ISTTIMI

CHAPTER 53.2: NIGHT VIEW

For the next days, Hae In began finding Ae Ra around the resort after eating breakfast, and he'd always see her watching the sea from the shore. When he sits down beside her, they'd always have a topic to talk about.

Until Hae In felt like he's falling for her.

On his 5th day, Hae In couldn't find Ae Ra anywhere. So he went to that one place that he hasn't checked out yet - the forest. Despite getting the creeps, Hae In distracted himself by taking photos of the tall trees and flowers around him.

A few minutes of walking further, Hae In caught a figure from his camera lens.

Hae In almost stumbled down, thinking that he saw a ghost.

But this figure was familiar to him.

It was a woman crouched down, her back facing him. She has long dark hair, a cardigan and a dress, much like someone who Hae In just met.

"Ae Ra?" Hae In called, and the girl squatting on the ground stood up. As she did that, Hae In's hands began shaking. "Why do you have a framed photo leaning against that tombstone?"

Ae Ra quickly turned around, a look of horror on her face. "Hae In... why are you here?"

"Is that you?!" Hae In asked her. "Are you-"

"I'm..." Ae Ra trailed, "I'm- I can't leave this place."

Even though Ae Ra didn't answer him directly, Hae In clearly understood what she meant.

Ae Ra is dead. "You're... not real."

"I'm sorry." She stepped forward reluctantly.

Hae In chuckled nervously. "Am I dreaming? Did I kill myself already?"

"Kill yourself?" Ae Ra finally approahced him, her hand reaching out to Hae In. "Are you still planning to do that?!"

"The day after tomorrow." Hae In answered absent-mindedly.

"Well, stop that stupid plan of yours already." Ae Ra demanded, then her eyes softened. "Don't kill yourself, Hae In."

"What?" he scoffed. "I'm not taking orders from a dead person." He laughed dryly. "This is ridiculous. I'm talking to a ghost. I even almost fell for a ghost."

Hae In stormed off that forest and went back to his room, panicking. "I interacted with a ghost. A ghost." He lifted his arms and saw his hairs standing on its ends. Then he shivered.

"Jungkook, just let it go." Jennie cut JK off as he explained to us what would happen after the revelation. "Including Jimin and I as extras won't make your film bad. We're good actors too. Hello?"

"I can still find someone who can help me make a fake website." Jungkook insisted. "I still have 2 weeks to go before the deadline."

Jimin groaned. "Come on, we want to be a part of your first film too."

"And you want incentives too." Jungkook rolled his eyes.

"You got it!" Jennie winked at him. "But we also really want to help you, Kookie. Come on, make us an extra."

"You won't regret it!" Jimin tried assuring him.

"Alright." Jungkook hissed. "So here's what you'll do then."

That night, he had trouble sleeping. But he still managed to sleep before the sun rose up, with no Ae Ra visiting him.

He avoided Ae Ra during the next few days. She would still see her ghost roaming around the resort but he always kept a distance from her, keeping himself hidden from her view. Not being with her made him notice that Ae Ra really is a ghost. No one, despite her head-turning beauty, was paying attention to her walking, running, or peering at them. It was then that he realized that he'd always find himself tailing her quietly just to hear her humming or watch the sunset on the shore.