I had returned to the spot where I left my smartphone, left to absorb sunlight energy to charge its battery. When I checked it, my smartphone's battery hadn't increased by even one percent after I spent a long time selecting and ordering below, and also facing Nevo, it wasn't even enough to charge one percent of the battery.

I wished I had brought the charger so I could charge the battery much faster. If my estimate wasn't wrong, maybe my battery would have already been charged one or two percent if I had used the charger instead of using the sunlight.

So, while waiting for what seemed like a very, very long time until my smartphone's battery charged, at least up to five or six percent, allowing me to play games again. I would spend the wait enjoying soft drinks, snacks, and the view in front of me. Not much and not too beautiful to look at, indeed. But at least I could still enjoy it during this waiting time.

I looked up at the bright blue sky above, which was boring because it only displayed a blue sky. When I lowered my eyes a bit, I could see a row of houses and buildings that were symmetrical and similar. Unfortunately, I couldn't see my house because it was in the opposite direction. Lowering my eyes again, I could see something slightly interesting, people passing by.

The streets of the housing complex seemed deserted, which was normal at that time because it was not rush hour. I noticed some people I recognized passing by —my neighbors, people I often met in the park, and even some teenagers who often made noise near my house.

But honestly, what I really enjoyed wasn't the scenery, but my soft drinks and snacks that quickly ran out because there was no other activity I could do. Since my soft drinks and snacks were gone, I was back to being bored.

My mind offered two options. First, I could buy more soft drinks and snacks, but I felt like I've already had too much, so I should stop not because I'm worried about my health, but to be more save money. The second thing on my mind was to go back home, maybe Desmon has calmed down.

While I was still thinking about, someone was sitting next to me without me realizing it. "Do you need a charger?"

From the voice, I already knew who it was, but I confirmed by looking directly at the person. It was indeed Chloe.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I greeted.

"Just keeping my friend company," Chloe replied, extending her hand holding a charger, "Do you need a charger?"

I took the charger from Chloe's hand, "Sure. Thanks, but how did you know I needed a charger?"

"I saw the solar charging on your smartphone was active," Chloe answered while opening the snacks she brought.

As I activated Chloe's charger and placed my smartphone for charging, I looked at Chloe. "You said you're keeping your friend company, but where is she?"

"She's downstairs," Chloe answered, "I'll have to leave soon, so you can just keep my charger. I'll pick it up when I come to your house."

"Are you sure? I mean, don't you need it?"

"No, don't worry. I have a spare."

We chatted for only a few minutes about why Chloe suddenly left earlier in the morning, it turns out her friend was looking for her and needed her help.

I didn't mind at all if Chloe left early in the morning, I wasn't curious either. I just wanted to make sure she was okay, and, more importantly, I didn't want to make any mistakes that would annoy or even make Chloe hate me until she left early in the morning.

Not long after we chatted, Chloe's friend, a tall and slender girl, finally showed up.

"Chloe, sorry to interrupt. Are you still chatting?" Chloe's friend asked, her fashion style totally different from Chloe's, her clothes dominated by cream colors rather than vibrant ones.

"No," Chloe replied. "Are you done shopping?"

"Yes," Chloe's friend replied briefly, then fell silent. I thought she was in an awkward situation.

"All right then, let's go," Chloe said as she got up from her seat. "I'll go first, Robert."

I nodded and said, "Okay. Thanks for the charger."

Chloe's friend seemed to not care about my presence, she turned around and walked away. Meanwhile, Chloe followed her from behind.

I didn't immediately go back to my smartphone because I knew it was still charging. Instead, I still focus on Chloe and her friend.

I don't know what really happened, but Chloe's friend seemed weird to me.

It wasn't her attitude, seeming to not care about my presence, I was used to being treated like that. If she indeed didn't care about my presence, I could guess that she already knew about me being able to see ghosts from a friend or her friends' friend or through social media.

Because being ignored by others has been a regular thing for me, not just this time. Even when I transferred to my new school, some of my classmates kept their distance from me. When I accidentally looked into why they were avoiding me, I was shocked by how quickly information spread. A photo of me, taken without my knowing, had been going around on social media with captions like "Cursed Child" or "Beware, Devil Worshiper" or something like that.

So, it was normal for me. But what's weird is how she could accept and be friends with Chloe.

I mean, it's clear from all my conversations with Chloe, whether directly or indirectly, Chloe always talks about how she enjoys socializing, having many friends, and being open with her friends about her ability to see ghosts. Or maybe that's just my thought, so Chloe's doesn't meant like that. I don't know.

But if what I think is true, then Chloe's friend should have known about Chloe's ability to see ghosts, the same ability as mine. So, why would she be friends with Chloe but ignore me?

