I searched for the name ‘Ari’ in the area the next morning at the local library’s registry book. I was given a day off by my boss for taking the extra shifts yesterday and also due the fact that my grandma called him and basically told him everything about my entire childhood. All thanks to grandma that I have time to do this research. Though I have spent hours checking, double checked, cross checked, and the result still came nil. I searched for Ari in the death registry and still I couldn’t find anyone with his name.

“Who are you Ari-kun?” I said to myself.

“You’re really looking up information about me?”

His sudden appearance proved that my heart is indeed working well because I swear I could’ve died. “Ari-kun” I said, gritting my teeth. “You gave me a fright”

“Yeah I can see that” he laughed. I blushed.

“I just wanted to know who you are—“, scratch that, “Who you were” I said. “Maybe I can help you to find peace or something”

He nodded and smiled before taking a seat opposite of me. “Thank you Yuki-chan but honestly I know why I still linger here. You just need to remember me. That is all”

“Then help me Ari-kun” I said. “For some reason I feel restless whenever you’re around. As if I’ve done something wrong…to you. I don’t get this feeling and I have to know why”

The research had to be on halt because I can't concentrate with a ghost hovering over everything I do. My grandparents are out throughout the afternoon and they won’t be home until later in the evening. They have this little gathering every end of the week at the town council centre and only the elderly goes there. They told me it’s an old people party and youngsters like me won’t find it entertaining. So right after spending my time at the town library I went home with Ari-kun keeping me company.

“Do you ghosts eat?” I asked. I was about to have some ice-cream when I noticed him sitting at the porch, staring at grandma’s garden.

“If there were offerings then yes we eat. If there weren’t any” he stopped, “We steal” He looked up to me with a sad smile.

“No one gave you any offerings?” I thought about not asking him but my curiosity was at its peak. “Sorry. Don’t answer that” I changed my mind.

He chortled. “It’s fine. I’m glad you asked”

I handed him an ice-cream bowl with chocolate ice-cream in it. “Hope you like chocolate”. It seemed like he was moved by my offering and gently he took it from me. “I thought the bowl would just go through you” I said honestly expecting a mess and he only laughed.

“Movies huh?” he asked rhetorically. I smiled and nodded. “I remember bringing an old friend a Popsicle before. I was around five at the time. My friend couldn’t eat it though” he said while spooning another spoonful of ice-cream.

“Why can’t your friend eat it?” I asked.

“Health problem… can’t eat cold food or something” he replied simply.

I nodded. Our conversations seem to be filled with me nodding to anything he said. I noticed. “Oh yeah…” I began. “Can you show me your grave? At least I can give offerings to you” I said.

He stopped eating his ice-cream. For a while he only stared at the garden. I was about to apologize again when he said something. “I wish I can show you, but I can’t” he replied with a sad smile. “When I said I steal to eat, it’s from your grandmother’s garden. I’m sorry”

I can’t say anything to that. I feel even sorrier than him. “No. Don’t apologize please. It’s the least we can do. Are there others like you?”

He shook his head. “It’s just me in this area”

“Don’t you at least want to talk about how you ended up like this?” I asked, more eager to help him. With a content smile he shook his head.

“I am glad to know that you are a caring and kind person. That is all” he said. “I love choco-su-ku-ri-mu!” he suddenly said out loud. “Thank you for the food. I’ll see you tomorrow Yuki-chan!”

I could only smile thinking about these weird moments with him and for all I know I could be crazy for enjoying these moments. It finally dawned on me that my first actual friend is a ghost.