We didn't stay long after that.
It felt… wrong to stay too long.
Like I was stepping into something that wasn't mine—but they still let me in anyway.
When I stood up to leave, they all stood too.
Too quickly.
Too warmly.
His aunt smiled and thanked me again.
His father gave a small nod—quiet, but respectful.
Lara walked me to the door, still talking softly like she didn't want the moment to end.
"…Come again, okay?" she said.
I nodded.
"…I will."
Then—
his mother stepped closer.
She looked at me for a long second.
Like she was trying to remember my face.
Or maybe…
hold onto it.
She reached out and gently held my hand.
Warm.
"…Thank you for coming," she said softly.
My chest tightened.
"…It's nothing."
But she shook her head.
"It's not nothing."
A pause.
Then—
her voice dropped just a little.
"If you… ever see Niran…"
I froze.
Just slightly.
Behind me, I felt him go still too.
"…Tell him…"
Her fingers tightened around mine.
"…we miss him."
Silence.
Heavy.
Real.
The kind that doesn't go away quickly.
I swallowed.
"…Okay."
My voice came out softer than I expected.
"…I will."
She smiled.
Not fully.
But enough.
I stepped back.
Bowed my head slightly.
"…Thank you for having me."
Then I turned.
Walked out.
The air outside felt colder.
Quieter.
I didn't look at him.
Didn't say anything.
Because I knew—
if I did—
something would break.
I got into the car.
Closed the door.
And leaned back.
"…Let's go," I said.
Min-hyuk glanced at me through the mirror.
"…Home?"
"…Yeah."
He nodded.
And started driving.
Beside me—
Niran sat quietly.
For once—
he didn't say anything.
And neither did I.
--
The security room was dim, the only light coming from the monitors.
Everything felt… wrong.
Too quiet.
Too serious.
Jea-Hyun leaned against the desk, arms crossed.
"…I'm asking again," he said, squinting at me. "Why are we here?"
I didn't look at him.
Just kept clicking through the footage.
"…Because I need to check something."
"That's not an answer."
"It is."
"It's a bad one."
Behind me, Niran leaned closer to the screen.
"Third camera. Left side."
I clicked it.
"Pause."
I paused.
"Zoom."
"I'm doing it."
"You're slow."
"You're annoying."
"You invited me."
"I didn't."
"You did spiritually."
I exhaled sharply.
Jea-Hyun frowned.
"…Why do you keep pausing like that?"
"…What?"
"Like you're listening to someone."
I didn't answer.
"…Min-Jun."
"…Focus on the screen."
"Min-Jun."
"Jea-Hyun."
"…Who are you talking to?"
Silence.
I kept my eyes forward. "…No one."
He stared at me. "…You're lying."
Before I could say anything—
the footage shifted.
Movement.
I leaned in.
"…There."
Jea-Hyun followed my gaze.
"…Wait—rewind."
I did.
Played it again.
A figure walking down the hallway.
Clear.
Recognizable.
Jea-Hyun's voice dropped.
"…That's him."
I nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
On screen—
Niran.
Alive.
Walking toward the stairs.
Toward the rooftop.
The room felt colder.
Even Niran went quiet.
"…Keep watching," he said softly.
I did.
Seconds passed.
Then—
another figure appeared.
Jea-Hyun leaned forward.
"…Who's that?"
I zoomed slightly.
Paused.
And my chest tightened.
"…Seo-yeon."
seo-yeon
Walking behind him.
Following.
Not far.
Silence.
Heavy.
Jea-Hyun looked at me.
"…She said she wasn't there."
I didn't answer.
Just stared at the screen.
"…She lied."
He looked back at the footage.
Then back at me.
"…How did you know to check this?"
I hesitated.
"…I just did."
"That's not normal."
"…Nothing about this is normal."
He narrowed his eyes. "…Min-Jun."
I didn't respond. "…Min-Jun."
Still nothing.
"…Who are you talking to?"
Silence stretched.
Too long.
Too obvious.
Jea-Hyun's voice dropped.
"…There is someone, isn't there?"
I swallowed.
Didn't answer.
And then—
something shifted.
Niran moved.
Stepped forward.
Right in front of Jea-Hyun.
Jea-Hyun froze.
Mid-breath.
His eyes widened.
Slowly.
Like his brain was trying to catch up with what it was seeing.
"…No way."
Niran tilted his head slightly.
"…Hi."
Jea-Hyun stumbled back.
Almost tripped over the chair.
"WHAT—"
His voice cracked.
"WHAT IS THAT—"
"It's—"
"DON'T—DON'T SAY IT—"
"I have to—"
"DON'T—"
"…It's Niran."
Silence.
One second.
Two.
"…He's covered in blood," Jea-Hyun whispered.
Niran looked down at himself.
"…I mean. Yeah."
"WHY ARE YOU SO CALM—"
"I'm dead."
"STOP SAYING THAT—"
Jea-Hyun grabbed my arm.
Hard.
Like I was the only solid thing in the room.
"…Why can I see him."
I exhaled slowly.
"…Because you're my best friend."
"…That's not how that works."
"…It is now."
He peeked again.
Still holding me.
"…He's staring at me."
Niran raised a brow.
"…You're loud."
"I AM SCARED—"
"You look scared."
"I AM SCARED—"
Jea-Hyun swallowed.
Then, slowly—
"…How… did this happen?"
Niran's expression shifted.
Slightly.
Less teasing.
"…I was pushed."
The room went still.
Jea-Hyun blinked.
"…Pushed?"
Niran nodded once.
"…Off the rooftop."
