The Crow Club: Over My Dead Body

Chapter 4.

Three knocks sounded on the door, but the occupant remained motionless. Van lay sprawled on the floor, trying to blink away the flickering lights on the ceiling, which had kept him from moving for minutes.

 

"They didn't even give me a single reply."

 

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 lying sprawled like a starfish in the middle of the room, not particularly surprised. Van was wearing only shorts, his upper body bare. His silver hair around his face was wet, as was his skin; it gleamed like porcelain.

 

"I have no strength," Van said in a hoarse, breathless voice, his eyelids half-closed. His demeanour made Talay wonder if he needed to call a taxi.

 

Do you need a nurse? You're "feeling dizzy."

 

"What are you doing?" asked the sea.

 

"Exercise"

 

"In the room?"

 

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

 

Talay chuckled, immediately understanding Van's reasoning. He himself wasn't thrilled about going to the gym with that strict coach, Taengmo, either. While he knew it was all well-intentioned efforts to help them get the most out of their workouts, he personally 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 his condition, it's probably best to have Mo keep an eye on him," Tale walked over, leaning in to look at the exhausted nerd with a slightly worried expression. "You look really pale. Haven't you 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, sighing heavily. The twinkling lights that had been shining on the ceiling gradually faded. “Probably didn’t get enough sleep, so I’m a little dizzy.”

 

"Do you want some smelling salts?"

 

"It's okay. It'll go away."

 

"If I hadn't walked here, would I have just kept lying here like this?"

 

"Yes"

 

"If you ever die one day," Talay said in a playfully stern tone before walking over and sitting at the end of Van's bed. When he first came to stay here, Van thought Talay was strange, always playing the role of everyone's older brother, and he didn't understand why the people who were here before seemed to love him so much. But now Van didn't doubt that anymore. If there was anything suspicious about Talay, it was why someone like him was even here. "What are you doing keeping up? Auntie said you're only working on one job these days, aren't you?"

 

"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 craned his neck back as far as he could while still lying sprawled on the floor in an unnatural position, trying to make eye contact with Talay, hoping the other man might think he was someone else. Talay looked at his white-haired younger brother and sighed. “Yeah, probably not.”

 

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

 

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

 

"Huh, my aunt asked me to come check it out. She said she messaged me on Line, but I didn't reply."

 

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

 

"I heard you were going to ask about talking to ghosts. You said the event is almost over, right?"

 

If Talay or Aunt Linda had asked him four or five days earlier, Van would have casually replied, "Just shut it down. There's nothing to worry about." He would rather have given up on the tempting million-dollar prize and focused on earning money from another job. But after the night he spent at Rak Khun's place, Van began to notice something that made him hesitant about this job.

 

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

 

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

 

"Not exactly... I'm not sure. I can't answer."

 

"Oh, what?"

 

“It's not clear. Still can't conclude.

 

"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 that casual, teasing tone made the dizzying man spring to his feet.

 

Van turned back towards the sea, asking with interest, "Did you encounter something strange?"

 

"You met a ghost."

 

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

 

"Well, you said it couldn't be concluded," Talay shrugged. "The reason ghosts and spirits have been with humans 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 his daily drawing seemed like something he did out of habit, because he could, not because he was obsessed or felt like he would die without it, unlike 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 correct them to satisfy his own thirst for knowledge (like Van often did). Honestly, Van had no idea what Talay valued.

 

He might be the sea, vast and ever-changing.

 

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

 

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

 

"Then why the hesitation?"

 

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

 

"What did you dream?"

 

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

 

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

 

“Who do you see?”

 

"I don't know," Van answered dismissively. 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. Perhaps because the way she appeared was quite unsettling and mysterious, or because she kept showing up in his dreams, leading him to question this inexplicable pattern.

 

Do not know

 

“Woman or man?”

 

"Woman"

 

“Is it scary?”

 

"Do not know

 

"Oh! How could you not know?"

