A romantic comedy with a little ghost girl.

CHAPTER 11 - The Mindset of a Widow. Part 1

"A crash?! And why didn't you stay to wait for an ambulance?!" Yuki said, cleaning the blood off my right arm.

"My injuries are minor; I don't need medical attention."

"You don't have any glass shards, or at least I haven't found any. You got really lucky, Saik," Noel said.

"Is Iris really unharmed?" Yuki asked.

"She's unharmed; my body protected her from the glass shards."

Noel sighed in relief.

"You're truly a lucky charm for my family, Saik. No offense, of course."

"Ah, whatever."

I already removed the glass shards before getting home, so I'll be fine. The cuts aren't deep; after cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and alcohol to disinfect, I'll be okay. I'll have some marks and scabs, but aside from that, I'll be fine.

"We'll probably need more adhesive bandages," Yuki said, putting bandages on my back.

"I'll get more," Noel said.

Ah… To think I'd need help for something as trivial as a glass cut.

Yes, I'm a normal person now. Ah, finally.

Aside from being helped by ghosts, I'm a normal person.

Putting that aside, Iris turned out to be… dumber than I thought.

Our conversation wasn't very realistic. Iris barely questioned me and believed me quite easily. The alcohol is really affecting her a lot.

She didn't question how I knew she sold the engagement rings. Her brain is being damaged.

Ah, alcohol. I never liked its taste; it's disgusting. Why don't adults use drugs instead of drinking alcohol? Well, drugs are harmful too, but at least they taste better than alcohol.

Ah, right, alcohol is like a legal drug, just like cigarettes. That's why.

"So, Saik, now that Noel's not here, do you think Iris can be saved?"

"She can, Yuki; we just need to be patient."

Knock, knock, knock

Ah, so lazy.

I deactivated Yuki and Noel's bodies and headed to the door.

I opened it and saw a police officer standing there.

"Good evening, young man."

"I assume you're here about the crash. Don't worry, I've cleaned my wounds and all that. I don't need medical help."

"Yes, I can see that. We just want you to answer some questions at—"

I interrupted him; I'm lazy, I want to eat… Well, technically I already ate, but I want to eat again.

"I'm not interested in suing or reporting the man who crashed or anything like that; it's too much hassle. And I don't plan on changing my mind. Can I do anything else for you?"

The officer narrowed his eyes and smiled at me.

Weird.

"If that's your final word, then fine. Have a good night."

"Thanks."

I closed the door and sighed.

Damn it, he's part of… Ah, so lazy.

"Wow, that was quick," Yuki said.

Too quick… They should at least act better, idiots.

They're really useless.

Ah, I need to prepare.

•

•

(POV - Sylphie)

"Mom, aren't you going to eat?"

"No… I'm not hungry."

She went into her room without saying anything else.

… Why does she look so sad? Much more than usual.

She doesn't smell like alcohol… She hasn't drunk today, or at least I haven't seen her.

Plus, she bought a lot of food. She even gave me a lot of money to buy school supplies. Where did she get so much money…? I don't want to think anything bad about her. She'd be incapable of stealing or selling her body… Or so I'd like to think.

She was capable of going through my things and stealing money from me. If she reached the point of stealing from her own daughter, I can't help but think she's capable of even selling her body for money.

I hate thinking about that possibility; I simply refuse to believe that could happen, but…

"I don't know what to think about her anymore."

I love my mom, but her alcoholism is destroying her, and there's very little left of the loving mother I had.

"Mom…"

I sat down and put my head on the table.

I don't know what to do with her anymore… I'm tired… Every day she gets worse.

"Dad… We really need you."

My mom only listened to you; she'd never listen to me… Why did you have to die?

"It's not fair."

•

•

(POV - Saik)

Ah, the second day of classes has started.

"And I'm super lazy. Ah, I hate school."

"Well, at least look on the bright side."

"And what would that be, Yuki?"

"You're attending a school considered elite. Not everyone can boast about something like that."

Ah, I guess you're right.

I entered the classroom and saw Sylphie taking her notebook out of her backpack, but when she saw me, she flinched. I guess my bandages surprised her.

She hesitated about approaching me or not, but since she took too long to decide, I didn't pay her any more attention and went to my seat.

"Hey, at least say good morning to her!"

Sylphie isn't my problem; I only care about her mother.

I glanced at her. She looks sad and disappointed in herself for not being able to at least say "good morning" to a classmate. Ah, well, she's not my problem, so I don't care.

I sat down and took out my notebook.

Ah, well… I'm ready.

"Good morning, Saik. What happened to your arms? Did you have an accident? Are you okay?" Saoto said.

I don't sense any ulterior motives in him. This guy is genuinely a good person. What a pain.

"I just got cut by some glass when a window I was cleaning fell, that's all."

