Min-Jun shook his head.
Once.
Twice.
Trying to think.
A lie.
Any lie.
Something smart.
Something believable.
Something that explains a floating breakfast tray.
…Nothing came.
Because the tray?
Still there.
Floating.
Right above Niran's legs.
Perfectly balanced.
Like it belonged there.
"…Think," I whispered to myself.
"Think faster."
Behind me—
A small, sleepy voice.
"…Min-Jun."
I froze.
Niran cracked one eye open.
"…why is my leg burning?"
I blinked.
"What?"
"I thought I was a ghost," he mumbled, voice rough with sleep. "I can't feel things—why does this feel like hot soup betrayal—"
His eyes snapped fully open.
He looked down.
Saw the tray.
"…Oh."
Then—
"OH."
He jerked up.
The tray flipped—
Plates clattered—
Everything crashed to the floor.
Ara didn't even flinch this time.
She just stared at me.
Dead calm.
"…You're definitely not alone."
Silence.
I exhaled.
Long.
Slow.
"…Yeah."
I stood up, walked to the door, and quietly locked it.
Click.
No going back now.
I turned around—
Walked back to her—
Gently held her shoulders.
She immediately crossed her arms.
Waiting.
I swallowed.
"…There's a ghost in my room."
Pause.
"…His name is Niran."
Long pause.
"…He died."
Another pause.
"…Unfairly."
I kept going.
Everything.
The night.
The fall.
Seeing him.
The wishes.
The fact that he's staying.
The fact that—
He'll leave.
Disappear.
Gone.
Ara listened.
Didn't interrupt.
Didn't laugh.
Just… watched me.
Carefully.
When I finished—
She tilted her head slightly.
"I want to believe you," she said softly.
"…but."
"Yeah," I muttered. "The floating tray isn't enough, right?"
Before she could reply—
Niran sighed.
Loudly.
"Humans are exhausting."
He walked forward—
Calm.
Annoyed.
And shoved me aside.
I stumbled.
"Hey—!"
"Move."
He stepped in front of Ara.
Tilted his head.
Studying her.
Then—
Without warning—
He gently lifted her chin.
Ara froze.
Eyes widening slightly.
Not scared.
Just—caught off guard.
"…Okay," she whispered.
Then—
He reached up—
Pulled off her hair tie.
Her hair fell softly over her shoulders.
Smooth.
Light.
Like a quiet wave.
Niran stepped back—
Holding the hair tie.
Letting it float in front of her.
Mid-air.
Then handed it back.
Ara stared at it.
Took it slowly.
"…Oh my God," she whispered.
She looked at me.
Then slightly ahead.
"…Min-Jun."
Her voice softened.
"…Niran's really here?"
I nodded.
Slowly.
"…Yeah."
She smiled.
Small.
Bright.
Then looked forward—
And waved.
"Hi," she said gently. "I'm Ara."
Niran blinked.
"…She's polite."
"I knew it," she continued softly. "Every time I felt something… like someone was there…"
She touched her chest lightly.
"…it was you."
I glanced at Niran.
Then back at her.
"If you stay around," I said, "you might actually start seeing him."
Her eyes lit up.
"Really?"
I turned to him.
"…Make yourself visible."
He sighed.
"Bossy."
Then pointed.
"At the mirror."
Of course.
I rolled my eyes.
Ara walked toward the mirror slowly.
Stood in front of it.
Waiting.
Niran stepped behind her.
And then—
Slowly—
He appeared.
Faint at first.
Like mist.
Then clearer.
Pale skin.
Blood-stained white shirt.
Black trousers.
Silky black hair falling over his forehead.
Sharp.
Handsome.
Too real.
"…Oh my…" Ara whispered.
Her breath caught.
She turned—slowly.
Eyes wide.
"I can see him…"
She reached out—
Her hand passed straight through him.
Niran snorted.
"Madam."
She blinked.
"I'd like to inform you—only my person can touch me."
She tilted her head.
"Who?"
He raised a brow.
"…Min-Jun."
I sighed.
"Of course."
"He's my anchor," Niran added casually.
I crossed my arms.
"Stop saying that like it's romantic."
