The sky is filled with foreboding dark clouds.
The woman in a red and golden dress is engrossed in her thoughts. She is standing right in the middle of the gate. Argh! Again, the smell of rotting eggs. It's the third time. I don't think that it's the people who are saving bathwater. I wonder if my sense of smell is screwed by Wang Mei's kick. I am going to see a doctor after meeting that old man.
I cough loudly, hoping that she will move. She doesn't pay me any attention. She is gazing at the iron gate with a vacant expression.
"Excuse me?" If she wants to admire the design, she should do it away from the gate. She is obstructing my way.
She doesn't pay attention to me at all. She keeps staring like the plain Iron Gate is of great value. Does she want to steal that door? She seems like she is from a good family. Her clothes don't look cheap.
"Hello lady, Can you move? You are in the way."
Her eyes widen in surprise. She moves out of the way clumsily. I don't spare her another glance. But she follows me in. The heavens must be testing me for my patience these days.
The Fang main house looks simple and elegant. There is a garden with a pond full of koi fishes. It must be nice to take strolls here in the morning.
The maid leads us to the sitting room. She leaves after telling me that the old man will be here soon. The lady in red sits opposite of me, eyeing me like I have grown three heads. I ignore her and observe the painted zodiac constellations on the ceiling. I imagine the lines connecting the painted stars to make the character 'Fang'.
"What have you done to your hair and nose?" A tall man with white powder hair and wrinkled skin, dressed in a black robe, enters the room. He bangs his cane on the floor impatiently and huffs when his eyes meet mine. He takes a seat next to the lady in red.
I ignore his question. I hope to have a private chat with this old man. The lady doesn't leave. The old man doesn't ask her to go either. Instead, the old man is leaning toward the lady. Their shoulders are touching. I make a face at him. This old man doesn't know how to keep a distance from strange women.
"Is it that Wang girl's influence?" The old man snarls.
The lady taps his cheek with her long pale finger. The action is quite intimate. It's only been three years since my grandma died. He already has another woman who is even younger than his daughter in law. This old man is losing teeth, but his lower part still dares to want exercise. Is he not afraid of dying from strenuous activities?
I ignore his question again and wait. The old man flares his nostrils. The lady chuckles and playfully places a kiss on that old man's timeworn skin. I slam my hands on the table in anger.
He is surprised by my action. "How dare you! You can't even respect your elders. You are the shame of the Fang family."
"I am the shame, old man? You are one step away from your grave and you take another woman? It's only been three years since she died. You dare to let her shamelessly flirt with you in front of me."
The old man turns comical, first red and then, green. He stands up in rage and slams the table just like I did a moment ago. "Don't slander me with your lies."
"Lies?" I laugh at his face and point at the woman. "She even dares to kiss you in front of your granddaughter. How will you answer my grandma when you meet her? Her soul might be suffering from watching you... doing this."
The woman giggles annoyingly. My grandfather thunders, "I was thinking about choosing you as the Fang heir because your grandmother loved you so much. But her eyes must have been blinded to raise a snake like you."
"Heir? Don't make me laugh. You want me to take my father's place. When the times come, it will be my brother who will become the head. You can't even raise your son right. He wants to push his responsibilities on me. That man doesn't leave the house. He doesn't want to take over the company or wipe the parasites. I know that you want me to fight those who are eyeing Fang Corporation and make it a safe position for Fang Rui."
In my past life, that's exactly what happened. Back then, he knew about my relationship with Sung Jun. He called me to meet him and laid out the offer. He would help me break off the engagement with the Mu family's eldest son. In return, I had to take the position of the fake heir. I took the offer. It was all for nothing. I worked for nearly a decade and got nothing. I never got married or dated. I kept myself busy with Fang Corporation to forget Sung Jun and I died wishing to see him again.
The old man is whitened. He says weakly, "My son was fine. He was bright...if it wasn't for your mother, he wouldn't have turned out like this."
