Mahon...
Jo...
Is equally as shocked as her, locking eyes with her directly. Jay observes Yara's rapid transition from crimson to pallor, as if she'd seen a ghost. Peering behind him, he finds no one.
Thud.
Jay swiftly looks towards the source of the sound, only to find Yara tumbling off the bench, pointing frantically behind him. She remains speechless, gesturing towards nothingness. Panicked, Minu and June rush to her side.
"Hey! What's wrong?!" Minu's urgency cuts through the tension.
"Jay, what did you do?!"
"I did nothing..."
"Stop scaring us!" June's voice trembles with anxiety.
"Ma....." Yara mumbles.
"Ma-what???" June's panic heightens.
Jay approaches Yara, who is still in distress, and gently grasps her shoulder, locking eyes with her. "Are you okay?" he inquires, patiently awaiting her response. Yara's thoughts consume her, forgetting her surroundings as she fixates on the figure still seated on the bench.
[YOU CAN SEE ME?!] The voice startles Yara.
"Eh?!" Yara exclaims, recoiling and pointing, realizing she's the only one who can see him. "You! How?!" Panic tinges her voice as she edges away.
"Yara??!! Who are you talking to?!" Minu's confusion deepens as June scans the empty space Yara gestures towards. Jay remains silent.
[Hey hey, calm down. I won't hurt you, and your friends are panicking...] The voice soothes, noting their expressions. Yara, comprehending his words, glances at her friends. Suppressing laughter at their alarmed faces, she refocuses on the figure, signaling to converse later, which he promptly understands. Yara attempts to quell her nerves, pressing a hand to her forehead as a headache sets in.
"Hey, are you okay now?"
"We can go to the hospital if needed, you know..."
"I'm...fine, just startled..."
"Are you sure?" Minu presses for reassurance.
"Yeah, I'm just exhausted. I'll be going first..." Yara brushes herself off and strides towards her bike. Her departure halts momentarily as Jay's hand seizes her wrist, prompting her to look back. Meeting his gaze, she awaits his words.
"I'm sorry about..... Earlier..." Jay's apology barely audible. Yara meets his stare, offering a nod before freeing her hand from his grasp. With a final glance at the bewildered trio, she departs, leaving them perplexed. They exchange glances, shrugging, before resuming their discussion, Jay lingering on Yara's earlier behavior.
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The pale girl gasps for air upon reaching the front gate, breathless with a flurry of questions swirling in her mind. After locking the gate and securing her bike, she pushes open the front door to find Astrid awaiting her eagerly. Seeing Astrid, all her worries seem to dissipate, finding solace in the company of her faithful companion. With a sigh of relief, she embraces Astrid, feeling her energy replenish, finding comfort in his familiar scent.
"[I'm sorry earlier, I really didn't mean to scare you!]" Mahon's voice startles her. She glances up to where he stands and sighs.
"Don't worry, I was just... surprised." Rising from her position, she settles herself on the sofa, waiting for him to speak. Mahon strides towards her slowly, taking a seat beside her.
"[I didn't know you could see ghosts...]" His voice carries a note of surprise.
"Me neither. I wasn't expecting it," she replies.
"[You just knew that you can see ghosts?]" He sounds incredulous.
"Yep—"
"Wow... I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself earlier, how rude of me..." He sounds embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it, I'm Yara!" She offers a warm smile.
"I'm Mahon Jo. Nice to meet you, Yara!" He responds proudly.
"Same goes for you. Now that I think about it, are you Jay's guardian angel?" Yara asks, feeling a twinge of self-consciousness at her own question.
"[Uhh.... I guess. I'm just looking out for him even though he can't see me.]" His smile seems bittersweet. Yara meets his gaze.
"I'm glad you're always looking out for him," she says, attempting to lighten the mood.
"[Yes, he's my nephew after all!]" He smiles.
"Jay is so lucky to have you as an uncle," she chuckles, watching as Mahon scratches the invisible dust on his cheeks. Suddenly, her expression grows serious.
"Can I ask why you died?" she inquires cautiously, mindful of not causing him pain.
"[Ah, well. I got into a car accident...]" His voice takes on a somber tone, head bowing slightly.
