Chapter 8 - Gift

"Hehehehe… Hehehe…"

Adan had been laughing and spinning around in his chair for hours like a lunatic. His joy seemed endless—likely because he was here having a blast from his frustrating latest future.

"Are you really that happy?"

A low voice whispered into his ear, freezing him mid-giggle. His blood ran cold. This was his room. No one else should be here.

"Huh…?"

Slowly, Adan turned his head toward his peripheral vision. His eyes widened in shock as a figure came into focus. Panic surged through him, and he shoved himself backward. The chair toppled over, slamming into the cabinet behind him.

"ARGHHHH!" he screamed.

"WARGHHHHH!" The figure—no, the ghost—screamed back in surprise.

It was a teenage boy, his body battered and bleeding, one eye missing and dangling before it hit the floor with a faint squelch, rolling across the room and striking Adan's toe.

"ARGHHHHHHHH!" Adan screamed again, leaping onto his bed like a frightened cat.

"Seriously, man?!" the ghost grumbled, bending down to retrieve his missing eye.

"I was trying to be friendly!" With a grunt, he popped the eyeball back into its socket like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"What… What the hell…?!" Adan gasped, his chest heaving as he clutched at his rapidly pounding heart. He muttered to himself,

"Inhale… Exhale…" rubbing his chest to calm down.

Before he could process what was happening, a cheery sound system rang out.

| Congrats~~!!!!!

| You've received your welcome GIFT!!!

| Eyes That Seek

The system's tone was almost gleeful, which only made Adan more confused.

"What the—?" He blinked, rereading the panel that had appeared before him.

Then he glanced back at the ghost, who was now casually smiling and waving at him.

"What… the frick…" Adan mumbled, still speechless.

The panel changed again.

| Eyes That Seek

| You can now see beings invisible to other humans.

| Bonus: Use their abilities as your own! Wow, so lucky!!

Adan scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, lucky would've been if the ghost looked cute or something," he muttered sarcastically.

He turned his attention back to the ghost, finally taking in its appearance.

The ghost's pale, semi-transparent figure was covered in tattered clothes, with bloodstains smeared across his shirt. His face was youthful but haunting, with one sunken eye socket where the eyeball had just been reattached. He stood slightly slouched, his height around 5'6".

"Hey~~," the ghost greeted with a crooked smile, giving a small wave.

Adan stared at him in disbelief and let out a long, tired sigh.

"Great. Just great."

"You can see me, yeah~~?" The ghost grinned, stepping closer to the bed.

"Yeah, yeah… Seems like it," Adan muttered, waving a hand dismissively.

"Come on, let's be friends, hmm?"

Adan ignored the suggestion and focused on the glowing panel in front of him.

| Name: Mika _____

| Age: ?????

| Weight: ?????

| Height: 5'6"

| Locked |

Adan raised a brow as a new message popped up.

| Your relationship needs to reach Level 10 to unlock this ghost's stats. |

"Are you kidding me?" Adan groaned, rubbing his temples. "What is this, some kind of dating sim?!"

Mika chuckled, watching him struggle. "Hey, hey, don't sulk like that. I'm trying to help you out here."

"Help me?!" Adan glared at him. "How long have you even been here?"

"Not too long," Mika replied casually. "But I had this feeling you could see me, so I invited myself in."

Adan's face twisted with a mix of irritation and disbelief. "Invited yourself in?! Geez...At least give me a knock next time yeah??" He rolled his eyes speaking sarcastically

"You're the first human who can see me! Well, besides that one old shaman who tried to banish me. Rude guy, honestly," Mika said, extending a hand with a grin. "Anyway, nice to meet you!"

Adan hesitated before reluctantly shaking the ghost's cold, clammy hand. "Yeah, sure. Nice to… see you, I guess."

"Adan, right? I heard your mom calling you earlier—something like 'my sweet boy,' 'cutie pie,' or—"

"Adan," he interrupted sharply. "Just call me Adan."

Mika smirked mischievously. "Alright, Adan."

Adan sighed, flopping onto the bed. He wasn't sure if this "gift" was a blessing or a curse. But one thing was clear—life was about to get way more complicated.

"..." Adan sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Can I have my privacy back now?" he muttered, his voice flat with exhaustion.

The ghost gave a sheepish smile, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Ah… sure, sure. I'll see you tomorrow then!"

And with that, he turned and casually disappeared through the wall, leaving Adan staring at the empty space he'd just occupied.