ULAS 96

Chapter 96

They say that when a person is too flustered, they lose the ability to speak—and right now, that was exactly my situation.

‘A wanted notice…? Is this the Radio Ghost’s doing?’

Honestly, aside from the Radio Ghost, there wasn’t any other ghost I could really suspect. I glared unhappily at the bracelet jingling on my wrist.

‘Couldn’t it figure out my location with the bracelet?’

I was caught off guard because things weren’t going according to Milly’s predictions.

Part of me was happy to see a glimmer of hope that I might escape the Radio Ghost’s stalking—but if that damn wanted notice existed, wouldn’t other ghosts just keep coming after me?

I let out a long, heavy sigh.

[Sis?]

Red’s voice caught me off guard. He blinked at me, looking confused by my reaction.

[Why the long face? Are you that excited?]

You… Have you no concept of fear, like realizing you’re a ghost and might be hunted by others now…?

‘Excited? Look at me—I’m pale as a sheet!’

Looking at my reflection on my phone screen, I was pale enough that even another ghost might believe I was one of them.

I sighed again and shook my head.

“Ugh… Can you, um… maybe remove that wanted notice you mentioned?”

[No!]

“Why not? Is it because the ghost who put it up is stronger than you?”

[No, it’s just that… it was posted in an alley I often go to.]
[It’s taller than me!]

No, seriously.

You can pass through buildings and cars no problem, but suddenly it’s weirdly realistic in that direction?

“Then you could ask another ghost for help, right?”

Dan Seohyuk seemed to think similarly, inserting himself in the conversation with a hint of disbelief.

Red hesitated, then spoke.

[Well… yes, but… eh, I didn’t want to tell you this…]

Tell me what?

[The moment I try to remove the wanted notice, I’m considered the enemy of that ghost.]
[I’m sorry, Sis, but I don’t want to be destroyed before I find Mom.]

That was something he should’ve said first.

I was dumbfounded for a moment, then decided to preserve the little guy’s pride and asked the rest.

“…Is it a ghost strong enough to destroy you?”

[I think so! There was a really scary aura all around the wanted notice!]

“Do you know who put it up?”

[No… I really don’t.]

His pale face was full of apologetic expressions.

Maybe I could ask Milly or the Quick Service Ghost to remove it later. I glanced at Milly.

[……]

He just stared at me without saying anything.

‘Did Milly not know about this?’

Milly, true to his appearance, had no social connections at all. He probably had no acquaintances in the ghost world.

I looked at Milly with pity, but then our eyes met.

Feeling guilty for no reason, I quickly looked away and considered another possibility.

If it were Milly… maybe he knew, but since it wasn’t an immediate threat to me, he just let it be. Judging by his past actions, that was a plausible guess.

I nodded at Red to show I understood. Dan Seohyuk looked at me with disapproval.

“Do you trust what he’s saying? Maybe he’s pretending not to know.”

“But… Milly’s just staying quiet, and it doesn’t feel like he’s lying. Besides, I have no way to confirm, so what’s the point in arguing?”

Red nodded vigorously as if agreeing.

“He said he’d help you, so you should help him too.”

Red flinched at the sharp tone, but Dan Seohyuk ignored him and continued firmly.

“But when has he ever actually helped you? Even if macho, you still had to find and bring him yourself, and now he’s fussing because a wanted notice went up and bothering you.”

“That’s….”

“And yet you still want to talk to that ghost?”

Before I could answer, Dan Seohyuk grabbed my wrist.

“Let’s go. This is a waste of time.”

And then he started walking briskly!

I followed him, glancing back. Deep in the alley, Milly and Red stood frozen. Red was nervously glancing at Milly.

[Sis!]
[Please find our Mom!]
[We’re begging you!]

“Ignore them.”

[I miss Mom.]
[If you want, I can figure out who put it up.]
[Please, okay?]
[If not you, there’s no one to help me.]
[I miss Mom!]

“Don’t pity them.”

Dan Seohyuk added, “They’re just ghosts, after all.”

Hearing them both at once was dizzying.

‘Realistically, Seohyuk’s right.’

Even in the form of children, they were still ghosts. I couldn’t just extend a hand out of pointless sympathy.

