Ryu lay there, eyes wide open, silently observing the girl hovering above him. She was standing on the floor yet bent forward at the waist, her upper body lowered halfway toward him, forming an awkward, almost unnatural angle—like an upside-down "L." From his position on the bed, her face filled his vision far too completely, invading his personal space without warning or apology.
She was smiling.
Not a polite smile, nor a shy one—but a strangely happy expression, bright and unrestrained, as though she had found something deeply amusing or fascinating. That smile alone was enough to make his skin crawl. The fear he had initially felt shifted into something else, something heavier and more uncomfortable, settling in his chest like a stone. For a brief, irrational moment, he genuinely wondered if she was a stalker—someone who had followed him home, broken into his dorm, and was now standing over him like this without the slightest sense of normalcy.
Yet, as his heartbeat gradually steadied, his eyes lingered on her face longer.
There was something familiar about her.
The realization came slowly, like a half-remembered dream clawing its way back into consciousness. His gaze traced her features—the shape of her eyes, the curve of her face—and his thoughts stalled. He stared at her blankly for a few seconds, mind racing, trying to pin down where he had seen her before.
Before he could fully grasp it, she spoke.
"What's up?"
Her voice—casual, light—hit him harder than he expected. It rang in his head with startling clarity, as if it carried more weight than it should have. And then it clicked.
She was the same girl.
The one he had bumped into earlier.
The one whose books he had helped pick up.
She wore the same glasses. Her dark red hair still brushed against her shoulders in the same way. Everything about her appearance matched his memory—except for one glaring difference. She didn't look entirely… solid. There was a faint transparency to her form, subtle but unmistakable. Not enough for him to see through her completely, but enough to make her presence feel wrong, unreal, like she didn't fully belong in the space she occupied.
An unfamiliar sensation brushed against him, something foreign and difficult to describe. He couldn't decipher it clearly, but one emotion stood out above the rest—excitement. Not his own. Hers.
That alone unsettled him more than fear ever could.
Carefully, he shifted his body to the side. She hadn't actually pinned him down—her posture had simply blocked him from sitting up properly. Slipping into the small gap beside her, he managed to stand, placing distance between them. Now upright, he towered over her slightly, the change in height grounding him just enough to think clearly.
His conclusion formed almost instantly.
"W-who the heck are you?" he demanded, his voice edged with irritation despite the chill he forced into it. "Are you a ghost?"
He didn't feel calm—but he needed to look calm. This was his way of taking control of a situation that made no sense to him.
To his surprise, his words didn't seem to bother her at all.
She didn't flinch. Didn't protest. She merely cleared her throat, her expression unchanged, and replied evenly, "I'm Suzie Balmon."
The name landed awkwardly between them.
He hadn't asked for it. He didn't know what to do with it. For several seconds, he just stood there, staring at her in silence, utterly clueless. She mirrored his stillness, though her face shifted into a slight pout, her cheeks puffing up in a sulking manner that felt almost childish.
What a strange girl, he thought, his eyes unconsciously drifting over her form, trying—and failing—to make sense of what he was seeing.
At the same time, she was observing him as well, her gaze curious and intent, though her true intentions remained impossible to read. Without warning, she reached her hand out toward him, palm open, as if asking for a handshake.
Confused but oddly compelled, he hesitated only briefly before extending his own hand.
They shook.
Ten seconds passed.
Ten painfully awkward seconds where neither of them spoke, neither of them moved, their hands clasped together in silence. Finally, Ryu pulled away, letting his arm drop to his side.
The sensation lingered.
Her hand had felt… wrong. Unreal. Cold—unnaturally so, like touching metal left out in winter. He didn't need to think hard to understand what that implied.
And yet, when he looked at her, she seemed pleased. Almost amazed. As though that simple handshake meant far more to her than it ever should have.
That realization unsettled him the most.
