Ryo could hear footsteps, the creak of the wardrobe door opening, and then the steady rush of water from the sink. Soon after, the rhythmic scrubbing of a toothbrush followed.
Ah, Ryosuke was up early again for his volleyball training. This had become Ryo's daily alarm clock—whether he had classes or not, he always woke up early because of his brother's morning routine.
Their house was old, made of wood, and far from soundproof. Every little noise echoed through the entire place. You couldn't even let out a fart without the person in the next room—or worse, right beside you—hearing it. The only thing separating each sibling's room was a thin sheet of plywood.
But hey, at least they had a roof over their heads!
"Oniisan! I'm heading out now. I'll be home late since our match is coming up!" Ryosuke called out as he approached his older brother. He crouched beside Ryo, who was sprawled out on the bed, mouth slightly open, blanket tangled around his legs, and his tank top hiked up, exposing his stomach.
"Ryo-nii, do you have any extra cash? I need some food later since I'll be staying late." Ryosuke added, knowing full well that his brother was awake but pretending otherwise—or maybe just stuck in that half-asleep state.
"I'll just grab some from your wallet, okay?"
Ryo's eyes snapped open like an owl's, wide and alert. But instead of seeing Ryosuke's face in front of him—he saw Ayame's.
She was lying beside him, staring at him, their faces mere inches apart.
Up close, he could see just how mesmerizing her pink eyes were, how her thick, silky bangs naturally framed her face. His gaze dropped to her lips—soft, perfect, and far too tempting.
He swallowed hard.
What would it feel like to kiss her?
Should he... try?
As Ryo puckered his lips, ready to kiss Ayame, Ryosuke stood frozen, staring at him with a mix of confusion and sheer disgust.
"Sheesh, is this what happens when you don't have a girlfriend? You start fantasizing about your own brother?" Ryosuke muttered, reaching out to grab Ryo's face—only for his hand to pass right through Ayame's. Without hesitation, he shoved his palm against his brother's lips.
"Wake up! Do I look like a girl to you? Seriously, you're dreaming, right?"
Ryo jolted upright at the sound of his brother's voice, and that's when everything clicked.
"Ah! W-What's happening? Where am I?" he stammered, feigning innocence as he blindly reached for his glasses on the study table beside his bed.
Ryosuke smirked. "Hah! You're Ryo the Peeping Tom. A high schooler desperate for a kiss—so desperate, you've mistaken me for a girl! Hahaha!"
Mortified, Ryo buried his face in his thick hair, wishing he could disappear.
"Anyway, I took some cash, bro. Thanks!" Ryosuke announced before vanishing faster than lightning, leaving Ryo stunned and unable to react.
"Hah... my money..." Ryo muttered in defeat.
Ayame burst out laughing. "Not only are you broke, but you also just got pickpocketed by your own brother! Though to be fair, your little bro is pretty handsome." She plopped onto his bed, grinning.
Ryo groggily dragged himself to the bathroom. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he nearly cursed out loud at the stark reminder of how terrible he looked.
Wait—wait! No one's ugly in this world. Just... financially challenged!
If he had money, he could rest properly, pamper himself, and take care of his skin. If he got rich, he could afford facials, visit the dermatologist every day, and buy premium Korean skincare products.
There's no such thing as ugly—just a lack of funds for enhancements!
"So, where does he rank among your siblings?" Ayame's voice broke his train of thought. She was now standing by the bathroom door, watching him inspect his reflection.
"He's right after me. I'm only a year older," Ryo answered, glancing at her suspiciously.
Why was she asking about Ryosuke? Did she plan on getting to know him? Getting close to him?
Wouldn't be the first time. Most of the girls who approached Ryo only wanted one thing—his brother's number. Or worse, to ask him to play matchmaker.
Ryo was used to this kind of situation, so it wouldn't surprise him if Ayame ended up crushing on his brother.
"Hmm, he's still in middle school, right? That means he'll be in high school next year. Where's he planning to enroll?" Ayame asked.
Ryo grabbed Ryosuke's facial wash, staring at it like it held the secrets of the universe. If he used this, would he magically become as good-looking as his brother? Probably not. Besides, Ryosuke guarded this bottle like a dragon hoarding treasure. If he found out Ryo had touched it, he'd raise hell.
With a sigh, Ryo set the facial wash back down and reached for the regular bar soap—the same one he scrubbed his butt with during showers. Oh well, clean is clean.
"He might go to our school, but it depends on whether he gets a scholarship at Miyagi," Ryo said, lathering up his face. This soap wouldn't make him look like a walking peach, right?
"Whoa, he's a scholar? That's impressive," Ayame said, sounding genuinely interested.
Ryo didn't bother responding. He'd heard this kind of praise countless times before. It had long since lost its charm.