"I see. I've been a fan of you since I was a child, you know," she admits, blushing childishly.
"[Woah! I'm flattered. I'm curious how a foreigner can be a fan of mine...]" There's a hint of excitement in his tone.
"Haha, well...I always watched you on TV, of course. You were a legendary cyclist after all," she fibs. Mahon blushes at her words.
"[Stop! You're making me blush~]" He playfully hides his face, laughter bubbling forth as Yara doubles over, clutching her stomach.
"Okay, hahahha, I'm sorry. Phew, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time," she manages between giggles. Mahon blushes even deeper.
"I'm glad I'm the source of it," he chuckles.
"Well, what are you going to do now?" she asks, curiosity piqued.
"[Well, I personally don't know. I'm just a wandering soul now...]" He fidgets with his hands nervously.
"Well, you can stay here," she offers with a smile.
"[Really? Is that alright?... I might just be a burden...]" He hesitates, concern evident in his voice.
"No, you're good. It's more fun if I have someone beside me since I live alone," she reassures him with a warm smile.
"Now that I think about it, where are your parents?" he asks hesitantly, treading carefully.
"Ah... they're...not around anymore," she replies with a bitter smile, gaze dropping.
"[Ah! I'm so sorry for asking something sensitive!]" He immediately apologizes, panic evident in his voice.
"Don't worry about it," she reassures him with a smile, though a hint of sadness lingers in her eyes.
"You can take the guest room. No one's sleeping there, and I don't know if you can lay down properly or sleep on the bed...I don't know how ghosts work..." she sighs. Mahon smiles.
"[Ah, we don't particularly sleep since we're now ghosts just roaming around.]" He explains.
"Ah, so... You won't be able to go to heaven?" she asks.
"[I don't know...I guess I need to do something first.]" His tone carries a hint of uncertainty.
She nods and sighs. "Well, for the time being, you can stay at my house if you want. You're welcome here! It's your choice," she offers.
"Thanks for the offer. I appreciate it!" he beams.
After their small talk, she decides to retire for the day, realizing it's already late. She bids him farewell and heads to her room, sinking into her bed as darkness envelops her.
Morning arrives abruptly with the blaring alarm, echoing throughout the house. Yara groggily rises from her bed, reluctant to leave its warmth.
Ting!
Her phone illuminates with a new notification, drawing her attention. She retrieves it from the nightstand and reads the message from Max.
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Knight56: Hi :>
I'm sorry about earlier, I went somewhere.
Chivi12: Hey, is your name really Max?
Knight56: No.
Chivi12: I'm blocking you.
Knight56: WAIT- NO!
Alright, I'll tell you, geez.
Chivi12: That's what I thought. 😏
Knight56: Just call me Knight.
Chivi12: Are you serious right now?
Knight56: Yes. 😇
Chivi12: Your name must be ugly...
Knight56: HEY, that's rude!
Chivi12: Fine, whatever I need to go now, school.
—————————————————————————————————————————
She nonchalantly tossed her phone onto the bed before proceeding to the bathroom to change into her uniform. Retrieving her phone, she descended the stairs and prepared herself a modest breakfast, afterwards leaving her used plate in the sink. With a sense of purpose, she embarked on her journey with her trusty bike.
Upon her arrival in the classroom, she quietly made her way to her seat, promptly succumbing to the allure of a brief nap. No one dared disturb her slumber, though she could sense the weight of someone's gaze upon her resting form.
As the teacher initiated the day's lesson, she remained in her peaceful repose, oblivious to the passing of time. Only the arrival of lunch interrupted her tranquility, marked by a gentle tap on her shoulder. Blinking awake, she found Jay standing before her.
"Lunch time. June is searching for us," he informed her simply. With a nod, she rose from her seat, following Jay's lead. Together with their companions, June and Minu, they convened to brainstorm ideas for their group's name. Jay and Minu engaged in playful banter while she observed quietly from the sidelines, still feeling the lingering grasp of sleep.
"Why are you here, Jay?" Shelly's sudden appearance disrupted the harmony of their discussion.
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𝔗𝔬 𝔟𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔲𝔢𝔡