Everything inside me stops.
My breath catches—hard.
Like my lungs forgot what they're supposed to do.
Ji-Ah—
isn't standing.
She's not even touching the ground.
She's floating.
Mid-air.
Still.
Head slightly tilted.
Eyes closed.
Like she just… fell asleep standing and gravity gave up on her.
"…Ji-Ah?" Ara whispers.
No response.
Mrs. Sun-Hea, Hyun-Woo, are all beneath her—arms raised, panicked, trying to reach her.
"She just—" Hyun-Woo starts, voice tight. "She was doing her makeup and then she—"
"—she lifted," Mrs. Sun-Hea finishes, her calm completely gone.
That alone—
terrifies me more than anything else.
I step forward slowly.
"…what happened?"
"She didn't say anything," her mother says, shaking. "She just… went up—"
Behind me—
Niran's voice.
Low.
Tense.
"…this ghost."
My stomach drops.
And then—
everything goes wrong.
Fast.
A sharp force—
invisible—
SLAMS into Mrs. Sun-Hea.
She's thrown sideways, hitting the wall with a gasp.
"—MOM!" Ara screams.
The door behind us SLAMS shut again.
Locked.
Hard.
The lights flicker—
once—
twice—
then—
red.
The entire room dips into a dim, blood-tinted glow.
My heartbeat spikes.
Then—
a voice.
Not loud.
Not clear.
But everywhere.
Whispering.
Layered.
Broken.
"…I won't let go…"
My body goes cold.
"…why did you do this…?"
It echoes.
From the walls.
From the ceiling.
From inside my head.
"…I won't let you go…"
"…why… why… why didn't you tell them…"
"…why… why… what happened… why did you do this… why—"
"STOP—" I choke out.
My voice shakes.
I can't—
I can't breathe right.
And then—
it appears.
Right in front of me.
Too close.
Too wrong.
A face—
but not fully there.
Distorted.
Eyes wide—
too wide—
like they're stretched open by something that won't let them close.
Mouth moving—
but the words come out broken—
overlapping—
"—why—why—why—WHY—"
I SCREAM.
Loud.
Sharp.
Real.
Everyone turns.
"Min-Jun?!"
I point.
Hand shaking.
"IT'S RIGHT THERE—"
They follow my finger.
But—
nothing.
The ghost—
is gone.
Just like that.
My breath stutters.
"…it was right—"
The room shakes.
The chandelier above us rattles—
then—
SNAPS.
It crashes down.
Glass shatters everywhere.
Ara screams.
Hyun-Woo pulls her back just in time.
Ji-Ah—
still floating.
Unmoving.
Mrs. Sun-Hea fumbles for her phone.
"Call your mother Min-Jun—"
She dials—
The voice screams—
"NO—"
The phone is ripped from her hand—
SLAMMED into the floor—
CRACK.
Dead.
Silence—
then chaos again.
Things shift.
Drawers slam open.
Curtains whip like there's wind—when there isn't.
I turn—
panic rising—
"…Niran, what do we do—"
Ara grabs my arm.
"Talk to it!" she says desperately. "Try to make it let her go—"
"HOW?!"
The voice rises again.
Faster.
Louder.
"no no no no no no no no—"
My head feels like it's splitting.
Then—
Niran steps forward.
Calm.
Focused.
"…enough."
His voice cuts through everything.
Sharp.
Commanding.
"Let her go."
Silence.
Just for a second.
Then—
Ji-Ah drops.
Not violently.
Just—
released.
Like whatever held her simply… let go.
Hyun-Woo catches her halfway.
"Ji-Ah—!"
Mrs. Sun-Hea rushes in.
"Lay her down—careful—"
She's unconscious.
But breathing.
Alive.
I exhale—
hard.
My legs almost give out.
Behind me—
everything settles.
The red light fades.
Back to normal.
The air… still.
The door—
clicks open.
Like nothing ever happened.
Mrs. Sun-Hea looks around.
Shaken.
"What… was that?"
No one answers.
Because no one knows.
I swallow.
Then force my voice steady.
"…it's nothing."
They all look at me.
"Ji-Ah just needs rest."
It sounds stupid.
But no one argues.
Because they don't have anything better.
I grab Ara's wrist.
"Come on."
She doesn't resist.
We leave.
Fast.
Straight to my room.
The moment the door shuts—
I turn.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
My voice cracks.
Ara looks just as shaken.
