Dongwoo has been sticking around ever since the day Haneul met him. Usually he visits his family during the day and comes back at evening. Today he is extra hyper and bouncing around elatedly. Haneul tries not to care too much.

“Wow, it’s been 7 days!” he says excitedly. “Do you think I’ll return here too? Right here in your room?” Dongwoo narrows his eyes and scrutinises every nook and cranny in Haneul's room.

“Are you already back from your home?” Haneul asks.

“There was this giant moth back in my room in the morning.” Dongwoo says. “I think it was me with my attachments to this world. Maybe I still have regrets or something like a dying wish.”

Sometimes, Haneul still finds it perplexed how Dongwoo even made it to college in the first place and she thinks she’s really just handling a 7-year-old kid who sees this world with immense wonder. “You’re right here, Dongwoo.” At times, her sunbae can be so frustratingly dim that she wants to strangle herself and drop dead but sometimes, she wants to ask how he still manages to see everything through rose-tinted glasses and the latter is what she likes about him. “How are your parents coping?”

“They’re good,” he says and jumps on the bed only to sink to the bottom of the room floor. “Ouch, this still hurts me.” He slinks away to Haneul’s side. “My sisters are around.” She nods and continues to furiously type away. “Are you doing your dissertation?”

“Nah, it’s just an assignment.”

“Do not stand at my grave and weep.” Dongwoo reads off her screen. “I like this.”

“It’s a poem by Mary Elizabeth Frye.” Haneul explains. “It’s by far my favourite.”

“Wow,” Dongwoo takes a dramatic sharp intake of breath. “I never knew you’re so deep.”

“There are many things you don’t know about me, Jang Dongwoo.”

“Are you dropping formalities now?” Dongwoo asks. “I’m still your oppa and your sunbae!” Haneul turns her attention back to her Macbook. “You’re no fun, Haneulie. It’s called summer break for a reason.”

30 minutes for 153 words. She absolutely hates Math but at times like this, it comes in handy and she does her calculations. Maybe she’ll be able to complete the 5-page assignment by tomorrow at this rate that she’s progressing. Her parents are working late again tonight and she’s been contemplating whether she should just eat the cup noodles or get her dinner outside. But Dongwoo’s right anyway and she probably needs a breather. Haneul grabs her pullover and slips it on. Dongwoo immediately perks up like a puppy.

“Kim Haneul is finally leaving her house!” Dongwoo shouts. “This calls for a celebration.” Haneul could only inwardly roll her eyes. “Spray that thing again. The New Zealand air.”

“That’s an air freshener,” Haneul replies. “It’s not perfume or cologne.”

“Spray it anyway.” Haneul obliges because she tells herself that this is a humble request from a senior. Dongwoo wades through the air and takes in the New Zealand Springs freshener. “Do I smell good now?”

“Ghosts don’t have scent.” Haneul resists the urge to laugh at his dumb antics. “I’ll show you around so you can go out by yourself next time.”

“I’m not a 3-year-old,” he grumps. “I can find my way around perfectly.”

“Good because I don’t want to babysit.” Haneul leaves her room and pokes her head through her younger brother’s door. “Yah I’m heading out to get dinner. Do you want anything?”

“Whatever is fine. Now move your fat legs, woman!”

Dongwoo still laughs at Hajun’s reply every time because this pair of siblings is unlike his family and he finds that highly amusing. Haneul rolls her eyes for the umpteenth time today. “You better catch up if not I’ll be leaving you behind!” She states.

“How unfeeling.” There’s a wide grin on Dongwoo’s face. “I wonder who can handle you.”

“No one’s asking you.”

The walk to the whole stretch of food stalls with a wonderful array is only 10 minutes away but Haneul ends up buying junk anyway. She’s already digging into her fries while heading back, wasting no time. “That’s a really fast trip.” Dongwoo comments, secretly hoping that Haneulie would get his subtle hint that he wants to be outside longer. After all, girls are best at giving indirect requests; he’s been living too long with his sisters to somewhat understand girls’ logic. Maybe it’s his extraordinary sense as a ghost, Dongwoo picks up the sign of his lifeline, coming in 3, 2, 1.

“Haneul!” Woohyun decreases the distance easily with his strides. “It’s really you. I thought you’re gonna be in full-on hibernation mode.”

“Yea, that was my plan.” Haneul stops for an idle chat. “But I have to eat.” She continues stuffing her face with the fries. “Do you want one?” Haneul opens the plastic bag and allows Woohyun to reach in. “Take from the one on the right.”

Woohyun chuckles. “Why? Is that your poor brother’s?”

“Nah, it’s mine.” Woohyun’s eyes round for a brief moment which Dongwoo takes with a new interest.

“Are you joining us for lunch next week?” Woohyun asks.

“I’ll let you guys know in the group chat later.”

“Yena and Mijin are gonna be there too.” He adds.

“Right, I’ll confirm by tomorrow.” Haneul knows she’s already going to say yes because her 2 closer friends will be there. “I’ll go first before Hajun rages.” Haneul passes Woohyun a few more potato sticks before she turns to leave.

“What, Haneulie?” Dongwoo pouts. “That’s it? Bye bye?” Dongwoo lingers for a while, studying the expression on Woohyun’s face. “Hey, where does Woohyun stay anyway?”

Haneul shrugs. “I don’t know. About 3 stations away from here? He sometimes pops by around the nearby mall here.” Dongwoo smiles as he starts working his brain that’s been on vacation for too long. He has greater stuff to do from now on because Dongwoo is not your average ghost and he has an important mission to complete.

“Why are you grinning to yourself?” Haneul asks, disturbed by Dongwoo’s sinister smile spreading across his face. “It’s creepy.”

“Did I finally manage to scare the almighty Kim Haneul?” Dongwoo cackles menacingly but remains distracted throughout the journey home.

“I’m back.” Haneul calls, dropping the food on the kitchen table.

“Thanks, woman.” Hajun shouts from his room. “Love you!” Haneul resists the urge to gag and returns to her room with her food, fully utilising her multitask functionality.

Haneul opens the group chat with her high school classmates and types in her reply.

Let me know the location and time again thanks ^^

Woohyun’s reply is almost instantaneous. Say please woohyun oppa ;)

Meanwhile, Dongwoo finally looks up with new determined eyes after his head has been down for a significant extended period of time. He decides to call this Operation Sky Tree. Now who says a ghost can’t play cupid? In fact, Dongwoo thinks he would actually make a pretty cute cherub.