As our eyes met, a spark flashed between us.
It was like an electric current running through her soul.
No, it was even harder for her—because she was just a soul.
Akemi's face flushed a deep red, which was kind of impressive considering she was supposed to be dead. Her hands trembled, her spectral form flickering slightly. Her pink eyes widened in sheer disbelief, as if she had just realized the biggest mistake of her afterlife.
Then, it happened.
"I-I LOVE YOU!" Akemi screamed, throwing both hands over her mouth as if she could take the words back.
The room went completely silent.
I felt my heart jolt. Mei's jaw dropped. Hana's hands were shaking from excitement. Aisha blinked in stunned silence.
Then—
"What nonsense!" Mei exploded, pointing at Akemi like a lawyer about to call out a fraud. "How can ghosts even fall in love? This isn't a romance movie! THIS IS REAL LIFE! Wait—no, that's not right, because she's dead—BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT!"
Hana clapped her hands together, stars in her eyes. "A ghost girlfriend?! Sensei, we have a new family member!"
Aisha sighed, rubbing her temples. "You guys are impossible." Then, she turned to me with an understanding smile. "Ito…"
I swallowed hard.
"I am in love again." I muttered, breathlessly.
"HUUUUHHHHH!?" Mei screamed like she had just witnessed the end of the world. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! SHE'S DEAD, ITO! DEAD! DO YOU HAVE A COLLECTION FETISH?! FIRST NURSE THEN TWINS, NOW A GHOST—ARE YOU TRYING TO COMPLETE A POKÉDEX OF GIRLFRIENDS?!"
"Wait, there's a dating Pokédex?" Hana blinked.
Mei clutched her head in despair.
Aisha, on the other hand, just gave me a knowing look and shrugged. "You can do whatever you want."
Mei stared at her like she had lost her mind. "Oi, why are you so calm? Why are you acting like this is the most normal thing in the world?"
Aisha only smiled.
"Ito has a big heart. That's all."
Mei fell to her knees, defeated. "No. No. This isn't fair. I demand a trial. A TRIAL!"
Meanwhile, Akemi stood frozen, her entire form flickering wildly as if she was short-circuiting.
She looked at me, her pink eyes shimmering with uncertainty, grief, and something else.
"I… I-I'm sorry…" she muttered, her hands gripping the hem of her ghostly dress. "I shouldn't have said that. I-I… I don't deserve to—"
I walked toward her before she could finish.
Everyone's eyes were on me as I carefully placed Aoi—who was still unconscious—into Aisha's arms.
Mei gulped. "Oi, OI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
I ignored her and stood directly in front of Akemi.
She trembled.
I reached out—
And my hand passed right through her.
The sting in my heart was immediate.
Mei, Hana, and Aisha flinched. They had seen me hold every single one of them before. They had felt my warmth, my touch. But now, they saw my hand go straight through Akemi's cheek like she was air.
Hana, Aisha felt a sharp sting in their hearts as they turned their gaze toward Mei, their expressions filled with a mix of frustration and disbelief. The weight of the moment settled over them, their emotions swirling between anger and sympathy.
Mei, on the other hand, avoided their piercing stares, her shoulders slumping slightly. She looked like a guilty thief caught red-handed, her lips trembling as she muttered under her breath, "I fell too, you know..." Her voice was barely audible.
A pained look crossed Akemi's face.
Tears welled up in her pink eyes.
"I… I can't even feel you."
I clenched my fists.
This wasn't fair.
I refused to let it end like this.
I looked toward the ceiling and thought desperately.
System. Prove yourself. Is there any way I can touch her?
A sudden ding echoed in my mind.
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED]
[HAND OF THE GODS]
NOTE: This ability allows the user to touch even the dead.
[WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLAIM IT?]
→ YES | NO
---
A wave of relief flooded through me.
No hesitation.
YES.
---
[CONGRATULATIONS! NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED]
---
I took a deep breath.
Then, I raised my hand and reached out again.
To my surprise—
I felt her.
Cold, like the whisper of the wind, but undeniably there.
Akemi gasped.
She stared at me, wide-eyed, as my warm palm rested against her cheek.
She broke.
Tears burst from her pink eyes as she collapsed into me.
"Ito, Ito, Ito—I'm sorry! I'm sorry I tried to hurt you! Please forgive me!" Akemi sobbed into my chest. Her whole body was trembling.
I held her close, gently stroking her hair.
Hana and Aisha smiled warmly.
Relief washed over the three of them like a warm breeze after a storm. Their tense shoulders relaxed, their hearts swelling with a mixture of awe and acceptance.
Aoi, still unconscious, lay peacefully in Aisha's arms, her expression serene, as if even in her slumber, she could feel the shift in the atmosphere.
Mei took a shaky step forward, her mouth slightly open, her mind scrambling to process what had just happened. "H-How…?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, her hands clutching her chest as if trying to steady her racing heart.
Aisha and Hana, still teary-eyed, exchanged a knowing glance before turning back to me and Akemi. A small, genuine smile formed on their lips as they spoke in unison, their voices trembling with emotion.
"Good for them…" Their eyes shimmered with unshed tears, reflecting the warmth and acceptance that now filled the once-haunted room.