As he tried to determine exactly what she was, the sensation he felt from her only grew more alien. There was something fundamentally wrong about her presence, something that did not belong to the rules he had lived by his entire life. At first, he could only fumble for the most obvious answer—a ghost. It fit well enough, didn't it? The cold touch, the translucence, the way she had appeared without warning inside his locked dorm room.
Before he could voice that assumption again, she answered it herself.
With the same energetic calmness she had shown since the beginning, she spoke as if she were stating something perfectly ordinary.
"I'm from the spirit world!"
Spirit world?
The words sent a clear shiver down his spine. Instinctively, he wanted to reject them—to laugh it off as nonsense, to call it a joke taken too far. But that reflex didn't last. Not after everything that had happened today. Not after seeing things that should not exist, feeling things that could not be explained, and being told truths that aligned far too neatly with what others had already hinted at.
Unreal things had become disturbingly real.
He studied her again, more carefully this time. When he imagined a spirit, he had pictured something shapeless, wispy—something bound to shadows or flickering lights. Yet here she was, standing in front of him, shaped like a human, speaking like one, acting like one. It was unsettling in a completely different way.
As if sensing his confusion, she leaned forward slightly, as though she were about to hug him or peer closer into his thoughts. The movement was sudden enough to trigger his instincts; he immediately stepped back, putting distance between them. She stopped there, not pushing any closer, as if she had already achieved what she intended.
"The spirit world is connected to this world," she began, her tone turning more explanatory, almost instructional. "It's a place where dead people gather. But the barrier of this world has been taken down for some reason." Her eyes fixed on him. "And I think that reason is you."
His chest tightened.
"From what I heard," she continued, "you were given some sort of spell placed onto your body for being a child of the divine. It was meant to keep you unseen—unreached—by unknown beings. Even by things I can't understand."
She paused, tilting her head slightly, her fingers tapping against her chin in thought. "I've been wondering about you every day, you know. I only ever heard about you from those guardians who wander around every world that exists."
Every world that exists?
His face remained calm, but his thoughts rippled violently beneath the surface. He had heard those same words before—spoken by the detective, delivered with the same unsettling certainty. Hearing them again, from someone entirely different, made it impossible to dismiss as coincidence.
"The barrier was made to protect this world," she went on, her expression softening as she spoke. "That's what everyone assumes."
Then she added, "It was for—"
The final word never reached him.
It wasn't that she whispered. Her lips moved clearly, her voice steady. Yet the sound twisted midair, breaking apart into something warped and incomprehensible before it reached his ears. The distortion made his head throb faintly, as if his mind itself refused to process it.
What unsettled him more was the fact that she didn't seem to notice.
She continued on as if nothing had gone wrong.
A memory surfaced uninvited—his previous dream, the angel, the same distortion, the same feeling of something being deliberately withheld. Back then, it had sounded less like noise and more like a language he wasn't allowed to understand.
Why?
Why would this word be different? Why hide it at all? If it was being distorted to prevent him from hearing it, then what truth was so dangerous that it had to be sealed away? And if it truly was a different language—then why did she suddenly speak it?
The answer didn't come.
Ryu chose not to reveal that he hadn't heard the word. He didn't ask her to repeat it. Instead, he let the question sink into the growing pile of mysteries already weighing on him.
Calmly, he shifted the conversation away.
"So…" he said, meeting her gaze evenly, "what are you going to do now that you're free to wander around?"
She smiled—and then, as if a switch had been flipped, she gave a tiny hop and straightened her posture all at once. Her back went straight, her shoulders lifted, and her entire presence brightened in a way that felt almost exaggerated. She looked happier, livelier, more awake.
Ryu found himself staring.
The first time he had met her earlier today, she had been timid, awkward, almost shrinking into herself. The kind of girl who apologized too much, who avoided eye contact, who spoke softly as if afraid of taking up space. But the girl standing in front of him now felt completely different. Her movements were light, her expression open, her energy unmistakably vivid.
