26 Not as handsome as you imagine me to be

She feels the ghosts following her. She sprints for the elevator. She stops when the elevator's doors part. She turns toward the stairs. It's better to run down the stairs than be stuck inside the elevator with these damn ghosts. They follow her like a swarm of bees. She feels coldness spreading through her skin when they grab onto her. Her each step is heavy as if gravity is acting stronger. Her knees bend. She leans on the wall for support. Talking to these ghosts are useless. They don't have bodies. They don't have functional brains either. She won't give up.

Nausea hits her as more ghosts start piling up on her. Her eyelids grow heavy. She throws up, but only her saliva mixed with last night's rice wine comes out of her mouth. She didn't eat lunch or dinner yesterday. She didn't have breakfast either. She can't take another step. Something is holding it back tightly. They won't let her go.

Why are they acting like this?

Blinking her eyes several times to clear her vision, she holds on to her dwindling clarity. "You are not winning."

Why does she have these abilities? She doesn't want this. She wants to be normal. She bursts into tears. It's painful when someone doesn't believe her. She hates crying. The tears won't stop. The ghosts like to see her miserable. Sei won't believe her and she doesn't know how to make him believe her.

Which is heavier? Is it her heart or her body? She can't tell anymore. As pain swells inside her soul, she hears them whisper. Her abilities are peaking again. Her surroundings begin to fade in the background. The whispers grow louder until they become piercing screams. She can't understand a word. It's too loud. They are all around her. Her vision turns dark. She can't see anymore. She covers her ears. "Stop. Please stop. Let me go, please."

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrap around her and pulls her into an embrace. All of a sudden, it's eerily quiet. The towering weight is gone. She realizes that she's been panting. He holds the back of her head, soothing her. He smells of cigarettes and something else that she can't lay her fingers on. His scent has a calming effect like the moon enveloping her on a bitterly cold night.

"Feeling better?" His voice is low, magnetic, and silvery.

She can't open her mouth or her eyes. She' paralyzed in his arms -- not that she's complaining.

He lets out a chuckle. "It's been a while, Miss. Nakashima."

Have they met before? She wants to see her saviour's face. But why can't she move?

"It's better if you don't see me, Miss. Nakashima. I am not as handsome as you imagine me to be," He says to her in an amused voice. "I am afraid that you will be disappointed. That would hurt me a lot."

Eh? When did she imagine him? Wait, is he that man who saved her in the cemetery seven years ago? Wakana tries hard to open her eyes.

And how can he answer her the questions that she's asking in her head? Can he read her mind?

The man smiles at her. She finally realizes that he can read her mind. This girl is a bit slow.

What is he? How can he read minds? Is he a god, demon, or a wizard? Can ghosts read minds?

"I am..." His voice falters. His finger touches her forehead. She feels her abilities shrinking a bit. He can control it. "Whatever you want me to be."

Whatever she wants him to be? What if she wants him to be her driver? Would he become her driver then? Talk sense!

"If you want me to be your driver, I would gladly be your driver." He shouldn't be talking to her. He should leave. He shouldn't get directly involved in her life. "But you don't have a car."

[What are you? I thought that you were a ghost, but you feel real now. I want to know the name of the person who saved me twice,] Wakana asks him in her mind.

He doesn't answer her questions. Even if he tells her, it won't matter in the end.

[I am glad that you are real.]

As dangerous feelings knock on his heart again, the man purses his lips and lets her go, making some distance between them. Somethings are impossible. Somethings should be avoided. Some futures must be prevented at any price.

[Let me see you.]

He places his hand on the crown of her head, suppressing her rising abilities to minimal. It can't be completely suppressed. It should be fine for a few more years. He glances at her bandaged hands once.

"Miss. Nakashima, live a carefree life. We will meet again."

His voice trails off. Wakana feels her heart jolting when he kisses her forehead. Her mind grows blank. Her body begins to grow heavy again.

She sits up groggily. She scratches the crown of her head. What's this? How did she get to her house? She left Sei's place and... She frowns. She can't recall. Something happened when she was climbing down the stairs.

She looks at her hands. The bandages are gone. There's no wound. How long did she sleep? Such wounds don't heal in a day. She turns on the lamp beside her bed. Her phone and wallet are lying near the lamp. She turns on her phone. The phone starts beeping non-stop.

"So many messages? How long did I sleep for?" She checks the time. "Crap! 12 hours? Was I still drunk on the rice wine?"

Her phone starts ringing. Her face turns sour when she sees the name of the caller.

[Minami Sei]