I turned my gaze back to Akemi, who stood trembling before me, her ethereal form flickering slightly. Her pink eyes glistened with overwhelming emotion, her breath hitching as if she still couldn't believe I could truly touch her.
Slowly, gently, I lifted my hand and placed it under her chin, tilting her delicate face toward me.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, yet so fragile in this moment. The weight of centuries of loneliness, sorrow, and longing reflected in her tear-streaked face. My heart clenched painfully at the sight—how much suffering had she endured? How many years had she spent trapped in this darkness, longing for something, someone, to truly see her?
"You're adorable," I whispered, my voice laced with both tenderness and grief. "But you're even more beautiful when you smile."
A deep blush spread across her pale cheeks, her lips parting slightly as her breath hitched. Her hands trembled at her sides, unsure, hesitant—afraid to believe that this was real.
I didn't give her time to doubt.
Leaning forward, I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips gently against hers.
Her entire body stiffened, her pink eyes widening in pure shock. For a brief moment, she was frozen, her mind unable to comprehend what was happening.
Then, like a dam breaking, she melted into the kiss.
A choked sob escaped her as she squeezed her eyes shut, allowing herself to surrender to the warmth, the touch, the love she had long thought she would never experience again. Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes, streaming down her pale cheeks as she clung to me like a lifeline.
I kissed her deeper, trying to pour every ounce of warmth, every promise, every reassurance into it. I wanted her to feel it—to know that she wasn't alone anymore.
And then, suddenly—
A sharp pain shot through my mind, like lightning splitting through my skull.
My eyes snapped open as unfamiliar images surged into my head.
Memories.
Akemi's memories.
I saw her past unfold before me—her laughter, her tears, her moments of joy and despair. I felt the deep loneliness that had consumed her after death, the regret that had chained her soul to this place, the sorrow of watching the world move on without her.
The pain was unbearable.
I gasped against her lips, my grip on her tightening as if holding her closer would somehow lessen the weight of the emotions crashing over me.
Akemi pulled back slightly, her pink eyes glistening with both love and sorrow. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered, her fingers trembling as they brushed against my cheek. "I didn't mean for you to see that…"
I stared at her, my own eyes burning with unshed tears. How could she apologize for something like that? After all she had suffered, after all she had lost…
Without a word, I closed the distance again, kissing her even harder, pouring my emotions into the connection. I wanted to erase every trace of sorrow in her heart, to replace every painful memory with warmth and love.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she kissed me back desperately, as if afraid that if she let go, this moment would vanish like a dream.
And then, behind us—
A soft gasp.
Aoi had awakened.
Her blue eyes were filled with silent tears, her lips quivering as she took in the sight before her. But unlike before, there was no jealousy, no sadness—only relief.
"I… I saw everything," she whispered, her voice shaking.
Akemi turned to her, eyes widening in surprise.
"When you possessed me… I saw your memories," Aoi continued, sitting up weakly. Her gaze softened, her heart aching for the girl who had suffered alone for so long. "I understand now…"
Tears welled up in Aoi's eyes as she turned to Aisha, Mei, and Hana, her voice thick with emotion. "She… she was just like me."
She told her story to them.
Aisha bit her lip, trying to hold back her own tears. Mei rubbed her eyes furiously, muttering something about how it was "just dust in the air," while Hana sniffled, nodding along.
Aoi took a deep breath before turning back to Akemi, a warm, genuine smile spreading across her face. "You don't have to be alone anymore."
Akemi's lips parted slightly, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Then—
Before Akemi could even react, Aisha, Mei, and Hana rushed forward, their arms outstretched, ready to embrace her.
But the moment they reached her—
They passed right through.
Their bodies moved straight through Akemi's ghostly form, unable to touch her. Instead, they ended up hugging me, their warmth pressing against me as they clung to me tightly.
Akemi gasped softly, her pink eyes widening as she stared at them, at us.
Even though they couldn't hold her… even though she still remained intangible to them…
Their embrace was meant for her.
Their voices trembled with emotion as they spoke in unison.
"Akemi, welcome to the family."
She froze.
Her lips parted, but no words came out. The weight of those words—words she had never expected to hear—hit her like a tidal wave, crashing into her heart with an overwhelming force.
She was still a ghost.
She was still untouchable to them.
And yet…
She was not alone.
Slowly, she looked down at herself—at the arms wrapped around her.
My arms.
Unlike the others, I could touch her. I was the only one who could hold her. And at that moment, I did exactly that—I held her close, keeping her against my chest, where she belonged.
Akemi trembled in my embrace, her breath hitching as the realization sank in. She was already in the arms of the person she loved. The warmth she had longed for, the love she had thought was forever out of reach… was right here.
Her fingers curled against my chest, gripping onto me as if afraid I would disappear.
"T-Thank you…" she choked out, her voice barely a whisper. Then, as if something inside her finally broke free, a sob tore from her throat. "Thank you… so much…"
Tears streamed down her cheeks, her body trembling in my arms.
Aisha, Mei, and Hana squeezed me tighter, their warmth surrounding both of us, making sure she felt it.
And for the first time since her death…
Akemi truly felt alive.
---
AUTHOR: *Sobbing* Sometimes, I out done myself.
Akemi: You wanna die?
AUTHOR: No, I am out of her.
---
END OF CHAPTER : 32 : I AM IN LOVE WITH A GHOST!
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