It forced a thought into his mind—one he hadn't intended to entertain.
Is this really the same girl?
"My goal is actually… unclear," she said cheerfully, her smile unwavering. "I only had one thought—to meet you. A special human. With the barrier somehow taken down, I was finally able to meet you face to face."
She paused, tilting her head slightly, as if searching for the right words.
"But now I'm kind of lost," she admitted, still smiling. "It was boring to live in the spirit world, you know? And unfortunately… I can't say much more than this." Her tone softened just a little. "I'm afraid you'll get corrupted. You're still a human who's alive, after all."
Corrupted…
The word lingered heavily in his mind.
So that's why the detective didn't want to tell me everything at once.
With a quiet exhale, Ryu sat back down on the bed. It hadn't been long since he'd finished his assignment, yet now he found himself pressing his fingers against his temples, massaging them slowly as a familiar ache began to bloom.
Fuck… not again.
His brows knit together as his thoughts spiraled.
Is this headache because of what she's telling me?
Or is it something else?
The detective's power… did it leave something behind?
His gaze dropped to the floor, unfocused, serious. He didn't notice her movement at first—until she was suddenly beside him.
Too close.
Suzie sat down next to him without hesitation, close enough that he could feel her presence clearly. She didn't seem to care whether it made him uncomfortable or not. Her expression had shifted, the cheerfulness replaced by concern.
"Ryu?" she said softly. "Wait—that's your name, right?" She nodded to herself and continued. "Anyway… Ryu, don't force yourself to know everything."
Her voice was gentle, grounding.
Slowly, the tension in his head eased. He let his thoughts go quiet, one by one, allowing the pressure to fade. For a few seconds, he focused on nothing at all—just breathing, just existing.
Then he turned his head and looked at her.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. After a brief pause, he added, "But I'd like to have my privacy."
He smiled—but it wasn't a happy one.
She understood immediately.
Her body stiffened, and she quickly stood up, taking several steps back as if she had crossed an invisible boundary. Ryu felt it then—her emotions shifting, wavering, becoming unstable. Nervousness flooded through her presence so suddenly that it caught him off guard.
"I—I have to go!" she blurted out, panic clear in her voice. "My ability ran out of time! S-sorry! Please… please deal with her on your own!"
Before he could even respond, she squeezed her eyes shut.
For a moment, she stood there completely still—like a statue.
Then something changed.
That strange, otherworldly sensation he had associated with her—the unmistakable wrongness that marked her as a spirit—vanished. It disappeared so abruptly that it left a hollow feeling behind. In its place was something entirely different.
Warmth. Weight. Reality.
Her body swayed, then collapsed forward as she let out a sharp breath. Her posture slackened, her expression shifting instantly. The aura around her was no longer foreign.
She felt… human.
What… happened? Ryu thought, frozen in place.
The girl groaned softly, then slowly lifted her head.
"EH?!" she screamed upon seeing him.
Her eyes widened in pure panic as she scrambled backward, looking around wildly. "W-WHERE AM I?!"
Ryu could only stare, his mind racing as the pieces clicked together far too quickly.
She took over her body…
Suzie used her as a vessel just to talk to me.
The realization sent a chill through him. It explained everything—the sudden change in personality, the shift in presence, the way she had entered his dorm without resistance. Walking through walls, teleporting, possession—whatever method it was, Suzie had borrowed this girl's body as a physical anchor.
And now… she was gone.
Leaving behind a completely unaware human, sitting in his dorm room, terrified and confused.
Ryu swallowed slowly.
This world really is messed up.
From the way she looked at him, Ryu could tell immediately that he was being completely misunderstood—and not in a mild, fixable way. Her eyes were sharp, guarded, filled with a kind of suspicion that made his chest tighten. This was not the look of someone merely confused. This was the look of someone who felt threatened.
And he hated it.