 

"Well, I've never been afraid of anything," Van shrugged indifferently, looking so arrogant that Tale frowned in annoyance. "It's hard to say whether it was scary or not."

 

But Van genuinely believed that; deep down, he thought he wasn't afraid.

 

He's just distraught.

 

“If it’s keeping you awake at night, you should see a doctor,” Talay said, sighing heavily and jumping up from Van’s bed. Van inwardly ticked a box at his brother’s reaction, reinforcing the fact that he was right. Talay never took anything seriously; he never cared whether he won an argument. He just started the conversation and then walked away, like a coward. “It’s not good to leave it like this.”

 

"I don't have a dunk to go to the doctor with."

 

"You have," Talay said in a low voice, staring intently 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 well. He put his hands on his hips, looking at Van without saying anything, waiting for Van to figure it out himself. "If the tea doesn't work, then we'll go to the doctor, okay, Dad?"

 

And Van had no choice but to agree. Otherwise, Talay might stand there with that stern, disciplinary teacher expression until nightfall, or even the next day, until Van finally agreed to say what he wanted to hear.

 

"If you don't have a real dunk, just come and ask."

 

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

 

"If it's necessary"

 

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

 

If a single sigh really added a year to your life, the sea would be teetering on the brink of collapse by now. He lightly tapped his lip in displeasure, but there was nothing he could do. The sea said, "Whatever," and walked out the door.

 

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

 

"One more thing," it turned out that Talay wasn't finished with his business yet. He walked back to the doorway of Van's room 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, propping himself up on his elbows. He looked up at his older brother standing at the door.

 

"I don't wear perfume."

 

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

 

Van was silent, blinking repeatedly. Tale 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 watch if you want, but don't fall in love."

 

The sea shook its head and prepared to walk away.

 

"Hey! Wait!" Van shouted.

 

"What?" Talay rushed back to the door, 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 imagined 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.

 

"Hoy!"

 

Rak jumped in fright, almost falling off his chair, after the shocking sight he witnessed the moment he opened his eyes. He wasn't even sure how long he'd been sitting in that awkward, back-seat position. The last thing he remembered was sitting there sculpting a 3D model. He was so discouraged he wanted to run around the faculty screaming, but luckily he didn't follow 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 her.

 

"The outlets inside are all full," Rak replied, his heart slowly returning to normal. He guessed that the people around him who that ghost had haunted probably felt something similar.

 

"Three eyes are free."

 

"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 and do his part. "Is it really that stressful?"

 

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

 

"Just a little," Rak replied softly, feeling a bit embarrassed that Kan was inspecting his unfinished work. He felt like he was sitting taking an exam and the invigilator came over, secretly reading his silly answers.

 

"Wow...that 3D model is incredibly impressive," Karn said, genuinely excited about Rak's 3D model design. Rak couldn't help but feel proud. "But you sculpted it so well, I'm not worried about the cutting part."

 

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

 

"I didn't get a chance to tell him; he went to help cut it."

 

"Aren't you doing your own work?"

 

"He'll get it done on time." If anyone else had said that, it would have sounded incredibly annoying, but because it was Karn, it sounded normal and reasonable. Karn never waited for deadlines. He had rarely experienced the kind of biting situations that most architecture students face. Calling him a superhero wouldn't be wrong. I've grown tired of being jealous.

 

"Why don't you go back to your room and sleep when you're done? Why are you here?"

 

"He likes to sleep at the faculty building."

 

"Sell the condo."

 

I mean...when we were still dating.

 

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 sarcastically to him.

 

"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 him. He avoided eye contact, pretending to be focused on work, even though his mind was filled with self-serving thoughts that Kan 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 Rak had created. Rak wanted to act normal. He had been trying since the first day they broke up and thought he was doing pretty well, 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?

 

"She's always so kind," Rak said calmly, pretending to stare at the model on the screen while his mind was blank. "On graduation day, we'll probably have to bring garlands to pay our respects to her, the whole class."

 

"You too?"

