It was a beautiful, lazy noon. The sun hung gently in the sky, and the neighborhood was alive with the sounds of daily chores and busy footsteps.
A cab rolled to a stop in front of a small, charming house tucked between quiet streets. The door creaked open, and out stepped a young boy wearing jeans and a blue coat over a crisp white shirt. Around his neck hung an hourglass-shaped amulet, swaying softly with his movements. A backpack rested on one shoulder as he smiled warmly at the house in front of him.
Just then, the cab driver stepped out, looking impatient."Young boy, hurry up and get your things! I've got other errands to run!"
Wangling blinked, as if waking from a dreamy state. His thoughts were still lingering somewhere between excitement and imagination."Oh, sorry, uncle!" he replied quickly.
He opened the car's trunk and pulled out his suitcase and other belongings."Thank you, sir," Wangling said, paying the driver politely.
With his things in hand, he turned toward the house and stepped inside.
The air inside felt... cold. Not freezing, but unnaturally chilled — like the kind of cold that touches your skin but leaves no explanation behind. Wangling shivered a little but shrugged it off.
Dragging his suitcase across the floor, he placed it in the corner of the living room and dropped down onto the couch with a sigh. He was already exhausted.
"Good thing the furniture arrived two days ago," he muttered to himself.
The essentials were already there — a couch, bed, a small dining table. His personal things — books, a few collectible figurines, and clothes — were still in his bags.
Wangling got to work, unpacking quickly and putting his clothes into the wardrobe, arranging his books in a corner shelf.
After about an hour of cleaning and organizing, he finally decided to take a shower.
The water felt refreshing as it ran over his tired body.
But then…
A strange feeling settled over him.
It was faint at first, like a tickle at the back of his neck — the kind of sensation you get when someone's watching you.
Wangling froze under the water.
He glanced around.Nothing. No sound, no shadow.
And yet…
He could feel it.
Someone… or something… was watching him.
The next two days passed in quiet rhythm.
Wangling spent most of his time setting up the house and getting used to the new neighborhood. His college was going to start soon — just two more days — and he still hadn't memorized the bus route. But rather than worry about it, he chose to distract himself.
In the evenings, he curled up on the couch with snacks and watched old horror movies — the ironic kind, full of bad ghosts and worse acting. Sometimes he played video games late into the night, his fingers tapping away while eerie shadows moved outside the curtains.
It was peaceful. Too peaceful.
That night, after finishing his dinner — a lazy bowl of instant noodles and leftover dumplings — Wangling brushed his teeth and collapsed into bed. He was too tired to overthink the weird coldness in the house or the soft creaks in the walls.
Sleep came easily.
But it didn't last.
Around 2:47 a.m., Wangling stirred in the dark. His throat was dry, and he reached for the glass of water on his side table. Empty.
With a groan, he pushed the covers aside and got up. The hallway was dim, but he didn't bother turning on the lights. He knew the way now.
He walked into the kitchen, poured some water, and sipped slowly while staring into the quiet.
Everything was still.
But when he returned to his room, his heart nearly stopped.
There, lying on the bed — his bed — was another boy.
Slim. Pale. Dressed in white clothes that looked a little too old-fashioned. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully… right on Wangling's pillow.
Wangling's entire body froze, then:"AHHHHHHHH!"
He screamed and stumbled backward, crashing onto the floor with a loud thud.
The strange boy jerked awake, his eyes flying open as he sat up in alarm.
"What the hell—!?"
Wangling, still on the floor, pointed a trembling finger. "W-who the hell are you!? How did you get in here!?"
The boy blinked. Then he tilted his head, staring at Wangling like he was the weird one.
"You can… see me?" the boy asked, his voice soft, almost disbelieving.
Wangling stared. His heart was pounding."What do you mean can I see you?! You're right there on my bed!"
The boy slowly raised a hand and waved it in front of his face. Then he looked back at Wangling and gave the faintest, surprised laugh.
"Well, damn. This is awkward."
to be continued...