It was already 2:00 PM when the students were allowed to go home, but the rain hadn't stopped. Most of them stayed at school for a while, including Kala's group, who were hanging out at their usual basecamp. Dion suggested they gather to watch a movie together.
Melvin arrived first, along with Dion. When they opened the storage room, they were surprised to find another student already there, casually sitting.
"Oh, you're here already," the student said.
"You waiting for us?" Melvin asked.
"Yeah. You guys probably don't know me—I'm a new student here," he replied.
Dion glanced briefly at the name tag on the boy's school blazer.
"Lyo Aksara. Why are you waiting for us?" Dion asked.
Lyo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Ah, sorry… I accidentally overheard your conversation here earlier. By the time I came over, you guys were already gone. So I figured you might come back after class and decided to wait."
Dion smiled faintly. "I see. Look, I don't care what you want, but right now we're busy. Please come back another time."
Melvin was a bit surprised by how Dion subtly told Lyo to leave, but he also sensed Dion's discomfort—especially after Lyo openly admitted to eavesdropping and waiting for them.
"I need your help," Lyo said.
"We can talk about this another time. For now, you should go," Melvin responded.
Not long after, Yoan and the others arrived and were just as surprised to see Lyo there.
"Whoa, bro—who's this guy?" Yoan teased.
"My name's Lyo. I just transferred here a few days ago," he replied.
"Oh, a newbie. No wonder you didn't know this place is already our basecamp," Yoga added.
"Didn't he say he accidentally overheard our convo earlier and came back to wait for us?" Dion said sarcastically.
"Why'd you wait for us?" Hasta asked.
"I wanted to ask for your help," Lyo replied.
"Wait—so after eavesdropping, now you want our help?" Yoan scoffed.
Gantha stayed silent, observing the situation. Something about Lyo's overly friendly demeanor felt off.
"What do you think, Kal?" he whispered to Kala beside him.
"Suspicious. I saw this kid pacing in front of the infirmary and walking around the lockers when all students were supposed to be in class," Kala whispered back.
Back to the debate—Lyo was still pleading for help.
"I just want to find my girlfriend's lost diary. I promise I won't tell anyone about Kaze," Lyo said.
"You threatening us?" Yoan retorted.
"N-no! That's not what I meant," Lyo stammered.
He pulled out a piece of paper with a phone number. "Sorry if I came on too strong. I just really need your help."
He left the paper on the floor and walked away.
*******
Later, Kala was eating at a restaurant with his friend Kyungmin. They had just been shopping together to buy a gift for another friend.
"Do you think the shoe size will fit? I'm afraid it'll be too small," Kyungmin said.
"We can always exchange it. Or better yet, bring Jihan here and let her try it on," Kala replied.
"True. I'm still unsure if she'll even like the shoe design," Kyungmin said.
"By the way, was that necklace a gift from you to Jihan?"
"Hm? Why do you ask?" Kala replied.
"Didn't you say you bought her a sweater? Mind showing it to me?" Kyungmin asked.
"Something came up, so I canceled giving that as a gift," Kala said.
"Oh." Kyungmin responded shortly.
The clinking of cutlery filled the silence. Kala glanced out the window and saw the street.
"There he is…"
He saw Lyo walking alone through the crowd waiting to cross the street.
"I knew it."
Kyungmin paused her bite, noticing Kala zoning out while staring out the window.
"What is it, Kal?"
"Ah—nothing, Kyung," Kala replied, a bit flustered.
"It's getting late. I think we should head back soon," he quickly changed the subject.
******
The moon revealed itself amid the quiet streets Kala walked. Its pale light filtered through the trees, casting trembling shadows that danced with the night wind. Among the dim glow of the park lamps, a figure sat alone on an old iron bench, head bowed, hands playing with an orange cat.
Kala paused from a distance, watching. The figure blended into the darkness, but something compelled him to step closer—as if drawn by an invisible force.
Without hesitation, Kala sat beside him. The person glanced briefly, enough to reveal tired yet piercing eyes.
"You play with this cat often?" Kala asked while petting its soft fur. His gaze fell on a tiny collar around the cat's neck—engraved with the name: Miko.
Lyo gave a faint smile, fragile but sincere. "Yeah. He's my only friend," he said quietly. "You know I'm already dead, right?"
Kala nodded slowly. "Yeah. You probably sensed I'm an Esper," he replied calmly but confidently.
Lyo let out a short, bitter laugh. "Your friends must be scared of me."
Kala laughed instead. "I can't tell them you're a ghost. They don't even know I'm an Esper."
Lyo turned to him, eyebrows raised. "They don't? But they're your friends."
"Even so, I still hesitate to tell them," Kala said, eyes on Miko now curled up in Lyo's lap. "I'm afraid they'll think I'm weird. Especially knowing how Dion and Yoga love reading horror stories."
Lyo gave a bitter smile. "Ghosts are always the villains in horror stories. You scared they'll see you like that?"
Kala shook his head. "Not exactly. But I'm sure their view of me would change—either for better, or worse."
Silence settled in. Only Miko's faint purring remained. Then, Lyo looked at Kala, his expression restless.
"Kal, was I acting too suspicious? Is that why your friends kicked me out?"
Kala smiled faintly. "It's not unusual. I've met lonely ghosts like you before."
Lyo chuckled—his voice hoarse, as if rarely used. "I've been alone so long, I forgot how to act around people."
Kala studied his fading expression, as if old memories were surfacing. "That diary… it's the reason you're still wandering, isn't it?"
Lyo fell silent, his eyes beginning to water. "What should I do, Kal?"
Kala looked him in the eye. "Let go of your pain."
Lyo took a deep breath, his voice trembling. "That day… I got into an accident with my girlfriend after a trip to the villa. She survived. She's happy now—with someone else. But I… I'm stuck alone in that ravine. And now I'm supposed to just let it go?"
"Do you want to see your ex suffer?" Kala's question left Lyo speechless.
"Fate already separated you. And your ex—she still remembers you. She even visited your grave before her wedding," Kala said gently but firmly.
Lyo sobbed, fists clenched. "Have I been selfish all this time?"
Kala shook his head. "You just need to let go, Lyo. Your world has changed. You can't return to this one."
Silence fell again. Lyo looked down, sorrow creeping across his face. Kala slowly stood and walked away, leaving Lyo behind, still seated with Miko peacefully asleep in his lap. On the path, Kala stopped, glanced back, and smiled faintly.
"I hope you find your way home, Lyo," he whispered before vanishing into the shadows between the trees.