Chapter 140. A Ghost Story, Huh? I Can Tell One Too!
Under Sirin's posture of "if you dare to ask, I'll drag you down with me," Xander successfully quelled his curiosity.
By the way, when Sirin had her eyes closed just now, was she asleep?
What exactly did she dream about to make her like that, and those two words she blurted out—"husband."
Don't tell me it was that kind of dream.
If so, things are going to get pretty interesting.
It went on like that until dinner, when Sirin finally calmed down a bit.
On the way earlier, he even tried to hold Sirin's hand.
She jumped away like a startled small animal, leaving him stunned.
After a simple dinner, the walk back was still a little quiet.
"I can get home by myself."
Her hand was taken again.
Sirin's face flushed, but this time she didn't pull away.
"It's already dark.
I wouldn't feel at ease letting you go home alone."
That indisputable tone quickly made Sirin swallow her retort and behave.
She stole a glance at Xander's profile, then hurriedly looked ahead again.
This feeling… seems pretty nice.
After getting off the train, they walked to the corner near Sirin's house.
She quickly slipped her hand out of Xander's, and said softly, "You can stop here.
I—I'll head back first."
"Remember to rest well when you get home."
"Mm."
She nodded.
After taking two steps, Sirin turned back again, clenched the hem of her clothes with both hands, took a deep breath, and said, "Um, I had a great time today.
Thank you for keeping me company."
Seeing her nervously waiting for a reply, Xander chuckled and said gently, "In that case, let's go out together again when we have time."
"Mm!
It's a date!!"
Getting the answer she'd hoped for, Sirin lifted her head in surprise and nodded hard.
"Then I'll head home!"
She waved.
This time, Sirin really did go back.
Under the somewhat dim streetlight, Xander watched Sirin jog into her house.
At that moment, he happened to notice a figure standing in Sirin's yard.
That figure clearly noticed him too and was now waving at him.
Sirin hurried back.
Just as a silly smile surfaced on her face, she saw Cecilia smiling at her in the yard.
In an instant, she felt heat rush to her head.
"Mo—Mom, w-why are you here!!!"
"It's so late.
Of course I'm worried about you, little Sirin.
Aren't you going to invite your little boyfriend over to sit for a bit, Sirin~?"
Gesturing toward the figure still standing not far away, Cecilia grinned mischievously.
"W-what boyfriend?
Mom, don't say nonsense!!!!"
She rushed over and pushed her mother, shoving her back into the house with a pouty, spoiled protest.
Right before closing the door, Sirin's steps paused.
Standing on the front step, she tilted her head and saw the figure still standing there.
She couldn't suppress the smile at her lips.
Her heart felt sweet.
She gave him a small wave, then went inside.
As soon as the door shut, what greeted her was Cecilia covering her mouth and snickering nonstop.
Sirin instantly understood—if she didn't explain things clearly today, there'd be no peace at home.
...
Because he took a long detour to walk Sirin home, it was already late at night when Xander returned.
Seeing the windows on both floors pitch black, Xander took out the key and opened the door.
Have they turned in already?
Makes sense.
Those girls probably played themselves out today and went to bed early.
He closed the door, changed into slippers by the dim night light at the entryway, and, before leaving the foyer, noticed a faint glow coming from the living room.
Amber-orange, gently rippling.
What's giving off light?
He frowned, lightened his steps, took two or three strides to the corner, and poked his head toward the living room.
On the floor, a faint upright candle flame swayed, illuminating five blank, expressionless, eerie faces staring straight at him.
Thud!!
His pupils shrank sharply.
Startled into a reflexive retreat, he banged against the wall with a thud.
His shoulder happened to hit the switch for the chandelier in the living room, and bright light instantly drove out all the darkness.
"Y-you all…"
Only then did he see the living room's true scene.
Five girls in pajamas were kneeling on futons laid on the floor, forming a half circle.
In the middle stood a lit candle.
"Why did you make it so scary!"
Hand over his chest, he exhaled in relief, though his racing heartbeat wouldn't settle for a while.
"Pfft~"
Kiana was the first to crack, slapping the floor as she doubled over with laughter, emitting dull thumps.
Like a breached dam, the other four soon couldn't hold it either and burst into a pile of giggles.
Xander had no trouble understanding that they'd pranked him.
His face reddened with embarrassed annoyance, and he glared at them.
Especially at the merrily laughing Seele—just wait, there'll be a time you can't laugh.
...
Snatching Seele's cup, Xander took a sip to steady his nerves, then plopped himself down between Seele and Bronya and asked, half-irritated, "What on earth are you all doing?"
Having her drink stolen, Seele only beamed, clinging to his arm with a flattering, syrupy smile.
"We played too late today, so Kiana and Mei are staying over with us tonight."
Looking at the five futons laid in two rows, Xander nodded.
"So you're planning to sleep in the living room together?"
"Mm-hmm!"
"Sorry for the trouble."
Smiling gently, Mei sat kneeling in front of him and spoke softly.
"No, it's no trouble at all.
It's pretty great to hang out with friends like this.
But why were you acting like ghosts just now?"
He waved it off, then remembered the earlier scene and asked again.
"Hmph-hmph, that's the essential ghost-story segment of a girls' get-together!"
Hands on her hips, Kiana declared with pride.
"Nice speech, but why scare me?"
He fixed Kiana with dead-fish eyes.
She immediately ratted out the mastermind.
"Don't look at me—Bronya suggested it!"
His gaze shifted to Bronya.
She was fearless, smiling as she pointed at Kaguya.
"Kaguya proposed it to me first."
"Huh?"
Kaguya?
He'd suspected Kiana, suspected Bronya, even considered Seele, but he hadn't doubted Kaguya.
He looked to Kaguya again.
Kaguya blushed and avoided his eyes.
All right, that seals it.
You with the thick eyebrows—so you've defected too?!!
Understanding the meaning in her husband's eyes, Kaguya coughed awkwardly, turned her head aside, and stayed silent.
"Fine, fine.
I surrender."
Though he sounded helpless, he was actually pretty happy inside.
Kaguya was finally adapting and no longer suppressing her original personality on purpose.
That was a good start.
Getting pranked was no big deal if it made Seele and the others happy.
But still…
A tiny bit of payback wouldn't hurt.
Clack.
Xander had the smart AI turn off the living room lights.
Only the candle's faint glow remained.
A grin curled in the shadows.
Xander spoke slowly.
"In that case, how about I tell you a little interesting story?"
Startled by the sudden darkness, Kiana nonetheless perked up the moment she heard Xander's voice.
"Sure, sure!
If it's not scary, I'm giving it a low rating!"
Eyes wide in anticipation, she didn't notice that Seele's body trembled slightly at his voice, nor that Bronya had quietly scooted close and hugged his other arm.
"Is that so?
Then listen carefully, Kiana…"
Smiling, he began to recount, from his previous life, a story called "Silent Hills P.T."
...
"Aaaah!!!!!!"
"Stop, stop!
Don't say it—don't say another word!!!!"
Kiana and Mei shivered under their blankets.
Kaguya and Bronya clung to each other, clearly terrified out of their wits.
Amid the chorus of screams rising and falling in the living room, Xander, with a trembling Seele clinging to him, smiled and walked upstairs, hiding his name and his deeds.
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