Chapter 2: Ghost like Humans Also Get Lonely

“Ugh…”

I rubbed my eyes and woke up leaning on the side of the bed. My head stings a bit. I guess it had something to do some little accident last night. Gently massaging my temples to ease the mild discomfort, I tried to recall how I ended up here. I fell off the bed didn’t I? Well duh, Taeyeon genius, well done stating the obvious. Then what happened…? “ughhh” I can’t remember much but I must’ve passed out from exhaustion. I mean, I did carry a lot of our stuff inside the house.

That’s got to be it right?

“Grooooowwwwlll~”

Oops. Checking my bedside digital clock, I noted that it was already pass six, and with the new house being farther to school than our former one, Taeyeon you gotta get up or else you’d have no time left for a quick breakky!

And with glutton classmates of the sort, those types that track you down at the whiff of something edible. Eating home is the only thing that will get me through the class.

Class… Ugh…

I slump my head at the edge of the bed at the thought.

Sigh... Can’t I just stay at home for the day? I feel so tired, as if I didn’t get enough sleep last night… weird. Shouldn’t I have gotten enough if I passed out?

What really-

“Taeyeon!! Wake up honey! You have early lectures today right? You’re gonna be late!”

Shrugging what happened last night to just something trivial and admitting defeat that my clock will never wait for me, I quickly stood up and began arranging the bed, noticing for the first time the really girly and chic décor of the room.

“I wonder whose room this was before.” I never got to ask uncle. Maybe I will when we have our breakfast.  

Little did I know, the answer will come sprawling in the middle of our dining table, I didn’t even need to ask.

Jessica… now I remember.

“Ugh… Umn …”

“What are you doing there Taeyeon honey? Hurry up and take a seat, or else you’d be late.”

I was rooted on the spot, standing on the foot of the spiral stairway leading to the dining area. WHAT CAN I DO?! I couldn’t move my foot to take a single step forward after seeing THIS Godammit.

“Um… Omma, you guys, don’t… don’t you notice something you know… different today?”

“What are you talking about Taeyeon?”

“What are you talking about Honey?”

“What are you talking about Unnie?”

“What are you talking about Noona?”

They all responded in chorus.

So… they all can’t see her? Standing there in the middle of the dining table? Giggling and sticking out her tongue teasing me.

“When’re you coming back today midget?” She got closer and poked my cheeks, happy that she seems to be able to bug me.

Ugh…

God.

I don’t need this kind of “add-on” to my new joint.

I’d like to cancel the order please!

000000000000000000000000000

Ugh… I feel that I’ve aged a thousand years. Dragging my new balance sneakers to reach the gray lockers lining the corridor and get my music sheets for this next class, I unconsciously slumped my head on the metal storage spaces thinking why in my 20 years of existence did now happen to be the time my sixth sense got opened. And to my new Appa’s dead wife no less!

Sheez what a drama…

And I’m in the ing middle of it. Knocking my head against the lockers, as if trying to make believe everything that happened last night was unreal, a thought faintly flickered through my mind.

“At least she’s a beauty though… not like those ghouls you see on horror flicks.”

Yeah… at least- GASP! What the hell?!

TAEYEON!!! DONT-!!! JESS (GASP! Now I’m thinking of her name!!! What the hell is wrong with me?!!!), JEEZZZ why are you even thinking that?!

Washed over by the thought that I’m actually thinking how Jessic- I mean my appa’s ex-wife was a hotty, ugh I mean attracti- ugh good looki- ugh… well you know! I didn’t notice someone patting me on the back.

“Tae Tae… are you alright?” 

Huh?

Oh Fany…

“What’s up buddy did something happen?” We’re not friends buddy. I wanted to retort to that thick browed Nickhun and throw his heavy arms off my shoulder, but that would just cause complications right?

“…”

“Oh I got it!” that stupid baboon said snapping his fingers. “Things aren’t going well with your new “Appa” I’m guessing? I mean Tiff told me-”

“Yah Nickhun! …

Sorry Tae he asked why you were absent yesterday so…” my be-… best friend said apologetically, a sense of regret evident in her half-moon shaped eyes.

“Hahaha… Nah it’s okay Fany” It’s not like I can pull his brains out of his eardrums and vacuum all his memory out right? I mean if I can do that then might as well drain his love for you.

…

O-KAY

Get a grip Kim Taeyeon, your first love for your best friend has already ended ages ago. MOVE ON. Let the lovebirds be happy. I repeatedly said to myself hoping for once my heart would listen to my call.

“Tae, your eyes look like that of a panda’s. Are you really okay? Adjusting well there?” She softly touched my under eyes with her right hand cupping my cheeks, and I can only sigh enjoying the borrowed care for a while.

Stop this.

Immediately I faced the other direction and beamed at her with a fake smile. One of the many fake gestures I’ve been giving her lately. “Ah… Well… it’s just. That… Well life’s full of surprises you know?”

After grabbing my stuff, I shut the lockers off wanting to get away from this place and this awkward situation. Well at least for me.

But the two wouldn’t let me go and kept following me down the corridor.

“Haha Oh right, well don’t stress yourself out Taetae, you know how we get worried of you when you go emo like that”

WE? I heard, then speeding up my stride I tried to lose the two down.

When did you two began referring to yourselves as we? “We” was TaeTae and Fany until High School Graduation. I mentally argued with Fany. When did your personal vocabulary changed huh Fany? and why didn’t you inform me?

I scrunched up my face, despising myself for the series of thoughts.

Jealous .

“Oh right TaeTae! Didn’t you say you’ll get new dongsaengs! I lourve~ Kids!” Finally catching up, she pulled me by the wrist; but when I was already facing her again, she squealed and clutched herself over Nickhun’s arms. Tsk. “Me too babe, me too” the buffoon replied with an equally sickeningly sweet eye smile.

I hate myself.

“But isn’t that hard on you? You used to tell me you hate kids” Fany recalled….

But whatever. Why do I always have to be dragged in your happy little house with a white fence?! Breathing deeply to calm myself down, I hate it when I’m like this to my best friend and her obviously great boyfriend, but what can I do? I can’t find any fault in him. He truly is a genuinely good guy. I decided to just focus my attention elsewhere lest I turn into something I find disgusting again.

And guess what? Only one thing seems to be able to occupy my thoughts as much as my bitterness for Khunfany…

Jessica.

I scoffed at the weirdness of it all. Although I must say, I was a tiny bit, YEAH you know… just a tiny bit thankful of the female ghost saving me from drowning in this predicament.

“Tae?”

“The kids are fine Fany, in fact they’re pretty cute” Cute monkeys I mea