"Excuses. What's past is in the past. If one doesn't want to move on, nobody can help." I glance at the slightly ajar door. "That man only knows how to feel high and mighty. He never treated me as a human being. Now, he wants to use me to take his responsibilities. I don't know if there is any man worse than him."
The door opens and a younger version of that old man walks in. His lifeless eyes move between me and her until they stop on me.
"Son, don't listen to her. This girl is vile and hateful," He tells his son with bitterness.
My father, Fang Qi, looks at me calmly. "You can see her?"
"My eyes are still working unlike this old man," I reply indignantly.
"Son, what happened?"
"She can see them, father."
"It can't be..." Old Fang stares at his son with horror in his eyes. He flops down on the chair and shakily clasps his cane like a shield. His eyes are filled with horror. The temperature in the room drops down several degrees.
"She is also...no...no..." Old Fang speaks like a broken radio, not finishing any sentences. He wobbles his head like a toy. I have never seen him like this before. Fang Qi looks like his tongue has tasted a hundred lemons all at once. His icy eyes are fixed the woman like he wants to freeze her with his eyes alone.
He hates someone more than me. That's refreshing.
"Why are you here?" He doesn't clarify who is 'them'. I wonder what this need of mystery here is. I am frustrated with their lack of words. The woman props her chin in her hand and watches us with a coy smile and a twinkle in her eyes. He wrinkles his nose.
"Will anyone cares to explain?" I ask impatiently.
Nobody pays attention to me. This woman and Fang Qi are having a staring war. Old Fang keeps opening his mouth and then, closing his mouth dramatically. The woman is the only one who is enjoying this drama.
"Should I tell her?" She bats her eyes coquettishly.
"Leave." The iconic one-word reply laced with abhorrence and rage. I am too familiar with this tone.
"I don't want to." She lazily stretches her arms like a cat. "You don't care about me, Little Qi. I had to sleep on the street because of that shaman pest. It's been so many days since I had a good sleep."
"I will call that pest now if you don't leave." The black lines on the face of 'Little Qi' get darker.
"You are too cruel. It's better if I show her. It's faster that way." She puckers her lips.
"Just tell me already." I lose my temper and shout.
"I am going to call him." He takes out his phone. The woman furrows her delicate brows and stomps her feet on the ground. I wonder whom he is calling.
"I am not leaving." The woman suddenly runs to him. She shoves him away from Old Fang. She bends her waist and plunges in her head in the chest of Old Fang.
My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I need to see a doctor. My nose smells rotting eggs and eyes see strange things.
I don't know why. I wrap my arms around her slim waist tightly. I am slammed with the smell of dead mice. I ignore the feeling of touching a slippery cold python. I pull her out. Her head comes out without any difficulty as it has never been in there.
"Let me go, you stinky girl!" The woman screams and wiggles in my arms. Her back feels like a flat block of ice against my chest. I feel goosebumps all over my body. I have the urge to throw up. I let her waist go and run away from her.
"How come you are not scared? Your father wet his pants when he saw me like that."
"Lady, What the hell are you?" I can't forget that feeling of hugging a snake drenched in poop.
"Your reactions are so..." She wraps her arms around herself. "You even felt me up. Don't tell me that you are into women?"
I shiver when I hear her. The heavens must be trying my patience. I glance at the old man. He is watching me with horrified eyes. He mumbles something incomprehensible. I remember the awkward scene where her head was inside Old Fang's chest. It's a scene straight out of a horror movie. Seeing such things in movies are different than seeing in reality. Normal people shouldn't be able to do what she did. I forgot to be scared and tried to save that old man before I could think. I will never try to save this old man again.
I have already died once. I have accepted the fact that God exists. If God exists, other things must also exist. But, what is she?
"What are you?" My voice is low, but she hears me anyway. She lies down on the couch lazily.
"You can see the dead, Aisa...Just like me...." It's Fang Qi. I don't see the familiar hate and disgust in Fang Qi's eyes. Instead, I see pity. He said my name the first time in both lives.
I don't like it anyway. I can deal with hate. I don't want pity. Pity is worse than hate especially when it is coming from him.
