The Crow Club: Over My Dead Body

Chapter 4.

***Talay translates as sea/the sea. I have tried to keep it to Talay for an easier translation.

 

 

Three knocks sounded on the door, but the occupant remained motionless. Van lay sprawled on the floor, blinking away the faint light. The glittering lights on the ceiling had kept him from getting up for minutes. Not even a single word of reply was allowed.

 

The door to the room was opened without waiting for permission. Talay spoke slowly, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe, looking at his white-haired younger brother sprawled out in a starfish position in the middle of the room with little surprise. Van was wearing only shorts, his upper body bare. His silver hair around his face was damp, as was his skin. It gleamed like porcelain.

 

"I have no strength," Van replied in a hoarse, breathless voice. His eyelids were half-closed, and his demeanour made Talay wonder a little about him. Do I need to call an ambulance? I'm feeling dizzy.

 

"What are you doing?" Talay asked.

 

"Exercise"

 

"In the room?"

 

"I don't want to go to the gym with Mo."

 

Talay laughed, immediately understanding Van's reasoning, because he himself wasn't thrilled about going to the gym with that big coach, Daengmo, either. Even though he knew it was all done with good intentions, wanting them to get the most out of their exercise, personally, he just wanted to exercise enough to get his heart working; he didn't aspire to be a national athlete or a superhero. Van probably felt the same way.

 

"But judging by your condition, it's probably best to have Mo take care of you," Talay walked in, leaning over to look at the exhausted nerd with a little concern. "Look at your face. You really haven't eaten yet?"

 

"Eaten"

 

"Or maybe you went too hard. I told you you don't need to follow everything Mo told you to do."

 

"No... I wasn't playing along," Van replied listlessly, letting out a deep sigh. The twinkling lights that had been shining on the ceiling slowly faded.

 

"I think I didn't get enough sleep, so I felt a little dizzy."

 

"Do you want some smelling salts?"

 

"It's alright; it will heal."

 

"If I hadn't walked here, would you have just kept lying here forever?"

 

"Yes"

 

"If you ever die one day," Talay said in a playfully stern tone before walking over to sit at the end of Van's bed. 

 

When Van first came here, he thought Talay was strange, always playing the role of everyone's older brother, and he didn't understand why those who were here before seemed to love him so much. But now Van no longer doubts that. If there's anything suspicious about Talay, it's why someone like him is here in the first place. 

 

"What are you doing keeping up? Auntie said you're only working on one job these days, right?"

 

"I don't know. It's not that I don't get enough sleep, it's just that I don't sleep very soundly."

 

"Are you stressed?" Talay asked. Van didn't answer verbally. He tilted his head back as far as he could while still lying sprawled on the ground in an unnatural position. He tried to make eye contact with Talay, hoping the other person would think he, lying there, was someone else. Talay looked at his white-haired younger brother and sighed. "Well, probably not."

 

Van doesn't know what stress means. Talay must have forgotten about that.

 

"Did you come to see me because you didn't see me go downstairs?" Van asked.

 

"Huh, Auntie told me to come check it out. She said she messaged you on Line, but you didn't reply."

 

"What's up? Did you tell him?"

 

"Apparently, he wanted to ask about talking to ghosts. He asked, 'Are you wrapping up the job already?'"

 

If Talay or Aunt Linda had asked him four or five days earlier, Van would have casually replied, "Just close it. There aren't any ghosts or anything like that." He'd rather give up the tempting million-dollar offer and work hard to earn money elsewhere, but after the night he spent overnight at Rak's place, Van began to notice something that made him hesitate about this job.

 

"I'm not sure. I'm not certain yet."

 

"Why?" Talay asked back. "Didn't you say the job would be over soon? Or did you see a ghost?"

 

"Not exactly... I don't know. I can't answer that."

 

"Hey, what the heck?"

 

"It's unclear, and we can't conclude anything yet."

 

"If you can't figure it out, does that mean you're in for a surprise?"  The kind older brother said with a chuckle, but the casual, teasing tone drew the other person's attention. Van sprang up to a sitting position and turned back towards Talay, asking with interest, "Did I encounter something strange?"

 

"You encountered a ghost."

 

"How did you know I saw a ghost? I didn't tell you anything."

 

"Well, you said it's inconclusive," Talay shrugged. "The reason ghosts and spirits have stayed with humanity until today is that they can't be proven, right?" 

 

For the first time, Van felt less intelligent than Talay. He didn't think his older brother was stupid, but his appearance sometimes made Van feel that way. Talay didn't seem particularly passionate about anything. Even with his daily drawing, he seemed to do it out of habit, because he could, not because he was obsessed or felt he would die without it, as Van felt about robots or his interest in science. 

 

Talay didn't care if anyone misunderstood him. In fact, he never seemed to see anyone as wrong, or even if they were, he didn't seriously try to fix them to satisfy his own thirst (like Van often did). Honestly, Van had no idea what Talay valued. He might be like the sea, vast and ever-changing.

 

"You saw something, didn't you?" Talay pressed on when Van refused to answer. “Something you can't explain."

 

"I don't even know if I really saw it."

 

"Then why are you hesitating?"

 

"I just...dreamed," Van shifted to sit cross-legged.

 

"What did you dream about?"

 

"I can't quite explain it. I keep seeing strange things over and over."

 

"Repeatedly?"

 

"It's like... I see the same person all the time."

 

"Who did you see?"

 

"I don't know," Van answered vaguely. He didn't know why he felt reluctant to go  into details about that person. He didn't want to think about it, didn't want to talk about it. Maybe because the circumstances of her appearance were quite unsettling and mysterious, and because she kept appearing in his dreams repeatedly, he began to suspect this inexplicable "unknown" form.