Jea-Hyun's grip tightened on my arm.
"…By who?"
Niran's gaze flickered to the screen.
Where Seo-yeon stood frozen mid-frame.
"…That's what we're finding out."
Silence settled again.
But this time—
it wasn't confusion.
It was something sharper.
Closer to the truth.
Jea-Hyun inhaled shakily.
"…I don't like this."
"Same," I said.
"…I really don't like this."
"Same."
He glanced at Niran again.
Still clinging to me.
"…You're… not going to… possess me, right?"
Niran smirked faintly.
"No."
"…Okay."
A pause.
"…Don't."
"I said no."
"Just checking."
I looked back at the screen.
At the moment everything changed.
"…We're close."
Niran nodded.
"…Yeah."
Jea-Hyun groaned softly.
"…Why is my life like this…"
I glanced at him.
"…Because you're my best friend."
He sighed.
"…I need better life choices."
None of us laughed.
Not this time.
The footage was still paused on the screen.
Seo-yeon.
Right there.
Following him.
The room felt tight.
Like it was closing in.
"…So she lied," Jea-Hyun whispered again.
"…Yeah."
"…And we're just casually watching this like it's normal."
"…Yeah."
"…This is not normal."
"…Yeah."
Before anything else could happen—
the door suddenly creaked open.
Both of us froze.
A staff member stepped in.
Brows furrowed.
"…What are you two doing here?"
My brain went blank.
Jea-Hyun's grip tightened on my arm.
"…We—uh—"
"…We got lost," I said quickly.
He blinked.
"In the security room?"
"…Yes."
"…Very lost," Jea-Hyun added weakly.
The man stared at us.
Not convinced.
At all.
"…Get out."
"Yes, sir."
"Immediately."
"Yes, sir."
We both turned—
and Jea-Hyun suddenly went limp.
"…What?"
He dropped.
Just—
collapsed.
I caught him halfway.
"…Jea-Hyun??"
Behind me, Niran blinked.
Then—
"…He fainted."
"…I can see that."
Niran tilted his head.
Then—
he started laughing.
Quiet.
Amused.
Completely unhelpful.
"…This is not funny," I muttered, dragging Jea-Hyun's arm over my shoulder.
"He saw a ghost."
"And fainted."
"…Expected."
"You're the ghost!"
"And?"
I adjusted my grip.
"…Sorry, sir," I said quickly, bowing slightly.
Then dragged Jea-Hyun out.
The hallway felt brighter.
Louder.
Normal.
Too normal.
I turned the corner—
and suddenly—
"…I'm alive."
I stopped.
Looked down.
Jea-Hyun was walking.
Perfectly fine.
"…You fainted."
"No, I didn't."
"You did."
"I strategically shut down."
"That's fainting."
"…Same difference."
He glanced beside me.
At Niran.
Still there.
Still very real.
"…Okay," he muttered. "Still seeing him."
Niran waved slightly.
"…Hi again."
"DON'T DO THAT—"
Jea-Hyun rubbed his face.
"…Why are you here?" he asked Niran directly.
"Wishes."
"…What?"
Niran crossed his arms.
"I have things I need done."
"…And him?" he pointed at me. "Why him?"
Niran looked at me briefly.
Then back at him. "…Because he can handle it."
I blinked. "…That's new."
Jea-Hyun frowned. "…Then why can I see you?"
"Because you're connected to him."
"…That's not comforting."
"It's factual."
I added, "Ara can see him too."
Jea-Hyun froze. "…There are more of you??"
"No—just him."
"…That's still too many."
He looked between us. "…So you've just been… talking to him?"
"…Yeah."
"…For how long?"
"…A while."
He stared at me.
Then—
"…So he's your ghost boyfriend."
I hit his arm. "Shut up."
"My ghost friend."
He nodded slowly. "…Sure."
"Jea-Hyun."
"I said sure."
We kept walking.
Then—
he suddenly stopped.
"…Wait."
I followed his gaze.
And there she was.
Lalita
Walking toward us.
Calm.
Sharp.
Like she owned the hallway.
Jea-Hyun immediately stepped back.
"…I see my girlfriend's class."
"…What?"
"I'm leaving."
"…Coward."
"Alive coward."
And he disappeared into another classroom.
I blinked.
"…Wow."
Lalita stopped in front of me.
Looked at me once.
Then twice.
"…You're alive."
"…Last time I checked."
She hummed.
Then—
"There's a new horror movie."
I blinked.
"…Okay?"
"Will you go with me?"
My brain lagged.
"…Oh."
"…Yes."
She raised a brow.
"…That was fast."
"…I mean—no, I mean yes—we can go."
Smooth.
Very smooth.
She smirked slightly.
"Good."
Then turned—
but tapped my shoulder lightly as she walked past.
"…Don't be late."
—
I stood there.
Frozen.
Beside me—
Niran turned slowly.
Then looked at me.
Beaming.
"…Look at you."
I exhaled.
"…Don't start."
"Come on, bro."
He nudged my shoulder lightly. "Cheer up."
"You're getting closer."
I crossed my arms slightly. "…My charm works on everyone."
He rolled his eyes. "…Your charm?"
"…Yes."
"…Please."
Then he leaned closer.
Lowered his voice slightly. "…Did she see your back yet?"
I blinked. "…What?"
He smirked. "You know. Your 'charm.'"
I scoffed. "…No."
He nodded thoughtfully. "…Then she hasn't seen your real weapon yet."
"…Stop talking."
"I'm serious."
"You're not."
"I am."
"You're not."
He laughed softly.
And for a second—
everything felt lighter again.