picked up anything recently? Had they harmed an animal? How long had they been living in that house?“In most cases, the spirit wants something from the person.”There were too many reasons why sleep paralysis could occur. It could be the work of a vengeful spirit, a mischievous ghost playing tricks, or even an early stage of possession.In that student’s case, the problem had been a stone they picked up from the mountains. It had looked pretty, so they took it home without thinking—only for it to turn out to be a vessel for a spirit.Seung-joo, who had been listening at the time, had scoffed and asked, “Why the hell would anyone pick up random rocks?”“If you burn the object, change sleeping arrangements, or do something similar, it usually stops.”“Then why do we have to go all the way to their house?”“Well…”Mu-ryeong dragged out his words, glancing at the first-year student walking ahead with Min-ji. They were chatting and laughing, but their face was still marked with exhaustion. The yin energy on them had nearly faded.“It’s just… I’ve never seen a case like this before.”Mu-ryeong had encountered countless spirits, and none of them had ever been completely free of resentment. Even harmless spirits grew more malevolent over time—it was inevitable.But this spirit showed no such signs.“They’re not clinging to them because they want something.”“…Then how do you get rid of it?”It was a fair question. If a spirit didn’t want anything, how could they negotiate with it?Mu-ryeong simply shrugged.“I’ll have to see for myself.”Why was a spirit attached to someone with no spiritual energy?Seung-joo had never experienced sleep paralysis in his life. Meanwhile, Ye-jun, who had a history of possession, was prone to frequent episodes.Either way, the solution was one of two things:Give them an object to act as a temporary talisman.Visit in person to observe and deal with the situation firsthand.Since the second option was now possible, the first step would be careful observation.“If it’s just a psychological issue, fixing that might be enough.”“Psychological?”“When you don’t get enough sleep, your mental strength weakens.”Mu-ryeong tapped the side of his head.“And that makes you the kind of person ghosts like to stick to.”Fatigue lowered a person’s emotional threshold. That’s why people became more irritable or depressed over small things when exhausted.That was why exorcists were first trained to regulate their emotions. Mu-ryeong, with his naturally strong spiritual energy, had learned from a young age to maintain a positive mindset.Some exorcists completely erased their emotions to avoid spiritual interference, but that wasn’t how Mu-ryeong’s family operated.“It’s a cycle. They can’t sleep because they have sleep paralysis. Then they get weaker from the lack of sleep. That makes them even more vulnerable to sleep paralysis.”“…”“Just one good night’s sleep could make a huge difference.”By then, they had arrived at the apartment building.Mu-ryeong slowed his pace slightly, stretching the conversation out. When Min-ji waved at him to hurry up, he casually lifted a hand in response. Then, turning to Hwan-young, he flashed a grin.“Doesn’t seem like a big deal when you put it that way, right?”Most problems were like that—a mix of external pressure and internal weakness. Breaking a cycle didn’t always require something dramatic. It was just rare for both external support and personal strength to align at the right time.“That’s why I make sure to sleep well. I don’t want ghosts clinging to me.”Seung-joo, who had been listening, bit the end of his ice pop and cut into the conversation. He tossed out a textbook answer about how proper rest and good health prevented spiritual interference.And honestly? He wasn’t wrong.Mu-ryeong didn’t argue, just nodded.At the ApartmentTheir first-year junior lived on one of the upper floors, too high to bother taking the stairs.As they approached the elevator, Hwan-young hesitated for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.Mu-ryeong noticed and glanced at him questioningly.After a brief pause, Hwan-young stepped inside and positioned himself near the entrance.But the moment the doors opened, he was the first to step out.“Aigoo, welcome! It’s hot outside, isn’t it?”A warm voice greeted them as they entered the apartment—the first-year’s mother.Mu-ryeong took the box of drinks that Hwan-young had handed him earlier and politely held it out.“Thank you for having us today. The kids and I bought this on the way here.”“You didn’t have to bring anything. You should’ve just come empty-handed.”The first-year’s mother softened at Mu-ryeong’s cheerful smile. He chatted warmly for a few moments before following her into the kitchen, offering to place the drinks on the table himself.Min-ji, watching this unfold, shook her head in disbelief.