I stared into his eyes, lifeless and dull, as he stared back… into mine.
Time seemed to stop, as his ghastly figure became visible under moonlight. The air seemed to thicken and my muscles tensed, as I became unable to breathe. My complexion changed to pale white.
He made no movements, nor did he blink. His attire, the simplest one, you might see in the city often in the morning, is a three-piece office suit. His eyes, so dull, one could only assume if he is alive at all. His eyes never moved from the moment he appeared.
I asked nervously.
"W-Who… are you…?"
[…]
Nothing. He didn't speak a single word. His eyes were still on me.
"I am scared."
I still asked again, with even more strength in my voice. Maybe it was my last resort before I could keep my mouth shut and not just scream my lungs out.
"W-WHO AR..e.. you…?"
In the end, my voice lost its power as he started coming forward. He didn't make any noise while moving as if he is not moving, but rather floating.
"Stay away… please…"
His face, only about 10 cm apart from the terrified face of mine. And then. His mouth moved. And the words he said, chills appeared on my whole body.
In a harsh, somewhat crude with a low pitched voice, he said...
[I am… your ghost…]
The tone, the atmosphere, my sanity couldn't keep up. I screamed at the top of my lungs, my eyes rolled back and I lost my consciousness.
-------------------------------------------------
[[ 3 days earlier… ]]
*ring*
…
*ring*
.. I wake up listening to the sound of my alarm.
*rin.. I switched it off and got ready for the school.
Today, I woke up earlier than other mornings. Today is special. I don't want to miss today's homeroom at any cost. Our homeroom teacher, Handa-san is sick and can't attend school today. Hitomi-san, who is our history teacher, is responsible for today's homeroom.
I don't want to miss the extra time I can see her beautiful face. She is the beauty of school. Most boys adore her, including me. She is the sweetest of all teachers. Any boy would do anything to get her compliment.
Seeing as I have some time left before my mom finishes making breakfast, I think about what to do. I would start daydreaming before her lecture every time. But not today. I don't want to be late by my own carelessness. She is better real, than imaginary.
Staring at my room, I see some books aligned on the shelf. Some books are on the table, messily laying atop it. A mobile phone charging on the table.
I move towards my table, sit on the chair, and open a manga to pass the time.
…
Some time passed and my mom called my name, for the breakfast was ready. I head downstairs. My room is on the first floor. I passed my parent's room and headed towards the dining room. My sister and dad are on their way for the breakfast. I would have probably missed meeting them in the morning, had I not woken up pretty early.
I enter the room where 4 chairs are aligned nicely around the table, on which a good hot breakfast awaited me. I moved towards my chair and was just about to touch the food to see if it was too hot.
"Good morning, Sota, but you should wash your hands first."
"Mm, Good morning, Mom" I did as she asked.
Before going in for breakfast, we waited for our other 2 family members. They came and we "Itadakimasu"d the food and started eating.
"Yu, eat the vegetables too, these will help in your growth." Mom suggested my sister, as she was removing vegetables from the food.
"But I don't like it" Yui, my sister complained.
"Come on, Yu, you should know these will give you nutrition, and they are tasty too." I also said to her.
"Yes, you should learn from your brother." Mom gave my example as I showed my little sister eating some vegetables.
"Dad…" she looked towards Dad with a face I know, he couldn't resist. He is so overprotective of his daughter.
"Let her eat at peace in the morning, okay.." He tried to defend her.
"No, she should eat these vegetables and you should focus on yours, you will be late if you don't finish on time" Mom just…
Under such pressure, neither my sister nor my dad spoke, they ate their breakfast in silence. My sister finished eating all the vegetables even if she hated them. Her face screamed disgust when eating those.
"Don't sulk now, even I had to experience it or how would I have learned how to eat these, huh?"
Our family finished the breakfast and we left the house together. On other days, it's me who closes the house and leaves it last.
My mom and dad will go towards their own office. And yes, they work at different companies.
Yu will go with me. I took the house keys. After walking a bit...
"Tell me, how's your school? Is anything troubling you?" I asked her nicely.
"Nope, and my school is going pretty well. I got full marks on the previous test, hehe, and what about you nii-san, are you alright? I have heard rumors that some people are bullying in your school, is that true?" She seemed happy about her marks on the test. Looks like she studied well.
"Huh? Where did you hear that, don't go believing baseless rumors. There is no bullying happening, okay?" I rejected her outright. I don't want her to know what is happening in the class.
"mm…" She nodded her head a few times.
We chatted a few more times before she met her friend.
"Hey, Taba-chan, Good morning"
"Ah. Good morning, Yu-chan, and… Good morning, Hamada-san" Aya, her classmate, and her friend, whom she calls Taba, the reason I don't know, greeted us.
"Good morning, Aya-chan" I greeted in return.
"We are going. We will meet up with other friends and can go on our own from here on out. You can walk more slowly if you want." She runs with her friend and leaves me behind with some sarcastic words. Her school is somewhat farther than my own but at a walking distance.
"What? I walk slowly?"
I never knew I walked slowly. Is that the reason I am always running towards the school in the end?
"Oh well.." I still walked at my own pace. Today I don't have to run in the end.
…
I am standing right in front of the school.