Chapter 3

Baek Eun-Seong was a minor villain in the drama Please Obsess Over Me.

The man’s silence in response to my comment made me realize something.

‘Was that a spoiler?’

But wasn’t the drama already completed? It was popular, and Baek Eun-Seong’s death happened early in the series, so it shouldn’t count as a major spoiler.

‘Ah, maybe he’s a fan of Moon Hyun-Joon, who played Baek Eun-Seong.’

For a minor villain, his acting was exceptional. But Moon Hyun-Joon had gone on to take leading roles afterward, so I hoped the man wouldn’t be too disappointed. Despite the blunder of spoiling a beloved drama, I felt a bit apologetic and said,

“Isn’t it better that way?”

“…Better?”

‘That’s what everyone wanted anyway’

“ Of course!”

The man’s expression hardened slightly. It seemed he didn’t agree with me. His deep admiration for Moon Hyun-Joon’s character was evident. Despite his gruff tone, he had a surprisingly sensitive side.

Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist as if to pull me toward him and asked,

“Why is that obvious?”

Apparently, his dedication as a fan was stronger than I thought. Even though he looked upset, his eyes betrayed a hint of unease.

His serious expression with a slight tinge of vulnerability was unexpectedly fitting. Fan devotion truly is something pure.

How could I phrase this without tarnishing such heartfelt admiration?

“The writer intended it that way, and it’s quickly forgotten anyway.”

I smiled warmly, trying to encourage him.

“So, just—”

Before I could finish suggesting he move on to focus on the actor’s later leading roles, he gripped my wrist more tightly and pulled me closer. His face loomed so near that it felt suffocating, and he growled like a beast showing its teeth.

“I don’t forget. Once it’s in my sights, not even in death.”

Was he willing to embrace even the villains?

“Well… that’s, uh… quite a heartfelt sentiment.”

He frowned. I meant it as a compliment, but I guess it didn’t land that way.

“You…”

He seemed about to say something but stopped himself. Instead, a strange grinding sound filled the air. Before I could locate its source, he picked up a bowl from the tray and, using a spoon, offered it to me. It was porridge.

Expecting him to feed me like with the water earlier, I opened my mouth. As I thought, he brought the spoon to my lips and fed me. Quietly, I ate the porridge he offered without complaint.

After finishing the empty bowl, he left without a word.

‘…Is he mad?’

What if he decides to charge me exorbitant rent? With my part-time job barely covering tuition, I had little left for expenses. It felt like I was leeching off him, which made me feel guilty. But if I left, my only options were crashing at the school’s club room or, worst-case scenario, sleeping on the streets.

Increasing my work hours wasn’t feasible either; I was already pushing it with my late-night projects.

Feeling anxious, my gaze landed on the cup sitting on the nightstand.

“Dishwashing! I’ll start by doing the dishes!”

If I offered to handle all the housework, maybe he’d ease up. And if he still charged rent, perhaps he’d at least cut me some slack.

I quickly grabbed the cup and stood up. My determination was strong, but my body was still weak. I leaned against the wall as I made my way to the door.

But then I saw it—a figure.

A chill ran down my spine. It felt like I had just seen a ghost. I froze and stared in its direction. The next moment, I stumbled to the floor in shock, dropping the cup.

The cup shattered.

“What… what was that?”

Ignoring the glass shard that had nicked my wrist, I began picking up the pieces. Despite the sting, my mind couldn’t process what I’d seen. I was too scared to even glance back in that direction.

Suddenly, bang!

The door flew open. A hand gripped my wrist, lifting me as I crouched over the shards.

“What are you doing…!”

Through the man’s broad shoulders, I caught sight of the mirror behind him.

And there, I locked eyes with someone I had never seen before.

A cold sensation swept over me, as if all the blood in my body had drained out.

Then everything went dark.

* * *

As I regained consciousness, the man’s face came into view. While it was somewhat reassuring, the fear I felt made my body tremble uncontrollably.

“If you pull another stunt like this, I’ll tie you up—”

“Hic, sob.”

I was certain I had seen a ghost. A ghost I’d never encountered before in my life, and it was terrifyingly vivid.

The ghost in the mirror was unnaturally pale, its eerie appearance seared into my memory. It had a strikingly unusual face, but that wasn’t the issue—it was a ghost!

Just recalling it made my chest tighten, and I struggled to breathe. My breathing became so labored that I nearly passed out again, gasping and choking.

Noticing my distress, the man quickly grabbed my shoulders and spoke urgently.

“Breathe. Take deep breaths.”