 

"Woman or man?"

 

"Woman"

 

"Was it scary?"

 

"Do not know"

 

"Oh! How could you not know?"

 

"Well, I've never been afraid of anything," Van shrugged indifferently, his arrogance making Talay frown in annoyance. "It's hard to say if it's scary or not." 

 

But Van genuinely believed that. Deep down, he thought he wasn't afraid at all. He's just a little flustered.

 

"If it's keeping you from sleeping, you should see a doctor," Talay said. He sighed heavily and jumped up from Van's bed. Van knew in his heart that seeing his brother's reaction reinforced his belief that he was right. Talay never took anything seriously; he never cared whether he won an argument. He would bring up the topic and walk away like a coward. "It's not good to let this drag on."

 

"I don't have any money to go to the doctor."

 

"You have," Talay said in a deep voice, glaring at Van. "You work all the time but hardly spend any money. How could you not have any money?"

 

"I have some for my trip to Japan."

 

"You're not going to Japan if you die here."

 

As I said, Talay likes to act like an older brother. Sometimes he's so bossy it's annoying. But again, Van doesn't hate Talay. He loves him like everyone else. But sometimes Talay's warm spirit makes him feel stifled. He blames his parents; they didn't give him the chance to have an older brother from birth.

 

"I'll try stealing Auntie's tea tonight. A sip before bed might help," Van said casually, as usual. But Talay knew this stubborn kid inside and out. He stepped back and looked at Van without saying anything, waiting for Van to figure it out on his own. "If the tea doesn't work, then we'll go to the doctor, okay?"

 

And Van had no choice but to agree; otherwise, Talay might stand there looking like a disciplinary teacher until nightfall, or even the next day, until Van said what he wanted to hear.

 

"If you really don't have any money, just come and ask."

 

"Heh heh," Van chuckled, shaking his head and speaking casually but with a firm conviction, "Your Highness Van doesn't borrow Dunk."

 

"If it's necessary."

 

"No, thank you very much for your concern, but I stand by my word, Lady Van – I – will – not – borrow – money." 

 

If sighing really added a year to one's life, Talay would be teetering on its shores by now. He clicked his tongue lightly in displeasure. But there was nothing he could do. Talay said, "Whatever," and walked out the door.

 

Van glanced at Talay retreating for a moment before lying back down in the same position.

 

"One more thing," it turned out Talay wasn't finished yet. He walked back to the edge of Van’s doorway again. "What perfume are you wearing?"

 

"Perfume?" Van frowned.

 

"The perfume you sprayed the day you borrowed my car; the scent was still lingering in the car when you returned it. It smells good." Van slowly turned over onto his stomach, his mouth flat on the floor. He looked up at his older brother, who stood in the doorway.

 

"I don't wear perfume."

 

"Really?" Talay asked in surprise. "But there really is a smell in the car."

 

Van was silent, blinking repeatedly. Talay didn't say anything further; he was reading Van's expression and piecing together the puzzle in his own mind.

 

"Did you borrow my car to take a girl out?" My older brother narrowed his eyes.

 

"No"

 

"Lie"

 

"I didn't take a girl out," Van denied emphatically. Talay stared at him, demanding an answer, but Van showed no sign of revealing anything.

 

"Okay," Talay finally gave in as usual. "But know that I'm secretly watching you."

 

"Go ahead and look if you want. Just don't fall in love," Talay shook his head and got ready to walk away.

 

"Hey! Wait!" Van shouted.

 

"What?" Talay rushed back to the door immediately, his face showing undeniable excitement.

 

"Don't bother buying that scent; it doesn't suit you."

 

Bang!

 

Talay's response was the sound of a door slamming shut. Van chuckled softly before lying back down in the same position, staring at the ceiling as his mind tried to recall memories from several days ago. He tried to imagine the perfume Talay had mentioned, but he couldn't remember it. He didn't know what it smelled like, and he probably wouldn't be able to recall it until he met the owner of that scent again.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

"Today!"

 

Rak jumped in fright, almost falling off his chair, after getting a shock. He wasn't even sure if he was sitting on his back. How long had he been like this, with a stiff neck? The last thing he remembers is him sitting there sculpting a 3D model. He's so discouraged he wants to run around the faculty screaming, but luckily he didn't give in to the voice in his head. Otherwise, he'd probably debut as a TikTok star tomorrow.

 

"Why are you sitting here?" the shocking, cinematic image asked, its relaxed expression. He sat down on the long bench beside him.

 

"The outlets inside are all full," Rak thought, his heart slowly returning to normal. He guessed that the ghost had haunted the people around him...they had similar symptoms.

 

"His three eyes are empty. They've started the dance competition already."

 

"Oh," Karn chuckled, nodding slightly in understanding. The architecture students who had been sleep-deprived for too long would start getting together to do strange things. They wanted to do everything except get their work done. Rak rarely participated in those activities; he was mostly just a spectator. It was just that his work was progressing too slowly today to sit there and do his part. "Is it really that stressful?"

 

Karn was referring to the problematic work. He moved to the very edge of the bench, near the blue plastic chair where his beloved was sitting, and leaned forward to take a look at the Notebook screen.

 

"Just a little," Rak replied softly, feeling a little embarrassed that Karn was inspecting the unfinished work. He felt like he was sitting there taking an exam. The exam proctor was secretly standing there reading out stupid answers or something like that.

 

"Wow, that's incredibly impressive 3D modelling," Karn said. He seemed genuinely excited about Rak's 3D model design, and Rak couldn't help but feel proud. "But Karn..."

 

“You didn't even worry about cutting it."

 

"I'm scared," Rak said with a wry smile, "but I'll just have to face whatever comes my way."

