Chapter 11. Who Are You?
It was a truly bizarre sight. A stunningly handsome man lay curled up on the rug beneath the bed.
Just seeing him sleeping made Bella feel like she was committing a crime. She quietly slipped her feet back under the blanket.
‘What should I do?’
In a state of panic, Bella stared up at the ceiling, then slowly turned her gaze sideways again.
Wavy platinum blond hair, a high-bridged nose beneath it, lips tinged red and soft-looking, and skin so pale it looked ghostly. Even the small beauty mark near his eye.
The moment she saw this beautiful man sleeping curled up like a cat on the rug, she couldn’t even think of reporting him as a pervert.
No—in fact, she felt more like she was the one intruding.
“Um, excuse me…”
Can I really wake up such a beautiful creature? Is it okay?
Bella kept hesitating, her hand stretching out into the air only to be pulled back again and again.
Maybe it was her restless movements, but the beautiful man stirred and slowly opened his eyes. Jewel-like, mysterious blue eyes met hers.
The lazy movement, the drowsy, half-lidded gaze—Bella immediately clamped both hands over her mouth. It felt like all the blood in her body rushed to her face.
“Y-You…!”
“Bella.”
“Hic!”
“Can you see me?”
A flower speaks.
Still covering her mouth tightly, Bella nodded vigorously. She could see him very well—very well!
But—how did this incredibly handsome man know her name?
Seeing the question in her wide eyes, the man gave a faint smile.
“Are you disappointed? That I’m not the ghost you imagined?”
“…Chei?”
“Yes. The ghost who stayed by your side.”
Chei’s face, as he dropped his gaze, looked so fragile and sorrowful, as if he might shatter at any moment. His tousled hair fell gently, half-covering his eyes.
“You’re free to run away.”
“…What?”
“As you can see, I look awful. It’s only natural that you’d be scared of me.”
“…Excuse me?”
Bella made a strangled noise of disbelief. Chei covered his face with one hand, unable to bear looking at her.
“Am I so hideous? So much that you can’t bear to look?”
“Hold on! What are you even talking about?”
Bella waved her hands frantically and quickly slid off the bed to sit in front of him. The sudden closeness made Chei’s eyes widen.
As soon as Bella met his gaze, she squeezed her eyes shut. How can someone’s eyes be so beautiful?
“Bella. Even if I’m a ghost, if you avoid me like that, I’ll get hurt.”
That voice—it was the same voice she’d heard every time she’d had sleep paralysis. The kind of voice you’d imagine belonged to a ridiculously handsome man.
It really was Chei. The ghost standing before her. Aside from his pale skin, he looked so human it was hard to believe otherwise.
“Ghost—no, Chei, have you never seen your own face?”
“I can’t. I’m a ghost.”
“…Oh. Right.”
Bella muttered, “Well, that makes sense,” and nodded.
Of course. He said that kind of nonsense because he couldn’t see himself.
Misunderstanding her reaction, Chei pulled his hair down further over his eyes and murmured,
“Yeah. I must be really hideous. That’s why people kept running away.”
Even ghosts can be hurt by others’ reactions.
Bella suddenly realized how much pain Chei must have endured. Watching over the mansion alone, unable to stop intruders, witnessing them die horribly—powerless to do anything.
Even when he revealed himself to help someone, they must have run away screaming the moment they saw he was a ghost. People are cruel to anything different.
Bella’s violet eyes calmed with sympathy.
“Chei. I’m going to live in this mansion forever. For life. Until I’m old and dead.”
Chei peeked at her through his hair.
From her serious expression, she clearly meant it. He mustered a bit more courage and brushed his hair back slightly.
“Aren’t you afraid? I’m bound to this mansion and can’t leave, even if I wanted to.”
“What part of you am I supposed to be afraid of?”
“…Huh?”
Every time Chei blinked, his long lashes trembled. Bella took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and held her hand out in front of him.
“Your dazzling beauty? Eyes so gorgeous they make me feel guilty just looking at them? Wait, hold on, I’m sweating.”
As she listed each point, folding her fingers one by one, her voice grew increasingly excited. She started flapping her clothes to cool off.