 

"What"

 

"To come and pay respects to him"

 

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

 

"So, can you ask for it back?" Karn's voice was soft and playful. Rak felt the other's face drawing closer, a shadow covering his, just like before, when he had dozed off, tilting his head back and waking up to see Karn's face. "Are you saying he never helped you?"

 

"You helped me a lot," Rak replied with a straight face, still refusing to make eye contact with Karn. He tried his best to keep his composure, even though his heart was practically leaping out of his chest. "Once I graduate, I'll buy you a beautiful garland to offer you."

 

"I'll wait."

 

“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 he smiled so sweetly that the person looking at him felt their heart flutter. Rak had almost forgotten why he fell in love with Karn the first time he met him. “Because with you, I always help you privately, not by 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 palms were ice cold.

 

It's frustrating. This isn't fair at all.

 

"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 had been trying to make eye contact with him for a while.

 

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

 

From the first moment he saw Karn, Rak had been silently hoping he wouldn't bring up these topics again. Rak had been playing the role of a clueless, heartless person (in front of Karn) since the day they broke up, hoping things would be easier if he did this. But his ex-boyfriend refused to cooperate.

 

"And when did I stop talking to you?" Rak turned to look Karn directly in the eyes for the first time. Those familiar eyes had never made Rak feel so deeply hurt.

 

"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 pitiful, puppy-dog eyes, a look that showed Rak's defeat time and time again. He didn't know if it was a gift or intentional, but it was annoyingly effective. Even now, it hadn't failed.

 

"You can't do this, Karn," Rak said softly. The awkwardness that had made even looking him in the eye difficult had vanished. Now Rak had to fight a fear that was far more potent. "Otherwise, what's the point of our agreement?"

 

“I know. Im trying,” Karn whispered anxiously, his brows furrowed so tightly they almost touched. Rak hoped this distorted, contorted expression would make Kan look less attractive, making it easier for him to let go. But no. The more genuinely Kan expressed his emotions, the further he seemed from perfection, the more Rak desired to possess him. “But it’s so hard, Rak. I can’t do 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."

 

"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 once talked to Van about breaking up with Karn, but he never actually said it out loud, and he didn't think he could do it. Because of that, for a fleeting moment, in a dark and painful corner, Rak felt 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," the whispered words were now so soft they were almost inaudible. "I didn't think like that."

 

"This much, don't lie."

 

"I didn't lie. You were the one who broke up with me. How can you blame me now? You couldn't take it anymore, Karn."

 

“Yes, I couldn’t take it anymore,” Kant half-whispered, half-shouted. His pretty face drooped heartbreakingly, just a hair’s breadth away from the point of tears. “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. Rak's eyes were burning now. This was crazy. He cried every time Karn cried. "You always look at me like you feel guilty, like I'm ready to leave you at any moment."

 

Love didn't know what to say. He turned away, his lips pursed as if utterly annoyed by the confession of the most pathetic puppy in the world. And he was a bad person. Even though I'm blind, Rak didn't want to act like the most pathetic person in the world. He didn't take pleasure in being a victim of this empty world. It was simply that, 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 lover away from Karn, but for Rak, it pushed him back to where he came from.

 

Where there's only him

 

"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 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. "I  broke up with you because you pressured me. Im telling you this straight."

 

“Not yet,” Rak lowered his head, his forehead almost touching Karn's shoulder. He whispered as softly as possible, as if trying to escape the shadowy gaze 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 to you will only lead to the same thing. Im annoying, and you won't be happy."

 

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

 

“So when do you have to wait?

 

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

 

"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 an anime-patterned t-shirt. His flip-flops and messy hair indicated he was completely unprepared for Rak's arrival. Rak could only offer a faint smile, trying to overcome the homeowner's sullen expression, feeling a little guilty.

 

The homeowner, with his messy hair, nodded slightly, gesturing for Rak to follow. Rak immediately stood up, following Van through the red door and up the stairs, just like when he first came for the job application. Rak recognised 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 explained that it was a common room, used for relaxing, preparing food, eating, gatherings, or basically a multipurpose room. He said they could do whatever they wanted in it.