"It's factual."
"It's annoying."
Ara laughed softly between us.
Then looked down at the mess on the floor.
"I'll get another tray," she said, smiling.
And just like that—
She walked out.
Door closing gently behind her.
Silence.
I turned slowly to Niran.
"…There you go."
He raised a brow.
"What?"
"You just exposed everything."
He looked offended.
"Did I tell you to get close to her?"
"Oh, I'm sorry—should I ignore the only sane person in this house?"
He stepped closer.
Eyes narrowing.
"You're getting too comfortable."
"And you're too controlling."
"Oh really?"
Before I could react—
He grabbed my nose.
Hard.
"OW—!"
"That hurts, right?" he said calmly.
"Yes?!"
"Good."
"LET GO—"
"Learn boundaries."
"I WILL SHOW YOU BOUNDARIES—"
"Try."
"YOU'RE DEAD—"
"AND STILL WINNING."
Soon, the door opened again.
Ara stepped in carefully—
New tray.
Safer distance from ghosts this time.
"I avoided… that area," she said, glancing at the bed.
"Smart," I muttered.
Niran scoffed. "Coward."
She set the tray down—on the floor.
Very intentionally.
Very not floating.
We both sat down across from each other, legs crossed.
Breakfast between us.
It smelled good.
Too good.
I picked up a spoon immediately.
Ara glanced at Niran.
"…Don't you eat?"
He blinked at her.
"I'm a ghost."
"…Right."
"How do you expect me to eat?"
She nodded slowly.
"…Fair point."
I snorted into my food.
They both ignored me.
Then Ara leaned forward slightly.
Curious.
"So…" she started, eyes moving between us.
"How did you two meet?"
I paused.
Niran leaned back against the bed.
"Dramatically," he said.
"Tragically," I added.
"Unfairly," he corrected.
Ara blinked.
"…Okay, details?"
I sighed.
"He died."
"I was pushed," Niran added flatly.
"I saw him."
"He saw me."
"He followed me."
"I'm stuck with him."
"He's lucky."
"I'm not."
Ara looked between us.
"…You two argue like an old married couple."
"NO, WE DON'T," we both said at the same time.
Silence.
Ara smiled.
"…You do."
I went back to eating.
Fast.
Ignoring both of them.
Then she tilted her head.
"Why you?" she asked softly.
"Why did you choose Min-Jun?"
Niran's gaze shifted to me.
Then away.
"I didn't choose him," he said.
A pause.
"…He was the last one who saw me."
I shrugged.
"Wrong place. Wrong time. Great luck."
"Terrible luck," he corrected.
"Same thing."
She nodded slowly, taking that in.
The room went quiet again after Ara left.
Not peaceful quiet.
The kind of quiet that made me suddenly aware of everything.
The ticking clock.
The faint sound of dishes downstairs.
The wind brushing against the window.
And Niran standing beside my bed like he hadn't just turned my entire morning upside down.
I looked at him.
He looked at me.
Then I sighed.
"...There."
Niran raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You finally met someone else."
He shrugged.
"She seems nice."
"You like her?"
"I tolerate her."
I stared at him.
"That's basically affection coming from you."
His mouth twitched.
"Careful."
"Why?"
"You might start thinking you understand me."
I rolled my eyes.
"Don't worry. You're still extremely annoying."
"Good."
He smiled.
"I'd hate to lose my reputation."
I was about to answer when—
A knock came from downstairs.
Then Mrs. Hana's voice.
"Min-Jun."
I looked toward the door.
"Two people are waiting for you in the living room."
My stomach tightened.
Two?
I glanced at Niran.
His expression changed immediately.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
The playful look disappeared from his eyes.
"Who?"
"She didn't say."
I walked downstairs with Ara following behind me.
The moment I entered the living room, I knew exactly who they were.
My mother sat perfectly straight on the sofa.
Ji-Ah was beside her, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else.
Hyun-Woo leaned against the armchair, arms folded.
Du-Hee sat quietly nearby.
Jea-Hyun was standing beside the window, hands buried in his hoodie pockets, looking half-asleep.
And next to him—
Seo-Yeon.