He had no intention of letting this situation spiral any further, but he also knew that one wrong word could turn it irreparable. If she panicked and ran, if she screamed, if this escalated even slightly, the consequences would be far worse than embarrassment. He needed to talk to her—slowly, carefully, and without giving her a single reason to fear him more than she already did.
"Do not take this wrong," Ryu said calmly.
As he spoke, he raised both of his hands to shoulder level, palms open and clearly visible—a universal gesture of surrender, of harmlessness. He made sure his movements were slow, deliberate, non-threatening. Every part of his body language was chosen with care.
It didn't work.
Not immediately.
Her gaze remained fixed on him, sharp and unyielding, as if she were daring him to make one wrong move. There was anger there, but beneath it, he could sense something else—fear, coiled tight and ready to spring. She clearly didn't trust him, and whatever explanation he might offer, she had already decided she wouldn't believe it easily.
Still, he couldn't back down.
He couldn't confess to something he hadn't done, and at the same time, there was no way he could tell her the truth. Telling her that a spirit had possessed her body and appeared in his dorm room would sound insane at best—and predatory at worst. He didn't even know whether she believed in ghosts, let alone spirit possession.
The irony of it all made his head spin.
His thoughts were racing, colliding with each other in frantic disorder, yet on the outside he remained calm and composed. He kept his breathing steady, forced his shoulders to relax, and ignored the faint sweat gathering at the back of his neck. Somewhere inside, he felt a strange confidence—fragile, but present—that if he stayed careful enough, he could still salvage this.
He couldn't afford to hesitate.
Not wasting any more time, he decided to try something—anything. Letting the silence stretch any longer would only make things worse.
"W-What's your name?" he asked.
Even as the words left his mouth, he knew it was an unexpected move. It wasn't meant to deflect or manipulate her. He genuinely needed to know. If her name was different from the one Suzie had given, then at least he could confirm that the spirit hadn't been using her identity. He needed clarity—for himself as much as for her.
Her reaction, however, was immediate and explosive.
"W-Why are you asking, you pervert?!" she snapped, her voice sharp and hostile.
She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor as she took a step back, her body already angled toward the exit as if preparing to run. Every muscle in her looked tense, ready to flee at the slightest provocation.
Ryu felt his chest tighten.
"H-Hold on," he said quickly, his tone still calm but edged with urgency. "At least… at least hear me out."
He didn't move closer. He didn't reach for her. He stayed exactly where he was, his hands still raised, his posture open. There was something about the way he spoke—quiet, restrained, almost pleading—that made her hesitate.
She studied him for a moment, eyes narrowed, searching his face for any sign of deception. Whatever she saw there must have been enough, because she stopped.
With a sharp inhale, she turned back to face him.
"Then explain it," she said, her voice low and intense, every word heavy with warning. "Now."
Ryu let out a slow, controlled breath, steadying himself before speaking. He knew how absurd this would sound, knew that every word he was about to say would only push him closer to looking like a liar—or worse, a creep—but he also knew that half-truths would only make things collapse faster. If he was going to explain anything, it had to be the truth, even if it sounded impossible.
"I was doing my assignment," he began calmly, his voice even and deliberate. "I finished it, felt relieved, and decided to rest on my bed for a while. That's all that was happening… until you appeared. Out of nowhere."
He paused briefly, then continued without giving himself time to hesitate.
"I believed you were possessed by someone. A spirit—or something like that. She introduced herself as Suzie. I asked for your name because I wasn't sure whether she was using your body and your name, or if she had taken someone else's identity."
He didn't look at her while speaking. Part of him already knew what her reaction would be, and he didn't want that to shake his composure.
"We talked for a bit," he went on, his tone unchanged. "Then suddenly, she said she had to leave urgently. I didn't know why. And the moment she left… you woke up. Exactly like this."
Silence followed.
For her, none of it made sense. Not even slightly. The explanation didn't just sound strange—it sounded fabricated, stitched together from delusions and excuses. Her expression hardened immediately.
