I was still standing in the living room after Jea-Hyun left.
Waiting.
Like an idiot.
No floating cup.
No sarcastic voice.
No "skill issue."
"…Wow," I muttered. "Peace and quiet. Disgusting."
Still nothing.
I exhaled and turned.
Ara was on the couch, legs tucked under her, playing with the edge of a cushion like she had zero problems in life.
Must be nice.
"Ara."
She looked up immediately. "Hmm?"
I hesitated for a second.
"…What did you and Niran talk about?"
Her eyes softened a little. "Oh."
That "oh" felt… loaded.
I frowned. "Don't 'oh' me. Tell me."
She smiled slightly. "You sound worried."
"I'm not worried," I said quickly. "…I'm just… gathering information."
"Mm-hmm."
"…Stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you know things."
"I do know things."
I stared at her.
"…Ara."
"Okay, okay," she laughed softly. "I'll tell you."
She shifted, getting comfortable.
"Flashback time."
FLASHBACK
She was in the kitchen, pouring water.
Quiet. Calm.
Then—
"Careful."
She froze.
"…Nope."
Slowly turned.
Niran was there, leaning against the counter like he belonged.
She blinked.
"…You're real."
He sighed. "Unfortunately."
She laughed a little. "You're rude."
"You'll survive."
She tilted her head. "Why are you here?"
He crossed his arms.
"…Because your friend is stupid."
"Min-Jun?"
"Who else?"
She smiled. "That's fair."
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly annoyed.
"He gets involved in things he can't handle."
She watched him. "And you care… why?"
He paused.
Just a little.
"…He's easy to break."
Her expression softened.
"And I don't want that," he added, quieter.
She studied him for a second.
"…You like him."
His head snapped slightly. "What?"
"Not like that," she said quickly, laughing. "Relax."
He looked away. "You talk too much."
She smiled.
Then—
"You keep saying he's your 'person.' What does that mean?"
Niran exhaled slowly.
"It means… I'm tied to him."
He tapped his chest lightly.
"If he gets hurt—really hurt—it affects me."
"How?"
A small pause.
"…My soul."
Ara blinked. "Wait—your soul?"
He nodded once.
"…Yeah."
Silence.
Then he added, more casually—
"I didn't exactly live a great life."
She frowned slightly. "Why?"
He shrugged.
"I was popular. People knew me."
A faint scoff.
"Didn't mean they cared."
Her gaze softened.
"So I'm not losing the one person I actually have now."
Ara smiled gently.
"…You're bad at pretending you don't care."
"I'm not pretending."
"You are."
He ignored that.
Instead—
"That Seo-Yeon girl."
Ara tilted her head. "What about her?"
"I don't trust her."
"…Why?"
"Just don't."
She raised a brow.
"And tell him not to let her stay."
Ara blinked. "You're ordering me now?"
"I'm warning you."
"And if he doesn't listen?"
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Then I'll make her leave."
She stared.
"…You're serious."
"I am."
She paused.
Then smiled.
"…No."
He blinked. "No?"
"No."
Before he could argue—
"Ara! Get ready!" Ji-Ah's voice called.
Ara sighed. "Coming!"
She looked back at him.
"You worry too much."
Then she left.
Niran stood there.
Quiet.
BACK TO PRESENT
I blinked slowly.
"…He said all that?"
Ara nodded.
I looked away.
"…That idiot."
My voice came out softer than I meant.
Ara noticed. Of course she did.
She leaned a little closer. "Why did he say his life wasn't great?"
I hesitated.
Then sighed.
"…He told me once."
She waited.
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"He said being popular just means more people know your name."
Pause.
"…Not that anyone actually knows you."
Ara's expression softened immediately.
"…Oh."
"Yeah."
I shrugged lightly, trying to brush it off.
"He also said people liked being around him for… benefits."
I made a vague gesture.
"Status. Attention. Whatever."
Ara frowned. "That's… sad."
"He didn't say it like that," I said quietly. "He said it like it didn't matter."
"…But it did."
I didn't answer.
Because… yeah.
It did.
Ara looked at me for a second.
Then gently nudged my arm.
"You're worried."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm just—"
I stopped.
Exhaled.
"…He left."
"That's why you're worried."
"…He's annoying," I muttered.
"And?"
"…And he didn't even say anything before leaving."
Ara smiled a little.
"You miss him."
I froze.
"…Relax," she laughed softly. "Not like that."
"…Good. Because no."
"Sure."
I glanced at her.
"…Ara."
"Hmm?"
"…Thanks."
She smiled warmly. "Always."
I stood up.
"I'm going out."
"At this time?" she frowned.
"Yeah."
"To find a ghost?" she asked, amused.
"…Yes."
She stared at me for a second.
Then shook her head, smiling.
"You're unbelievable."
"I know."
She pointed toward the door. "Go. I'll cover for you."
I nodded.
Then paused.
"…If my mom asks—"
"I'll say you're studying."
"…That's the most unbelievable lie you could've picked."
She laughed.
"Go already."
I rolled my eyes, but smiled a little.
Then turned and slipped out.
Into the night.
"…When I find him," I muttered, walking faster, "I'm insulting him first."
Pause.
"…Then asking where he went."
…In that order.
-----
I was sitting on the rooftop.