 

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 townhouse, but it was clear they had tried their best to make it as inviting as possible in this old building. The walls, showing signs of past dampness, had a slightly greenish tint, perhaps from the plants hanging from them and the floor (or maybe just because they were old). 

 

The hallways were almost entirely covered with framed paintings—landscapes, portraits, and some that were virtually unidentified. Van said that he had a penchant for buying 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 resident artist.

 

Van said his room was at the end of the hallway. Love couldn't help but glance left and right the whole way, because each door they passed was unique. One was dark blue with a metal horseshoe hanging from it; it stood out the most, as it didn't match anything else Love had seen along the way.

 

Suddenly, the blue door burst open. Van gasped, startled. Someone emerged from the room with a flustered expression, but when he saw Rak, he quickly composed himself. He gave Rak a small 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 striking, something he would remember for a long time. His long, almond-shaped eyes, though sweet and alluring, peered through his oval-rimmed glasses. He had a captivating charm in his eyes, a high-bridged nose, jet-black hair, and a physique—tall and slender, like a runway model.

 

Oh my god.

 

"Did you bring a friend along?" Even his voice was pleasant to the ear; the handsome young man greeted Van familiarly.

 

"Yeah," Van said curtly, not bothering to explain further, not even introducing his girlfriend to the handsome father. "So you're moving here?"

 

“Just came to get things.”

 

"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.

 

"Don't make me act mean in front of the divan guests," the handsome man said with a sweet smile. It gave him a little chill. He was afraid of people who smiled while looking that fierce.

 

"Don't you dare hit me."

 

"Keep your mouth shut, you idiot," 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.

 

"As you please."

 

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 get jobs here occasionally, but I don't live here permanently," Van replied, still massaging his head to relieve the dizziness.

 

"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 through the door, 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 entering the room at the 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 at all. Everything, whether on shelves, tables, or the floor, was neatly arranged. There was no litter scattered around. Even the bed was perfectly made, as if a housekeeper had arranged the pillows and 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 was so normal it was hard to believe the owner was an eccentric. The walls were covered with posters of old rock bands, just like the faded clothes he liked to wear, mixed 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 Labubu figure), and, on the top shelf, a figurine that looked 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 character from The Simpsons. Rak could only wonder where Van got all these things from.

 

"You can sit on the bed if you want," Van said, walking over to open the mini-bar hidden in the corner of the room. He took out a can of drink and handed it to Rak.

 

"Thank you," Rak accepted the drink and took a sip. It was lemon soda. The sour and fizzy taste helped him wake up and dispel his confusion. "Is he usually like this?"

 

"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"

 

“his name is Taengmo?”

 

“Yes,” Van nodded. He pulled a chair from his desk, turned the backrest forward, and straddled it instead of sitting normally. “They used to date.”

 

"Ah..." All questions were answered instantly. At first, I didn't quite understand why two people who hated each other so much, even shouting insults at each other, would still see each other. After hearing this, I had no more doubts. 

 

"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 always insult each other, but they always talk things out when something happens. Taengmo is so whiny and clingy, and he comes here often even though he says she doesn't want to see Taengmo. It's like he still has feelings for him, but when you ask why they won't make up, he yells and says he hates him. Is he crazy?"

 

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

 

“Heh heh, just do it.

 

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

 

"I guess I'll never understand in this lifetime."

 

Love laughed. He tried to imagine Van being in a relationship with someone in his head and found it amazing, an improbable phenomenon. Unless that girl had very unique preferences, and of course, she had to have god-like patience.

 

“Do you have something to say?” Van initiated the conversation. Rak felt a little tense, while the questioner seemed completely unfazed. He rested his chin on the back of his chair, looking at Rak expectantly. “What is it? Why didn’t you text me on Line?”

 

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

 

"Didn't you wait because you didn't need it?" "I mean, if it weren't important, you would have typed it on Line," Van clarified, clearly misunderstanding his previous statement. "The reason I suddenly came to see you is that..."

