The night had sunk into that strange, fragile hour where everything felt thinner than usual, like the world itself was barely holding together.
The air was cold.
Too cold.
And the silence…
It wasn't peaceful.
It was watching.
Shaan stood near the door, his hand hovering mid-air, fingers slightly curled as if even touching the handle might disturb something unseen. His breath came out slow… careful… controlled...yet his heart was anything but.
Inside his head, thoughts collided and scattered like broken glass.
*If this is just a dream… I should wake up…*
A pause.
*…but what if it isn't?*
His throat went dry.
*If I turn back… will I really see a ghost?*
A slow breath.
*…and if it is just a dream… why am I afraid?*
His lips curled slightly, forcing courage into his voice
"Get ready… my dear ghost sister…"
Behind him-
A voice.
Cracked.
Broken.
"Oh… not afraid anymore… I guess?"
Shaan exhaled slowly, almost amused
"How scary can you be…? Not more than my real sister, right?"
And then-
He turned.
Fully.
Confidently.
And his smile died.
Because it wasn't Diva.
It was Yue.
Just… standing there.
Still.
Too still.
Her skin was pale- unnaturally pale, like something that had never seen sunlight… or life.
And her eyes-
They weren't just dark.
They were *empty.*
Not like darkness.
Like a void.
If you looked too long, it felt like you'd fall into them...deeper… deeper… with no end waiting for you at the bottom.
Shaan's heartbeat skipped.
*This… this isn't right…*
Slowly...very slowly...his hand moved behind him, reaching for the door.
Just a little more…
Just-
Yue's gaze dropped.
To his neck.
Her lips parted slightly.
A whisper slipped out, trembling… unstable
"If I hold it tight enough… it might break…"
Her fingers twitched.
"But no… no… I shouldn't… master will be mad…"
Her voice cracked again, her head tilting slightly as if something inside her was arguing with itself
"What am I supposed to do… I should… no… no…"
Her hands were shaking.
Not out of fear.
Out of restraint.
Shaan's body froze.
Cold spread from the back of his neck down his spine.
*What is she talking about…?*
*Why is she looking at my neck…?*
*She's not planning to-*
"WAIT-!" his voice came out faster than he intended
"I was just trying to get some fresh air-"
Yue's head snapped slightly.
Her voice dropped into a whisper that didn't belong to her age
"In the middle of the night…?"
Shaan forced a laugh.
Weak.
Fake.
"I- uh- you know I ha- "
A hand.
From behind.
Holding hers.
Everything stopped.
Yue's murmuring.
Her trembling.
Her breathing.
All of it-
Gone.
Shaan blinked.
Lu stood there.
Calm.
Casual.
Like he had just walked into a normal conversation.
"What are you guys doing…?" Lu said, rubbing his eyes lightly, voice laced with sleep
"It's 3 a.m… and it's definitely not like Shaan has the habit of waking up this early…"
His gaze shifted to Yue.
Sharp.
Quietly protective.
"And you…"
A pause.
A faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes
"I'm sorry… but what business do you have with my friend… this early in the morning?"
Yue's entire demeanor changed.
Like that void is being filled with stars every second she looked into Lu's...
Instantly.
Her shoulders dropped.
Her voice softened, fragile, almost human again
"I- I was just… asking if he was going outside… nothing else… I swear…"
Lu blinked, then relaxed slightly
"Oh… I see. Sorry… I thought something bad was happening."
Yue shook her head quickly
"Ple- please don't apologize…"
Shaan didn't wait another second.
His hand shot forward, grabbing Lu's wrist
"Lu… let's just go to bed… it's too early… I don't feel like going outside anymore…"
His voice was trembling.
Barely holding.
Lu leaned closer slightly, whispering
"You alright, bud…? This situation is giving me bad vibes…"
Shaan swallowed
"We'll talk at the bed… let's go…"
He didn't let go.
Not even for a second.
As they walked away, Shaan's grip tightened unconsciously-
And Lu noticed.
Behind them-
Yue didn't move.
Not even a step.
She just stood there.
Staring.
At their hands.
The way Shaan held Lu's hand like it was the only thing keeping him grounded-
Her eyes darkened again.
Something twisted deep inside them.
Then-
Silence.
Back in the room-
Lu finally turned
"Yooo… what was THAT…? Why are you trembling like a leaf?"
Shaan exhaled sharply, running his hand through his hair
"Lu… something is very wrong with that girl…"
A chill passed through him again
"She's scary, man… you saved me back there… but did you see that…? She changed completely… like, she was so cold to me… but when you came…"
He gestured helplessly
"She bloomed… like a flower… it's weird…!"
Lu frowned slightly
"Yeah… anyways… what were you even doing going out at this hour?"
His tone hardened slightly
"Is this about Diva…?"
Shaan's smile faded.
"…yeah, sorry for lying to you about that..."
His voice dropped
"That wasn't my sister… I know it… but it still feels real… nightmares… every night… I couldn't sleep…"
Lu placed a hand on his shoulder, firm and steady
"We'll figure it out together. I've got your back…"
His eyes narrowed slightly
"So don't lie to me again. Ever."
Shaan let out a small breath, nodding
"…sorry. We just didn't want to make things worse for you…"
Lu shook his head immediately
"You guys are never a burden. Don't even think like that."
A small silence settled.
Warmer this time.
Shaan smiled faintly
"…thanks."
Then suddenly clapped his hands softly
"Anyway- we should sleep. We have to explore the world!"
Lu smirked
"Not the world… maybe the island."
Shaan grinned
"Totally."
From the bed-
A groan.
Alex turned, burying his face deeper into the pillow
"Can you guys… shut up… it's too early… I need my beauty sleep…"
Shaan instantly snapped back
"Sorry dear… FOR DISTURBING YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP-!"
"STOP SHOUTING-!"
"YOU STARTED IT-!"
"YOU EXIST-!"
"THAT'S NOT EVEN AN ARGUMENT-!"
From the other side-
Lian sat up slowly, eyes half-open, completely done with life
"…God… shut up… people are sleeping…"
Lu blinked
"Sorry… did we wake you up?"
Lian yawned
"No… this is my wake-up time…"
A pause.
Then all three-
Lu, Shaan, Alex-
Stared at him.
Dead silent.
And shouted together-
"IT IS TOO EARLY-!!"