Throwing stones.
Not at anything important.
Just… people.
Not to hit them.
Just close enough to scare them.
A guy walking by—
thud—right next to his shoe.
He jumped.
"…Watch it," I muttered.
He couldn't hear me.
Which made it less satisfying.
I clicked my tongue and tossed another one.
Missed on purpose.
Boring.
Everything was boring.
I leaned back on my hands, staring up at the sky.
The moon was out.
Bright.
Annoyingly calm.
…and yeah.
I was glowing too.
Like some discounted nightlight.
I sighed.
"…Tch."
Silence.
Then—
"Oh, please."
I scoffed to myself.
"Who am I kidding?"
I pushed myself up.
"Like he's actually going to come looking for me."
I dusted off my hands.
"I'm going back."
One step.
Two—
I stopped.
…Then slowly turned back.
"…No."
I sat down again.
Hard.
"I'm not going anywhere."
Arms crossed.
"He should come find me."
A pause.
"…Yeah."
I nodded once.
"That's how this works."
Another pause.
"…Right?"
Silence.
I grabbed another stone.
Threw it harder this time.
It hit a wall and bounced off.
"…Tch."
I leaned forward, elbows on my knees.
"…Why did I even shout at him?"
I frowned.
"…No—he started it."
I pointed at absolutely no one.
"He insulted me first."
Mocking tone—
"'At least I'm human.'"
I scoffed.
"Wow. Congratulations. Want a trophy?"
I grabbed another stone.
"…Stupid boy."
Threw it.
"…Soft."
Another one.
"…Annoying."
Another.
"…Kind for no reason."
That one I didn't throw.
I just held it.
"…Idiot."
My hand loosened.
The stone dropped.
Silence again.
I looked down.
At the edge.
The roof.
…This roof.
The one I fell from.
The one I didn't fall from.
My jaw tightened.
"…Pushed."
Quiet.
Flat.
At night.
Lights off.
Voices.
Footsteps.
…and then—
Nothing.
I clicked my tongue sharply and looked away.
"…People still come here like it's normal."
A group passed below, laughing.
I picked up a stone.
"…If I wasn't such a nice ghost—"
I tossed it.
It landed between them.
They jumped.
"…I'd haunt this entire place."
A small pause.
"…Ungrateful."
I leaned back again.
Staring at the sky.
"…My family…"
My voice came out quieter.
"…I should go see them."
A beat.
"…I wanted to tell that fool."
Another beat.
"…But no."
I scoffed.
"He had to bring her."
I sat up again, annoyed.
"Not even for a day—"
I mimicked—
"'She can stay.'"
I rolled my eyes hard.
"Of course she can. Why not? Bring the whole city while you're at it."
I flopped back down.
"God…"
A pause.
"…So stupid."
Silence.
Then—
A voice.
Right behind me.
"Oh really?"
I froze.
"…Are you done insulting your entire existence, or do you need a minute?"
I slowly turned my head.
There he was. Min-Jun
His arms Crossed, the wind playing with his soft hair, he looked small,
Standing there.
Breathing.
Annoying.
"…You."
He crossed his arms.
"Yeah. Me."
I stared at him.
"…What are you doing here?"
He frowned.
"What do you mean what am I doing here?"
"You're supposed to be at home," I said flatly. "With your guests. And your—" I gestured vaguely, "—bad decisions."
He blinked.
"…You were waiting."
"I was not."
"You were."
"I was sitting."
"Waiting."
"I was thinking."
"About me."
"I was thinking about how peaceful it is without you."
"…You threw rocks at three people."
"They deserved it."
"They were just walking."
"They walked wrong."
He stared at me.
I looked away.
"…Why did you come?"
The question slipped out quieter than I meant.
He shrugged.
"…You left."
"…So?"
"So I came."
I frowned slightly.
"…Why?"
He tilted his head like it was obvious.
"…Because you're annoying."
Pause.
"…And you didn't even say anything before leaving."
I huffed.
"You insulted me."
"You deserved it."
"I did not."
"You did."
"You said I should disappear."
"…I didn't mean it like that."
I looked at him.
"…There's another way to mean that?"
He hesitated.
"…Okay, maybe not."
Silence.
The wind passed between us.
Then—
"…Are you done being dramatic?" he asked.
I scoffed.
"I'm not dramatic."
"You're glowing on a rooftop throwing stones at strangers."
"…It's a hobby."
He snorted.
I rolled my eyes.
Then stood up.
"…Let's go."
He blinked. "That's it?"
"That's it."
"No apology?"
"No."
"…You're unbelievable."
"I know."
I started walking past him—
Then paused.
"…You actually came."
He raised a brow. "You're surprised?"
"…A little."
He shrugged.
"…Don't get used to it."
I smirked slightly.
"…Too late."
He sighed.
"Let's just go home, idiot."
I walked ahead.
"…Careful."
He frowned. "Of what?"
I glanced back.
"…If you keep coming to find me like this—"
A small pause.
"…you're going to get attached."
He scoffed immediately.
"As if."
I smirked.
"…Yeah."
We walked off the rooftop.
Him—
like a normal human.
Me—
hovering.
Obviously superior.
"…Show off," he muttered.
"Jealous."
"Not even a little."
Liar.