“Bella, are you okay?”
Chei asked, the corners of his eyes lowering in concern.
“No! I’m not okay! Because of your looks, I’m not okay at all!”
“…My looks?”
“Good grief. I feel like I’m about to hand over my liver and lungs and smile happily as I die.”
Bella smacked her forehead and groaned.
Of all things, why did the ghost have to be this handsome? She couldn’t even kick him out.
“Everyone was scared of me.”
“Of course they were! You’re terrifyingly beautiful! I bet people fainted and ran because you’re too good-looking!”
“Don’t exaggerate. I know I’m not that good-looking.”
Chei gave a faint smile and hugged one arm with the other, looking pitiful.
Realizing nothing she said would convince him, Bella smacked her forehead again. Her round forehead was turning red.
“This is insane. I wish I could show you this divine sight I’m seeing. It’s a tragedy.”
“…Is it really that bad?”
“It’s really that good.”
Chei’s eyes lit up, and he suddenly leaned in close to Bella.
“Then… does my face match your taste?”
“It goes beyond taste. Honestly, if you’d just shown up like this from the start, everything would’ve been so much better!”
Chei finally seemed to accept her words, smiling with visible joy.
“I’d like to—but it’s not something I can control.”
“What do you mean?”
“When a ghost and a living person grow closer and more familiar, the ghost can appear more clearly.”
Chei smiled with his eyes, playful and sly. Bella, startled, turned her head sharply away as if to avoid being enchanted.
“Oh, then… I’m the first person to really see you like this?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, I’m honored. Really.”
Bella clapped her hands and sighed in relief.
If word got out that the ghost was this good-looking, the mansion would be swarming with visitors.
She had originally thought about turning it into a haunted tourist attraction, but maybe she needed to rethink that plan.
Chei, unaware she was calculating in her head, laughed brightly.
“I’m glad you like me. I can’t leave this place, after all.”
“Well, if you were human, I’d kick you out. But a ghost is different!”
“…Huh?”
Isn’t that usually the other way around? Chei tilted his head.
From the start, he had suspected Bella was… a bit crazy. The way she so easily talked like this to a ghost. He looked at her like she was some rare creature. Bella boldly stuck out her hand.
“Let’s get along, okay? Oh, but from now on, separate rooms! I don’t care how scary it is, no sharing a bed!”
“Why not?”
Chei didn’t take her hand, but instead looked at her with a sorrowful expression.
“What do you mean, why? You’re a strange man who’s not even married to me—how can you sleep in a woman’s room?!”
“Isn’t it worse to enter the room of a married woman?”
“What are you even saying! Anyway, just knock from now on!”
Flustered, Bella shook her shoulders and raised her voice.
Meanwhile, yellow morning sunlight gradually lit up the town through the window. Chei turned his gaze to the light streaming into the room.
Even with sunlight pouring over him, he didn’t vanish. Was it really because this woman had grown closer to him?
His ice-blue eyes turned back to Bella.
He needed to get even closer. Only then could she become his hands and feet—and maybe, she could even carry out his revenge for him.
“Bella. Please. I won’t get in your way.”
Chei gently reached out to place his hand over hers.
Or tried to.
But his hand passed right through her.
His expression turned cold. Slowly, his gaze lifted to her face.
“Even if you look at me like that… absolutely not! I feel like I’m going to commit a sin! Why are you tempting me?!”
Thankfully, Bella seemed unaware of what had just happened. Oblivious, she continued babbling nervously. Chei leaned in, close enough that their breaths almost touched.
“I’ll allow it.”
At his whisper, Bella’s face flushed crimson. Just days ago, she’d beaten up an intruder, yet now she looked like a shy teenager in the throes of first love.
“…W-What…?”
“I’ll give you my all. So let me stay in your world.”
“….”
“Hmm?”
Unable to withstand Chei’s glittering gaze, Bella hastily leaned back and held her hand out to stop him.
Her heart felt like it was going to explode. Why did he keep bringing that dangerous face so close, whispering with that lovely voice?!
“Fine… But we’re definitely not sharing the bed ever again.”
“I understand.”
He’s dangerous.
This ghost… is far too dangerous.