 

Rak had never known Van could speak like that. His voice was flat and unchanged, but Rak sensed a faint tenderness tinged with it. It was as if he cared, as if Van wanted to play the role of a reliable adult for once, because Rak seemed to have almost forgotten that the eccentric man in front of him was three years older than him.

 

"Really?" "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's going to finish Rak's work."

 

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

 

He completely skipped over Love's question.

 

"Why? That's how he introduced himself," Rak replied, confused. "And P'Da is still so young; why do you keep calling her'auntie'?"

 

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

 

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

 

"So you're targeting my aunt, huh, kid?"

 

"Is it full, P'Van?"

 

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

 

"That's what I told my aunt at the time, because I'd been working there for a while, but I hadn't seen a single ghost yet."

 

Love made a dejected face, acting as if it was his fault that Van didn't get haunted by ghosts like everyone else.

 

"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 dejectedly, suddenly perked up like a dying plant being watered. “I think we should try a little longer. But… I forgot to tell Auntie, so she talked to Atee about it.”

 

"Why did you change your mind?"

 

"I just wanted to give the ghost another 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."

 

"Yes, you could even buy my life."

 

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

 

“Thank you, Brother Van.

 

"Why thank me? I did it for the money." Van's words sounded like those of a tsundere 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 do things aimlessly like before."

 

"Give it all to me. 'You have to think, you know what ghosts are,' Van said sternly. 'When have they usually appeared? How do they appear? What do you have to do to get tricked? List it all, and then try doing it.'"

 

"What should I do?"

 

That was quite a daunting task. Rak had never really reflected on which 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, that entity would emerge and destroy everything.

 

"You can go back and think about it," Van said emotionlessly, seeing that Rak had been racking his brain for minutes without speaking. 

 

"Or maybe she's so quiet because a ghost possesses her?"

 

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

 

"That would be difficult, wouldn't it?"

 

"But let me think... Maybe there is, 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 they had now was intimacy, Van thought this was the best option at the moment. Besides, theoretically, ghosts have to clock in at night anyway. If they stayed together all day and then parted ways before sunset, how could the ghost possibly show its face 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. He clearly explained what he meant by "more comfortable," as it made Van vividly picture himself, not a lady of high status, having to walk 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 vigorously. "Because she always manages to surprise Karn when Rak goes to sleep in Karn's room."

 

"Good, please come."

 

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

 

"I'll make a TikTok video," the clever young engineer winked, a sly smile playing on his lips as he considered his 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, add a few spooky touches to make it more sophisticated, and then sell the plot to them for a movie. Damn, I'll make a lucrative profit."

 

"Really asking"

 

"Why? Don't tell me you're going to ask for a percentage," Van narrowed his eyes suspiciously, afraid that Rak would ask for a share of his fictitious money. "I can give you the absolute maximum, five per cent, no exceptions. No more haggling."

 

"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."

 

"Speak with reason"

 

"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 myself. Negotiating is my job. Rest assured, if it comes, it comes."

 

After finalising their plan, Rak went back to his room to pack. He gathered clothes and necessities for just one night's stay, as he had a play rehearsal after school the next day, which looked like it would end quite late. He couldn't possibly drag himself back to the Crow Club after that. So they agreed to try staying together for just one night. If nothing happened that night, they could extend the stay next time.

 

"What are you having for dinner, P'?" Rak took off his 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 me to eat," Van replied, still scribbling in his notebook. He had been sitting at his desk all afternoon, reading a large textbook, scribbling, and clicking his pencil repeatedly.

 

Van looked more like a student than Rak. He seemed to be constantly studying for exams, while Rak, who also had upcoming quizzes, chose to watch movies in Van's bed. His only excuse for his laziness was that Rak had just pulled an all-nighter working on a project; this was his reward after finishing work at the factory.

 

"Love commands, so just accept it."