"Bullshit," she said flatly.
Before Ryu could respond—before he could even think of another word—the dorm room door swung open.
It wasn't aggressive or dramatic. It was casual. Familiar.
James.
As usual, there was no knock, no warning, no "can I come in?"—just the sound of the door opening like it always did. James stepped inside, already halfway through whatever thought he'd been carrying with him.
Then he froze.
Ryu was sitting on the bed, staring at him with wide eyes and a face that hadn't yet recovered from shock. Not the usual annoyed glare or tired sigh—this was something else entirely.
James blinked.
Huh?
That look wasn't normal. Ryu was always irritated when James barged in unannounced, but this expression carried something raw—panic, confusion, maybe even fear. It was genuine.
James turned his head slightly.
That was when he noticed her.
A girl stood not far from Ryu, stiff and visibly tense. Her posture screamed alarm, as if she were bracing herself for the worst possible misunderstanding. Her eyes flicked between the two of them, wide and uncertain, clearly afraid of what this sudden entrance might imply.
James, however, remained calm. Outwardly, at least.
Inside, a single thought crossed his mind.
Damn. Since when did he have a girl?
"So," James said casually, his tone light and unreadable, "is this your secret scandal, Ryu?"
It was impossible to tell whether he was genuinely asking or just teasing, which only made the situation worse. Ryu hesitated for half a second too long before snapping back instinctively.
"No, you dumbass."
James raised an eyebrow.
Despite the scene in front of him, he wasn't particularly suspicious. He knew Ryu too well. Ryu wasn't the type to secretly bring girls into his dorm room, let alone hide it. If anything, James found the idea borderline unbelievable.
Aside from Leon, James was one of the people who knew Ryu best—not through stalking or prying, but simply through observation. From the way Ryu lived, talked, and carried himself, it was painfully obvious that women were not a normal part of his life.
In fact, James couldn't even recall Ryu talking about girls at all—except for Miss Buron, Kenny's sister Jenny, and occasionally her friends. That was it.
Nothing about this adds up, James thought, but not in an accusatory way.
Watching James's reaction closely, Ryu felt a small sense of relief.
James won't suspect me, he thought with cautious confidence. He knows what kind of person I am.
Still, doubt lingered.
But that doesn't mean he'll believe whatever explanation comes next.
Ryu didn't waste another second. He stood up abruptly, the mattress creaking beneath him, and crossed the room in long, hurried strides until he reached the door. Before James could even form another question, Ryu was already there, one hand gripping the doorknob from the inside as if anchoring himself.
"There's a misunderstanding going on," Ryu said quickly, keeping his voice low but firm. "Let me handle her first. Just give me a minute."
James blinked.
For a brief moment, his mind lagged behind the situation. He hadn't even fully processed why Ryu looked so tense, or why there was a girl in the room, let alone why Ryu suddenly sounded so serious. Still, instinct kicked in before logic did. He stepped back a few paces from the doorway without protest.
The door shut almost immediately after.
James was left standing alone in the hallway, staring at the closed door with the same calm expression he always wore—except now it felt oddly misplaced. The corridor was quiet, almost awkwardly so. After a few seconds passed and nothing happened, he finally muttered under his breath,
"The fuck?"
As if the night wasn't strange enough already, footsteps echoed down the hall. Another figure approached Ryu's dorm, stopping short when he noticed James lingering outside instead of barging in like usual.
"What's up, James?" Kenny asked casually, a small amused smile on his face. "Why're you standing out here? Don't you have the key? You usually just storm into his room without even saying hi."
James turned to look at him, his expression flattening into something colder, more unreadable. He didn't answer right away. Instead, he glanced once at the closed door, then back at Kenny.
"No, let's wait first with me," James said simply.
The shift in his tone was enough to wipe the smile from Kenny's face. Whatever was going on inside that room, James clearly wasn't treating it as a joke anymore.