But the reason I couldn’t fully agree with Seohyuk…

‘I’ve never seen a ghost with green and red smoke at the same time.’

From the moment I first saw Red, he felt different from other ghosts.

I had seen ghosts with green and yellow smoke that made me unsure if they were a threat, but…

‘What does that mean?’

I glanced at Milly as if seeking advice.

‘Milly.’

Our eyes met. I thought maybe he’d heard me, and he stared at me with bright, curious eyes.

[……?]

He tilted his head, silently, like he didn’t understand why I was looking at him.

‘Milly, you dummy.’

It wasn’t his fault, yet I honestly felt a brief, tiny moment of frustration.

Anyway, the conclusion was that while Seohyuk’s words were sound, I couldn’t just ignore a ghost asking for help.

And in Red’s case…

I stared at his small, intent face and stopped to think.

“Wait a moment.”

Fortunately, Seohyuk stopped too, though he still held my wrist.

Helpless, I stood awkwardly with my wrist held, and explained my position to Red.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can help you.”

[…Why? Because I can’t help you find my sister?]

“I’ve found my sister, but I have other things to do. I don’t know what role you expect me to play, and I don’t think I’d be of much help finding your mother. And if it’s dangerous, I don’t want to do it either.”

Was I too honest?

By “other things,” I meant finding Dan Seohyuk’s parents. He wouldn’t want to waste time helping Red instead.

Red tried to speak, opening his mouth a few times.

[…Okay.]

He sounded sullen, as if giving up. Then he trudged deeper into the alley, his small shoulders slumped.

“Well done.”

Seohyuk stood in front of me, blocking my view, as if to say I didn’t need to feel guilty about the ghost.

Yeah, that’s probably the right call.

The only thing that bothered me was how quietly Red had accepted it. I tried to distract myself and asked Seohyuk:

“We’re going to the café, right?”

“Yeah. The same one we waited at before meeting the Quick Service Ghost.”

“You sound like a stalker when you say that.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m serious. Oh, and since I’m stressed, can we eat tteokbokki on the way?”

I muttered, walking quickly beside him. My wrist was still held, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Seohyuk twitched slightly.

“Tteokbokki? You like spicy food?”

“I tend to crave it when I’m stressed. Don’t you like it?”

“No.”

He hesitated briefly, then added:

“If you want it, let’s eat.”

Then he finally let go of my wrist. Yet somehow it still felt like his hand lingered there.

‘…Why does it feel like that?’

I scratched the wrist that had been secretly held. Was it sweaty, or just ticklish?

I didn’t know if the sensation was on my wrist or in my heart. I eventually gave up thinking and walked quickly toward the café.

Meanwhile, Machohae, dressed casually and wearing a hat, had only washed his face and was outside.

“Ugh. Why won’t Mom answer? She’s not picking up her phone.”

Even if he sent messages, there was no reply. Normally busy, she wasn’t the fastest at replying, but even so—her missing son contacted her, and she’s this indifferent? She must look at her phone sometimes!

“Nothing bad happened, right?”

He contacted his father too, but no answer. Nervously, Machohae chewed his gum.

Finally, he seemed to give up, pocketing his phone, and looked at the bright sky.

‘…Nice.’

After seeing only bizarre things in the cramped underground auction house, being surrounded by such peaceful, everyday scenery was refreshing.

The open sky, people jogging leisurely, even flowers on the streets he usually ignored—all beautiful. Feeling strangely moved, Machohae hurried along.

Machohae thought Macho-yeon had worked hard looking for him, so he wanted to buy something tasty. Since she loved the cakes at a nearby dessert shop, he planned a surprise gift.

‘It’s been a while since I ate out with my sister. If I say tteokbokki, she’ll be happy, right?’

As he turned the corner, thinking of plans for his sister,

“Excuse me.”

A huge shadow seemed to loom over him, and a voice came from above.

He looked up and froze at the absurd sight.

A large man crouched atop a not-so-low wall, expressionless.

“What do you want?”

Machohae asked cautiously. With his sharp features, people usually got intimidated or stared back.

“Oh.”

The large, simple-looking man blinked slowly and said:

“Could you help me get down?”

“…Excuse me?”