 

"I didn't get a chance to tell you, but I'll help cut it."

 

"Aren't you going to do your own work?"

 

"I'll get it done on time." 

 

If someone else had said that, it would have been incredibly annoying, but because it was Karn, it sounded normal and reasonable. Karn never waited for deadlines. He had rarely experienced the biting situations that most architecture students face. Calling him a superhero wouldn't be wrong. He'd been envious of Love to the point of no longer being envious.

 

"Why didn't you go back to your room to sleep when you finished? Why are you here?"

 

"I like to sleep at the faculty building."

 

"Sell the condo."

 

Rak felt a little uneasy after saying that, while Karn didn't seem to mind at all. He laughed with his eyes closed, just like always when Rak spoke.

 

Sarcasm/Twitterness... I mean, back when we were dating.

 

"I was feeling lonely in my room, so I came to find something to do around here," Karn replied with a smile. 

 

For some reason, Rak found it difficult to make eye contact with the other person. He avoided eye contact, pretending to be focused on work, even though his mind was filled with self-serving thoughts that Karn hadn't gone back to the condo because he saw that Rak wasn't coming back tonight. "And also to help those guys."

 

Karn continued, trying to break the awkwardness that Love had created. Love wanted to act normal. He had been trying since the first day they broke up and was convinced he wasn't doing too badly, until being alone together like this. Looking at the other person for too long made him miss them terribly, while avoiding their gaze tightened his heart. Would Karn feel bad that he was acting as if he despised him?

 

"You're always so kind," Rak said calmly, pretending to stare at the model on the screen while his mind was blank. "I'll probably have to bring a garland to pay my respects to you on graduation day."

 

"Me too?"

 

"What"

 

"To come and pay respects to you."

 

"Are you trying to claim a favour in return?"

 

"So, can I ask for it back?" Karn’s voice was soft and playful. Rak felt the other's face moving closer, a shadow falling over his face. Part of the love was the same as before, when he dozed off, tilting his head back, and then opened his eyes to see Karn’s face. "Are you saying I never helped you?"

 

"Of course you helped. You helped a lot," Rak replied with a straight face, still refusing to look at Karn. He was trying his best to keep his composure, even though his heart was practically leaping out of his chest.

 

"We were about to dance outside when he said, 'Once I graduate, I'll buy a pretty flower garland to offer as a tribute.'"

 

"I will wait."

 

"Yes"

 

"But you have to pay your respects here," Karn tilted his head, moving his face closer until it almost blocked the laptop screen. His long fingers lightly poked his own chest, and his smile was so sweet it made hearts flutter. 

 

Rak had almost forgotten why he fell in love with Karn the first time he met him. Because with him, he always helped him privately, not like he was sleeping at the faculty like this.

 

Rak felt as if he were swallowing a thick, sticky paste. He was about to suffocate; his face was burning hot, but his hands were ice cold. It was frustrating. This wasn't fair.

 

"If I knew you were helping me with ulterior motives, I wouldn't have let you," Rak replied softly, looking away, even though he knew Karn was trying to make eye contact with him.

 

"If I didn't do this, would you even talk to me?"

 

From the first moment he saw Karn, Rak secretly hoped he wouldn't bring up these topics again. Rak played the role of a gullible, heartless person.

 

Karn has been trying to get him to cooperate since the day they broke up, hoping things would be easier if he did, but his ex-boyfriend refuses.

 

"When did I stop talking to you?" Rak turned to look Karn directly in the eyes for the first time. Those familiar eyes never made Rak feel like he was being treated unfairly. I've never looked at this hard before.

 

"We talk, but it's not the same kind of conversation anymore."

 

"How will we talk like before, like when we were dating?"

 

Karn was silent. He looked at Rak with the pitiful eyes of a puppy, a look of defeat after defeat, a look he didn't know if it was a gift or not. It was intentional, but it worked annoyingly well. Even now, it hasn't failed.

 

"You can't do this, Karn," Rak said softly. The awkwardness that had made even looking him in the face so difficult had vanished. This love must fight against a fear far more potent than that. "Otherwise, what good would our agreement be?"

 

"I know. I'm trying," Karn whispered anxiously, his eyebrows furrowed so tightly they almost touched. Rak hoped this distorted, contorted expression would make Karn seem less perfect, making him easier to manipulate. But no, the more genuinely Karn expressed his emotions, the further he seemed from perfection, the more Love desired to possess him. "But it's so hard, Love. I can't handle it. Let's try..."

 

"Stop," Love said firmly. "Don't say anything. Don't make me feel any worse."

 

"I didn't want you to feel bad, but I couldn't stay like this."

 

"Please don't act like you weren't the one who asked to break up."

 

"You, stop acting like you're not the one breaking up with me."

 

Rak had talked to Van about breaking up with Karn, but he never actually said it out loud, and he didn't think he could. Because of that fleeting moment, in a dark and painful corner, Rak was secretly relieved that Karn was the one who couldn't take it anymore and chose to end the relationship first, because he was the kind of person Van described, cowardly and too lonely to cut anyone out of his life. But Rak never wanted Karn to know about that.

 

"I never thought that," the whispered words now faded to inaudibility. "I didn't think like that."

 

"At this point, don't lie."

 

"I didn't lie. You broke up with me yourself. Now how can you blame me? You couldn't take it anymore, Karn."

 

"Yes, I couldn't take it anymore," Karn whispered, half-shouting. His handsome face drooped heartbreakingly, just a hair's breadth away from breaking the line. "But it has nothing to do with that ghost."

 

"Don't tell me it's not related. You know perfectly well..."

