Taeyeon gave a small smile as her colleagues bid her goodbye. 

"Go home, Kim," one of them gave her a pat on the back. "It's been a long day." 

"I will. See you tomorrow." Taeyeon smiled half-heartedly, contemplating if she should spend the night in the office instead. The clocked ticked nosily in the quiet space and Taeyeon sighed. She switched off her computer, picked up her bag and headed home. A promise made is a promise she will keep. 

Taeyeon's time was spent in her musings on her way home. Spirits who lingered are bounded to the place of their death for five years. Encircled by an invisible barrier, they ceased into nothing if they stepped out of it. She stared at a female spirit at the bus stop-  longingly looking at a laughing couple beside her; her shoulders slumped as they boarded the bus Taeyeon was on. Taeyeon wondered with a tinge of empathy- about what attachments these lonely souls had formed to remain unheard after death. 

Taeyeon was greeted by the silence when she stepped into the apartment. The lights flickered and Taeyeon embraced the serenity as she roamed the apartment. She knew the brunette must be hiding somewhere to give her the peace Taeyeon needed. Taeyeon appreciated it, finally feeling relaxed under the shower since she moved in a week ago. Taeyeon made herself comfortable on the couch, cracking a small smile at the feet that was sticking out from the bookshelf beside the television. 

"You can come out now," she called and saw the sheepish smile on her face. 

Tiffany was her name; Tiffany Stephanie Hwang. 

"Korean name?" Taeyeon asked, writing it down with some difficulty as Tiffany spelled out "Stephanie" for her. 

"Mi Young," Taeyeon witnessed a faint blush as she scribbled it down and checked the hangul writing. Tiffany nodded. Tiffany was born in the same year as Taeyeon, aged twenty one when she passed away in this apartment. Korean born in sunny California, Tiffany migrated to Seoul with her sister to begin her English Literature career in Seoul University. 

"Cause of death?" Taeyeon noticed her winced at the question. 

"Sleeping pills overdose," she whispered, uncomfortably avoiding Taeyeon's eyes. "I had a tough year and uh, I had too many pills that night."

Taeyeon merely hummed a reply and asked a few more minor questions about Tiffany. 

"Alright, I'm done asking," Taeyeon said, observing the fidgety Tiffany in front of her. "Any questions?"

"Why," Tiffany paused. "Why did you pretend that you couldn't see me?" 

Taeyeon folded her arms and leaned back to the couch. 

"Because it is a burden," Taeyeon said honestly. "Seeing spirits is a burden; a baggage that I want to live without." 

Tiffany gave her a dejected look. 

"When spirits know that I could see them, they request thing from me. To tell their family they are here, for me to stay with them forever and I became their everything." Taeyeon folded her arms and looked out of the window. 

"And when I fail to do what they want, they condemned me. This-," Taeyeon pointed at her eyes, "-is not a gift. It is a burden that my grandma left behind." There was silence as Taeyeon choose her next words and Tiffany shuffled her feet. 

"I'm thinking of moving out again." Taeyeon carefully announced and picked up her phone. "I'll ask the realtor to come down tomorrow."

"You don't have to." Tiffany replied, "I don't want to be a hindrance. I can give you space."

"I can't do anything for you. I won't."

"You don't have to, Taeyeon-ssi."

"It's unfair to you. I will have to move out eventually."

"I won't ask you to stay forever. I promise I won't stand in your way. This place..." Tiffany sighed. "My mom left this place behind. I have been protecting this house for four years."

"I love this apartment. It's the only home I have. If you move out, they will demolish it." 

Taeyeon sighed audibly. 

"Why didn't you leave when you... when you realized you were dead?" 

"I don't know," Tiffany said, leaning against the wall as she watched the rain descend. "I was lonely. I died lonely and I guess I stayed to see if anyone would miss me and realized that I'm gone. Maybe it's the nostalgia. Or maybe I am too afraid to meet my mother." 

Tiffany chuckled wistfully. "Just a year, Taeyeon-ssi. I've been around for four years and just another year before I am gone. I promise I won't stand in your way."

"Okay, but it's not for you. I plan to study abroad too," Taeyeon said after a minute of silence and headed upstairs. Tiffany stayed at the hall that night, watching the rain pelted down solemnly against the plateau. 

Taeyeon lied down in bed, heavy-hearted. Taeyeon was aware that Tiffany was different but that doesn't change the fact that she was a ghost. Taeyeon knew she was harsh; it was her way of venting her frustration by threatening Tiffany but Taeyeon yearned to make her thoughts heard.

Taeyeon wanted a distance between them and she needed to make Tiffany understand.