"There's no need to thank me, but... I think you need a room for yourself," I said to Tari, realizing she might need her own space.
Tari blinked and looked around. "Well... I can sleep anywhere..."
Imagine an invisible door that leads to a room with a bed, table, and other things for sleeping. The door is small and not connected to any wall; it just appears when opened, I thought, focusing my imagination.
Suddenly, a door materialized in front of me. Tari looked at it, confused.
"Is this..."
"For you. It's your room. Well, since... you're a female spirit, I thought..." I explained, a bit awkwardly.
Tari's eyes widened in surprise, then a radiant smile spread across her translucent face. "Oh, Fool God, this is wonderful!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with delight. "Thank you so much!"
She floated towards the door, her ethereal form passing through it effortlessly. A moment later, she reappeared, her eyes sparkling with joy. "It's perfect!" she said, her voice echoing from within the room. "I can finally have a place to call my own."
I smiled, pleased that she liked it. "You're welcome, Tari. Make yourself at home... also, you can just call me Xian."
"O-Okay... Xian," she replied shyly.
I then added, "But... I don't really like your appearance like this... you look a bit like a homeless person."
"...Well, anything you say, Fool God. I will do whatever you want. Do you want me to change?" she offered, her voice eager to please.
"Can you? Or should I use my power?" I asked, curious about her abilities.
Tari nodded eagerly. "I can. Just tell me what you want, and I'll try my best to transform into it."
I pondered for a moment, considering various possibilities. "How about... a normal girl? Just... whatever you want to look like."
Tari's form shimmered, her features shifting and blurring as she concentrated. The tattered white dress dissolved, replaced by a simple yet elegant sundress. Her hair, once limp and lifeless, now flowed in gentle waves around her shoulders. Her eyes, no longer filled with sorrow, sparkled with a newfound vitality.
She looked at me, a hopeful expression on her face. "How is this?" she asked softly.
I smiled, genuinely impressed by her transformation. "It's perfect, Tari," I said, my voice filled with warmth.
A blush crept onto her cheeks, and she lowered her gaze shyly. "Thank you, Xian," she whispered.
"Now go rest," I said, gesturing towards the invisible door. "You deserve it."
Tari nodded and floated back into her room, closing the door behind her. I turned to IM, a satisfied smile on my face.
"Well, that went well," I said.
IM chuckled. "Yeah, I think you made a new friend."
I shrugged. "Maybe. But she's also a valuable asset to our team. Her knowledge of the Seers could prove invaluable."
I lay on the bed, and Kuro jumped onto my chest. "Kid, you'd better not bring any more spirits here," he said, his voice serious.
I looked at Kuro, confused. "Why?"
"Too many spirits in one place can affect normal humans who can't sense them. It's a common ability of ghosts and spirits - it's a passive power. If they surround a normal human, that person will have nightmares," he explained.
I sat up, a wave of concern washing over me. "Nightmares? But my parents haven't mentioned anything about bad dreams..."
Kuro shook his head. "Not yet, maybe. But the longer they're exposed to spiritual energy, the more likely it is to affect them."
I frowned, feeling a pang of guilt. I hadn't considered the potential consequences of bringing Tari into our home. "What should we do?" I asked, my voice filled with worry.
"We need to limit their exposure," Kuro replied. "Keep the spirits confined to your room as much as possible, and make sure they don't wander around the house at night."
I nodded, determined to protect my parents from any harm. "I'll talk to Tari and make sure she understands."
IM, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "Maybe we should also consider finding a more permanent solution," he suggested. "A place where we can keep the spirits safe without endangering your family."
I agreed. "Yeah, we'll need to think about that. But for now, let's just focus on keeping them contained."
I got up from the bed and headed towards Tari's room. I knocked gently on the invisible door, and a moment later, it swung open, revealing Tari's smiling face.
"Hey, Tari," I greeted her. "Can we talk for a minute?"
She nodded, stepping aside to let me in. The room was cozy and inviting, decorated with a few personal touches that Tari had added. It was clear that she was already making herself at home.
I explained Kuro's concerns about the potential effects of spiritual energy on my parents. Tari's smile faded, replaced by a look of remorse.
"I'm so sorry, Xian," she apologized. "I didn't realize I could be causing harm."
"It's okay, Tari," I reassured her. "We'll figure something out. But for now, can you please try to stay in your room as much as possible, especially at night?"
She nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "Of course. I'll do whatever it takes to keep your family safe."
I smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Tari. I appreciate it."
I looked at them from the doorway, a thought occurring to me. "Wait... her room is in another place... I mean, not the real world... so she's not actually around us, right?"
Kuro blinked, seemingly surprised by my realization. "Oh, so that door isn't actually here? Then it's okay. Your parents won't have any nightmares."
I let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to know," I said, feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders. "I was worried we might be putting them in danger."
IM yawned, stretching his arms. "Well, that's one less thing to worry about. Also, I think we should go to the company for hero duty today?"
I opened my phone, checking for any notifications from the group, but there were none except for Hanna's messages. "Before we go, let's check with them first," I said.
[Me: @Dove, do we have any hero work today?]
[Yolan: I was about to ask that, but I don't think there's anything bad happening today, right? I mean, if you want to go, you can, but I still have work to do.]
"Yolan said she can't," I relayed the message to IM.
"Then let's just rest," he replied, yawning again.
I sat on my bed and opened the chat with Hanna.
[Hanna: How's your day going, Xian? Feeling better today?]
A warm feeling spread through me as I read her message. It was nice to know that she was thinking of me, even though she was still recovering from her cold.
I quickly typed a reply.
[Me: Hey Hanna, my day's been pretty chill so far. Just relaxing at home. How about you? How's your cold?]
[Hanna: Hehe, it's gone, it's okay. I'm not doing anything today, though. I don't know what I should do.]
[Me: That's good to hear! Maybe you could watch a movie or read a book. Or you could try writing some new songs.]
[Hanna: Hmm, those are all good ideas. But I'm feeling a bit restless. I kind of want to go outside, but I don't want to be recognized by fans.]
I paused, an idea forming in my mind.
[Me: Want me to come over to your house?]
I turned off the phone, feeling a bit risky after sending that message.
I waited anxiously for Hanna's reply, my heart pounding in my chest. It was a bold move, inviting myself over to her house, especially considering her status as an idol. But I couldn't shake the desire to see her, to spend time with her away from the prying eyes of the public.
After what felt like an eternity, my phone finally buzzed with a notification.
[Hanna: Really? You'd come over? 😊]
A wave of relief washed over me. She wasn't offended by my offer; in fact, she seemed happy about it.
[Me: Yeah, of course. I'll bring some snacks and movies. We can have a cozy movie night.]
[Hanna: That sounds perfect! I'll send you the address.]
I grinned, my heart filled with anticipation. A movie night with Hanna... it was a dream come true.
A variety of snacks appear in front of me... lots of snacks... I imagined, and suddenly, my bed was covered in chips, cookies, and other goodies.
"What's all this for?" Kuro asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I'm going out, somewhere," I replied, trying to sound casual.
"Huh? Where?" he asked, tilting his head.
"To my future wife's," I said with a smirk.
< Chapter 152 > Fin.