 

"No, Rak, what I can't stand is that you act like you're never happy when you're with me," Karn said, his voice trembling, and now Rak's eyes welled up with tears. It was burning hot. This was driving him crazy. He cried every time Karn cried. "You always looked at me like you felt guilty, like you were ready to leave me at any moment."

 

Love didn't know what to say. He turned away, clicking his tongue as if annoyed by the salty, pathetic confession of the most pitiful puppy in the world. And im such a bad person; I wouldn't even glance at him.

 

Love didn't want to act like he was the most pathetic person in the world. He wasn't pleased to be a victim of this hollow world, simply because, standing on the ground of reality, he couldn't stand there wiping away tears and saying, "How pitiful" to someone like Karn. He wasn't that person.

 

The breakup took his love away from Karn, but for Rak, it pushed him back to where he was, to a place where only he belonged.

 

"And you've never thought that?"

 

"No," Karn denied immediately. "I never intended to leave you."

 

"You'll think about it one day."

 

"See? That's the only thing you say."

 

"Yes, that's why I said it's good that we broke up." Love never knew his voice could be so cold, so dry and heartless; it was unbelievable, given that he was born with the warmest name.

 

"Did you really need to be this cruel to me?" Karn said softly, tears streaming down his face onto Rak's knees. 

 

"Because you said you were breaking up with me."

 

"Because you forced me to talk," he said.

 

"Not yet," Rak lowered his head, his forehead almost touching Karn’s shoulder. He whispered as softly as possible, as if trying to escape from the shadowy eyes that followed him everywhere, "It's not our time yet. Give me a little more time."

 

"Love, I'm sorry I broke up with you like that. I want you back-"

 

"No, Karn, not now," Rak interrupted. "Going back will just make things the same. You're annoying, and you'll never have anything to do with me."

 

Karn wanted to pull him into a hug so badly, but he knew deep down that it was going too far. In fact, this was already too much. They were getting too close, and the closer they got, the more displeased that person became.

 

"How long do I have to wait...?"

 

"Soon," Rak replied firmly. "As soon as possible, he promised.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

"Do they not make appointments in advance anymore?"

 

Rak looked up from his cell phone when he heard a familiar voice. Van stood with his arms crossed in front of the red door, wearing shorts and a striped T-shirt like Something from an anime. His flip-flops and messy hair indicated he was completely unprepared for Rak's arrival. Rak could only offer an awkward smile, feeling a little guilty for the host's sulky expression.

 

The homeowner with the messy hair nodded slightly, gesturing for Rak to follow. Rak immediately jumped up, following Van through the red door and up the stairs, just like when he first came for the job application. Rak remembered Linda's office on the second floor; in fact, he'd caught a glimpse of her back. Linda, holding a coffee cup, walked into a room next to her office. Van said it was a common room, used for relaxing, cooking, eating, gatherings, or basically, a multipurpose room. He said they could do whatever they wanted there.

 

Van's room was on the third floor. Rak thought the interior looked better than the exterior. Of course, it wasn't a brand-new luxury townhouse, but it was clear they had tried their best to make it as livable as possible in this old building. The walls, showing signs of past dampness, had a slightly greenish tint to their cream colour, perhaps from the plants hanging from the walls and floor (or maybe just because they were old). Framed paintings adorned almost every square inch of the hallway—landscapes, portraits, and some that were virtually unidentified. Van mentioned that Linda liked to buy artwork by unknown independent artists, so the house was full of unusual pieces. However, the most striking and beautiful works were mostly by Talay, the young artist of the house.

 

Van said his room was at the end of the hallway. Love couldn't help but look left and right, peering through the corridor, because each door they passed was quite far apart. The side door was unique; one was dark blue with a metal horse figurine hanging from it. It stood out the most because it didn't match anything he'd seen along the way.

 

"Today!"

 

Suddenly, the blue door burst open. Van gasped, startled. Someone emerged from the room with a flustered expression, but quickly composed himself upon seeing Rak. He gave Rak a slight smile, which Rak returned, thinking to himself, "He's incredibly handsome." He had never seen anyone like him before. He was strikingly handsome; his facial features were uniquely his own, something he would remember for a long time. Long, almond-shaped eyes that held a sweet, alluring look beneath oval-rimmed glasses, a beauty mark beneath one eye, a high-bridged nose, jet-black hair—and as for his physique, tall and slender like a runway model.

 

"Oh my goodness! 'Did you bring a friend along?'" Even his voice was melodious. The handsome young man greeted Van familiarly.

 

"Yeah," Van replied curtly, not bothering to explain further, not even introducing Rak to the handsome man. "So you're moving here?"

 

"Just came to pick something up."

 

"Oh, I thought you came here to have sex."

pop/

 

Before the words even faded, Van was slapped in the head by the handsome man. Rak felt a sense of satisfaction in silence, because he himself had been thinking of slapping him as well. This is the most adorable smile!

 

"Don't make me act mean in front of the guests, Van," the handsome man said with a sweet smile. It gave him a little creepiness. He was afraid of them.

 

"Then don't insult me."

 

"Then keep your mouth shut," he said sternly, before turning to smile at Rak again. 

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"It's... alright," Rak replied softly. He still felt a little awkward.

 

"Please make yourself comfortable."

 

After speaking, the handsome man walked away, leaving Van with a mysterious, complex first impression and a burning sensation in his temples.

 

"Who is it?" Love whispered to Van.

 

"I'm here for work occasionally, but I don't live here permanently."

 

"Why?"

 

Crack!

"You should lower your ego a bit. You're so high, you could jump down and still not reach the ground even after three days!"

 

Bang!

