Her mother's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, a silent assessment passing between us, before she nodded and returned to her tasks. Lenna led me down a hallway adorned with family photos and vibrant paintings, a testament to her artistic talent. We stopped in front of a wooden door, its surface decorated with intricate carvings of flowers and birds.
"Here we are," Lenna announced, her voice barely a whisper.
She opened the door, revealing a cozy room filled with books, art supplies, and a plush armchair by the window.
And there was Hana, the ghost I had encountered in the art room. But she was... wearing makeup.
"What the hell?" The words escaped my lips before I could stop them.
"Oh, Xian, you're here..." Hana greeted me, rising from the chair, a self-conscious blush coloring her cheeks.
I stared at her, speechless. Her face was covered in a thick layer of makeup, transforming her spectral features into a mask of artificial beauty.
"Why are you wearing makeup?" I asked, my voice filled with disbelief.
Lenna looked at me, a defensive edge to her voice. "What's wrong with that? She looks cute!"
"Yeah!" Hana chimed in, her voice a ghostly echo. "Don't I look pretty?"
I sighed, trying to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Look, I came here to talk about your killer, Hana."
Hana's expression shifted, the playful facade fading as she focused on me with renewed intensity. "Tell me everything, what have you found out?"
I nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Let's sit down first, i'll get us something to drink." Lenna left the room, leaving Hana and me alone in the eerie silence.
As we settled into the plush armchair by the window, I began to explain the plan we had devised.
"My family and I are going to help you, Hana. My cousin has a hacker friend who will try to retrieve the footage from the minimarket's security cameras. We know the police will try to erase it, but we're hoping to get to it first."
Hana nodded, her ghostly eyes fixed on me intently.
"And that's not all, my uncle, who's also a police officer, is going to help us too."
"Wait, your uncle? A police officer is going to help us?"
"Yes, he despises the man who killed you just as much as we do. But we need to be strategic. First, we'll expose his corruption and seize his assets, making sure he has no means to retaliate. Then, we'll take him down."
Hana nodded again, a glimmer of hope shining through her spectral eyes. "You're doing so much for me, i can't thank you enough."
"Now, i want to know more about Asmar. Tell me everything you can," I said, my voice firm with resolve.
Before Hana could answer, Lenna returned, carrying a tray with two glasses of water. "Here you go," she said, placing them on the table.
It seemed the drinks were just for Lenna and me. I thanked her, then turned back to Hana. "Tell me," I urged.
Hana nodded, her gaze distant as she delved into her memories. "I was taking a worker who save up some money, I got a job as a cashier at the minimarket, and that's when I first saw him – Asmar, in his police uniform. He seemed nice... he came to the store often, but always during my shift..."
Lenna leaned forward, her eyes wide with interest. "Then what happened?"
"Well, I was just an cashier, and he was... police. I wasn't interested to police men. At first, we talked on the phone. He would tell me about his day, his work... I was polite, but then he confessed his feelings for me. It was obvious he liked me, but... I didn't feel the same way. I rejected him gently, explaining that I wasn't into police guys. Then, one afternoon during my shift, Asmar and his friend came into the store. They pointed guns at everyone. The market was empty except for me and my coworker, who was too terrified to do anything. They took me to the warehouse, and..."
"Okay, that's enough," I interrupted, my heart heavy with anger and disgust. I had heard enough to know that Asmar was a monster, a predator who deserved to be punished.
Lenna returned with a tray of snacks and drinks, her face pale and her eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright, Hana?" she asked, her voice soft and soothing.
Hana nodded, wiping away a stray tear that had materialized on her spectral cheek. "I'm fine," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Just reliving some... unpleasant memories."
I nodded in understanding, my own heart heavy with the weight of Hana's tragic story.
A silence fell over the room as we sipped our drinks and nibbled on snacks. The tension was palpable, the weight of Hana's story hanging heavy in the air.
"Is that a new watch, Senior?" Lenna asked, breaking the silence. Her eyes were fixed on the black watch on my wrist, her curiosity piqued.
"It's not a normal watch," I replied, a cryptic smile playing on my lips.
She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh?"
I pointed my hand towards the ceiling, ensuring no one would be in harm's way, and pressed the button on the watch.
Click!
The familiar weight of the gun materialized in my hand.
Both Lenna and Hana gasped, their eyes wide with astonishment.
"Wh-What was that?" Lenna stammered, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and fascination.
"It's my power, I can manifest weapons," I explained, my voice barely above a whisper
"But how? I've never seen anything like it." Hana asked, her ghostly form flickering with curiosity.
"I don't fully understand it myself, But it seems to be connected to this watch and my... heritage."
Lenna reached out and gingerly touched the gun, her fingers tracing the cold metal. "It's real," she whispered, her voice filled with awe.
< Chapter 046 > Fin.