the roommate ；xu minghao

four

His eyes looked everywhere but mine. He seemed nervous, his expression blank and his orbs had a sad hint in them.

"So uhm.". I didn't want to ask further so I decided to change subject. "Are you really a ghost?". I asked. His face turned again in my direction.

He nodded and lifted his hand right in front of him, his palm facing me. "You really don't trust me. Check it yourself then." He said in a deep voice, looking straight at me with a cold expression, his bangs covering slightly his eyes.

I gulped. His hand was definitely there, I could see it, however the fingertips were transparent, the outline was visible but it was like looking at a glass objects. The contour was still defined but the skin was invisible. His palm had still some colour in it, slowly fading proceeding to the fingers. His skin was fair and smooth, reflecting every light around.

I looked at it in the absolute silence that formed between us before slowly lifting my own hand without thinking twice.

I moved it closer to his, our palms seemed to touch for an instant, but mine just passed through it. A sad feeling pervaded in my body, mixed with curiosity and confusion at what was happening right in front of my eyes.

I took back my hand from his cold 'glass' hand and placed it on my lap, my eyes not leaving it. "You believe me now?" He asked as he titled his head and I just nodded.

I was at a loss of words. I'd just experienced something thay you could see only in films or read in books, something I would have never believed in, something so crazy yet amazing, fascinating, an etheral parallel world coming to life.

He glanced at me before standing up and going in front of the big window, looking outside. "Well then." He took a few steps back in front the television, where old cds were scattered. He picked one up, his long fingers covering the back of it, his eyes reading the title written on it.

I snapped out of my trance, my lips parted a bit as if I had just woken up from a dream. I didn't even realized he was talking to me as his stare landed on my frozen figure. "Did you listen or where you in dreamland?" He spoke up, giggling at the end and shaking his head, the cd still in his right hand.

My face gave him the answer. "I said, as you can see I can pick up light objects but this requires a few of my... powers? Let's call them that. So don't be scared if you see something flying around.". His long metal earring brushed lightly his neck before being covered by his black hair.

"O-okay". I could only say. I was still processing the strange feeling when my hand touched his. Well, passed through.

Suddendly I heard someone running up the stairs and laughs in front of my door. I got up and looked through the peep-hole and I saw the three guys from before and one I didn't see before. "Can they see you too?" The question just slipped out of my mouth.

I saw his body stiffen a bit as his face returned serious. "No. I don't think so.". He whispered looking down.

There was definitely something going on, but I didn't want to push the subject further, so I just nodded my head before jumping on my spot as my doorbell rang. Not one time, but three times, one after another.

Without looking at Minghao, I opened the door as I saw a bright smile in front of me and other four guys behind him. "Hi Vernon, nice to see you again." I said in a quiet voice.

The jeans jacket he was wearing hugged his body perfectly as the white shirt underneath covered his well built body. "Hello, we were wondering if you wanted to hang out with us? The more the merrier~". He said and I gripped the door.

I wasn't good with strangers or new people in general. They'd might think I was a strange person living with only her books and her computer. And what would happen if I started to ask them about a ghost haunting my apartment? Or worst, if I told them I was living with an actual ghost? They might actually call me crazy.

"Uhm actually I-" I stopped to think of an excuse. "I have things to do...?". I just hoped they accepted it. "L-like unboxing since I moved in yesterday.". I added.

"Oh that's no problem we can help you." The blond guy said: Jeonghan flashed a sincere smile. "We just got back from the cafe and had nothing else to do.". I panicked.

What if they see him??

Before I could protest they walked in looking around my simple living room.

"This is nice!". Vernon exclaimed followed by his friend Joshua, his chocolate hair jumped as he jogged until he arrived beside the sofa.

"Excuse us for barging in." Jeonghan politely said as he entered with their friend, who had his hair dyed blond too and was wearing a white jacket on a blue simple shirt with dark jeans. He was tall as the other ones and his cheeks reminded me of an hamster.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Seungkwan.". He bowed lightly and I introduced myself as well.

I suddendly looked around the living for any trace of Minghao but it seemed like he vanished. I sighed silently hoping they didn't see him. Probably they didn't even knew of the existence of a ghost in the apartment next to theirs.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

After a few hours we finished to place around the things in the boxes laying around, beside the bag with my clothes that I placed in my bedroom. We actually had fun, Seungkwan made a lot of funny jokes, at which Vernon was almost dying of laughters, and they improvised dances as they sang too including me too. They are really talented too beside being very nice.

It was all so warm and comfortable, the house had now that chill vibe in which you can float for hours.

I sat on the couch beside Joshua and Jeonghan, as the other two stood in front of us.
"Thanks guys for helping me out." I told them as they started to say it was nothing.

"We could hang out some other time!". Vernon exclaimed and Seungkwan's eyes lit up as he faced him, his hands cupping in front of his chest. "And we can introduce her to the other guys!". He almost shouted, his voice full of joy.

"Guys let her get comfortable in her new place then we can think about it." Jeonghan said in a calm voice. How was he always so calm and composed? At his sentence Seungkwan pouted, crossing his arms, his cheeks puffing up.

We all laughed at him and continued to talk about our passions, our dreams and memories. They told me about their big group of friends and how they want to introduce me to them and also suggested some places we could hang out.

But little did I know Minghao was sitting in the corridor with a blank face and his arms hugging his legs, as he listened to our laughs and discussions.