Then, without warning, he stuck his fingers into my mouth.

“Hic, gasp, ack !”

“Dammit.”

The man cursed as he pulled his fingers out of my mouth. Before I could react, he supported the back of my head and neck, then pressed his lips to mine.

It was a surprise kiss, and I was so startled that I instinctively tried to push him away. However, the pain in my wrist sapped my strength, and during that time, he deepened the kiss, as though he were devouring me.

I had no idea how much time had passed when he finally pulled back, lightly biting my lower lip before meeting my eyes.

By then, the pain in my chest had subsided, and I could breathe normally. My mind cleared as well, allowing me to process the fact that I had just kissed another man.

Earlier, it was artificial respiration. Yes, that’s it—artificial respiration.

As I tried to convince myself of this, the man brushed his fingers along my jaw. He tugged me closer, applying slight pressure, as if to kiss me again. Panicking, I blurted out,

“I-I can breathe fine now….”

“…”

The man paused, then slowly backed away. I clutched my throbbing wrist as I stood up. When I looked at it, I saw that bandages were wrapped tightly around it.

“Oh… I must’ve hurt it when the cup broke.”

I had only wanted to help with the housework, but instead, I ended up breaking a cup. So much for making a good impression.

“You cleaned it up….”

I felt guilty for creating more work instead of helping, so I muttered apologetically. However, the man’s expression darkened with anger. Oh no… it seemed like staying here would be impossible after all. Feeling dejected, I said,

“…I’ll leave.”

“I told you, didn’t I? I have no intention of letting you go.”

“What?”

“You’re not leaving.”

Wait, was he forgiving me? Even after I broke the cup?

If that was the case, I wouldn’t have to worry about becoming homeless! Joy bubbled up inside me, but before I could fully celebrate, the memory of the ghost came back. My body shuddered involuntarily. Oh, right… I saw a ghost here….

“If you’ve got nothing else to say, don’t do anything reckless again. Otherwise, this time I really will tie you—”

“Um… can we share a room instead?”

“…”

Did I just overstep my boundaries as a freeloader?

“Yeah, that might be better.”

“Sorry?”

“Stay by my side.”

What? Did I mishear him?

Before he could change his mind, I quickly nodded in agreement.

The man’s room was much larger and nicer than the one I’d been staying in. There was only one bed, but it was big enough to fit four adults with room to spare. If sleeping together felt awkward, there was always the sofa—I could gauge his mood and decide where to sleep.

At least, that was my plan until I saw it again.

In the mirror hanging on the wall, the pale face of the ghost appeared.

I froze, unable to move, my body trembling with fear.

“What’s wrong?” the man asked as he approached me.

I raised a finger and pointed to the mirror. The man followed my gesture, gazing in the same direction, but tilted his head as if he didn’t see anything and asked:

“What’s there?”

“…You don’t see it?”

“…?”

The man looked at the mirror again. Could it really be that the pale figure I saw so clearly was visible only to me?

“The only thing reflected in the mirror is you and me. What are you talking about?”

“Huh?”

Then, I remembered something I had forgotten.

Why wasn’t my face reflected in the mirror?

My hair stood on end, and goosebumps prickled across my skin. I couldn’t afford to lose consciousness here again, but the fear was overwhelming. Grabbing onto the man, I stammered:

“Uh… I think I see something.”

“What do you see?”

“A gho—”

I whispered so softly that even a ghost might strain to hear.

“…A ghost.”

“….”

The man looked puzzled, clearly not understanding. But seeing how terrified I was, he suddenly moved toward the mirror on the wall. I panicked and grabbed him, shaking my head desperately as he turned to look at me.

‘What if it comes out of the mirror?!’

Horror movie scenes replayed vividly in my mind—people dying the moment they confronted something like this. I didn’t want to see the man fall victim to the ghost, so I clung to him desperately. But he dragged me along and headed for the mirror anyway.

“See? There’s no such thing as a ghost.”

“Eek?!”

He unhooked the mirror from the wall and held it right in front of me. My eyes locked with the pale ghost I had only seen from afar. My legs gave out, and I collapsed, nearly frothing at the mouth. The man quickly supported me, alarmed. He called out to someone, and before I knew it, I was laid on a bed.

People in white coats came rushing in and checked me over. They spoke with the man as I drifted in and out of consciousness.

“He said she saw something in the mirror, and now look at him.”

“I think he’ll need inpatient treatment.”

“Really?”

“If he’s hallucinating and even self-harming, it’s not something that will improve over time.”

“I’ll consider it…”

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