Perfectly composed.
Soft pink cardigan.
White skirt.
Hair neatly arranged.
She looked completely calm.
Too calm.
Her eyes met mine.
She smiled.
"Min-Jun."
I forced a small smile.
"...Seo-Yeon."
Something about the way she looked at me made my stomach twist.
Not fear.
Suspicion.
I still couldn't shake it.
Niran had warned me.
And now that she was standing right in front of me...
I couldn't stop wondering what she knew.
I glanced around.
"Let's go upstairs."
Jea-Hyun nodded.
Seo-Yeon followed.
We headed up.
But before I reached the stairs, I felt something tug lightly at my sleeve.
I stopped.
Looked down.
Nothing.
Then I felt it again.
A tiny pull.
I looked toward Niran.
He was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
His expression was serious.
He lifted two fingers.
Then pointed toward the hallway.
Bathroom.
I frowned.
He nodded once.
I hesitated.
Then quietly followed.
I waited until everyone had gone upstairs before slipping into the bathroom.
The door closed behind me.
Niran was already there.
He was leaning against the wall, arms folded.
"What?"
His eyes narrowed.
"This is a bad idea."
I sighed.
"Here we go."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
"Seo-Yeon shouldn't be here."
I stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because I don't trust her."
"You don't trust anyone."
"I trust you."
That stopped me for half a second.
Then I shook it off.
"That's not the point."
"It is exactly the point."
Niran pushed away from the wall.
"You keep getting closer to people you know nothing about."
"And you're what?"
He stared.
"A dead guy who appeared in my room."
"Exactly."
"That doesn't make you an expert."
"It makes me more aware than you."
I scoffed.
"You're just jealous."
His eyebrows pulled together.
"Jealous?"
"Yeah."
"Of Seo-Yeon?"
I crossed my arms.
"You've been acting weird ever since she came here."
"I'm trying to keep you safe."
"I don't need you deciding who I can talk to."
"I didn't say you couldn't talk to her."
"You're acting like it."
"Because something is wrong with her."
"You don't know that."
"I know enough."
I stepped closer.
"Then tell me."
He went quiet.
I waited.
Nothing.
"...See?"
I shook my head.
"You always do this."
"Do what?"
"Say you know something, then refuse to explain."
His jaw tightened.
"Because I don't have proof."
"Then stop acting like you do."
"I've been dead long enough to know when something feels wrong."
"And I've been alive long enough to make my own decisions."
His expression hardened.
"Min-Jun."
"No."
I was getting angry now.
"You're not my guardian."
"I know."
"Then stop treating me like one."
"I am trying to protect you."
"I didn't ask you to!"
Silence.
The words echoed around the small bathroom.
Niran stared at me.
I could see the anger in his face.
But underneath it...
Something else.
Something hurt.
I should have stopped.
I didn't.
"You know what?"
I laughed bitterly.
"At least Seo-Yeon is human."
His expression froze.
I swallowed.
But the anger kept pushing the words out.
"At least she isn't dead."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Niran's eyes dropped.
For once...
He didn't have a comeback.
Didn't smile.
Didn't tease me.
Nothing.
I immediately felt the weight of what I'd said.
"Niran..."
He stepped away from me.
Slowly.
"You're right."
His voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
"She's human."
He looked at me.
"And I'm not."
My chest tightened.
"I didn't mean—"
"I know."
He gave me a small smile.
It wasn't his usual smile.
There was no amusement in it.
No arrogance.
Nothing.
"That's why it hurt."
I couldn't speak.
Niran walked toward the door.
I reached out.
"Wait."
He stopped.
Didn't turn around.
"I just..."
My voice caught.
"I was angry."
"I know."
"Then don't leave."
A pause.
His hand rested on the doorknob.
"You said I wasn't your guardian."
He glanced over his shoulder.
"So..."
He shrugged.
"Maybe I should stop acting like one."
Then he opened the door.
"Niran."
He didn't answer.
He walked out.
The door closed softly behind him.
I stood there alone.
Staring at the empty doorway.
My heart sank.
"...Idiot."
I didn't know whether I meant him...
Or myself.