I woke up not to the sound of my alarm, but because of something else.
The cold sensation by my side was gone.
I lay there for a few seconds, eyes half open, trying to understand what felt different.
The room looked normal.
No strange patches of color.
No dark shapes blending into the walls.
Just my ceiling, slightly cracked near the corner, and the soft morning light slipping in through the window.
I blinked and let out a slow breath.
"Did they go outside already?" I murmured.
Before I could think about it anymore, my stomach made a loud sound.
Grumble.
"Ah—!"
I winced and pressed a hand against my stomach.
Okay.
"Let's forget about them for now."
This was more important for now.
The ghosts could wait.
My stomach was clearly not in the mood to wait.
I reached for my glasses and put them on, the world snapping into focus the way it always does.
I threw the blanket aside and tried to get up quickly so I could run to the bathroom.
That's when it happened.
"Pffffttt—!"
The sound echoed a little in the quiet room.
It was loud.
Way too loud.
I froze mid-step.
Did… did that really just come out of me?
"Oh my God," I muttered.
"No way."
My face instantly felt hot.
So embarrassing—
"Poot."
"…Huh?"
That one wasn't me.
I slowly turned back.
My room was no longer empty.
A lot of ghosts had appeared.
There was a small child spirit standing near my desk, his feet not quite touching the floor.
A girl with long hair completely covering her face stood near the window, her head tilted slightly.
And there, right near my bed, was the white-teeth ghost with the creepy glowing eyes.
So, it was a he.
"Good guess, myself," I whispered.
I looked around more carefully.
My vase was lying on the floor, broken into pieces.
"Oh," I said quietly.
So that sound must've been the vase.
It probably fell because of the wind when they suddenly appeared.
…Wait.
I frowned.
"Suddenly appeared?"
I stared at the ghosts again.
Did they really just appear out of nowhere?
I looked down at myself.
"…Did my fart summoned the ghosts?"
The room stayed silent.
I pressed my lips together, trying not to laugh.
"Do I have fart magical powers or something?" I said under my breath.
I felt something surging inside me.
"How did I not know this for the past sixteen years of my life?"
The idea was so stupid but you never know.
I could see ghost which was already ridiculous.
For all I know my fart could be something more than just a fart.
I almost wanted to test it again.
Almost.
I was still processing everything, half surprised and half amused, when I felt something tug at my sleeve.
I looked down.
The child spirit was standing right next to me now.
He was pointing toward something behind me.
"What?" I asked gently. "What are you pointing at?"
I followed his gaze and saw the cupboard.
"…The cupboard?" I repeated.
"What about it?"
The child didn't answer.
He just kept pointing.
I turned to the girl ghost, hoping I'll get some clue.
She had both her hands covering her mouth.
"…Huh?"
Then I noticed it.
Her shoulders were shaking slightly.
Was she… laughing?
Laughnig?
At me?
I turned slowly toward the white-teeth ghost.
He let out something that looked very much like a sigh.
That was when something clicked me.
I looked at them.
"No way," I groaned, covering my face with my hands.
My ears were burning.
My face felt like it was on fire.
"Please tell me you weren't in the room the whole morning," I said.
I looked at the child spirit.
He nodded.
My soul left my body for a second.
"…So that means," I said carefully, "you heard everything."
The child nodded again.
I felt weak.
"So, my fart— my noise— startled you? And that's why you all come out?"
I asked hoping they'll deny it.
But no way they'll be so sweet.
Right.
The girl ghost covered her ears, then her nose.
"It wasn't that loud," I tried to argue.
"Its natural. It happens to every living organism."
I proudly clamed.
Now way I am losing this.
It's about my dignity.
The white-teeth ghost shook his head slowly, then went back under the bed again like he doesn't care how I felt.
"Stop," I said. "Just stop."
I wanted to disappear.
I stood there silently, mentally beating myself up, when I noticed the child spirit walking back toward the cupboard.
He climbed inside it like it was the most normal thing in the world.
The girl ghost gave me one last strange look before sliding behind the curtain.
Within seconds, it felt like no one was there.
But I knew better.
They were hiding.
No, they were resting.
Resting.
It would have been better if they had at least made some noise.
Anything.
But they couldn't.
They were dead.
But if they're dead, then why can they hear things so clearly?
Almost too clearly.
I shook my head.
"This is too much," I muttered.
Before I could think about it any longer, my stomach gurgled again.
Loudly.
"Oh right," I said. "That."
All the chaos had made me forget the most important thing.
I rushed to the bathroom and barely made it in time.
After a few very quiet and very humbling minutes, I finally felt relieved.
I leaned my head back against the wall and let out a deep sigh.
"Someone please erase my memory," I shouted loudly.
No response.
Thankfully.
Even after washing my hands, I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened.
My brain kept replaying it again and again, like it was determined to torture me.
Just then, my second alarm rang.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Oh shit," I said.
I rushed back into my room and checked the time.
I was late.
Really late.
"Great," I muttered. "Just great.