 

"We can eat together," Van said. "Why?" Van turned to look at Rak. His glasses had slipped down the middle of his nose, and instead of pushing them back up, Van chose to tilt his head up and talk to Rak instead. "My dear..."

 

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

 

"The forest always prepares it," the bespectacled young man frowned. Love thought Van seemed like a different person when he wore glasses; he looked more normal. "Yoye likes to sneak in for dinner here. Sometimes, Lek's girlfriend stays 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?"

 

"Okay, good. You tell me everything you do," Van said. "Especially work-related matters."

 

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 slightly more ravenous, demonic growl. Then, he used a pillow to nudge Love, who had fallen asleep about an hour earlier, awake to eat.

 

Besides Rak and Van, there were three other people at dinner: Taengmo, Mimi, and Talay. Mimi said that Nae was busy with work and might stay until morning. Linda was minding the bar downstairs; she usually eats later. As for Patee, he ate alone in his room. He rarely likes to come down to eat with guests he doesn't know. Everyone knew this, but of course no one said a word, not wanting to make 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 such a family-like atmosphere made him feel awkward. Everyone was chatting intimately, and the distance between them became even more apparent. Rak felt like an outsider, a feeling that wasn't new; he'd felt this way all the time.

 

"So, your name has been Rak (meaning 'love') since birth?" Mimi asked with interest. She carefully placed the most beautiful egg yolk on Rak's plate.

 

“Yes, mother set it up for me.

 

"Is your real name also 'Love'?"

 

"My real name is Rak Khun Kra."

 

"he's so cute," Mimi said in a sweet, childlike voice, like she was playing with a little puppy. She was adorable, kind, and cheerful. Love couldn't understand why Van had 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 to name them 'Rak Khun' (Love You). Little Rak Khun."

 

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

 

"Thank you."

 

"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."

 

"You're not full yet; you want to taste my foot, huh?" Mimi's changed tone and charming choice of words almost made Rak choke. He lowered his head and ate his rice, trying to pretend he didn't hear the conversation whizzing over his head, unsure how to respond.

 

"So what did I say wrong? Indeed, you don't have a husband."

 

"Do we really need to talk about everything?"

 

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

 

"Then the information regarding impairment is important."

 

"Degenerate? I salute the flag every morning!"

 

"Respect, you fool! You'd fall asleep just seeing a breast."

 

"Hey, hey," Talay said, his face showing utter weariness. He sighed deeply. "Whether it's deteriorating or not, go discuss it somewhere else. Other people are trying to eat. Show some consideration for each other, and at least consider Rak."

 

Love could only manage a strained 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. If he indulged himself like usual, he'd finish his plate while others couldn't even get half of it. That would be incredibly 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 even to mention her. Van was happily eating and even secretly turned to give Mimi a mocking look.

 

After that, most of the conversation shifted to the sea. He asked Rak about his studies, saying he had also been interested in architecture because he liked to draw, but after someone told him that if he only liked to draw, he shouldn't study architecture, he changed his mind. Rak told Talay that he was right to make the decision, and that most of the wrong people were the architecture students themselves. Talay burst into laughter.

 

Rak could barely hear Taengmo. He sat eating quietly, only nodding along to the others' conversation. Rak guessed it might be because of the argument he had with Yo-ye earlier that day. No one pressed or forced 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."

 

I was just wondering, jokingly, who eats more rice, Van or Taengmo?

 

Dinner went by faster than expected. Van finished first, followed by Rak, who surprisingly lost to Van. After finishing his water, Van divided the sliced ​​persimmons from the large plate in the middle of the table into smaller plates and told everyone he was going upstairs. Rak sat there looking confused. He felt bad about having to leave the table while the hosts hadn't finished eating, and he hadn't even helped clean up the dishes. But Van sighed heavily and nodded, saying, "Come on, it's your turn to be the host 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 pulled up a reading chair and sat beside them.

 

"The food is delicious," Rak nodded, happily chewing on a crunchy persimmon. He had eaten them many times before, but he never remembered them being this delicious. 

