When I was in elementary school,

an elderly couple lived in a house right near the school.

Kids gathered there all the time, almost like an after-school program,

and it became a place where everyone could hang out after class.

Apparently, they were a couple who never had children of their own,

and they used to keep a dog.

Kids who came over to play with the dog, as well as kids whose parents worked late,

started gathering there,

and even after the dog passed away, kids kept coming back out of habit.

The school turned a blind eye to it and never really said anything to us.

Since both my parents worked and I was an only child, I practically lived at this elderly couple's house.

They both treated me so well,

and I remember feeling completely at home there.

Every day, more than ten elementary schoolers would come and go,

and they always set out snacks and juice for us.

When evening rolled around, they would even make dinner for all the kids who were still there,

and we would eat together with the old couple.

Some kids ate dinner there every single day—

that was how much the couple doted on us kids.

Right before I entered the upper grades of elementary school,

two somewhat mischievous boys started coming to the house.

At first, those two behaved themselves,

but before long, I began seeing them pull little pranks.

Sometimes they would steal something,

or intentionally dirty up a room,

getting a kick out of causing trouble.

Maybe because nobody else seemed to notice what they were doing,

their pranks gradually escalated.

At some point, they started putting strange things into the old man's food and drinks,

laughing to themselves when he didn't notice,

or delighting in his surprised reaction when he did.

One time, they poured in huge amounts of salt or sugar,

and another time, they dropped in a few strands of hair or gummy candies.

That day was no different; the two of them seemed to be plotting another prank.

"Whoever puts in the weirdest thing today wins!"

With that, the two split up to search for strange things,

and came back with smirks on their faces.

When the old man brought out our meal,

the two quickly slipped the foreign objects they had brought into his portion.

As food was served to the two boys who were holding back their laughter,

it became time for everyone to eat.

"Thanks for the food!"

We all started eating together as usual.

I remember that day's meal was fried chicken and a soup loaded with vegetables.

It happened right as the old man finished drinking his soup.

Seeing no immediate reaction from him, the two boys smirked at each other.

"Gwohhhhhh!"

Vomit spewed from the old man's mouth with violent force.

The vomit hit the girl sitting across from him right in the face, and she started crying hysterically in panic.

Then the old man threw up a massive amount onto the floor again,

frothing at the mouth as he collapsed to his knees.

The two boys turned pale as sheets, their lips trembling.

Terror shook my legs, too,

and I froze on the spot, bursting into tears.

The old woman ran over,

screaming, "Honey! Are you okay?!"

as she frantically rubbed his back.

"Grandma, call an ambulance!"

one of the kids yelled.

The old woman hurriedly called an ambulance.

While waiting for the ambulance,

she desperately kept calling out to him,

but he could only groan, "Mmmph... mmmph..."

convulsing violently as he moaned,

completely unresponsive.

It seemed she had called the school as well,

because teachers arrived at the house almost at the same time as the ambulance.

"We'll walk you home today, so go on back,"

they told us.

Three teachers split us into groups based on who lived close to each other and escorted us home,

going around explaining the situation to each set of parents.

The image of the old man in that state burned itself into my mind,

and I was so deeply shocked that I couldn't speak properly for days.

In the end, the old man passed away that very day.

The incident became a huge topic of conversation at school,

and several students and teachers came to ask me what had happened,

but whenever I tried to talk about it, tears flooded out,

making it impossible to get a word out.

Afterward, rat poison was discovered in the old man's soup,

but the case was wrapped up under the assumption that the old man, who had bad eyesight, had mistaken the rat poison for medicine or something and put it in himself.

A school assembly was held,

where we were told not to go to the couple's house anymore and asked to pray for the old man's soul.

My parents and the other adults acted like their children had been caught up in a crime,

telling us that under no circumstances should we ever go back there.

Eventually, who knows who started it,

but a rumor began to spread: "They serve poisoned food at that house,"

and with that rumor going around, no one went anywhere near the house again.

A few times, I saw the old woman standing alone in her yard, looking lonely as she greeted passing kids,

but obeying my parents, I didn't stop and went straight home.

Nearly a year after we stopped going to the house,

the old woman passed away.

I didn't hear the details, but I think she died of an illness.

That was around the time it started.

Among the students at school,

rumors began to circulate that the old woman's ghost haunted the house.

Well, it was a typical ghost story for an elementary school;

after everything that had happened, it was hardly surprising rumors were flying.

One day, club practice was canceled, and I ended up heading home earlier than usual.

I stopped in front of the couple's house for the first time in a long while

and stared intently at it.

It was a house filled with so many happy memories.

As I gazed at the now empty house,

lost in nostalgia about how lonely it had become,

a large black mass appeared in the yard.

"Huh?"

I rubbed my eyes and looked closely.

It was the old woman.

But unlike the old woman I remembered,

her eyes were stretched wide open, practically popping out.

"Eek!"

I chanted "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" in my heart as I sprinted all the way home.

She had known all along.

She knew that someone had put rat poison in her husband's soup.

And even now, she is searching—

searching for the person who put the rat poison in.