Niran doesn't answer immediately.
He's thinking.
Again.
Too serious.
"…in my understanding," he says slowly, "that spirit is not normal."
I stare at him.
"…no kidding."
"It's angry," he continues. "Unstable."
A pause.
Then—
"…evil."
The word lands heavy.
Ara inhales sharply.
"…evil?"
I blink.
Then look at him.
"…every time you're around," I say slowly, "I feel you."
He nods slightly.
"…but I also feel something else."
He doesn't interrupt.
So I continue.
"…like that time—"
I pause.
Thinking.
Then look at Ara.
I tap her shoulder lightly.
"…remember the time I was in the hallway… and I said it felt crowded even though no one was there?"
Ara freezes.
Her eyes widen slightly.
"…yeah."
I swallow.
Then look back at Niran.
"…I don't think that was just you."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Real.
And for the first time—
this doesn't feel like just his story anymore.
It feels like something else has been here—
long before we noticed.
Everything inside me is still shaking.
Not outside.
Not visibly.
But inside—
my chest feels too tight.
My hands won't stay still.
My thoughts won't line up.
It's like something cracked in that room and didn't close again.
Ara's still holding onto me.
Tight.
Like if she lets go, something will grab her instead.
And honestly—
I don't blame her.
Because I feel the same.
I don't even realize I'm shaking until Niran notices.
His eyes flick to my hands.
Then back to my face.
Then softer—
more serious than usual—
he says,
"…this ghost has been here longer than me."
My head lifts slowly.
"…what?"
He exhales.
"Everything you think is me—"
A pause.
His gaze shifts around the room.
"…isn't all me."
Silence.
Heavy.
Cold.
Ara stiffens beside me.
Then—
she grabs me tighter.
"…no," she whispers. "No, I don't like that."
I swallow.
My throat feels dry.
"…you mean… it's been here the whole time?"
Niran nods once.
"Watching. Moving things. Waiting."
Ara shivers.
Actually shivers.
Then presses her face into my shoulder.
"…I'm really scared."
My arm wraps around her automatically.
Tighter than usual.
"…yeah," I mumble.
"…me too."
They both look at me.
At the same time.
"…you too?" Ara asks.
Niran raises an eyebrow slightly.
I nod.
"…I almost died today."
That comes out quieter than I expected.
More honest than I meant.
"…I saw that thing's face."
My voice drops.
"…I don't want to see it again."
Silence.
Then—
Niran sighs.
Soft.
Not mocking.
Not teasing.
Just… real.
"…can't a ghost be afraid of a ghost?"
Ara blinks.
I blink.
Then we both slowly shake our heads.
"That's not comforting," I mutter.
"It's not meant to be," he replies.
Then—
more serious—
"…I'm only afraid because that thing is different."
A pause.
"…it can get rid of me."
My grip on Ara tightens instantly.
"…what?"
Niran nods slightly.
"Spirits like that… they don't follow rules."
Ara pulls back just enough to look at him.
"…you mean it can make you disappear?"
"Possibly."
My chest drops.
Fast.
"…no."
I shake my head immediately.
"That doesn't make sense. You're—"
I stop.
Then say it anyway.
"…you're connected to me."
Niran looks at me.
Just looks.
And I—
I get it.
Before he even speaks.
That look says everything.
Uncertain.
Not guaranteed.
Not safe.
My stomach sinks.
"…no," I whisper again, weaker this time.
He doesn't argue.
Which is worse.
Way worse.
And then—
he snaps.
Not calmly.
Not collected.
Panicked.
"—we need to figure out who this ghost is," he says suddenly, stepping forward.
His voice sharper now.
Faster.
"Why it's here. Why it chose Ji-Ah. Why now—"
He runs a hand through his hair.
Frustrated.
Restless.
"—this isn't random. It's targeting. It's controlled. It's—"
Ara panics instantly.
"Why Ji-Ah?! What did she do?! Why is it saying 'why' like that—what does it want—"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out—"
"Well figure faster—!"
"I'm not a detective—!"
"YOU'RE A GHOST—!"
"THAT DOESN'T MEAN I KNOW EVERYTHING—!"
"STOP FIGHTING—!" I snap.
Too loud.
Too sudden.
They both freeze.
I don't even realize I'm breathing hard until it hurts.
My voice comes out smaller now.
"…please."
Silence.
Then—
Niran exhales slowly.
And just like that—
his energy changes.
He steps closer.
