Chapter 14
It Feels Like Something... Part 1
"Hey, Ghost Girl!" Kan let go of my hand and turned to the ghost with an expectant expression. "What did he say?!"
But the ghost completely ignored her, treating her like she was invisible. Instead, she came over and snuggled up to me, wrapping her arms around mine tightly.
"What's wrong?"
"…" She pouted even more and squeezed me tighter, making it hard for me to move.
What's up with her?
Did that guy in the car give her a hard time or something?"
"...?" Kan, clearly confused by the situation, chuckled awkwardly, her face a mix of bewilderment and a thousand unasked questions. What she probably wanted to know right now was what the ghost had said.
"Seriously, what's going on?" I nudged the sulking ghost, who remained silent and unresponsive. When I didn't get any reaction, I pushed her head away gently.
It's not that I disliked her, but if she kept this up, her soft face would surely sink into my arm!
"…Hey."
It looked like that didn't work, as she clung even tighter, treating me like her favorite stuffed toy.
After a moment of silence, she finally loosened her grip just a bit and sighed dramatically, looking utterly displeased.
"I'm fine…"
"Really now…"
The ghost shot me a silent glare before turning to Kan, who was watching us with a bemused expression. "You were the one who invited him to come back with you. He said that!"
"Whaaat!? No way! Why would I invite a ghost home?!" Kan protested vehemently, quickly asking, "Did he say when he started following me? I've felt uneasy for a while now."
"Three weeks ago," the ghost replied calmly.
"Three weeks ago… Hmmm…" Kan furrowed her brow as she tried to recall what had happened during that time, her face serious. Meanwhile, the ghost seemed completely unfazed, glancing back at me and letting out a frustrated huff.
What's up with her?
Didn't she just say she was fine?
I sighed, trying to suppress my annoyance, and asked her coolly.
"What's really going on with you?"
"…" She remained silent, not answering a single word.
Is she trying to annoy me…?
What's her deal? Did she get possessed or something? She won't talk, and on top of that, she's sulking!
My arm feels like it's going numb from her grip!
"Just tell me... I have no idea what's bothering you."
"Jea…" She mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
Huh?
That's way too quiet...
I can't even hear it!
"Look up and talk to me properly. I can't hear you" I said firmly.
Finally, she raised her head from her sulking position, her pout still intact.
"Wha-"
"Don't tell me!... Ugh!!!"
Suddenly, Kan interrupted just as the ghost was about to speak, and I ended up not knowing what she was going to say.
To make things worse, the ghost's sulking intensified.
Ugh…
Even though this is slightly annoying, the matter of that guy ghost is way more important right now.
"How could that be true, Ran! The one I invited back was Oon, not him!"
"Then what happened exactly?"
Kan let out a long sigh, as if it weighed a ton. "So, Ran... three weeks ago, Oon got into a huge fight with her boyfriend. We thought it'd be a great idea to take her to a bar to celebrate her newfound singlehood as my friend. But then, on the way back, Nid and her boyfriend fled home first, leaving just me and Oon. So I ended up having to take Oon back to her dorm! Ugh! You should've seen Oon that day, she looked like a total mess! Want to see the pic, Ran?"
"Uh… No, thanks." I quickly stopped her as she started reaching for her phone.
"So, there I was, having to carry her home, and she was totally out of it. It was so annoying because all she did was talk about her boyfriend. Ugh, all those people in relationships… Ahem! So, I jokingly asked if she wanted to come home with me or wait for her boyfriend to pick her up." Kan made a face as she recalled the memory.
"What happened next?"
"The joke that wasn't funny at all is that her boyfriend showed up to make amends! He left me stranded all alone in that parking lot. The worst! Ugh! Besides eating my feelings, I got a bonus of a ghost tagging along because, well… I think he thought, I was inviting him back home. I didn't even say his name, so he probably thought I was inviting him back."
"Sounds like one of those bad jokes…" I muttered after hearing her story.
The ghost raised her head, speaking to Kan in a flat tone.