Is it possible that it's just her attitude? Maybe Chloe's friend always seems not to care about new people she doesn't know, so it's not because she knew I could see ghosts that she ignored me.

When Chloe and her friend went down the stairs, I caught a brief look of Chloe shifting her eyes towards me and smiling. A sweet smile as usual. But I didn't want to get too excited, maybe Chloe and her friend were just joking, and that's why Chloe smiled, accidentally glancing in my direction.

After Chloe and her friend disappeared from my sight, I turned my eyes back towards the window, exactly looking at the streets in front of the convenience store. Yes, you can guess it, I was waiting to see Chloe come out of the store and walk somewhere, who knows where.

It didn't take long for Chloe to walk out of the convenience store, along with her friend. At that moment, the mystery of Chloe's friend could be answered, but at the same time, a new weird thought crossed my mind.

Chloe's friend appeared faint, almost translucent. Could Chloe's friend is a ghost? If so, that could explain why she ignored me, maybe she thought I couldn't see ghosts.

But if Chloe's friend is a ghost, why would she be shopping at a convenience store? I know ghosts can interact, like touching objects in the human world, but what's the point for them? If they need something, wouldn't it make more sense for them to buy it in the ghost world, as Desmon does.

So, I didn't jump to the conclusion that Chloe's friend was a ghost. I thought —had to thought— if it was just my hallucination or perhaps some kind of light reflection, sunlight, or maybe the window glass disturbing my vision and making it seem like Chloe's friend looked translucent. Who knows.

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I was still looking at Chloe and her friend walking away, but not long after, Chloe turned around, and she looked at me. Of course, I immediately shifted my eyes elsewhere, hoping she wouldn't know that I've been looking at her since earlier.

Besides, why did Chloe suddenly turn around and look in my direction? Could she be aware that I was looking at her, or maybe she has abilities like telepathy? I doubt it, there's no such ability.

The only thing I can think of if Chloe really noticed me looking at her is that there must be a Chloe's ghost friend or Chloe's phantom that has been watching me since I started looking at Chloe, then told Chloe that I was watching her. But I didn't see any ghosts or feel the phantom that should have a strong death aura since earlier.

So, it might just be a mere coincidence. I mean, Chloe could have turned around and looked in my direction without any reason. Or maybe she's just like me, wanting to look at me from a distance.

Another thing that crosses my mind is the presence of Leina. I suddenly remember Chloe's story about the incident on the bridge. In her story, Chloe explained that she felt Leina's presence from a car, then followed the car, and it turned out I was the passenger in that car.

Could that incident be happening again? If so, this is my chance.

Clearly, I have to check the paper Leina gave me if Leina is indeed here. I mean, the paper comes from Leina and contains something that Leina wants me to read, and I remember that when I tried to read the paper back then, Leina had already disappeared. So maybe the writing on the paper can only be read when Leina is present.

I don't know what theory supports my thoughts, but I think it's worth a try, especially if Leina is not present or if the paper is indeed empty, I won't get any bad effects at all.

So, I took out the paper from Leina and unfolded it. When I unfolded the second fold, this time I could easily see the writing on Leina's paper.

> "I don't know if you can see this writing or not.

>

> I don't know if you can see this writing, you'll be able to read it.

>

> I don't know if you able read this writing, you'll be able to call me.

>

> I don't know if you've called me, I will appear to you.

>

> I don't know if I've appeared to you, I'll be able to talk to you.

>

> I don't know if I've talked to you, you'll be able to set me free.

>

> But what I know is, you have to be careful..."

The writing on Leina's paper faded again, becoming translucent, until it disappeared completely.

I just stared at the paper, hoping that the writing would reappear because at a glance, there seemed to be a lot of writing that I hadn't had a chance to read.

"Robert," someone called me from behind. I turned around to see the source of the voice.

"Sorry, but it seems I left something behind, have you seen it?" the owner of the voice, Chloe, asked.

I immediately stood up and looked towards where Chloe had been sitting before to check, "Didn't see anything, what did you leave behind?"

Chloe, who had also returned to her seat, joined in looking for her lost item, "A ring box, it's small in size."

While checking, I glanced briefly at Chloe's friend who was already beside her, also helping to search for the ring box.

"Actually, that was meant as a gift, but carelessly, I misplaced it," Chloe said. I could feel the regret in her voice.

I feel Chloe's concern, so I tried to calm down her by saying, "Don't worry, we'll definitely find it."

Not long after I said that, Chloe's friend immediately stood up and patted Chloe's shoulder, "Found it."

"Phew... thank goodness. Thank you," Chloe said while hugging her friend.

I didn't expect a hug from Chloe, so I just returned to my seat, saying, "Thank goodness."

Chloe looked back at me, "You too, thanks, Robert."

I nodded in response.