Not rushed.
Not aggressive.
Careful.
Like I might break.
His hand comes up—
hesitates—
then rests gently on my head.
Light.
Warm.
Grounding.
"…hey."
His voice is softer now.
Way softer.
"…you're okay."
I shake my head immediately.
"…I'm not."
My fingers tighten in Ara's sleeve.
"…I'm really not."
My voice drops.
"…I don't like this."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"…I don't feel safe."
That—
that one slips out before I can stop it.
And something in Niran's expression shifts.
Completely.
He moves closer.
Without thinking.
One hand still on my head—
the other lightly pulls my wrist.
Steady.
Anchoring.
"…you are," he says firmly.
Not loud.
But certain.
"…as long as I'm here."
I swallow.
Hard.
"…you just said it can get rid of you."
He pauses.
Just for a second.
Then—
"…then I'll make sure it doesn't."
Simple.
Like it's obvious.
Like it's already decided.
Ara sniffles slightly.
"…I'm still scared."
"Yeah," I mumble.
"Same."
Niran exhales.
Then claps his hands lightly.
Mood shift.
Intentional.
"Alright. New rule."
We both look at him.
"You don't panic."
Ara frowns.
"That's not realistic."
"Too bad."
He points at her.
"You—go back to your room."
"No."
Immediate.
"No," she repeats, grabbing my arm again. "I'm not going back alone."
Niran stares at her.
"Give me one reason you should stay."
"I almost got killed by a ghost."
"That's one."
"I'm traumatized."
"Two."
"I will cry."
"That's not convincing."
"I will scream."
"That's annoying."
"I will not survive the night—"
"Okay, dramatic—"
"I AM SERIOUS—!"
"I am too—!"
I groan.
"…why are you both like this."
They ignore me.
Of course.
"—you can't stay here," Niran insists.
"—watch me," Ara shoots back.
"—I sleep here."
"—then move."
"—no."
"—then we share."
I freeze.
"…wait—what."
Niran sighs.
Long.
Tired.
"…fine."
Ara blinks.
"…that was easy."
"I'm too tired to argue."
Then he gestures toward the bathroom.
"Both of you—freshen up."
Ara nods immediately and disappears first.
I stay still for a second.
Then look at him.
"…you're not leaving, right?"
He looks at me.
"…no."
I nod.
"…okay."
That's enough.
I go too.
—
When I come back—
Ara's already on the bed.
Sitting close to Niran.
Way too comfortable.
I narrow my eyes slightly.
"…you look cozy."
She smiles.
"Jealous?"
"Very."
Niran rolls his eyes.
"Get on the bed."
We pause.
All three of us.
Then—
simultaneously—
"Middle."
"No."
"Not happening."
"You sleep on the edge."
"I almost died."
"I almost died too—!"
"I'm more important—!"
"That's debatable—!"
"STOP—" I sigh.
Then crawl onto the bed.
"…I'm sleeping in the middle. End of discussion."
Niran nods immediately.
"Good choice."
Ara pouts.
But accepts it.
We settle.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like the world might break again if we move too fast.
Then—
silence.
Just breathing.
Just… existing.
Ara whispers,
"…I'm still scared."
"…me too," I admit.
Then—
without thinking—
we both turn.
Face each other.
And hug.
Tight.
Warm.
Safe.
For a second—
just a second—
everything feels okay.
Then—
I feel it.
Between us.
Behind me.
Niran.
Close.
Watching.
Hesitating.
I don't turn.
But I know.
He wants to.
He just doesn't know if he should.
So instead—
I feel him shift.
Then—
very quietly—
he picks up Mr. Fluffington.
And hugs it.
I almost laugh.
But I don't.
Because I get it.
Then—
after a moment—
the mattress dips slightly.
His arm—
carefully—
wraps around both of us.
Slow.
Gentle.
Like he's asking permission without words.
I don't move.
Neither does Ara.
So he stays.
His warmth settles in.
Different.
But real.
"…you're warm," I mumble.
Half-asleep already.
Ara nods against my shoulder.
"…yeah."
A pause.
Then softer—
"…thank you."
Niran doesn't reply immediately.
Then—
quietly—
"…go to sleep."
His hand tightens slightly.
Protective.
Present.
Certain.
And for the first time since everything happened—
my body finally relaxes.
Just a little.
Enough to sleep.
Even if the house isn't safe—
this moment is.
And right now—
that's enough.