"He said you look a lot like the person he wants to return to, so he followed you back. Since you invited him, he tried to visit you in your dreams to tell you this, but since you didn't understand, he didn't know what else to do."
"Huh!?! What kind of crazy stuff is going on here..." Kan cursed in annoyance.
"Brother said he's going to follow you until he achieves his goal."
"...Ugh, he's way too selfish."
I nodded in agreement immediately. "Right? Ghosts are really self-centered!"
Finally, someone understands how uncomfortable it is when a ghost follows you home. I can't even talk to anyone without them thinking I'm crazy!
Wait?
Why does the ghost girl look so down now...?
Oh no, I didn't mean to include her... I was talking about those other ghosts that like to follow people home, but those guys can't even get into the house unless they're strong enough...
In the beginning, she wasn't any different from those ghosts. She followed me home and acted so carefree, but that wasn't a problem since she was calm and took care of me well.
"…" The ghost girl looked down, not saying anything.
Now I feel guilty!
Ugh…
I'm so uneasy right now...
Fine!
"…!!" The ghost girl turned to me in shock when I wrapped my arm around her delicate shoulder, pulling her close again. I ran my fingers through her hair gently, making her soft face pucker up from embarrassment.
Heh... This is my way of soothing the ghost girl I discovered that day. Since then, she has become super sensitive about everything. I'm not sure what she's thinking, but it seems she cares more about me than when we first met.
And if...
"…Mmm,"
she bit her lip tighter as I continued to playfully rub her ear. It seemed she was trying to suppress any sound that might reach Kan's ears, but the one she was worried about was lost in thought, completely oblivious to our little game.
Oh no... If she lets out a sound like that, I'll look like some shameless person engaging in this in public!
But if I don't do it, she won't stop sulking...
Honestly, the thrill of sneaking around like this was almost too much to resist. I mean, who knew a simple ear rub could evoke such reactions? Watching her face flush from the playful teasing was a delight I didn't expect.
"Huh?"
Kan finally looked up, shifting her gaze between me and the sulking ghost.
Luckily, I managed to retract my hand just in time, so she didn't catch on to the shenanigans happening right under her nose.
"So, what's the plan, Kan?" I asked, eager to redirect our conversation.
"Ran... can you help me get rid of the ghost?" she replied, her tone almost pleading.
Get rid of a ghost? That's something I'd definitely like to tackle...
I shook my head lightly. "If I could exorcise ghosts, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place..."
"You don't need to make this so complicated," the ghost sitting beside me huffed, her tone laced with annoyance. "Just do what he asks, and he'll move on to the afterlife in no time. But I haven't even asked what his request is yet. If you want to know, we'll have to ask again."
Her irritation was palpable, and I couldn't help but think it might be because I had stopped touching her.
"What the heck? It just showed up! Why do I have to deal with it?" Kan huffed in frustration.
I totally understood her sentiment, but still...
"Come on, Kan... At least you're lucky to meet a ghost that can talk! If it were one of the usual ones I encounter, we wouldn't be sitting here chatting like this. I'd probably be running for my life somewhere," I said, attempting to inject some humor into the situation.
"That doesn't sound great… Fine! If it's not too much trouble, I'll help. Ugh!"
With Kan finally agreeing to help, we walked toward the car where the ghostly figure awaited. I was the reluctant translator, stuck in the middle of this bizarre ghostly drama.
From any angle, the sight of the ghost in the car was enough to make my stomach churn. Seriously, a massive piece of glass embedded in its face?
The surrounding flesh looked rotten and oozing… was this really the time for this kind of horror show?!
"Excuse me... what do you need from us?" I forced myself to ask, even though every fiber of my being screamed to flee from this spectral nightmare.
I'd much rather deal with the sulking ghost attached to my arm than another ghastly encounter. Kan, on the other hand, couldn't see the man's grotesque face; she only perceived a faint, dark fog. Yet, she could feel his presence, which was why she clung to my arm even tighter.
"Chh…" The ghost let out an annoyed huff as she turned her gaze towards Kan, who was clinging to my arm.
I could see it now—she definitely didn't seem to like Kan very much.