Episode 7

I had been walking along the shelves toward the origin of the sound. It was a faint noise, emanating from one corner of the room. As I approached, chills ran down my spine, especially since there was not a single other patron in this section of the library.

"Hello, who's there?" I called out.

There was no response, and I paused. Worried I might have been mistaken, I considered heading back to the table where my books and bag were left, recalling the phone call with Kaivan—my cell phone still clenched in my hand.

"Ah, the call ended."

Turning around, I began to walk away when the sound came again.

"Yuraaa." Accompanied by a fleeting noise, several books tumbled from a shelf.

I spun back around, heading to the shelf where the books had fallen, picking them up and slotting them back into place.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, a sensation of being watched looming over me. I dared not look back, my body trembling with a growing fear. I gripped my cell phone even tighter.

"Yura, help..."

"No, I can't help you."

Whoosh, someone walked past me and was now standing directly in front with their back to me. I wanted to scream, convinced this was no human. My legs felt rooted to the floor, escape seemed impossible.

"Aaaaa," I screamed as the figure turned around. It was the same entity that had appeared before, at the university, in the streets, and right in front of my car.

"Yura!"

I heard my name being called, clearly by a human voice, resembling Kaivan's tone. Finally, my body relaxed, and I quickly turned around...

Thud.

I seemed to have bumped into someone, or rather someone's body. I looked up, "Kaivan, I..."

"Let's get out of here," Kaivan insisted, his gaze scanning the area as if searching for something. He reached for my hand, urging me to walk.

"Just a moment, my bag."

I approached the table where my bag and the book I was reading lay. Passing the librarian, I paused again, wanting to check out the book. After it was noted down, I slipped it into my bag.

"Let's go," Kaivan beckoned.

"Hey, you're so impatient. Really have to go that bad?" I teased Yura.

His expression remained neutral, unresponsive to my joke.

"Absolutely statuesque," I murmured under my breath.

"I heard that," Kaivan replied.

Now outside the library, at the edge of the campus grounds, we sat on a bench. Kaivan produced a bottle of water from his bag and handed it to me.

"Drink!" he commanded.

*What's with this guy\, always ordering me around. Thankfully\, he's good-looking*.

Taking the bottle, I broke the seal and took several gulps. Whether he had planned it or not, I was incredibly thirsty after the spectral incident in the library.

Seeing I had calmed down, Kaivan settled into the seat beside me. I didn't want to start the conversation, though I would gladly talk endlessly with Kaivan just to gaze at him.

"Kaivan."

"Yura."

We spoke simultaneously.

"You first," I suggested.

"No, you go first."

We both chuckled at our coy, lovesick-like behavior. My laughter drew a glance from Kaivan, his face still expressionless. I cleared my throat, suppressing my urge to continue laughing.

"You called me last night, for..."

"Can you see them?"

I exhaled loudly, ensuring Kaivan heard. His question was ambiguously phrased. To see, in the literal sense or in a supernatural context, left me pondering his meaning.

"I'm sure you know what I mean, no need for me to explain what 'seeing' refers to."

"Yes."

"An innate ability?" he probed further.

"No, it's only recently. I don't understand why this is happening to me, seriously, it scares me."

"You saw something at the hospital, didn't you..."

"Enough, let's not elaborate. The first apparition I ever saw was at the hospital, that's why I generally avoid hospitals."

I shifted my seat to face him directly. "You can see them too, right?"

Kaivan did not speak, just gave a slow nod.

"Ah, I knew it. You can see them as well, including that apparition in class?"

"Your aura is off," Kaivan observed. "There's something strange; they seem to want to approach and communicate with you," and honestly, that confounded me.

"What do you mean?" I inquired further.

"It seems like there is something about you that allows you to see them and that is making them want to communicate with you as well. So, would you say they're bothering you?"

I took a deep breath before answering his question.

"Kaivan, just being able to see them is disturbing enough, let alone them wanting to communicate."

My phone rang; it was a call from Nana.

"Hello."

"You coming to class?" Nana's voice came from the other end.

"Of course, I'm already at the university," I replied.

"Oh, I'm on my way there. Can't reach Mail, her phone's off." Nana added.

The call ended and I turned back to Kaivan.

"So what should I do? I'm genuinely scared. Now I feel uneasy wherever I go, and it's unpredictable—they appear even in daylight."

Kaivan remained silent, pondering my plea. If these entities did indeed seem to want to communicate with me, like nurse Marni, I hoped for a solution from Kaivan who had experienced such things since childhood.

"I don't know why they want to communicate or what caused you to see them. Try not to be alone in certain places.”

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***