The following week, Ji-eun tried her best to ignore the supernatural interruptions Joon-ho caused her in the house. But it was easier said than done. Every time she turned around, Joon-ho seemed to be right there, messing with her in some subtle—or not-so-subtle—way.
One morning, she woke up to find her clothes rearranged in her closet. All of her pants had mysteriously vanished, and she was left with only skirts and dresses to choose from.
"Joon-ho!" Ji-eun shouted, her voice echoing through the apartment.
Joon-ho materialized beside her, floating casually as if he hadn't a care in the world. "What? I thought you might like a change of wardrobe. You never wear dresses."
"Because I don't like them," Ji-eun huffed, crossing her arms. "Now give me back my pants."
Joon-ho smirked. "I'm just saying, you could stand to switch things up once in a while. Maybe try something a little more… feminine?"
Ji-eun glared at him. "You're not my stylist. Just give them back."
With a dramatic sigh, Joon-ho waved his hand, and Ji-eun's pants reappeared in the closet. "There. Happy now?"
"Ecstatic," Ji-eun grumbled, grabbing a pair of jeans and slamming the closet door shut. She muttered under her breath as she stormed off to get ready for work, leaving Joon-ho floating behind with a self-satisfied grin.
The trouble didn't stop there. Later that day, while Ji-eun was at work, Joon-ho decided to pay her another visit—much to her dismay.
Ji-eun was in the middle of a meeting with her team when Joon-ho appeared behind her, completely invisible to everyone else. He hovered silently for a few minutes, watching as she scribbled notes and nodded along to the discussion. But soon enough, his boredom got the better of him, and he decided to stir up a little fun.
Leaning in close to Ji-eun's ear, Joon-ho whispered, "Tell them you think the boss's tie looks like a dead fish."
Ji-eun froze, her pen hovering over the notepad. "Go away," she muttered under her breath.
"What was that, Ji-eun?" her colleague asked, looking at her curiously.
Ji-eun's eyes widened. She forced a smile and quickly shook her head. "Oh, nothing. Just… thinking out loud."
Joon-ho snickered, thoroughly enjoying himself. He drifted closer, continuing his playful torment. "Come on, Ji-eun. It'll be funny. Just say it. You know you want to."
Ji-eun clenched her teeth, trying to focus on the meeting and not on the irritating ghost at her side. But Joon-ho wasn't done yet. He floated over to her boss, Mr. Park, and made a face as if to mimic the way the man adjusted his tie. Then he turned back to Ji-eun and whispered, "Now's your chance. Dead fish. Do it."
Ji-eun bit her lip, resisting the urge to scream in frustration. She couldn't exactly tell Joon-ho to leave in front of everyone, or they'd think she was losing her mind. Instead, she forced herself to remain calm and carry on with the meeting, all the while ignoring Joon-ho's relentless teasing.
By the time the meeting was over, Ji-eun felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown. She hurried back to her desk, hoping for a few minutes of peace, but Joon-ho wasn't about to let her off that easily.
"You've got to learn to have a little fun," Joon-ho said, materializing beside her. "You're always so serious at work."
Ji-eun shot him a glare. "I can't have fun when you're constantly messing with me! Do you know how hard it is to concentrate with you whispering ridiculous things in my ear?"
Joon-ho shrugged, clearly unbothered by her frustration. "I'm just trying to help you loosen up a bit. You're way too uptight."
"I'm trying to keep my job," Ji-eun snapped. "If you could just leave me alone for five minutes, that would be great."
Joon-ho sighed, floating in a lazy circle above her desk. "Fine, fine. I'll give you a break… for now."
Ji-eun sighed in relief, grateful for the momentary reprieve. But deep down, she knew it wouldn't last. Joon-ho was always up to something, and it was only a matter of time before he found a new way to stir up trouble.
That evening, Ji-eun returned home feeling exhausted, both physically and mentally. She collapsed onto the couch, hoping to unwind with some TV, but as soon as she clicked on the remote, the screen flickered and turned off by itself.
"Joon-ho…" Ji-eun warned, glaring at the empty room.
Joon-ho appeared beside her, looking innocent. "What? I didn't do anything."
Ji-eun huffed and tried to turn the TV back on, but it refused to cooperate. She groaned, tossing the remote onto the couch. "Can't you give me one night of peace?"
Joon-ho grinned. "Where's the fun in that?"
Ji-eun glared at him. "I swear, if you don't let me relax, I'm going to find a way to exorcise you."
Joon-ho gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me," Ji-eun muttered, crossing her arms. "I'll look up every ghost-banishing spell in existence if it means getting rid of you for a night."
Joon-ho chuckled and floated down to sit beside her, though he remained hovering slightly above the couch. "Alright, alright. I'll behave. But only because you look like you're about to have a mental breakdown."
Ji-eun sighed, leaning back against the cushions. "You have no idea."
For a few minutes, there was a peaceful silence between them. Ji-eun finally managed to turn the TV back on, and for once, Joon-ho didn't interfere. Instead, he floated quietly beside her, watching the show with mild interest.
As the evening wore on, Ji-eun began to feel more comfortable and stress free she glancd at joon-ho out of the corner of her eyes watching as he sat quietly like a gentle being "yes this is how it is supposed to be" she thought inwardly before turning back to the TV . Although he was annoying and mischievous, he looked pitiful to her she wondered how it was would have felt to be stuck alone in the world for 20 year, must had been lonely.