[Jow Ylliard Hayle]
As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the ceiling of the shelter I was lying under.
The pain in my stomach still lingered—thanks to the brutal kick ghost girl gave me earlier.
Slowly, I raised my right hand.
A small smile formed on my lips. It was clean. Clay must’ve wiped it thoroughly before she left.
The wind brushed gently against my skin, unusually cold for this time of day.
I bit my lip.
And then it hit me—an emotional burst I couldn’t hold back.
Tears welled up in my eyes, then spilled freely. I started crying.
Crying so loud I didn’t care if anyone nearby could hear me. I didn’t even look around.
> Thank goodness... my eyesight came back. That was terrifying. So terrifying.<
Just the thought of permanently losing my vision... it would’ve broken me completely.
I lay there crying for several minutes.
Eventually, I calmed myself down and sat up.
I picked up my blood-soaked red face towel.
My hands trembled as I held it.
Was this how much blood I wept?
The towel was drenched.
> Wait... did Clay soak this in water? She went through all that trouble...? Strange girl.<
I felt for my phone. When I saw the screen, my face was smiling back at me.
The screen had also been wiped clean. Clay really did a good job.
Maybe I really should buy her that candied dried anchovy she mentioned.
> But she said I’d have to come with her to find and buy it...<
I opened Facebook. Went straight to our conversation.
Wow. Tons of messages.
“Hey, tell me when you’re okay.”
“The anchovy!”
“Is your eye still hurting?”
“I went to class like you told me. I’ll come back right after second period to check on you. I’ll bring water and ice.”
“Jow? I just realized—why is your nickname Jow? Hahahahahaha.”
“Someone called your phone earlier. I didn’t answer. Call them back so you can explain.”
“First time I’ve heard someone snore that loud hahahahahahahaha.”
“What happened to you? Why did you use your ability and end up like that?”
“Jow, do you know Kokey? Hahahaha.”
“Teacher made me do something! So annoying! Can I ‘salvage’ someone? I’m in the faculty... are you still asleep?”
My grip on the phone tightened.
> What are these random messages? How many “haha”s does she need?!<
Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Grandpa calling.
I had just read Clay’s message about a missed call while I was sleeping. Must’ve been him.
I picked up right away.
“Hello, Grandpa? What’s up?”
I could hear a clear “tsk” from the other line.
“We have visitors. You need to come home. It’s important,” he said gruffly.
He sure sounded annoyed.
> He must not like these guests.<
“Who are they?” I asked.
“Old clients. They want to introduce their daughter… to you.”
I frowned.
“And why do they even know about me?”
“They said you saved their lives once. Back when you were still a biker gang leader.”
“Tsk. Grandpa, I’m not a delinquent anymore.”
My teeth clenched. I even stomped the floor in frustration.
“Just come home. I know you cut class today.”
I froze.
I coughed awkwardly.
“How did y—”
I stopped mid-sentence. Right. Rain is my classmate. Of course.
---
When I got home, Grandpa’s guests were seated in the living room.
“I’m back,” I announced.
“Jow! These are the people who want to meet you!” Grandpa shouted, glaring at me.
“Nice to meet you,” I greeted.
“You’re the one who saved us…” said the woman with glasses, recognizing me.
“Sit,” Grandpa ordered.
I sat beside him. Across from us were the couple.
I whispered to him, “Grandpa, why are you in a bad mood?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?! I told you to stop feeding my cat—it’s getting fat!”
> Wait... that's why he’s upset?!<
The couple spoke for several minutes, thanking me for saving them back then.
They offered money—I refused.
They offered to pay for college—I declined again. I’d have to transfer to a private school if I accepted.
In the end, since I didn’t accept anything, they gave me their contact cards.
“If you ever need anything,” they said, “just call us.”
After they left, I ate dinner and went straight to my room. I didn’t even bother changing clothes.
I also didn’t show Grandpa the bloodied face towel.
---
I woke up at around 3:00 a.m.
Pain gripped my chest. It throbbed—like my lungs were squeezing the life out of my heart.
Each breath was a battle. Inhale—burning. Exhale—sharp pain.
My hands were trembling. My head buzzed with a strange electrical sting.
I stood up and turned on the light.
Faced the mirror.
And there he was—me. Pitiful. Pale. Tear-streaked.
Jovenyl...
Why can’t I let you go?
Why can’t my heart release you? Why do you haunt my thoughts?
My knees gave out. I dropped to the floor, my forehead hitting the tiles with a dull thud.
“God... please... take this pain away. I can’t take it anymore. It’s killing me inside.”
---
[Clayrin Aisfine Ezz]
I was lying on the roof, school papers scattered beside me.
I’d been working on this activity for two hours, but I wasn’t even halfway through.
Inside my room, my cousin was also working on hers.
Unlike me, she was seated at a study table, laser-focused, earphones plugged in.
> She’s really cute…<
“If I were that gentle… maybe I’d look calm the way she does now.”
I sighed—twice.
I sat up, picked up my pen, and resumed working.
I was trying to focus when I turned back toward my room—and there she was.
Ate Jovenyl, sitting by the window.
I screamed. My pen rolled off the roof.
“Ate! You scared me!” I complained.
“Sorry,” she said softly. “You looked so focused… I just wanted to admire your face.”
I moved beside her, leaned on the wall, and placed my phone on top of my papers so they wouldn’t fly away.
“Ate...”
“Hm?”
She was gazing up at the stars. The night sky was clear, the moon full and bright.
“No clouds tonight,” I mumbled, looking up too.
“Clay... is it true that he got mad when you said I was checking on him?”
I didn’t expect her to ask that.
I smirked and covered my lips with one hand.
> Still worried about your man? Just get back together already…<
“Well, yeah. He didn’t like it. That’s for sure.”
She looked stunned. Mouth slightly open. Eyes squinting as if trying to hold back.
I panicked a bit.
“A-ate... don’t worry about that dummy, okay? You didn’t do anything wrong. He’s just being a jejemon.”
“It’s okay. I knew it would turn out like that.”
“How did you know?”
“He hates me now, doesn’t he?”
Tears started welling up in her eyes.
“Ate?”
I didn’t know what to say.
So I hugged her. Ran my fingers through her hair.
“Ssshh... don’t let those tears fall. It’ll hurt you, like a dagger to the heart.”
She tried to hold back the crying.
> I'm sorry, Ate... it still hurts, doesn’t it?<
I still couldn’t bring myself to tell her.
That Jow and I… we’ve been talking on Facebook.
Speaking of Jow, he still hasn’t messaged me about what really happened at the university rooftop earlier.
> He did say he saw a ghost. Was he telling the truth?<
To be continued.