☆19. perfect night
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[ACT. 2]
♪ traffic lights - lena
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NANA WAS NO LONGER concerned about Rachel's attitude. She had also left the club and gone to find Sunghoon; classes had finished 5 minutes ago and the corridors were already empty.
The girl walked quickly down the stairs, now that she'd understood the killer's message and the danger hanging over her head, she wasn't very comfortable alone.
A sound of footsteps cut off her thoughts and Sunghoon found himself facing her.
"Hey.. I was just on my way to the gymnasium."
The protagonist couldn't help but scrutinize him, now that the ritual had worked, he was very different.
"I heard people coming into the gymnasium as I quickly got out. Now people can see me so..."
He looked at his hands and clasped them simultaneously.
"...I still can't believe it."
She shook her head and tapped his chest lightly with her finger. The ghost looked down at her and raised his eyebrows, letting her make this movement again and again until he took her hand.
"You can touch me, don't worry."
Nana smiled, fully satisfied with this invocation. She was happy to have been able to do him a favor, even if this transformation was about to come to an end.
"How long will this transformation last? It depends on the blood dose doesn't it? I only gave like 4 drops."
"Then we don't have much time... Can I ask you something?"
The protagonist nodded, but Sunghoon remained silent for a few more seconds. "Well... Theoretically I'm not a ghost anymore so I think it's possible to leave school. I'd like to walk around the city."
He was right, and if he could really get out of school, that would be a great achievement. Being stuck in the same place for months must have been terrible, like hell.
From a psychological point of view, fulfilling his request was necessary.
"Sure, let's go now."
She took his hand and left for the hall. "Oh, wait!"
They stopped abruptly at the lockers, Nana opened hers and began rummaging around inside.
The black-haired man crossed his arms and looked at her from a distance with a confused expression. Suddenly, she closed her locker and handed her friend a cap and a surgical mask.
Sunghoon's gaze darted between her and the accessories. She shook her hand, urging him to take it all, which he did the next second.
"What is it for?"
"Put this on. Now that you can be seen, it's better to hide. Imagine if you passed someone on the street and they recognized you."
"Ah! I understand."
He'd put on the mask and cap. "Ready."
The skater shivered and his heart heaved as he left the school for the first time in 4 months.
He felt the grass under his shoes again and the fresh air caressing his face... It was a sensation he'd missed dearly.
At first, Sunghoon didn't dare go any further, out of fear or simply out of habit? Fortunately, the heroine was there to encourage him to go beyond his limits, now that he was capable of doing so.
"Feels so good."
His laughter was muffled by the mask over his mouth.
He walked down the street and opened his arms wide, enjoying this moment of intense freedom.
It was magical, like a dream. Watching from afar, Nana's hatred for the killer grew stronger and stronger.
It was then that she became even more aware of the ghost's suffering. Now she was sure she could give all the blood she needed to see him soothed.
"You okay? You look worried."
"Everything's fine. I'm just still a little surprised, it's unsettling to see you so... Alive. I didn't think black magic could really work."
She stared into the void.
"I know... Thank you so much Nana, from the bottom of my heart and thanks Rachel too."
He stopped suddenly, "Did you tell her?"
"That it worked? No. Knowing her she would have wanted to see you and it would have been complicated."
"I'd so love to go see Jake and watch his reaction."
He exploded with laughter before calming down, "I miss him, haha. I miss everyone."
Nana gently took his hand and he shivered at the new contact; he still wasn't used to it and his heart leapt every time he touched her.
She leading him further into the dark, moonlit streets. Sunghoon hadn't felt this good in a long time.
After a 15-minute walk, the two friends stopped in a park quite far from the city center. They sat down on a bench and looked up at the sky, which was already starry.
"Amazing."
The boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air.
Out of the blue, Nana gasped and turned to her friend as if she'd just realized something.
He looked at her with incomprehension and exclaimed when she placed her hands on his chest.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?!"
Now that he was human again, he could feel his cheeks burning a lot.
"We've completely forgotten the main reason we did the ritual. Lift your shirt."
Sunghoon was a little confused and stiffened when he felt a strange sensation in his belly.
Decidedly, he was no longer accustomed to the many sensations humans could feel at any given moment. Thanks for him, the mask hid his cheeks.
The young woman wasn't even bothered any more and took off the young man's jacket before lifting up his shirt.
His finely contoured abs were exposed, but that wasn't what interested her.
"Your burns. Gone."
She smiled with all her teeth, relieved.
"C-Cool!"
He lowered his mask a little, thinking he was being stifled before rising from the bench. "Should we go? You mustn't be too late..."
The protagonist had clearly noticed that he was embarrassed and she couldn't help smiling again and again; she was beginning to find him very cute.
As she tried to stand up, a sharp pain suddenly appeared in her back, followed by an indescribable headache.
Nana tried to ignore the pain, but grimaced, alerting Sunghoon who instantly lowered himself to her level. It was so sudden that she almost lost her balance.
"What's wrong?"
"Um..."
She massaged her temple, "I don't know? My back and head hurt."
"Let me help you."
Now that physical contact was no longer forbidden, the man didn't hesitate to help her. He carefully grasping her waist as he slipped her arm behind his neck.
"I think it's because of the invocation, it propelled me against the bleachers but I didn't immediately feel any pain."
She paused before pointing to her back while lifting her sweater; Sunghoon frowned and winced when he saw the huge hematoma on her back.
It formed a blue and purple stain, and he could almost feel the pain.
"Shit."
"I guess I'm the one who's hurt now." She laughed and stuck out her tongue.
Nana didn't laugh for long, as the pain was getting worse and worse. Her friend didn't hesitate for a second and squatted down in front of her, urging her to climb onto his back.
"Thanks Sunghoon but... I think I'll be okay."
She was embarrassed and tried to ignore her aching back.
"No you will not. Enjoy it before I become a ghost again."
The student giggled and quickly climbed onto his back. Sunghoon got up and carried her with great ease before continuing on to the high school.
Nana shuddered as she felt his hands under her thighs, then finally relaxed as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Having never known him when he was alive, the heroine never imagined that Sunghoon could be so helpful and kind.
Seeing how she'd missed out on a such amazing boy made her sigh. She would so have liked to have gotten to know him much earlier, long before the tragedy.
Nana was sure she would have liked to know him and be her friend, but was it the same for him?
After all, he was popular, sporty and smart. Before his death, she was still sick, discreet and atypical.
Would Sunghoon have noticed her, despite their difference? Reflecting, Nana realized she'd forgotten one detail.
"Jake told me you had a crush on me, is that true?"
He stopped abruptly, almost capsizing the student, who screamed.
This was unexpected, and his cheeks flushed again; he felt as if he were suffocating and burning from the inside out.
"W-What do you mean?"
"My question's pretty clear, though." She raised her eyebrows.
He cleared his throat and removed his mask completely, thinking he'd die of shame.
As much as he missed his best friend, Sunghoon felt like hitting Jake for confessing something so personal and embarrassing.
He walked again, nervously squeezing his friend's thighs a little tighter. Nana pouted and sighed, disappointed that Jake had told her a lie.
"I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable, I knew it wasn't true—"
"I do."
He cut her off.
"What?"
Her eyes widened as she straightened up and leaned forward.
The young man had tried to hide his feelings as much as possible, but now that he was just a ghost, he had nothing to lose.
"I used to have a huge crush on you, Nana."