"I see. I'm glad it wasn't worse," he said, smiling.

… It's hard for me to hate this guy, but he's annoying. I guess his good-guy attitude makes me uncomfortable.

"Thanks for the concern, but please leave. You're ruining my solitude, and I really like being alone."

"Oh, yes, sorry, I didn't mean to. I hope you recover soon."

He walked away and returned to his seat while I got judgmental looks from my classmates, especially the girls.

Ah, whatever.

"Saik, he was just worried about you. You didn't have to be so rude to him," Yuki said.

"Sorry, Yuki, but I really don't want to get involved with him or anyone."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, loner boy. Ah, I'll never understand you."

I looked around.

The friend groups have already formed.

And as I planned, I'm excluded. I've become the quiet, loner guy in my class. Well, there are others like me, including Sylphie, who's the only loner girl in the class, but I won't pay them any attention.

Anyone would think that's a bad thing, but it's very comfortable and relaxing for me.

I don't have to deal with annoying people.

I don't have to listen to people's problems.

I don't have to hear the loud voices of others that just interrupt my thoughts.

Being a loner is very beneficial for a guy like me. A guy who just wants to have fun alone and be at peace. Well, almost alone; Yuki is an exception. She's pleasant, so even though she's nosy, whiny, and temperamental, I really enjoy her company.

"Hey, are you insulting me in your mind?! I got chills!"

I'm not interested in getting a girlfriend either… Though I don't say I'm 100% uninterested.

If some weird girl falls for me, I'll accept her. I've always wanted to know what it feels like to have a girlfriend, but since I never fall in love and I'm not attracted to anyone, I never wanted to find out, not even as an experiment, because my parents told me I should only have a girlfriend I love, so I haven't had the chance to see what it feels like, since I haven't loved any girl.

But now I'm willing to try it, because I found out it's normal to have a girlfriend.

I've never had a girlfriend, so I'm a bit curious, but not that much.

It's not a priority.

Human relationships are only for reproduction, and I don't want kids.

But with that romantic story of Noel and Iris, and that love-at-first-sight thing and how love can even make us do things like give up money, I'm interested in knowing if I could experience that.

Hmm… Ah, but… Would accepting just any girl work? I don't know… No, I don't think it would. For love to happen, there needs to be sexual attraction or something like that. I need to accept a girl who matches my personal tastes.

What kind of girls do I like?

Hmm… I think they'd be girls with strong personalities, who don't betray me and don't depend on anyone. A girl capable of getting ahead on her own. A girl who doesn't kneel before anyone.

… Girls like my mom?

Ah… That sounds sick on my part, but I think so. Did I inherit my dad's tastes? Ah, why didn't I inherit intelligence? I only inherited stupid things, like appearance and eyes, completely useless stuff. I wish I'd inherited my parents' intelligence or something like that.

"Ah… Yuki's bored, Saik. School is so boring," Yuki said, stroking my ears.

Ah, I feel like a puppy. I'm not complaining; it feels nice, like a massage.

"You could've stayed home."

Talking quietly would make me seem like a weird guy if someone hears me, so I speak very, very softly.

I don't think the guy sitting next to me can hear me.

"And miss the fun?! I promised to help you make friends, and that's what I'll do!"

Ah… Even though I didn't ask for your help.

Friends are unnecessary.

They're of no use to me.

Why would I need friends?

For now, I don't need them. They're just a waste of time.

"It's the second day of classes. We'll choose the class president," the teacher said.

Blah, blah, blah.

Ah… And here I was, so eager to learn something that'll never be useful to me in the future.

The class president, the idiot who'll tell us what to do. What a pain.

"Any volunteers?"

Saoto, the popular guy, raised his hand.

I don't judge people by their appearance, only by their actions.

He's someone intelligent; I think he'd do a good job. Yes, he might be the typical handsome guy surrounded by girls, a man who charms women with his looks and charisma, but he's intelligent and also reliable, worthy of a leader.

"I volunteer."

You have my vote, Saoto… Ah, wow…

Ram raised her hand too.

"I volunteer."

Hmm… Tough decision.

On one hand, I think Saoto would do a good job. From what little I've seen, I've noticed he's someone who really pays attention in class. He takes school seriously and isn't just a pretty face.

On the other hand, we have Ram, the brains of the group. I think she has the skills needed to manage a class.

Who will I vote for? I wonder if they'd be willing to buy my vote with food. Come on, come on, offer something; I'll vote for the one who offers the tastiest food.

"And I also propose that Saik, the top first-year student, be the president."

… I'll vote for Saoto.

I raised my hand.

"With all due respect, I decline. If you choose me, I won't do anything; I don't care about the consequences. If you choose me, it'll be like having no president."

I lowered my hand, and everyone started murmuring.

No need to listen to know they're saying bad things about me.