 

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

 

"Isn't that already deducted from their wages?"

 

"Yeah, but it's very little compared to buying it myself. Let me tell you, I'm even poorer than that."

 

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

 

"Really?" Van asked, looking surprised. "It's normal."

 

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

 

"I don't know. It's not your fault for eating slowly."

 

He answered dismissively, then reached for the sleeping child and happily began biting on it, acting as if Love was just a figment of his imagination, and probably thinking how incredibly cool he was for finishing all the food on his plate.

 

"I love you. Eat me.

 

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 he lay awake in the darkness, gazing into the vast, empty, and silent universe. He tried to understand why he could fall asleep on the hard floor of the studio, but lay wide-eyed on Linda's soft, floral-patterned bed. The faint scent of fabric softener and the gentle sunlight didn't help him 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, I'm asleep. Other times, it's hard to fall asleep, and I stay up until dawn."

 

“And during this time?

 

“Lean Wang

 

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

 

Van's silence made Rak begin to understand. He was naturally a dreamer and overthinker, while Van, on the other hand, was a chatterbox with no filter. But it was precisely because of this that his silence fostered Rak's imaginative and thoughtful nature. Even Karn often complained about his incessant chatter.

 

"Sleep well," 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 responded with a blank expression once again. It was no less irritating than his strange behaviour these past few days. Even though they weren't together, Love was palpable, conveyed through every message and call. He tried to let it go, knowing he had no right to pry, but Van just wouldn't let the unsettling atmosphere dissipate.

 

“What do 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 clear it was chilling.

 

"I don't know," Van replied softly. His deep, low voice was unfamiliar to Love. "It felt more like walking."

 

"What did you dream about?

 

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

 

This time, it was Rak's own breath that caught in his throat. He immediately pulled himself under the blankets. His heart began to race, even though his body had been resting for so long. And suddenly, Rak felt as if the distance between the bed and the floor beside him was so great that it made his heart flutter.

 

I'm not sure if it's the same person, but they seem exactly like what my sibling described.

 

"How long have you been dreaming about her?"

 

The first time was when I went to complain to my younger sibling about it.

 

Rak had a feeling something strange would 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 in his chest was slowly widening. Especially when he woke up startled in the darkness, seeing the other person's eyes wide open, staring at him. It made him think of Karn and what Karn had gone through.

 

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

 

And it's not that much different.

 

The guilt he felt towards Karn, he's now feeling the same way about Van.

 

"Incubated?"

 

"No," Van said calmly.

 

“People say he is 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 with my own eyes." Van's voice was so resolute that Rak began to waver. As the Thai saying goes, "Don't underestimate what you don't believe." 

 

Among Rak's experiences, Van seemed perfectly suited to be taught a lesson by a ghost. "It's just a dream. It's the uncontrollable subconscious. Whatever you consume too much of, you'll eventually dream about it. Dreams reflect thoughts; they're 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, but he was the one who started to feel uneasy. He felt insecure even though there was nothing but silence, and Van was lying in bed. Even so, it was still terrifying.

 

"Brother Van," he called Van softly.

 

"Can I come up and sleep with you?"

 

His eyes suddenly welled up with tears. Rak couldn't understand why Van had answered without thinking, and why his voice was so harsh. He should have known better.

 

If you need love, you probably won't ask for it.

 

Even though they should have known how much I was afraid of love.

 

"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, Rak's heart raced, and his breathing became laboured at Van's strange behaviour. Despite all that, 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."

 

“Phi Van, why?”

 

“Don't ask yet.”

 

Make that sound again

 

I didn't know that people who criticise could sound so serious.

 

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

 

Many questions came to mind for Rak, but because Van kept insisting he follow orders and not ask questions, Rak decided to trust Van completely. He grabbed the cell phone that was charging on Van's study desk, ran out of the room, up the stairs to the fourth floor, turned 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 his door in the middle of the night. 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 spoken to a few words with, 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 Kahala.