"So, are we calling Mitsuhito-san's family first? Or are we heading straight to their address?" Ayame asked, her gaze locked on Ryo. She was fascinated by his expressions—so many different reactions, each one more amusing than the last.
Ryo wiped his mouth and strolled out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth. "Let's call them first to confirm. I need to save money, you know. If they send us on a wild goose chase, I don't have the spare cash for endless bus fares."
With that, he pulled off his white tank top, stretching in front of the mirror. That's when he caught Ayame staring at him in the reflection—completely unbothered, just watching.
His brain short-circuited.
"AHH! You perv! Why are you watching me undress?!" Ryo yelped, hugging himself like a damsel in distress.
Ayame just laughed and casually turned away.
"Ryo-nii! You're so loud! Why are you always yelling?! Are you having nightmares again?!" Rintaro hollered from the bottom of the stairs, clearly annoyed by his older brother's habit of talking to himself.
Ryo clamped a hand over his mouth, realizing he had been making a scene. Without wasting time, he grabbed some clothes from his drawer—a navy T-shirt with a Don't Give Up print, gray sweatpants, and, of course, his fake glasses.
As he made his way downstairs, he was immediately greeted by pure chaos—his twin siblings screaming, their grandmother ranting about something she had lost, and just an overall level of noise that made him feel like he had stepped into a zoo's chimpanzee exhibit.
"Good morning, oniichan! Breakfast is ready," Rin called out cheerfully. If there was one thing Ryo was truly grateful for—one reason he still came home to this madhouse—it was Rin's cooking.
"You gave us a scare last night, you know. We thought you passed out or something, but turns out you just fell asleep. You were snoring so loud, though!" Rin teased while setting the table for him.
"Sorry about that. I was just exhausted yesterday," Ryo replied before glancing at Ayame—who was now being watched intently by their youngest sibling, Ryota.
"Oniisan, who's that girl behind you?" Rintaro suddenly asked, pointing directly at Ayame—the only one who could actually see her.
Rin quickly grabbed Ryota's hand and pulled it down, clearly unsettled by something she couldn't see, but her brother could.
"Uh... a pot?" Ryo answered nonchalantly before taking a sip of his soup.
"No! The girl with purple hair!" Ryota insisted, his words slightly garbled due to the gap in his front teeth.
Panicked, Rin scooped up her younger brother and rushed him out of the kitchen, leaving Ryo behind with Ayame.
After the chaotic breakfast, the house finally settled into a rare moment of peace. With some quiet time to himself, Ryo pulled out the phone number Mitsuhito-san had given him and dialed.
It rang several times before someone finally picked up.
"Hello? Is this where Takahashi-san lives?" Ryo asked, pressing the phone against his ear.
A man's voice responded from the other end. "This is Momohito Takahashi. What do you need?"
Judging by the tone alone, Ryo could tell the man was older.
"Ah, this is Ryo Okame. I wanted to talk to you about Mitsuhito-san. If possible, could you confirm your current address? We'd like to visit you in person," Ryo said.
Silence.
Ryo and Ayame exchanged glances, both wondering if the man intended to continue the conversation. What if he refused to talk?
But after a few seconds, the man finally spoke.
"Alright."
Ryo then read out the address Mitsuhito-san had provided.
"We haven't lived there for a long time," the man replied before giving Ryo their new address. Ryo quickly jotted it down.
With that settled, they went to pick up Mitsuhito-san, planning to bring him along to meet his family. Luckily, the new address was still within his travel range.
As they sat on the train, Ayame turned to Mitsuhito. "So, why didn't you just go home back then?"
Ryo sat at the far end of the seat, counting his remaining money to see if he had enough for the trip. Meanwhile, the two ghosts sat next to him—completely oblivious to the fact that they were penetrating right through the two passengers beside Ryo.
"I didn't have the courage. Besides, I couldn't even remember who I was back then. The only thing on my mind was finding my body," Mitsuhito explained. "It was only in the past week that my memories started coming back."
Some ghosts lose themselves completely—some because of rage before they die, others because they have no idea how they even died, and then there are those who simply... forget, like an old man with memory loss.
The train came to a stop, dropping them off at a nearby town in Iwate Prefecture, close to Tōno. If Ryo had a bike, he would've just cycled there, but for now, he had no choice but to use his hard-earned savings for a ticket to Mitsuhito-san's home.
They walked through the town, asking for directions until they finally arrived in front of a massive mansion.
The house was Western-style, complete with towering gates and a grand fountain at the entrance. The garden was filled with vibrant red roses, and—take note—there was even a limousine parked outside.
Ryo's nose flared with excitement.
'This is it! This is the big-shot client I've been waiting for my whole life!'