"Have you lost your mind?" I ask him quietly. He's a shut-in man. He rarely goes outside. That's one of the reasons why Old Fang wants me to become the fake heir and handle the company.
The pity in his eyes is replaced instantly with the familiar expression. I think that he realizes what he has done. I wonder if he is going to cut his tongue for saying my name.
"It's up to you whether you believe me or not." He flicks his robe and storms off.
"Aisa, please go home." Old Fang weakly follows his son.
I guess that our conversation is over. I didn't get what I want. Instead, I found out that I can see and touch the dead.
"You don't believe me, right?" The woman is still lying on the couch like she owns the house. She might be as well be. Who knows? Both father and son's attitude toward her was unusual. I have had too many shocks today. My head is starting to hurt.
"If you are dead, why can you sleep on that couch?"
She submerges into the couch like she is taking a dip in the water. Only her head is showing. She has a proud expression on her face. I don't know how many laws of physics are broken here.
"Are you really dead?" I think that my brain is really malfunctioning. I won't be surprised if someone comes and say that I have acute schizophrenia. I have already dismissed the idea of being in a dream because of Wang Mei's painful iron kick.
"Yes."
___
"Hey!"
"Boooooooo!"
"Stinky girl who can see dead people," The woman in red runs around me like a little child. "Are you not scared of me?"
"Do you know how many horror movies I have seen?" I tilt my head to the right and cross my arms. "You are doing a poor job at being a dead person."
"Argh!" The woman in red grits her teeth in anger. "Those movies are stealing our thunder. Nowadays, nobody is scared. Do you know how boring it is for us, ghosts?"
"I don't want to know." I keep walking. The unlucky thing is following me since I left the Fang main house. She is trying different antics to scare me. They are nothing but cheap parlor tricks compared to the movies I have seen in movies. "Why are you following me?"
"Your sweet father is calling that pest." Her lips curl downward. "It will be difficult for me to get inside the main house again."
"Who is this pest?"
Earlier, Fang Qi threatened this woman with that 'pest'. If that pest can scare her, I should call him too. That way, I can get rid of this chatterbox.
"He is a shaman." She waves her hands. "A poor one. There have been many before him, but I am not a weak ghost. The effects of their chanting only remain for a month at most. It's expected...blah blah blah ....with time, people are...blah blah blah ....culture and ---blah blah blah--- This generation even dares to speak...blah blah blah blah....in front of their grandfathers...blah...blah...blah...Nobody remembers filial piety...blah blah blah...Are you paying attention to my words?"
"No, I am not. I am starving and I am going to get food. I want to make plans for my future rather than hear a ghost lecture me on filial piety."
She starts the lecture again. I feel like tearing my ears off. I ignore her and go to the street with food stalls. I remember a stall here with delicious dumplings.
"Miss Fang?"
Not again! If I keep walking, I can escape him right. It's a crowded street. He won't be able to find me if I run. Is it mature of me to run? It doesn't matter. I am going to run.
He grabs my hand firmly before I can sprint. It doesn't hurt, but I can't jerk it away. Why is this skinny guy so strong?
"I missed you." It is barely a whisper, but I hear him clearly. Nope, it won't work on me. I won't fall for your words, devil boy!
"You only saw me yesterday and you missed me?"
"I did." He drags me along with him. I can't free my hand from his grasp. Does all the food he eats turn into strength and no fat? It's unfair. When I eat a lot, it turns into a lot of fat.
"I don't believe you." I give up on freeing my hand. I will take my chances. When he is careless, then I will escape.
"It's okay, Miss Fang." Sung Jun gives me a sunny smile with a gleam in his eyes. I notice that he is wearing a navy blue shirt and black jeans. No matter what he wears, it looks good on him. He also smells good... No, don't think that. Look away! Look at those dumplings. They smell really good. Sung Jun is nothing compares to them. It's immoral to think that he smells good. He is the devil. Don't repeat the mistake. Besides, you will probably go to hell for thinking like that for a brat who is mentally fifteen years younger than you.