“It still amazes me whenever I see him act like that.”“Hey, I’ve been watching it since birth, and I still don’t get it.”With that, they all headed to the first-year’s room—but five people was too much for the small space. After dropping off their bags, they moved back to the living room.By the time they returned, Mu-ryeong was carrying three large bags of snacks that the mother had given him.“She said to share these.”“…Wait. Mom, we had snacks in the house?”The first-year’s confused expression made Mu-ryeong chuckle as they disappeared into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Mu-ryeong settled himself comfortably at the living room table.Hwan-young hesitated awkwardly before finally sitting beside him. Sensing his unease, Mu-ryeong casually tapped his thigh.“It’s fine.”“…”There was no need to elaborate.That one sentence was enough to make Hwan-young’s stiff shoulders relax. His face lost some of its tension, and Mu-ryeong smiled knowingly.Library Club PamphletsWhile waiting for dinner, they actually worked on library promotional materials—including flyers and posters.The first-year brought colored paper and cardboard, while Min-ji handed them a notebook filled with important details for the pamphlets.“…Why am I doing this?”Seung-joo, looking utterly unmotivated, still ended up working the hardest.He cut paper with mechanical precision, copied text exactly as Min-ji instructed, and didn’t even bother slacking off—a true mark of his strangely serious nature.“Oh my god, Kim Mu-ryeong, you’re terrible at cutting!”“O-oppa… you’re really bad at this.”Mu-ryeong, surprisingly, had no skill for these kinds of delicate tasks.In contrast, Hwan-young, with his larger hands, crafted the neatest and most precise pieces.Since Mu-ryeong’s only real skill was writing neatly, they eventually confiscated his scissors, leaving him with just markers and colored pencils.Dinner & Unexpected Compliments“Guys, let’s eat first and finish later.”Dinner turned out to be a full feast.Mu-ryeong, as always, ate with enthusiasm, earning even more affection from the first-year’s mother.At one point, she even sighed, “I wish my daughter had a boyfriend like you,” making Hwan-young suddenly choke on his food and cough.By the time night fell, the first-year’s father had come home from work.At first, he eyed the three male students with suspicion.But after a short conversation with Mu-ryeong, his expression softened considerably.When he cheerfully told them to have fun and make themselves at home, even the first-year seemed bewildered, glancing between their father and Mu-ryeong in confusion.Sleeping Arrangements“So… where are we sleeping?”“Unni will sleep with me in my room, and the oppas will use the guest room. Mom already set up bedding for you.”That was how they ended up borrowing pajamas as well.The parents showed no sign of being bothered by it—if anything, they seemed to enjoy having guests over.When Seung-joo muttered, “This feels just like Mu-ryeong’s house,” Hwan-young—without anyone noticing—nodded silently.The First-Year’s RoomWhile Min-ji was showering, Mu-ryeong sat in the first-year’s room, having a quiet conversation.Their parents had already gone to bed, telling them not to stay up too late.Meanwhile, Hwan-young and Seung-joo were likely sitting in awkward silence in the guest room.“…So I just have to sleep like normal?”“Yeah, just sleep. I’ll handle everything. Is it okay if I come in for a bit later?”Mu-ryeong ran his fingers through his damp hair as he spoke.Once it was late enough, he planned to return to this room to observe the situation.Getting caught by the parents would be annoying, but he was confident he could move without making a sound.“I don’t really mind…”The first-year, sitting in their desk chair, trailed off, then looked up at Mu-ryeong with curiosity.Since working on the pamphlets together, they had relaxed a lot, seeming less nervous than before.“…Oppa, do you really see ghosts?”Mu-ryeong blinked playfully but stayed silent.Min-ji was a skeptic, but this student? He wasn’t sure yet.His gaze drifted to the desk, where a stuffed bear sat.“…Do you believe in ghosts?”It was old—heavily worn down.One arm was torn off, and one of its button eyes was missing. The decorative accessories it once wore had also disappeared.Was it a childhood comfort item?“…To be honest…”The first-year lowered their eyes, fidgeting with their hands.When they finally spoke, their voice was barely above a whisper.“…Sometimes, I wish spirits really did exist.”

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