Chloe then turned back to her friend and whispered something. I didn't know what she said, but her friend immediately headed downstairs.

After that, Chloe looked at me again, "Sorry, I lied."

I without thinking held my breath and couldn't control my facial expression, staying silent for a moment.

Chloe then returned to her seat, "I had to lie because there's something I need to talk to you about."

I still silent even though I could breathe again and control my facial expression, "Sorry, but you want to talk to me? About what?"

"Leina," Chloe replied, "Can you sense her presence?"

I nodded, "Yes, just now, before you came back. I could even read the writing on her paper."

Now it was Chloe's turn to look surprised, "Her paper? Leina's paper?"

I nodded again, "Yes. Do you want to see it?" I said, showing Leina's paper to Chloe.

"And you can read the writing on her paper?" Chloe continued, taking Leina's paper from my hand and unfolding it.

"Yes. Is there something strange?"

Chloe's eyes were only focused on the paper as she replied, "Nothing. But this is just rare, phantoms seldom give something to humans."

"What do you mean?"

Chloe fell silent for a moment, looking at the unfolded paper from Leina.

I tried to peek, but I couldn't see any writing. Why was Chloe looking at it so seriously as if she were reading something on the paper?

"Nothing. Hmm... well, I mean," Chloe's words didn't really answer my question, and I was also confused about what was going on. She seemed suddenly puzzled. Chloe shifted her eyes towards me. "I can't explain it right now because I have to leave soon. But I promise I'll explain it at your house the day after tomorrow."

Chloe then stood up and walked away faster than usual.

"Chloe," I said, intentionally raised my voice to call her. Chloe looked back. I stood up and approached her, saying, "Sorry, but you took a paper from Leina."

Chloe raised her hand and looked at her open palm. "Oh, sorry. I was in a hurry," Chloe said as she handed Leina's paper back to me.

I took the paper back, smiling to stay friendly. I could understand that, "It's okay."

"Alright, I'm going now. Bye," Chloe says goodbye, ending it with her sweet smile for me again.

"Okay, take care," I replied with a smile, although I wasn't sure how my smile looked.

After Chloe went down to the lower floor, I returned to my seat and stared out at the street through the store window. I could see Chloe and her friend leaving the store, half walking and half running as if trying to catch a bus or train because they were running late.

Once Chloe and her friend disappeared from my view at the crossroads, I checked my smartphone, which now had enough battery for me to play games. So, I put Leina's paper back into my pants pocket, grabbed my smartphone, and started playing games again.

I spent almost two more hours in the convenience store before deciding to head home.

###

I came home to find the house in the same condition as when I left it, empty with no one around, or more exactly, no humans at all.

I headed straight to my room after entering the house. From behind the walls, I couldn't hear any sounds, and I also didn't feel any death aura. So, I thought that either Desmon and Cherry were gone, or only one of them was in my room. Although, I was more suspicious that it was Desmon.

Why could I think like that? Well, because the death aura from one ghost didn't affect me much, meaning I didn't feel it. That's why, it was only when Chloe told me that I realized all ghosts must have a death aura, it's just that the intensity of the death aura varies for each ghost.

I opened my room door and walked inside. As per my thought, my room was empty, with no one here, human or ghost, except for me who had just come.

Because I was tired and had a lack of sleep from staying up all night with Chloe, I, without thinking about it, immediately threw myself onto my bed, not even bothering to take off my clothes.

On the soft bed, I closed my eyes several times, preparing to sleep, but there was a slight —just a little bit— feel of unease because I was afraid Desmon would surprise me again, as he often did recently.

My worry turned out to have the opposite effect. Desmon entered my room at that moment in a usual manner, without anything surprising. I shouldn't have been surprised by that, but because I was too worried, it startled me enough to scream.

"What's wrong with you?" Desmon asked, seeming surprised by my scream.

I tried to catch my breath before speaking. "Sorry, I was afraid you'd surprise me."

Desmon shook his head briefly, "Actually, you're the one who surprised me, humans."

I looked at Desmon as he moved towards the chair, which seemed to be his favorite spot for reading books. Meanwhile, I was still lying limp on the bed, staring at the ceiling, still trying to sleep.

My efforts to sleep were disturbed by a question from Desmon, "Where are you from?"

I actually wanted to ignore him and stay focused on my attempt to sleep, but I knew or rather worried that Desmon would keep asking that question, and he might even show his annoying face right in front of me if I still not answer his question.

"Just a convenience store," I replied shortly, briefly, clearly, and with a tone and snoring as if I were sleepy, letting Desmon know not to ask questions or disturb me again.

Fortunately, my words managed to reach him and were understood. I didn't know and didn't care about what Desmon was doing at that moment. Maybe he continued reading his book, who knows? But one thing's for sure, I could sleep without being disturbed by him.

####