"Ahhhhhhhh! You always find a way to ruin your school life even more!" Yuki shouted, pulling her hair.

My classmates' looks don't matter to me.

If I cared about my reputation, I wouldn't have said that, but I don't care what others think of me.

The only thing that should matter to me is what I think of myself.

I shouldn't let others' opinions about me affect me.

It's my life, and only I have the right to judge my life. Only my opinion matters, not others'.

"Alright… I suppose we'll start with the voting."

•

•

Blah, blah, blah. Typical voting. It's not rocket science. Just write the name on a piece of paper and put it in a box.

I'll vote for Saoto, only because Ram tried to ruin my peaceful life.

Wow… Is that childish of me? I let my emotions get the better of me… Doesn't matter much; I was going to vote for Saoto anyway.

He's a good guy; I can feel it.

Even if he's the typical pretty-faced guy who's always popular with women.

"I've finished counting the votes. Saoto, you'll be the president. Ram, you'll be the vice-president."

I could see some disappointment in Ram's eyes. I admit it was satisfying.

"Don't worry, Ram. Saoto got 11 votes, and you got 9. The difference was minimal."

"Just two votes difference…"

Ram turned to look at me, but I ignored her gaze and kept drawing a cute cat in my notebook.

So cute.

"Perfect, now the handsome guy will be even more popular and steal any chance of a girl falling for you. I really don't get you, Saik!"

Don't even try, Yuki.

•

•

The first classes are over; I can finally enjoy my food. As always, I used my first break to sleep. Studying until 4 a.m. with Noel left me exhausted, but at least sleeping with so much fatigue feels amazing.

Ah, my mouth waters just imagining the smell of my food.

When I started living with Yuki, I decided to learn to cook. I've been doing pretty well lately. I'm proud of myself.

When it comes to food and video games, my memory is excellent; I perfectly remember tons of recipes, but when it comes to school stuff, my brain shuts off. Ah, brain, you're a jerk to me. We're supposed to be friends, not enemies, idiot.

I took my food out of my backpack, and Ram put her hand on my desk.

Wow, nice nails. She has pretty hands and slender fingers. Compared to my hand, hers is very small. How adorable.

"Who did you vote for?"

"Isn't the vote supposed to be secret? Already starting with corruption, vice-president? That must be a record."

"Just answer."

"Ah, wow… You're being aggressive. Let's play a game. Hide your hands behind your back and raise as many fingers as you want. If I guess the number, you leave me alone. If I lose, I'll answer your question."

"… Tch. Fine. Let's get this over with."

Wow, that was easy. I guess she knew I'd ignore her if she didn't do it, so she agreed to make me answer. If she lies, I won't answer; if she's honest, I will.

She did as I said, and Yuki looked at Ram's back. Wow, and without me even asking. I think Yuki's mind is being corrupted by me. Well, it's an innocent game; it doesn't matter. It's not like we're doing anything illegal.

"She's holding up 7 fingers, Saik!"

"The answer is… 7 fingers."

My response surprised her a bit, and she sighed, irritated.

"You're lucky I'm an honest girl… You won."

"Really? Today's my lucky day. Should I buy a lottery ticket…? Ah, I forgot I'm underage. What a waste of luck."

I grabbed my food and stood up.

You were honest, Ram, and that's something I really appreciate in people.

"I voted for Saoto, but that doesn't mean I did it for some stupid reason like hate or revenge. Maybe you think I got mad at you for nominating me for president, but I didn't care about that. I voted for Saoto because he has something you don't."

"Oh, yeah? What's that? A penis?"

"Kindness."

I quickly noticed Ram's strong and cold personality. It's not hard to guess she's a difficult girl to deal with.

The first day of classes, she was surrounded by people, but now no one approached her because of her personality. A boring personality that doesn't attract anyone; on the contrary, it just pushes people away.

Having her as president would be annoying.

"Bye. I'm going to enjoy my solitary life."

I walked away.

Now I'm going to eat.

"Saik, Saik, you need to make friends! Invite Noel's daughter to eat!"

"I wonder if the magic chest has unlocked yet."

"Saik, don't ignore me!"

I left the classroom and bumped into a girl… Well, she bumped into me because she was running.

"Kya!"

She was about to fall to the ground, but I grabbed her arm and kept her from falling. I'd rather avoid unnecessary trouble, and if she breaks a bone, she could blame me.

"Sorry, I was in a hurry."

"No worries."

I continued on my way.

I don't want to waste more time. Now I'll eat.

•

•

"Hey, Cristal, hurry up! The special sandwiches will run out!"

A girl shouted to the girl who bumped into Saik, whose name was Cristal.

"You're right! Let's go!"

She watched Saik leave and scratched her head, trying to understand Saik's fashion style, as he seemed like a very strange guy to her.

"That guy looks weird. Why doesn't he comb his hair?"