The hallway fell silent after the door slammed shut, but what was even more shocking was the tall, burly, pale man who burst out, yelling curses until his face turned red, then slammed the door shut and fled. Rak could guess he'd argued with Yo-Ye; the handsome man's troubled expression as he emerged from the room was quite clear.

 

"That's why," Van said calmly, as if he were used to this situation. He chuckled softly before opening the door and going inside the room at the very end.

 

Van's room was different from what Rak had imagined. Firstly, it was incredibly tidy. It wasn't large, but it didn't feel cramped. Everything, whether on shelves, tables, or the floor, was neatly arranged. There was no litter scattered around. Even the bed was perfectly tidied, as if a housekeeper had arranged the pillows and folded the blankets every morning. Seeing it, Rak felt a little embarrassed when he thought about the state of his own room when Van stayed with him the last time.

 

Secondly, the room's decor is so normal it's hard to believe the owner is an eccentric. The walls are covered with posters of old rock bands. Like the faded clothes he liked to wear, mixed in with anime posters, there was a shelf taller than Rak, filled with models he recognised some of, and others he didn't. Most were anime characters, some strange-looking art toys (Rak appreciated that Van didn't have a single Labubu figure), and, on the top shelf, a figurine unlike anything else in the world. It looked like something that probably didn't even meet production standards. One of them had bulging eyes like a Simpsons character. Rak could only wonder where Van had got all these things. 

 

"You can sit on the bed," Van said, walking over to open the mini-bar hidden in the corner of the room. He pulled out a can of drink. Then he walked over and handed one to Love, who was sitting at the end of the bed.

 

"Thank you," he said, accepting the drink and taking a sip. It was lemon soda. The sour and fizzy taste helped him drink and clear his confusion. 

 

“Is he usually like this all the time?"

 

"You mean those two?" Van asked. Rak nodded in response. "They're usually fighting all the time."

 

"But Yo-ye walked out of that guy's room...."

 

"watermelon"

 

"Is his name Taengmo?"

 

"Yes," Van nodded. He pulled a chair from the desk, turned the backrest forward, and straddled it instead of sitting in a normal position.

 

 

“They used to date."

 

"Ah..." All the questions became clear immediately. At first, I didn't quite understand why two people who disliked each other so much would yell at each other like that. Even though we can still see each other, when I heard this, there was no longer any doubt about love. "Makes sense."

 

"Honestly, I don't really understand," Van shrugged, making a wry face as if the two were creatures from another world. "Those two are always arguing, but they always talk things out. Taengmo is so whiny and clingy, and he comes here often even though he says he doesn't want to see Taengmo. It's like he still has feelings for him, but when you ask why they won't reconcile, he yells and says he hates him. Is he crazy?"

 

"People who once loved and liked each other can sometimes be contradictory like this."

 

"Haha, why would you do that?"

 

"You'll understand when you find someone you like."

 

"I guess I'll never understand this."

 

He laughed heartily. He imagined Van in a relationship in his head and found it amazing, like an improbable phenomenon. Yes, unless that girl has very unique preferences, and of course, she must have god-level patience.

 

"Do you have something to say?" Van initiated the conversation. Rak felt a little nervous, while the questioner seemed completely unfazed. He rested his chin on the back of the chair, looking at Love expectantly. 

 

"What's wrong? Why didn't you text me on Line?"

 

"I forgot to think," Love replied. "Sorry, I should have messaged you beforehand."

 

"I mean, if it weren't important, I would have typed it on Line," Van clarified, clearly showing that Love had misunderstood his earlier statement.

 

"You suddenly came because you couldn't wait, right?"

 

Rak had never known Van could speak like that. His voice was flat, no different from usual, but Rak sensed something. There was a faint gentleness tinged with it, as if he cared for him, as if Van occasionally wanted to play the role of a reliable adult, because it seemed he had almost forgotten that the eccentric man in front of him was three years older than him.

 

"Just a little," Rak sighed, rubbing his hands against the ice-cold soda can to relieve the heat that had been building up in his chest all day. "P'Da said she would..."

 

"Is the romance over?"

 

Van blinked slowly, tilted his head to look at Rak, and said, "How long are you going to keep calling me brother?" He completely ignored Rak's question.

 

"Why? That's how he introduced himself," Rak looked confused. 

 

"And Da-hyun is still so young; why do people keep calling her 'Auntie'?"

 

"Because she's my aunt. She's over fifty."

 

"Really?" Rak's eyes widened in disbelief. He whispered excitedly, as if gossiping with Van about something juicy, "She still looks so young, and so beautiful and sexy."

 

"Extremely"

 

"So, are you eyeing my aunt, kid?"

 

"Are you sure, Van?"

 

Van giggled, amused. He wasn't surprised that everyone was shocked to learn Linda's true age, because he himself was stunned for days when he first found out. Although he often teased Aunt Da and never once told her how beautiful he thought she was, Van didn't deny that Linda was the most beautiful girl in the house. (This would never reach Mimi's ears.)

 

"That's what I told Auntie back then, because I'd been working there for a while, but I hadn't seen a single ghost yet," Rak said with a dejected expression, as if it were his fault that ghosts, like everyone else, hadn't haunted Van.

 

"I don't understand why she hasn't come out yet. I even went to sleep in his room."

 

"But I've changed my mind," Van said. Love, who had been sitting hunched over, suddenly straightened up like a weed being watered. "I think we should give it a try."

 

"Later, but I forgot to tell Auntie, so she talked to my younger sibling about it."

 

"Why did you change your mind?"

 

"I just wanted to give the ghost a little more chance."

 

"Or are you starting to believe in ghosts?"

 

"Not yet," Van emphasised, "I just don't want to give up on the million dollars too soon."

 

"Money really can buy everything."

 

"Yeah, you could even buy my life."

