The fluorescent lights above the counter hummed with an unsettling buzz as Haru rang up the last customer of the evening. His pulse throbbed in his temples, and the air in the small convenience store felt heavy, as if each breath he took was inhaling something darker than the night outside.
A middle-aged woman placed her items on the counter—a carton of milk, a loaf of bread, a single flower in a vase. Haru tried to steady his trembling hands as he scanned the barcodes. Each beep echoed unnaturally loud to his ears.
She offered him a kind smile. "Long day, huh?"
Haru's throat tightened. He blinked, forcing himself to look up. Her face seemed almost too bright under the harsh light, her smile both warm and… sorrowful. He swallowed. "Just a bit tired."
As he tallied her total, Haru felt a cold whisper brush against his ear—soft, urgent. He froze. The woman's eyes flicked toward him curiously.
"Are you okay?" she asked, laying a gentle hand on his arm.
He yanked his gaze away from her fingertips and nodded, but the knot in his chest only tightened. "I'm fine. Goodnight, miss."
She paid, her coins clinking on the metal tray. "Thank you for your help. Take care of yourself." Her voice was distant, almost as if carried on the wind.
As soon as the door shut, the unease swelled within Haru, the hairs on his neck standing on end. He slowly lifted his gaze, and there it was again. A shadow, a formless thing that clung to the woman's back as she exited. It hovered there, whispering something Haru couldn't understand. His eyes widened, heart pounding as he quickly wiped his hands on his apron and closed the register. The shop was empty now, the unsettling presence lingering just beneath his awareness.
After locking the door and turning the "Closed" sign around, Haru pulled out his phone. His fingers hesitated, trembling just slightly as he unlocked the screen. He was half-expecting the message. It had been a long day, and the weight of his strange encounters only seemed to grow heavier.
A message from Maria flashed on the screen: "Hey, can you come tonight? I found someone who knows about those stuffs." Haru stared at the words, the deep breath he had been holding escaping in a rush. "Those stuffs" was what Maria always referred to when it came to the ghosts, the dark things Haru saw but no one else did. He swallowed hard and typed back: "I'll be there."
---
The night air was crisp as Haru made his way to Maria's apartment. His thoughts were a whirlwind, and every corner of the dark streets seemed to hide something ominous. When he reached her building, Maria was waiting for him at the entrance, her face lit by the soft glow of the hallway lights.
"Hey," she greeted, her voice comforting but strained. "Kenji's waiting for us. He knows about... you know."
Haru nodded silently, following her up the stairs. Maria opened the door to her apartment, and there he was—Kenji. He sat at the center of the room, his expression unreadable, his dark hair falling just slightly over his forehead. Despite his calm demeanor, something about him felt... off. He was older, his eyes tired as if he had seen things Haru couldn't imagine.
Kenji looked at Haru, his eyes softening with something like sympathy. "You seem young to go through this," he said, his voice calm but tinged with an unspoken understanding. He stood and began to arrange various items on the floor—candles, incense, a board that looked old and worn.
"Sit down," Kenji instructed, his voice firm. "We'll start soon."
Maria and Haru both took their seats, the air thick with anticipation. Haru felt his heart race. His palms grew clammy as he glanced around the room, the shadows seeming to stretch just a little too long.
Kenji placed a small object in his hands—a board, like something you'd see in a horror movie. It was an Ouija board. Haru stared at it, confused. "What's that?" he asked quietly.
"This," Kenji said, "is an Ouija board. It's used to call spirits."
Haru's eyes widened. "Wait—why are we calling spirits?"
Maria reached over, her hand resting gently on his. "It's alright, Haru. Kenji knows what he's doing. We just need answers."
Kenji raised a hand to silence them both. "You need to ask three questions. First, 'Are you here?' Then, 'What is your wish?' And lastly, 'Go back.'"
Haru swallowed hard, his throat tight with fear. "What do you mean by... 'What is your wish'?"
Kenji's gaze darkened slightly. "You need to say, 'I don't want to see ghosts anymore. Please make them go away.' Then, the last part is simply, 'Go back.' You cannot make any mistakes, or things will go wrong."
The room grew silent as Kenji closed the door and windows, the faint flickering of candles casting long shadows. Haru's heart hammered in his chest as he watched Kenji prepare. The atmosphere in the room grew heavier, thick with an unnatural presence.
The three candles were placed beside the board. Kenji instructed them all to stay still, the room now cloaked in complete darkness save for the faint light from the candles.
"Begin," Kenji said.
Haru could barely catch his breath as he leaned forward, his hand trembling as he reached out toward the board. With a deep breath, he asked the first question. "Are you here?"
The first candle flickered, lighting up on its own. Haru's eyes widened in fear. He turned to look at Maria, who gripped his hand tighter. The room was unnervingly silent. Outside, the screech of stray cats echoed in the distance, and a swarm of crows suddenly perched on the windowsill, watching with eerie stillness.
The answer appeared on the board: Yes.
Haru's voice trembled as he asked the second question. "I don't want to see ghosts anymore. Please make them go away."
The second candle lit, its flame dancing in the stillness. Haru could feel the tension in the air, the weight of the spirits pressing in on them. His heart pounded, sweat beading on his forehead. Maria's grip on his hand tightened as Kenji watched, guiding them.
The final question came, and Haru took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Go back."
But what came out instead was not what he had intended.
"I want to see you."
The room froze. The candles flickered out, leaving the room in complete darkness. Haru's breath caught in his throat, and the weight of his mistake hit him like a brick wall. The air grew thick with an oppressive presence, and before he could speak, Maria rushed to turn the lights on, her hands trembling as she fumbled for the switch.
Kenji's eyes were sharp now, his voice cold and urgent. "Why did you say that?!"
Tears filled Haru's eyes, his chest tightening as he tried to explain, but the words wouldn't come. He was too terrified, too confused. "I... I didn't mean to... I just... I don't know."
Kenji sighed, standing up and gesturing toward the door. "Get him home. If anything happens, call me immediately."
Haru nodded weakly, his heart racing as he stood. "It's fine... I don't want to make more trouble. I'll go by myself."
He left the apartment quickly, but the weight of the night clung to him. It was late, the streets empty, the city dim under the starless sky. But as he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was not okay.
He glanced around nervously, his breath quickening. No whispers. No ghosts. For the first time in a long while, Haru felt relief. But that didn't stop him from walking faster, looking over his shoulder every few steps.
He rushed towards his apartment, unware of the dark shadow- that shape nothing like a human's looming behind him, following his every steps.