All bolded words mean that a ghost is speaking.

- ¦ -

Luhan looked up from his math textbook when his phone buzzed. Checking the caller ID, he saw it was his mom. Seeing as she called everyday only to ask how his day went, he ignored the incoming call and returned his attention to his textbook. He was trying to cram for the big exam tomorrow afternoon since math was his worst subject. The buzzing stopped for a few seconds before starting up again.

His dorm mate and childhood friend, Kris, sat in a rolling chair across the room, tossing a basketball plushie into a small hoop hanging on the bathroom door. Kris glanced between Luhan and the phone vibrating with incessant phonecalls.

"Dude, aren't you going to get that?"

Luhan simply shook his head, concentrating on the words in the book. The phone vibrated on the table beside him. "It's obviously important," Kris stated convincingly, but Luhan didn't react. 

The buzzing of the phone was slowly driving both of them crazy. "Look, if you don't answer it, I will." Kris said.  When Luhan didn't move, Kris stood up and grabbed the phone. Hitting the green button, he lifted the phone to his ear. "Hey, Mrs. Lu-" he started, but the only sound coming from the other side of the phone were sorrowful, heart-wrenching sobs. "Mrs. Lu, what's wrong? What's happened?" Kris asked urgently, slapping Luhan on the shoulder rapidly to get his attention.

Luhan glanced up, annoyed by Kris' actions. "What?" he asked exasperatedly. Kris silently held the phone to Luhan's ear and crouched down beside him to listen in. Luhan exchanged a worried glance with Kris when he heard the cries from the other line. "Mom?"

"Luhan," His mother weeped, unable to continue. Luhan could hear another crying voice on the phone, one that sounded like that of his grandmother.

"Son," Mr. Lu choked out into the receiver. "It's Hui, he had an accident. You need to come here."

The phone call ended after that since no one on the other side could form a cohorent sentence. Luhan didn't know what was going on, but he was terrified just the same. He immediately booked a plane ticket for South Korea while Kris packed his bag for him. Though he needed to rest for the next day, Luhan couldn't make himself fall asleep. He'd tried to call his family back an ask them about Hui, but no one answered. He was a ball of nerves on the plane, jittery and anxious.

As soon as the plane landed, Luhan ran out of the terminal and flagged down a taxi. Finally, the cab arrived at the house. Luhan threw the money into the front seat and climbed out with his bag, racing to the front door. The door swung open after his violent knocking and his mother jumped into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. His father stood behind her, his arm wrapped around his own mother. All three were shedding tears.

"What happened to Hui?" He asked, eyes wide with worry.

His mother released him, falling to her knees, her body wracked with shudders. His father hugged him next, squeezing his eldest son's shoulders. "He's gone, son."

Luhan dropped to the ground beside his mother, unable to breath. "How?" was all he managed to ask as tears made their way down his cheeks. His father crouched beside him, grasping his shoulder for support.

"I was doing yard work outback, Hui was wondering around in the woods. You know how much he loves to explore. I heard him talking to someone, but when I turned around to check on him, he was gone. I ran through the trees, calling his name, but he never answered. I walked a little farther and found a small lake." Luhan waited for his father to finish the story, even though he already knew the horrible ending. "He was just laying there in the water. I ran over and pulled him out, but it was too late. I tried CPR, I tried everything, but nothing worked. I carried him inside and found your grandmother. She called an ambulance, but they couldn't do anything." His father broke into a new set of sobs, the others quickly joining him.

Luhan, unable to accept the fact that he'd never see his little brother again, ran off into the night. He didn't know where he was going, he only knew where he didn't want to be. When it started raining, Luhan ducked into a small, smoky pub. Taking a seat at the bar, he stared blankly at the counter, reliving every moment he'd ever had with Hui. The bartender glanced up from wiping glasses to eye the sullen boy sitting in front of him.

"I can't serve you anything, you're underage." The bartender stated jokingly.

Luhan didn't look up when he replied. "You don't have anything I want here." All he wanted was his brother back. The bartender, noticing his old friend's sallow mood, decided to talk to him.

"Luhan," he called, causing said boy to glance up. "Do you seriously not know who I am?" The boy was quiet for a very long time before finally answering.

"Kim Minseok." He stated, recognizing his old friend. When Luhan was little, his parents sent him here every summer to stay with his grandmother. Minseok's family had lived across the street. The two had easily become friends, but when high school started, they lost touch.

"Well, Luhan, what seems to be troubling you?"

"I just found out that my little brother died in an accident. I hadn't even seen him in weeks." Luhan confessed. Minseok slid him a cool glass of water.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said sincerely. Luhan's face scrunched up.

"It just doesn't make sense, though. He was deathly afraid of water, there's no way he went into that lake by himself. I mean, I get it, he's a little kid, it's a new place, he's bound to get curious and explore. But I know him, and I know he would never go near a lake." Luhan thought aloud. Minseok stopped wiping, the glass nearly slipping out of his hand.

"A lake?" he asked. Luhan nodded, glancing up at the guy's strange tone. "And you just moved here?" Luhan nodded again. Shaking his head in disbelief, Minseok stared at Luhan with wide eyes. "We're a small town, with very few empty houses and even fewer lakes. Did no one warn you about that house?"

"What do you mean?" Luhan asked in confusion. Minseok took back the glass of water and replaced it with a shot.

"Before I tell you, you're gonna need a few of these."

- ¦ -

"What's wrong with you?! He was just a child!" Jaera screamed at the dark figure before her.

Kai simply wrapped his arms around her waist. She struggled fiercily, but froze when he leaned his forehead against hers. Their noses brushed as he stared into her eyes and whispered to her. "It was the only way to get them to leave, so that we can be alone again. Don't you want that, Jaera? To be alone, just you and me, forever together?"

"You can't do anything else to me, and yet, I find myself absolutely terrified whenever you simply glance in my direction." Kai glared at her, his gaze hardening with each word.

"I didn't think I could think any lower of you, but you’ve managed to outdo yourself.” Jaera vanished, leaving Kai alone in the upstairs hallway.

- ¦ -

"You really expect me to believe that ghost crap?" Luhan asked Minseok, sipping on his forth glass of alcohol.

Minseok nodded seriously. "It's true. I've seen him." He insisted when Luhan raised a disbelieving brow.

"Alright, so in middle school, some friends and I lost a bet against these kids and the losing punishment was to spend a night inside that house. We tried so hard to get out of the bet, but they wouldn't let us. Everything was fine at first, and then strange things started happening; weird thumping sounds and a man’s voice. When I went upstairs to use the bathroom, I saw him. He had these glowing red eyes, and he just looked at me and laughed before disappearing. Then the other guys downstairs started screaming and we ran out of the house. When I asked them what happened, they said the ghost tried to possess them. It was, and still is, the scariest night of my life."

Luhan shook his head in denial. "I don't believe you." Minseok nodded, snatching Luhan's glass away from him and cleaning it out.

"Bar's closed," He joked, earning a scowl from Luhan. "But seriously, ask anyone and they'll tell you the same thing. Heck, ask your family. They actually lived in the house."

Luhan exited the pub after exchanging numbers