 

Love's laughter eased the heavy burden in his heart a little, even though he didn't know if this approach would work. At least he wasn't completely without options.

 

"Thank you, Van."

 

"Why thank me? I did it for the money." Van's words sounded like those of a scene-dere hero, but Rak believed wholeheartedly that he meant every word. Van frowned in thought before continuing, "But from now on, we need a clear plan. We can't just continue doing things aimlessly like before."

 

"How do I do it?"

 

"You have to think, you know what ghosts are," Van said sternly. "When do they usually appear? How do they come out? What do you have to do to get scared? Make a list."

 

"Come on, let's try doing it all."

 

That was a daunting task. Rak had never really pondered what behaviours or events would trigger a ghost's appearance. As far as he understood, he thought there was no fixed pattern. The only thing he knew was that the ghost didn't like him getting too close to anyone. Every time someone's care alleviated Rak's loneliness, the ghost would emerge and destroy everything.

 

"You can go back to sleep if you want," Van said emotionlessly, seeing that Rak had been sitting there racking his brain for minutes without saying anything. "Or are you so quiet because a ghost has possessed you?"

 

"I can't figure it out," Rak said. "There's no pattern. She comes whenever she wants."

 

"That makes it difficult."

 

"But let me think... It might exist, but Love never noticed."

 

"Okay, but don't take too long."

 

"But one thing's for sure, I think we'll have to sleep together again."

 

"Huh?" Van's mouth dropped open.

 

"Let's stay overnight in my room, just like last time."

 

"Oh..." The white-haired young man nodded slowly, admitting that his brain had misinterpreted the message a little. But after Love explained further, he mostly agreed. If the only clue he had was proximity, Van thought this was the best option right now. Besides, theoretically, ghosts always check in at night. If they were together all day and parted ways before sunset, how could the ghost possibly show itself to him?

 

"Or would you like Love to come sleep here?"

 

"Sleeping here...?" Van pondered, unsure about his choice. Since moving here, he'd never brought anyone to stay overnight in his room before.

 

"If it's not convenient, you can always sleep in my room again," Rak said, looking around the room. The meaning of "more comfortable" was quite clear, as it made Van vividly picture himself, not a well-bred lady, walking around awkwardly in Rak's room.

 

"That's true," Van nodded in agreement. "Then we could try staying here. Who knows, if you don't go back to your room, the ghost might panic and show itself."

 

"That's possible," Rak nodded repeatedly. "Because she always manages to surprise Karn when Rak is sleeping in Karn's room."

 

"Okay, please come."

 

"If she actually came, what would you do first?"

 

"I'll make a TikTok video," the clever young engineer smirked, pleased with his own brilliant idea. "Ghost stories sell really well. No matter how you tell them, people will believe them. Especially if you film it clearly, I guarantee a million views in one night. Then, The Ghost will contact me. I'll tell the story in detail, just a little bit original, making it super creepy and sophisticated. Then I'll sell the plot to them to make a movie. Damn, I'll make a lucrative profit."

 

"Seriously?"

 

"Why? Don't tell me you're going to ask for a percentage," Van squinted, looking wary, afraid that Rak would ask for a share of his fictitious money.

 

"I can give you the absolute maximum, five per cent, no bargaining. That's it, no more haggling."

 

"It's okay, you keep it, brother."

 

"When I say something, I mean it. Once my story becomes famous, you can't come asking for a share later, okay?"

 

"Go ahead, take it. That way you can rent a nice room in Japan."

 

"Speaking reasonably."

 

"But there's one thing I ask: Before I go on The Ghost, I have to talk to the ghost and make sure they love me first."

 

"Yeah, I know," the aspiring ghost storyteller promised firmly. "I'll handle it. Negotiating is my job, I promise. Ghost or no ghost."

 

"Hmph."

 

After finalising his next plan, Rak went back to his room to pack his bags. He 

prepared clothes and necessities for just one overnight stay. Because he had a play rehearsal the next day after school, which looked like it would end quite late, and he wouldn't be able to drag himself back to the Crow Club by bus, they agreed to try spending just one night together. If nothing happened that night, they could extend the time next time.

 

"What are you having for dinner, P'?" Rak took off her headphones and looked up to ask Van after they finished watching a movie on the iPad.

 

"I don't know, it depends on what Auntie has to give us to eat," Van replied, still scribbling something in his notebook. He had been sitting at his desk all afternoon.

He opened a large textbook, began reading and writing, and periodically clicked the pencil, making a clicking sound.

 

Van looked more like a student than Rak. He seemed to be constantly studying for exams, while Rak had upcoming quizzes as well. Instead of going to work, he chose to lie down and watch a movie on Van's bed. The only excuse he had for his laziness was that he had just finished a project and this was his reward after surviving that hellish factory.

 

"Love commands, so just accept it."

 

"Why?" Van turned to look at Rak's face. His glasses had slipped down to the middle of his nose, and instead of pushing them back up, Van chose to tilt his head back.

 

"You can eat with us."

 

"I'm hesitant, but I'm asking for permission to stay here."

 

"Auntie already made some for me," the bespectacled young man frowned. Love thought Van seemed like a different person when he wore glasses; he looked more normal. "Yoye likes to come."

 

"Nean has dinner here. Maybe his girlfriend will stay and eat with us too."

 

"Really"

 

"Yes"

 

Even though Van said that, Love still seemed hesitant.

 

"I told Auntie to make some for you too," Van turned back to look at her book again, her voice softer as if she didn't want to talk much.

 

"Did you tell P'Da that you love her and want to sleep with her?"

 

"Yeah, I'll tell you everything I do," Van said. "Especially work-related things."