"Aisa?" He pinches my cheek. "You are lost in dreamland again?"
"I am no-" Before I can finish, he shoves a hot dumpling in my mouth. I can neither eat it nor throw it away. I let it burn my tongue with tears in my eyes.
"Is it hot?" He doesn't let go of my hand. Instead, he shifts closer and leans toward me.
"Don't worry." He whispers into my ear. His hot breath tickles. "I will cool your mouth later."
"This boy is interesting." Suddenly, the woman in red emerges in front of me. "I wonder how he intends to cool your mouth... is he going to use his tongue?"
I choke on the dumpling.
___
When Fang Aisa chokes on the dumpling, her face turns blue. Sung doesn't wait for a second and slams her back hard. The half-eaten dumpling falls out of her mouth, straight on to the ghost lady's face. It passes right through her like she is nothing but air. The ghost lady doesn't pay attention to the dumpling that passed through her. Instead, she holds Fang Aisa's other hand and urges her to breathe. Flabbergasted, Sung Jun moves his hand away from Fang Aisa's back.
"Stinky girl, I don't want you to die." She rubs her palm on Fang Aisa's back in a circular motion. "If you die, I will be exorcised."
Sung Jun pinches his lips and eyes them with wariness. So, she can see them too. The ghost lady appears like a semi-transparent being to him. He can see ghosts, but he has learned to ignore them like air. But...he has never seen any ghost being able to touch any human in broad daylight.
He sneakily touches the ghost lady's long hair on her back. The ghost lady is busy with Fang Aisa and doesn't pay attention to Sung Jun's actions. He doesn't feel anything when his hand passes right through the ghost's hair and her back.
Why is it different for Fang Aisa? Who is she? He has never heard of anyone like her.
"Are you okay?" Sung Jun ignores the irritating ghost and keeps pretending that he can't see her.
"I am okay." Fang Aisa turns to face him with a sly look in her eyes. He can guess that she will say something to antagonize him again. "I nearly died today. Something bad is always happening whenever you are around. I think that you are really unlucky for me."
There, she goes again. He wants to chortle her sometimes. She is fine with ghosts, but she treats him like he is a cancer of her life. What's wrong with her? She also knows exactly what words to make him lose his temper. He won't be played by her again.
He can read her face like a newspaper. She thinks that she found another excuse to get away from him. She is trying to hold her premature victory grin like she is constipated. Her attempts are idiotic and not well planned. He really wants to laugh at her, but he gazes at her like he is offended.
He will not let her get away from him.
He smiles at her brightly and says, "Miss Fang, you are wrong again. Today, I saved your life. I think that I am really lucky for you. We should always hang out together. Also, you owe me your life."
"..."
He chuckles lightly. "You don't have to become my slave for owing your life. Just treat me for a meal."
She looks at him like a child who has lost a match against an adult. She looks like a doll with pink hair, pink eyelashes, and pink brows. When Sung Jun saw those pink hair, he didn't know what to think. Before, he thought that colorful hair suited only the clowns. Now, he actually likes them on her.
It's not that she didn't look cute before.
Did he admit that he likes her? Why does he like her? He has seen prettier girls than her and felt nothing. He runs his fingers through his dark hair. This girl knows how to say the exact words that can infuriate him. She is fine with this ghost holding her hand, but she runs away whenever she sees him.
She prefers dumplings and ghosts over him. He doesn't know what to feel about that.
"We don't owe each other anything." She glares at him stubbornly.
"I didn't know that Miss Fang doesn't like to return life favors." He isn't going to let this go when she dug her own grave. "So, ungrateful."
It's the ghost lady who responds. "This boy is really something. I never have seen someone like him before. Little Aisa, you should stay away from black-bellied characters like him. You should better marry Mu Qing. He's your fiancé."
Fang Aisa doesn't react to the ghost lady's words. Instead, she sighs loudly like she lost a battle.
