Chapter 15 It Feels Like Something...
Part 2
The disfigured man slowly turned his head towards me. He only glanced at me for a moment before his eyes shifted to Kan, who was clinging to my arm. Let me tell you, the lifelessness in his eyes was utterly creepy.
His mangled mouth, exposing the bones inside, slowly parted, each word coming out sluggishly. "Family… I want to…"
"Can't you communicate through dreams? I've heard that's how most ghosts usually send messages," I asked.
"I… can enter others' dreams… but I don't know why… I can't do that with my own family. I just don't understand…" His face, which had been emotionless, now looked sorrowful.
From what I could tell, he didn't seem like a vengeful spirit. Despite his terrifying appearance, the fact that he was following Kan around was harming her emotionally in its own way.
"If we help you, will you move on peacefully?"
The man stood silent for a while before nodding slowly in agreement.
Alright, then.
It doesn't seem like there's anything too alarming… at least I hope not.
I pulled a piece of paper from my shoulder bag, along with my favorite lecture pen, preparing to jot down whatever message the man needed to convey to his loved ones.
"Go ahead," I urged.
"I…"
It took some time to write down and interpret what he wanted to convey since he couldn't speak as fluently as that weirdo ghost. In the end, it turned out he wanted to send a message to his only remaining sibling, his sister. They were the only two left in their family, which explained why he couldn't move on peacefully.
As for why he couldn't reach her himself, it might have been because there was something at the place where he died keeping him trapped. So he was stuck wandering there for decades.
By the time I got home, it was already past 8 PM, nearly 9. Dinner, which should have been eaten hours ago, would now count as a late-night meal.
Honestly, though, I wasn't in the mood for it anymore. I'd had enough headaches for the day, especially after seeing that nauseating image of the male ghost.
On the way back, Kan volunteered to drive me home, which gave me some time to chat with the disfigured male ghost who was sitting in the back seat. He's only the second ghost I've ever met who can actually hold a proper conversation with me. Unlike the others, he wasn't after my good karma or my life—he just couldn't speak smoothly or act all hyper like that one bizarre ghost girl.
Seriously, she's the weirdest one out of them all…
From the conversation with the male ghost, I learned his name was "Phuen Fah."
He got into an accident while driving home, and the reason he ended up as a ghost was all thanks to a bunch of hooligan bikers cutting in front of him. What made it even more infuriating was that they walked away with just a few scrapes, while he, Phuen Fah, panicked and jerked the wheel hard to the side. Unfortunately for him, there just so happened to be a streetlight pole waiting right there at the edge of the road.
"Sigh… It's kind of a relief that he's not a scary ghost," Kan said, sighing with relief after hearing what I had told her.
"You're adjusting pretty quickly. Most people would be terrified, whether the ghost is good or bad," I said, genuinely impressed, which made Kan laugh in amusement.
"Well, he's harmless, right? Even though I didn't know that at first… Anyway, we're here. See you tomorrow, Ran. Bye, Khun Ghost" Kan said, turning to give a friendly smile to the ghost girl standing there with a blank face.
"Okay, thanks" I replied.
Kan nodded before driving off, leaving me with just the quiet ghost girl beside me at the gate.
"…"
I glanced sideways at the ghost girl, noticing the faint blush still lingering on her cheeks.
How should I put this… She might be sulking, but not exactly. Embarrassed? Yeah, probably a little. I mean, I did stroke her quite a bit earlier.
Ugh… The way she's acting is starting to make me feel a bit flustered now too.
Her soft hand reached out to tug gently at my sleeve, even though she didn't look my way.
That cute, shy gesture made me smile just a little.
"Let's go inside..."
"Okay."
She followed me like a little shadow all the way to the living room, then plopped down beside me on the sofa.
"..."
"..."
We both sat there in silence, staring at the blank TV screen in front of us. Alright, it's been days already. Today should be the day we go back to normal…
Stop getting flustered already, me!
"!?"
I jolted slightly as she leaned over and rested her head on my shoulder. Her face looked a bit downcast,
and it was just so… adorable.
Alright, it's been days now. Today should be the day we finally talk like we used to…
Come on, stop being shy already, me!!
"…!?" I flinched slightly as she leaned her head against my shoulder. Her face looked a bit gloomy, almost pitifully cute.
Could it be... do ghosts have periods too? Is that why she's acting moody, like a girl during that time of the month?
"You're acting kind of weird today."
I couldn't hold it in anymore, so I decided to break the ice.
"I... I'm feeling jealou." she admitted softly.
"jealou?"
"Yes… I don't like it. When someone else touches you… I get so irritated, I don't know what to do. I don't want anyone touching you but me."
Wow... She really laid it all out there this time. Quite a change from her usual bashfulness. But feeling possessive...
huh? For some reason, I felt a little happy hearing that.
What's wrong with me?
I placed my hand on her soft, brown hair. "You're overthinking. Kan's just a skinship kind of person."
And that's the truth. I'd seen Kan get all clingy with Nit and Oon too. It wasn't like she was always hugging people, but she liked some light contact now and then. I just started noticing it more lately.
"But... I still didn't like it," she mumbled with a pout, so I tugged at her squishy cheeks, stretching them out playfully. "Haaaarmph!"
"Wow, you really do have cheeks like a steamed bun."
"Ow! That hurts…" she whined after I let go.
"Ow! That hurts…" she whined after I let go.
"By the way… do you have any idea why Kan got possessed?" I quickly changed the subject now that the mood was shifting.
She rubbed her cheeks before answering. "I think Khun Kan was in a weakened state. With spirits lingering around, her health got worse. Even strong-willed people can feel drained out of nowhere, and the longer it goes on, the worse it gets."
"I see… but I just don't get why it latched onto me like that... What about you? Did it hurt you at all?" I asked, turning her side to side, checking for any sign of harm.
"I'm so happy..."
"Happy? What for?"
What!? Why is she tearing up now?
"I'm happy that you're worried about me, Khun Ran."
At first, I thought she'd changed after that incident, but now I realize… no, I'm the one who's changed.
My feelings towards her have grown, and the way I see her has shifted. What used to be an annoying, clingy ghost has become something entirely different—something endearing.
Even if the way she handled things was wrong… it made me start caring about her feelings more.
"Hey, Khun Ran… wanna take a shower? You've been around some bad energy today…" She lowered her voice, flashing me a mischievous smile. "Would you like me to help wash you? Hehe…"
Great, she's back to her usual teasing self. But honestly, it's better this way. It's easier to handle than when we weren't talking.
"Back to being a pervy ghost, huh?"
"Nooo~ I'm totally normal! I only ever had good intentions. You don't believe me?"
"Nope. Not one bit."
Half true. I know she means well, but she always manages to sneak in some sly moves.
And yet, here I am, crossing the line before she even got the chance to! What should I do now? Even though the walls of awkwardness between us have started crumbling...
She pouted at me, then smiled again—the same smile I hadn't seen in days. I like that smile. It puts me at ease.
I didn't say anything back, just stood up from the sofa and headed for the door.
"…You coming or not?"