 

Precisely at 6:30, Van took off his glasses and placed them on the table before closing his giant textbook. He leaned back, stretched, and let out a demonic roar.

He became a little more frantic, then used a pillow to nudge Love, who had fallen asleep about an hour ago, awake to eat. Besides Rak and Van, three others were joining them for dinner tonight: Taengmo, Mimi, and Talay. Mimi said that Nen was busy with work and it might be a long wait.

 

In the morning, Linda sat at the bar downstairs, usually eating later. Patee, meanwhile, ate alone in his room. He rarely came down to eat with strangers; everyone knew that, but of course, no one said a word for fear of making Rak feel unnecessarily uncomfortable. Talay explained to Rak that Patee was asleep and would come down to eat when he woke up.

 

Rak looked visibly nervous. Sharing a meal with strangers in this family-like atmosphere made him feel awkward. Everyone was talking amongst themselves.

With their close relationship, the distance between them grew clearer. Rak felt like an outsider, a feeling that wasn't new; he'd always felt this way. "So, your name has been Rak since birth?" Mimi asked curiously, scooping the most beautiful piece of the egg in the dish onto Rak's plate.

 

"Yes, my mother named me."

 

"Is your real name also 'Love'?"

 

"My real name is Rakkhun Krab."

 

"He's so cute!" Mimi said in a sweet, childlike voice, as if she were playing with a little puppy. She was adorable, kind, and cheerful. Love couldn't understand why Van told him, "Don't get involved with her too much," when Mimi seemed harmless and like a beautiful older sister who was unbelievably older than him. "Can I copy that name? If I have a child, I'd want them to be named Rakkun (Love You). Little Rakkun."

 

"I haven't copyrighted it. If you like it, feel free to use it."

 

"Thank you, Auntie."

 

"Don't worry, it won't happen anytime soon," Van said to Rak, his mouth full of food. "She doesn't even have a husband yet."

 

"I'm not full after eating; I want to taste your feet now," Mimi said in a changed tone, and her charming choice of words almost made Rak choke. He ate his meal with his head down, trying to ignore the conversation whizzing over his head because he didn't know how to react to it.

 

"What did I say wrong? You really don't have a husband."

 

"Do we really need to talk about everything?"

 

"It's necessary. It's important information," Van said, feigning ignorance.

 

"That information about your impotence is important."

 

"Degenerate? I salute the flag every morning!"

 

"What time is the respect ceremony? Someone like you would fall asleep just seeing breasts."

 

"Hey, hey," Talay said, his face showing utter weariness. He sighed deeply. 

 

"Whether it's deteriorating or not, go discuss that somewhere else, with someone else."

 

He's going to eat. If he's not considerate of his own family, at least be considerate of his loved one."

 

He could only manage a weak smile, unsure what to say, as he fiddled with the rice on his plate. He wasn't full yet, but he tried to restrain himself, because if he let himself go and eat normally, he probably would have finished his plate while others couldn't even get half of it. That would be really awkward and embarrassing.

 

"I'm sorry, my dear," Mimi said to Rak shyly.

 

Love could only shake his head and say softly, "It's alright."

 

As for Mimi's opponent, there's no need to mention him. Van was calmly chewing his food, and even secretly turned to make a mocking face at Mimi. After that, most of the conversation turned to Talay. He asked Rak about his studies, saying he had also been interested in architecture. It's similar because they both like to draw. But because someone once told him that if he only liked drawing, he shouldn't study architecture, Talay changed his mind. Rak told Talay that he was right and that most of the people who made the mistake are now architecture students. Talay burst out laughing.

 

Rak could barely hear Taengmo. He sat eating quietly, nodding and agreeing with the others' conversation. Rak therefore thought it might be because of the matter...

He argued with Yo-Ye at lunchtime. No one else bothered to question or force Taengmo to talk; they just kept serving him food and asking, "Do you want more rice?" which Taengmo refused every time, saying, "That's enough." Van whispered to Rak, "Taengmo usually eats a whole bowl of rice." Rak then wondered who ate more, Van or Taengmo. 

 

Dinner went by faster than expected. Van finished first, followed by Rak, who unexpectedly lost to Van.  The persimmons, already sliced, were from the large plate in the centre of the table to smaller plates, and Van told everyone he was going upstairs. Rak sat there looking confused, feeling awkward about leaving the table before the host had finished eating, and not having helped clean up the dishes. But Van sighed heavily and nodded, saying, "Come on, it's Red's turn today."

 

"Have you finished eating?" Van asked when they sat down in the room. Van placed the plate of persimmons on the bed with Rak, then went to pull up a chair to read and sat beside him.

 

"I'm full," Rak nodded, happily chewing on the crunchy persimmon. He had eaten them many times before, but he couldn't remember what persimmons were like.

It's so delicious! "Sister Da cooks delicious food."

 

"That's the charm of this place," Van nodded proudly. "The food is delicious, and most importantly, it's free."

 

"Didn't P'Da already deduct it from my wages?"

 

"Yeah, but the deduction is very small compared to buying it yourself. Let me tell you, I'm poorer than that."

 

Love chuckled and shook his head slightly. "But you ate breakfast early today."

 

"Really?" Van asked, looking at the name. "It's normal."

 

"If it usually ends before Love does, how could it?"

 

"I don't know, maybe I'm just eating too slowly."

 

He answered dismissively, then reached for a persimmon and took a bite, acting as if love was just a figment of his imagination, and probably thinking how incredibly cool he looked sweeping the rice stalks. The plate was empty before anyone else's.

 

"Love means eating slowly."

 

Perhaps if Love hadn't just been busy picking at his food with his head down, he would have witnessed Van's fastest food-gogging moment of his life.