"Mu Qing is coming back next week. You should meet him. I have seen him once before he left. He is quite handsome. He is also gentle and honest. His family is also rich." The ghost lady doesn't see the black lines that are appearing on Sung Jun's forehead. She dreamily remembers Mu Qing who looked a lot like someone she once loved. "He is the second handsome man that I have seen. You should believe me. I have seen a lot of men before and after my death."
The ghost lady didn't know that Sung Jun could hear her clearly. If she did, she wouldn't have said it so carelessly. The boy wants to incinerate her because of her words.
"I am not going to waste my time arguing." Fang Aisa seems tired of everything. "Try to understand that I don't want to be associated with you. Leave me alone."
___
I am tired. Too many things have happened today. My brain is overloaded with information. Somehow, Fang Qi and I can see and touch the dead. It's not an ability that I want. Why did I not notice this in my last life?
Fang Qi never leaves his home. His wife and Old Fang never force him to leave either. Grandma also never spoke of this matter. When I asked this to Granny Lan in my past life, she never answered me clearly. I found it odd, but I thought that he was just antisocial and weird.
Now, I don't know what to say.
I won't hide in the house to avoid the dead like him.
Then, there is Sung Jun. I am not afraid of the dead. I am afraid of this human.
"Aisa, take this." He calls my name and pushes a bag of dumplings into my hand. "Eat them at home."
"Did you not hear what I said? Don't talk to me casually. We are not close." I shove the bag back into his hands.
He gives me a half smile and a sad look. "Take this."
"I don't want it."
I refuse to take anything that he brought. I walk ahead of him with a strong resolve that I will ignore him from now on. I am not going to school. I am going to take a job and cut my ties with the Fang family. It's my bad luck that I have this ability to see dead people. I don't understand why I can see them now. I didn't see them in my last life. Something probably changed during my rebirth.
It makes sense. Everything comes with a price. Now, I can see the dead.
The ghost lady quietly follows me. I am grateful that she isn't talking anymore. But how do I get rid of her? I need to check on a local priest.
Someone rushes to my other side. It's Sung Jun. I frown at him. Why is he not leaving him alone? I want to be alone right now.
"I will walk you home." He states his reason before I can ask.
"I can walk myself home," I tell him tiredly. He looks straight ahead. He holds my hand again. Did this guy learn the meaning of personal space? People will get the wrong meaning if they see us holding hands.
I cough and look away at the lady ghost who is enjoying the drama. I understand now why Fang Qi wants to avoid going out. There is no such thing as privacy when one can see ghosts.
Is it how my life is going to be? Surrounded by ghosts?
"With your pink hair, I have a feeling that you will attract weird people."
"You are the weird one here." I guess that I still have some energy to say things.
"Aisa," He squeezes my hand. My heart skips a beat. We used to walk like this once... in a different time... in a different life.
I steal glances at his side-profile. In the future, he will grow to be a handsome man.
"Hmm?" Beautiful people are distracting.
I hear him sigh.
"I can't leave you alone." He whispers softly. I stop walking and stare at him. He gazes at me fervently and takes my both hands. I feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. I bite my lip nervously.
This dangerous guy can kill me with a glance alone.
"I won't leave you alone. I don't know why... but I like you. If I like you, then I like you. It's simple as that. If you don't tell me a good reason why you want to avoid me, I won't leave."
A part of my heart is euphoric. Another part is screaming for me to slap his face. In any way, my head is a bit jammed at the moment to take any action. Why is he saying things like that? Can I believe him?
"Aisa?"
I find it disturbing when he says my name. It's familiar and yet, I don't like it at all.
"Oh..." I look back at the Sung Jun. I try not to think about... our relationship at a different time. I ignore my heart and listen to my brain.
This guy betrayed you, Fang Aisa. He left you. He will do that again.
"I don't need to tell you why." I steel my heart and say, "I don't like you. That's a good enough reason for you to stay away from me. You can think whatever you want."
Sung Jun looks like I have broken his heart. My chest hurts when I see him like this. I want to get away from him before I cry and ask him why he left me alone.
"Tell me why," He asks again and stares into my eyes. I am scared that he can see through me.
"I...have a fiancé," I whisper softly.