 

About half an hour had passed, and Love lay awake in the darkness, gazing into the vast, empty, and silent universe, trying to make sense of it. He understood why he could fall asleep on the hard floor in the faculty studio, but he was lying there slumped on Linda's soft, floral-patterned bed. The faint scent of fabric softener and the gentle sunshine didn't help me relax at all. What was the problem?

 

"Little one," a whispered voice came from the bed unexpectedly. Rak thought Van was asleep. "Are you asleep?"

 

"Not yet," Love replied. "Love thought you were asleep."

 

"Not yet. I've already counted a whole pen of sheep."

Love laughed before asking, "Do you usually have trouble sleeping?"

 

"It varies. Sometimes I fall asleep easily, as soon as my head hits the pillow. Other times I have trouble sleeping and stay up until dawn."

 

"And what about these days?"

 

"You couldn't sleep when you went to sleep in my room, could you?"

 

Van's silence made Love’s thoughts begin to fade. He was naturally a dreamer and overthinker, while Van was a nonstop chatterbox. There was no sphincter, but that was precisely why his silence fostered such vivid imagination in Rak. Even Karn often complained about this to him.

 

"I was dozing on and off," Van finally replied.

 

"At first, I thought it was because I slept on the sofa."

 

"No, if it wants to sleep, it can sleep on the sofa."

 

"Then why have you been having trouble sleeping lately?"

 

Van used silence as his response once again. It was no less irritating than his strange behaviour these past few days. Even though they weren't together, Rak could sense everything through every message and call. He tried to let it go, knowing he had no right to pry, but Van wouldn't make the awkward atmosphere disappear.

 

"What did you see?"

 

Love could sense the stillness of the person on the bed even though he couldn't see anything. Van didn't make a sound either. It was just A feeling so vivid it was chilling.

 

"I don't know," Van replied softly. His deep, low voice sounded unfamiliar to Rak. 

 

"It felt more like a dream."

 

"What did you dream about?"

 

"I dreamt about the person my younger sibling often talks about."

 

This time it was Love himself who gasped for breath. He immediately pulled his legs under the blanket, his heart racing even though his body had been resting for a while. For a long time, Love felt as if the distance between the bed and the floor beside it had become so vast that it caused a dizzying feeling in his heart.

 

"I'm not sure if it's the same person, but they seem exactly like what my brother 

described."

 

"How long have you been dreaming about him?"

 

"The first time was when I went to sleep in my younger sibling's room."

 

I knew it. Rak had a feeling something strange was going to happen that night. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was a terrifying feeling in his heart, a fluttering sensation, as if a void was slowly widening in his chest. Especially when he saw Van jolt awake in the darkness, eyes wide, staring at him, it made him think of Karn and what Karn had gone through.

 

"And you've been dreaming about it every night?"

 

"Yeah"

 

And it wasn't that different. The guilt he felt for loving Karn, he's now feeling the same way about Van.

 

"Are you scared?"

 

"I don't think so," Van replied calmly.

 

"Everyone says she's very scary."

 

"It's creepy, but I didn't think she actually existed."

 

"You still don't believe it?"

 

"I won't believe it until I see it for myself." Van's voice was so resolute that Rak began to waver. As the Thai saying goes, "Don't believe it without believing it."

 

Those who love him have encountered her. Van is perfectly suited to be taught a lesson by the ghost. "Dreams are just dreams. They are the uncontrollable subconscious. Whatever you consume excessively, you will eventually dream about it. Dreams reflect thoughts, not reality."

 

It was as if Van was hypnotising himself rather than spouting facts as he usually did. There was no fear in his voice. It was he, but rather Love, that began to make him restless. He felt unsafe, even though there was nothing in the room but silence and Van sleeping on the bed; it was still terrifying.

 

"Brother Van," Rak called out, his voice trembling.

 

"Yeah"

 

"Can I come up and sleep with you?"

 

"Cannot"

 

His eyes suddenly welled up with tears. Rak couldn't understand why Van had answered without thinking, and why his voice was so harsh, especially since he knew very well that if it weren't necessary, Love wouldn't ask. Even though Van should have known how much Love was afraid.

 

"Why-"

 

"Love," Van interrupted, not giving Love a chance to ask, his voice cold. "Get up."

 

"What...?"

 

"Don't ask questions yet. Just do as I say."

 

Already frightened, Van's strange behaviour made Rak's heart race and his breathing become laboured. Despite this, Rak did as Van told him. He got up from the bed and looked at Van, who was now lying motionless on the bed, not even turning to look at Rak standing beside him. Van stared up at the ceiling like a blind man.

 

"Grab the phone and leave the room. Go up to the fourth floor, turn left, and knock on the first door on the right."

 

"Brother Van, why—"

 

"Don't ask yet."

 

He is making that sound again. I didn't know that people who criticise could sound so serious.

 

"Do as I told you. Tell P'Talay that you want to stay with him for a little while."

 

Many questions jumped through Rak's head, but because Van kept insisting he follow orders and not ask questions, Rak decided to trust Van completely. He grabbed his cell phone, which was plugged in and charging on Van's study desk, ran out of the room, up the stairs to the left, and stopped in front of the most normal-looking brown wooden door in the house.

 

After knocking for just a few seconds, the door opened.

 

"You really came."

 

Talay spoke with a faint smile. He didn't seem surprised at all that Rak had suddenly come knocking on the door in the middle of the building. Why? Why did Talay seem to know more than Rak did, even though it seemed to concern him? But Rak knew nothing. Now, sitting in the room of someone he had only just spoken to, Rak didn't even know what he was doing there until a message popped up on his phone.

 

VAN: I found it. It says the name is Galah.